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Thursday 25 October 2018
Mexican citizen living in Canton charged with having a firearm while unlawfully in the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Mexican citizen was charged with possessing a firearm while illegally in the United States.
Jose Rusbelt Morales-Gutierrez, 28, was living in Canton. Morales-Gutierrez possessed a Beretta, Model PX4 Storm, 9 mm caliber pistol on Aug. 18, after illegally or unlawfully entering the United States.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation was conducted by the Canton Police Department, Department of Homeland Security - Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Cleveland Field Office of ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad J. Beeson.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Federal Charges Involving Sexual Abuse of 14-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Anthony Brooks, 29, of Indian Head, Md., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison on federal charges of transporting a minor across state lines with intent to sexually abuse her. The minor was a 14-year-old girl whom Brooks tutored as part of an afterschool program the child was ordered to attend by a family court.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Brooks pled guilty in June 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years.
The minor had been ordered by the Family Court of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to attend the Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) program, an afterschool diversion program through which at-risk youth are provided tutoring and mentoring. Brooks, then 28, a college graduate, was employed as one of her tutors.
According to the government’s evidence, in late spring of 2017, the minor was transferred to a different BARJ location and, from that time forward, should have had no additional contact with Brooks. Brooks had previously been admonished by staff not to have contact with female students outside of the program. Brooks, however, continued to have contact with her. By July 2017, he was exchanging sexually explicit text messages with the girl, who had just completed the 8th grade. On July 11, 2017, Brooks contacted the girl’s father and asked the father’s permission to “tutor” the child. According to the evidence, Brooks then drove nearly an hour from his home in Maryland to Southeast Washington, where he picked up the girl, brought her to his home, and had sexual intercourse with her.
Between July 11 and July 12, 2017, Brooks discussed with the girl over text message coming to pick her up again. Brooks advised the girl in text messages written on July 11 that he did not want to come get her on back to back days because her father might become suspicious. Instead, on July 13, 2017, Brooks again drove nearly an hour from his home in Maryland to Southeast Washington to pick up the child. He arrived at 6:30 a.m., at a time when the child’s father, the girl’s sole guardian and the only adult in the house, was at work at his construction job. According to the government’s evidence, he transported the child back to his house in Maryland, where he again engaged in sexual acts with her.
Through September 2017, Brooks continued to communicate with the girl, exchanging sexually explicit text messages with her. On Sept. 19, 2017, the child’s father discovered the text messages between Brooks and his daughter while reviewing the messages on his daughter’s phone. He promptly contacted the MPD Youth and Family Services Division, which commenced an investigation. The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation Task Force immediately joined the investigation. Brooks was arrested on Sept. 20, 2017 and has been in custody ever since. On Feb. 14, 2018, Brooks was indicted on two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge DeSarno, and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and FBI Special Agents in the Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Pennsylvania, and the District of Maryland, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Park and Jodi Lazarus, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Manhattan United States Attorney Announces Charges Against Owner and Director of Singapore-Based Commodities Company for North Korea Sanctions Evasion and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a superseding indictment against TAN WEE BENG, a/k/a “WB,” for conspiring to use the U.S. financial system to conduct millions of dollars’ worth of transactions to finance shipments of goods to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “North Korea”) by a Singapore-based commodities company (“Company-1”), of which TAN WEE BENG is a director and part-owner. The Indictment charges TAN WEE BENG with conspiring to violate United States sanctions on the DPRK by conducting those illicit transactions on behalf of North Korean entities; laundering funds in connection with those illegal transactions; defrauding several financial institutions by concealing the true nature of these transactions; and obstructing the enforcement of the sanctions regime by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). In addition to these criminal charges, today OFAC designated TAN WEE BENG, Company-1, and another affiliated entity for sanctions, based on the illicit support for North Korea and clandestine financial conduct charged in the Indictment.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “North Korea’s illicit attempts to hide its activities around the world undermine the integrity of the global financial system. But the DPRK has not acted alone – unscrupulous profiteers in other nations facilitate this malign conduct through their willingness to lie and cheat to conceal their dealings with a pariah state, including by lying to major U.S. banks and laundering money on North Korea’s behalf. But Tan Wee Beng can no longer hide behind those alleged falsehoods. He is now a fugitive from American justice, and we look forward to working with our foreign partners to bring Beng to the U.S. to answer for his alleged crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As alleged, Beng conducted illicit transactions totaling millions of dollars in support of North Korean entities in blatant violation of a host of economic sanctions the United States has established against North Korea and North Korean entities. The charges unsealed today should serve as a reminder that the FBI will continue to aggressively investigate violations of economic sanctions lawfully imposed by our government. While Beng remains at large, the FBI is committed to working with its international partners to bring Beng to justice.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
Beginning in 2008, the President has repeatedly found that the DPRK constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with the threat. Pursuant to these Presidential declarations, the United States has instituted a host of economic sanctions against North Korea and North Korean entities pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (the “IEEPA”). This sanctions regime prohibits, among other things, financial transactions involving the United States (including U.S. banks) that were intended for the benefit of North Korea or North Korean entities.
Separately, both the United States and the United Nations (the “UN”) have designated for sanctions particular North Korean entities responsible for supporting the regime’s illicit activities. One such entity, Daedong Credit Bank (“DCB”), was designated by OFAC in June 2013 and by the UN in March 2016. According to OFAC, DCB is “responsible for managing millions of dollars of transactions in support of the North Korean regime’s destabilizing activities,” and the UN reported that DCB “has knowingly facilitated transactions by using deceptive financial practices.”
Beginning in 2011, TAN WEE BENG conspired to use commodities businesses, including Company-1, of which TAN WEE BENG was both an owner and director, and front companies in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and elsewhere to violate and evade both prohibitions against North Korea’s access to the U.S. financial system and prohibitions on dealings with certain North Korean entities identified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, including DCB. In particular, TAN WEE BENG conspired to deceive U.S. financial institutions into conducting financial transactions on behalf of and for the benefit of DCB and other North Korean entities and persons. Those illicit transactions were used to launder money from DCB and other North Korean entities and persons to make payments to Company-1 for shipments to North Korea.
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TAN WEE BENG, 41, is a resident and citizen of Singapore. He is charged with conspiracies to violate the IEEPA, to commit bank fraud, to commit money laundering, and to obstruct the lawful functions of OFAC, as well as with substantive counts of bank fraud and money laundering. The bank fraud counts carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The conspiracy to violate the IEEPA and money laundering counts each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The conspiracy to defraud the United States count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
TAN WEE BENG remains at large. The United States looks forward to working with our foreign partners to bring BENG to justice.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Division, and thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Office of International Affairs for their assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys David W. Denton, Jr., Amanda L. Houle, and Jane Kim are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An MS-13 member pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Elmer Alfaro Hercules, 20, a Salvadoran national, pleaded guilty to one count of being an illegal alien in possession of firearms and ammunition. Hercules was indicted in June 2018. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Jan. 17, 2019.
On May 22, 2018, Hercules was arrested in possession of a loaded firearm in an East Boston park, a location where numerous MS-13 gang members have been observed and where gang-on-gang violence frequently occurs. Hercules unlawfully entered the United States in 2014 as an unaccompanied minor. In April 2015, an immigration judge ordered him deported in absentia.
The charge of being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Hercules will also face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. 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; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement today. The U.S. Marshals Service has provided crucial assistance with the case.
Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Nearly $2 Million Business Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty today to defrauding $1,855,475 from victims of a business fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.
Jihad Anthony Zogheib, 52, pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement to eight counts of wire fraud in connection to a fraud scheme. United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon accepted the guilty pleas and scheduled a sentencing hearing on January 15, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks.
Zogheib admitted that, from about 2010, to about 2013, he devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain money from people by making false representations to them that he would use their money for business purposes. As part of the scheme, he influenced victims’ decisions by using forged business documents and fictitious emails from banks.
Specifically, in February 2011, he made false representations to a victim about forming a mobile crane company and a mobile crane leasing company. He claimed he had millions of dollars in an overseas account, but it was placed on a hold. He provided the victim with a fictitious bank record showing millions of dollars on deposit. Zogheib caused the victim to give him $548,000 to fund the companies. From November 2010 to about August 2013, Zogheib defrauded two victims by falsely claiming he was in the business of flipping real estate. He made false representations to the victims in order to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars for the nonexistent real estate investments. These two victims sent Zogheib a combined total $1,307,475. Zogheib immediately used the victims’ investment monies to fund his gambling habit and high-end lifestyle.
At the time of sentencing, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Zogheib faces a criminal forfeiture money judgment of $815,475.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Burns and Steven Myhre are prosecuting the case.
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Kingsmen Member Sentenced on RICO ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jack Wood, a/k/a Snake, 48, of Athens, TN, formerly of Delavan, NY, who was convicted of RICO conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Tripi and Brendan T. Cullinane, who handled the case, stated that between 2009 and 2016, the defendant was a member of the Delevan/Arcade Chapter of the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club (KMC). Wood admitted that during the RICO conspiracy, KMC members and associates used and/or distributed marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other controlled substances in and around the Delevan/Arcade Chapter Clubhouse. The defendant also admitted that he possessed firearms, and that KMC members maintained access to and sold firearms.
On August 3, 2013, KMC members used the defendant’s van to conduct a drive-by shooting in Springville, New York. During the incident, KMC members fired shots at former KMC members who were at odds with the current KMC members. Following the drive-by shooting, the KMC members returned the van to the defendant and instructed him not to use the van. The defendant learned that KMC members used the van in a drive-by shooting and, based on their instructions, did not use the van. In 2015, law enforcement approached the defendant about his knowledge of the van’s use in a drive-by; the defendant repeatedly made evasive and misleading statements in an effort to hinder and prevent the investigation. Later that year, the defendant again made evasive and misleading statements before a federal Grand Jury regarding this investigation.
Wood is one of 20 KMC members and associates charged in this case. To date, 19 have been convicted, including National President David Pirk, who was convicted following a four-month jury trial. Wood is the second defendant to be sentenced. Charges remain pending against Brian Witkowski. The fact that the defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Today’s sentencing is the culmination of an investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert. Assisting in the investigation: the FBI Knoxville, TN, and Jacksonville, FL Field Offices, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, the Buffalo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New York State Police, the Olean Police Department, the Lancaster Police Department, the Amherst Police Department, the City of North Tonawanda Police Department, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department, the Hamburg Police Department.
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Kansas City, Kan., Man Sentenced for Stealing Guns from Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City, Kan., man was sentenced Wednesday to 51months in federal prison for stealing 14 guns from a pawn shop, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Angel D. Mora, 20, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of stealing guns from a licensed firearms dealer. At a sentencing hearing, a prosecutor said Mora and accomplices broke into Joe’s Pawn and Gun in Kansas City, Kan. They took seven rifles, five shotguns and two handguns. When police arrived during the burglary, Mora fled on foot. Investigators found him hiding along a creek bed and arrested him.
McAllister commended the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel for their work on the case. The was prosecuted under the U.S. Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.
Kailua-Kona Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Michael Phillip Patrakis, 46, of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, was sentenced today to 292 months of imprisonment for the production of child pornography of two minor females. As part of his sentence, Patrakis must forfeit numerous electronic devices, pay a $10,000 assessment under the Justice of Victims of Trafficking Act, and serve 20 years of supervised release. Patrakis will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and information presented in court, in March 2015, Minor Female 1 (then 15 years old), and her daughter, Minor Female 2 (then two years old), rented a room in the home of Patrakis, located in Kailua-Kona. At the time, Patrakis knew Minor Female 1 was under the age of 18 and engaged in a sexual relationship with her. Patrakis used Minor Female 1 for the purpose of producing visual depictions of her engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, Patrakis had custody and control over Minor Female 2 when Minor Female 1 worked or left the residence. Patrakis used Minor Female 2 for the purpose of producing visual depictions of her with lascivious exhibitions of her genitals. On September 17, 2015, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the residence, recovering numerous electronic devices with said productions.
At the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayahsi noted that Patrakis’ actions caused "incalculable harm" and hopes the sentence acts as a "deterrence to others."
"Our Office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who sexually exploit our young people," said U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price. "Defendant Patrakis preyed on the vulnerabilities of these two minor females. With the collaboration of our local, state, and federal law enforcement, the apprehension and prosecution of Patrakis put an end to the abuse. While his abhorrent actions cannot be undone, today’s sentence reflects the message that predators will be held accountable in our community."
"As this sentencing makes unmistakably clear, child sex predators will receive the justice they are due for their despicable actions," said Frank Cabaddu, acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Honolulu. "HSI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure child predators and sex traffickers receive the justice they deserve. We owe it to the young victims in these cases, who will carry the emotional and physical scars of these crimes for the rest of their lives."
The case was investigated by the Hawaii Police Department and HSI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren W.K. Ching with the assistance of the Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Justice Department’s Criminal Division creates Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to focus on illegal opioid prescriptionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the formation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO Strike Force), a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for nine federal districts in five states, as well as law enforcement partners at the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The mission of the ARPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the Appalachian region and surrounding areas, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids.
