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Wednesday 31 October 2018
Eight Baltimore TTG Members and Associates Convicted on Federal Racketeering and Drug Conspiracy Charges, Including Nine Murders and Witness IntimidationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland –A federal jury today convicted eight Baltimore men for conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG), including nine murders, drug trafficking, and witness intimidation, as well as on conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. Several of the defendants were also convicted of related drug and firearms charges.
The defendants convicted today are:
Montana Barronette, a/k/a Tana, and Tanner, age 23;
Terrell Sivells, a/k/a Rell, age 27;
John Harrison, a/k/a Binkie, age 28;
Taurus Tillman, a/k/a Tash, age 29;
Linton Broughton, a/k/a Marty, age 25;
Dennis Pulley, a/k/a Denmo, age 31;
Brandon Wilson, a/k/a Ali, age 24; and
Timothy Floyd, a/k/a Tim Rod, age 28.The convictions were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Interim Commissioner Gary Tuggle of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
“Federal, state and local law enforcement joined together to target the leaders and key members of one of the most violent gangs operating in Baltimore City,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Today’s convictions prove our continuing commitment to removing armed, violent criminals from our neighborhoods and bringing them to justice in the federal system, which has no parole—ever.”
“For six years, Trained To Go terrorized the Sandtown neighborhood, committing murders, robberies, and other violence as they sold their poison on the streets of Baltimore,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Today’s convictions ensure that Montana Barronette and the other seven defendants in this vicious gang now will be held accountable for their horrible crimes.”
“This investigation represents the epitome of law enforcement agencies working together to target and dismantle violent street gangs that threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson. “The citizens of Baltimore City and Maryland have the FBI’s commitment that we will work with our local, state and federal partners to attack these dealers and remove violent criminals from their neighborhoods.”
According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial, the defendants are all members of Trained To Go (TTG), a criminal organization which operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. Members and associates of TTG sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.
Specifically, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010 and May 25, 2016, the defendants and other members of TTG committed acts of violence, including nine murders, shootings, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. The violent acts were intended to further the gang’s activities, protect the gang’s drug territory, and maintain and increase a member’s position within the organization. Murders were committed in retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as in murder-for-hire schemes. Further, the defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence, to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.
The defendants all face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the racketeering and drug conspiracies. Pulley and Wilson each also face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for being felons in possession of a firearm; and a mandatory minimum of five years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, and up to life in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Tillman and Sivells also face up to 20 years in prison for distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not yet scheduled sentencing. The defendants remain detained.
Three other TTG members, all of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty. Brandon Bazemore, a/k/a Man Man, age 25, pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy, including three murders and an attempted murder, as well as to the drug conspiracy. Bazemore and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea, Bazemore will be sentenced to 25 years in federal prison at his sentencing on November 13, 2018. Co-defendants Hisaun Chatman, age 31, and James Woodfolk, age 20, pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy and were each sentenced to five years in prison, to be served concurrent to the state sentence each is currently serving.
Co-defendant Roger Taylor, of Baltimore, is still a fugitive, and the charges against him are pending. Anyone who may have information on the whereabouts of Roger Taylor is asked to contact the FBI-Baltimore Field office at (410) 265-8080.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur also recognized U.S. Marshal Johnny Hughes and the U.S. Marshal’s Office for their exemplary work during the trial. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel C. Gardner and Christopher J. Romano, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Drug Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Daniel Dewayne Conner was sentenced this morning on five counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Court documents showed that Conner was on federal supervised release from his prior federal drug conviction when he made the sales to a confidential informant working for the Saraland Police Department. Conner, 44, of Axis, Alabama, pled guilty to the charges in February. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 57 months imprisonment to run concurrently on the five counts, and ordered that Conner serve a term of 7 years of supervised release when he is discharged from prison. No fine was imposed but Conner was ordered to pay $500 in special mandatory assessments.
The case was investigated by the Saraland Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria A. Bedwell.
Dominican Republic and a Venezuelan Defendant Plead Guilty to Illegal Entry Charges in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Juan Lorenzo Matias Peralta, 38, of the Dominican Republic and Dionis Alexander Luis Gomez, 31, of Venezuela, pleaded guilty today in Magistrate Court before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller to illegal entry offenses, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Sentencing is set for December 3, 2018.
According, to court documents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) apprehended a vessel in the area of North Haulover Bay, St. John after agents observed that the vessel was operating with no lights. After the boat was stopped, AMO agents observed five male individuals onboard, including Peralta and Gomez. Upon further investigation, agents concluded that Peralta and Gmoez were not U.S. citizens, but were in fact nationals from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, respectively. Peralta and Gomez did not have permission to enter the United States, and the area where the boat was apprehended, was not a designated port of entry.
Peralta and Gomez face a maximum sentence of six months and a $5,000 fine.
The case was investigated Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Unit (AMO) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
District Woman Pleads Guilty to Perjury for Lying to Grand Jury in Homicide InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shadashia Gillis, also known as Shadashia Warren, 27, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to one count perjury for lying to a grand jury during a homicide investigation, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Gillis pled guilty on Oct. 26, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She is to be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2019, by the Honorable Milton C. Lee.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, a Superior Court grand jury was investigating the Aug. 21, 2016 killing of Dante Miller, 24, after a cook-out and fish fry in 1200 block of 18th Place NE. Witnesses had identified Gillis as being present when Mr. Miller was shot by Montez Warren, and also identified her as leaving the scene with Warren.
However, during her grand jury testimony, Gillis stated that she did not know Warren. She also testified that she never was contacted by or met with a defense attorney or defense investigator for Warren. According to the proffer, prior to her testimony on Dec. 14, 2016, she had spoken with a defense attorney for Warren, exchanged text messages with the attorney, met the attorney in person, and spoke with a defense investigator for Warren.
Warren, 37, of Washington, D.C. pled guilty in February 2018 to a charge of second-degree murder while armed and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the killing.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Bates of the Appellate Division. Finally, she commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Kirschner, who investigated and prosecuted the perjury and murder cases.
District Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Assaulting Ex-Girlfriend with FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Singletary, 36, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting his former girlfriend with a firearm, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Singletary pled guilty in July 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was sentenced on Oct. 30, 2018, by the Honorable Ronna L Beck. Following his prison term, Singletary will be placed on three years of supervised release and subject to gun-offender registration requirements.
According to the government’s evidence, Singletary and the victim were involved in a romantic relationship. One day during the fall of 2017, Singletary was significantly intoxicated. He began arguing with the victim and, during the argument, grabbed his semi-automatic pistol and placed the barrel of the weapon in her mouth. He repeatedly told the victim that her body belonged to him and not to anyone else.
On Dec. 23, 2017, the victim called 911 to report an additional incident involving the defendant. After this second incident, police located and recovered Singletary’s pistol at the victim’s residence in Southeast Washington. Forensic testing revealed the presence of his DNA on the firearm. At the time of the firearm recovery, Singletary was on probation for a 2016 domestic violence assault relating to a separate victim and could not lawfully possess a firearm.
Singletary was arrested on Jan. 10, 2018 pursuant to an arrest warrant, and has been in custody since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. She also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Meshall Thomas, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bianca Forde and J. Matt Williams, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Election Officer on Duty for November 2018 ElectionsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Arlen Storm will lead the Office’s work in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. AUSA Storm is the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Washington, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington D.C.
“It is imperative that anyone who has specific information about discrimination or election fraud provide that information in a timely manner to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division,” said United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without fraud in the election process. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the election is ongoing.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them in the voting process, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy.
The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise are able to exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses, including on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes stated that AUSA/DEO Storm is on duty while voting is ongoing in Western Washington. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 206-553-7970.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses while voting is ongoing, including on November 6, 2018. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 206 622-0460.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
Detroit man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Dontez Rayshawn Hudson, of Detroit, Michigan, has admitted to heroin distribution charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hudson, age 34, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.” Hudson admitted to distributing heroin in Randolph County in May 2017.
Hudson faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Current and Former Springfield Police Officers Indicted for Unreasonable Force Against Two JuvenilesRead the Press Release
Two Springfield Police Officers, one current and one former officer, were arrested today and charged in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, on allegations that they used unreasonable force against two Latino juveniles during an arrest. One of the officers is also charged with threatening the juveniles during an interrogation and falsifying subsequent reports regarding the incident. Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Boston Field Division, made the announcement.
