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1 October 2018
Manchester Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Prison for Transporting a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kurt Carpentino, 35, of Manchester, was sentenced in federal court to 32 years in prison for transporting a minor across state lines for sex, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
Carpentino was convicted in a jury trial on July 11, 2018. The evidence showed that on April 27, 2017, the Hinsdale, New Hampshire Police Department received a report of a missing 14-year-old child. The child was found later that morning at an abandoned motel in Rockingham, Vermont. The child told the police that the defendant took her to the motel and that they had sex there. The defendant was observed driving by the motel and arrested nearby. Later that day, he admitted to taking the child from New Hampshire to Vermont and having sex with her at the hotel. A few weeks later, the defendant wrote the victim letters from jail, attempting to get her to recant her statement to the police.
“Protecting the innocence and wellbeing of our children is one of the highest priorities of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The defendant took advantage of a young child and will be incarcerated for a very long time to prevent him from inflicting damage on other children. I am grateful to Vermont, New Hampshire and Federal officers whose work resulted in the conviction and long term incarceration of this predator.”
“With today’s sentence, justice has been served on Kurt Carpentino, “said Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, Boston. “The results in this case could not have been achieved without the tireless work of the dedicated professionals of Homeland Security Investigations in New Hampshire. Protecting innocent children will remain a top priority for HSI and our law enforcement partners. Together with the U.S. Attorney and state and local police, we will continue to make every effort to ensure that those who victimize children will be brought to justice and face their day in court. “
This matter was investigated by the Vermont State Police, Homeland Security Investigations in Manchester, New Hampshire, the Hinsdale, New Hampshire Police Department, the Manchester, New Hampshire Police Department, the Springfield, Vermont Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police, with the assistance of the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Norman Torrey, 53, of Lewiston, Maine pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned that on March 27, 2018, the defendant intended to travel to Massachusetts to purchase 100 grams of fentanyl. Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction and observed the defendant’s vehicle arrive and depart. They followed the defendant as he drove through New Hampshire and into Maine, where they shared their observations with a Maine State Police Trooper. The trooper stopped the vehicle and ultimately seized approximately 98 grams of fentanyl. The investigation demonstrated that the defendant purchased and distributed over 400 grams of fentanyl.
Torrey is scheduled to be sentenced on January 15, 2018.
“Fentanyl has been the source of far too many deaths in New England,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This case demonstrates multi-state drug distribution activities that complicate law enforcement efforts. In order to protect the public by stopping these criminal enterprises, we will coordinate with all of our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are distributing this deadly substance.”
This case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the Maine State Police; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; and the Lowell (MA) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe, and Debra Walsh.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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MS-13 Member Sentenced to 36 Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy Involving Murder of a 15-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An MS-13 member was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for racketeering conspiracy involving the murder of a 15-year-old boy in East Boston.
Carlos Melara, a/k/a “Chuchito,” a/k/a “Criminal,” 21, a Salvadoran national, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 36 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Melara will also be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In April 2018, Melara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.
On Sept. 7, 2015, Melara, along with Edwin Gonzalez, a/k/a “Sangriento,” Henry Parada Martinez, a/k/a “Street Danger,” and a juvenile MS-13 member participated in the murder of a 15-year-old boy on Constitution Beach in East Boston. The defendants targeted the victim in a “catfishing” scheme in which they used a fake Facebook account to trick the victim into thinking he was talking to a girl. In reality, the Facebook account was being controlled by Gonzalez and other MS-13 members to lure suspected rivals so that the gang could murder them.
On the day of the murder, Melara picked up the victim on a scooter pretending to be a friend of the girl that the victim was planning to meet for a date. Melara drove the victim to Constitution Beach, where the other MS-13 members were waiting to kill him. Melara and the three other MS-13 members took turns attacking and stabbing the victim. While Melara was stabbing the boy, the knife Melara was using snapped and broke in the victim’s chest. Melara and the others left the victim bleeding to death with approximately 33 sharp force injuries and numerous blunt force injuries where the assailants had punched, kicked, and struck the victim with rocks. Following the murder, Melara, Gonzalez, and the juvenile were promoted to “homeboy,” or full members of MS-13, as a reward for their participation in the murder.
After a multi-year investigation, Melara was one of dozens of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 named in a superseding indictment unsealed in January 2016 that targeted MS-13’s criminal activities in Massachusetts. During the investigation, Melara was identified as a member of MS-13’s Everett Locos Salvatrucha (ELS) clique.
Melara, Gonzalez, and Parada Martinez are three of 49 defendants who have been convicted on federal charges as part of this ongoing prosecution in Massachusetts. Sixteen of those defendants—including Melara, Gonzalez, and Parada Martinez—have been held responsible for racketeering conspiracy involving murder. Melara, Parada Martinez, and the juvenile, who was charged separately, pleaded guilty prior to trial. After a multi-week trial, Gonzalez was convicted of RICO conspiracy and held responsible for his role in this murder, in addition to the murder of a 16-year-old boy in a separate East Boston attack in January 2016. Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, 2018.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement today. The U.S. Marshals Service has provided crucial assistance with the case.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Participating in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that Charles Davis, III, age 46, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 28, 2018, to three years’ imprisonment and to serve four years on supervised release by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley, for his role in a heroin trafficking conspiracy that operated in Luzerne County during February through November 2014.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Davis previously admitted to transporting Desmond Mercer, the leader of the conspiracy, to numerous heroin transactions and to distributing heroin for Mercer to other customers in Luzerne County. Davis admitted to involvement in the distribution of between 100 and 400 grams of heroin, which is approximately equivalent to between 4,000 and 16,000 retail bags of heroin.
Davis is the last member of the drug ring to be sentenced to prison in the case. Desmond Mercer, the leader of the drug conspiracy, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Shaliek Stroman and Shaquan Murphy, two key associates of Mercer, were each sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for their roles in the conspiracy. The remaining members of the conspiracy received the following prison sentences:
- Antuan Jamison—five years
- Omar Bell—52 months
- Megan Fox—30 months
- Brandy Malinosky—28 months
- Cleveland Linder, Jr—27 months
- Corey Wortham—18 months
- Brianna Rattigan—one year
Davis was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2016, as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Kingston Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Los Angeles Attorney Arrested on Bank Fraud Charge for Allegedly Depositing Stolen Tax Refund Check Worth over $1 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal tax authorities this morning arrested an attorney on bank fraud charges for allegedly depositing a stolen U.S. Treasury check for just over $1 million.
Thaddeus Julian Culpepper, 44, of South Los Angeles, was arrested this morning at his residence without incident by special agents with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Culpepper is named in a criminal complaint filed on September 27 that charges him with one count of bank fraud. The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint alleges that Culpepper deposited 21 stolen tax refund checks worth more than $1.3 million into several attorney client trust accounts.
In relation to one check for more than $1 million that he deposited into one of his client trust accounts, Culpepper allegedly told a bank representative that the payees were clients and had endorsed the check to him. Investigators have determined that Culpepper personally deposited the $1,003,814 check at a Well Fargo Bank branch in Pasadena in August 2017. “The listed payees, however, have confirmed that they never received their tax refund check, and that they do not know Culpepper,” according to the affidavit.
The affidavit outlines 20 other checks that were deposited into client trust accounts that Culpepper opened at Chase Bank and Citibank. Investigators believe that the 21 checks deposited into Culpepper’s client trust accounts were stolen from the U.S. Mail.
Culpepper is expected to make his initial court appearance in this case this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The bank fraud charge alleged in the complaint carries a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
The case against Culpepper is being investigated by TIGTA.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Veronica Dragalin of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
Local Leader of Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to Thirty-One Years for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Co-Conspirators also convicted and sentenced to federal prison
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ciro Macias Martinez, a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in Georgetown, Kentucky, was sentenced on Friday, in the U.S. District Court in Lexington by Judge Danny C. Reeves, to serve 31 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Macias, 32, had previously pleaded guilty to both offenses.
In August 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration in Lexington began its investigation of Macias, and multiple other individuals, for their roles in a sophisticated drug trafficking and money laundering organization operating in Central Kentucky, which was tied to Mexican drug cartels. Macias was the local head of the organization, responsible for distributing kilogram quantities of numerous drugs, including a very pure form of methamphetamine – commonly referred to as “ice” – cocaine, and heroin. The extensive investigation established that, in addition to distributing kilograms of the drugs, Macias was also responsible for collecting the proceeds and returning the money back to Mexico, to the larger drug trafficking organization. Macias admitted in his plea agreement that the organization used contract couriers to pick up large sums of bulk cash that constituted the drug proceeds, supporting larger criminal organization’s ongoing drug trafficking activities. During the investigation, DEA, in conjunction with the Lexington Police Department and the Kentucky State Police, seized and forfeited approximately $1.2 million.
