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4 June 2018
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces “Be Here for Kids” Child Safety Event in TucsonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, is hosting the ‘Be Here for Kids’ event on Friday, June 8, 2018 at the University of Arizona’s Student Recreation Center, located at 1400 E. 6th Street. The event will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) created the ‘Be Here for Kids’ campaign to promote awareness about all child safety issues. The campaign is designed to help parents and others teach children to be aware, alert, and cautious to potential threats and to provide steps that children can take to stay safe, both on the Internet and in daily life.
This year’s event is being presented in partnership with the University of Arizona Youth and Activities Department of Campus Recreation. Agencies participating in the event include, but are not limited to, The Arizona Rangers, Arizona Poison & Drug Information Center, Be Smart Gun Safety, Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, MADD, Pima County Sheriff’s Office, Red Cross, and UMC Banner Child Life Program and Volunteer Resources, along with several local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
There will be several special four legged guests attending this year’s event. McGuff the Crime Dog, ATF’s Kira, Border Patrol’s Beny, and Tucson Police Department’s Luna. A few activities of interest include Ko Sho Martial Training Institute’s interactive self-defense demonstration at 1:30. Beginning at 2:30, Tucson Fire Department will have a wet-down for the children. After the event, there will be a presentation for children and parents to discuss the importance of good online citizenship and protecting yourself from online predators.
For more information on NCMEC, visit www.missingkids.com. For more information about the Be Here for Kids campaign, visit www.missingkids.com/behereforkids. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-075_Be Here for Kids_Tsn
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.
U.S. Attorney's Statement Regarding Additional Prosecutor Position to Fight Violent Crime in Central IllinoisRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – U.S. Attorney John E. Childress issued the following statement upon Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ announcement today that the Department of Justice has allocated additional positions across the country to fight violent crime, including the addition of a prosecutor position in the Central District of Illinois:
“On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I would like to thank the Attorney General for the additional resources dedicated to the protection of the citizens of Central Illinois,” stated U.S. Attorney John Childress. “With the help of our law enforcement partners, we will continue to work together to promote the safety and interests of those citizens.”
U.S. Attorney's Office to add five prosecutors to focus on violent crime, opioids and immigration-related crimeRead the Press Release
On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Northern District of Ohio, three of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, one on civil enforcement, and one on prosecuting immigration crimes.
"These additional prosecutors will allow us to build on the work being done with our police and federal partners to target criminals who use violence and firearms to prey on our neighbors," U.S. Attorney Herdman said. "This will also allow us to continue to find creative solutions to the opioid epidemic, prosecute crimes associated with illegal immigration and to make Northern Ohio a safer place to live and work."
U.S. Attorney's Office in New Hampshire to Receive Two New Assistant U.S. Attorneys to Focus on Violent Crime and Civil EnforcementRead the Press Release
CONCORD – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire Scott W. Murray announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis in New Hampshire.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. The District of New Hampshire will receive two of these attorneys. One will focus of violent crime, while the other will concentrate on civil enforcement of federal laws.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
U.S. Attorney Murray welcomed the announcement, saying “The horrible opioid crisis plaguing New Hampshire has brought with it great suffering, including thousands of overdose deaths, illnesses and violent criminal activity associated with the drug trade. Given limited resources, the additional prosecutor is critical to our ability to combat crimes of violence that endanger our citizens, especially those involving firearms. The new civil enforcement attorney will allow us to directly confront one of the factors contributing to the crisis. Specifically, we will take aggressive action against practitioners who prescribe or distribute controlled substances in an illegal, irresponsible manner. We will also step up our efforts to pursue civil remedies against health care providers who defraud Medicare and other federal benefit programs.”
