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Wednesday 3 October 2018
Federal jury finds members of ‘Block Boyz’ gang guilty on RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking and firearm offensesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a federal jury in Shreveport found five members of the “Block Boyz” gang guilty on RICO and drug trafficking offenses, as well as firearm offenses.
The five Shreveport residents found guilty were: DeMarcus D. Morris, 29; Jimmie R. Durden Jr., 29; Lonnie D. Johnson, 24; Gary J. McCain, 24; and Larshanda C. Davenport, 45. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote presided over the trial that started Monday, September 17, 2018 and ended today. The jury deliberated for approximately five hours before returning the verdict. All of the defendants were named as part of a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization or RICO conspiracy in the indictment, which was filed in July of 2017.
The defendants were found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Distributing Crack Cocaine, and Distributing Powder Cocaine.
The “Block Boyz” gang has terrorized the Queensborough neighborhood for too long,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “Today’s verdict will bring some peace to the citizens in Shreveport, and sends a clear message to drug dealers and gangs that this type of violent crime will not be tolerated - you will go to federal prison. These defendants were given a fair trial, and now they will face their consequences. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners and the citizens of our communities to rid our streets of violent crime, and make our communities a safer place to work, live and play.“
“I applaud the jury’s decision and thank them for their hard work and sacrifices throughout this trial,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal stated. “I also commend the great work put forth by all of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to locate, apprehend, and bring the “Block Boyz” to justice. Without a doubt, the residents of Shreveport will feel much safer now and hopefully be able to reclaim their neighborhoods.”
Evidence admitted at trial revealed that beginning in 2012, the defendants took part in a criminal organization known as the “Block Boyz” and the “Get Money Boyz” or “GMB.” The organization distributed controlled substances, murdered, robbed, possessed firearms illegally and conducted other crimes primarily within the Queensborough and Ingleside neighborhoods of Shreveport. Gang members were charged with at least 66 acts that members of the organization committed to further the RICO conspiracy. The acts include threats, sale of drugs and shootings. The organization sold crack cocaine, powder cocaine, roxicodone, marijuana, ecstasy and alprazolam.
Gang members sold illegal drugs and committed armed robberies. They maintained and circulated a collection of firearms for use in their criminal activity and used cell phones to operate their criminal enterprise. Members of the organization bragged about their illegal activity, such as their possession of firearms, and took pictures of themselves with firearms and money to intimidate others and increase their position in the community.
As a result of their conviction on the RICO count, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. In addition to the RICO penalties, four of the five defendants face additional penalties for the drug and firearm offenses. The defendants also face fines up to $5 million and forfeiture of property seized in the case.
Frank J. Morris, 25; Ravion M. Alford, 23; Rodrick R. Hicks, 24; and Golanda W. Atkins, 41 all of Shreveport, were also indicted as part of the conspiracy. Alford pleaded guilty on December 21, 2017 to the RICO count. The court set sentencing for October 17, 2018. Hicks pleaded guilty on January 29, 2018 to the RICO count with a sentencing date of October 17, 2018. Morris pleaded guilty on August 30, 2018 to the RICO count with a sentencing date of January 4, 2019. Atkins was dismissed from the indictment on September 7, 2018.
The FBI Northwest Louisiana Violent Crimes Task Force, ATF, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Shreveport Police Department participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison D. Bushnell and Tennille M. Gilreath are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Returns Drug Conviction in Under Five MinutesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal jury took less than five minutes on Tuesday to convict a Birmingham man of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bret Hamilton.
The jury returned its guilty verdict against NICHOLAS FAUSTO CISNERUS, 29, after two days of testimony before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler. A sentencing date has not been set.
“Our message to drug dealers is unmistakably clear: you will go to federal prison,” Town said. “This jury underscored that message with a quick, decisive, and unanimous verdict. Cisnerus was given a fair trial...now he will be given bed space in a federal prison.”
“Nicholas Cisnerus rolled the dice by going to trial. He hoped that at least one of the 12 jurors wouldn’t believe the mountain of evidence obtained during this year-long investigation,” Hamilton said. “Luckily for the citizens of the Northern District of Alabama, the jurors in this case applied common sense to their duties and now Cisnerus will be second-guessing his gamble for many years to come in federal prison, where he belongs.”
Evidence at trial showed that, in 2017, Cisnerus was a member of a conspiracy distributing multiple kilograms of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine in Jefferson and Blount counties. Cisnerus had supplied the conspiracy with methamphetamine and had trafficked in cocaine and heroin, according to testimony. DEA obtained a federal wiretap, which captured Cisnerus speaking with another drug trafficker in coded drug language.
In late September 2017, a DEA agent, acting undercover, purchased half a pound of methamphetamine from another member of the conspiracy. Surveillance showed that member traveling to Cisnerus’s house to obtain the drugs, then returning to his house to deliver payment from the sale. Agents subsequently searched Cisnerus’ house and found drug packaging and scales, among other items.
DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin Shutt and Mohammad Khatib are prosecuting.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the October 2018 Federal Grand Jury.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in an indictment returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
George Lee Brown, Jr. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. George Lee Brown, Jr., 34, of Tulsa, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, which included a Glock 23 pistol. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Tulsa Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations are the investigative agencies.
Barbarito De Leon-Compean. Reentry of Removed Alien. Barbarito De Leon-Compean, 53, of Tulsa, was charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported on March 19, 2015, from Brownsville, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Mario De Leon-Meza. Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mario De Leon-Meza, 41, of Tulsa, was charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported on February 25, 2015, at Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Nickolaus Antwann Douglas. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Nickolaus Antwann Douglas, 37, of Tulsa, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, which included a Taurus, PT709 Slim, 9mm pistol. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Blaine Clinton Ford. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Heroin With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Blaine Clinton Ford, 27, of Bixby, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, including a Taurus, PT111 Millennium G2, 9mm Lugar pistol; possession with intent to distribute heroin; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and possession of a firearm to further a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million dollar fine for each possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance charge; and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charge of possession of a firearm to further a drug trafficking crime. The Bixby Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.
Bobby Joe Hurt, III. Felon in Possession of Firearms. Bobby Joe Hurt, III, 25, of Sapulpa, was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms, including a Heritage, Rough Rider, .22 caliber revolver and a Smith & Wesson 13-1, .357 caliber revolver. If convicted, he faces maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Creek County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Aaron Michael Jackson. Theft of Mail by United States Postal Service Employee; Possession of Stolen Mail. Aaron Michael Jackson, 28, of Tulsa, was charged with stealing items contained in letters, packages, and mail intended to be sent through the mail system, and with being in possession of those stolen items. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge. The Office of the Inspector General, United States Post Office, is the investigative agency.
Gerardo Regalado-Cuevas. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Gerardo Regalado-Cuevas, 63, of Tulsa, was charged with failing to register as a sex offender from 2014 to present. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Marshals Service is the investigative agency.
Kerry Sloan. Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. Kerry Sloan, 55, of Harker Heights, in the Killeen, Texas area, was charged with knowingly transporting a minor with the intent that the minor would engage in sexual activity with him. If convicted, he faces the maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Killeen Police Department, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Raelyn Briana Sutton. Conveying False and Misleading Information Concerning an Explosive Device. Raelyn Briana Sutton, 26, of Spavinaw, Oklahoma, was charged with intentionally conveying false and misleading information in a phone call to the Rogers County Court Clerk’s Office by claiming that a bomb would go off in five minutes. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, the Grand River Dam Authority Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Levi William Welker. Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography; Enticement; Tampering With a Victim- 2 counts; Tampering With Documents. Levi William Welker, 27, of Tulsa, was charged with knowingly possessing and distributing child pornography; enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity; attempting to persuade another person to destroy evidence; interfering with reporting of an offense; and destruction of evidence. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Additionally, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the enticement charge and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each tampering with a victim charge and tampering with a document charge. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Travis Christian Wilbur. Drug Conspiracy. Travis Christian Wilbur, 29, of Miami, Oklahoma, was charged with conspiring to possess and distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and $10 million dollar fine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
John Andrew Williams. Possession of Fifteen or More Counterfeit Access Devices; Possession of Device-Making Equipment; Wire Fraud. John Andrew Williams, 47, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was charged with possessing 15 or more counterfeit gift cards and with using credit card encoder equipment to re-encode the depleted gift cards fraudulently with bank account and identification information belonging to other persons, which he had obtained illegally from the “dark web.” Williams was also charged with purchasing U.S. postage stamps from kiosks throughout the United States and selling the stamps on Craigslist by means of wire communications. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the possession of fifteen or more counterfeit access devices charge; 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the possession of device-making equipment charge; and 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million for the wire fraud charge. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Service are the investigative agencies.
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District Man Pleads Guilty for 2003 Sexual Assault of Woman in Southwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Richardson, 37, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to sexually assaulting a 22-year-old woman in September 2003, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Richardson pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of attempted first-degree sexual abuse. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon seven-year prison term. Richardson also will be required to register as a sex offender for life and serve a term of supervised release. The Honorable Milton C. Lee scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 21, 2003, at approximately 8:20 p.m., Richardson pulled the woman into a wooded area in the 4600 block of Blue Plains Drive SW, and raped her at knifepoint, after engaging her in conversation and offering to walk her home. Richardson then brandished the knife, told her to do as he said, and sexually assaulted her. The victim screamed for help and tried to run, but was unsuccessful. When the assault was over, Richardson threatened to kill the victim if she reported the assault. He again offered to walk the victim home, but she told him to leave her alone and ran back to her residence.
The victim made an immediate report to police, and was transported to an area hospital, where she received a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination.