Macias and the larger criminal organization also laundered money through the banking system, by making deposits at multiple banks in increments less than $10,000 per transaction, commonly referred to as “structuring deposits,” attempting to avoid certain federal and state bank reporting requirements. Several other individuals pleaded guilty to their roles in the money laundering, which involved banks in Tennessee and North Carolina and deposits totaling $100,000 or more on each trip. Arlenne Sosa, 23, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in federal prison; Laura Ortiz, 23, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years; and Smirna Ortiz, 21, was convicted at trial, in July 2018, and will be sentenced on November 2, 2018. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The defendants must serve 85% of their respective prison sentences; and upon their release, they will each be under supervision by federal probation officers for additional terms. Macias, after serving his sentence, will face deportation to Mexico.
“Ciro Macias Martinez led a large scale drug trafficking and money laundering cell operating in central Kentucky, and the sentence imposed by the court underscores the severity of his criminal conduct,” stated Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Macias and his co-conspirators were responsible for distributing significant quantities of dangerous drugs, making millions of dollars, and engaging in a sophisticated money laundering scheme to use those ill-gotten proceeds to further their criminal enterprise. I commend the efforts of the law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, and thank the agents, officers, and prosecutors for their dedicated service. Without their hard work, Macias and his associates would still be in business and our community less safe.”
United States Attorney Duncan; Darrell Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville; Lawrence Weathers, Chief of Police, Lexington-Fayette County Division of Police; and Richard Sanders, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Todd Bradbury represented the United States in the case.
Lewis County man admits to drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – John David Davisson, of Weston, West Virginia, has admitted to firearms and methamphetamine distribution charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Davisson, age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Carry a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime.” Davisson admitted to possessing a .45-caliber pistol and two 9mm pistols while possessing crystal methamphetamine, also known as ice, in October 2017 in Lewis County.
Davisson faces up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for firearms count and faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the methamphetamine count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
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.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Leader of Darknet ItalianMafiaBrussels Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 11 Years’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
DENVER – U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer announced that on September 26, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced Filip Lucian Simion, age 25, to 132 months (11 years) imprisonment for conspiracy to import controlled substances and launder money. Judge Jackson also ordered a personal money judgment against Simion in the amount of $850,000.00.
On May 3, 2016, in a joint U.S./European enforcement action, law enforcement dismantled the ItalianMafiaBrussels Drug Trafficking Organization, arresting ten defendants during early morning raids in Bruges, Belgium and surrounding areas. Filip Lucian Simion and Leonardo Cristea were arrested simultaneously in Bucharest, Romania, and extradited to the District of Colorado in July and October of 2016, respectively.
The nine-count indictment underlying the extraditions charged Filip Lucian Simion, Leonardo Cristea, and others with conspiracies to distribute and import into the United States controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 963. The defendants were also charged with substantive counts of importation of controlled substances and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 952(a), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. In addition, Filip Lucian Simion was charged in several counts of distribution of controlled substances by means of the Internet, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(h)(1)(A) and conspiracy to launder money, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h).
The leader of the organization, Filip Lucian Simion, plead guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to import into the United States controlled substances, and one count of conspiracy to launder money.
The evidence from the investigation revealed that from January 2013, through May 3, 2016, members of the conspiracy imported kilogram quantities of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a Schedule I controlled substance commonly known as Ecstasy) into the United States via the mail from various countries in Europe. The transnational organization operated online as the Darknet vendor “ItalianMafiaBrussels” or “IMB” and used encrypted email and TOR-based online black markets, such as the now defunct Silk Road and Silk Road 2.0, to sell the MDMA, primarily to United States and Canadian customers. The organization accepted payment for the drugs in the cryptocurrency bitcoin. In 2014 and 2015, several defendants were charged and convicted in the District of Colorado for distribution of MDMA sourced by the organization.
“Let there be no mistake. As the internet has grown, so has the long arm of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. “If you’re harming people in Colorado, no distance is a safe distance. We will find you, we will bring you here, and we will send you to federal prison.”
“The Darknet is a rapidly evolving network that enhances the ability of transnational criminal organizations to move illicit goods worldwide. The anonymity it provides, coupled with the use of cryptocurrencies to launder proceeds made this a complicated investigation. Our special agents were able to call on their expertise, as well as HSI’s broad investigative mandate, to contribute to shutting down the ItalianMafiaBrussels Drug Trafficking Organization. Colorado is safer now that this group will no longer be able to bring illegal narcotics to its cities,” said HSI Denver SAC Steve Cagen.
“This case highlights the broad reach of the law enforcement community when we bring together state, federal and international partners to dismantle worldwide criminal organizations. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service would like to commend all those who came together to bring down one of the world’s largest distributors of illicit drugs,” said Kevin Rho, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This case sends a clear message that criminals who use the U.S. mail to send illegal narcotics to American citizens are not safe hiding behind cryptocurrency transactions and foreign borders. Postal Inspectors are steadfast in their commitment to protecting the American public, and USPS employees, from the hazards of drugs in the mail,” said Rho.
"This sentence sends a strong message to dark Web merchants of illegal goods that law enforcement is coming for them," said Steven Osborne, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation.
This case was investigated by the Denver Illicit Digital Economy Working Group, comprised of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, in partnership with the Romanian Central Anti-Narcotics Unit in Bucharest, Romania, and the Belgian Federal Judicial Police, East Flanders Drug Unit in Dendermonde, Belgium. Other United States and international agencies assisting the working group in this investigation included: the Boulder County Drug Task Force, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection offices nationwide, the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, Europol, and Eurojust.
The case was prosecuted by Michele R. Korver, Digital Currency Counsel at the DOJ Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Unit, on detail from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Colorado.
Lake County Man Sentenced to Nine years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A Tiptonville man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, Christopher Chadwick, 41, used his cellular phone to look for websites containing child pornography. Chadwick admitted being responsible for downloading images from those sites including pictures depicting prepubescent girls. Some of the images contained girls as young as 3 or 4 years old.
During the course of the investigation, Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at Chadwick’s home in Tiptonville and located 895 images containing files depicting minor females engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, 15 videos depicting similar acts were found.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "Possession of child pornography is a disturbing crime that endangers and harms real child victims. Under our Project Safe Childhood initiative, we work with the FBI to investigate and federally prosecute computer and internet crimes against children, including possession and distribution of child pornography. We will always seek significant and mandatory minimum sentences for such despicable and predatory behavior, and this successful prosecution has incapacitated a real threat to our children and our community in West Tennessee."
On September 28, 2018, U.S. District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Chadwick to 108 months imprisonment; 5 years supervised release and a $5,000 special assessment as required under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Upon his release, Chadwick will be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force along with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Eskridge prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Justice Department is awarding almost $320 million, including nearly $7 million in West Virginia, to combat opioid crisisRead the Press Release
WHEELING – On the first day of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell is applauding the Justice Department’s announcement of more than $6 million in grant funding to West Virginia to combat the opioid crisis.
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.
"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."
“We know that we can’t arrest our way out of this epidemic. It is crucial that every facet of the community be an active part of the fight. The various grants awarded will assist with treatment, prevention, enforcement, and research, all important tools in addressing the crisis” said Powell.
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. Of the 72,000, 1,011 lives were lost in West Virginia in 2017. 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 has 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 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).
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 the grant funding can be found here.• Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million). Help prosecutors develop strategies to address violent crime caused by illegal opioid distribution and abuse.
• Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program ($162 Million). Help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims, including training and technical assistance. o West Virginia Division of Justice and Community Services - $1,300,000 o West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources - $920,308
• Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($5.9 Million). Address the treatment needs of people using opioids under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
• Helping Children and Youth Impacted by Opioids ($46.6 Million). Help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis, including training and technical assistance. o Child Protect of Mercer County, Inc. - $750,000 o Legal Aid of West Virginia - $549,726 o Marshall University Research Corporation - $750,000 o Monongalia County Child Advocacy Center, Inc. - $313,078
• Drug Courts ($81.2 Million). Assist adult, juvenile, and family drug courts and veterans treatment courts, including training and technical assistance
• Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 Million). Address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis.
• Opioid-Related Research for Criminal Justice Purposes ($4.1 Million). Development of new tools to enforce the law, ensure public safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice. o West Virginia University Research Corporation - $1,354,365OJP 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.
Justice Department is Awarding Almost $320 Million to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On the first day of 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.
"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."
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 has 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 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).
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 the grant funding can be found here.