Gregg A. Bigda, 48, of Wilbraham, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with three counts of violating the civil rights of arrestees and one count of obstructing justice by writing a false report. Steven M. Vigneault, 48, of East Longmeadow, was charged in the same indictment with one count of violating the civil rights of an arrestee.
The indictment charges that, on Feb. 27, 2016, Bigda used unreasonable force against a juvenile, and that afterward, Bigda spat on him and said, “Welcome to the white man’s world.” The indictment further charges that Vigneault used unreasonable force against a different juvenile. According to the indictment, both uses of force involved the use of dangerous weapon and resulted in bodily injury.
"Even in the face of adversity, law enforcement officers are expected to conduct themselves professionally, respectfully, and with integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “They are ambassadors for the rule of law, and when they themselves break those laws, they violate not just the rights of their victims, but compromise the public's trust in law enforcement. My Office is committed to holding our public servants accountable under the law and prosecuting those who abuse their positions of power."
"Most law enforcement officers are dedicated, honest, and fully committed to building trust within their communities, but those who break the law stain the reputation of the law enforcement profession,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Boston Field Division. “Badges and guns do not come with the authority to ignore the Constitution or the rights of others, and those who violate it will be held accountable."
The indictment further alleges that after the arrests, Bigda interrogated the juveniles without their parents present and without reading them their Miranda rights, and that, during the course of the interrogations, Bigda threatened the juveniles in a number of different ways. For example, Bigda made the following threats against the first juvenile: to “crush [the juvenile’s] skull and [expletive] get away with it,” “bring the dog back [and] let him [expletive] go after” the juvenile; “[expletive] kill [the juvenile] in the parking lot”; “charge [the juvenile] with killing Kennedy and [expletive] make it stick,” “stick a [expletive] kilo of coke in [the juvenile’s] pocket and put [the juvenile] away for [expletive] 15 years,” and “kick [the juvenile] right in the [expletive] face as soon as [they] cross the Springfield line.” Bigda made the following threats against the second juvenile: to “beat the [expletive] out of [the juvenile],” “tune [the juvenile] the [expletive] up,” and “bloody [the juvenile’s] body.”
Bigda subsequently attempted to obstruct the investigation into the assaults on the juveniles by falsifying his reports to the Springfield Police Department Internal Investigations Unit, allegedly writing that he did not kick anyone or see any officer kick anyone during the course of the arrests of the juveniles. Bigda filed a second report in which he denied spitting on anyone or yelling “welcome to the white man’s world” during the arrest of the juveniles.
The charges of depriving arrestees of their civil rights carry a maximum possible sentence of 10 years for counts alleging that a dangerous weapon was used or that bodily injury resulted, and a maximum sentence of one year for the charges that allege no weapon or injury. The charges of falsifying a police report provide for a maximum possible sentence of 20 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deepika Bains Shukla and Katharine Wagner of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Christopher J. Perras of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Coraopolis Teen Charged with Illegally Possessing Fentanyl, Other Drugs and a GunRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against a resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on charges of violating the federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The five-count indictment named Kyle Reshaud Goosby, age 19, of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
According to the indictment, on June 22, 2018, and June 23, 2018, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Goosby distributed and/or possessed with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and heroin. The indictment further charges Goosby, a felon, with unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition on June 23, 2018, and on June 24, 2018. Federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Finally, the indictment charges Goosby with possessing firearms on June 23, 2018, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta and Special Assistant United States Attorney Chad R. Parks of the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Beaver County Drug Task Force, and the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Cleveland men admit to drug distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Dorion D. McMullen, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Dennis D. Chapman, also of Cleveland, have admitted to drug distribution charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
McMullen, also known as “Caesar,” age 28, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.” McMullen admitted to selling cocaine in Ohio County in December 2017.
Chapman, also known as “Kobe,” age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base Within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” He admitted to selling cocaine near Pulaski Playground in Ohio County, West Virginia, in January 2018.
McMullen faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Chapman faces up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,0000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven L. Vogrin is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
City of Seattle Files Assessments of Work to Sustain Police Reforms and Remain in “Full and Effective Compliance” with Consent DecreeRead the Press Release
SEATTLE – Today, in accordance with the Court-approved plan for demonstrating sustained compliance for two years, the City of Seattle filed self-assessments of its ongoing work under the police reform consent decree it entered into with the Department of Justice (DOJ). The filings in U.S. District Court included a quarterly report on data and activities during the months of August-October, two audits relating to use of force investigations and internal supervision, an outcome report on its crisis intervention activities, and a review of the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD’s) stops and detentions policy.
For each of the areas assessed by the City under the consent decree, both the DOJ and the Court’s independent monitor, Merrick Bobb, concluded that the City has sustained compliance with the Consent Decree.
“These Phase II assessments are important opportunities for SPD to demonstrate critical self-analysis with continued oversight from the Court, Monitor, DOJ and the community,” said Annette L. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington. “This two-year period of sustained compliance is designed to be thorough, transparent and ensure all concerned that the work of police reform continues in all areas covered by the consent decree. DOJ continues to work with the City, Monitor and community to develop methodologies, examine data, and validate results so that everyone can have confidence that hard-won reforms will not slip. Today’s filings demonstrate that thus far, the City of Seattle remains on the right track.”
In January 2018, the Court found the City of Seattle in “full and effective compliance” with reforms required by the consent decree signed in 2012. This finding triggered Phase II of police reform in Seattle – a two-year “sustainment period” during which the City and SPD must maintain compliance with the consent decree.
During this sustainment period, the City must demonstrate its ongoing compliance through seven quarterly reports and three types of self-assessments: audits of its practices, reviews of SPD’s policies, and outcome reports that summarize policing data for the public. Quarterly reports must include recent data on use-of-force and crisis intervention practices, an update on the activities of SPD’s Force Review Board and Unit, and a discussion of relevant activities of the accountability organizations — the Office of Police Accountability (OPA), the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and the Community Police Commission (CPC). The first quarterly report was filed on July 31, 2018.
Quarterly Report. During the third quarter of 2018, the report filed today showed that 513 (84.79%) of the reported applications of force involved no greater than low-level, Type I force, 87 (14.38%) involved Type II force, and five (less than 1%) involved Type III force. There were no officer-involved shootings. In the context of overall encounters, force is rarely used. Between January and July 2018, there were 103,553 unique events to which officers were called by a dispatcher or observed or were alerted to while on patrol. Three hundred eighty-three (383) – or slightly more than one third of one percent of all of these events – involved one or more reportable uses of force. Fifty-three (five one-hundredths of one percent) of all events ultimately involved a more serious use of force (Type II or Type III). These rates generally are consistent with previous reporting periods, like, for example, when the City’s use of force report for 2017 showed that Type I uses of force constituted nearly 77% of all uses of force. Contacts with those experiencing crisis are discussed more fully below.
The internal mechanisms established to examine the most serious uses of force – the Force Review Unit and Force Review Board – continue to evaluate incidents, make disciplinary referrals, and recommend policy changes in accordance with their mandates. And, as demonstrated by the audit of the investigation and review of Type I (low-level force that may involve transitory pain) and Type II (causes or is reasonably expected to cause physical injury greater than transitory pain, but not substantial bodily harm) levels of force, SPD continues to comply with its reporting and investigation obligations under the consent decree.
Use of Force Investigations and Reporting Audit. According to the City’s audit – and validated by both DOJ and the Monitor – SPD officers continue to comply with reporting, review, and investigation obligations set forth by the consent decree for Types I and II uses of force. In particular, the audit revealed that officers consistently wrote complete and thorough reports of their uses of force and their chain of command consistently conducted high quality reviews, including thorough documentation of relevant evidence. Further, the audit found that supervisors addressed shortcomings in a timely and appropriate manner, ensuring that the quality of reporting and investigation will continue to improve.