Richardson was developed as a suspect in this offense by MPD’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit in September 2018. On Sept. 18, 2018, a D.C. Superior Court judge signed a complaint and warrant authorizing Richardson’s arrest. The warrant was executed on Sept. 19, 2018, two days before the statute of limitations would have run on this case. Richardson has been in custody ever since.
When detectives discovered this case in September 2018, the investigation revealed that Richardson had been convicted in two prior sexual assault cases, one that occurred in 2000 in Baltimore, and one that occurred in 2003 in the District of Columbia.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit and officers from the Seventh District, as well as the Deputy Marshals from the U.S. Marshals Service. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins, and Paralegal Specialist Tameka Garcia.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Zubrensky and Jennifer Loeb, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Dinwiddie County Man Sentenced to Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Dinwiddie County man was sentenced today to 27 years in prison and ordered to pay $97,500 in restitution for producing images of child sexual abuse involving two local minor victims.
“The nature and circumstances of Burke’s conduct are nothing short of horrendous,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His predation on these two minor survivors is likely to have personal and public reverberations for decades to come. I want to thank and applaud our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for ensuring that Burke will now be in a place where he cannot sexually abuse minors. Our office has a long history of engaging with our state, local, and federal partners outside of the immediate Richmond area and we will continue to fight crime no matter where the conduct is occurring within the Eastern District of Virginia.”
According to court documents, throughout 2017, Thomas James Burke, 34, sexually abused two minors under 11 years of age and produced images of the sexual abuse with his cell phone. Federal agents executed a search warrant at Burke’s Dinwiddie County residence after the images he produced were discovered by Australian law enforcement on the computers of an Australian individual who was being investigated for child pornography offenses. Burke had sent the images, as well as other child pornography, to the Australian defendant over the “Kik” application on his cell phone. An additional image produced by Burke was also recovered off of an individual’s phone in Oregon after he was arrested for child pornography crimes.
“Those who think they may conceal their heinous crimes behind technology and across international borders are sorely mistaken,” said Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “Our highly trained investigators will continue to identify and locate these offenders wherever they are hiding to ensure Thomas Burke and criminals like him answer for their actions and cannot victimize another child.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Fishel prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-19.
Des Moines Sex Trafficking Defendants Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Seven defendants charged with sex trafficking and related offenses pleaded guilty during the month of September announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in January and February 2019 before United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey.
According to court documents, Darren O. Coleman, age 29, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking Victim 4 (“V4”) by force, fraud, or coercion. Sarina Ann Williams, age 26, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of V4. Coleman admitted he recruited V4 in late June of 2017, and sent V4 to Williams, who was in South Dakota at the time. Williams, at Coleman’s direction, advertised V4 on online escort websites for the purposes of prostitution; harbored V4 in hotel rooms that served out of state customers; and arranged for V4 to engage in commercial sex acts. Coleman admitted he knew V4 was engaging in commercial sex acts as a result of force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion. Coleman monitored V4’s contact and interactions with family and friends. He also verbally threatened V4 and others, to intimidate V4. Coleman admitted he fraudulently promised V4 substantial money and things of value of which V4 never received.
Coleman also pleaded guilty to coercing and enticing Victim 1 (“V1”) to cross a state line for purposes of prostitution. Stephen Kalu Cobb, age 27, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking V1 by force, fraud, or coercion. Sarina Williams pleaded guilty to transporting V1 across a state line for purposes of prostitution. According to Cobb’s plea agreement, Coleman threatened V1 with physical violence in March 2017 after V1 found and disposed of a firearm Coleman had purchased. V1 then engaged in commercial sex acts due to threats of violence from Coleman. Cobb also physically assaulted V1, threatened her with violence, and verbally demeaned and insulted V1 to cause V1 to engage in commercial sex acts. Cobb transported V1 to different locations in Des Moines to engage in commercial sex acts, and received money from those sex acts. Cobb admitted to splitting the money he obtained from the trafficking of V1 with Coleman and Mark Phillip Carter II, as they arranged for the commercial sex acts and communicated the places and locations for the commercial sex acts to Cobb. Mark Phillip Carter II, age 26, admitted to advertising V1 on online escort websites, in addition to other individuals.
Carter entered a plea of guilty to sex trafficking a minor. According to the plea document, between May and July 2017, Carter recruited and enticed a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts. He advertised the minor—who was 16 years old at the time—on online escort websites, and transported the minor to motels and other locations in the Southern District of Iowa, knowing the minor victim would engage in commercial sex acts at those locations. Carter received money from those sex acts. Furthermore, Cater admitted to possessing a firearm in July 2017, and the minor victim knew he had a firearm. Carter also admitted to advertising two additional individuals, Victim 2 and Victim 3 (“V3”), on online escort websites for the purpose of prostitution. Carter additionally was charged with conspiring with three other individuals to commit the crime of sex trafficking V3; according to his plea agreement, that charge and others will be dismissed at the time of sentencing.
Julyen Xavier Singleton, age 21, admitted to using a facility of interstate commerce—in this case, Facebook—to promote prostitution. Singleton admitted that, in late June 2017, he contacted V3 on Facebook and solicited V3 to come to Des Moines to engage in prostitution. He then provided V3 to another individual for the purpose of advertising V3 on online escort websites, arranging for V3 to engage in commercial sex acts, and transporting V3 to commercial sex acts. Singleton thereafter received proceeds from those sex acts.
Ronzell Montez Williams, age 26, and Breeanna Lynae Brown, age 26, entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking V3 by force, fraud, or coercion. According to their plea agreements, Carter left V3 with Ronzell Williams in late June 2017. Brown then obtained V3 and took her to her home. Both Brown and Williams transported V3 to engage in commercial sex acts. Williams admitted Brown told V3 she could perform commercial sex acts as a way to get enough money to leave Des Moines in order to fraudulently induce V3 to continue to perform commercial sex acts for Brown’s financial benefit.
Coleman and Cobb are subject to a fifteen-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for sex trafficking up to life imprisonment. Carter is subject to a ten-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for sex trafficking a minor, up to life imprisonment. Sarina Williams, Ronzell Williams, and Brown, for their pleas to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, are subject to a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Singleton is subject to up to five years in prison for using a facility of interstate commerce to promote prostitution.
This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department, Vice and Narcotics Control Section. Analytical support was provided by the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Department of Public Safety, as well as the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center. The Polk County Attorney’s Office assisted with the prosecution. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Department of Justice announces more than $70 million to support school safety and $64 million to improve state criminal record systems - Includes $500,000 to the West Virginia Department of EducationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Bill Powell joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $500,000 for the West Virginia Department of Education.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“Children are our most valuable resource. This funding couldn’t go to a more worthy cause. I look forward to seeing our schools improve in security and mental health services in the coming year, thanks, in part, to this funding,” said Powell.
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million. The WV Department of Education funding falls under this category.
The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
Department of Justice Reminds the Public to Be Aware of Fraud When Disaster Strikes and Report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud - (866) 720-5721Read the Press Release
RALEIGH – The Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region, which opened opportunities for criminals to exploit people during vulnerable times. The NCDF, a national coordinating agency within the Department’s Criminal Division, operates a call center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and serves as a centralized clearinghouse for disaster fraud complaints and information relating to both natural and man-made disasters. The NCDF seeks to improve and further the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, and to advocate for victims of such fraud. More than 20 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which allows them to forward complaints to the appropriate agency for investigation.
“In the aftermath of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Florence the affected communities and citizens of Eastern North Carolina should be on guard against disaster fraud schemes,” said Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “As FEMA and other federal, state, and local relief agencies work tirelessly to support those who have suffered losses as the result of this natural disaster, we can be certain that criminals will target those impacted and attempt to profit from the suffering of others. The Department of Justice is committed to detecting and stopping this type of fraud. Through the National Center for Disaster Fraud, and in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, we are working to aggressively prosecute the offenders.”
While compassion, assistance, and solidarity are generally prevalent in the aftermath of natural disasters, unscrupulous individuals and organizations also use these tragic events to take advantage of those in need. Examples of illegal activity being reported to the NCDF and law enforcement include:
- FEMA fraud;
- Identity theft;
- Contractor fraud;
- Charity fraud; and,
- Impersonation of government officials.
The NCDF reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Members of the public are reminded to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before trusting anyone purporting to be working on behalf of disaster victims and before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of disaster victims. The public is also reminded to be extremely cautious before providing personal identifying or financial information to anyone, especially those who may contact you after a natural disaster.
Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Florence, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions. Tips should be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to [email protected], and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.
Learn more about the NCDF at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud and watch a public service announcement from United States Attorney Higdon here. Within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Deputy Criminal Chief Felice Corpening serves as the Disaster Fraud Coordinator. Working with the NCDF and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, Deputy Criminal Chief Corpening oversees the federal prosecution and investigation of disaster fraud matters impacting Eastern North Carolina. Violations of North Carolina state disaster fraud laws are handled by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s (NCDOJ) Consumer Protection Division. The NCDOJ Consumer Protection Division may be contacted at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM (1-877-566-7226) or by visiting www.ncdoj.gov/complaint.
Tips for the public on how to avoid being victimized by fraud are available at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/tips-avoiding-fraudulent-charitable-contribution-schemes.
Department of Justice Collaborates with Canadian and Mexican Partners on Programs and Best Practices to Prevent and Respond to Violence Against Indigenous Women and GirlsRead the Press Release
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio traveled to Mexico City on Tuesday to lead the U.S. delegation in the Trilateral Working Group on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico as a result of the commitments from the North American Leaders Summit (NALS) in 2016.
During the meeting there was an exchange of experiences and best practices between representatives, experts and indigenous young women and advocates from Canada, Mexico and the United States to prevent and address gender violence and the challenges for their access to justice. Indigenous women shared their experiences and perspectives, contributing to the development of outcomes for the working group.