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million)
- Help prosecutors develop strategies to address violent crime caused by illegal opioid distribution and abuse
- Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program ($162 Million)
- Help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims, including training and technical assistance
- Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($5.9 Million)
- Address the treatment needs of people using opioids under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
- Helping Children and Youth Impacted by Opioids ($46.6 Million)
- Help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis, including training and technical assistance
- Drug Courts ($81.2 Million)
- Assist adult, juvenile, and family drug courts and veterans treatment courts, including training and technical assistance
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 Million)
- Address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis
- Opioid-Related Research for Criminal Justice Purposes ($4.1 Million)
- Development of new tools to enforce the law, ensure public safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice
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.
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- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million)
Justice Department is Awarding Almost $320 Million to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
On the first day of 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.
"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."
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 has 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 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).
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 the grant funding can be found here.
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million)
- Help prosecutors develop strategies to address violent crime caused by illegal opioid distribution and abuse
- Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program ($162 Million)
- Help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims, including training and technical assistance
- Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($5.9 Million)
- Address the treatment needs of people using opioids under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
- Helping Children and Youth Impacted by Opioids ($46.6 Million)
- Help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis, including training and technical assistance
- Drug Courts ($81.2 Million)
- Assist adult, juvenile, and family drug courts and veterans treatment courts, including training and technical assistance
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 Million)
- Address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis
- Opioid-Related Research for Criminal Justice Purposes ($4.1 Million)
- Development of new tools to enforce the law, ensure public safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice
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.
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million)
Justice Department awards $1.8 million to support data sharing, drug courts and other programs in Cuyahoga and Lucas CountyRead the Press Release
On the first day of 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.
Included in the grants are more than $1.8 million to support programs in Cuyahoga and Lucas County, as well as nearly $2.9 million for statewide programming in Ohio.
"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."
“This money will help us do a better job sharing and analyzing data, as well as helping support drug courts and treatment,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “By attacking this epidemic from all fronts – aggressive law enforcement, education and prevention, changing prescribing practices and supporting treatment for those ready to make a change – we will make progress.”
Among the grants with ties to Northern Ohio:
$932,233 to the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County. This money will be used to help improve, coordinate and analyze data sharing among law enforcement, social service providers, healthcare institutions and other stakeholders.
$500,000 to the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas. This money will be used to support drug court programs in Lucas County.
$400,000 to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. This money will be used to help facilitate collaboration among criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse treatment systems in Cuyahoga County.
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 has 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 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).
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 the grant funding can be found here.
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million). Help prosecutors develop strategies to address violent crime caused by illegal opioid distribution and abuse.
- Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program ($162 Million). Help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims, including training and technical assistance.
- Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($5.9 Million). Address the treatment needs of people using opioids under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
- Helping Children and Youth Impacted by Opioids ($46.6 Million). Help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis, including training and technical assistance.
- Drug Courts ($81.2 Million). Assist adult, juvenile, and family drug courts and veterans treatment courts, including training and technical assistance
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 Million). Address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis.
- Opioid-Related Research for Criminal Justice Purposes ($4.1 Million). Development of new tools to enforce the law, ensure public safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice.
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.
Justice Department Requires UTC to Divest Two Aerospace Businesses to Proceed with Acquisition of Rockwell CollinsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it will require United Technologies Corporation (UTC) to divest two businesses critical to the safe operation of aircraft to proceed with its acquisition of Rockwell Collins. First, UTC will divest Rockwell Collins’s pneumatic ice protection systems business. Pneumatic ice protection systems remove ice from the wing of an aircraft by means of an inflatable rubber de-icing boot. Second, UTC will divest Rockwell Collins’s trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators (THSAs) business. THSAs ensure that an aircraft maintains altitude during flight by adjusting the angle of the horizontal tail surface.
“Today’s remedy ensures that customers continue to benefit from competition in the supply of these two aircraft components that are critical to safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Antitrust Division. “The remedy allows the divestiture buyers to compete vigorously to provide high quality systems and service to customers.”
The Department’s Antitrust Division today filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to enjoin the proposed acquisition, along with a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive concerns alleged in the lawsuit.
The Department said that, without the divestitures, the proposed acquisition would lessen competition substantially in the market for ice protection systems, by combining two of the world’s three suppliers of pneumatic ice protection systems, and in the market for THSAs, by combining two of the world’s leading producers of THSAs.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, UTC must divest Rockwell Collins’s ice protection systems business to an acquirer approved by the United States. UTC also must divest Rockwell Collins’s THSA business to Safran S.A., an established aerospace supplier, or an alternate acquirer approved by the United States.
The Antitrust Division, the European Commission, and the Competition Bureau of Canada cooperated closely throughout the course of their respective investigations.
UTC is incorporated in Delaware and has its headquarters in Farmington, Connecticut. UTC produces a wide range of products for the aerospace industry and other industries. In 2017, UTC had revenues of approximately $59.8 billion.
Rockwell Collins is incorporated in Delaware and is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Rockwell Collins is a major provider of aerospace and defense electronics systems. In 2017, Rockwell Collins had revenues of approximately $6.8 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement during a 60-day comment period to Maribeth Petrizzi, Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 8700, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Justice Department Is Awarding Almost $320 Million to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On the first day of 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.
"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."
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 has 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 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).
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 the grant funding can be found here.
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million)
- Help prosecutors develop strategies to address violent crime caused by illegal opioid distribution and abuse
- Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program ($162 Million)
- Help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims, including training and technical assistance
- Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($5.9 Million)
- Address the treatment needs of people using opioids under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
- Helping Children and Youth Impacted by Opioids ($46.6 Million)
- Help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis, including training and technical assistance
- Drug Courts ($81.2 Million)
- Assist adult, juvenile, and family drug courts and veterans treatment courts, including training and technical assistance
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 Million)
- Address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis
- Opioid-Related Research for Criminal Justice Purposes ($4.1 Million)
- Development of new tools to enforce the law, ensure public safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice
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.
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million)
Justice Department Is Awarding Almost $320 Million to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On the first day of 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.
"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."
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 has 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 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).
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 the grant funding can be found here.
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million). Help prosecutors develop strategies to address violent crime caused by illegal opioid distribution and abuse.
- Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program ($162 Million). Help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims, including training and technical assistance.
- Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($5.9 Million). Address the treatment needs of people using opioids under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
- Helping Children and Youth Impacted by Opioids ($46.6 Million). Help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis, including training and technical assistance.
- Drug Courts ($81.2 Million). Assist adult, juvenile, and family drug courts and veterans treatment courts, including training and technical assistance
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 Million). Address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis.
- Opioid-Related Research for Criminal Justice Purposes ($4.1 Million). Development of new tools to enforce the law, ensure public safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice.
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.
NOTE: The breakdown of grant funding can be found here.
Justice Department Awards Almost $320 Million to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – On the first day of 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.
"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 awards include $5,968,103 for entities in Oklahoma:
- Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs
- $750,000 to strengthen the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
- Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services
- $485,786 for state-wide drug courts
- $889,229 for enhancement of family drug courts
- $600,000 for new family drug courts
- $1,000,000 for research on the effectiveness of family drug courts
- Cleveland County Drug Court
- $250,000 for enhancements to drug courts
- $300,000 for enhancements to veteran treatment courts
- Muscogee Creek Nation
- $943,088 for a comprehensive abuse site-based program
- Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.
- $750,000 for services for children and youth affected by the opioid crisis
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 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 has 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 by charging more than 600 defendants and proposed rules consistent with President Trump's "Safe Prescribing Plan," which requires 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).
The approximately $320 million awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) will be distributed to maximize effectiveness throughout the country. A breakdown of the grant funding can be found here. The general categories of grants are:
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million)
- Help prosecutors develop strategies to address violent crime caused by illegal opioid distribution and abuse
- Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program ($162 Million)
- Help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims, including training and technical assistance
- Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($5.9 Million)
- Address the treatment needs of people using opioids under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
- Helping Children and Youth Impacted by Opioids ($46.6 Million)
- Help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis, including training and technical assistance
- Drug Courts ($81.2 Million)
- Assist adult, juvenile, and family drug courts and veterans treatment courts, including training and technical assistance
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 Million)
- Address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis
- Opioid-Related Research for Criminal Justice Purposes ($4.1 Million)
- Development of new tools to enforce the law, ensure public safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice
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.
- Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs
Justice Department Awards Almost $320 Million to Combat Opioid Crisis, Eastern District of Kentucky to Receive More Than $3,700,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On the first day of 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.
"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."
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 has collected more than 2.7 million pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs since April 2017.
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. 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.” The Department also 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).
The approximately $320 million awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) will be distributed to maximize effectiveness across the country. A breakdown of the grant funding can be found here.
In the Eastern District of Kentucky, the following recipients received grant funding to combat the opioid crisis:
The Lexington Fayette Urban County Government received $500,000 for law enforcement and first responders to respond to overdoses.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services received $543,188 for the Commonwealth’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
The University of Kentucky Research Foundation received $1,000,000 to help local and state agencies leverage information from public health and public safety data and to analyze substance abuse issues and identify potential solutions from public health, treatment, and public safety perspectives.