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski was joined in the announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman for the Western District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Attorney William J. Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama; Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Administrator John J. Martin of the DEA Diversion Control Division.
“While the opioid epidemic continues to inflict untold pain and suffering on people across the country, the devastation in the Appalachian region and adjacent areas has been particularly staggering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “It is all the more reprehensible when unscrupulous physicians and pharmacies contribute to the epidemic by illegally supplying dangerous prescription painkillers. Working with our partners in U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will combat illegal prescription opioids and health care fraud by holding accountable corrupt medical professionals who seek to profit off the crisis of opioid addiction.”
“We have been resolute in our efforts to prosecute the so-called health care professionals who violate their professional oaths to satisfy their greed. The criminal conduct of certain physicians, pharmacists and other medical professionals not only results in significant fraud, but is every bit as bad or worse than the conduct by the common street level drug dealer. The new strike force will provide additional resources for us to weed out the criminal medical professionals and hold them accountable,” said Powell.
“The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will bring together critical resources from the FBI and our partners to fight health care fraud in this region and the growing opioid epidemic that faces the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. “Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States, and through this strike force, the FBI will continue our tireless work to combat illegal opioid prescriptions and bring to justice those medical professionals who put their greed over the health and wellbeing of their patients.”
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Americans across the country, including the people of the Appalachian region,” said HHS-OIG Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Cantrell. “The Strike Force model is a proven mechanism to target illicit conduct and hold accountable criminals involved in illegal opioid prescription and distribution schemes. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to curb this damaging epidemic.”
“Our nation’s opioid crisis requires us to work with unprecedented urgency in attacking drug diversion at every level,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Martin. “These joint strike force efforts will save lives, while allowing us to better target and bring to justice those who facilitate addiction and profit at the expense of the weakest and most afflicted.”
Prior to this announcement, the HCF Unit operated Medicare Fraud Strike Force’s in 12 locations across the United States including Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Tampa/Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas, along with a Corporate Strike Force located in Washington, D.C., and the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Forces represent a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The ARPO Strike Force will be made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the nine U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force will operate out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the nine districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force will work closely with other various federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The ARPO Strike Force will target criminal conduct associated with the improper prescription and distribution of prescription opioids and other dangerous narcotics throughout the Appalachian region and surrounding areas – focusing on criminal conduct by physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The ARPO Strike Force will also investigate and prosecute violations of health care fraud whenever such fraud is detected throughout the region.
In June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III noted the success of the Strike Force model while announcing the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. More information can be obtained at https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
In August, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski announced the Newark/Philadelphia Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which focuses on health care fraud and illegal opioid prescriptions in the Newark/Philadelphia region.
The Strike Force operations are 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 prosecutors in the 12 Medicare Fraud Strike Force locations have charged over 4,000 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion. Since January 2017, the HCF Unit has charged over 85 defendants, including 33 doctors with the illegal prescription of opioids (nearly 30 million pills).
Justice Department’s Criminal Division Creates Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to Focus on Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the formation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO Strike Force), a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for nine federal districts in five states, as well as law enforcement partners at the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The mission of the ARPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the Appalachian region and surrounding areas, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids.
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski was joined in the announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman for the Western District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Attorney William J. Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama; Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Administrator John J. Martin of the DEA Diversion Control Division.
“While the opioid epidemic continues to inflict untold pain and suffering on people across the country, the devastation in the Appalachian region and adjacent areas has been particularly staggering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “It is all the more reprehensible when unscrupulous physicians and pharmacies contribute to the epidemic by illegally supplying dangerous prescription painkillers. Working with our partners in U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will combat illegal prescription opioids and health care fraud by holding accountable corrupt medical professionals who seek to profit off the crisis of opioid addiction.”
“The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will bring together critical resources from the FBI and our partners to fight health care fraud in this region and the growing opioid epidemic that faces the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. “Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States, and through this strike force, the FBI will continue our tireless work to combat illegal opioid prescriptions and bring to justice those medical professionals who put their greed over the health and wellbeing of their patients.”
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Americans across the country, including the people of the Appalachian region,” said HHS-OIG Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Cantrell. “The Strike Force model is a proven mechanism to target illicit conduct and hold accountable criminals involved in illegal opioid prescription and distribution schemes. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to curb this damaging epidemic.”
“Our nation’s opioid crisis requires us to work with unprecedented urgency in attacking drug diversion at every level,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Martin. “These joint strike force efforts will save lives, while allowing us to better target and bring to justice those who facilitate addiction and profit at the expense of the weakest and most afflicted.”
Prior to this announcement, the HCF Unit operated Medicare Fraud Strike Force’s in 12 locations across the United States including Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Tampa/Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas, along with a Corporate Strike Force located in Washington, D.C., and the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Forces represent a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The ARPO Strike Force will be made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the nine U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force will operate out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the nine districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force will work closely with other various federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The ARPO Strike Force will target criminal conduct associated with the improper prescription and distribution of prescription opioids and other dangerous narcotics throughout the Appalachian region and surrounding areas – focusing on criminal conduct by physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The ARPO Strike Force will also investigate and prosecute violations of health care fraud whenever such fraud is detected throughout the region.
In June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III noted the success of the Strike Force model while announcing the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. More information can be obtained at https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
In August, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski announced the Newark/Philadelphia Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which focuses on health care fraud and illegal opioid prescriptions in the Newark/Philadelphia region.
The Strike Force operations are 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 prosecutors in the 12 Medicare Fraud Strike Force locations have charged over 4,000 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion. Since January 2017, the HCF Unit has charged over 85 defendants, including 33 doctors with the illegal prescription of opioids (nearly 30 million pills).
Justice Department’s Criminal Division Creates Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to Focus on Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the formation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO Strike Force), a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for nine federal districts in five states, as well as law enforcement partners at the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The mission of the ARPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the Appalachian region and surrounding areas, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids.
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski was joined in the announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman for the Western District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Attorney William J. Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama; Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Administrator John J. Martin of the DEA Diversion Control Division.
“While the opioid epidemic continues to inflict untold pain and suffering on people across the country, the devastation in the Appalachian region and adjacent areas has been particularly staggering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “It is all the more reprehensible when unscrupulous physicians and pharmacies contribute to the epidemic by illegally supplying dangerous prescription painkillers. Working with our partners in U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will combat illegal prescription opioids and health care fraud by holding accountable corrupt medical professionals who seek to profit off the crisis of opioid addiction.”
“The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will bring together critical resources from the FBI and our partners to fight health care fraud in this region and the growing opioid epidemic that faces the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. “Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States, and through this strike force, the FBI will continue our tireless work to combat illegal opioid prescriptions and bring to justice those medical professionals who put their greed over the health and wellbeing of their patients.”
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Americans across the country, including the people of the Appalachian region,” said HHS-OIG Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Cantrell. “The Strike Force model is a proven mechanism to target illicit conduct and hold accountable criminals involved in illegal opioid prescription and distribution schemes. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to curb this damaging epidemic.”
“Our nation’s opioid crisis requires us to work with unprecedented urgency in attacking drug diversion at every level,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Martin. “These joint strike force efforts will save lives, while allowing us to better target and bring to justice those who facilitate addiction and profit at the expense of the weakest and most afflicted.”
“The creation of this Strike Force is yet another example of the Department of Justice’s commitment to aggressively addressing our nation’s opioid crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town. “This Strike Force won’t just effectively and thoroughly prosecute pill mill doctors who have chosen to sacrifice the efficacy of care for their own personal greed, it will save lives in the process. The leadership of Attorney General Sessions in addressing this public health emergency has been unwavering and relentless.”
Prior to this announcement, the HCF Unit operated Medicare Fraud Strike Force’s in 12 locations across the United States including Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Tampa/Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas, along with a Corporate Strike Force located in Washington, D.C., and the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Forces represent a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The ARPO Strike Force will be made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the nine U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force will operate out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the nine districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force will work closely with other various federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The ARPO Strike Force will target criminal conduct associated with the improper prescription and distribution of prescription opioids and other dangerous narcotics throughout the Appalachian region and surrounding areas – focusing on criminal conduct by physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The ARPO Strike Force will also investigate and prosecute violations of health care fraud whenever such fraud is detected throughout the region.
In June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III noted the success of the Strike Force model while announcing the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. More information can be obtained at https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
In August, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski announced the Newark/Philadelphia Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which focuses on health care fraud and illegal opioid prescriptions in the Newark/Philadelphia region.
The Strike Force operations are 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 prosecutors in the 12 Medicare Fraud Strike Force locations have charged over 4,000 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion. Since January 2017, the HCF Unit has charged over 85 defendants, including 33 doctors with the illegal prescription of opioids (nearly 30 million pills).
Justice Department’s Criminal Division Creates Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to Focus on Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the formation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO Strike Force), a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for nine federal districts in five states, as well as law enforcement partners at the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The mission of the ARPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the Appalachian region and surrounding areas, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids.
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski was joined in the announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman for the Western District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Attorney William J. Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama; Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Administrator John J. Martin of the DEA Diversion Control Division.
“While the opioid epidemic continues to inflict untold pain and suffering on people across the country, the devastation in the Appalachian region and adjacent areas has been particularly staggering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “It is all the more reprehensible when unscrupulous physicians and pharmacies contribute to the epidemic by illegally supplying dangerous prescription painkillers. Working with our partners in U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will combat illegal prescription opioids and health care fraud by holding accountable corrupt medical professionals who seek to profit off the crisis of opioid addiction.”
“The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will bring together critical resources from the FBI and our partners to fight health care fraud in this region and the growing opioid epidemic that faces the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. “Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States, and through this strike force, the FBI will continue our tireless work to combat illegal opioid prescriptions and bring to justice those medical professionals who put their greed over the health and wellbeing of their patients.”
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Americans across the country, including the people of the Appalachian region,” said HHS-OIG Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Cantrell. “The Strike Force model is a proven mechanism to target illicit conduct and hold accountable criminals involved in illegal opioid prescription and distribution schemes. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to curb this damaging epidemic.”
“Our nation’s opioid crisis requires us to work with unprecedented urgency in attacking drug diversion at every level,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Martin. “These joint strike force efforts will save lives, while allowing us to better target and bring to justice those who facilitate addiction and profit at the expense of the weakest and most afflicted.”
Prior to this announcement, the HCF Unit operated Medicare Fraud Strike Force’s in 12 locations across the United States including Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Tampa/Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas, along with a Corporate Strike Force located in Washington, D.C., and the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Forces represent a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The ARPO Strike Force will be made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the nine U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force will operate out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the nine districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force will work closely with other various federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The ARPO Strike Force will target criminal conduct associated with the improper prescription and distribution of prescription opioids and other dangerous narcotics throughout the Appalachian region and surrounding areas – focusing on criminal conduct by physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The ARPO Strike Force will also investigate and prosecute violations of health care fraud whenever such fraud is detected throughout the region.
In June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III noted the success of the Strike Force model while announcing the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. More information can be obtained at https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
In August, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski announced the Newark/Philadelphia Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which focuses on health care fraud and illegal opioid prescriptions in the Newark/Philadelphia region.
The Strike Force operations are 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 prosecutors in the 12 Medicare Fraud Strike Force locations have charged over 4,000 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion. Since January 2017, the HCF Unit has charged over 85 defendants, including 33 doctors with the illegal prescription of opioids (nearly 30 million pills).
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Justice Department’s Criminal Division Creates Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to Focus on Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the formation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO Strike Force), a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for nine federal districts in five states, as well as law enforcement partners at the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The mission of the ARPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the Appalachian region and surrounding areas, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids.
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski was joined in the announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman for the Western District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Attorney William J. Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama; Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Administrator John J. Martin of the DEA Diversion Control Division.
“While the opioid epidemic continues to inflict untold pain and suffering on people across the country, the devastation in the Appalachian region and adjacent areas has been particularly staggering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “It is all the more reprehensible when unscrupulous physicians and pharmacies contribute to the epidemic by illegally supplying dangerous prescription painkillers. Working with our partners in U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will combat illegal prescription opioids and health care fraud by holding accountable corrupt medical professionals who seek to profit off the crisis of opioid addiction.”
“The Appalachian Region, which includes the Eastern District of Tennessee, is unfortunately a ‘hot spot’ for drug abuse and overdose related deaths in the country,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. “We welcome the opportunity to work with our law enforcement partners in the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to identify and prosecute those unscrupulous medical professionals and others engaged in health care fraud schemes involving illegal prescription, distribution, possession, and use of opioids.”
“The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will bring together critical resources from the FBI and our partners to fight health care fraud in this region and the growing opioid epidemic that faces the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. “Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States, and through this strike force, the FBI will continue our tireless work to combat illegal opioid prescriptions and bring to justice those medical professionals who put their greed over the health and wellbeing of their patients.”
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Americans across the country, including the people of the Appalachian region,” said HHS-OIG Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Cantrell. “The Strike Force model is a proven mechanism to target illicit conduct and hold accountable criminals involved in illegal opioid prescription and distribution schemes. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to curb this damaging epidemic.”