“In the United States, violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women is an urgent problem; indeed, it is a crisis,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Panuccio. “Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the entire Department of Justice are committed to reducing violent crime and improving public safety in Native American communities. The United States has increased funding, launched innovative programs, and aggressively investigated and prosecuted these crimes. Cooperative efforts between our three nations will help us end the scourge of abuse and empower indigenous women and girls. Justice demands it, the victims deserve it, and we must deliver it.”
As head of the U.S. delegation, Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Panuccio met with Gina Wilson, Canada’s Deputy Minister of the Status of Women; Roberto Serrano Altamirano, Director General of the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples and Ambassador Miguel Ruiz Cabañas, Mexico’s Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Department of Justice delegation also included U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme of Montana, U.S. Attorney John Anderson of New Mexico, Acting Director Katharine Sullivan of the Office on Violence against Women (OVW), OVW Deputy Director for Tribal Affairs Sherriann Moore and Rachel Bissex, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Associate Attorney General.
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Panuccio discussed Department of Justice efforts to prosecute and prevent violence against indigenous women and girls, including the doubling of grant funding for public safety and victim services in Native American communities. He also discussed improvements to OVW’s Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys program.
The Working Group also discussed the significance of economic empowerment for indigenous women and girls, as well as inclusive economic growth for families, communities and countries. The Working Group addressed the importance of supporting youth leadership in indigenous communities as a means to promote and protect their human rights.
“Comprehensive respect for the human rights of indigenous women and girls is an obligation for States and is also fundamental for the well-being of their families, communities and countries,” said Ambassador Ruiz Cabañas. “Therefore, for the Government of Mexico, Indigenous women’s human rights are approached with a double perspective: the individual dimension, in which human rights are inherent prerogatives of women […]; and the collective dimension, since indigenous women are subject of enforceable human rights within the framework of their peoples and communities.”
“Canada, along with our North American partners, is committed to ending violence against Indigenous women and girls and to addressing the systemic factors that feed this violence,” said the Honorable Carolyn Bennett, M.D., P.C., M.P., Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. “In the spirit of collaboration, we will continue to seek the vision, support and guidance of Indigenous leaders, elders, women, and youth to promote the economic rights and empowerment of indigenous women and girls. I also wish to congratulate Gina Wilson and the rest of the Canadian delegation for their hard work during this meeting.”
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Panuccio’s visit supports the Justice Department’s continuing efforts under the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety.
This is the third meeting of the trilateral working group. The first was hosted by the United States in October 2016 and the second was held in Ottawa on November 2017.
A 2016 National Institute for Justice study concluded that more than half of all Native women have experienced sexual violence and physical violence by an intimate partner, and that 84 percent have experienced some form of violence in their lifetimes.
The Group will continue to foster efforts supporting the work of indigenous women of the three countries at the margins of the trilateral annual meeting, particularly at the international fora such as the Human Rights Council, the Commission on the Status of Women and the United Nation Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFI).
Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Record SystemsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $223,092 for the Anchorage School District in Alaska.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“We all have a responsibility to protect the children in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder. “While taking law enforcement action against violent offenders is part of that responsibility, making our schools safer is also vital. With these grants, specifically the grant to the Anchorage School District, the Department of Justice is helping to safeguard the youth of Alaska.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
- The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Record SystemsRead the Press Release
Spokane - Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, joined the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $150,000 to fund the Ellensburg School District and $49,750 to fund the Northeast Washington Educational Service District 101 in the Eastern District of Washington. Overall, schools in the State of Washington will get more than $1 million through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program and the STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
Joseph H. Harrington said, “The award made to the entities in the Eastern District of Washington are welcomed with exuberance. These grants will better protect students, teachers, faculty, law enforcement officers, and first responders”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
• BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
• The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
• The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Record SystemsRead the Press Release
ARIZONA – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security. These grants will help to educate and train students and faculty, as well as support law enforcement officers and first responders on the scene of a school violence incident. The recipients of these grants in Arizona are:
1. Humbolt Unified School District - $250,000
2. Salt River Pima-Maricopa Community Schools - $95,000
3. Gilbert Unified School District 41- $96,614
4. Kyrene Elementary School District 28 - $230,000
5. Pinal County School Office Education Service Agency - $159,738
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update school curriculums to better support training programs. Together, these grants will help protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the thoroughness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems which, in turn, will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“Every child in Arizona should be able to attend school without the threat or fear of violence,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “We want our students and educators to feel safe in their schools every day, and these recent grants will further support and enhance our mission of protecting our communities, and particularly our schools, against targeted violent attacks.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
- The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the thoroughness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-127_ STOP School Violence
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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.
Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Record SystemsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser joined the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $200,000 for the Jefferson Parish School System, $250,000 for the St. Tammany Parish School System and $499.911 for the City of New Orleans. These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“With the allocation of this funding, Eastern District of Louisiana school personnel, students and law enforcement will have the necessary capital to develop strategies to ensure the safety of our educational institutions, students, administators and first responders.” said U.S. Attorney Strasser. “We continue to do whatever is necessary to keep all schools safe and communities confident that their children are in a safe environment.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
- The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
# # #
Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Records SystemsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. joined the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70,000,000 in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $500,000 for Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES, $215,383 for Niagara County, and $150,000 for Wayne County in the Western District of New York.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64,000,000 to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70,000,000 in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“With this announcement providing our District more than $865,000, the Department of Justice is doing more than simply denouncing school violence—it is providing resources to allow us to take measures to prevent it,” noted U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Those measures include improved reporting and response systems, increased mental health intervention programs, and additional training and resources to harden targets. Through our Safe Schools initiative, this Office has long been a leader in the community in not only raising awareness of the causes and common characteristics of school violence, but in exploring ways to prevent it. These funds will only enhance that enduring commitment and effort.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
• BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19,000,000. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website. Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES will receive $250,000.
• The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28,000,000. Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES will receive $250,000, and Wayne County will receive $150,000.
• The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25,000,000 to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency. Niagara County will receive $215,383.The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64,000,000 to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43,000,000 in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21,000,000 will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1,000,000 in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For more information on these grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
# # # #Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Record SystemsRead the Press Release
Includes $372,986 to fund the COPS School Violence Prevention Program in Ben Hill County
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Charles E. Peeler joined the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $372,986 for the 2018 COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) in Ben Hill County, Georgia.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“Keeping our schools safe is a top priority in every community across our state, and I want to congratulate Ben Hill County leaders for securing these grant dollars to help better protect our most innocent citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Charles Peeler.
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
- The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on Tuesday’s grant announcements, you can visit the following websites at www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Record SystemsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $37,550 for the County of York to fund STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program and $1 million to the Pennsylvania Department of Education in the Middle District of Pennsylvania to fund STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“With today’s awards, the United States Department of Justice continues to dedicate substantial resources to areas of critical need,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “These funds will improve assessment and reporting capabilities in York County, and support prevention and mental health training efforts throughout the District. Too many times, incidents of school violence are the end result of inadequate or ineffective mental health intervention and treatment. While we at the United States Attorney’s office will always remain focused on our mission of law enforcement and public protection, we know well that prevention and treatment can stop incidents before they start.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
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BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
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The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
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The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For additional information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
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DOJ Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School SafetyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox joins the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident – including more than a million dollars in grants for several awardees operating in the Northern District of Texas.
Grants to entities in NDTX include:
- $500,000 to Tarrant County (STOP Prevention grant)
- $499,997 to the City of Arlington (COPS grant)
- $249,992 to Amarillo ISD (STOP Prevention grant)
- $80,000 to O’Donnell ISD (STOP Prevention grant)
- $15,885 to the City of Benbrook (COPS grant)
- $1 million to the statewide Texas Education Agency (STOP Threat Assessment grant)
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“As the chief federal law enforcement officer in North Texas -- and mother of three students – few things are as important to me as the safety and security of our school children,” said Nealy Cox. “This significant investment by the Justice Department will go a long way to ensure the safety of students and educators in the Northern District of Texas”
The Office of Justice Program’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
- The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
Conway Man Indicted After Firing Multiple Shots in Local Post OfficeRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Thomas L. Noyes, Inspector in Charge, Fort Worth Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, announced today the indictment of Stephen Gregory Potts, 46, of Conway, after he allegedly fired multiple shots in a Conway post office.
A federal complaint charging Potts was first issued on Monday. A federal grand jury then returned an indictment against Potts on Tuesday for one count of assaulting a United States Postal Service employee, one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm in a federal facility. Potts is currently in custody and will be seen by a United States Magistrate Judge at a later date.
According the allegations in the complaint affidavit, on September 29, 2018, Potts, armed with a handgun, entered the Conway Main Post Office around 12 p.m. when there were four employees on duty. According to witnesses at the scene, Potts initially appeared to be filling out a mailing label. Potts then tried to follow two employees through a workroom door, past the counter. When told he could not go through the door, Potts pulled out a gun and climbed over the counter. At that point, a supervisor stepped between Potts and the two employees, who left to call 9-1-1 and then hid in a bathroom.
Potts then fired the first shot and attempted to light some mail on fire. According to the complaint affidavit, Potts eventually fired five or six shots, striking no one, but missing the supervisor’s shoulder by six inches. When Potts walked behind some equipment, the supervisor ran out of the building. Eventually Conway Police officers arrived and took Potts into custody, where he remains.