Supervision Audit. Although aspects of supervision are covered by a number of other audits in Phase II, this “general” supervision audit specifically examined the adequacy of the numbers of supervisors to perform requirements under the consent decree, “unity of command,” and training for long-term acting sergeants. The audit found – and DOJ and the Monitor concur – that SPD has demonstrated compliance with its ongoing requirements, including that:
- SPD deploys an adequate number of qualified first-line supervisors/sergeants to ensure the provisions of the consent decree are implemented, including responding to the scene when force is used, investigating uses of force, documenting uses of force, and providing direction to officers who use force as needed;
- Operational field officers are assigned to a single, consistent, clearly identified first line supervisor who works the same days and hours as the officers they supervise; and
- Personnel assigned to a planned assignment of acting sergeant for longer than 60 days receive training as an acting sergeant in a timely manner.
Crisis Intervention Outcome Report. In the 18-month period between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018, SPD made 15,995 contacts with persons believed experiencing a behavioral crisis (of which 92% were responses to calls from the public reporting an incident). This analysis of crisis contacts shows that in the first six months of 2018, dispatched crisis contacts increased by 26% compared to the same period last year and on-viewed crisis contact (i.e., those initiated by an officer) were up almost 30% compared to the first six months of 2017. Despite the increase in crisis contacts, use of force against persons in behavioral crisis remains low and resolutions that result in a connection to services remains high. Of the 15,995 crisis contacts reported, 277 - fewer than 2% - involved any use of reportable force and in three-quarters of cases no greater than the lowest level of force (Type I) was used and just five (0.9%) were Type III uses of force.
All officers receive at least eight hours of annual crisis intervention training (CIT) and an additional 118 officers became “CIT certified” officers in 2017 by receiving 40 hours of training. In nearly 80% of crisis calls, a CIT-certified officer was on-scene.
Voluntary Contacts, Terry Stops, and Detentions Policy Review. Following a systematic and inclusive review process that included multiple parts of SPD, the Monitor, DOJ, OPA, OIG and the CPC, the City has submitted revisions to SPD’s Voluntary Contacts, Terry Stops, and Detentions Policy. Agreed-to changes include clarifying provisions that SPD and other stakeholders identified as “confusing, ambiguous, or legalistic in a way that limited practical usefulness.” For example, the revised policy is more explicit that frisks must be based on articulable and reasonable safety concerns that a person is armed and presently dangerous and also now reflects officers cannot act based on pretext under Washington state law, even if an objectively reasonable basis for the stop exists. The goal in ongoing policy reviews is to assess current applications of the policies and to identify best police practices and incorporate those findings into SPD policies.
The next round of filings, including the quarterly report and crisis intervention audit, will be filed in December 2018.
Carencro race horse training center owner will pay civil penalties and perform corrective measures to resolve pollution discharge violationsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Racehorse training-center operator Evangeline Enterprises LLC of Carencro, Louisiana, has agreed to pay $300,000 in civil penalties and to make changes in its handling of polluted wastewater at its Louisiana facility to settle Clean Water Act claims filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), the Department of Justice and EPA announced today.
The settlement, contained in a proposed consent decree lodged today with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, resolves claims by EPA and LDEQ in a complaint filed on October 19, 2017. The complaint alleged that Evangeline is illegally discharging process wastewater, contaminated with horse manure, urine, and other biological materials, from its facility into the Vermilion River and its tributary Francois Coulee, in violation of the Clean Water Act and the Louisiana Environmental Quality Act.
“Louisiana is a beautiful state with a vast, diverse, ecosystem that is rich in natural resources, including its rivers, bayous, and coastal waters,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “My office is committed to protecting these treasures from those who would illegally exploit or damage them. Today’s settlement is but one example of my commitment to aggressively prosecute, both civilly and criminally, those who poison Louisiana's environment and to seek restitution for any damages they inflict.”
“This agreement is the result of extensive cooperation between the state of Louisiana and EPA,” said Regional Administrator Anne Idsal for EPA Region 6. “Ensuring the lawful handling of wastes will mean cleaner streams and waterways in Louisiana, which is important for aquatic habitats, safe drinking water, and public recreation.”
Under the Clean Water Act, facilities like Evangeline’s that house more than 150 horses for 45 days or more in any 12-month period and discharge pollutants must obtain a permit and comply with rules to ensure that pollutants, including contaminated process wastewater, is not discharged to waters of the United States or waters of the State. Evangeline discharged process wastewater into drainage ditches and pipes at the facility that then flowed into the Francois Coulee and Vermilion River. To correct this, the retention control structure required under the settlement agreement will store all process wastewater at the facility and allow it to be routed for proper treatment to stop the unauthorized discharges to the Francois Coulee and Vermilion River.
Under the settlement, Evangeline will pay the civil penalties and submit an application for a Louisiana National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, comply with best management practices for waste at the facility, and construct a waste retention control structure in compliance with federal and state regulations. In the event that Evangeline chooses to close the facility, the agreement provides alternative measures to require the company to eliminate further discharges of pollution into area waterways.
The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day federal public comment period, a 45-day Louisiana public comment period, and final court review and approval. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice website at www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.
For more information on the settlement, visit the EPA’s website at: www.epa.gov/enforcement/evangeline-enterprises-llc-settlement-information-sheet.
Canadian Man Sentenced to Time Served for Unlawfully Entering United StatesRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Simon Grenier, 51, of Saint Zacharie, Quebec, Canada was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison to time served (15 days) for illegally entering into the United States.
According to court records, on October 16, 2018, a Border Patrol Agent and a Maine Game Warden located the defendant in Township 5, Range 20 near the border by following his fresh boot tracks from the border. The defendant entered the United States illegally to hunt moose.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol and the Maine Warden Service.
California Man Convicted by Federal Jury of Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Today, a federal jury in Gulfport found Frederick Arayatanon, 35, of Westminister, California, guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr., announced United States Attorney Mike Hurst and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Derryle Smith with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
"I applaud the outstanding work of these prosecutors, agents and officers, as another major drug dealer and network have been taken down and dismantled, and countless lives have been saved. While meth continues to be a scourge in Mississippi that is killing our communities, this office and our law enforcement partners will not rest as we continue the fight against this deadly epidemic sweeping our country," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
During the course of a drug investigation that began in 2017, DEA agents discovered that Arayatanon was shipping large quantities of methamphetamine from California to Tuyen Ngoc Le in Biloxi, Mississippi. Once Le received the methamphetamine shipments, she would give them to Demetrius Mason for distribution in the Ocean Springs area.
Le pled guilty on October 16, 2018 for her role in the drug conspiracy and will be sentenced on January 15, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. Mason pled guilty for his role and was sentenced by Judge Guirola on May 31, 2018 to 292 months in federal prison.
Arayatanon will be sentenced on January 31, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. by Judge Guirola, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shundral H. Cole and Assistant United States Attorney Kathlyn Van Buskirk.
California Man Admits Traveling to Syria to Fight with Foreign TerroristsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California man who traveled to Syria to take up arms with terrorists pleaded guilty today in federal court in Chicago to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and lying to U.S. immigration authorities.
AWS MOHAMMED YOUNIS AL-JAYAB, 25, of Sacramento, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and one count of knowingly providing a materially false statement to federal agents in a matter involving international terrorism. The material support charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, while the false statement charge is punishable by up to eight years. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis set sentencing for April 26, 2019, at 11:00 a.m., in federal court in Chicago.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; McGregor Scott, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Sean Ragan, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Sacramento office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Shoba Pillay of the Northern District of Illinois, Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko P. Coppola of the Eastern District of California, and Trial Attorney D. Andrew Sigler of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The investigation was led by the Sacramento Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of FBI special agents and representatives from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Al-Jayab admitted in a plea agreement that he flew from Chicago to Turkey in November 2013, and soon thereafter traveled into Syria, where he joined and fought with the designated foreign terrorist organization Ansar Al-Islam. He returned to the United States in January 2014, via Turkey and the United Kingdom. Upon his return in the United States, Al-Jayab’s Customs Declaration Form listed only Jordan and the U.K. in the “countries visited” field, without making any mention of his travel to Turkey and Syria, the plea agreement states.
Al-Jayab also admitted that he gave false statements to agents from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during an interview in October 2014. During the interview, Al-Jayab falsely stated that the purpose of his trip to Turkey was to visit his grandmother, and he denied supporting terrorist groups, the plea agreement states.
Businessman Indicted for Conspiring to Bribe Senior Officials of the Republic of HaitiRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A businessman was charged in a superseding indictment filed yesterday in federal court in Boston for conspiring to bribe senior officials of the Republic of Haiti, and to launder funds for that purpose, in connection with a planned $84 million port development project in that country.