The Northern Kentucky Legal Aid Society received $666,176 to help expand services for children and youth victimized as a result of the opioid crisis.
The Lexington Leadership Foundation, Inc., received $500,000 to create and provide mentoring services to children impacted by the opioid epidemic.
The Kentucky Administrative Office of the Court received $500,000 to enhance existing drug court programs.
“These grants provide unprecedented funding for those most impacted by the opioid crisis and will assist families and children, law enforcement, and first responders,” said United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. “These grant awards evidence the Department of Justice’s commitment to address this crisis on multiple fronts, and recognize the need to support law enforcement, prevention, and treatment efforts.”
Judge Sentences Somerset County Man to 6 Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A Somerset County resident has been sentenced in federal court in Johnstown to 72 months in prison and 10 years’ supervised release on his conviction of possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Robert G. Landsbach, 37, of Stoystown, Pa..
According to information presented to the court, on October 5, 2016, Landsbach knowingly possessed pictures and videos in individual computer graphic files, which were produced using prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The computer graphic files were shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie L. Haines prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Mr. Brady commended the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Department of Homeland Security - Child Exploitation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police, Somerset, for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Landsbach.
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 better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jossean Manuel Echevarria and Diquan Nashawn Ray Charged with Interstate Transportation of Stolen PropertyRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Jossean Manuel Echevarria, 30 years old, of Hammond, Indiana, and Diquan Dashawn Ray, 23 years old, of Burnham, Illinois were charged on October 1, 2018 by criminal complaint with Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, announced U.S Attorney Kirsch.
According to documents in the case, Echevarria and Ray stole copper wire from Clayhole Woods, a Cook County Forest Preserve in Illinois. They then transported that copper wire across state lines into Indiana. Officers stopped Echevarria and Ray in a vehicle in Hammond, Indiana and found them in possession of the copper wire from the forest preserve.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that a Complaint is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the Judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the FBI GRIT Task Force in conjunction with Hammond Police Department, Lansing (Illinois) Police Department, and Cook County Sheriff’s Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang.
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Joplin Sex Offender Sentenced to 17 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Joplin, Mo., man with a prior sex conviction was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography over the internet.
Delbert C. Feezell, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Feezell to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration, and ordered him to pay $1,000 in restitution to one of his victims.
Feezell, who has prior convictions for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old child and for indecent exposure, pleaded guilty on May 24, 2018.
The investigation began on Nov. 20, 2015, when Feezell uploaded a video of child pornography to YouTube, which was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Feezell uploaded additional images of child pornography to another website on April 7, 2016, after which a search warrant was executed at his residence. Investigators seized a laptop computer that contained 785 video files and five images of child pornography. The depictions include children as young as toddlers being sexually assaulted by adult males. Feezell engaged in his illegal activities using his unwitting neighbor’s internet service.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Jacksonville Repeat Offender Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida– U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Carl L. Lawson (46, Jacksonville) to 16 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for violating the conditions of supervised release that Lawson was serving in connection with a prior federal drug conviction. Due to his prior multiple felony convictions, he qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. Lawson pleaded guilty on July 5, 2018.
According to court documents, in early 2018, Lawson sold cocaine to a confidential informant on three occasions, and in one instance, offered to sell a firearm. On February 22, 2018, federal agents executed search warrants at the two locations in Jacksonville where Lawson had sold the cocaine. At the first location, agents found a loaded pistol and ammunition. At the second location, agents found Lawson (alone), another loaded pistol, a loaded assault-style rifle, and 60 baggies of cocaine. At the time, Lawson had previous felony convictions for sale of cocaine, armed robbery, and distribution of crack cocaine and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Investment Adviser Sentenced to 78 Months’ Imprisonment for Running Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced today that Carl Frederic Sealey was sentenced to 78 months in prison for running a Ponzi scheme and bilking his clients out of more than $1.6 million. United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert, who presided over the proceedings, further ordered the ex-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Standard Industries (GSI) and SEK Industries (SEK) to be taken into custody immediately to begin serving his sentence.
Sealey, 43, of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, claimed that GSI was a multi-national private equity investment firm with more than 500 employees that specialized in investments of at least $50 million, more than $15 billion in managed domestic assets, and another $33 billion offshore. Almost every investor was led to believe that the investments were risk free and that they would receive their money back with 10 percent interest within 90 days. Additionally, Sealey lulled investors by representing to them that their “deal” had been delayed and that they could get their money back quicker if they invested additional money for other “deals” that GSI had underway.
In reality, GSI only had physical offices in Philadelphia and New York City and there were not 500 investment professionals employed by GSI. More importantly, there were never any real estate closings or business takeovers underway by anyone at GSI. When investors wired money to accounts exclusively maintained by Sealey, he stole their money and used the majority of the money received from investors to support an extravagant lifestyle, including a personal driver, hotel accommodations, restaurants, spa services, retail shopping, and other personal expenditures.
“Individuals trust investment advisors with their life savings and their economic well-being,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “This defendant blatantly betrayed that trust by making false promises to investors with the ultimate goal of stealing their money and living the high life with their hard-earned savings. The sentence imposed in this case, and the order requiring the defendant to begin serving his sentence immediately after the hearing, reflect the seriousness of the charges.”
Sealey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in June 2018. In addition to the sentence of 78 months, Sealey was ordered to pay more than $1,508,325 in restitution to the victims of his scheme.
“Carl Sealey invented offices, employees, and business deals that didn’t exist, in order to win investors’ trust,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “When people bought his sales pitch, he promptly sold them out, funding his extravagant lifestyle with their money. The FBI is gratified to help bring to justice the perpetrator of such blatant fraud.”
The investigation was led by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.
Huntsville Man Arrested of Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – Federal agents today arrested the father of a Huntsville second-grader who was accidentally shot after taking a gun to school and showing it to a friend in a restroom at Blossomwood Elementary School in Huntsville, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
ATF arrested LETROY COLE JR., 41, on the federal charge of being a convicted felon in possession of firearm. A federal grand jury returned the indictment against Cole on Sept. 26. The indictment charges that Cole possessed a Kel Tec model P-32 .32-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Sept. 17 in Madison County. He previously was convicted of felony possession of narcotics in circuit court in Cook County, Ill., in 1995, and of possession of a pistol by a felon in Cook County Circuit Court in February 2002, according to the indictment.
“Convicted felons who possess firearms will soon possess bed space in a federal prison,” Town said. “In this case, a federal grand jury returned a federal indictment with that will be presented in federal court and, upon conviction, a federal judge will impose a prison sentence that will not provide the sanctuary of parole.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge, Marcus Watson said. “ATF Crime Gun Intelligence Centers are the driving force to reduce the potential for violent crime and disrupting the shooting cycle that plagues our neighborhoods, to include firearms recovered in the school systems.”
The maximum penalty for federal charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
ATF investigated the case, in partnership with the Huntsville Police Department and the Madison County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Becher Sr. is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Heroin with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possession of heroin with intent to distribute. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, in February 2016, the Organized Crime Unit of the Memphis Police Department initiated an investigation into the illegal drug trafficking of Jerrico Long, 31, a/k/a "Lil Rico." The investigation revealed that Long was selling heroin in various areas of Memphis. In June 2016, detectives on the case orchestrated three controlled drug purchases from Long using a confidential source during which they recovered heroin.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "The U.S. Attorney’s Office has development a district-specific strategy to address the opioid abuse and overdose epidemic by prioritizing cases involving the distribution of heroin. Drug dealers who sell this deadly poison in West Tennessee will be held accountable. We gave ‘Lil Rico’ a big sentence that will remove him from our streets and make Memphis a safer place."
On September 27, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Long to 120 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The Organized Crime Unit of the Memphis Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raney Irwin prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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Hazleton Man Guilty of Fraud and Naturalization OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Lucas Hernandez-Torres, age 47, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with defrauding the United States, and with the unlawful procurement of naturalization. The charges were filed on February 1, 2017, but remained under seal until September 27, 2018.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hernandez-Torres admitted to defrauding the IRS by allowing other conspirators to claim his dependents as their own, thereby incurring federal tax credits and refunds. Hernandez-Torres received kickbacks in return, and also made false claims in his personal tax returns for wages that he had not earned, thus accruing additional tax credits. The offenses occurred for tax years 2010 through 2014. Hernandez-Torres, a Mexican National, also made false statements on a naturalization application.
Hernandez-Torres pleaded guilty to the charges on April 25, 2017, before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, and is awaiting sentencing.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious charge is up to 10 years of imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Hartshorne Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Paul Dean Cantrell, age 57, of Hartshorne, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 28, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the District 18 Narcotics Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Wilson represented the United States.