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U.S. Attorney Town Congratulates Birmingham Mayor Woodfin on New Police ChiefRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – Statement from U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town on Mayor Randall L. Woodfin’s announcement of Patrick Smith, a commander with the Los Angeles Police Department and a native of Tuscaloosa, as Birmingham’s chief of police:
“I congratulate Mayor Woodfin on his selection of Patrick Smith as the city’s next chief of police,” Town said. “We all look forward to Chief Smith’s leadership, vision and continued partnership. Our collective violent crime reduction and outreach task force initiatives have never looked so promising.”
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U.S. Attorney Announces First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Other Office Leadership PositionsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney John H. Durham today announced that Leonard C. Boyle has returned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to serve as First Assistant United States Attorney, the office’s second-ranking position.
Since July 2009, Mr. Boyle served as Deputy Chief State’s Attorney where he supervised all prosecutions and investigations conducted by the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney. Mr. Boyle previously served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office from 1986 to 1998, the last four years of which he was Chief of the Criminal Division. After a short time in private practice, Mr. Boyle returned to government service in April 1999 as a Special Attorney to the U.S. Attorney General and investigated and prosecuted corrupt relationships between law enforcement personnel and organized crime figures in the Boston area. From January 2003 to August 2004, Mr. Boyle served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office as Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, and also supervised the Office’s Corporate Fraud Unit.
U.S. Attorney Durham notes that in addition to Mr. Boyle’s earlier work as a federal prosecutor, his wealth of law enforcement and management experience includes previous service as the Director of the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center in Washington, D.C., from March 2007 to February 2009, and as Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Public Safety from August 2004 to March 2007.
Mr. Boyle graduated from the University of Hartford in 1980, and from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1983. From 1975 to 1980, Mr. Boyle was a police officer for the Town of East Hartford.
“Len Boyle is a true public servant, and we and the entire Department of Justice are tremendously fortunate that he has decided to bring his legal skill, extraordinary judgment and decades of professional experience back to our Office,” said U.S. Attorney Durham.
In addition to the appointment of Mr. Boyle as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney Durham announced a change to the supervisory structure of the office, and the appointment of several Assistant U.S. Attorneys to office leadership positions.
U.S. Attorney Durham has appointed Susan L. Wines as Executive Assistant United States Attorney. Ms. Wines has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Connecticut since December 2007, prosecuting complex white collar crime, elder fraud and tax matters. Prior to joining the office, she was in private practice in Los Angeles and, from 1997 to 2002, was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California where she prosecuted many violent offenders, including members and associates of the Mexican Mafia.
For several years, the office’s Criminal Division, which continues to be led by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Nardini, has included three program-based units: National Security and Major Crimes, Violent Crimes and Narcotics, and Financial Fraud and Public Corruption. The Criminal Division now comprises four units, as the National Security and Major Crimes Unit has been separated into two groups: National Security and Cybercrime, which is responsible for prosecuting matters involving international and domestic terrorism, customs enforcement and identity theft, and the rapidly expanding problem of sophisticated cybercrimes, and Major Crimes, which will be responsible for prosecuting matters including immigration, child exploitation, human trafficking, civil rights and hate crimes, government program fraud and environmental crimes.
U.S. Attorney Durham has appointed Peter S. Jongbloed as Chief of the National Security and Cybercrime Unit and Vanessa Richards as Deputy Chief. Sarah P. Karwan has been elevated to the position of Chief of the Major Crimes Unit and Sarala V. Nagala will serve as Deputy Chief.
The Violent Crimes and Narcotics Unit (VCN), which includes Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) prosecutions, the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), and violent crime, gangs and narcotics investigations, and will continue with S. Dave Vatti as Chief of the unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson has been named as a new Deputy Chief of the unit and will serve as PSN Coordinator, overseeing firearms prosecutions that seek to deter the illegal possession of guns and reduce gun and gang violence. Anthony E. Kaplan, has been named as the second Deputy Chief of the Unit, and will serve as OCDETF Coordinator, which targets major drug trafficking operations responsible for the distribution of large quantities of narcotics by major drug trafficking organizations.