Roger Richard Boncy, 74, a dual U.S. and Haitian citizen who resides in Madrid, Spain, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count each of conspiracy to violate the Travel Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, one count of violating the Travel Act, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. In October 2017, Boncy’s co-conspirator, Dr. Joseph Baptiste of Fulton, Md., was originally charged by indictment in this case, and is scheduled to stand trial on Dec. 3, 2018, in federal court in Boston.
According to the indictment, Boncy and Baptiste solicited bribes from undercover agents in Boston who posed as potential investors in infrastructure projects in Haiti, in connection with a proposed project to develop a port in the Mole-Saint-Nicolas area of Haiti. The proposed project was expected to cost approximately $84 million and was to involve the construction of multiple cement factories, a shipping-vessel recycling station, an international transshipment station with numerous slips for shipping vessels, a power plant, a petroleum depot and tourist facilities. During a recorded meeting at a Boston-area hotel, Boncy and Baptiste allegedly told the agents that they would funnel the payments to Haitian officials through a non-profit entity that Baptiste controls – which is based in Maryland and purports to help impoverished residents of Haiti – in order to secure government approval of the project.
The charges of conspiracy to violate the Travel Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charges of violating the Travel Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. 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 of the District of Massachusetts; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, and Assistant Director Christopher Hacker of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney Elina A. Rubin-Smith of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the charging document are accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
UPDATE: Criminal charges against the defendants, Joseph Baptiste and Roger Boncy, were dismissed in June 2022.
Breaux Bridge man sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing heroin in AcadianaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a Breaux Bridge man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for conspiring with three Lafayette residents to sell heroin.
Joshua Edwards, 32, of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Edwards was also sentenced to eight years of supervised release. The defendant was found guilty after a three-day trial that ended August 1, 2018. Evidence admitted at trial revealed that Edwards, along with Jacobe Arceneaux, 34; Terrence T. Woods, 33; and Robert Jenkins, 36, all of Lafayette, conspired to distribute heroin in the Acadiana area in 2016 and 2017.
Arceneaux pleaded guilty on July 13, 2017 to distributing heroin, and was sentenced October 9, 2018 to 80 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Woods pleaded guilty on September 20, 2017 to distributing heroin, and he is awaiting sentencing. Jenkins pleaded guilty on January 11, 2018 to distributing heroin, and he was sentenced on May 8, 2018 to 90 months in prison and four years of supervised release.
The defendants were arrested as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) “Operation Hustle City.” The FBI, DEA, Lafayette Metro Narcotics and other law enforcement agencies conducted the investigation. The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources, and disrupting and dismantling of major drug trafficking organizations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert C. Abendroth and Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.
Bluefield Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Bluefield man who was arrested after a drug and gun investigation earlier this year pled guilty today to two federal charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Tyquon Freeman, 21, entered guilty pleas to possession with intent to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“Guns. Pot. A convicted felon,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Under federal law, convicted felons like Freeman are prohibited from possessing firearms. Drug users are prohibited persons as well. Drugs and guns don’t mix.”
Freeman admitted that on two separate dates in April, 2018, he sold marijuana to a confidential informant working with the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. On April 19, 2018, agents with the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives executed a search warrant at Freeman’s house in Bluefield, West Virginia, where the prior drug transactions had occurred. When the agents entered the residence, they found approximately ten pounds of marijuana, some of which Freeman admitted he intended to distribute in exchange for money. Officers also found three firearms which Freeman also admitted that he acquired one of the firearms protect his drugs and drug proceeds, even though he knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearms because he was a convicted felon. Freeman further admitted that at the time he committed this offense, he was still on parole out of the state of Virginia. Freeman was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2017 drug-related felony conviction in Tazewell County, Virginia.
Freeman now faces a sentence of up to five years in federal prison on the drug charge, to be followed by a consecutive sentence of five years up to life on the gun charge. Freeman’s sentencing will be held on March 5, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Belmont Residents Plead Guilty to Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Luis Gardner, 41, and Heidi Langevin, 44, of Belmont, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced. Garner also pleaded guilty to illegal possession of firearms and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gardner and Langevin sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an individual who was cooperating with the FBI on two separate occasions at locations in and around New Hampshire. On May 31, 2017, Langevin arranged for Gardner and two other men to purchase fentanyl from a supplier in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The three men drove together from Belmont, New Hampshire to Lawrence. In Lawrence, the men met with their drug supplier, purchased a quantity of fentanyl, and began to drive back to New Hampshire. On the highway near Derry, New Hampshire, the New Hampshire State Police conducted a traffic stop and seized a firearm and a package containing approximately 111 grams of fentanyl.
Gardner and Langevin are scheduled to be sentenced on February 11, 2019.
“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave danger to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “When drug dealers are armed with guns, the risk to public safety is even greater. In order to improve public safety and enhance the quality of life in the Granite State, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute drug traffickers and violent criminals.”
This matter was investigated by the FBI, the New Hampshire State Police, and the Laconia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski.
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Ball felon pleads guilty to possessing revolverRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Ball felon pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegally possessing a revolver and ammunition.
Terrence Taylor, 38, of Ball, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, Alexandria police officers approached a vehicle at a local park. Taylor was in the driver’s seat with two passengers. After they exited the vehicle, officers noticed the handle of a firearm under the armrest of the driver’s seat. The firearm was a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver, which was loaded with six rounds. A warrant check revealed that Taylor had outstanding warrants for probation violations, and he was arrested at the scene. Taylor is a felon who has previously been convicted of forcible rape, illegal use of a weapon and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
Taylor faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for March 1, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The ATF and the Alexandria Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is prosecuting the case.
Alabama Man Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Gregory A. Mclin, age 45, of Huntsville, Alabama, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to serve 97 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans. Mclin was also ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $10,000, and an additional assessment of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
An investigation conducted in May 2016 by HSI, along with the Wiggins Police Department and the Gulf Coast Cyber Crime Task Force, resulted in the identification of an internet protocol address belonging to Mclin and his use of a computer file-sharing program. In November 2016, a federal search warrant was executed at Mclin’s then-Gulfport, Mississippi, residence. His electronic devices were seized and forensic examinations were conducted. The examination reports, as well as the submissions of the visual depictions found and submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, resulted in a finding that Mclin knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, to include visual depictions of a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Gulf Coast Cyber Crime Task Force, and the Wiggins Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Tuesday 30 October 2018
“BMB” Street Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 27 Years in Prison for Murder of Bronx Teenager and Other Racketeering CrimesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MARTIN MITCHELL, a/k/a “Tyliek,” a member of a violent street gang in the Bronx called the “Big Money Bosses” (“BMB”), was sentenced yesterday to 327 months in prison for his gang-related crimes, including the June 22, 2014, murder of 17-year-old Keshon Potterfield. MITCHELL pled guilty on December 30, 2016, to conspiracy to commit racketeering and to killing Potterfield, and was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Martin Mitchell was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for the cowardly murder of Keshon Potterfield, a teenager whom Mitchell shot in the back. This significant sentence will take a violent offender off the street and, hopefully, provide Keshon Potterfield’s family some measure of justice. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent gang violence and keep our streets safe.”
According to court documents and statements made during the public proceedings in this case:
BMB is a subset of the “Young Bosses,” or “YBz” street gang, which operates throughout New York City. Between 2007 and 2016, members and associates of BMB committed numerous acts of violence against rival gang members in the Bronx – including murders, attempted murders, and armed robberies – and sold crack cocaine, marijuana, and oxycodone.
MITCHELL was a member of BMB. On June 22, 2014, MITCHELL and other members of BMB attended a birthday party in the backyard of a residence on East 232nd Street in the Bronx. MITCHELL obtained a gun from fellow BMB member Donque Tyrell, a/k/a “Polo Rell,” then used that gun to shoot and kill Potterfield as he ran from the BMB members. As part of the plea agreement he signed, MITCHELL also admitted to attempting to murder two other rival gang members on different occasions, armed robbery, and drug trafficking.