“Our nation’s opioid crisis requires us to work with unprecedented urgency in attacking drug diversion at every level,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Martin. “These joint strike force efforts will save lives, while allowing us to better target and bring to justice those who facilitate addiction and profit at the expense of the weakest and most afflicted.”
Prior to this announcement, the HCF Unit operated Medicare Fraud Strike Force’s in 12 locations across the United States including Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Tampa/Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas, along with a Corporate Strike Force located in Washington, D.C., and the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Forces represent a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The ARPO Strike Force will be made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the nine U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force will operate out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the nine districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force will work closely with other various federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The ARPO Strike Force will target criminal conduct associated with the improper prescription and distribution of prescription opioids and other dangerous narcotics throughout the Appalachian region and surrounding areas – focusing on criminal conduct by physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The ARPO Strike Force will also investigate and prosecute violations of health care fraud whenever such fraud is detected throughout the region.
In June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III noted the success of the Strike Force model while announcing the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. More information can be obtained at https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
In August, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski announced the Newark/Philadelphia Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which focuses on health care fraud and illegal opioid prescriptions in the Newark/Philadelphia region.
The Strike Force operations are 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 prosecutors in the 12 Medicare Fraud Strike Force locations have charged over 4,000 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion. Since January 2017, the HCF Unit has charged over 85 defendants, including 33 doctors with the illegal prescription of opioids (nearly 30 million pills).
###
Justice Department's Criminal Divison Creates Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to Focus on Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the formation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO Strike Force), a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for nine federal districts in five states, as well as law enforcement partners at the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The mission of the ARPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the Appalachian region and surrounding areas, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids.
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski was joined in the announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman for the Western District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Attorney William J. Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama; Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Administrator John J. Martin of the DEA Diversion Control Division.
“While the opioid epidemic continues to inflict untold pain and suffering on people across the country, the devastation in the Appalachian region and adjacent areas has been particularly staggering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “It is all the more reprehensible when unscrupulous physicians and pharmacies contribute to the epidemic by illegally supplying dangerous prescription painkillers. Working with our partners in U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will combat illegal prescription opioids and health care fraud by holding accountable corrupt medical professionals who seek to profit off the crisis of opioid addiction.”
“The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force is consistent with the Department’s commitment to combat the opioid crisis with all available tools, said U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “The ARPO Strike Force prosecutors, working in partnership with Assistant United States Attorney’s in our Office and law enforcement officers in our District, will be focused on reducing access to opioids, including by investigating and prosecuting those medical professionals that unlawfully distribute opioids, putting greed over patient care and well being. We will remain diligent in the pursuit of this important mission.”
“The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will bring together critical resources from the FBI and our partners to fight health care fraud in this region and the growing opioid epidemic that faces the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. “Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States, and through this strike force, the FBI will continue our tireless work to combat illegal opioid prescriptions and bring to justice those medical professionals who put their greed over the health and wellbeing of their patients.”
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Americans across the country, including the people of the Appalachian region,” said HHS-OIG Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Cantrell. “The Strike Force model is a proven mechanism to target illicit conduct and hold accountable criminals involved in illegal opioid prescription and distribution schemes. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to curb this damaging epidemic.”
“Our nation’s opioid crisis requires us to work with unprecedented urgency in attacking drug diversion at every level,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Martin. “These joint strike force efforts will save lives, while allowing us to better target and bring to justice those who facilitate addiction and profit at the expense of the weakest and most afflicted.”
Prior to this announcement, the HCF Unit operated Medicare Fraud Strike Force’s in 12 locations across the United States including Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Tampa/Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas, along with a Corporate Strike Force located in Washington, D.C., and the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Forces represent a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The ARPO Strike Force will be made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the nine U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force will operate out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the nine districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force will work closely with other various federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The ARPO Strike Force will target criminal conduct associated with the improper prescription and distribution of prescription opioids and other dangerous narcotics throughout the Appalachian region and surrounding areas – focusing on criminal conduct by physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The ARPO Strike Force will also investigate and prosecute violations of health care fraud whenever such fraud is detected throughout the region.
In June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III noted the success of the Strike Force model while announcing the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. More information can be obtained at https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
In August, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski announced the Newark/Philadelphia Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which focuses on health care fraud and illegal opioid prescriptions in the Newark/Philadelphia region.
The Strike Force operations are 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 prosecutors in the 12 Medicare Fraud Strike Force locations have charged over 4,000 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion. Since January 2017, the HCF Unit has charged over 85 defendants, including 33 doctors with the illegal prescription of opioids (nearly 30 million pills).
Justice Department's Criminal Division Creates Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to Focus on Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the formation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO Strike Force), a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for nine federal districts in five states, as well as law enforcement partners at the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The mission of the ARPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the Appalachian region and surrounding areas, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids.
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski was joined in the announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman for the Western District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Attorney William J. Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama; Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Administrator John J. Martin of the DEA Diversion Control Division.
"While the opioid epidemic continues to inflict untold pain and suffering on people across the country, the devastation in the Appalachian region and adjacent areas has been particularly staggering," said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. "It is all the more reprehensible when unscrupulous physicians and pharmacies contribute to the epidemic by illegally supplying dangerous prescription painkillers. Working with our partners in U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will combat illegal prescription opioids and health care fraud by holding accountable corrupt medical professionals who seek to profit off the crisis of opioid addiction."
"The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will bring together critical resources from the FBI and our partners to fight health care fraud in this region and the growing opioid epidemic that faces the United States," said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. "Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States, and through this strike force, the FBI will continue our tireless work to combat illegal opioid prescriptions and bring to justice those medical professionals who put their greed over the health and wellbeing of their patients."
"The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Americans across the country, including the people of the Appalachian region," said HHS-OIG Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Cantrell. "The Strike Force model is a proven mechanism to target illicit conduct and hold accountable criminals involved in illegal opioid prescription and distribution schemes. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to curb this damaging epidemic."
"Our nation’s opioid crisis requires us to work with unprecedented urgency in attacking drug diversion at every level," said DEA Assistant Administrator Martin. "These joint strike force efforts will save lives, while allowing us to better target and bring to justice those who facilitate addiction and profit at the expense of the weakest and most afflicted."
Prior to this announcement, the HCF Unit operated Medicare Fraud Strike Force’s in 12 locations across the United States including Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Tampa/Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas, along with a Corporate Strike Force located in Washington, D.C., and the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Forces represent a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The ARPO Strike Force will be made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the nine U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force will operate out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the nine districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force will work closely with other various federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The ARPO Strike Force will target criminal conduct associated with the improper prescription and distribution of prescription opioids and other dangerous narcotics throughout the Appalachian region and surrounding areas – focusing on criminal conduct by physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The ARPO Strike Force will also investigate and prosecute violations of health care fraud whenever such fraud is detected throughout the region.
In June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III noted the success of the Strike Force model while announcing the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. More information can be obtained at https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
In August, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski announced the Newark/Philadelphia Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which focuses on health care fraud and illegal opioid prescriptions in the Newark/Philadelphia region.
The Strike Force operations are 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 prosecutors in the 12 Medicare Fraud Strike Force locations have charged over 4,000 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion. Since January 2017, the HCF Unit has charged over 85 defendants, including 33 doctors with the illegal prescription of opioids (nearly 30 million pills).
Justice Department's Criminal Division Creates Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force to Focus on Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON - Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the formation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO Strike Force), a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for nine federal districts in five states, as well as law enforcement partners at the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The mission of the ARPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the Appalachian region and surrounding areas, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids.
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski was joined in the announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman for the Western District of Kentucky; U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Attorney William J. Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia; U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama; Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Administrator John J. Martin of the DEA Diversion Control Division.
“While the opioid epidemic continues to inflict untold pain and suffering on people across the country, the devastation in the Appalachian region and adjacent areas has been particularly staggering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “It is all the more reprehensible when unscrupulous physicians and pharmacies contribute to the epidemic by illegally supplying dangerous prescription painkillers. Working with our partners in U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will combat illegal prescription opioids and health care fraud by holding accountable corrupt medical professionals who seek to profit off the crisis of opioid addiction.”
“I welcome the additional resource of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “My office has been unrelenting in its assault on drug dealers & traffickers. This Strike Force will further strengthen our efforts to identify and prosecute the purveyors of pain that cause untold chaos and despair to our families and in our communities. I want to assure our citizens that we will not stop until we have identified and prosecuted every medical professional involved in creating and maintaining this crisis through illegal prescriptions and distribution of opioids.”
“The creation of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force will bring together critical resources from the FBI and our partners to fight health care fraud in this region and the growing opioid epidemic that faces the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director Johnson. “Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States, and through this strike force, the FBI will continue our tireless work to combat illegal opioid prescriptions and bring to justice those medical professionals who put their greed over the health and wellbeing of their patients.”
“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Americans across the country, including the people of the Appalachian region,” said HHS-OIG Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Cantrell. “The Strike Force model is a proven mechanism to target illicit conduct and hold accountable criminals involved in illegal opioid prescription and distribution schemes. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to curb this damaging epidemic.”
“Our nation’s opioid crisis requires us to work with unprecedented urgency in attacking drug diversion at every level,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Martin. “These joint strike force efforts will save lives, while allowing us to better target and bring to justice those who facilitate addiction and profit at the expense of the weakest and most afflicted.”
Prior to this announcement, the HCF Unit operated Medicare Fraud Strike Force’s in 12 locations across the United States including Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Tampa/Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas, along with a Corporate Strike Force located in Washington, D.C., and the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Forces represent a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The ARPO Strike Force will be made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the nine U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force will operate out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the nine districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force will work closely with other various federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The ARPO Strike Force will target criminal conduct associated with the improper prescription and distribution of prescription opioids and other dangerous narcotics throughout the Appalachian region and surrounding areas – focusing on criminal conduct by physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The ARPO Strike Force will also investigate and prosecute violations of health care fraud whenever such fraud is detected throughout the region.
In June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III noted the success of the Strike Force model while announcing the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. More information can be obtained at https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
In August, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski announced the Newark/Philadelphia Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which focuses on health care fraud and illegal opioid prescriptions in the Newark/Philadelphia region.
The Strike Force operations are 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 prosecutors in the 12 Medicare Fraud Strike Force locations have charged over 4,000 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion. Since January 2017, the HCF Unit has charged over 85 defendants, including 33 doctors with the illegal prescription of opioids (nearly 30 million pills).
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###Justice Department Funds New District of Oregon Indian Country ProsecutorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—In recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein met with Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Katherine Sullivan and other senior Justice officials today to discuss the Violence Against Women Act’s (VAWA) essential focus on criminal justice responses to domestic violence. Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein also announced new OVW funding for the department’s Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) program.
“There is no place in our society for domestic violence, and holding perpetrators accountable and providing services to victims is a critical part of the Department’s response,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “During this National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I encourage law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other criminal justice professionals to speak out about domestic violence and redouble efforts to bring perpetrators to justice. I am especially pleased to announce new funding to support four new Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, whose collaboration across the tribal and federal jurisdictional landscape is a model for effective prosecution of violence against women.”
“We are pleased to join Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein in announcing the appointment of a new Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney here in Oregon,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Pursuing justice on behalf of tribal communities is a priority for our office and has been for a long time. We are deeply committed to continuing to work with our tribal law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in tribal communities, especially crimes against tribal women. We fully expect this position will show positive and meaningful results for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.”
OVW’s Tribal Special Assistant United States Attorneys (Tribal SAUSAs) Program is another Department initiative supporting innovative prosecutorial collaborations. These prosecutors bring cases in both tribal and federal courts, and help ensure that tribal and federal authorities have a seamless response in prosecuting cases under their jurisdiction. In OVW’s pilot project, Tribal SAUSAs reported a wide range of successes, including prosecution of cases that otherwise may not have been brought.
Today, OVW is announcing new Tribal SAUSA Program awards of $437,500 each to the following four tribes:
• Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (Arizona);
• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (Oregon);
• Rosebud Sioux Tribe (South Dakota); and
• Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (Washington).
Commemorated in the United States since 1987, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month educates the public, commemorates and honors victims and survivors, and connects service providers across the country. President Trump has continued the tradition of issuing a presidential proclamation to recognize October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Strengthening criminal justice is the core component of VAWA, and Acting Director Sullivan pointed to the Improving the Criminal Justice Response to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program (ICJR) as the “backbone of VAWA.” ICJR helps communities investigate and prosecute these crimes and keep violent criminals off the street. Since 1997, OVW has made 1,655 ICJR grant awards totaling over $847,000,000. In fiscal year 2018, OVW made 54 ICJR awards totaling $32,610,116.
This funding has supported justice responses including dedicated police and prosecution units, specialized courts, and offender monitoring in 538 communities. For example, Fairfax County in Virginia uses ICJR funding to support a specialized prosecutor for domestic violence and stalking cases and to monitor the enforcement of civil protective orders.
ICJR also funds unique collaborative approaches, such as Family Justice Centers – “one stop shops” housing police, prosecution, and victim services in one place – and multidisciplinary teams that decrease domestic violence homicides. Since 2012 OVW has awarded over $24 million in ICJR funding to reduce domestic violence homicide, including pilot sites, nationwide training, and research. This includes six awards totaling $3,299,977 for fiscal year 2018.