Within the VCN Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick F. Caruso has been named Opioid Coordinator, with responsibilities that include managing the Office’s HEAT program and other outreach efforts, prosecuting cases related to the overprescribing and dispensing of opioids, and leading the Office’s statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
The Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Unit is responsible for investigating matters involving securities and investor fraud, public corruption, bank fraud and embezzlement, mortgage fraud, tax fraud, health care fraud, bankruptcy fraud and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations. David E. Novick continues to serve as Chief of the unit, and Michael S. McGarry remains as Deputy Chief.
U.S. Attorney Durham also announced that John B. Hughes remains the longstanding Chief of the Civil Division. In the Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McConaghy continues to lead the Defensive Unit, which defends claims filed against the U.S., including tort, medical malpractice, employment discrimination, immigration and foreclosures. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Molot heads the Civil Division’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Civil Rights Unit, which pursues claims on behalf of the U.S. in cases involving health care fraud, defense contractor fraud, drug diversion, forfeitures and environmental violations.
U.S. Attorney Durham also notice that Sandra S. Glover and Marc H. Silverman continue as Chief of Appeals and Deputy Chief of Appeals, respectively.
“Throughout my career, I have never failed to be impressed by the number of incredibly bright and talented individuals who choose federal service and work in our Office, and the professionalism with which they do their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “Every member of this supervisory team and their colleagues are committed to making Connecticut a safer and better place to live, and every day I’m proud to work by their side in the cause of justice.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford.
Two District Men Plead Guilty to Charges in Armed Home Invasion on Capitol HillRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Barrett Harrington, 31, and Germar Fox, 35, both of Washington D.C., have pled guilty to charges stemming from an armed home invasion that took place in July 2016 near Capitol Hill, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Harrington and Fox pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to the charge of first-degree burglary while armed. Harrington entered his guilty plea on June 1, 2018, and Fox pled guilty today. The pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s approval, call for each defendant to be sentenced to 102 months of incarceration. The Honorable Kimberly S. Knowles scheduled sentencing for Aug. 10, 2018. Both men were to stand trial today before deciding to plead guilty to the lead charge in the indictment.
According to the government’s evidence, the burglary took place at about 5:30 p.m. on July 15, 2016, with both Harrington and Fox conspiring to take items of personal property from the victim while he was present in his apartment in the 1000 block of New Jersey Avenue SE. Fox was armed with a firearm during the crime. According to the evidence, Harrington, Fox, and a third man conspired to commit the crime. The third man previously befriended the victim, but that was actually a ruse. On the day of the home invasion, the third man and the victim were together. The third man stepped out and informed Harrington and Fox that he was alone with the victim in the apartment. Harrington and Fox then barged into the apartment, bound the victim with duct tape, placed a pillow case over his head, assaulted him with the gun, and robbed him of his safe with thousands of dollars in cash and other items.
As they made their escape, a passerby noted the license plate of the getaway car, and provided it to police. Further investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including fingerprint and DNA evidence, led to the arrests of the defendants. Harrington was arrested on June 24, 2017 and Fox was arrested on July 11, 2017. Both have been in custody ever since. The case against the third man remains pending.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica Sanchez, Denise Cheung, and Stephen Rickard; Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Fogle and Donice Adams; Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kamil Shields, Alyse Constantinide and Louis Manzo, who investigated, indicted and prosecuted the matter.
Tulare Man Sentenced to Prison for Making False Statements to U.S. Probation OfficerRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Rojelio Martin, 36, of Tulare, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to two years and 11 months in prison for making false statements to his federal probation officer while on supervised release after serving a prison sentence for a previous offense, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Martin was sentenced in 2013 to 33 months in prison and ordered to pay $44,860 in restitution for a scheme that had defrauded 75 taxpayers out of their tax refunds. Martin was released from prison in 2016, and beginning in April 2017, he failed to make the court-ordered restitution payments. He claimed that health-related absences from work prevented him from paying restitution, and on December 13, 2017, Martin gave his supervising U.S. Probation Officer a fraudulent and forged letter from his doctor and a fraudulent statement of earnings to support that claim.