The maximum penalty for assaulting a United States Postal Employee, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1), is not more than 20 years in prison, not more than three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), is not less than 10 years in prison, consecutive to the underlying charge, not more than five years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possession of a firearm in a federal facility, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 930(b), is not more than five years in prison, not more than three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Conway Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Crews. An indictment or complaint contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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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:
@EDARNEWSConvicted Meth Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.VA. – Don Lamont Wilkerson was sentenced yesterday to 240 months in prison. On March 30, 2018, a federal jury found Wilkerson, 44, of Charleston, guilty of three counts of distributing methamphetamine. He has been in federal custody since September 26, 2016. United States Attorney Stuart commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
“An oxycodone dealer turned meth dealer, convicted felon, repeat offender,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Wilkerson won’t be dealing any illicit drugs in our communities for a very long time.”
Wilkerson sold a total of five ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions in September 2016. The drug deals took place in retail parking lots in the South Hills and Kanawha City neighborhoods of Charleston.
Wilkerson committed these crimes while he was serving a term of supervised release for his 2010 conviction of distribution of oxycodone. In addition to the sentence for his new criminal convictions, he was sentenced to 24 months in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. His sentences will run consecutively, for a total of 22 years in prison.
Assistant United States Attorneys Gabriele Wohl and Steven I. Loew handled the prosecution. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing.Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Colquitt Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Possession of A Firearm by A Convicted Felon Under Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
ALBANY: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that Jarrod Sims, age 38, of Colquitt, Georgia, pled guilty today to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon before U.S. District Court Judge Leslie J. Abrams in Albany.
Had the matter gone to trial, the Government expected the evidence to show that on May 8, 2018, officers with the Colquitt Police Department discovered a Hi-Point 9mm rifle in Mr. Sims’ vehicle during a lawful traffic stop for suspected impaired driving. Mr. Sims admitted to the officer that the firearm belonged to him and that he was a convicted felon. Mr. Sims was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a December 5, 2012 conviction for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Albany Division.
Sentencing for Mr. Sims will take place in approximately 90 days. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on the charge.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah E. McEwen.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Colorado Receives over $6,000,000 in Grant Awards to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
DENVER – The Justice Department as part of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, and U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, announced that Colorado will receive $6,227,854 in funds to combat the opioid crisis. This comes at a time when the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office is taking a comprehensive approach to fighting illegally dispensed prescription drugs. Nationally, the Department issued over $320 million to address the opioid crisis. The unprecedented funding will directly help those most impacted by the deadliest drug crisis in American history, including victims, children, families, and first responders.
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.
October marks two important anti-drug events: Red Ribbon Week and National Prescription Drug Takeback Day. Red Ribbon Week takes place every year between October 23-31 and encourages students, parents, schools, and communities to promote drug-free lifestyles. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 27 aims to provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent overdose deaths and drug addictions before they start. DOJ expanded on DEA's Drug Takeback Days and collected more than 2.7 million pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs since April 2017.
AWARDS
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program to support our nation’s law enforcement officers and other first responders: The City of Longmont -- $499,922
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program to provide staffing and treatment resources within our nation’s jails and upon reentry to the community: Boulder County -- $861,569
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program to support public safety by information sharing by leveraging information from a variety of public health and safety data sources: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment -- $1,000,000
Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program to facilitate collaborations among criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse programs: CO-MO Boulder County -- $346,512
Enhancing Community Responses To the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims to help youth impacted by the opioids crisis: Illuminate Colorado -- $749,491
Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program: Southern Ute Indian Tribe -- $327,822
Veterans Treatment Courts: Colorado Judicial Department -- $1,581,248
Drug Treatment Courts to Enhance Existing Family Drug Courts: Colorado Judicial Department -- $861,290
In response to the opioid crisis, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado has taken a novel approach to identify and pursue those prescribers and pharmacies whose abuses contribute to the opioid epidemic in Colorado. First, the office created an internal Opioid Initiative Working Group, with attorneys and staff members from both the Criminal and Civil Divisions, that works strategically to make the most of the office’s civil and criminal tools and expertise. Second, the office has undertaken a unique project to gather, combine, and analyze extensive data to identify unlawful conduct by prescribers and pharmacies.
This opioid working group has prioritized gathering and analyzing data to identify possible patterns of overprescribing and drug diversion. A primary goal is to use data to determine potential targets whose conduct may be unlawful and where pursuit of that target would have a significant impact on opioid abuse in Colorado.
The group has worked to identify “red flags” in the data that might show that a prescriber or pharmacy was writing or filling a medically unnecessary prescription. For example, analysis of the data allowed us to identify prescribers and pharmacies that prescribe or fill the largest number of pills for highly abused prescription drugs such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, or fentanyl.
“The Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office is a national leader in using data to identify those in the opioid supply chain who cause the most harm to our citizens, and bringing them to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer.
The Attorney General has been resolute in the fight against the drug crisis in America. The Department assigned more than 300 federal prosecutors to U.S. Attorney’s offices and hired more than 400 DEA task force officers; announced the formation of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a new program to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas; and created a new data analytics program called the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit to assist 12 prosecutors sent to drug “hot spot districts.” In addition, the Department charged more than 3,000 defendants with trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or prescription drugs in FY 2017, announced the first-ever indictments of Chinese nationals for fentanyl trafficking, and scheduled variants of fentanyl to prevent illicit drug labs from circumventing the law. In addition, DOJ executed the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action charging more than 600 defendants and proposed rules consistent with President Trump's "Safe Prescribing Plan," requiring a reduction of ten percent in 2019 in manufacturing quotas. The Department dismantled AlphaBay, the largest criminal marketplace on the Internet and has already generated prosecutions in the fight against online drug trafficking through the Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement Team (J-CODE).
OJP provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. More information about OJP and its components can be found at: www.ojp.gov.
Coffee County Partnership Awarded Nearly $500,000 from Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine joined the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $468,537 for a partnership of Coffee County agencies including the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas Police Department, Wiregrass Technical College Police Department, the Coffee County School System and two private schools.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“Our office is dedicated to eliminating violent crime throughout the Southern District of Georgia, and early intervention is a key component of reducing violence,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. “This substantial grant will provide valuable assistance in Coffee County as we work to make our schools safer and thus help make all our communities safer.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions, including Coffee County, for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, also managed by BJA, will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing more than $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on these grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Brandenburg Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempted Child Exploitation, Distribution of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – U.S. District Judge David J. Hale sentenced Jeffrey Adam Stone to 10 years in federal prison followed by 20 years of Supervised Release today for two child exploitation offenses, announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman. Stone will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
“We will continue to deploy every lawful investigative tool, and every law enforcement partnership, to protect our kids,” said United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.
Stone, 31, of Brandenburg, Kentucky in Meade County, admitted in a Plea Agreement in May to online communications with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl for the purpose of meeting her to engage in sexual conduct. He also admitted to sending obscene material to the girl.
According to the Plea Agreement and other court records, law enforcement officials became aware of Stone’s conduct as the result of an online undercover operation. In November 2016, an investigator with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations placed an ad on Craigslist. That same day, Stone responded to the ad. During their initial communications, the investigator advised that he was a 15-year-old girl. Stone continued the communications and directed them to a sexual nature. Specifically, on numerous occasions, he requested to meet the girl to engage in sex acts. He also sent sexually explicit pictures of himself to the person he thought was a 15-year-old girl.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. The Kentucky Office of Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the United States Secret Service.
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This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
Bennett Woman Sentenced to Thirty Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Pay Taxes on Stolen MoneyRead the Press Release
A woman who failed to pay taxes on more than $1.5 million she stole from her former employer was sentenced October 2, 2018, to 30 months in federal prison.
Bobbie Hora-Guill, age 46, from Bennett, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 4, 2018, guilty plea to making and subscribing a false tax return. At the plea hearing and in a plea agreement, Hora-Guill admitted she made and signed a false tax return for at least 2013 because she failed to report all of her income. Overall, Hora-Guill failed to report as income and pay taxes on more than $1.5 million she stole from her former employer.
Hora-Guill was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Hora-Guill was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. She was also ordered to pay the United States’ bill of costs. She must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hora-Guill was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Schunk and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Internal Revenue Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-00023-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Bellevue Man Sentenced for Bank TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Manuel Torres-Zapien, age 23, was sentenced in federal court Monday in Omaha, Nebraska, for one count of bank theft. The Honorable Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Mitchell to three years’ probation.
Torres-Zapien was formerly employed by Rochester Armored Car. On September 5, 2017, while employed as a driver, he took a bag of currency bound for a Bucky’s Gas Station ATM. The money belonged to Security National Bank. Rochester was supposed to have 61 bags of currency that day and when they checked their logs they discovered there were only 60. Torres-Zapien admitted to taking the bag containing $20,000 and returned it in full.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Beckley Felon Sentenced on Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W. Va. -- United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that a Beckley man was sentenced to 36 months in prison on federal drug and gun charges. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Beckley Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“Yet another meth dealer and convicted felon in possession of a firearm,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “State and local law enforcement agencies are working closely with ATF to identify guys like Harvey in every southern West Virginia community and we are prosecuting them as part of our Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.”
Anthony Harvey, 43, pled guilty in June to distributing methamphetamine and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 14, 2016, Harvey sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with the Beckley Police Department. On August 16, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Harvey’s home. At that time Harvey was a twice-convicted felon and was in possession of firearms. Specifically, he possessed a .22 caliber pistol and a .25 caliber revolver. He was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because of two prior convictions, one for assault with a firearm in California in 1995, and the other for sale of marijuana in California in 2004.