Many victims also face substance abuse issues, and may struggle to access the justice system and get the protection they need. OVW is today announcing an award of $450,000 to the Alliance for HOPE International to train Family Justice Centers to address this complex challenge. The Alliance for HOPE International will partner with the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health.
VAWA was first authorized in 1994 and focused on strengthening the criminal justice response to domestic violence. VAWA was reauthorized in 2000, 2005, and 2013, and each reauthorization included expansions such as addressing elder abuse, combatting stalking, and serving victims of sex trafficking in Indian Country. More information about VAWA is available at www.justice.gov/ovw/legislation.
Justice Department Announces $35 Million to Battle the Distribution of Methamphetamine and Another $35 Million to Assist Children Impacted by the Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced $35 million in funding to support law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription opioids, and another $35 million to establish new programs to provide services to children victims of the opioid crisis.
The announcement was made at the Department’s National Opioid Summit, which coincides with Red Ribbon Week, a yearly October event encouraging students, parents, schools, and communities to promote drug-free lifestyles. Additionally, the upcoming Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 27 provides an opportunity for Americans to prevent overdose deaths and drug addictions before they start. Last year, the Department expanded on DEA's Drug Takeback Days and collected more than 2.7 million pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs since April 2017. The Department of Justice also recently announced a total of almost $320 million in unprecedented funding to combat the opioid crisis in America.
"Ending the opioid crisis is a top priority for this administration, and under the leadership of President Trump, the Department of Justice has taken historic action," Attorney General Sessions said. "We have already seen a nearly 20 percent decline in opioid prescription rates nationwide in 2017 and 2018, and we are cutting opioid production by an average of 10 percent for next year. Preliminary data also show that after years of large and sustained increases, overdose deaths may have finally started to decrease. Today, we are announcing millions in grants intended to help the most vulnerable victims of the opioid crisis: children. The Department is investing almost $35 million to assist youth victims of this crisis through enhancing community programs, supporting partnerships with victim service providers, and establishing mentoring programs. We are also announcing another $35 million for state law enforcement in states with high levels of heroin and methamphetamine abuse. These measures take us one step closer to bringing this crisis to an end.”
In 2017, more than 72,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses, an increase from the 64,000 overdose deaths in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of these deaths can be attributed to opioids, including illicit fentanyl and its analogues.
In FY 2018, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) made awards to 41 sites and a technical assistance provider totaling $29.8 million. This is in addition to about $4.8 million in transferred funds to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to support partnership between victim service providers and first responders who encounter an overdose where children are present. The OVC program will support partnerships between victim service providers and first responders who encounter an overdose where children are present, through direct services, training and technical assistance, and efforts to build direct victim assistance services through community-based systems. The funding will provide funding for school-based programs, foster care and child welfare programs, counseling and assistance programs, child advocacy programs, court-appointed special advocates, mentoring and tutoring programs, civil legal services, and other programs.
The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office is awarding more than $27.8 million in grant funding to 17 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides two years of funding directly to law enforcement agencies in states with high per capita levels of primary treatment admissions for heroin and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the distribution of heroin or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office will also award $7.2 million to nine state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies will be awarded two years of funding through CAMP to support the investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine.
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: /media/973761/dl?inline
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: /media/973756/dl?inline
The complete list of OVC awards can be found here: https://ojp.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2018/ojp-news-10252018c.pdf
Justice Department Announces $35 Million to Battle the Distribution of Methamphetamine and Another $35 Million to Assist Children Impacted by the Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced $35 million in funding to support law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription opioids, and another $35 million to establish new programs to provide services to children victims of the opioid crisis.
The announcement was made at the Department’s National Opioid Summit, which coincides with Red Ribbon Week, a yearly October event encouraging students, parents, schools, and communities to promote drug-free lifestyles. Additionally, the upcoming Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 27 provides an opportunity for Americans to prevent overdose deaths and drug addictions before they start. Last year, the Department expanded on DEA's Drug Takeback Days and collected more than 2.7 million pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs since April 2017. The Department of Justice also recently announced a total of almost $320 million in unprecedented funding to combat the opioid crisis in America.
"Ending the opioid crisis is a top priority for this administration, and under the leadership of President Trump, the Department of Justice has taken historic action," Attorney General Sessions said. "We have already seen a nearly 20 percent decline in opioid prescription rates nationwide in 2017 and 2018, and we are cutting opioid production by an average of 10 percent for next year. Preliminary data also show that after years of large and sustained increases, overdose deaths may have finally started to decrease. Today, we are announcing millions in grants intended to help the most vulnerable victims of the opioid crisis: children. The Department is investing almost $35 million to assist youth victims of this crisis through enhancing community programs, supporting partnerships with victim service providers, and establishing mentoring programs. We are also announcing another $35 million for state law enforcement in states with high levels of heroin and methamphetamine abuse. These measures take us one step closer to bringing this crisis to an end.”
In 2017, more than 72,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses, an increase from the 64,000 overdose deaths in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of these deaths can be attributed to opioids, including illicit fentanyl and its analogues.
In FY 2018, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) made awards to 41 sites and a technical assistance provider totaling $29.8 million. This is in addition to about $4.8 million in transferred funds to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to support partnership between victim service providers and first responders who encounter an overdose where children are present. The OVC program will support partnerships between victim service providers and first responders who encounter an overdose where children are present, through direct services, training and technical assistance, and efforts to build direct victim assistance services through community-based systems. The funding will provide funding for school-based programs, foster care and child welfare programs, counseling and assistance programs, child advocacy programs, court-appointed special advocates, mentoring and tutoring programs, civil legal services, and other programs.
The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office is awarding more than $27.8 million in grant funding to 17 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides two years of funding directly to law enforcement agencies in states with high per capita levels of primary treatment admissions for heroin and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the distribution of heroin or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office will also award $7.2 million to nine state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies will be awarded two years of funding through CAMP to support the investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine.
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/content/camp-2018-announcement.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/content/ahtf-2018-announcement.
The complete list of OVC awards can be found here: https://ojp.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2018/ojp-news-10252018c.pdf
###
Jury Finds "Top Ten Alpha Criminal" Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and HeroinRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that a jury found Darowe Junior Jones, 39, of Tulsa, guilty on Wednesday of multiple crimes, including conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and more than 100 grams of heroin.
Law enforcement previously identified Jones as a “Top Ten” suspect of Operation Alpha, a Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative targeting Northern Oklahoma’s most dangerous criminals. Jones was targeted by law enforcement and arrested on April 17, 2018, on an outstanding felony arrest warrant. Dannie Dill, a co-conspirator and “Top Ten” suspect, was also arrested two days later. Dill pleaded guilty on September 5, 2018 to participating in the methamphetamine and heroin distribution conspiracy, as well as other charges.
“The prosecution of Darowe Jones began with his arrest as part of Operation: Alpha. TPD had identified Jones as a “top ten alpha criminal” in Tulsa. He was a high volume drug dealer who peddled heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, ecstasy, and Xanax. Even after his arrest, Jones orchestrated his narcotics business from jail by directing accomplices to hide evidence, including drugs and money,” stated U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Late yesterday, a jury held Jones accountable for his crimes by returning verdicts of guilty on all counts. I thank the jury for their service.”
During Jones’ trial this week, prosecutors presented evidence showing that Jones conspired with his partners to receive drugs through the mail at various addresses in Tulsa and Broken Arrow, which he later distributed in the Tulsa area. The evidence further showed that Jones sent $97,000 in cash over a two-year period to his out-of-state sources of supply to purchase a wide array of narcotics. Prosecutors called Jones a “one-stop-shop” for drugs, including methamphetamine, black-tar heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, and Xanax.
Through the investigations, agents found that Jones had sent numerous text messages to his co-conspirators discussing “swerves,” a term for a drug deal. Once arrested, Jones called his coconspirators from jail, discussing their drug distribution activities in thinly veiled terms. In one of these calls, Jones orchestrated an attempt by his coconspirators to remove $15,000 in drug proceeds from a hiding place in Jones’ residence so investigators could not find it. Jones later coordinated the distribution of the funds.
Ultimately, the jury found Jones guilty of 15 total charges. U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan presided over the trial and will sentence Jones on January 28, 2019. Jones faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine for the drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute heroin charges; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine for the possession with intent to distribute marijuana charges; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for the maintaining a drug involved premises charge. In addition, Jones faces a mandatory minimum consecutive penalty of five years in prison and a maximum consecutive penalty of life in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Jones faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the felon-in-possession of firearms and ammunition charge.
Jones’ arrest and conviction were the result of a coordinated effort involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshal Service, the Tulsa Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Duncombe, Dennis A. Fries, and Joel-lyn A. McCormick.
Jefferson County man sentenced for filing a false tax returnRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Alfredo Amaya Diaz, of Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia, was sentenced today to five years probation for filing a false tax return, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Diaz, age 43, pled guilty to one count of “Filing False Income Tax Return” in April 2018. Diaz admitted to filing a tax return for 2016 that understated his income by more than $178,000, resulting in an unpaid tax of more than $50,000. The crime took place in January 2017 in Jefferson County.
Diaz was also ordered to pay $66,344 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.Jefferson City Man Indicted for Meth, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFESON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing nine firearms.
Brandon Eugene McNeese, 33, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Wednesday, Oct. 24,2018. The federal indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against McNeese on Sept. 28, 2018.
The indictment alleges that McNeese distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Aug. 2, 2018. The indictment also charges McNeese with being a felon in possession of firearms. On Sept. 24, 2018, McNeese allegedly was in possession of a loaded Glock 10mm pistol, a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol, a loaded Springfield Armory .45-caliber pistol, a loaded Glock .45-caliber pistol, a loaded Glock 9mm pistol, a Hi-Point .380-caliber pistol, a Taurus pistol, a Smith & Wesson .380-caliber pistol, and a loaded Vulcan Arms 9mm pistol.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from McNeese, utilizing a confidential informant, on Aug. 2, 2018. McNeese allegedly sold the confidential informant 139 grams (approximately five ounces) of methamphetamine for $2,000. During the transaction, the affidavit says, McNeese left his residence and travelled to a nearby residence. Investigators later learned that he left a vehicle parked at that residence.
Investigators found a cellophane bag underneath the parked vehicle, which contained several smaller baggies believed to contain narcotics. A K9 was used to sniff the vehicle and alerted to the presence of controlled substances. The vehicle was towed, and during a search of the vehicle officers found the firearms in the trunk. Several of the firearms had been reported stolen.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. McNeese has a prior federal felony conviction for possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute.
The charges contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and MUSTANG (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group).
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Jamal Hall Charged with Being A Felon in Possession of A Firearm in Connection with Rutland Bar ShootingRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Jamal
Hall, age 41, of Brooklyn, New York and Rutland, Vermont, was arraigned today in U.S. District
Court in Burlington on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.As detailed in the government’s motion for detention, shortly after midnight on April 13,
2018, Hall fired a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol inside of the Hide-A-Way Tavern in Rutland,
Vermont. That night, Hall became engaged in a confrontation with another male patron. In
response to the male patron swinging his fist at Hall, Hall pulled the pistol from his waistband
and fired in close range at the male patron. The bullet did not strike the male patron, nor did it
strike multiple other people nearby. Hall is a prior felon with drug convictions in both New
York and Vermont. Accordingly, Hall is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.At his appearance in federal court today before United States Magistrate Judge John M.
Conroy, Hall entered a plea of not guilty. The defendant was ordered detained pending further
proceedings.This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives as well as the Rutland Police Department. The Vermont State Police
were instrumental in the defendant’s arrest, which occurred after the defendant led law
enforcement on a high-speed chase in Southern Vermont. The Rutland County State’s
Attorney’s Office also provided valuable assistance.“This case demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect
Vermont communities, in all parts of the state, from those who engage in gun violence. Illegal
possession and use of firearms —particularly in bars and nightclubs — puts the innocent public
and law enforcement officers at great risk. Those who commit such crimes will be brought to
justice through the collaborative efforts of federal, state, local, and county law enforcement
agencies.”“This investigation exemplifies ATF’s commitment to protect our communities from
violent criminals who possess firearms” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Lawrence
Panetta. “ATF will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to eradicate
violent gun related crime.”Rutland County State’s Attorney Rose Kennedy stated, “This case represents the
collaborative efforts of local, state and federal authorities to try and keep the community safe. I
want to thank U.S. Attorney Nolan for making the prosecution of illegal firearms possession
cases a priority.”Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Gilman represents the United States. Assistant
Federal Defender Elizabeth K. Quinn represents Hall. The United States Attorney emphasizes
that the charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendant is
presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.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.Indictment Charges 7 Willimantic Residents with Trafficking HeroinRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Willimantic Police Chief Roberto Rosado today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment yesterday charging the following seven Willimantic residents with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 100 grams or more of heroin:
XAVIER DIAZ, a.k.a. “Coco,” 29
MOISES RIVERA, a.k.a. “Burny,” 30
MIGUEL CEBALLO-CRUZ, 26
KIMBERLY ROMAN, 25
JESUS OMAR VAZQUEZ-MARTINEZ, 34
JORGE ROSADO, 42
HENRY SOTO, a.k.a. “Yomo,” “Jomo” and “Shorty,” 25As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in May 2018, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Willimantic Police Department investigating a heroin/fentanyl overdose death that occurred in August 2017 received information that Xavier Diaz was operating a heroin distribution ring in Willimantic. The investigation revealed that drug purchasers called a phone shared by members of the conspiracy to place an order for heroin. Thereafter, a “runner” would meet the purchaser to complete the transaction.