Guyanese Woman Admits Illegal Re-entry into United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Indrawattie Sookram, age 40, and a citizen of Guyana, pled guilty today to illegal re-entry into the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Sookram was arrested in the U.S. Virgin Islands in February 1999. In August 1999, she was convicted in the United States District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands for using a false passport, false visa and false identity to enter the United States. She was removed from the United States to Guyana on September 3, 1999, after serving six months in jail.
On May 17, 2018, she was arrested by an HSI Agent in Schenectady, New York. A fingerprint check of Sookram resulted in the discovery of the prior conviction and removal under the name Maryan Husain. Sookram admitted that in 2000, following her removal to Guyana, she returned to the United States without permission.
Sookram faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when she is sentenced by Senior United States Judge Fredrick J. Scullin, Jr. on May 20, 2019. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by HSI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Groveton Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Robert McLain, 26, of Groveton, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a fentanyl drug trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, as a result of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned that on March 1, 2018, McLain intended to travel from New Hampshire to a location in Lawrence, Massachusetts to purchase 250 grams of a controlled substance. Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction and observed a known drug trafficker get in the back seat of the car; and after a few minutes, get out again. The vehicle left Massachusetts and agents followed it directly to New Hampshire.
The agents informed a New Hampshire State Trooper patrolling Interstate Route 93 about their surveillance observations. The trooper stopped the vehicle for traffic violations and identified the driver and McLain as the passenger. McLain subsequently admitted to purchasing one gram of fentanyl which he claimed he swallowed. The owner of the vehicle consented to a search of her car and signed a consent to search form. The troopers found a hidden compartment in the vehicle that contained approximately 240 grams of fentanyl. McLain admitted that he purchased fentanyl in Lawrence and resold the fentanyl in New Hampshire. Over the course of the investigation, McLain ordered approximately 560 grams of fentanyl. McLain also admitted that he traded fentanyl in exchange for a firearm.
McLain directed officers to approximately $11,000 of admitted drug proceeds, and firearms. Officers seized four handguns, a rifle, and ammunition from McLain’s residence. They also seized soda cans that were manufactured with a hidden compartment to conceal narcotics.
McLain will be sentenced on January 15, 2019.
“It is absolutely critical that we stop the flow of fentanyl into New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Often, New Hampshire State Troopers must perform the dangerous duty of confronting drug traffickers on our highways. I am grateful for their dedicated service, as well as the tireless efforts of all of our law enforcement partners who contributed to success in this case.”
The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and
Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe and Debra M. Walsh.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Gardiner Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and CrackRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Heather Downs, 31, of Gardiner, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Downs conspired with others to acquire heroin and crack in Rochester, New York and transport it to Central Maine for distribution. The defendant assisted Rochester dealers in distributing the narcotics in Central Maine. She provided transportation, facilitated drug deals, introduced Rochester conspirators to area distributors, and assisted other conspirators in finding residences from which to sell drugs. She also dropped off drugs and picked up proceeds from various sale points in Central Maine.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and between three years and life on supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Four Charged in Federal RICO Conspiracy Indictment involving Gang-related Murder and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
Roanoke, VIRGINIA – Federal, state and local authorities announced this afternoon the first major federal prosecution of organized gang activity in Roanoke as part of the newly reinvigorated Project Safe Neighborhoods violent crime reduction initiative. The indictment charges four suspected gang members of the “Rollin 30s” gang in Roanoke with crimes including racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder. Two of the defendants were charged with murder in aid of racketeering and related firearms offenses. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen, Roanoke City Police Chief Timothy Jones, and John Lenkart, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement.
“This indictment is the first step in what will be a coordinated and sustained assault on gang-related violence in the City of Roanoke,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated. “I am grateful for the FBI’s leadership, as well as the cooperation and dedication of our other federal, state, and local law-enforcement partners. Reducing violent crime is my top priority as U.S. Attorney, and we are all committed to working together to achieve this goal.”
“A little over three months ago U.S. Attorney Cullen and I stood with our fellow law enforcement partners in Danville, Virginia announcing indictments for over a dozen violent criminals related to gang activity; we stand here today in Roanoke making a similar announcement. I said then, “We are not finished” and today’s indictments reflect our continued effort to make communities in the Commonwealth safer,” Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division said today. “Our Central Virginia Violent Crimes Task Force will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to address this criminal plague that lingers in the corners of your neighborhoods; and encourage concerned citizens to report criminal activity to law enforcement.”
On September 25, 2018, a federal grand jury seated in U.S. District Court in Roanoke returned an indictment, under seal, charging four individuals. Those indictments were unsealed today.
The grand jury has charged the following:
- Sean Denzel Guerrant, a.k.a. “Denk” “Dink” and “Harlem Denk,” age 27, of Roanoke, with one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
- Demonte Rashod Mack, a.k.a. “Murda,” age 29, of Roanoke, with one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, one count of using a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.
- Trayvone Raycron Kasey, a.k.a. “30,” age 19, of Roanoke, with one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, one count of using a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.
- Chauncey Dion Levesey, a.k.a. “Cee Guzman,” age 24, of Roanoke, with one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
The Rollin’ 30s Crips, also known as the Rollin’ 30s or “Dirt Gang” is a national street gang founded in the greater Los Angeles, California area with smaller sets in other cities throughout the United States, including Roanoke, Virginia. The Roanoke set of the Rollin’ 30s operated primarily in northwest Roanoke, centered in and around the Lansdowne neighborhood.
According to the indictment, beginning no later than April 22, 2017, Guerrant, Mack, Kasey, and Levesy, together with others known and unknown to the grand jury, conspired to conduct a pattern of racketeering activity including multiple threats and acts involving violent crime.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that between on or about June 14, 2017, and June 15, 2017, Guerrant, Mack, Kasey, and Levesy conspired to murder “Victim D.F.” The indictment further claims that Mack, Kasey and Levesy murdered “Victim N.L.” at the direction of Guerrant.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Roanoke City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The investigation was a coordinated effort involving law enforcement assets from the Virginia State Police, Roanoke County Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant United States Attorneys Grayson A. Hoffman and Matthew M. Miller are prosecuting the case for the United States.
A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program designed to bring 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 each community’s most violent criminals. Attorney General Sessions directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the local civilian community, to develop effective, targeted strategies to reduce violent crime. This case is a product of that collaborative effort.
Founder and CEO of Charlotte Area Start-Up Company Sentenced to 10 Years for Defrauding Victims of More Than $25 MillionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina announced that U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. sentenced Robert M. Boston, 54, of Hickory, N.C., to 120 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release for his role in defrauding victims of more than $25 million. A federal jury convicted Boston on all counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering following a five-day trial in December 2017. Judge Conrad also sentenced Boston’s co-defendant, Robert S. LaBarge, to 2 years in prison and 2 years of supervised release. Judge Conrad further ordered that Boston is liable for more than $27,366,733.59 million in restitution to victims, and ordered him to forfeit his interest in several properties.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and evidence presented at trial, Boston and LaBarge defrauded franchisees, investors, and lenders of their start-up company, Zloop. Through their fraud, the defendants obtained millions of dollars, much of which was spent on expensive personal real estate, a private plane, and the racing career of Boston’s son. Evidence at trial indicated that Boston caused Zloop to spend more money on his son’s racing career than the entire operational revenue of the company before it went bankrupt. According to evidence presented at trial, while inquiring about the potential purchase of a private island, Boston wrote, “My son is a NASCAR driver. I spend 5 Million a year so he can play race car driver.”
According to previously filed court documents, trial evidence and witness testimony, Boston and LaBarge founded Zloop, an electronic waste recycling firm, in 2012 and began marketing Zloop franchises the same year. Court records show that Boston concealed crucial information from franchisees, including that Boston’s former company had filed bankruptcy, that Boston had filed personal bankruptcy, that Boston had a judgment against him for fraud, and that Boston had been held liable in an action alleging that he had knowingly submitted false financial documentation to a bank to obtain a $2.9 million line of credit. When Boston was warned that, according to the company’s attorney, concealing this information from the franchisees of Zloop would be fraud, he wrote, “it is my decision how I want to move forward.”
Beginning on or about December 2012, Boston and LaBarge caused Zloop to raise money through the sale of equity. To sell equity in the company, Boston and LaBarge caused a misleading private placement memo (“PPM”) to be sent to investors who invested millions in Zloop. Evidence at trial demonstrated that the PPM contained material half-truths and omissions, including the omission of the litigation and bankruptcy history of Boston, that Zloop was planning to use the investors’ money to pay off a $4 million debt that it owed to a prior lender, and that Boston and LaBarge had already caused Zloop to spend more than $1.5 million on their personal real estate. Evidence at trial also indicated that the books and records of Zloop had been falsified to conceal the personal real estate expenses.