This case was the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.
Three Prosecutors Added to Western District of Missouri to Focus on Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri Tim Garrison announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime and drug trafficking.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Among the 190 violent crime prosecutors are three new prosecutors being added to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in the Western District of Missouri. A new federal prosecutor will be added to the staff in each of the Kansas City, Springfield and Jefferson City offices.
“The Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
“We are confronting violent crime throughout the district,” said Garrison. “Missouri has been hit hard by methamphetamine trafficking and opioid abuse, along with the violent crime that drug trafficking inevitably brings. Three new prosecutors, strategically stationed in each of our district’s offices, will provide additional resources for us to aggressively prosecute these dangerous criminals.”
Tampa Woman Sentenced for Role in Credit Card Fraud and Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Nejah Prince (33, Tampa) to four years and nine months in federal prison for access device (credit card) fraud and for filing false claims against the United States. As part of Prince’s sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $1,386.39, the proceeds of the fraud. Prince pleaded guilty on February 16, 2017.
According to court documents, in February 2013, officers from the Tampa Police Department executed a search warrant at Prince’s home. During the search, they found copies of confidential patient medical records from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), notebooks with the personal identifying information of at least 200 individuals, reloadable debit cards, and several tax returns. Further investigation revealed that Prince had used the identity of one person whose name was on a VA medical record to open a credit account at Montgomery Ward. She then made $1,300 in purchases using that account. In addition, IRS agents discovered that many of the identities found during the search warrant had been used in the filing of false and fraudulent income tax returns.
“Working together with our law enforcement partners we have come a long way in the effort to eradicate identity theft from our community. Would-be identity thieves should not rest easy because we will not give up the fight,” said Special Agent in Charge Mary Hammond of IRS Criminal Investigation. “These crooks use stolen identities to defraud the government, but it is the untold devastation their actions inflict on the lives of their victims that drives our Special Agents to employ their unique financial expertise to tirelessly track down these criminals.”
This case was investigated by the IRS - Criminal Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara C. Sweeney and Jay L. Hoffer.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to Three Years for Deepwater Horizon Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Joseph Bassler (62, St. Petersburg) to three years and one month in federal prison for money laundering and mail fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $77,224, the proceeds of the scheme. Bassler had pleaded guilty on June 6, 2017.
According to court documents, Bassler, a licensed tax preparer, held himself out as a professional accountant who could assist companies affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in filing business economic loss claims. As part of his scheme, Bassler prepared and submitted fraudulently inflated claims falsely alleging lost income on behalf of his clients. As payment for his services, he accepted a portion of the recovery money for the loss claims he had prepared. In total, Bassler submitted 62 claims, three of which were paid. For the three claims that were paid, Bassler and his clients received over $600,000 more than they were entitled to from the compensation fund. The remaining claims were denied when Bassler’s fraudulent scheme was discovered.
“When unprincipled fraudsters file false claims against businesses they frustrate the legal system and disrupt the natural flow of our economy,” stated Special Agent in Charge Mary Hammond of IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI is fiercely committed to defending the integrity of our nation's tax system, and a significant aspect of that duty is to work with our fellow law enforcement partners to help maintain equity in the marketplace.”
“It is reprehensible to exploit any disaster for personal gain,” said Eric W. Sporre, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division. “It is our duty to protect the relief funds set aside for economic disasters such as the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and ensure the money goes to those deserving of assistance.”
This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel K. Jones.
Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A registered sex offender in Springfield, Mo., has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing thousands of images of child pornography over the Internet.
Anthony Richard Salois, 51, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Friday, June 1, 2018, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Salois to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration. Salois, who has a prior state conviction for sexual abuse involving a minor, has remained in federal custody since his arrest in July 2014.