The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
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 Justice 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.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
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Beaver Falls Man Charged with Robbing New Brighton BankRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - One resident of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Ernest Dewayne Taylor, 50, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about August 17, 2018, Taylor robbed the Huntington Bank located at 921 3rd Avenue, New Brighton, Pennsylvania. As a result of the robbery, Taylor obtained $600.00 in U.S. currency.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Brighton Area Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bath Man Charged with Enticing A Minor OnlineRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that William C. Read, 33, of Bath, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with online enticement of a minor, and distribution and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Read utilized a social media application in an attempt to meet a nine-year-old child for sex. The defendant was intercepted by members of the New York State Police and Department of Homeland Security on October 1, 2018, while on his way to meet the child. At the time of his arrest, Read was found to be in possession of condoms and candy, which he intended to give to the child. The complaint also alleges that the defendant distributed and possessed images of child pornography from a cell phone in his possession.The defendant made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Marian W. Payson, and is being held pending a detention hearing October 3, 2018.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Aurea Vázquez-Rijos Found Guilty of the Murder of Her Husband Adam Joel Anhang UsterRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – Today, after a 24-day jury trial, a jury found Aurea Vázquez-Rijos, a.k.a. “Beatriz Vázquez/Aurea Dominicci;” her sister Marcia Vázquez-Rijos and Marcia Vázquez-Rijos’s ex-boyfriend José Ferrer-Sosa, guilty of the murder of Adam Joel Anhang Uster, announced United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez Vélez. Adam Anhang was murdered on September 22, 2005.
The trial is a result of an investigation that caused the release from state prison of a man who was wrongly convicted of the murder of Adam Anhang. On or about October 2007, Jonathan Román-Rivera was convicted of the murder of Adam Anhang and sentenced to 105 years in prison. In June 2008, the federal investigation into the murder of Adam Anhang resulted in Román-Rivera’s release, and the arrest of Alex Pabón-Colón. On June 4, 2008, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a two-count indictment charging Aurea Vázquez-Rijos and Alex Pabón-Colón, a.k.a. “Alex el loco/Dante” for the murder of Adam Anhang. Pabón-Colón pleaded guilty on June 13, 2008. Aurea Vázquez-Rijos moved to Italy in 2008, in an effort to avoid prosecution. She was arrested in Spain in 2013 and extradited after contested proceedings in 2015. On August 15, 2013, a Federal Grand Jury returned a second superseding indictment charging José Ferrer-Sosa and Marcia Vázquez-Rijos, along with Aurea Vázquez-Rijos with the murder-for-hire of Adam Anhang. Charbel Vázquez-Rijos, Aurea and Marcia’s brother, is facing a charge for perjury before the Grand Jury and is pending trial.
More than 20 witnesses testified in the Government’s case. During trial, the government proved that Aurea Vázquez-Rijos, José Ferrer-Sosa and Marcia Váquez-Rijos met with Alex Pabón-Colón on September 21, 2005, to propose that Pabón-Colón murder Adam Anhang in exchange for the amount of three million dollars. Aurea Vázquez-Rijos made approximately ten telephone calls to Adam Anhang in order to induce him to have dinner with her at a restaurant in Old San Juan, and to facilitate his murder by defendant Pabón-Colón. On September 22, 2005, Alex Pabón-Colón received a call from José Ferrer-Sosa, who informed him that defendant Aurea Vázquez-Rijos and her husband were dining at a restaurant in Old San Juan and that Adam Anhang had to be murdered that evening.
After dinner, Pabón-Colón murdered Adam Anhang at the corner of San Justo and Luna streets in Old San Juan as Adam Anhang and defendant Aurea Vázquez-Rijos were returning to the parking garage to pick up Adam Anhang’s car. The murder was carried out, as previously discussed, and pursuant to the instructions Pabón-Colón had received from defendants Aurea Vázquez-Rijos, Jose Ferrer-Sosa, and Marcia Vázquez-Rijos. Pabón-Colón stabbed Adam Anhang on multiple occasions and forcefully hit him in the head area with a cobblestone, while his wife observed the fatal attack. Adam Anhang fought Pabón-Colón and tried to protect his wife from the assailant. Adam Anhang never knew his wife was the one who ordered the murder.
At trial, witnesses testified that Aurea Vázquez-Rijos watched as her husband got murdered; his last words were directed to her: “Run baby, run!” At the same time, she reminded Pabón-Colón that he needed to inflict an injury on her, in order to create the impression that she was blameless in the incident, and in order to perpetuate the idea that Adam Anhang’s death resulted from a robbery.
Evidence showed that Pabón-Colón wrote letters attempting to collect money from the defendants for the murder of Adam Anhang. Defendant Marcia Vázquez-Rijos received the third letter Pabón-Colón sent to them and she advised the person who delivered the letter to tell Pabón-Colón that they did not have the money to pay him. The jury found the defendants guilty of all counts including conspiracy and the use an interstate facility in murder-for-hire.
“Today’s verdict is the culmination of 13 years of tireless work by investigators, agents, and prosecutors. Their dedication has brought long-awaited justice to Adam Anhang’s family and friends,” said United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “I am immensely proud of our prosecution team and our law-enforcement partners for this successful prosecution; with the convictions of these defendants, the victim’s family will hopefully find some closure from this senseless crime.”
Murder for hire is a crime punishable by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys José Ruiz-Santiago and Jenifer Y. Hernández-Vega.
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Arizona Truck Driver Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter for Causing Bus Crash that Left One Man Dead on Fort Irwin Army BaseRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – An Arizona man has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter for his role in a fatal bus crash that happened after he parked his truck – without any lights or warning cones – on a highway on the Fort Irwin Army Base in the Mojave Desert.
Steven Kilty, 51, of Apache Junction, Arizona, was found guilty of the federal offense late Tuesday, which ended a five-day trial in United States District Court.
On the evening of June 1, 2014, Kilty was delivering a military tactical truck to the Army’s National Training Center at Fort Irwin. Kilty had arrived at the base the night before his scheduled delivery, and he parked his tractor-trailer in the right lane of the road on Fort Irwin property. Kilty turned off the lights on the truck and, instead of putting out any safety triangle reflectors or turning on his hazard lights, he went to sleep in the berth of his truck – while the truck was still parked in the middle of the roadway.
Just after 5:00 a.m. on June 2, prior to sunrise, a Victor Valley Transit Authority bus transporting commuters to Fort Irwin collided with the parked truck. As a result of the collision, one man was killed and seven people suffered significant injuries, including an arm amputation.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Kilty was “grossly negligent” because his truck was blocking traffic on the roadway and he failed to place any warning reflectors, both of which are violations of the California Vehicle Code.
Kilty is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal on January 7, at which time he will face a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison.
Kilty was indicted in this case in March 2016. He was initially tried in this matter in late 2017, but a jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, and a mistrial was declared.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Highway Patrol, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, and the Fort Irwin Police Department.
This matter was tried by Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul D. Levers and Assistant United States Attorney Jerry C. Yang of the Riverside Branch Office.
Alleged Drug Dealer Charged with Overdose Death in ManhattanRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the arrest of MICHAEL JONES and the unsealing of an Indictment charging him with distributing the heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the death of Diana Haikova in Manhattan on December 7, 2017. The Indictment also alleges that JONES distributed heroin in Manhattan on February 14, 2018. JONES was arrested this morning in Miami, Florida, by the DEA and NYPD, and will be presented tomorrow in federal court in Miami.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, the heroin and fentanyl Michael Jones distributed resulted in the tragic overdose of 29-year-old Diana Haikova. Even more abhorrent, Jones allegedly continued to sell the same drugs that contributed to Haikova’s death. Working with the NYPD and DEA, we will continue to target and charge drug dealers that profit from the lethal opioid epidemic that is killing so many people.”
DEA Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt said: “This investigation led us into the underbelly of emo rap and its glorification of opioid use. Today, a team of DEA agents and NYPD Detectives arrested Michael Jones, known as the ‘realnewjerzeydevil’ for allegedly distributing a fatal dose of fentanyl mixed with heroin. Behind every lethal overdose is a victim whose death becomes a catalyst for raising awareness of the dangers of opioid misuse. The DEA extends condolences to the victim’s family and reemphasizes our commitment to bringing drug dealers to justice to face the consequences of their crimes.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made during court proceedings in this matter [1]:
On December 7, 2017, Diana Haikova was found dead in her apartment in Manhattan, New York. Following an investigation by the NYPD and DEA, law enforcement agents identified JONES as the person who distributed heroin and fentanyl to Haikova on December 5, 2017, that resulted in her death.
As further alleged in the Indictment, JONES continued to distribute narcotics in Manhattan after Haikova’s death, and distributed heroin on February 14, 2018.
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JONES, 24, of Camden, New Jersey, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. JONES faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison based upon his alleged distribution of the heroin and fentanyl that resulted in Ms. Haikova’s death.
The statutory maximum and minimum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and DEA in this case. Assistance was provided by the DEA’s Miami Field Division and the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad-NY, comprising agents from the DEA, the NYPD, the New York State Police, New York State Department of Financial Services, and New York City Department of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Thane Rehn is 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.
ATF Hattiesburg Undercover Operation Nets Prison Time for Drug and Illegal Firearms OffendersRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss – Santoria L. French, 41, of Hattiesburg, and Lemont Antoine Jackson, 33, of Jackson, were sentenced yesterday to multiple years in federal prison by District Judge Keith Starrett for federal drug and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
From 2016-2017, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ("ATF") conducted an undercover operation in Hattiesburg targeting persons selling illegal drugs and firearms. Between October 17, 2016 and February 9, 2017, French sold a confidential informant cocaine and firearms on at least 12 different occasions. On July 17, 2018, French pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced yesterday to 4 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
On May 25, 2017, Jackson, three time convicted felon, sold a Yugoslavian 7.62 caliber rifle with two 30-round magazines to an undercover agent for $530. On July 17, 2018, Jackson pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced yesterday to 86 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
2 Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging RICARDO CONTRERAS-MENDOZA, age 33, of Mexico and FERNAND JUAN JOSE LEWIS, age 39, of Canada, with illegal reentry of a deported alien.