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MITCHELL, 23, of the Bronx, was arrested in this case as a result of a multi-year investigation by the New York City Police Department’s (“NYPD”) Bronx Gang Squad, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Violent Gang Unit, the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Joint Firearms Task Force of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives into gang violence in the Northern Bronx.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of the NYPD’s Bronx Homicide Task Force, the NYPD’s 47th Precinct Detective Squad, the NYPD’s Bronx Gang Squad, HSI, DEA, and ATF.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Maimin, Hagan Scotten, Jessica Feinstein, Drew Skinner, and Allison Nichols are in charge of the prosecution.
Woman Convicted of Defrauding USDA’s Summer Food Service ProgramRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Hampton woman today for her role in a fraud conspiracy related to a federally funded summer food service program.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Shaun Brown, 59, defrauded the USDA’s summer food service program (SFSP) aimed at feeding low income children. Brown and her mother ran a non-profit company, JOBS Community Development Corporation, which served as a sponsor for the SFSP. Over the course of the 2012 Summer, Brown inflated the number of meals JOBS purportedly served to low-income children and submitted four fraudulent claims for reimbursement based on the inflated numbers. Brown also orchestrated a massive scheme to falsify hundreds of documents to support her fraudulently inflated meal count numbers. Additionally, Brown ordered excessive amounts of food and milk products which she was well aware would never be used to feed needy children. At her direction, Brown’s employees disposed of this food and milk, purchased with federal funds, in large mounds behind buildings in Newport News as well as a pig farm in Southern Virginia. As a result of her fraudulent actions, the USDA paid JOBS over $800,000 in federal funds.
Brown was convicted of conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of theft of government funds and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on March 13, 2019. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael C. Westfall, State Inspector General of Virginia, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and Melissa E. O’Boyle are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-169.
Wisconsin Man Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
On Oct. 25, 2018, Jason Michael Ludke, of Milwaukee, pled guilty to conspiring to provide material support or resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339B(a)(1). Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Special Agent-in-Charge R. Justin Tolomeo of the FBI’s Milwaukee Division made the announcement today.
According to the plea agreement, Ludke and a co-conspirator agreed that they would travel through Mexico to Syria and Iraq in order to join ISIS and to work under its direction and control. Ludke also recorded a video of himself pledging his allegiance to the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and stating that he was ready to join ISIS. Ludke told an FBI Undercover Employee (UCE), who Ludke believed was assisting in the travel plans, that Ludke had training in jiu-jitsu and computers, which Ludke believed would benefit ISIS. On Oct. 5, 2016, Ludke and his coconspirator were traveling to the Texas/Mexico border in order to accomplish their plan to join ISIS (in Syria or Iraq), when law enforcement located and arrested them.
Ludke has prior convictions for child sexual assault and for making death threats against a federal judge. Also according to the plea agreement, Ludke was on probation at the time he was arrested and had cut the tracking device from his ankle before leaving Wisconsin.
“This conviction demonstrates the United States’ resolute commitment to protecting our country and combatting foreign terrorism,” United States Attorney Krueger said. “Individuals like Ludke who seek to provide material support to ISIS will be held accountable.”
“The FBI’s number one priority is protecting Americans from terrorism,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Justin Tolomeo. “I commend our Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which includes our local, state and federal partners, for their investigative efforts in identifying and arresting Jason Ludke that prevented him from joining the ISIS terror group.”
Ludke faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a maximum term of supervised release of life, and a maximum fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the JTTF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Kanter and Benjamin Taibleson and Trial Attorney Jolie F. Zimmerman of the Department’s Counterterrorism Section.
Whippoorwill Man Sentenced to 108 Months’ Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Romondo Begay, 23, of Whippoorwill, Ariz., was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 108 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a twelve-year term of supervised release with sex offender registration, treatment, and testing. Begay had previously pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact of a child.
In December of 2017, the victim reported that Begay had sexually abused her outside a relative’s house. Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation promptly began an investigation, which led to Begay’s arrest and prosecution. Begay and the victim are both members of the Navajo Nation, and the abuse occurred within the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-08062-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-141_Begay
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
United States Attorneys Available to Receive Election ComplaintsRead the Press Release
Richard P. Donoghue and Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorneys for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, respectively, announced today that special telephone numbers have been set up to receive complaints of possible violations of federal election laws relating to the upcoming general elections in New York City and other counties in their districts.
The United States Attorneys said that their Offices will be available to receive complaints at the following numbers on Tuesday, November 6, 2018:
(718) 254-6790 (for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, and Suffolk counties)
(646) 369-4739 (for Manhattan, Bronx, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties)
In addition, complaints of possible violations of federal election laws may be made directly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (212) 384-1000.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
The right to vote is a cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote exercise that right if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
The United States Attorneys also noted that the following additional telephone numbers are available on Election Day for citizens to call for routine inquiries, such as where to vote or how late the polls are open, or to register complaints that may concern violations of New York State election laws:
IN NEW YORK CITY
City Board of Elections
Main Office (866) 868-3692 TTY #:
(212) 487-5496
IN COUNTIES OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY
County Boards of Elections
Dutchess (845) 486-2473
Nassau (516) 571-8683
Orange (845) 360-6500
Orange (Spanish language) (855) 331-2444
Putnam (845) 808-1300
Rockland (845) 638-5172
Suffolk (631) 852-4500
Sullivan (845) 807-0400
Westchester (914) 995-5700
Assistant United States Attorney Erik Paulsen is responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud for the Eastern District of New York.
Assistant United States Attorney David J. Kennedy is responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud for the Southern District of New York.
United States Attorneys Available to Receive Election ComplaintsRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman and Richard P. Donoghue, the United States Attorneys for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, respectively, announced today that special telephone numbers have been set up to receive complaints of possible violations of federal election laws relating to the upcoming general elections in New York City and other counties in their districts.
The United States Attorneys said that their Offices will be available to receive complaints at the following numbers on Tuesday, November 6, 2018:
(646) 369-4739 (for Manhattan, Bronx, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties)
(718) 254-6790 (for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, and Suffolk counties)
In addition, complaints of possible violations of federal election laws may be made directly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (212) 384-1000.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
The right to vote is a cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote exercise that right if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
The United States Attorneys also noted that the following additional telephone numbers are available on Election Day for citizens to call for routine inquiries, such as where to vote or how late the polls are open, or to register complaints that may concern violations of New York State election laws:
IN NEW YORK CITY
City Board of Elections
Main Office: (866) 868-3692
TTY #: (212) 487-5496
IN COUNTIES OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY
County Boards of Elections
Dutchess (845) 486-2473
Nassau (516) 571-8683
Orange (845) 360-6500
Orange (Spanish language) (855) 331-2444
Putnam (845) 808-1300
Rockland (845) 638-5172
Suffolk (631) 852-4500
Sullivan (845) 807-0400
Westchester (914) 995-5700
Assistant United States Attorney David J. Kennedy is responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud for the Southern District of New York.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik Paulsen is responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud for the Eastern District of New York.
United States Attorneys Announce Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorneys Peter Deegan and Marc Krickbaum announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Daniel Tvedt and Virginia Bruner will lead the efforts of their respective Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. In that capacity, AUSA Tvedt and AUSA Bruner are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa Krickbaum said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
United States Attorney Deegan said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of all members of the public. I am asking that anyone with specific information about discrimination or election fraud immediately contact my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division. We all must do our part to safeguard the integrity of our elections and protect everyone’s right to vote.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Tvedt and Bruner will be on duty while the polls are open. AUSA Tvedt can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 319-363-6333. AUSA Bruner can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 515-473-9300.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field offices can be reached by the public at 319-366-2461 (Cedar Rapids) or 515-223-4278 (Des Moines).
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email or by complaint form.
United States Attorney Duncan Appoints District Election Officer in Support of Department of Justice Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Taylor will serve as the District Election Officer andwill field calls from the public regarding allegations of fraud or voting rights abuses
LEXINGTON, Ky. – United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Ken Taylor will lead the efforts of his Office, in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018 general election. AUSA Taylor has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and in that capacity, he will be responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Duncan said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have their vote counted, without it being stolen or diminished because of fraud or abuse. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process, by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts of intimidation or harassment. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Duncan has confirmed that AUSA/DEO Taylor will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 859-685-4874.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. For all Kentucky based complaints, FBI personnel can be reached by the public at 1-844-596-6721 or [email protected].