Salois, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 1, 2018, admitted that he received and distributed child pornography over the Internet between Sept. 16 and 20, 2013. Salois utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing network to download child pornography.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Salois’s residence on Oct. 13, 2013, and seized two desktop computers. Investigators found 3,973 images of child pornography, 50 multimedia files of child pornography, 641 images of child erotica and 39 multimedia files of child erotica on those computers.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull, II. It was investigated by the FBI and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force.
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."
Springfield Man Faces at Least 15 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the sexual exploitation of a child and to illegally possessing a firearm.
Corey Dean Frasher, 42, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to the charges contained in an April 6, 2017, federal indictment. Frasher remains in federal custody.
The investigation began on Jan. 30, 2017, when law enforcement officers received two Cyber Tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In the CyberTips, Yahoo! Reported that an individual (later identified as Frasher) had uploaded images of child pornography to his Flickr account.
Officers executed a search warrant at Frasher’s residence on Feb. 22, 2017, and seized a computer tower as well as a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun and a loaded Harrington & Richardson 16-gauge shotgun. Investigators examined the computer tower and found a series of child pornography images and videos that were taken at Frasher’s residence. The images and videos depicted Frasher engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a minor victim.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Frasher has prior felony convictions.
Under federal statutes, Frasher is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Spring Hope Man Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III, sentenced EQUAN CORNELIUS DUNSTON, 26, of Spring Hope, North Carolina to 114 months imprisonment followed by 5 years supervised release.
DUNSTON was named in a Criminal Information filed on January 10, 2018 charging him with conspiracy to distribute twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base (crack) between June 20, 2017 and August 17, 2017. On March 5, 2018, DUNSTON pled guilty to the single count Criminal Information.
According to the investigation, beginning in June 2017, deputies with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the narcotics distribution activity of DUNSTON. A confidential informant was utilized to make six controlled purchases of over 300 grams of cocaine base (crack) from DUNSTON between June 20, 2017 and August 14, 2017. DUNSTON conspired with others in his narcotics distribution.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Tar River Regional Drug Task Force, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and Spring Hope Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dena King represented the government.
Société Générale S.A. Agrees to Pay $860 Million in Criminal Penalties for Bribing Gaddafi-Era Libyan Officials and Manipulating Libor RateRead the Press Release
Société Générale S.A. (Société Générale), a global financial services institution based in Paris, France, and its wholly owned subsidiary, SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V., have agreed to pay a combined total penalty of more than $860 million to resolve charges with law enforcement authorities in the United States and France, including $585 million relating to a multi-year scheme to pay bribes to officials in Libya and $275 million for violations arising from its manipulation of the London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR), one of the world’s leading benchmark interest rates. Together with approximately $475 million in regulatory penalties and disgorgement that Société Générale has agreed to pay to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in connection with the LIBOR scheme, the total penalties to be paid by the bank exceed $1 billion.
In related proceedings, Société Générale reached a settlement with the Parquet National Financier (PNF) in Paris relating to the Libya corruption scheme. The United States will credit $292,776,444 that Société Générale will pay to the PNF under its agreement, equal to 50 percent of the total criminal penalty otherwise payable to the United States. This is the first coordinated resolution with French authorities in a foreign bribery case.
SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V. is scheduled to plead guilty in connection with the resolution of the foreign bribery case and Société Générale will enter into a deferred prosecution agreement on Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Brooklyn before Chief United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. The plea agreement and the deferred prosecution agreement are subject to court approval by Chief Judge Irizarry.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John P. Cronan, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Washington Field Office, Criminal Division, and Eric Hylton, Deputy Chief, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
“The resolution announced today by the Department with Societe Generale and a subsidiary, which includes a guilty plea, admissions of wrongdoing, significant corrective measures and hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties, sends a powerful message to financial institutions that engage in corruption and manipulation in the financial markets that they will be held accountable,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The United States will vigorously protect the integrity of financial markets by holding responsible to the full extent of the law those banks, corporations and individuals who seek to corrupt government officials to enrich themselves.”