On October 15, 2018, Diaz, Rivera, Ceballo-Cruz, Roman and Rosado were arrested on federal criminal complaints. On that date, a search of Diaz’s residence revealed approximately 1,000 bags of heroin, a stolen firearm, and ammunition. In addition, a search of a storage unit connected to the organization revealed approximately $20,000 in cash.
Vazquez-Martinez is currently detained in state custody, and Soto is being sought by law enforcement.
If convicted of the charge in the indictment, each defendant faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth.
Indian Springs Man Sentenced for Violation of Endangered Species Act and Destruction of Property at Death Valley's Devils HoleRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – An Indian Springs, Nevada, felon who fired a shotgun at the Devils Hole gate padlock, destroyed a surveillance camera and equipment, then harmed pupfish, an endangered species, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon today to 12 months and a day in prison and three years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada and Superintendent Mike Reynolds for Death Valley National Park.
Trenton Sargent, 28, pleaded guilty in July to one count of violation of the Endangered Species Act, one count of destruction of United States property, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. He is a felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Devils Hole, a detached unit of Death Valley National Park, is located in Amargosa Valley, Nye County, Nevada, within a 40-acre parcel of National Park Service land surrounded by the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Devils Hole is the only location in the world where Devils Hole pupfish exist in the wild. The pupfish is a Nevada state and federally listed endangered species. The Endangered Species Act was enacted to provide a program for the conservation of endangered and threatened species. In the spring of 2016, Devils Hole contained just 115 observable pupfish.
Sargent admitted that, on April 30, 2016, he and co-defendants Edgar Reyes and Steven Schwinkendorf, rammed their ATV into the fence surrounding Devils Hole, severely damaging the gate. Then, Sargent fired a Mossbert 500 shotgun at the padlock on the gate. After their attempts to open the gate were unsuccessful, the men scaled the fence. Once in the enclosed area, they destroyed a sensor center for cameras and equipment for the area, and destroyed a video surveillance camera belonging to the National Park Service. Then, Sargent stepped into the water onto the Devils Hole shallow shelf. In doing so, he smashed pupfish eggs and larvae pupfish during the peak spawning season for pupfish, who lay their eggs on the shallow shelf.
Reyes, 37, of North Las Vegas, and Schwinkendorf, 31, of Pahrump, previously pleaded guilty to destruction of government property and violation of the Endangered Species Act. They were each sentenced to one year probation.
The investigation was conducted by the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Nye County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez.
To learn more about the Devils Hole pupfish and recovery actions, go to www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/devils-hole.htm.
To report a suspicious or criminal activity in a national park site, call the National Park Service tip line at 1-888-653-0009 or visit https://www.nps.gov. For more information on the Department of Justice’s wildlife protection efforts, visit https://www.justice.gov/enrd.
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IRS Impersonator Scam Leader Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison After Stealing Millions of Dollars; Co-Conspirators Also ImprisonedRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Gary Smith, Special-Agent-in-Charge, Southern Field Division, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and Robert G. Feldt, Special-Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration (SSA), Dallas Field Division, announced today the sentencing of five defendants involved in an IRS impersonation scheme that netted millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims.
On Thursday, United States District Judge Billy Roy Wilson sentenced Yosvany Padilla, 27, of Hialeah, Fla., the leader of the conspiracy, to 135 months’ imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered the repayment of nearly $9 million in restitution. Padilla, in addition to personally collecting threat-induced wire transfers sent by victims believing they were paying owed taxes, supplied co-conspirators with false identification documents and coordinated the collection of wire transfers by other members of the conspiracy.
Also on Thursday, Judge Wilson sentenced Jeniffer Valerino Nuñez, 22, and Esequiel Bravo Diaz, 24, both from Miami, to federal prison. Nuñez, who collected more than $1.3 million in wire transfers from more than 1,050 victims, was sentenced to 47 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and repayment of nearly $2.5 million in restitution. Diaz, who collected approximately $115,000 from 350 victims, was sentenced to 47 months’ imprisonment, followed by two years’ supervised release, and repayment of nearly $115,000 in restitution.
“These criminals stole millions of dollars from thousands of innocent people, using fear, threats, and intimidation to carry out this scam,” Hiland said. “This criminal behavior is unconscionable and will not be tolerated. The prison sentences handed down today represent some measure of accountability for IRS imposters who violated the most vulnerable among us, including honest citizens here in Arkansas. Our office will continue to remain vigilant in working with our law enforcement partners to root out these schemes, and punish those responsible to the fullest extent of the law.”
In the scheme, individuals purporting to be employees of the IRS would call and threaten victims with legal action, arrest, and imprisonment for a supposed debt owed to the IRS. The callers made these threats and used other methods of intimidation to persuade the victims to wire money utilizing MoneyGram, Walmart-2-Walmart Money Transfer, and other wire-transfer services. Investigators have identified 6,282 nationwide victims for a total loss currently calculated at $10,735,762.61. Multiple fraudulent wire transfers were collected in Arkansas, as well as in at least 28 other states.
“Over the last several years, American taxpayers have been subjected to unprecedented attempts to fraudulently obtain money by individuals impersonating Internal Revenue Service employees,” TIGTA SAC Smith said. “Victimizing taxpayers by impersonating IRS employees is a serious crime. TIGTA and our law enforcement partners will do everything within our power to ensure that those involved in the impersonation of IRS employees are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Today’s significant sentencings should serve notice to those who engage in this type of criminal activity that they will be held accountable.”
Another of the scheme’s co-conspirators, Dennis Delgado Caballero, 40, of Miami, collected more than $1.1 million in wire transfers from 950 different victims and recruited others into the scheme. On September 27, 2018, Judge Wilson sentenced Caballero to 72 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and repayment of approximately $2.5 million in restitution.
Angel Carrillo, 43, of Hialeah, Fla., collected more than $1.3 million in wire transfers from more than 750 people. On Tuesday, Judge Wilson sentenced Carrillo to 72 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and repayment of the $1.3 million as restitution.
“The Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) is committed to closely working with our law enforcement partners to pursue identity thieves who deceive and defraud American taxpayers,” SSA SAC Feldt said.
Three other defendants (Elio Carballo Cruz, Alejandro Valdes, and Alfredo Echevarria Rios) have pleaded guilty to the scheme and await sentencing, while one (Ricardo Fontanella Caballero) is set for trial on December 11, 2018.
Investigators verified the identity of the suspects and their activities through a variety of investigative methods. TIGTA and the SSA-OIG led the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hunter Bridges and Jana Harris.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at:http://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWSGeorgia Woman Charged with Credit Card Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A woman was arrested in Georgia today for her alleged participation in a credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Funmilola Adekanmi, 29, of Duluth, Georgia, is charged by complaint with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of aggravated identity theft. Adekanmi is expected to make her initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard in federal court in Atlanta, Georgia.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between July 2016 and May 2017, Adekanmi conspired with Akintunde Adeyemi, Oluwaseun Jato, and others to obtain control of credit card accounts using stolen personal identifying information (PII) of third parties. Adeyemi, Jato and other conspirators submitted to a financial institution identified in the complaint as “Victim Bank 1” applications for credit card accounts using stolen PII, including the names, addresses, and other identifying information of the unsuspecting identity theft victims. After establishing the accounts, the conspirators contacted Victim Bank 1 to change the address associated with the accounts so that Victim Bank 1 would send the credit cards to those addresses. The conspirators then monitored those addresses and intercepted the cards before the residents of the addresses received them. Some of these addresses were located near the conspirators’ residences in New Jersey and Georgia. The conspirators, including Adekanmi, then used the cards at retail stores in New Jersey and Georgia, among other places, to purchase merchandise, including gift cards, which they then used or sold for profits. The conspirators defrauded Victim Bank 1 of more than $600,000.
The investigation to date has revealed that the conspirators played unique roles in the scheme. Adeyemi obtained the stolen PII from other conspirators and used it to create the fraudulent credit card accounts. He then sent the account information to others, including Jato, who coordinated with other conspirators to retrieve the credit cards associated with the compromised accounts. Adeyemi also provided compromised credit card accounts to Adekanmi, who used the accounts to make retail purchases, including purchasing gift cards. Adekanmi received a percentage of the scheme’s profits for her assistance in the fraudulent transactions. She was recorded on store surveillance footage on multiple dates in April 2017 making purchases using some of the compromised credit card accounts.
The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed by the court.
On July 17, 2018, conspirators Adeyemi and Jato were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for their roles in the scheme. Jato was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 24, 2018. On Aug. 2, 2018, Jato and Adeyemi were indicted and charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. That case is pending. Adeyemi has not yet been arrested and remains at large.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Inspector in Charge James Buthorn, and special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas P. Grippo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
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From Tweets to Time: Firearms Investigation Stemming from Social Media Sends Houston Man to PrisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for unlawfully possessing firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Fabian Spotts pleaded guilty in June 2018 to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt handed Spotts an 84-month sentence followed by three years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court saw screen shots of posts from Spotts’ Twitter account depicting him posing with various firearms and offering drugs for sale. Judge Hoyt noted the online images were out there for the world to see and could not be taken back.
The government also described Spotts’ extensive criminal history involving weapons and that, at the time of his arrest on these charges, he as found in possession of of a fully loaded Glock pistol, marijuana and pills and nearly $2,500 in cash.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned Spotts was selling stolen firearms utilizing his Twitter account. Following discussions, an undercover ATF agent and confidential informant met with Spotts on three separate occasions in November and December 2017 and conducted controlled purchases from Spotts of semi-automatic rifles, magazines, ammunition, sights and body armor. The transactions took place at the Palms Apartments on the 6400 block of Westheimer in Houston.
Spotts supplied two Anderson Manufacturer, model AM-15, 5.56 caliber semi-automatic rifles with sights, a Mega Machine Shop Inc., model MATEN, 5.56 caliber AR-10 style semi-automatic rifle, a Southern Arms and MFG LLC, Model SAF-15, 5.56 caliber semi-automatic rifle, various magazines loaded with ammunition including a 100-round 5.56 caliber fully-loaded drum magazine as well as a bullet proof vest.
Previously convicted of robbery, a felony offense, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The ATF, Houston Police Department and task force officers from the North Division Crime Suppression Team conducted the investigation.Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case which was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program to reduce gun and gang crime in America and the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative which seeks to proactively fight violent crime across the Greater Houston area
Fresno Man Found to Be in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jimmy Euresti, 41, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, during a traffic stop in Fresno, officers found a stolen Glock semi-automatic handgun under a child’s booster seat on the rear passenger seat of the vehicle that Euresti was driving. A records check revealed that Euresti had previously been convicted of a felony offense, which makes him ineligible to possess a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Euresti faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former State Trooper Sentenced for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio –William P. Elschlager, 49, of Marietta, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine for cyberstalking.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Washington County Sheriff Larry R. Mincks, Sr. announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
Elschlager was employed with the Ohio State Highway Patrol for 19 years and served as post commander for the Marietta Post. He was employed in law enforcement, in total, for 25 years.
According to court documents, between November 2015 and January 2016, Elschlager placed a victim under surveillance with a GPS device on the victim’s vehicle with the intent to harass and intimidate the victim.
Elschlager made phone calls and sent text messages regarding the victim’s whereabouts and, at times, her specific location. For example, he texted the victim while she was in a retail store in Vienna, W.Va. and told her she needed to be aware of her surroundings and watch who she was around.
On more than one occasion, Elschlager sat in his vehicle at the end of the victim’s driveway and followed her in her and/or her boyfriend’s vehicle. He was also seen watching the victim at her house from an adjacent yard.
In December 2015, Elschlager initiated a traffic stop of the victim while in uniform driving his official vehicle. He turned off his belt microphone and did not ask for her identification or insurance documents. Instead, he talked about their personal issues.
In January 2016, the victim posted on social media that her vehicle had broken down. Elschlager arrived on the scene, even though the victim had not shared her location. It was later determined that her vehicle broke down because her radiator cap was missing, and a search of Elschlager’s computer revealed internet searches such as “how long can a car go without a radiator cap” and “car overheating with radiator cap off.”
Also in January 2016, when law enforcement officers conducted a search of Elschlager’s residence and electronic devices, they discovered a real-time location tracking of the victim on Elschlager’s computer. He also had the GPS tracking software on his cell phone.
“Elschlager used location information from GPS tracking, in conjunction with his law enforcement status, to relentlessly stalk and intimidate his victim,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Elschlager’s position and experience as a law enforcement officer for 25 years makes the offense especially heinous. His actions stripped his victim of a sense of security and safety. Those actions warrant time spent in prison.”