Evidence at trial also demonstrated that Boston promised investors that their money would be held until the offering closed, but he instead spent their money on the same day that much of it came in. When Zloop investors sought the return of their money in or about the middle of 2013, Zloop sought a loan from an individual identified as Victim 1. To do so, Boston repeatedly falsified emails to make the company look more attractive to Victim 1.
According to trial evidence, Boston induced Victim 1 to secure a $14 million line of credit from a bank. After Boston and LaBarge caused Zloop to draw approximately $3.5 million from that line of credit, they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on, among other things, a private plane, a new Corvette, and a new Grand Cherokee. Zloop subsequently drew an additional $1.3 million from the credit card line, of which more than $500,000 was spent on racing-related expenditures and approximately $79,808 on a suite at a professional football stadium.
LaBarge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on November 2, 2017.
During the sentencings, Judge Conrad commented that Boston engaged in a “pattern and practice of deception over a long period of time involving a variety of financial instruments to take other peoples’ money and to use it for himself,” and that he was “motivated by greed and to promote a lavish lifestyle on the backs of others, all of whom deserved honest representations.” Boston’s “substantial” sentence, according to the Court, was necessary to deter others who may be tempted by greed. Judge Conrad also noted that although LaBarge “raised concerns” about Boston’s conduct, he squelched them, and said that LaBarge’s actions constituted a “velleity:” a desire not amounting to action.
The FBI led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor J. Phillips and Daniel Ryan, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, are in charge of the prosecution.
Fort Thompson Man Charged with Felon in PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Micah Brown, age 26, was indicted on September 11, 2018. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 20, 2018, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on July 1, 2018, Brown, who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess and receive a firearm, which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The charge is merely an accusation and Brown is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Morley is prosecuting the case.
Brown was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Former Treasurer of the Crow Creek District Business Committee Appeared in Federal Court on Embezzlement ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a former treasurer of the Crow Creek District Business Committee appeared in federal court on September 27, 2018, in Pierre, South Dakota, and entered a guilty plea. Lana Steele, former treasurer of the Crow Creek District Business Committee, was charged with Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.
Lana Steele, age 52, of Chamberlain, South Dakota, appeared yesterday in federal court on the superseding information charging her with one count of embezzlement. The maximum term of imprisonment upon conviction is up to 1 year in federal prison, a $100,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and a special assessment of $25 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
According to Steele’s plea agreement, between November 2013 and November 2015, she willfully and knowingly embezzled, misapplied, and converted to her own use monies, funds, credits, goods, assets, and other property belonging to the Crow Creek District Business Committee, an Indian Tribal Organization. Steele pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor and has agreed to pay restitution.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought pursuant to The Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about The Guardians Project, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Former Rite Aid Vice President Pleads Guilty in $5.7 Million Vendor Kick-Back SchemeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James W. Pilsner, age 60, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, former Vice President of Rite Aid, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Judge John E. Jones, III, to vendor kick-back and tax evasion charges.
According to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed, Pilsner was charged in a criminal information filed on September 20, 2018, with one count of wire fraud and one count of federal income tax evasion. Pilsner, a former Vice President for Advertising for Rite Aid, engaged in a kick-back scheme with Larry Nuckols and Vance Taylor, the owners of Nuvision, Inc., an Atlanta, Georgia based company, between 1995 and August of 2017.
Pilsner entered into an agreement with Nuckols and Taylor whereby Pilsner would approve Nuvision’s invoices, some of which were false and inflated, for payment. In exchange, Nuckols and Taylor would “kick-back” a significant portion of Rite Aid’s payments to Pilsner.
Between 2001 and August of 2017, Rite Aid paid Nuvision approximately $45.3 million dollars. Pilsner allegedly received no less than $5,124,862 in kick-backs over that time period, with another $634,300 paid to other Rite Aid employees designated by Pilsner.
The criminal information also charged Pilsner with Income Tax Evasion for tax year 2013. In March of 2014, Pilsner filed an income tax return with the IRS that did not report his receipt of $411,500 in kick-back money during 2013, thereby avoiding approximately $157,648, in federal income taxes. The information also seeks the forfeiture of Pilsner’s interests in $5,743,162 and his Harrisburg residence.
Today Pilsner paid $300,000 towards his tax restitution obligation for the period 2013-2017 of approximately $592,000, and agreed to pay the balance at sentencing.
Nuckols’ initial appearance/arraignment and guilty plea is scheduled for November 20, 2018. Taylor was indicted on 40 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering on September 19, 2018, and is awaiting his initial appearance/arraignment on the charges.
The case is being investigated by the Harrisburg offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kim Douglas Daniel is prosecuting the case.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty for Unlawful Monetary Transactions is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty for Income Tax Evasion is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Former Miami-Dade County Resident Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Attempted International Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
On September 28, 2018, a former Miami-Dade County resident was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for attempted international narcotics trafficking.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office; Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Office; and Scott Israel, Sheriff, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), made the announcement.
Richard Senese, 39, formerly of Hialeah, previously pled guilty to attempting to import cocaine into the United States. U.S. District Court Judge Beth Bloom sentenced Senese to 151 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the court docket, including the agreed upon factual proffer, on March 18, 2018, Senese attempted to smuggle 95 kilograms of cocaine, by boat, from the Bahamas. Senese concealed the narcotics in the fuel tank of his vessel. As Senese was traveling from the Bahamas to the United States, as the sole occupant of his vessel, the boat became disabled. Air Marine units from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted Senese approximately 10 nautical miles east of Port Everglades and conducted an in-bound customs border search of the vessel.
Agents spoke with Senese, who claimed that he was returning from an overnight stay in the Bahamas. However, Senese could not remember the name of the hotel where he stayed. He also was unable to produce any documentation related to his stay or show that he had cleared Bahamian Customs. Senese claimed that during his trip he fished offshore of Bimini in the area of Great Isaac Light. Fish were present on board the vessel. During other portions of the interview, Senese provided evasive and inconsistent answers. As a result, agents referred the vessel to Port Everglades for a dockside secondary inspection.
Upon arrival at Port Everglades, Customs and Border Protection agents and members of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office conducted a secondary inspection of the vessel. During the inspection, a narcotics detection canine alerted to the odor of drugs. Law enforcement also noticed the fasteners holding the deck cover were loose and showed signs of recent tampering. Members of law enforcement removed the deck cover over the fuel tank area in the cockpit and discovered packages containing 95 kilograms of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI, DEA, and BSO in this matter. Mrs. Fajardo Orshan thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the agency’s assistance. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto.Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Former City of Wheeling employee admits to wire fraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Teresa D. Hudrlik, of Valley Grove, West Virginia, has admitted to committing wire fraud while employed by the City of Wheeling, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hudrlik, age 48, pled guilty to one count of “Wire Fraud.” Hudrlik was the Human Resources Director for the City of Wheeling from April 2016 to March 2018. During her tenure with the City of Wheeling, she admitted to using a city-issued purchasing card to make personal purchases, without authorization. Hudrlik also admitted to altering receipts and documentation to disguise said purchases, giving herself payroll bonuses without authorization, and causing unauthorized payroll payments in the names of other city employees to be deposited into personal banking accounts Hudrlik controlled. The crimes occurred from June 2016 to March 2018 in Ohio County.
“We count on our public employees to operate as hardworking and honest public servants. The vast majority meet or exceed those expectations. Those who violate the sacred public trust must be discovered and prosecuted in accordance with the rule of law. This defendant will now be punished for her conduct. The City of Wheeling is to be commended for their cooperation in this matter,” said Powell.
The government is seeking a money judgement in the amount of $50,000. As a part of the plea agreement, Hudrlik has agreed to pay restitution to the City of Wheeling in the amount of $80,000.
“The City of Wheeling fully cooperated with the State Auditor, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to identify the matters raised in the Information and to hold this person accountable for orchestrating a very complex scheme. The discrepancies and concerns were found at one of the earliest possible junctures in the process of a routine audit. This was an administrator in a position of trust and the mechanics of the actions involved with these matters was quite sophisticated and not easily detectable. The immediate actions the City has taken to review policies and institute procedural safeguards regarding fiscal controls underscores the City’s commitment to protect taxpayer dollars and seek to assure the public that such activity was isolated to this particular employee. The City is aggressively pursuing full restitution of any fraudulent activity with regard to this matter. The City refers any additional questions to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for The Northern District of West Virginia,” said Robert Herron, City Manager, the City of Wheeling
Hudrlik faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange Announces Progress in Making Our Communities Safer Through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
ARIZONA - 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, we have 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.”
“Our goal is to make every community in Arizona a safer place to live and work,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “From experience, we have learned that sustained success in combatting violent crime requires a comprehensive approach. Our Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a collaborative partnership with federal, tribal, and local law enforcement focused on reducing gun violence and committed to sustaining the success we have seen over the past year.”