“For years, Société Générale undermined the integrity of global markets and foreign institutions by issuing false financial data and by fraudulently securing contracts through bribery,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Today’s resolution – which marks the first coordinated resolution with France in a foreign bribery case – sends a strong message that transnational corruption and manipulation of our markets will be met with a global and coordinated law enforcement response.”
“Today’s resolution demonstrates that fraudulently manipulating LIBOR and deceiving the financial market has severe consequences, and the FBI will not tolerate this type of criminal activity,” said FBI Special Agent-in-Charge DeSarno. “The FBI remains committed to holding institutions accountable for their actions in breaking the law and manipulating the global benchmark interest rate. The personnel of the FBI Washington Field Office have dedicated significant time and resources to investigating complex financial fraud schemes such as this one, and I want to thank them for their tireless efforts as well as our colleagues at the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their hard work.”
“Today’s announcement resulted from the unraveling of international financial transactions orchestrated by Société Générale and its agents to facilitate illegal payments to foreign government officials in Libya,” said IRS-CI Deputy Chief Hylton. “IRS-CI is a trusted partner in pursuit of those who use pervasive bribery schemes to circumvent the law. We are committed to maintaining fair competition, free of corrupt practices, through global teamwork and our robust financial investigative talents.”
The FCPA Case
According to the companies’ admissions, between 2004 and 2009, Société Générale paid bribes through a Libyan “broker” in connection with 14 investments made by Libyan state-owned financial institutions. For each transaction, Société Générale paid the Libyan broker a commission of between one and a half and three percent of the nominal amount of the investments made by the Libyan state institutions. In total, Société Générale paid the Libyan broker over $90 million, portions of which the Libyan broker paid to high-level Libyan officials in order to secure the investments from various Libyan state institutions for Société Générale. As a result of the corrupt scheme, Société Générale obtained 13 investments and one restructuring from the Libyan state institutions worth a total of approximately $3.66 billion, and earned profits of approximately $523 million.
Société Générale will enter into a deferred prosecution agreement in connection with a criminal information charging the company with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA and one count of transmitting false commodities reports. Additionally, Société Générale’s subsidiary, SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V., will plead guilty to a one-count criminal information filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging the company with a conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Pursuant to its agreement, Société Générale will pay a total criminal penalty of $860 million to the Department of Justice. Société Générale also agreed to continue to cooperate with the Department’s investigation and adopt and maintain enhanced compliance procedures.
The Department of Justice entered into this resolution in part due to Société Générale’s failure to voluntarily self-disclose the companies’ misconduct to the Department; the seriousness of the companies’ conduct, including the high value of the bribes paid to foreign officials; the company’s substantial, though not full, cooperation with the Department; and the company’s significant remediation which, together with the company’s risk profile and ongoing monitoring by L’Agence Française Anticorruption, resulted in the Department determining that a monitor was not necessary in this case.
The LIBOR Case
As admitted by the company, between May 2010 and at least October 2011, Société Générale promulgated falsely deflated U.S. Dollar (USD) LIBOR submissions to make it look as though Société Générale was able to borrow money at more favorable interest rates than it was actually able to do so. This downward manipulation allowed Société Générale to create the appearance that it was stronger and more creditworthy than it was.
The USD LIBOR manipulation scheme was ordered by senior executives of Société Générale, who tasked the managers of the company’s Treasury Department with overseeing the execution of the deflation effort. Several employees within Société Générale’s Treasury Department ensured that the company’s USD LIBOR submissions were altered in accordance with the deflation directive. Société Générale’s misconduct frequently altered the daily rate at which USD LIBOR was set, which affected financial products worldwide, including interest rate swaps, futures contracts and other derivative financial products.