Elschlager was arrested by Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies and indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2017. Elschlager pleaded guilty in June 2018.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Washington County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica H. Kim and Kevin W. Kelley, who are prosecuting the case.
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Former State Judicial Marshal Pleads Guilty to Heroin Distribution OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ADAM CLARKE, 37, of Norwich, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2017, law enforcement conducted a long-term investigation into the distribution of drugs in the Norwich and New London area. On multiple occasions in October 2017, Clarke was intercepted on a court-authorized wiretap discussing the distribution of heroin and prescription narcotics. Clarke was working as a state judicial marshal at the time of this conduct.
The investigation revealed that Clarke received prescription pills from a known drug dealer while he was at work, assisted the drug dealer in avoiding detection by law enforcement by identifying law enforcement actions and vehicles, and agreed to broker at least one heroin transaction between the drug dealer and a third party.
Clarke is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport on January 17, 2019, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Clarke is released pending sentencing. He is no longer employed as a state judicial marshal.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Norwich, Waterford and Town of Groton Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.
Former Middle School Teacher Sentenced to More Than 21 Years After Traveling from Dubai to Florida to Have Sex with ChildRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich today sentenced William Brinson Ball (40, Dubai) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor for sex and transporting child pornography. The Court also ordered Ball to forfeit an iPhone and $5,000, which were used in the commission of the offenses.
Ball had pleaded guilty on April 30, 2018.
According to court documents, between January and February 14, 2018, Ball communicated with an undercover Homeland Security Investigations agent posing as the father of a seven-year-old girl. During those communications, Ball sent child-pornographic videos, described the sexual encounter that he wanted to have with the “child,” and arranged to travel from Dubai to Tampa for the purpose of sexually abusing the seven-year-old “child.” After negotiating a price, Ball paid the undercover agent $5,000 to have a sexual encounter with the “child.”
Ball arrived in Orlando on Valentine’s Day, rented a car, and drove to the meeting location in Tampa. Upon his arrest, agents seized from Ball’s belongings, a stuffed animal that Ball had purchased for the child, various lubricants, sexual devices, and condoms. A forensic analysis of Ball’s cellular phone revealed that Ball possessed over 500 child-pornographic images and videos, the majority of which depicted violent, sadistic, or masochistic conduct.
Although Ball is an American citizen, he resided in Dubai, Qatar, and Japan, where he worked as a middle school music teacher.
“This child predator, who was also a teacher overseas, traveled to our community intending to have sex with a seven-year-old,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “Instead, our HSI special agents stopped him in his tracks, and now he will be held accountable.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Leader of Kenyan Organized Crime Family and His Brother Plead Guilty to Narcotics, Weapons, and Obstruction OffensesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced that BAKTASH AKASHA ABDALLA, a/k/a “Baktash Akasha,” and IBRAHIM AKASHA ABDALLA, a/k/a “Ibrahim Akasha,” pled guilty yesterday in Manhattan federal court to conspiring to import and importing heroin and methamphetamine, conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices in connection with their drug-trafficking crimes, and obstructing justice by paying bribes to Kenyan officials in an effort to avoid being extradited to the United States. The defendants were provisionally arrested in Kenya on November 9, 2014, after providing 99 kilograms of heroin and two kilograms of methamphetamine during the course of the investigation to confidential sources acting at the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”). Their bribery scheme was thwarted on January 29, 2017, when the defendants were expelled from Kenya and DEA agents brought them to the United States for prosecution. The defendants pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker, and they will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Baktash Akasha Abdalla and his brother, Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla, were the leader and deputy of a sophisticated international drug trafficking network, responsible for tons of narcotics shipments throughout the world. Not only did they manufacture and distribute narcotics for over two decades, they kidnapped, beat, and murdered others who posed a threat to their enterprise. When the brothers encountered legal interference, they bribed Kenyan officials — including judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officers—in an effort to avoid facing the charges against them in the United States. Today’s pleas put two of the most prolific drug traffickers in the world out of business, and ensure that tons of dangerous narcotics will never reach our shores.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings[1]:
The defendants operated a sprawling and lucrative international drug business, which involved the distribution of multi-ton quantities of narcotics including hashish, ephedrine, methamphetamine, and methaqulone—a Schedule I controlled substance commonly referred to in Europe, South Africa, and elsewhere as “Mandrax” or “mandies,” and in the United States as “Quaaludes.” For almost two decades, BAKTASH AKASHA ABDALLA acted as the leader of the Akasha Organization, and IBRAHIM AKASHA ABDALLA functioned as his brother’s deputy. The defendants engaged in acts of violence to protect the reputation of the Akasha Organization and their drug-trafficking business. For example, in 2014, the defendants kidnapped and assaulted a rival drug trafficker in Kenya named David Armstrong. The defendants helped orchestrate the murder in South Africa of an associate of Armstrong, who was known as “Pinky” and was shot approximately 32 times in the street. The defendants subsequently participated in an altercation at a public shopping mall in Kenya with an Armstrong associate named Stanley Livondo, during which IBRAHIM AKASHA ABDALLA threatened Livondo with a pistol in the mall.
By early 2014, the defendants and other members of the Akasha Organization were working to import ton quantities of methaqualone precursor chemicals into Africa in order to fuel the production of the illicit pills in South Africa. The defendants used the proceeds of their methaqualone-related business to pursue other illegal ventures, including efforts to import ephedrine that was produced illegally by Avon Lifesciences in India, so that the Akasha Organization and others could manufacture methamphetamine in Africa. In connection with these methamphetamine-production efforts, the defendants aligned the Akasha Organization and other associates with co-defendant MUHAMMAD ASIF HAFEEZ, a/k/a “Sultan,” and worked together to establish a methamphetamine-production facility in Mozambique. But the defendants, HAFEEZ, and other co-conspirators were forced to abandon their plan after law enforcement authorities seized approximately 18 tons of ephedrine from an Avon Lifesciences factory in Solapur, India, including several tons of ephedrine that the defendants and HAFEEZ planned to use to manufacture methamphetamine in Mozambique.
Over the course of several months beginning in March 2014, during telephone calls and meetings in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya, the defendants agreed to supply, and in fact did supply, multi-kilogram quantities of heroin and methamphetamine to individuals they believed to be representatives of a South American drug-trafficking organization, but who were in fact confidential sources (the “CSes”) working at the direction and under the supervision of the DEA. The defendants negotiated on behalf of the Akasha Organization to procure and distribute hundreds of kilograms of heroin from suppliers in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region and to produce and distribute hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine, which they understood would ultimately be imported into the United States.
During a meeting in Mombasa, Kenya, in April 2014, BAKTASH AKASHA ABDALLA introduced a CS via Skype to one of his heroin suppliers in Pakistan, who said he could provide 420 kilograms of 100 percent pure heroin—which he called “diamond” quality—for distribution in the United States. Thereafter, in June 2014, a co-defendant began discussing with the CSes his ability to procure methamphetamine precursor chemicals and to establish labs to produce methamphetamine for importation to the United States. In a meeting in Mombasa in September 2014, BAKTASH AKASHA ABDALLA introduced another co-defendant as a narcotics transporter from Afghanistan who moved ton quantities of narcotics using ships. BAKTASH AKASHA ABDALLA and a co-defendant also described HAFEEZ to the CSes as one of the top drug traffickers in the world.
In September and October 2014, IBRAHIM AKASHA ABDALLA personally delivered one-kilogram samples of methamphetamine and heroin to the CSes in Nairobi on behalf of the Akasha Organization. In early November, IBRAHIM AKASHA ABDALLA personally delivered an additional 98 kilograms of heroin to the CSes in Nairobi on behalf of the Akasha Organization. A few days later, IBRAHIM AKASHA ABDALLA also delivered another kilogram of methamphetamine. In the course of these negotiations, the Akasha Organization provided a total of 99 kilograms of heroin and two kilograms of methamphetamine to the CSes, and agreed to provide hundreds of kilograms more of each.
The defendants, along with Gulam Hussein and Vijaygiri Anandgiri Goswami, were provisionally arrested by Kenyan Anti-Narcotics Unit officers on November 9, 2014, in Mombasa, Kenya, prior to another planned meeting with the CSes. At the time of the provisional arrests in Kenya, 500 kilograms of heroin brokered by HAFEEZ were being transported through international waters to the defendants in Africa. The defendants directed the ship to return to the Afghanistan/Pakistan region rather than risk interdiction upon arrival. Following the arrests and during pending extradition proceedings, the defendants continued to distribute ton quantities of narcotics. They used some of the drug proceeds to bribe Kenyan officials— including judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officers—in an effort to avoid facing the charges against them in the United States.
On January 29, 2017, the Kenyan government expelled the defendants, and the DEA brought them to the Southern District of New York for prosecution. HAFEEZ was provisionally arrested in London in August 2017, and the United States has requested his extradition from the United Kingdom.
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BAKTASH AKASHA ABDALLA, 41, and IBRAHIM AKASHA ABDALLA, 29, each pleaded guilty to conspiring to import heroin into the United States, conspiring to import methamphetamine into the United States, distributing heroin while knowing and intending that the drugs would be imported into the United States, and distributing methamphetamine while knowing and intending that the drugs would be imported into the United States. Each of these four crimes carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The defendants also pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to carry and use machineguns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and to possess machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of, drug-trafficking offenses, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Finally, the defendants pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum and minimum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Marrero on February 1, 2019.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the Special Operations Division of the DEA, Bilateral Investigations Unit. Mr. Berman also thanked the DEA Dubai Country Office, the DEA Nairobi Country Office, the DEA Pretoria Country Office, the DEA New Delhi Country Office, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Kenya’s Anti-Narcotics Unit, Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Kenya’s Director of Criminal Investigations, local Nairobi law enforcement officers, and the Government of Kenya.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emil J. Bove III, Amanda L. Houle, Jason A. Richman, and Patrick Egan are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment against MUHAMMAD ASIF HAFEEZ, a/k/a “Sultan,” are merely accusations, and HAFEEZ is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] The descriptions set forth below of conduct by co-defendant MUHAMMAD ASIF HAFEEZ, a/k/a “Sultan,” constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation with respect to HAFEEZ.
Former Kanawha County Deputy Pleads Guilty to Lying to the FBIRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Kanawha County Deputy pled guilty today to lying to the FBI, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Robert Dwight Evans, 52, entered his guilty plea to providing materially false information to the FBI before United States District Irene C. Berger. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the cooperation of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department.
“It is always difficult and disappointing when a law enforcement officer turns to the dark side,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Lying to an FBI agent as part of an investigation is not only fundamentally unacceptable but, frankly, it could place lives in danger and frustrate the administration of justice. Evans knew better. Someone that was a member of the circle of trust in the protection of the public has a tremendous responsibility to represent with dignity and honor the oath he took and, sadly, that oath was violated in a terrible way.”
On June 28, 2017, an FBI agent interviewed Evans at his residence in Cross Lanes during an investigation of a drug trafficking ring operating in and around Montgomery, West Virginia. Agents knew that Evans had been purchasing opioid pain medication from one of the targets of the investigation and asked him questions about his dealings with members of the organization. Evans denied having purchased the drugs and claimed to have no knowledge of the target’s involvement in drug trafficking. Upon being confronted by a Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department internal investigation, Evans resigned his position.
Evans faces up to five years in federal prison when he is sentenced on February 13, 2019. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is responsible for the prosecution.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Former Courthouse Worker Faces More Charges Related to Illegally Selling Firearms to a FelonRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man who supervised workers at the federal courthouse in Jefferson City has been indicted by a federal grand jury on an additional charge related to illegally selling firearms to a convicted felon.
Victor Nahum Vargas, 40, of Jefferson City, was charged in a three-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City. The superseding indictment replaces an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2018.
The superseding indictment contains two counts of knowingly selling firearms to a felon, which were contained in the original indictment. The superseding indictment also charges Vargas with an additional count of making false statements to acquire firearms.
Vargas, who was employed as the custodial supervisor at the Christopher S. Bond Courthouse in Jefferson City, has been in federal custody since his arrest on May 11, 2018. Vargas remains detained without bond.
The federal indictment alleges that Vargas sold five firearms to a person he knew to be a convicted felon on April 18, 2018, and that he sold 11 firearms to a person he knew to be a convicted felon on May 11, 2018. In connection with his acquisition of 10 of those firearms, the indictment alleges, Vargas made a false written statement in which he claimed that he was the actual buyer of the firearms. In reality, the indictment alleges, Vargas was acquiring those 10 firearms on behalf of another person.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a confidential source who is a convicted felon contacted Vargas on April 24, 2018, by phone. During several recorded communications between the confidential source and Vargas that occurred between April 24, 2018, and April 25, 2018, Vargas allegedly agreed to sell the confidential source 10 firearms for $7,500. According to the affidavit, Vargas knew that the confidential source is a convicted felon who is therefore prohibited by law from purchasing or possessing any firearms or ammunition.