If convicted of illegal reentry of a deported alien, CONTRERAS-MENDOZA, found in Johnston County, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of illegal reentry of an aggravated felon, LEWIS, found in Wake County, would face maximum penalties of twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
12 Massachusetts Programs Awarded over $8.4 Million in Federal Grants to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Department of Justice is awarding over $8.4 million to 12 Massachusetts programs that are working to combat the opioid crisis through prevention, treatment and enforcement.
On the first day of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Justice is awarding nearly $320 million in federal funding to help those most impacted by the deadliest drug crisis in American history. Of that, the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is awarding $8.4 million to 12 Massachusetts programs.
“In 2017, over 2,000 Massachusetts residents died from drug overdoses,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “The opioid crisis is an unprecedented public health crisis in the United States, but we are committed to the President’s plan to end the epidemic through prevention, treatment and enforcement. With over $8 million in federal grant funding, programs in Massachusetts can expand to serve larger populations, increase services, and support those who are most impacted by this deadly epidemic. I applaud the grant recipients for their commitment to serve their communities in this way.”
Among the recipients is Plymouth County Outreach (PCO), which was awarded $496,650. PCO is an opioid prevention and recovery coalition made up of 27 municipal police departments in Plymouth County, along with the Bridgewater State University Police, District Attorney Timothy Cruz and Sheriff Joseph McDonald. PCO partners with healthcare, treatment and recovery agencies, local coalitions, faith-based organizations and hospitals to connect at-risk persons with treatment and recovery options in advance of an overdose. PCO will be honored for their work by the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s (IACP) Leadership in Community Policing Award on Oct. 9th in Orlando, Fla.
In addition, Wayside Youth and Family Support Network was awarded $481,428. Wayside’s Trauma Intervention Services will use the funding to provide counseling and advocacy to children and families who have suffered due the opioid crisis in Worcester, Norfolk and Middlesex counties.
Other recipients of federal grant funding in Massachusetts include:
- The Middle District Attorney’s Office awarded one grant of $360,000 and one of $500,000;
- Boston Police Department awarded $305,362;
- City of Holyoke Police Department awarded $448,025;
- Massachusetts Administrative Office of the Trial Court awarded $1.5 million;
- Advocates for Human Potential awarded $1.55 million;
- City of Worcester awarded $$744,668;
- Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office awarded $541,300;
- Franklin County Sheriff’s Office awarded $1,000,999; and
- LUK Crisis Center awarded $500,000.
The complete list of grant funding is available here.
October marks two important anti-drug events: Red Ribbon Week and National Prescription Drug Takeback Day. Red Ribbon Week takes place every year between October 23-31 and encourages students, parents, schools, and communities to promote drug-free lifestyles. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 27 provides a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also preventing drug addiction and overdose deaths. DOJ expanded on DEA’s Drug Takeback Days and collected more than 2.7 million pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs since April 2017.
Tuesday 2 October 2018
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to possessing child pornography.
James M. Stoddard, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 3, 2019. Stoddard was arrested and charged in federal court in June 2018.
In February 2018, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip reporting that a file depicting apparent child pornography was uploaded from, what was later determined to be, an IP address associated with Stoddard. Further investigation led authorities to execute a state search warrant at Stoddard’s residence in Worcester, which revealed numerous videos and images of child pornography, including videos of girls as young as nine-years-old engaged in sex acts with adult men. Investigators also found a homemade child-like sex doll and several pairs of female, child-sized undergarments.
During the search, Stoddard was not present, but had contacted his first-floor tenant for a law enforcement phone number that he could contact. Stoddard then called an officer and informed him that he was in Natick, suicidal, and had climbed a tree. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to Stoddard’s location and, after lengthy negotiations, Stoddard climbed down from the tree. He was subsequently arrested, charged in state court, and has been in state custody since.
Court documents also indicate that Stoddard is a Level 1 sex offender and failed to register his current address with the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board as he is required to do given a prior conviction for a child pornography offense.
Due to a prior conviction, Stoddard faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office and the Natick Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Wilmerding Felon Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Revolver and FentanylRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH -A former resident of Wilmerding, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 70 months imprisonment to be followed by six years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Michael Dillon Burrows, 32, formerly of Wilmerding, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, on September 8, 2016, Burrows possessed a Smith & Wesson 38 special, .38 caliber revolver. Burrows has previously been convicted of a felony and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Also on September 8, 2016, Burrows possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl. Burrows was also found to have violated the terms of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen S. Gilson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Adams Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Burrows.
Wetzel County man sentenced for his connection to a drug distribution operation in Wetzel and Tyler CountiesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –Randy Peffer, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to eight months incarceration for his involvement in methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin distribution that spanned multiple states, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Peffer, age 25, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Methamphetamine” in August 2018. Peffer admitted to selling methamphetamine in September 2017 in Wetzel County.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., and Shawn M. Adkins are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol; Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Westwego Woman Pleads Guilty to Concealing Marijuana Trafficking ActivitiesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that TRAM NGUYEN, age 32, of Westwego, pled guilty today to a Bill of Information charging her with misprision of a drug trafficking felony, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 4.
According to court documents, Louisiana State Police seized a shipment containing approximately 420 pounds of marijuana hidden in 12 steel drums and bound for a Westwego warehouse where NGUYEN lived with her boyfriend, Michael Kwan. Shipping records showed that Kwan had received numerous similar shipments from his California supplier in the past, and a search of the Westwego warehouse revealed another 161 similar steel drums. In March 2018, Kwan pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846, and conspiring to launder the proceeds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(1)(A)(i), (a)(1)(B)(i), and (h). For the drug charge, he faces a term of imprisonment of at least ten years and up to life, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For the money laundering charge, he faces up to twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000, and up to five years of supervised release.
NGUYEN admitted to concealing Kwan’s felony trafficking by depositing into her bank accounts checks written from local seafood restaurants and retailers for the purchase of seafood that Kwan had earlier bought with proceeds from his marijuana trafficking, and by transferring funds derived from the trafficking activities from bank to bank to avoid detection, seizure, and forfeiture by law enforcement.
For the misprision offense, NGUYEN faces a term of imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to one year of supervised release.
Judge Zainey set sentencing for January 8, 2019.
United States Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Moses and Jeffrey Sandman are in charge of the prosecution.
Washington State School Districts Receive more than $1.5 Million in DOJ Grants to Combat School ViolenceRead the Press Release
Three Washington State school districts, an Educational Service District and the Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction will receive more than $1.5 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Justice to combat school violence, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. The largest grant, nearly $1,000,000 for the Superintendent of Public Instruction, will fund efforts to provide teachers and students with the tools they need to recognize and respond quickly to prevent acts of violence. Smaller grants to individual school districts will support students, teachers and law enforcement partnering to prevent school violence.
“These federal funds support all-important state and local efforts to keep kids safe in our schools,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “The Department of Justice is committed to supporting all involved – including parents, administrators, teachers, students and school safety officers -- in finding ways to address the root causes of violence in our schools.”
The grant to the Superintendent of Public Instruction office will assist in developing threat assessment and crisis intervention teams, and anonymous reporting systems designed to identify threats before they materialize. Funding is provided for training students, school personnel and local law enforcement so they can prevent violence in schools.
Individual school districts are also receiving funding to enhance school security. The Ellensburg School District is receiving two grants totaling $300,000 for anti-violence programs. The Monroe School District will receive $150,000. The Quillayute Valley School District will receive $25,000 and the Northeast Washington Education Service District will receive $49,750. The grants are targeted at developing programs to recognize and assess threats including issues of mental health.
Under the terms of the grant, no funds can be used to purchase and provide firearms or training in the use of firearms to any personnel.
This funding is provided under the Bureau of Justice Assistance, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program.
Virginia Man Arrested and Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with $2 Million Iraqi Dinar FraudRead 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 that WILLIAM BURBANK was arrested on wire fraud charges stemming from a scheme in which he solicited funds from investors based on false and fraudulent pretenses to purportedly invest in dinar, the currency of Iraq. Upon obtaining the funds, BURBANK either lost or misappropriated them, and then lied to investors about the state of their investments. BURBANK was arrested this morning, and will appear later this afternoon in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia. This case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Richard M. Berman.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “William Burbank allegedly misrepresented to his investors – many of whom were veterans and their families – that their funds would be used to invest in Iraqi dinar, a foreign currency. Instead, Burbank allegedly engaged in a classic Ponzi-like scheme to pay out early investors and use the rest for unauthorized trading or for his own personal expenses. As with most alleged Ponzi schemes, the result was Burbank’s clients suffering a loss of their investments. Now William Burbank stands charged of the crime of wire fraud and faces time in federal prison.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As alleged, Burbank engaged in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that ultimately unraveled and led to the charges he faces today. What makes this case particularly egregious is that many of Burbank’s alleged victims were U.S. military veterans and their families whose trust Burbank cultivated by shamelessly touting his own military service. Fraud cases remain a priority for the FBI as we continue to identify and investigate those who commit financial crimes against unwitting victims.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment unsealed today[1]:
From February 2010 through June 2018, BURBANK engaged in a Ponzi-like scheme to defraud more than 150 individual investors, including many U.S. military veterans and their families, of more than $2 million by soliciting funds through false and fraudulent pretenses. Specifically, BURBANK falsely claimed to potential investors that their funds would be used to trade in off-exchange foreign currency, namely, to purchase quantities of the Iraqi dinar, through an Iraqi bank headquartered in Bagdad. In truth and in fact, upon receiving investor funds, BURBANK used those funds to trade in his own brokerage accounts, to make payments to earlier investors, and for his personal expenses, among other things. Additionally, during the course of his scheme, BURBANK hid from investors the fact that he had misappropriated and lost their funds. In order to conceal the truth from investors, BURBANK provided them false information regarding the status of their investment, and engaged in a Ponzi-like scheme in which he used money obtained from new investors to make redemption payments to previous investors.