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
United States Attorney Duncan said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
United States Attorney Dunavant Reminds Citizens of theWestern District of Rules and Policies Relating to November 2018 ElectionsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Reagan Taylor will lead the efforts of this office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. AUSA Taylor has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Tennessee and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Dunavant said, "Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process."
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them; under the pretext that these are, actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Dunavant stated that AUSA/DEO Reagan Taylor will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number 901-544-4231.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 901-747-4300.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected]. or by complaint form at www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
United States Attorney Dunavant said, "Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division."United States Alleges Florida Law Firm Discriminated Against Hispanic Homeowners with A Predatory Loan Modification and Foreclosure Rescue Services TeamRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that the United States filed a lawsuit yesterday, alleging that a Florida legal services provider and two of its officers violated the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) by intentionally discriminating against Hispanic homeowners by targeting them with a predatory mortgage loan modification and foreclosure rescue services scheme. The Defendants named in the lawsuit are Advocate Law Groups of Florida, P.A; attorney, Jon B. Lindeman, Jr.; and his wife, Ephigenia K. Lindeman. Advocate Law Groups of Florida, P.A., is based in Miami Lakes, Florida, and has offices in, among other places, Orlando and Tampa, Florida.
According to the Complaint allegations, from 2009 through at least 2015, the Defendants deliberately targeted the Complainants and other homeowners with an unfair and predatory loan modification and foreclosure rescue services scheme because of their Hispanic national origin. During this time period, the Defendants purposefully targeted Hispanic homeowners with Spanish-language advertising that falsely promised to cut their mortgage payments in half. In client meetings, the Defendants promised lower payments in a short timeframe in exchange for thousands of dollars of upfront fees and additional, continuing monthly fees. The Defendants also instructed their clients to stop making monthly mortgage payments and to stop communicating with their lenders, placing their clients’ homes at risk of foreclosure. Additionally, the Defendants sent to the Complainants a package of documents, written in English, that were sent to the bank on their behalf, but provided no translation of the documents. These documents contained untrue statements, including an offer to the bank to return the Complainants’ homes in exchange for a rescission of the mortgage without the Complainants’ consent to do so. Despite charging high fees, the Defendants did little or nothing actually to obtain loan modifications.
This lawsuit arose as a result of three complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by the Defendants’ former clients. After conducting an investigation, HUD issued a charge of discrimination and referred the case to the Justice Department. This case is being prosecuted jointly with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Civil Rights Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
“Enforcement of civil rights in the housing arena is a point of focus for our Civil Division. The predatory conduct described in this Complaint cannot go unaddressed, and we will take whatever steps are necessary to protect our district’s residents from this kind of discriminatory practice,” said United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez.
Anyone with information on the loan modification and foreclosure rescue services provided by Advocate Law Groups of Florida, P.A., should contact the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division at 800-896-7743 and leave a message (for English, press 1 and select mailbox 93; for Spanish, press 2 and select mailbox 7).
Union County, New Jersey, Man Admits to Scheme to Manipulate Microcap Stock by Touting A “Wellness Social Community for People and Their Pets”Read the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The owner of a purported business consulting firm today admitted operating a $1.1 million scheme that artificially inflated the stock price of a publicly traded company he controlled, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
James Farinella, 52, of Springfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From June 2012 through December 2012, Farinella and others allegedly operated a scheme to profit by fraudulently inflate the prices of Pazoo Inc. (PZOO). Pazoo had little or no real business operations, and when it started trading in June 2012, Farinella controlled 98 percent of the free-trading shares in Pazoo.
Farinella and other conspirators allegedly inflated the price of those shares by orchestrating a series of trades between accounts they controlled to create the appearance that Pazoo stock was rising in price and heavily traded. In order to further inflate the prices, Farinella and his conspirators also disseminated misleading promotional materials to lure investors to purchase the stocks, including touting Pazoo as a leading provider of nutritional supplements for people and their pets.
After inflating the price of the stock, Farinella and his conspirators sold large volumes of the stock to investors at the artificially inflated prices. The company’s stock price then dropped, causing victims of the scheme to suffer losses. The alleged stock manipulation scheme generated approximately $1.1 million in gross trading proceeds.
The conspiracy to commit securities fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 5, 2019.The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has a civil complaint pending against Farinella.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s New York Regional Office, under the direction of Marc P. Berger, for its assistance in this matter.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin S. Herring, Chief of the Cybercrimes Unit in Newark.
U.S. Department of Justice’s Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
BISMARCK: United States Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Rick Volk will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. AUSA Volk has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of North Dakota and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Myers said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Myers stated that AUSA/DEO Volk will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers 701-530-2420.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI Field Office can be reached by the public in North Dakota at 701-223-4875 or the FBI Field Office in Minneapolis, MN, at 763-569-8000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC, by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] , or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
United States Attorney Myers said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
# # #
U.S. Attorney’s Office Will Monitor Federal Election Complaints in KansasRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal prosecutor will be on duty on election day to respond to complaints of possible election fraud or voting rights violations in federal elections in Kansas, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” McAllister said. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag will be available to the public at 785-295-2858 while the polls are open on Nov. 6.
McAllister said he does not expect any problems during voting, but warned that there are penalties under federal law for any efforts to fraudulently influence the outcome of an election or to improperly prevent another person from exercising the right to vote.
As election officer, Maag will join other federal prosecutors across the nation as part of the election-day program of the U.S. Department of Justice. They will be responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department headquarters.
The FBI’s Kansas City Field Office will also have Special Agents available to receive allegations of election fraud, intimidation, suppression, and other election abuses. The public can provide information regarding possible election crimes to the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office’s toll-free hotline, 1-855-527-2847, or email [email protected] .
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC, by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
Any questions involving state or local issues may be referred to the Elections Division of the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office at 785-296-4561 or to the pertinent county election office.
U.S. Attorneys in Mississippi Stand Ready to Protect Voting Rights on Election DayRead the Press Release
United States Attorneys Mike Hurst of the Southern District of Mississippi and William C. Lamar of the Northern District of Mississippi announced today that they have appointed District Election Officers (“DEO”) in their respective Districts to be responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in Mississippi in consultation with U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley in the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant United States Attorney Robert Coleman in the Northern District of Mississippi will lead the efforts of the United States Attorneys’ Offices in Mississippi in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election.
“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and ensuring free and fair elections is one of the most important responsibilities we have as U.S. Attorneys. If anyone has specific information about election fraud or discrimination, please contact our offices, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division. We stand ready to act promptly and aggressively to protect voter rights and the integrity of the election process,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
U.S. Attorney Lamar said, “The fairness of the election process hinges on our citizens’ ability to fully and fairly exercise their constitutional right to vote without fear, resistance or undue outside influence. We will work diligently to insure that the right of our citizens to vote and to participate in the electoral process will not be impeded.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Chris Wansley and AUSA/DEO Robert Coleman will be on duty in their respective Districts while the polls are open. Wansley can be reached at 601-973-2883 and Coleman can be contacted at 662-238-7676.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 601-948-5000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
U.S. Attorneys in Mississippi Stand Ready to Protect Voting Rights on Election DayRead the Press Release
United States Attorneys Mike Hurst of the Southern District of Mississippi and William C. Lamar of the Northern District of Mississippi announced today that they have appointed District Election Officers ("DEO") in their respective Districts to be responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in Mississippi in consultation with U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley in the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant United States Attorney Robert Coleman in the Northern District of Mississippi will lead the efforts of the United States Attorneys’ Offices in Mississippi in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election.
"Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and ensuring free and fair elections is one of the most important responsibilities we have as U.S. Attorneys. If anyone has specific information about election fraud or discrimination, please contact our offices, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division. We stand ready to act promptly and aggressively to protect voter rights and the integrity of the election process," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
U.S. Attorney Lamar said, "The fairness of the election process hinges on our citizens’ ability to fully and fairly exercise their constitutional right to vote without fear, resistance or undue outside influence. We will work diligently to insure that the right of our citizens to vote and to participate in the electoral process will not be impeded."
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further,
federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Chris Wansley and AUSA/DEO Robert Coleman will be on duty in their respective Districts while the polls are open. Wansley can be reached at 601-973-2883 and Coleman can be contacted at 662-238-7676.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 601-948-5000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php
U.S. Attorney Williams Announces November 2018 Election Day Program and Appoints Distrcit Election OfficerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—United States Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Adrian L. Brown will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018 election.