On April 30, 2018, the confidential source contacted Vargas. During the recorded conversation, the affidavit says, Vargas agreed to sell the confidential source an additional rifle for $800. Vargas allegedly agreed to sell the confidential source 11 firearms for $8,100.
Law enforcement officers conducted surveillance on a firearms dealer in Jefferson City on May 9, 2018. According to the affidavit, they observed Vargas carry two boxes of firearms from the store, put them in his car and take them to his residence.
Vargas met with the confidential source on May 11, 2018, the affidavit says. Vargas allegedly sold 11 firearms to the confidential source for $8,100. Immediately after the transaction, Vargas was placed under arrest. The 11 firearms purchased by the confidential source were turned over to the officers, who also found an additional handgun and ammunition when they searched Vargas’s vehicle.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Chicago, Ill., Police Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department Community Action Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Five Northwest Ohio high schools renovate bleachers to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and make stadiums accessibleRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced that the United States has resolved its review under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of five Northwest Ohio area high school athletic stadiums. The review focused on a complaint alleging that the stadiums did not provide equal access to persons with disabilities.
In resolution of the complaint, high schools completed renovations to their athletic stadiums making them more accessible to persons with disabilities in compliance with the ADA.
School districts for Bryan, Evergreen, Wauseon, Swanton, and Montpelier renovated their home and visitor side bleachers, adding or modifying integrated accessible seating, ramps, ticket windows, and took other steps to allow access for everyone to enjoy events at their high school stadiums. Throughout the review, district personnel for each school made it clear that they are committed to providing equal access for all members of the community.
The review was prompted by a complaint filed by the Ability Center of Toledo on behalf of a couple that regularly attended high school football games. That became more difficult after the husband had a stroke and used a wheelchair. The couple discovered some schools did not have accessible seating.
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said: “There are few things better to do on an autumn night in Ohio than go watch high school football, and these agreements will ensure that everyone in the community will be able to root for their hometown team in person. The school districts are to be credited for working collaboratively and making these changes to their facilities.”
This year marks the 28th anniversary of the passage of the ADA, which provides in part that no qualified individual with a disability shall, because of that disability, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in the services, programs, and activities of all state or local government entities. Under title II of the ADA, public school districts have an obligation to make services, programs, and activities readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. This includes programs or activities held at high school athletic stadiums.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelita Cruz Bridges handled this matter for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
For more information on the ADA, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at contact the ADA Information Line at
800-514-0301 (voice) 800-514-0383 (TTY).Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of Firearms, Witness Retaliation, and ArsonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Jason Kiser, age 40, of Taneytown, Maryland, with illegal possession of firearms, witness retaliation, use of fire in the commission of a felony, and malicious destruction of a vehicle by fire. The superseding indictment was returned late on October 24, 2018.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees; and Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci.
“Witness intimidation will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Attempts to intimidate or retaliate against federal witnesses will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The four-count superseding indictment adds three counts related to Kiser’s alleged witness retaliation against an individual who provided information to law enforcement concerning the possible commission of a federal crime. The indictment alleges that on July 17, 2018, Kiser set the victim’s vehicle on fire, destroying the vehicle. The original indictment charged Kiser with illegal possession of firearms by a convicted felon and that charge is also included in the superseding indictment.
If convicted, Kiser faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms; a maximum of 20 years in prison for witness retaliation; a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentenced imposed and up to life in prison for use of fire in the commission of a felony; and a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison for malicious destruction of a vehicle by fire. Kiser is expected to have an initial appearance on the superseding indictment on November 2, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Kiser remains detained
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
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 ATF, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark V. Gurzo, who is prosecuting the case.
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Federal Charges Filed in Carjacking DeathRead the Press Release
St. Louis - Curtis Alford, 20, of St. Louis, MO, and Jana Stowers, 18, of St. Clair, IL, have been indicted in connection with the June 16th carjacking that resulted in the death of Michael Arnold. The case was filed in the Eastern District of Missouri on October 10, 2018 and the defendants made their initial appearance in federal court yesterday. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has sought their pre-trial detention. These charges follow assault, robbery and armed criminal action charges filed by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney.
Arnold was struck by a stolen Ford F-150 pickup truck and died from his injuries several days later. The federal indictment alleges Alford and Stowers took the truck by force, intimidation and violence and that their actions resulted in Mr. Arnold’s death.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Police Department and the St. Louis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s office has brought these charges as part of a joint investigation of this matter with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office as part of the office’s violent crime initiative.
Fayetteville Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, in federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced TAMIKA RENEE WILSON, 30, of Fayetteville, to 28 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release for her participation in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud. She was also ordered to pay $95,000.00 in restitution.
WILSON was one of seven defendants charged in an eighteen-count indictment alleging bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The evidence presented in court established that WILSON was one of two leaders of a widespread bank fraud scheme centered in Fayetteville. Defendants and other co-conspirators stole multiple checks from the United States mail, altered those checks, and deposited them via bank ATMs throughout Fayetteville and other places within North Carolina. In total, these individuals deposited or cashed almost $100,000.00 in stolen and altered checks.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Felice McConnell Corpening and Melissa Belle Kessler represented the United States in this case.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that in federal court today, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced CHRISTOPHER PARRISH, 33, of Fayetteville, to 74 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. At the time of the instant offense, PARRISH was on federal supervised release for a previous federal conviction thus, PARRISH received an additional consecutive sentence of 42 months imprisonment for violating the term of the federal supervised release. His total sentence of imprisonment is 116 months.
On April 12, 2018, PARRISH pled guilty to two counts: possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The evidence presented in open court established that around 1:30 a.m. on April 5, 2017, law enforcement officers were canvassing the parking lot of Diamonds Strip Club in Fayetteville, North Carolina, when they spotted a handgun and marijuana in the center console of a parked car. Officers determined that the registered owner, PARRISH, was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm. When PARRISH returned to his car and entered the driver’s seat, officers approached and attempted an arrest. PARRISH, however, put the car in drive and fled, leading officers on a chase before skidding off the road. He continued on foot into some nearby woods. Officers set up a perimeter and were able to locate PARRISH hiding under a parked car in a nearby hotel parking lot.
Officers searched PARRISH’s car and in the center console found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun. In a compartment under the radio, they found a plastic bag containing cocaine and a second bag containing marijuana. Officers also found a digital scale, empty plastic baggies, and four cell phones. They also found $1,733 cash in PARRISH’s pants pocket when he was searched.
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.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh represented the government in this case.
Elyria man indicted for sexually exploiting a child in Utah and related child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
An Elyria man was indicted in federal court for sexually exploiting a child in Utah and related child pornography crimes.
Christopher Goodin, 33, was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of receipt of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possessing child pornography.
Goodin, between June and Aug. 18, 2018, controlled multiple social media accounts which he used to communicate with a young girl in Utah. With one account, Goodin posed as “Shorty853” -- a young girl who was harassed and threatened by an older man. With another account, Goodin posed as “Sambam01,” the older man. Sambam01 said the victim he would stop bothering “Fungirl2901” if the victim sent sexually explicit photos to him, which the victim did, according to court documents.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Hydrocodone and Oxycodone Without A Medical PurposeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas, Nevada, doctor was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for his role in a prescription drug conspiracy to distribute hydrocodone and oxycodone by allowing his co-conspirators to write illegal opioid prescriptions using his pre-signed prescription pad.
United States Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christian J. Schrank for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Los Angeles Region made the announcement.
Dr. Horace Paul Guerra IV, a former managing partner of Incera LLC, pleaded guilty in July to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. United States District Judge James C. Mahan presided over the sentencing hearing. As part of his sentence, Guerra surrendered his Nevada medical license.
Between January 1, 2018 to about May 3, 2018, Guerra conspired with his Incera LLC partners, Robert D. Harvey and Alejandro Incera, to distribute hydrocodone and oxycodone. As part of the conspiracy, he allowed his co-conspirators to use Incera LLC prescription pads to write illegal opioid prescriptions for patients he did not see and without a legitimate medical purpose. The pre-signed prescription pads included Guerra’s name, signature, and DEA number.
Both Harvey and Incera pleaded guilty in October, and are scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2019.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kilby Macfadden prosecuted the case.
The Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit is a program that utilizes data to help combat the devastating opioid crisis. The District of Nevada was selected as one of 12 districts nationally to participate in the pilot program. The District of Nevada has assigned an experienced prosecutor that focuses solely on investigating and prosecuting health care fraud related to medical professionals who prescribe opioids, that unlawfully divert of dispense prescription opioids for illegitimate purposes.
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Doctor and Four Employees of Hawaii Clinic Charged in 43-Count IndictmentRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Yesterday, a doctor and four employees from the Bade Medical Clinic, located in Hilo, Hawaii were indicted by a federal grand jury. Dr. Ernest Bade, 80, was charged with forty counts of distribution of a controlled substance outside the normal scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medial purpose. Dr. Bade and his office manager, Yvonne Caitano, 54, were charged with conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances. Caitano and Sheena Strong, 32, an office assistant, were charged with a separate conspiracy to further distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Caitano, Strong, and two other office assistants—Marie Benevides, 80, and Theresa Saltus, 59—were charged with conspiring to obtain controlled substances through misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, and subterfuge.
According to the indictment, law enforcement received information from several sources that Dr. Bade was prescribing unusually large quantities of controlled substances, including powerful narcotics, sedatives, and opioids such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and morphine. Based on this and other information, an undercover agent posing as a patient met with Dr. Bade at his clinic a number of times. The indictment alleges that during these appointments, Dr. Bade provided the undercover agent with multiple prescriptions of controlled substances after conducting only cursory examinations and no diagnostic testing. Dr. Bade’s clinic also allegedly provided refills for these prescriptions without any meaningful follow-up. The indictment also alleges that Dr. Bade and Caitano provided prescriptions to patients without personally examining or meeting with them.
The indictment further alleges that Caitano and Strong conspired to obtain large amounts of controlled substances through prescriptions signed by Dr. Bade, which they then further distributed to other individuals in exchange for profit. In order to continue to obtain prescription medications when several pharmacies in Hilo refused to fill Dr. Bade’s prescriptions, Caitano, Strong, Benevides, and Saltus conspired to fly from Hilo to Kahului, Maui, to fill and pick up numerous prescriptions signed by Dr. Bade and ordered prescriptions in the names of multiple individuals. These prescriptions typically involved large quantities of controlled substances, including opioids and powerful narcotics.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Callery of the DEA’s Honolulu Field Office.
"It is no secret that an opioid epidemic is sweeping through this country, leaving lost lives and shattered communities in its wake," said U.S. Attorney Price. "The problem is multi-faceted and requires an all-hands-on-deck response. And as federal officials charged with protecting and serving the people of Hawaii, we plan to do everything in our power to prevent the opioid epidemic from taking hold here in the Islands."
"This case is indicative of our goals for averting the opioid crisis that is devastating the mainland at this time," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Callery. "These arrests are a culmination of several years' work to bring to justice those who would poison the communities of Hawaii with illicit prescription drugs and chemicals."
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of the charges, Dr. Ernest Bade, Yvonne Caitano, and Sheena Strong could face up to 20 years imprisonment. Marie Benevides and Theresa Saltus face up to 4 years imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Albanese.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Killing One Man, Wounding AnotherRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John James, 26, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from a September 2015 shooting in Southeast Washington in which one man was killed and another was wounded, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
James pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and aggravated assault. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence between 12 and 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Milton C. Lee scheduled sentencing for Jan. 25, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 28, 2015, at approximately 7:30 p.m., James was playing a craps (or dice) game with several people in the 1100 block of Eaton Road SE, part of the Barry Farm neighborhood. Included in that game were Ernest Massenberg-Bey, 21, and the surviving victim. Following an argument at the game, James fired a pistol at Mr. Massenberg-Bey and the surviving victim, hitting each of them multiple times.
The gunshot wounds caused the death of Mr. Massenberg-Bey later that day. The gunshot wounds on the surviving victim caused multiple serious bodily injuries, including loss of a testicle and permanent nerve damage to his left hand and right foot. Following the shooting, James fled the scene. He was arrested in April 2016 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, crime scene officers, and officers from the Seventh Police District. She also expressed appreciation for the work of the U.S. Marshal’s Service. She also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Aziz and Silvia Gonzalez-Roman, who assisted with competency issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bruckmann and Emily Miller, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Honors National Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
In recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein met with Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Katharine Sullivan and other senior Justice officials today to discuss the Violence Against Women Act’s (VAWA) essential focus on criminal justice responses to domestic violence. Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein also announced new OVW funding for the department’s Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) program.
“There is no place in our society for domestic violence, and holding perpetrators accountable and providing services to victims is a critical part of the Department’s response,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “During this National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I encourage law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other criminal justice professionals to speak out about domestic violence and redouble efforts to bring perpetrators to justice. I am especially pleased to announce new funding to support four new Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, whose collaboration across the tribal and federal jurisdictional landscape is a model for effective prosecution of violence against women.”