BURBANK, 62, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Christine I. Magdo is in charge of the prosecution.
[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 therein should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Progress in Making Our Communities Safer through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Throughout the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs. I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face. Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”
“In Alaska, law enforcement agencies have a long history and tradition of working together to protect the people of the state,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder. Under Project Safe Neighborhoods, we are leveraging that cooperation to identify the most serious violent crime problems and offenders, then focus our operations. I am also pleased that Project Safe Neighborhoods has provided us with additional needed resources, including two new prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office here in Alaska.”
As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:
Enforcement Actions
In October 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced its statewide Anti-Violent Crime Strategy, which brings together municipal, state, and federal law enforcement to combat the tide of rising crime in Alaska. Some representative cases include:
- U.S. v. Macauther Vaifanua et al. In September 2018, five Anchorage residents were indicted on federal kidnapping and drug trafficking charges, among other offenses, in connection with the August 2017 beating and placing of a victim into a dog kennel.
- U.S. v. Michael Sampo. In June 2018, Sampo was sentenced to serve 12 years in federal prison after being convicted of carjacking in Anchorage. At the time of the offense, Sampo was a four-time prior felon.
- U.S. v. Matthew Scharber. In July 2018, Scharber was sentenced in federal court to serve a life term in prison after being convicted of multiple charges related to the October 2016 kidnapping, carjacking, and shooting of two individuals. Scharber also received an additional 10 years in prison on the firearms offense.
- U.S. v. Twigg and Conangnan. This case charged the defendants with interfering with commerce by robbery of two coffee stands on Sept. 25, 2017, as well as using a firearm in furtherance of these crimes. Defendant Shane Twigg has seven prior felonies and had a pending assault case when the robberies occurred. Myles Conangnan has a prior felony for Burglary, as well as 16 other convictions, including six convictions from four separate cases in 2017 alone. Both defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 32 years in federal prison if they are convicted.
Community Partnerships
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with its local, state, and federal partners, has continued to organize events at secondary schools all over Alaska to discuss the dangers of opioid abuse. This program, based on the DEA/FBI-produced documentary called “Chasing the Dragon,” will continue this year, as federal prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and medical professionals will join together to discuss their experience with the opioid epidemic.
- In the last year, six Anchorage area schools have hosted “Chasing the Dragon” presentations, reaching over 3,200 students; more school outreach is planned throughout the state in the coming year.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office has participated in faith - based community events, such as the Alaska Churches of God in Christ (COGIC) Crime Reduction Town Hall Forum, and a “Chasing the Dragon” opioid education event.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered with Anchorage Opioid Task Force in building Naloxone kits for distribution throughout the state and participated in recovery month events.
Improvements to Community Safety
- The FBI’s official crime data for 2017 reflects that, after two consecutive, historic increases in violent crime, in the first year of the Trump Administration the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline. The nationwide violent crime rate decreased by approximately one percent in 2017, while the nationwide homicide rate decreased by nearly one and a half percent.
- The preliminary information we have for 2018 gives us reason for optimism that our efforts are continuing to pay off. Public data from 60 major cities show that violent crime was down by nearly five percent in those cities in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period a year ago.
These enforcement actions and partnerships are 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. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.
U.S. Attorney, Justice Department announce grant for Evangeline Parish to combat school violenceRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $150,000 for the Evangeline Parish School Board in the Western District of Louisiana.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “Earlier this year, he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“There is no more important cause than protecting our children from harm,” Joseph stated. “This grant will allow the Evangeline Parish School Board to develop better safety measures for its students and train crisis teams in furtherance of that end. I want to congratulate the school board for being awarded this grant and thank the Department of Justice for making it available.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website. The Evangeline Parish School Board is the recipient of this program grant.
- The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program.
U.S. Attorney Announces Almost $2.5 Million in Federal Grants Awarded in the Western District to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – During National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, the Department of Justice announced it is awarding almost $320 million to combat the opioid crisis in America. The unprecedented funding will directly help those most impacted by the deadliest drug crisis in American history, including crime victims, children, families, and first responders. U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that nearly $2.5 million will be awarded to five grantees in the Western District of North Carolina.
“President Trump has made ending the opioid crisis a priority for this administration, and under his leadership, the Department of Justice has taken historic action,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “Today we are announcing our next steps: investing $320 million into all three parts of the President’s comprehensive plan to end the epidemic: prevention, treatment, and enforcement. We are attacking this crisis from every angle—and we will not let up until we bring it to an end.”
“The solution to the opioid crisis is not going to be quick or easy. To reverse this deadly trend, we have to implement a holistic, sustained and concerted effort, focusing on law enforcement action, treatment accessibility and community education and outreach. The grants announced today will provide much-needed funding to communities located in the Western District, including Indian Country, that are dealing with the opioid epidemic. The grants will be used to pay for technical assistance needs, to support drug courts, to enhance treatment efforts, and to provide assistance to youth impacted by the opioid crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.
The approximately $320 million awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) will be distributed in order to maximize effectiveness over the country. A breakdown of all the grant funding can be found here.
In the Western District of North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will receive 713,035 to fund the planning and implementation of programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse, increasing accessibility to treatment, and to pay for staffing and treatment resources.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office will receive $256,795 in federal funding under BJA’s Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP), to address the treatment needs of people using opioids.
Gaston County will receive $708,279 under OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime’s (OVC) program, to help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis.
Burke County has been awarded $500,000 and Buncombe County has been granted $249,644 to support drug court programs in each county. Buncombe County has also been awarded $299,644 to enhance existing veterans’ treatment courts.
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. October marks two important anti-drug events: Red Ribbon Week and National Prescription Drug Takeback Day. Red Ribbon Week takes place every year between October 23-31 and encourages students, parents, schools, and communities to promote drug-free lifestyles. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 27 aims to provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent overdose deaths and drug addictions before they start. DOJ 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 Attorney General been resolute in the fight against the drug crisis in America. The Department assigned more than 300 federal prosecutors to U.S. Attorneys’ offices and hired more than 400 DEA task force officers, announced the formation of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a new program to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas, and created a new data analytics program called the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit to assist 12 prosecutors sent to drug “hot spot districts.” In addition, the Department charged more than 3,000 defendants with trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or prescription drugs in FY 2017, announced the first-ever indictments of Chinese nationals for fentanyl trafficking, and scheduled variants of fentanyl to prevent illicit drug labs from circumventing the law. In addition, DOJ executed the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action charging more than 600 defendants and DOJ also proposed rules consistent with President Trump's "Safe Prescribing Plan," requiring a reduction of ten percent in 2019 in manufacturing quotas. The Department dismantled AlphaBay, the largest criminal marketplace on the Internet and has already generated prosecutions in the fight against online drug trafficking through the Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement Team (J-CODE).
OJP provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. More information about OJP and its components can be found at: www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Announces $700,000 Grant to Wyandotte CountyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A $700,000 federal grant will support innovative policing programs in Kansas City, Kan., U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.
The grant to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., comes from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood program. This week is the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, which is a centerpiece of the Justice Department’s strategy for reducing violent crime.
“This money will help police test promising crime prevention strategies aimed at reducing violent crime in targeted areas,” McAllister said.
The Department’s announcement said the county and the police department will use the grant to pay for high-visibility proactive policing under an initiative called Operation ICON (Impacting Crime in Our Neighborhoods). The program includes traffic enforcement, pedestrian checks, residential and business checks and positive community engagement contacts within an identified high-crime 20-square-mile geographic region of Kansas City, Kan.
Two Twin Cities Chiropractors Sentenced to Prison for Orchestrating Insurance Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of PRESTON ELLARD FORTHUN, 40, and ADAM JOHN BURKE, 34, for their roles in two separate multi-million dollar insurance fraud conspiracies. FORTHUN was sentenced to 60 months in prison and BURKE was sentenced to 90 months in prison. Both defendants were found guilty last year following separate jury trials before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
U.S. Attorney MacDonald said, “Mr. Forthun and Mr. Burke are two medical professionals who chose to cater to their own greed above their patients’ chiropractic care. Today, they are faced with the consequences of their criminal actions.”
“These chiropractors put personal greed above their professional duty,” said Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Jessica Looman. “These sentences send a strong message that health insurance fraud is a serious crime and those who perpetrate it will be investigated and prosecuted. The Commerce Fraud Bureau will continue to aggressively pursue criminals who scam Minnesotans.”
“The defendants took an oath to help - but their scheme defrauded all of us, and today's sentence shows that there are severe penalties for those who seek to defraud the system,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jill Sanborn. “I want to thank the entire team who worked tirelessly to unwind this scheme and get us to where we are today.”
As proven at trial, FORTHUN and BURKE, both licensed Doctors of Chiropractic, devised separate schemes to defraud automobile insurance companies by hiring patient recruiters, known as “runners,” to solicit automobile accident victims to attend treatments at their clinics. FORTHUN and BURKE paid the runners for each patient they recruited, and the runners in turn typically paid the patients to induce them to attend treatments at the clinic. Both fraud schemes were structured in a way that would maximize their clinics’ billings to insurance companies. Knowing that the runners were paying patients, FORTHUN and BURKE withheld kickback payments to the runners until after the patients had attended a certain number of treatment sessions. Thus, the kickback payments were intended to ensure that patients came for treatments at the defendants’ clinics because of the payments, as opposed to the necessity and reasonableness of the treatments. As a result of their fraud schemes, FORTHUN and BURKE billed millions of dollars to the automobile insurance companies.