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
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona (USAAZ) has developed partnerships with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal law enforcement, and State prosecutors, to ensure our efforts are focused against the most violent offenders.
- A partnership of Federal and local law enforcement agencies in the Phoenix metropolitan area reduced gun violence during the past year through the formation of the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) and expanded reach of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). The CGIC was created through a partnership between the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). USAAZ also partnered with ATF to expand the reach of NIBIN. The CGIC helps gather ballistic evidence from firearms crime scenes and enter shell casings into NIBIN within 72 hours of obtaining the evidence. The CGIC then provides investigative leads to detectives to help reduce violent crimes based on NIBIN matches.
- The CGIC program’s value in coordinating seemingly unrelated investigations by multiple agencies was dramatically demonstrated in the Dwight Jones serial shooter investigation, which involved extensive cooperation between local police and their Federal partners. Between May 31, 2018 and June 3, 2018, Dwight Jones killed six people in the greater Phoenix area. As soon as law enforcement realized the shootings were related, PPD, ATF, Scottsdale Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) worked together round-the-clock to determine the identity of the shooter. Through the collaborative use of CGIC, NIBIN, and DNA evidence, law enforcement officers were able to identify Jones as the primary suspect. On June 4, 2018, as police moved in to arrest Jones, he shot and killed himself. CGIC was instrumental in connecting and solving six murders, and prevented Dwight Jones from inflicting more violence on the community.
Community Partnerships
- USAAZ is part of the Governor’s Recidivism Reduction coalition, which is responsible for creating a statewide recidivism reduction plan. The Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) received over $1 million in Department of Justice grants to implement a statewide recidivism reduction plan, and USAAZ is working with several ADC representatives to support the implementation of this statewide plan.
- USAAZ has partnered with various local, state, tribal, federal and non-government agencies to support statewide prevention, outreach, and reentry initiatives. USAAZ has facilitated several reentry simulations, which provide an opportunity for participants to assume the role of an ex-offender recently released from prison. The simulation suggests that, ultimately, the ability to navigate "the system" may be a primary factor in the relationship between resiliency and recidivism.
- USAAZ has worked with federal law enforcement to coordinate panels for local high schools and coordinated federal courthouse tours for the local law enforcement Explorers Program. The panels and tours educate students about federal law enforcement careers and the federal court system.
Improvements to Community Safety
- The FBI’s official crime data for 2017 reflects that after two consecutive years of historic increases in violent crime, the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline in the first year of the Trump Administration. 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.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-125_PSN
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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.
FBI Impersonator Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Troy Graham, 35, of Louisiana, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 229 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for extortion, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ("ATF"). He was also ordered to pay $12,275 in restitution and a $10,000 fine.
Beginning in January 2017, Graham impersonated a federal agent and demanded drugs and money from a Kiln, Mississippi, marijuana dealer by threatening the dealer with false arrest warrants and imprisonment. Graham required the Kiln victim deliver money, marijuana, guns and other items as "forfeiture" to New Orleans to avoid arrest. Graham also forced the local dealer into contacting his source of supply in California and obtained $72,000 of marijuana. When the California dealer arrived in Hancock County to collect his money, Graham held the dealer at gunpoint demanding money and to know his source of supply. The extortion and robberies were reported to the ATF, who set up a sting operation. While Graham pressed the local dealer for more sources and what he called "forfeiture," ATF posed as a marijuana source from Colorado. ATF arrested Graham in a D’Iberville parking lot when he showed up with a loaded gun to rob the alleged Colorado dealer.
On March 16, 2018, Graham entered guilty pleas to extortion, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Essex Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child to Produce Child Pornography and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Roy David Evans, Jr., age 34, of Essex, Maryland, today to 17 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor to produce child pornography, possession of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography. Judge Xinis also ordered that upon his release from prison, Evans is required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.
“Roy Evans took advantage of anonymous Internet messaging services to encourage minors to send him sexually explicit images of themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This lengthy sentence should send a powerful message that sexual exploitation of children to produce child pornography will not be tolerated in Maryland.”
“With ever increasing access to communication platforms, we must continue to stay a step ahead of those who exploit technology to facilitate the worst crimes in modern society,” said Cardell T. Morant, Acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI Baltimore. “Today’s announcement serves as a significant marker in our fight against these heinous criminals, and I proudly commend the investigators bringing such criminals to justice.”
According to Evans’ plea agreement and evidence presented at today’s sentencing hearing, Evans posted advertisements on Craigslist for “young models” and encouraged girls to contact him via e-mail or via Kik, a social messaging application where users can text, livestream, and send digital images and videos to one another. Evans admitted that he enticed and coerced three minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce images of that conduct. Evans received sexually explicit images and videos of the victims via Kik. Evans sent at least three of those images and videos to himself through the Internet. Evans further admitted that he traveled to Montgomery County, Maryland in order to engage in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old victim. Evans admitted that he solicited at least two other minors to create and send sexually explicit images and videos of themselves after they had responded to his advertisements.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI Baltimore and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly O'Connell Hayes and Timothy Hagan, who prosecuted the federal case.
Erie Man Sentenced to Prison, Ordered to Pay Restitution for Food Stamp Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 15 months in jail and ordered to make $225,000 in restitution on his conviction of conspiracy to defraud the United States, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Jibul R. Jibul, 30.
According to information presented to the court, Jibul and two-defendants were all engaged in food stamp fraud primarily involving exchanging food stamps for cash. Jibul and his co-defendants also used the food stamp terminals at locations where they were not authorized.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, the Erie Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jibul.
Erie Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Selling Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 26 months in federal prison on his conviction of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Paris Xavier Boyd, 29.
According to information presented to the court, the FBI’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets task force conducted an investigation into the drug dealing and violent crime activity of members of a local gang identifying itself as "1800". The court was advised that court authorized intercepts of telephone communications between members of the group and others revealed Boyd selling crack cocaine in the Erie area. The court was advised that Boyd took over the role as the crack cocaine distributor when another member of the group was arrested after shooting at rival gang members in Erie. Boyd pleaded guilty to conspiring with his co-defendants to possess with intent to distribute and distribute the crack cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the EAGLE task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Erie Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Boyd. The Erie County District Attorney’s County Detectives Bureau also assisted in the investigation.
Elon Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison, Elon Woman Sentenced to 5 Years Probation for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving Brunswick CountyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced DEONTE XAVIER BIGELOW, 27, of Elon, North Carolina, to 120 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and sentenced COURTNAE SHANTE WILEY, 28, of Elon, North Carolina, to 5 years of probation.
BIGELOW and WILEY were charged by Indictment with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine (Count One) and possession with intent to distribute five hundred grams or more of cocaine (Count Two).
In 2017, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office received information that BIGELOW had supplied more than twenty kilograms of cocaine to Brunswick County, North Carolina from 2011 to 2016.
On November 7, 2017, officers used a confidential informant to order one kilogram of cocaine from BIGELOW, who said he would deliver it to Brunswick County.
On November 8, 2017, BIGELOW and his girlfriend, COURTNAE WILEY, drove from Elon, North Carolina to Brunswick County, where officers conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle. Officers asked where they were going, and WILEY said they were going to the beach. Officers noted, however, that there was no luggage in the car. A drug canine alerted to the car, indicating that drugs were present. Officers conducted a search of the car and found a kilogram of cocaine--with a street value of more than $30,000--in WILEY’s purse.
This case was brought by the United States Attorney’s Office through partnerships with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Lemmon.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding, was sentenced on September 27, 2018, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Nathaniel Potter, age 23, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.
Potter was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 14, 2017. He pled guilty on June 27, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on September 8, 2017, when Potter and a few other individuals were drinking and Potter became involved in a verbal argument with one of the individuals. The disagreement turned physical and Potter pulled out a knife and stabbed the individual 3 times to his left side.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Potter was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
DuBois Child Pornography Possessor Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A Clearfield County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison and 10 years’ supervised release on his conviction of possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Glenn Bailey, 60, of DuBois, Pa.
According to information presented to the court, on July 25, 2013, Bailey knowingly possessed videos and images as computer graphic files containing images of child pornography, including images which depict prepubescent minors and minors who have not attained twelve years of age, which had been shipped and transported in interstate or foreign commerce by means of a computer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Haines prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Mr. Brady commended the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Department of Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Bailey.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
District of New Jersey Announces Progress in Making Communities Safer Through ‘Project Safe Neighborhoods’Read the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – One year ago, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Jeff 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 re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
In line with the Justice Department’s priority to combat violent crime, the District of New Jersey designated three cities – Newark, Camden and Jersey City – as its Project Safe Neighborhoods target areas. In the one year since the Department announced its relaunching of the PSN program it has already shown measurable progress in the prosecution and deterrence of violent criminals in these communities.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General 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.”