AUSA Brown has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Oregon, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without being stolen because of fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process. Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate,” continued Williams. “It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my office, the FBI, or the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at ballot drop boxes by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Brown will be on duty in the District of Oregon while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 503-727-1003.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 503-224-4181.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
U.S. Attorney Shappert Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Alphonso Andrews will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. AUSA Andrews has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Virgin Islands District and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Shappert said, "Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process."
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Shappert stated that AUSA/DEO Alphonso Andrews will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (340)773-3920 or (340)344-0503.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (340) 777-3363.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php .
United States Attorney Shappert said, "Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division."
U.S. Attorney Nolan Announces Election Day Program for November 6th ElectionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan announced today that, as part of the State’s overall strategy to ensure the integrity of the upcoming election, she has specially assigned Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Michael Drescher to lead the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO). The Vermont USAO program occurs in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018 elections. AUSA Drescher has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Vermont and, in that capacity, is responsible for overseeing the Office’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office, and the Vermont Department of Public Safety.
U.S. Attorney Nolan said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively, working with its federal and state partners, to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has played a long-standing and important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s enduring Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department of Justice in order for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or be assisted by a person of their choice.
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Nolan stated that AUSA/DEO Drescher will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. AUSA/DEO Drescher can be reached at 802-951-6725 during regular office hours, and then at 802-651-8246 after hours on election day. In addition, the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office has established a Hotline which Vermonters can call to report any election-related complaints. The Hotline number is 1-800-439-VOTE (8683).
The FBI will also have special agents in each field office throughout the country to receive complaints related to allegations of election fraud and other election abuses. Vermonters can call (518) 431-7200 and calls will be directed to the appropriate field office.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C. by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by completing a complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
U.S. Attorney Nolan said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office, or the Vermont Department of Public Safety.”
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos, the State’s Chief Election Official, stated: “Securing Vermont’s elections takes a dedicated team of state and federal partners. Our state and federal partners are all working diligently with us to ensure that when a Vermont voter goes to the polls on Election Day they can cast their ballot confident in the integrity and security of their vote.” He added, “No Vermont voter should be denied their Constitutional right to cast a ballot, and any voter experiencing issues on Election Day may call our Election Day hotline at 1-800-439-VOTE (8683).”
U.S. Attorney Designates District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Jeremy Peña will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. AUSA Peña has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of New Mexico and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Anderson said, “For our democracy to function as intended, every qualified citizen must have the right to cast a ballot free from interference, discrimination or fraud. In partnership with federal law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico will be vigilant in ensuring that the right to vote is properly protected.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on Nov. 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, U.S. Attorney Anderson stated that AUSA/DEO Peña will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (505)224-1451 and (505)269-2038.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at: (505)889-1300.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
U.S. Attorney Anderson said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
U.S. Attorney David Joseph implements November 6th Election Day program to prevent fraud and protect voting rightsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, LAFAYETTE, MONROE, ALEXANDRIA, LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that First Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen King will lead his office’s Election Day monitoring as part of a greater Department of Justice program to monitor voting rights abuses and election fraud across the country.
“Every citizen has the right to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted,” Joseph said. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my office, the FBI or the Department’s Civil Rights Division.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise, exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, Van Hook and King will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Van Hook can be reached by the public at our Shreveport office at 318-676-3600; and King can be reached at our Lafayette office at 337-262-6618.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. Local FBI field offices can be reached by the public in Shreveport at 318-861-1890, Monroe at 318-387-0773, Alexandria at 318-443-5097, Lafayette at 337-233-2164 and Lake Charles at 318-433-6353.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C., by phone at 1-800-253-3931 and 202-307-2767, fax at 202-307-3961, email to [email protected] or complaint form at www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
“My office works hard to ensure that our District has free and fair elections,” Joseph stated. “We urge the public to report specific information about discrimination or election fraud immediately.”
U.S. Attorney Coleman Announces District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Dyke will lead the efforts of the Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. AUSA Dyke has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Kentucky, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
United States Attorney Russell Coleman said, “Every Kentuckian must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen through fraud. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Coleman stated that AUSA/DEO Dyke will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (502) 625-7042.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The Louisville FBI field office can be reached by the public at (502) 263-6000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
United States Attorney Coleman said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. Those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud should make that information available immediately to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
U.S. Attorney Assigns Staff Member to Observe Election in Dodge CityRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister will send a member of his staff to observe in-person the voting in Dodge City, McAllister said today.
McAllister said: “As Attorney General Jeff Sessions emphasized in a release earlier today, ‘Voting rights are constitutional rights, and they’re part of what it means to be an American. The Department of Justice has been entrusted with an indispensable role in securing these rights for the people of this nation.’ In light of the concerns recently raised with regard to the polling place situation in Ford County, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas will have one or more lawyers present in Dodge City on Election Day to observe the election process. To be clear, the U.S. Attorney’s office has not intervened in pending litigation, nor is it taking any position regarding that litigation. At this time, we are simply taking a basic step to observe the election with the hope that all goes smoothly in Ford County, so that each and every voter’s constitutional right to vote is honored and fully protected.”
McAllister’s office filed a notice with the court today announcing his intentions to the court and the parties involved in a civil lawsuit filed by the League of United Latin American Citizens against the Ford County Clerk’s Office.
Two Home Health Agency Owners and Two Employees Convicted for Roles in $3.7 Million Home Health Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury found two home health owners and two employees guilty today for their roles in a scheme to bill Medicare and Medicaid for over $3.7 million in charges when the owners had previously been excluded from participating in federal health care benefit programs.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region, Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office and Director of Law Enforcement David Maxwell of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
After a six-day trial, Celestine “Tony” Okwilagwe, 50, of Dallas County, Texas; Paul Emordi, 52, of Collin County, Texas; Adetutu Etti, 60, also of Dallas County; and Loveth Isidaehomen, 49, also of Dallas County, were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In addition, Okwilagwe and Etti were each convicted of two counts of false statement in connection with a health care benefit program. Sentencing before U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle of the Northern District of Texas, who presided over the trial, has not yet been scheduled.
According to evidence presented at trial, Okwilagwe and Emordi owned and operated Elder Care, a Medicare and Medicaid provider in Garland, Texas, when both were previously excluded from participating in any federal health care benefit program. Etti, the administrator of Elder Care, concealed Okwilagwe’s ownership and Okwilagwe and Emordi’s exclusions from Medicare and Medicaid. Etti signed false documents that indicated that no one associated with Elder Care was excluded and that another individual owned Elder Care, the evidence showed. The evidence further established that Isidaehomen signed bank documents and wrote employee paychecks to conceal the involvement of her husband, Okwilagwe. The defendants also engaged in a scheme to submit false and fraudulent bills to Medicare for services that were not needed, the evidence showed.
Evidence at trial demonstrated that Elder Care billed Medicare and Medicaid for over $3.7 million for claim reimbursements to which it was not entitled because Okwilagwe and Emordi were excluded from Medicare.
This case was investigated by HHS-OIG, the FBI, and MFCU. Assistant Deputy Chief Adrienne Frazior and Trial Attorney Catherine Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Fusco of the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion.
Tulsa Labor Union Employee Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that Deborah Sue Hand, 51, of Glenpool, Oklahoma, was sentenced today to eight months imprisonment (five of those months are to be served on home detention), as well as a period of 36 months supervised release, for embezzling from a Tulsa labor organization where she was employed as an office manager.
According to her plea on July 23, 2018, Hand admitted to stealing $23,031.59 in payments made to the union as well as illegally spending an additional $21,776.96 on the union’s credit cards.
As office manager, Hand received monies payed to the labor organization in the form of cash, checks, or money orders and was responsible for inputting payments into the company’s system to create receipts. As part of her embezzlement scheme, Hand stole the payments and also fraudulently utilized other employees’ credit cards for her own personal expenses and purchases.
“Ms. Hand stole money from sheet metal workers and the labor organization that represents them. These workers trusted her, and she violated that trust, stealing and spending the money for her personal benefit. Small businesses and skilled workers are the backbone for a lot of communities across this country. To those who would steal from these hard working men and women, know that the federal prosecutors in northeastern Oklahoma will hold you accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Hand was also ordered to pay restitution to the labor organization in the amount of $44,808.55. She was sentenced in United States District Court by U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell and faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
This case resulted from a joint investigation performed by the Department of Labor and United States Secret Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Cella.