Further, in 2006, certain Société Générale employees in London and Tokyo worked together to manipulate Société Générale’s Japan Yen (JPY) LIBOR submissions. These employees endeavored to manipulate JPY LIBOR in order to benefit the trading positions of a Société Générale employee. This employee had numerous deals tied to JPY LIBOR, and manipulation of JPY LIBOR improved the profitability of the employee’s trading book.
By the terms of the agreement, Société Générale will pay a fine of $275 million to resolve the LIBOR misconduct matter. Additionally, in August 2017, two individuals—former Société Générale Global Treasury Head Danielle Sindzingre and former Paris Treasury Head Muriel Bescond—were indicted for their roles in the scheme. Both individuals remain at large.
The FBI’s New York Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation’s New York office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Pitluck and James P. McDonald of the Eastern District of New York, and Trial Attorneys Gerald M. Moody Jr. and Dennis R. Kihm of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the FCPA case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Amatruda of the Eastern District of New York and Assistant Chief Carol Sipperly, Trial Attorneys Timothy A. Duree and Gary A. Winters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the LIBOR case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter.
The Department appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the CFTC in this matter. The PNF, the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office, the Federal Office of Justice in Switzerland and the Office of the Attorney General in Switzerland also provided significant cooperation.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-274 (DLI)
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-253 (DLI)
Société Générale S.A. Agrees to Pay $860 Million in Criminal Penalties for Bribing Gaddafi-Era Libyan Officials and Manipulating LIBOR RateRead the Press Release
Société Générale S.A. (Société Générale), a global financial services institution based in Paris, France, and its wholly owned subsidiary, SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V., have agreed to pay a combined total penalty of more than $860 million to resolve charges with criminal authorities in the United States and France, including $585 million relating to a multi-year scheme to pay bribes to officials in Libya and $275 million for violations arising from its manipulation of the London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR), one of the world’s leading benchmark interest rates. SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V. will plead guilty in the Eastern District of New York in connection with the resolution of the foreign bribery case. Together with approximately $475 million in regulatory penalties and disgorgement that Société Générale has agreed to pay to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in connection with the LIBOR scheme, the total penalties to be paid by the bank exceed $1 billion.
In related proceedings, Société Générale reached a settlement with the Parquet National Financier (PNF) in Paris relating to the Libya corruption scheme. The United States will credit $292,776,444 that Société Générale will pay to the PNF under its agreement, equal to 50 percent of the total criminal penalty otherwise payable to the United States. This is the first coordinated resolution with French authorities in a foreign bribery case.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue of the Eastern District of New York, Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI New York Field Office and Deputy Chief Eric Hylton of IRS Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
“For years, Société Générale undermined the integrity of global markets and foreign institutions by issuing false financial data and by fraudulently securing contracts through bribery,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Today’s resolution – which marks the first coordinated resolution with France in a foreign bribery case – sends a strong message that transnational corruption and manipulation of our markets will be met with a global and coordinated law enforcement response.”
“The resolution announced today by the Department with Societe Generale and a subsidiary, which includes a guilty plea, admissions of wrongdoing, significant corrective measures and hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties, sends a powerful message to financial institutions that engage in corruption and manipulation in the financial markets that they will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Donoghue. “The United States will vigorously protect the integrity of financial markets by holding responsible to the full extent of the law those banks, corporations and individuals who seek to corrupt government officials to enrich themselves.”
“Today’s resolution demonstrates that fraudulently manipulating LIBOR and deceiving the financial market has severe consequences, and the FBI will not tolerate this type of criminal activity,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DeSarno. “The FBI remains committed to holding institutions accountable for their actions in breaking the law and manipulating the global benchmark interest rate. The personnel of the FBI Washington Field Office have dedicated significant time and resources to investigating complex financial fraud schemes such as this one, and I want to thank them for their tireless efforts as well as our colleagues at the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their hard work.”