OVW’s Tribal Special Assistant United States Attorneys (Tribal SAUSAs) Program is another Department initiative supporting innovative prosecutorial collaborations. These prosecutors bring cases in both tribal and federal courts, and help ensure that tribal and federal authorities have a seamless response in prosecuting cases under their jurisdiction. In OVW’s pilot project, Tribal SAUSAs reported a wide range of successes, including prosecution of cases that otherwise may not have been brought.
Today, OVW is announcing new Tribal SAUSA Program awards of $437,500 each to the following four tribes:
- Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (Arizona);
- Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (Oregon);
- Rosebud Sioux Tribe (South Dakota); and
- Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (Washington).
Commemorated in the United States since 1987, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month educates the public, commemorates and honors victims and survivors, and connects service providers across the country. President Trump has continued the tradition of issuing a presidential proclamation to recognize October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Strengthening criminal justice is the core component of VAWA, and Acting Director Sullivan pointed to the Improving the Criminal Justice Response to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program (ICJR) as the “backbone of VAWA.” ICJR helps communities investigate and prosecute these crimes and keep violent criminals off the street. Since 1997, OVW has made 1,655 ICJR grant awards totaling over $847,000,000. In fiscal year 2018, OVW made 54 ICJR awards totaling $32,610,116.
This funding has supported justice responses including dedicated police and prosecution units, specialized courts, and offender monitoring in 538 communities. For example, Fairfax County in Virginia uses ICJR funding to support a specialized prosecutor for domestic violence and stalking cases and to monitor the enforcement of civil protective orders.
ICJR also funds unique collaborative approaches, such as Family Justice Centers – “one stop shops” housing police, prosecution, and victim services in one place – and multidisciplinary teams that decrease domestic violence homicides. Since 2012 OVW has awarded over $24 million in ICJR funding to reduce domestic violence homicide, including pilot sites, nationwide training, and research. This includes six awards totaling $3,299,977 for fiscal year 2018.
Many victims also face substance abuse issues, and may struggle to access the justice system and get the protection they need. OVW is today announcing an award of $450,000 to the Alliance for HOPE International to train Family Justice Centers to address this complex challenge. The Alliance for HOPE International will partner with the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health.
VAWA was first authorized in 1994 and focused on strengthening the criminal justice response to domestic violence. VAWA was reauthorized in 2000, 2005, and 2013, and each reauthorization included expansions such as addressing elder abuse, combatting stalking, and serving victims of sex trafficking in Indian Country. More information about VAWA is available at www.justice.gov/ovw/legislation.
Department of Justice Honors National Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
ARIZONA – In recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein met with the Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Katherine Sullivan and other senior Justice officials today to discuss the Violence Against Women Act’s (VAWA) essential focus on criminal justice responses to domestic violence. Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein also announced new OVW funding for the department’s Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) program.
“There is no place in our society for domestic violence, and holding perpetrators accountable and providing services to victims is a critical part of the Department’s response,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “During this National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I encourage law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other criminal justice professionals to speak out about domestic violence and redouble efforts to bring perpetrators to justice. I am especially pleased to announce new funding to support four new Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, whose collaboration across the tribal and federal jurisdictional landscape is a model for effective prosecution of violence against women.”
OVW’s Tribal SAUSA Program is another Department initiative supporting innovative prosecutorial collaborations. Tribal SAUSAs bring cases in both tribal and federal courts, and help ensure that tribal and federal authorities provide a seamless response in cases prosecuted under their jurisdiction. In OVW’s pilot project, Tribal SAUSAs reported a wide range of successes, including prosecution of cases that otherwise may not have been brought.
Today, OVW announced a new Tribal SAUSA Program award of $437,500 to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
“We applaud Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community for the well-deserved recognition and funding for its new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney program,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Tribal SAUSAs play a crucial role in our office’s efforts to combat and prosecute violent crime. Unfortunately, domestic violence is a prevalent problem, and this new position funded by DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women will allow us to expand our efforts to protect victims and bring their offenders to justice. We look forward to strengthening our criminal justice response to domestic violence in the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community through its new SAUSA program.”
Commemorated in the United States since 1987, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month educates the public, commemorates and honors victims and survivors, and connects service providers across the country. President Trump has continued the tradition of issuing a presidential proclamation to recognize October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Strengthening criminal justice is the core component of VAWA, and Acting Director Sullivan pointed to the ICJR Program as the “backbone of VAWA.” ICJR helps communities investigate and prosecute these crimes and keep violent criminals off the street. Since 1997, OVW has made 1,655 ICJR grant awards totaling over $847 million. In fiscal year 2018, OVW made 54 ICJR awards totaling $32.6 million.
This funding has supported justice responses including dedicated police and prosecution units, specialized courts, and offender monitoring in 538 communities. ICJR also funds unique collaborative approaches, such as Family Justice Centers – “one stop shops” housing police, prosecution, and victim services in one place – and multidisciplinary teams that decrease domestic violence homicides. Since 2012, OVW has awarded over $24 million in ICJR funding to reduce domestic violence homicide, including pilot sites, nationwide training, and research, including $3,299,977 for fiscal year 2018.
Many victims also face substance abuse issues and struggle to access the justice system to receive the protection they need. Today, OVW also announced an award of $450,000 to the Alliance for HOPE International to provide training to Family Justice Centers to address this complex challenge. The Alliance for HOPE International will partner with the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health.
VAWA was first authorized in 1994 and focused on strengthening the criminal justice response to domestic violence. VAWA was reauthorized in 2000, 2005, and 2013, and each reauthorization included expansions such as addressing elder abuse, combatting stalking, and serving victims of sex trafficking in Indian Country. More information about VAWA is available at www.justice.gov/ovw/legislation.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-136_ Tribal_SAUSA18
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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.
Darron Wint Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed and Other Charges in Killings of Four People in Northwest Washington Home InvasionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Darron Wint, 37, also known as Daron Wint, formerly of Lanham, Md., was found guilty by a jury today of 20 felony charges, including multiple counts of first-degree murder while armed, for the May 2015 slayings of Savvas Savopoulos, his wife, Amy Savopoulos, their son, Philip Savopoulos, and a household employee, Veralicia Figueroa.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The jury’s verdict came on the third day of deliberations and followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Wint, who has been in custody since his arrest a week after the murders, is to be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2019 by the Honorable Juliet McKenna. He faces a potential sentence of life in prison with no possibility of release.
“Today’s verdict holds Darron Wint accountable for the cold-blooded murders of four innocent people, including a 10-year-old child, in a senseless home invasion that ended with him setting fire to the crime scene,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “While this defendant was searching for places to hide, a coordinated law enforcement effort was tracking him down and brought him to justice. We hope that the verdict will bring some comfort to the families of the victims.”
“I know District residents were particularly outraged by this case because of the extreme atrocities that were inflicted on the Savopoulos family and Ms. Figueroa,” said Chief Newsham. “Acts of violence such as this are unacceptable and not welcomed in our city. As promised, the individual who committed this heinous crime was brought to justice today."
“ATF is grateful to see that justice has been served today by this guilty verdict,” said Special Agent in Charge Chittum. “We hope this conviction brings a measure of comfort to the Savopoulos and Figueroa families, and to the community that suffered and mourned with them. ATF is proud we could contribute to the successful prosecution of Darron Wint and his unspeakably violent crime. I commend ATF’s Forensic Laboratory and the ATF/DC Arson and Explosives Task Force for their role in bringing him to justice, and admire the effort that our partners from so many federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office put into this case.”
During nearly six weeks of testimony, the government presented testimony from more than 60 witnesses, including some that linked him to the crime scene through DNA on a pizza crust and other items. The jury found Wint guilty of all charges that were filed against him in an indictment, including the murder counts and kidnapping, burglary, extortion and theft.
The charges involved a series of crimes that took place May 13 and May 14, 2015, during a home invasion of the Savopoulos family residence in Northwest Washington.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 13, 2015, Wint entered the Savopoulos home and seized and kidnapped the four victims. The following day, he stole $40,000 through means of extortion, murdered the victims, and set fire to the house.
After responding to reports of the fire, authorities discovered the bodies of Savvas Savopoulos, 46, Amy Savopoulos, 47, Philip Savopoulos, 10, and Veralicia Figueroa, 57.
In the aftermath of the murders, Wint performed a series of Internet searches for subjects such as how to beat a lie detector test, 10 hideout cities for fugitives, and five countries with no U.S. extradition treaty. According to the government’s evidence, he fled to New York after he was publicly identified as a person of interest in the case and hid in a hotel. He eventually returned to the area and was arrested on May 21, 2015. He has been in custody ever since.
All told, Wint was found guilty of a total of 12 counts of first-degree murder while armed, all with aggravating circumstances. The charges include four counts of first-degree murder while armed (felony murder) in the course of a kidnapping; four counts of first-degree murder while armed (felony murder) in the course of a burglary, and four counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed. In addition, Wint was found guilty of four counts of kidnapping and one count each of first-degree burglary, extortion, arson, and first-degree theft.
In addition to the various substantive crimes specified in the indictment, the jury found the offenses carried specified “aggravating circumstances,” including one finding that the murders were especially heinous, atrocious or cruel. Wint could face a maximum of life imprisonment without the possibility of release on each of the 12 murder charges. Each of the murder charges carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 30 years.
Additionally, each of the kidnapping counts involving the three adult victims carries a maximum sentence of 30 years; the kidnapping count involving Philip Savopoulos carries up to 45 years. First-degree burglary also carries a 30-year maximum prison sentence, and arson, extortion, and first-degree theft have maximum prison terms of 10 years each.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistance was provided by the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, the Prince George’s County, Md., Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura R. Bach, Christopher Bruckmann, and Emily A. Miller, and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bach and Bruckmann.
Assistance was provided by a team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office that included Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Deputy Chiefs Chrisellen Kolb, John Mannarino, and Elizabeth Danello, of the Appellate Division; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialists Lornce Applewhite and Meridith McGarrity; former Paralegal Specialist Kendra Johnson; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Criminal Investigator John Marsh;, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; former Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Law Clerks Siri Palm and Julie Bessler, and former Law Clerk Jim McNally.
DEA Prepares for 16th Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
BOISE – This Saturday, October 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its16th opportunity in eight years to prevent overdose deaths and drug addictions before they start by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs, announced U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Bart M. Davis. Davis is encouraging the public to bring their pills for disposal to one of 35 collection sites across Idaho. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. (The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.)
“Prescription drugs are highly addictive and can be just as dangerous and deadly as any street drug,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “Taking steps to end the nation’s opioid crisis is a top priority for my office. This summer, I took my own advice, and I found and then disposed unused opioid pain pills from a root canal procedure by dropping them off at a nearby take-back kiosk. This biannual Prescription Take Back Day is an important reminder to remove unused prescription drugs from homes before a chance of abuse can occur.”
Last spring, Americans turned in nearly 475 tons (949,046 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,700 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Here, in the District of Idaho, 4,282 pounds of pills were collected from 37 different collection sites. Overall, in its 15 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 10 million pounds—nearly 5,000 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 27 Take Back Day Event, go to DEATakeBack.com where you can search by zip code, city or state.
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DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day - October 27, 2018.Creston Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Creston man was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Rockford on charges of child pornography.
ERIC CANCHOLA, 25, was charged with four counts of transporting child pornography via the internet between March and April 2018, and one count of possessing two iPods, a desktop computer, and two portable hard drives in May 2018 that contained an image of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
Each count of transporting child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, while possessing child pornography carries a maximum of up to 20 years in prison. Each count carries a $250,000 maximum fine. If Canchola is convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr. United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Chicago.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.
Court of Appeals Rules Defendant's Prior Conviction for Racially-Charged Crime is Admissible in Hate Crimes ProsecutionRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced an opinion filed today in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit related to the District’s criminal case involving Samuel Whitt.
Whitt, 42, of Cincinnati, has been charged federally with criminal interference with federal fair housing rights and attempted arson. In today’s opinion, the Court of Appeals reversed a prior ruling by the U.S. District Court, which would have prohibited the United States from introducing evidence regarding Whitt’s previous state misdemeanor conviction involving spray-painted racial epithets.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment in May 2017, alleging Whitt destroyed a rental home owned by an inter-racial couple in Price Hill in November 2016. According to the indictment, Whitt broke into the rental home and spray-painted the walls with messages including “die n****r” and “white power,” as well as images of swastikas. Whitt also allegedly poured quick-drying concrete into the bathroom drains and toilet; stabbed a knife into the floor; removed plumbing traps from the sinks and left the water running; turned on the gas stove in the upstairs kitchen, poured paint into the burners, and attempted to remove the smoke detector above the stove.
On the eve of trial, the District Court ruled to exclude evidence of Whitt’s prior misdemeanor crimes that involved the spray-painting of racial epithets on apartment buildings, cars and part of a church. The United States Attorney’s Office then appealed that decision.
The Court of Appeals overturned that decision today, ruling that the evidence is admissible to show that Whitt acted with racial animus in committing the 2016 crime.
“This office is committed to prosecuting hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law. This appeal is an example of that,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the appellate work of Assistant United States Attorney C. Mitchell Hendy and Appellate Chief Mary Beth Young and the assistance of Erin Flynn with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Gaffney and Kyle Healey are prosecuting the criminal case.
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