These cases are the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Minneapolis Police Department, Saint Paul Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations provided additional assistance.
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Kokkinen, Amber M. Brennan and David M. Maria.
Defendant Information:
PRESTON ELLARD FORTHUN, 40
Bloomington, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 1 count
- Mail fraud, 6 counts
- Wire fraud, 7 counts
Sentenced:
- 60 months in prison
- Two years of supervised release
- $1,553,500 in restitution
ADAM JOHN BURKE, 34
Minneapolis, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 1 count
- Mail fraud, 12 counts
Sentenced:
- 90 months in prison
- Two years of supervised release
- $991,530 in restitution
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Two Men Sentenced to Prison Terms on Federal Charges for Attack on ATM EmployeeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Richard Reid, 43, of Washington, D.C., and Dwonne Washington, 43, of Silver Spring, Md., were sentenced today to prison terms for robbing and beating a man who was servicing ATM machines in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Both men pled guilty in July 2018 to a charge of interference with interstate commerce by robbery as well as a related federal firearms offense. They were sentenced by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras in the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia. Each was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and additional time for the robbery offense. Reid was sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison and Washington was sentenced to a total 8 ½-year prison term. Following their prison terms, each will be placed on five years of supervised release. They also were ordered to pay $52,000 in restitution, as well as $26,000 each in forfeiture money judgments.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 15, 2017, the victim was refilling ATM machines owned by his company throughout the Washington, D.C. area. The attack took place after the victim had refilled an ATM machine located inside a market in the 300 block of P Street NW. At 1:45 p.m., as the victim was walking to his car with a backpack filled with cash, he was attacked from behind by two assailants.
The first assailant, Washington, pistol-whipped the victim with a firearm while the second assailant, Reid, beat the victim with his fists. Both Washington and Reid wrestled the backpack off the victim’s back and fled the area in a vehicle. During the attack, which was captured on surveillance video, the victim’s nose was broken.
An investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department revealed that the getaway vehicle used by the assailants was registered to Washington. Witnesses then identified Washington in the surveillance video and he was arrested the day after the crime. He has been held ever since. Subsequent investigation by MPD and the FBI’s Washington Field Office identified a phone dropped on scene as belonging to Reid, and a witness identified him in the surveillance video. He was arrested on Feb. 23, 2018 and has been held since that time.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu, Special Agent in Charge DeSarno, and Chief Newsham commended the work of MPD’s Fifth District detectives and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Vanore and Sumit Mallick, who prosecuted the defendants.
Twenty People Charged in Federal Drug and Firearms Case Involving Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Cocaine, and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nineteen people have been arrested and one is being sought on federal charges in connection with an ongoing investigation into a drug trafficking network that distributed heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, PCP, and suboxone in the Washington, D.C. area.
The arrests and charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, 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), and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The charges were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. To date, more than 55 ounces of cocaine and cocaine base, more than seven ounces of heroin, and more than 10 pounds of marijuana have been seized as a result of the investigation, along with seven firearms, including a short-barreled AK rifle, one silencer, and more than $10,000 in cash.
A total of 16 people were indicted for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, PCP, and suboxone. Two additional individuals were indicted for firearms offenses, and two more defendants were charged in criminal complaints. The indictments include a forfeiture count against those now charged in the investigation, which seeks all proceeds from the crimes.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by ATF and the MPD/FBI Safe Streets Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. In the summer of 2017, MPD, ATF, and the FBI began a long-term investigation into drug trafficking in the Northeast quadrant of the District of Columbia. The indictments allege that various defendants conspired to carry out various facets of the drug operation from at least October 2017 until September 2018.
“These indictments are the result of a concerted law enforcement effort to identify and prosecute those responsible for drug trafficking in neighborhoods in the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Those who sell illegal drugs pose a significant threat to public safety and we will do everything we can to disrupt and dismantle their operations.”
“Information developed from MPD’s summer crime prevention initiative led to a year-long federal gang investigation that culminated with these arrests of a network of drug dealers,” said Special Agent in Charge DeSarno. “We will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners through the MPD/FBI Safe Streets Task Force to take down these violent enterprises and address crime in our region.”
“Gun crime is a scourge on our communities and it holds good citizens hostage in their homes. Everyone deserves a community where they feel safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Chittum. “ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to make sure they have it. We will continue to use our resources to take armed criminals off our streets and put them behind bars where they belong.”
“The safety and well-being of District residents and visitors was positively impacted as a result of this comprehensive investigation and subsequent prosecutions,” said Chief Newsham. “We have an unwavering commitment at the Metropolitan Police Department to remove illegal firearms and narcotics from our neighborhoods, which is shared by each of our partner agencies. This operation should serve as an example of this commitment and our ability to safely remove dangerous individuals from our community.”
Numerous law enforcement agencies assisted in the arrests and searches, including the Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department, the, Montgomery County, Md. Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the U.S. Park Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Seventeen people were arrested on Sept. 28, 2018. Two others were already in custody and one remains at large. The defendants began making court appearances on Sept. 28, 2018, with further proceedings scheduled for this week.
A total of 13 locations were searched during the law enforcement actions on Sept. 28, 2018, including 11 in the District of Columbia and two in Prince George’s County, Md. At earlier stages of the investigation, law enforcement seized evidence during two additional searches in the District of Columbia and two in Montgomery County, Md.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the arrests and charges, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Safe Streets Task Force, including the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD, and ATF.
They acknowledged the sponsorship and support of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
Additionally, they expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office;, Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department, Montgomery County, Md. Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Park Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Finally, they cited the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth F. Whitted, C.B. Buente, Stephen J. Gripkey, and Kara Traster, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, who assisted with the forfeiture aspects of the investigation.
Trial Begins in Child Porn CaseRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - A federal jury trial begins today for a Morris County man charged with downloading child pornography from the internet, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Wesley Wagner, 54, White City, Kan., is charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. According to court documents, the FBI seized a server belonging to a now-defunct website called Playpen that provided users access to child pornography. The FBI used computer forensics to identify the site’s users, including the defendant. Based on that information, the FBI obtained a warrant to search the defendant’s home.
If convicted, the defendant faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years in federal prison on the charge of receiving child pornography, and up to 10 years on possession charge.
The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Trial Begins for Wichita Doctor Accused of Diverting Rx Opioids to the StreetsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A federal jury trial begins today for a Wichita doctor charged with unlawfully distributing opioid prescription drugs, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Dr. Steven R. Henson, 57, Wichita, Kan., who operated Kansas Men’s Clinic at 3636 N. Ridge Road in Wichita, is charged in the following counts:
- Conspiracy to distribute prescription drugs outside the course of medical practice (Counts 1 and 2).
- Unlawfully distributing controlled substances, including oxycodone, methadone or alprazolam (Counts 3 through 14, and 16).
- Unlawfully distributing methadone and alprazolam, resulting in the death of a victim on July 24, 2015, identified in court records as N.M. (Count 17)
- Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (Count 18)
- Falsifying patient records (Count 19).
- Obstruction of justice (Count 20)
- Money laundering (Counts 21 through 31).
As a physician, Henson was registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration to dispense prescription controlled substances. His registered addresses included the Wichita Men’s Clinic and a location at 1861 N. Rock Road, Suite 201.
The indictment alleges Henson:
- Wrote prescriptions without a medical need.
- Wrote prescriptions without a legitimate medical exam.
- Wrote prescriptions for people other than the ones who came to see him.
- Wrote prescriptions in return for cash.
- Post-dated prescriptions.
If convicted, the defendant will face the following penalties:
Counts 1-16: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on each count.
Count 17: Not less than 20 years and not more than life and a fine up to $1 million.
Count 18: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Count 19: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Count 20: A maximum penalty of one year and a fine up to $100,000.
Counts 21-25: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Counts 26-31: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $500,000 on each count.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the Newton Police Department, the Wichita Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh are prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct
Treyton Thomas Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud Scheme and Income Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that today, in federal court, TREYTON LEE THOMAS, age 62, pled guilty to wire fraud, affecting a financial institution, and income tax evasion. In pleading guilty, THOMAS, agreed to pay restitution to all the victims of his fraud scheme and to forfeit more than seven million dollars.
On November 22, 2016, THOMAS was charged in a 21-Count Indictment with wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering. This Indictment charged THOMAS, who represented himself as a successful Harvard educated investment advisor, with defrauding his father’s used car warranty company, NC&VA Warranty of Roxboro, N.C., several of its customers, his wife, and his father-in-law. THOMAS claimed he was conservatively investing their money in U.S. Treasury Bills. Instead, through an on-line brokerage firm, THOMAS used these funds to conduct risky trades in the commodities and futures market. To conceal this fraud scheme, THOMAS provided these victims and various financial institutions with false information and fabricated bank and brokerage statements. To obtain additional funds, the Indictment charged THOMAS with using the same false information and fabricated statements to defraud financial institutions out of approximately 1.9 million dollars in loan proceeds.
In addition to losing the victims’ money in risky trades, the Indictment charged THOMAS with spending more than 1.6 million dollars to pay personal expenses.
On March 15, 2018, THOMAS was charged in another Indictment with six counts of income tax evasions for the calendar years 2010 2015 and two counts of failing to disclose his interest in and authority over foreign bank accounts. In entering his guilty plea, THOMAS agreed that he concealed his income from the Internal Revenue Service by, among other things, concealing his interest in foreign corporations and using offshore bank accounts to pay his personal expenses.
The applicable total maximum statutory penalty for these crimes is 35 years imprisonment, a $1,100,000 fine, and 3 years supervised release.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa Kessler and Susan Menzer are representing the government in this case.