To implement the goals of PSN and combat violent crime in Newark, the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to investigate and prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshal’s Office, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the N.J. State Parole Board, the Union County Jail, the N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, the N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department and the Irvington Police Department.
“The cases described below illustrate just how effective law enforcement can be when federal, state, and local partners all work together and focus their resources on the most serious violent offenders,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. “Our joint efforts are reducing violent crime in the communities most affected by it. Street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood, we are making those areas safer.”
“Our valued partnership with each member of the Violent Crime Initiative strengthens our unwavering commitment to rid our streets of illegal weapons and narcotics throughout the City of Newark,” Newark Department of Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. “We are pleased that the U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions has spearheaded the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, along with U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Craig Carpenito, to ensure that the people of Newark, Jersey City and Camden enjoy safety and the improved quality of life they deserve through this ongoing, targeted reduction of violent crime on our streets.”
According to documents filed in court over the past year, the investigations implemented as part of Newark’s VCI have yielded the following results:
Between March and September 2018, 28 alleged members of a drug trafficking organization that dealt kilogram-quantities of heroin in and around Newark, specifically the area near Hayes Street and 14th Avenue, were charged federally with narcotics and firearms offenses. The organization is composed of members of the Brick City Brims set of the Bloods street gang, many of whom have perpetrated violence against, and been the targets of violence by, rivals in connection with their narcotics trafficking and gang activities. As part of this ongoing investigation, at least six firearms have been seized.
In September 2018, six alleged members of a drug trafficking organization led by Andre Mims were prosecuted federally for distributing heroin throughout Newark, including to customers who traveled from all over New Jersey and even as far as Florida. Two defendants are also charged with firearms offenses. At least an additional 15 defendants tied to the organization are being prosecuted by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. As part of the collaborative efforts by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, two firearms were seized in connection with the investigation.
During the past year, at least 15 additional violent offenders and gang members have been prosecuted as part of Newark’s Violent Crime Initiative, and additional arrests are anticipated. Overall, crime is down 12 percent in Newark since last year, but there has been a far greater decrease in violent crime, with 74 fewer shooting victims and 45 fewer shooting incidents during that time.
Meanwhile, PSN efforts to combat violent crime in Camden have been underway for years through the Camden Collaborative Crime Commission (C4), a federal, state, and local partnership of law enforcement officers, analysts, and prosecutors. C4 partners meet every morning to share intelligence and collaborate to effectively target and reduce violence by focusing prosecutorial efforts on violent and/or substantial drug trafficking organizations. As part of these efforts, there has been a continued emphasis on firearms prosecutions and enforcement actions targeting open-air drug markets in the city. In March 2018, six defendants were charged federally with drug charges and one defendant with firearms charges for their role in the distribution of furanyl fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine in the City of Camden. In addition to the six charged defendants, five additional defendants have pled guilty to their roles in this drug trafficking organization. The dismantling of this drug distribution network is just one example of how the partnerships forged at C4 are yielding tangible results combatting violent crime and drug trafficking in Camden. These efforts have resulted in a significant decrease in violent crime in Camden, with 21 fewer shooting victims and 25 fewer shooting incidents than last year.
Although a Violent Crime Initiative is in its infancy in Jersey City, over the course of the past year, the USAO has prosecuted 19 firearms cases and numerous narcotics trafficking cases in an effort to thwart violence and gang activity in Jersey City. During that time, Jersey City has experienced a 30 percent reduction in shooting victims and 24 percent reduction in shooting incidents over the past year.
Federal efforts to combat violent crime are not just limited to the three designated PSN target areas. Throughout the District of New Jersey, the prosecution of firearms offenses has increased by over 130 percent this year alone. Over the past year, the State of New Jersey has experienced a 23 percent reduction in shooting victims and a 27 percent reduction in shooting incidents.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Killing Man in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alton Rivers, 54, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter for fatally stabbing a man with a screwdriver during a fight in Northwest Washington last summer, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Rivers pled guilty on Sept. 28, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for Dec. 14, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on Friday, July 27, 2018, at about 4:30 p.m., an off-duty officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) observed two men fighting in the middle of the street in the intersection of 14th Street and Perry Place NW. One of the men – later identified as Rivers - was seen holding a weapon, and the other was swinging his fists. The officer confronted both men, announced that he was a police officer, and ordered them to stop fighting. Seconds later, the man who had been swinging his fists fell to the ground, with blood coming from his mouth. Rivers was then ordered repeatedly to drop his weapon, a bloody screwdriver. He finally complied and was arrested.
The second man was identified as Anthony Anderson, 68. All life-saving efforts failed and Mr. Anderson died from two stab wounds to the chest, one of which punctured his chest and aorta. Rivers has been in custody since his arrest.
A witness reported seeing the two men prior to the stabbing, fighting with their firsts. At one point, according to the witness, Mr. Anderson punched Rivers, who fell to the ground. Rivers then got up, this witness stated, and pulled out the screwdriver and stabbed Mr. Anderson.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Baset, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Department of Justice Is Awarding Almost $320 Million to Combat Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores joined with the Department of Justice today in announcing that Oklahoma will receive $4,882,317 in the continued effort to fight the opioid epidemic.
On the first day of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, the Department of Justice announced it is awarding almost $320 million to combat the opioid crisis in America, including the more than $4.8 million awarded in Oklahoma. 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.
The following groups in Oklahoma have been awarded grant funding.
- Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control- $750,000
-prescription drug monitoring programs
- Muscogee (Creek) Nation- $943,08
-public safety, behavior health, and public health information sharing partnerships
- Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.- $750,000
-Programs to help youth impacted by the opioid crisis
- Cleveland County- Adult Drug Court- $250,000
- Cleveland County- Veterans Drug Court- $300,000
- Oklahoma Dept. of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services- $889,229
-Enhancement of Existing Family Drug Courts
- Oklahoma Dept. of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services- $1,000,000
-Family Drug Courts Research and Evaluation Program
"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."
U.S. Attorney Trent Shores stated, “Opioid addiction inflicts tragic, life-altering consequences upon those individuals ensnared by its relentless hold on their lives. It also destroys relationships and harms family bonds. We must keep fighting for those addicted to opioids. And we must - as a community - be relentless in our efforts to help stop this epidemic. Today, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Justice will be administering vital resources to our local, state, and tribal partners in northeastern Oklahoma to aid them in their battle against opioids. One more opioid victim is too many.”
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 has 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 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).
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 the grant funding can be found here.
- Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Opioid Abuse ($2.8 Million)
- Help prosecutors develop strategies to address violent crime caused by illegal opioid distribution and abuse
- Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program ($162 Million)
- Help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims, including training and technical assistance
- Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($5.9 Million)
- Address the treatment needs of people using opioids under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
- Helping Children and Youth Impacted by Opioids ($46.6 Million)
- Help children and youth impacted by the opioid crisis, including training and technical assistance
- Drug Courts ($81.2 Million)
- Assist adult, juvenile, and family drug courts and veterans treatment courts, including training and technical assistance
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 Million)
- Address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis
- Opioid-Related Research for Criminal Justice Purposes ($4.1 Million)
- Development of new tools to enforce the law, ensure public safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice
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.
Defendant in Swatting Case Appears in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Tyler Barriss, 25, Los Angeles, Calif., was arraigned in federal court in Wichita today on a superseding indictment charging him in connection with a Dec. 28, 2017, swatting incident in Wichita, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Barriss, who is being held on state charges in Sedgwick County District Court, including involuntary manslaughter, waived his right to a hearing on whether he could be released while awaiting trial on the federal charges. Trial in the state case is set for Jan. 7. Barriss is accused of making a hoax call to Wichita police. In the resulting confusion, police shot and killed 28-year-old Andrew Finch.
A superseding indictment filed in federal court charges Barriss with making false/hoax reports to emergency services, cyberstalking, making interstate threats, making interstate threats to harm by fire, wire fraud and conspiracy to make false/hoax reports. Also charged in the superseding indictment are co-defendants Casey Viner, 18, North College Hill, Ohio, and Shane Gaskill, 20, Wichita Kan.
Currently, the three defendants are scheduled for trial on the federal charges Nov. 6 before U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren, but the date is likely to change.
The FBI, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Wichita Police Department investigated. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister is prosecuting along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Darien Center Man Charged with Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Alexander Seegar, 29, of Darien Center, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Seegar posed as a 16 or 17 year old boy and sexted 10-12 year old female students in a school in Niagara County. The defendant used the Instagram profile “davidlissachi” to communicate with the girls and ask them for sexually explicit photos. The complaint also states that Seegar was found in possession of numerous photos containing child pornography.
The defendant made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing on October 5, 2018.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Lewiston Police Department, under the direction of Chief Frank Previte.
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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