Tobacco Wholesaler Admits Role in Scheme to Defraud State of Connecticut of More Than $5.8 Million in TaxesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RISHI MALIK, 46, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to charges related to role in a conspiracy to defraud the State of Connecticut of millions of dollars in taxes due on tobacco products imported into the state.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the State of Connecticut imposes tax on tobacco products imported into Connecticut for distribution within Connecticut. Tobacco amounts purchased, and taxes due, are reported on Forms OP-300, which are filed with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services.
For several years until 2012, Malik and a partner operated Connecticut Discounts LLC, a tobacco wholesale business based in Bridgeport. Through that company, Malik obtained tobacco products from out-of-state suppliers and distributed the products to a network of clients who offered tobacco products for retail sale. While operating Connecticut Discounts, Malik caused OP-300 forms to be filed with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, which underreported the amount of tobacco he imported into the state for distribution.
In June 2012, Malik sold Connecticut Discounts to Pavan Vaswani, who continued the tobacco wholesale business under the name KDV Discounts, LLC. From approximately June 2012 to April 2017, Malik frequently assisted Vaswani in importing tobacco products from out-of-state suppliers, including suppliers in Pennsylvania. Malik sometimes drove to Pennsylvania to pick up products that he delivered to KDV in Connecticut. He also participated in making orders, and sometimes delivered payments in cash.
Between January 2013 and April 2017, KDV acquired almost $12 million in tobacco products, primarily cigars and other products, from suppliers in Pennsylvania, and distributed these products to hundreds of customers in Connecticut that stocked tobacco products for retail sale. On the OP-300 forms that Vaswani filed with the Department of Revenue Services on behalf of KDV, the amounts reported were a small fraction of what KDV actually acquired. Through this scheme, Vaswani failed to report approximately $5,821,057 in tax to the State of Connecticut.
In 2014, Malik registered Discount Deals, LLC, with an address in Sciota, Pennsylvania. Malik held out Discount Deals to be a tobacco distribution business. However, the unit he rented was not a space for a legitimate tobacco business and was maintained to create the appearance that Discount Deals was a legitimate Pennsylvania-based tobacco wholesaler. Between 2014 and at least April 2017, to subvert other federal regulations regarding interstate transport of smokeless tobacco, Malik used Discount Deals to purchase more than $1.1 million in smokeless tobacco products from Pennsylvania suppliers. A substantial amount of these smokeless tobacco products were provided to KDV for distribution in Connecticut. Discount Deals made no tax payments to the State of Connecticut between 2014 and 2017, and approximately $400,000 in smokeless tobacco tax was not reported to Connecticut or other states.
Malik and Vaswani were arrested on January 11, 2018.
Malik pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to violate the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act (“CCTA”), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall on January 23, 2018.
On August 21, 2018, Vaswani, 40, of West Haven, pleaded guilty to the same offenses. He awaits sentencing.
Both Malik and Vaswani have agreed to a restitution order of $5,821,057.
Malik and Vaswani are released on bonds pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, Criminal Investigations Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Laraia and Michael S. McGarry.
Texas Businessman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charges in Connection with Venezuela Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former procurement officer of Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), pleaded guilty today for his role in an international money laundering scheme involving bribes paid by the owners of U.S.-based companies to Venezeulan government officials in exchange for securing additional business with PDVSA and payment priority on outstanding invoices.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
Ivan Alexis Guedez (Guedez), 47, of Katy, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan of the Southern District of Texas in Houston to one count of conspiracy to launder money. Guedez is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 20, 2019 by U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller of the Southern District of Texas.
According to admissions made in connection with Guedez’s plea, Guedez agreed with other PDVSA officials and businessmen who were employed by a Miami-based PDVSA supplier that, in exchange for bribe payments, Guedez and the other PDVSA officials would direct PDVSA business toward the supplier. The co-conspirators who were employed by the PDVSA supplier also received kickbacks. Guedez and his co-conspirators concealed the corrupt payments by, among other things, communicating using fictitious email addresses, creating false invoices to justify the payments, and directing the bribe payments to a Swiss account in the name of a shell company before being disbursed to the co-conspirators.
As part of his plea agreement, Guedez has agreed to forfeit the proceeds of his criminal activity.
Guedez becomes the latest individual to plead guilty as part of a larger, ongoing investigation by the U.S. government into bribery at PDVSA. Including Guedez, the Justice Department has announced the guilty pleas of a total of 15 individuals in connection with the investigation.
HSI Houston is conducting the ongoing investigation with assistance from HSI Boston and Madrid, as well as from IRS Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Jeremy R. Sanders, Sarah E. Edwards and Sonali Patel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Pearson and Robert S. Johnson of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Rollinson of the Southern District of Texas is handling the forfeiture aspects of the case.
The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the Cayman Islands Mutual Legal Assistance Authority and Office of the Director of Public Prosecution also provided assistance.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Texas Businessman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charges in Connection with Venezuela Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A former procurement officer of Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), pleaded guilty today for his role in an international money laundering scheme involving bribes paid by the owners of U.S.-based companies to Venezeulan government officials in exchange for securing additional business with PDVSA and payment priority on outstanding invoices.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
Ivan Alexis Guedez, 47, of Katy, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan to one count of conspiracy to launder money. Sentencing has been set for Feb. 20, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller.
According to admissions made in connection with his, Guedez agreed with other PDVSA officials and businessmen who were employed by a Miami-based PDVSA supplier that, in exchange for bribe payments, Guedez and the other PDVSA officials would direct PDVSA business toward the supplier. The co-conspirators who were employed by the PDVSA supplier also received kickbacks. Guedez and his co-conspirators concealed the corrupt payments by, among other things, communicating using fictitious email addresses, creating false invoices to justify the payments and directing the bribe payments to a Swiss account in the name of a shell company before being disbursed to the co-conspirators.
As part of his plea agreement, Guedez has agreed to forfeit the proceeds of his criminal activity.
Guedez becomes the latest individual to plead guilty as part of a larger, ongoing U.S. government investigation into bribery at PDVSA. Including Guedez, the Justice Department has announced the guilty pleas of a total of 15 individuals in connection with the investigation.
HSI Houston is conducting the ongoing investigation with assistance from HSI Boston and Madrid, as well as from IRS -Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) John Pearson and Robert S. Johnson, Trial Attorneys Jeremy R. Sanders, Sarah E. Edwards and Sonali Patel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. AUSA Kristine Rollinson is handling the forfeiture aspects of the case.
The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the Cayman Islands Mutual Legal Assistance Authority and Office of the Director of Public Prosecution also provided assistance.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Talent, Oregon Man Pleads Guilty to Distribute Cocaine and Trading Cocaine for FirearmsRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore. – On Monday, October 29, 2018, Jonathan Alan Ochoa, 31, of Talent, Oregon, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, between July and August 2017, Ochoa agreed and conspired with co-defendants Gonzalo Manzo, Jr. and Rodolfo Quevedo to send more than 500 grams of cocaine from California to Oregon to sell and distribute to others. During this time, Ochoa and Manzo negotiated a sale of cocaine with an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in exchange for multiple firearms.
On August 17, 2017, at Manzo’s request, Quevedo transported approximately 1000 grams of cocaine from California and delivered it to Ochoa in the Medford area. The firearms and cash were intended to be transported back to California but agents arrested Ochoa and his co-conspirators and the firearms were seized by law enforcement.
Ochoa faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on February 21, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken. Manzo pleaded guilty to the same charges on August 27, 2018. Quevedo also faces criminal charges; his case is pending in federal court.
This case was investigated by ATF and is being prosecuted by Nathan J. Lichvarcik and Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced October 29, 2018, to 12 years in federal prison.
Anthony Watkins, Sr., 41, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 15, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Watkins admitted that from about January 2016 through about August 2017, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine mixture. On March 30, 2017, law enforcement officers conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Watkins. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed Watkins was the manager of five or more other people in this criminal activity.
Watkins was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Watkins was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Watkins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala M. Steenholdt and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-4052.
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