“When financial institutions convince foreign officials to accept bribes in return for lucrative business deals, their actions directly threaten the international free market system, not to mention our national security," said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Sweeney. "But being geographically out of sight doesn’t mean you’re out of reach from prosecution. No matter who you are, where you are, or how much money you have, the FBI will continue to use all resources at our disposal to find you, uncover your crimes, and reveal them for what they really are. Many thanks to the hardworking men and women of the FBI’s New York Field Office for leading the effort to expose this scheme and bring its perpetrators to justice.”
“Today’s announcement resulted from the unraveling of international financial transactions orchestrated by Société Générale and its agents to facilitate illegal payments to foreign government officials in Libya,” said IRS-CI Deputy Chief Hylton. “IRS-CI is a trusted partner in pursuit of those who use pervasive bribery schemes to circumvent the law. We are committed to maintaining fair competition, free of corrupt practices, through global teamwork and our robust financial investigative talents.”
The FCPA Case
According to the companies’ admissions, between 2004 and 2009, Société Générale paid bribes through a Libyan “broker” in connection with 14 investments made by Libyan state-owned financial institutions. For each transaction, Société Générale paid the Libyan broker a commission of between one and a half and three percent of the nominal amount of the investments made by the Libyan state institutions. In total, Société Générale paid the Libyan Intermediary over $90 million, portions of which the Libyan broker paid to high-level Libyan officials in order to secure the investments from various Libyan state institutions for Société Générale. As a result of the corrupt scheme, Société Générale obtained 13 investments and one restructuring from the Libyan state institutions worth a total of approximately $3.66 billion, and earned profits of approximately $523 million.
Société Générale will enter into a deferred prosecution agreement in connection with a criminal information charging the company with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA and one count of transmitting false commodities reports. Additionally, Société Générale’s subsidiary, SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V., will plead guilty to a one-count criminal information filed today in the Eastern District of New York charging the company with a conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Pursuant to its agreement with the Department, Société Générale agreed to pay a total criminal penalty of $585 million to the Department. Société Générale also agreed to continue to cooperate with the Department’s investigation and adopt and maintain enhanced compliance procedures. The guilty plea is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 5, before U.S. District Judge Dora L. Irizarry of the Eastern District of New York.
The Department entered into this resolution in part due to Société Générale’s failure to voluntarily self-disclose the companies’ misconduct to the Department; the seriousness of the companies’ conduct, including the high value of the bribes paid to foreign officials; the company’s substantial, though not full, cooperation with the Department; and the company’s significant remediation which, together with the company’s risk profile and ongoing monitoring by L’Agence Française Anticorruption, resulted in the Department determining that a monitor was not necessary in this case.
The LIBOR Case
As admitted by the company, between May 2010 and at least October 2011, Société Générale promulgated falsely deflated U.S. Dollar (USD) LIBOR submissions to make it look as though Société Générale was able to borrow money at more favorable interest rates than it was actually able to do. This downward manipulation allowed Société Générale to create the appearance that it was stronger and more creditworthy than it was.
The USD LIBOR manipulation scheme was ordered by senior executives of Société Générale, who tasked the managers of the company’s Treasury Department with overseeing the execution of the deflation effort. Several employees within Société Générale’s Treasury Department ensured that the company’s USD LIBOR submissions were altered in accordance with the deflation directive. Société Générale’s misconduct frequently altered the daily rate at which USD LIBOR was set, which affected financial products worldwide, including interest rate swaps, futures contracts and other derivative financial products.
Further, in 2006, certain Société Générale employees in London and Tokyo worked together to manipulate Société Générale’s Japan Yen (JPY) LIBOR submissions. These employees endeavored to manipulate JPY LIBOR in order to benefit the trading positions of a Société Générale employee. This employee had numerous deals tied to JPY LIBOR, and manipulation of JPY LIBOR improved the profitability of the employee’s trading book.
By the terms of the agreement, Société Générale will pay a fine of $275 million to resolve the LIBOR misconduct matter. Additionally, in August 2017, two individuals—former Société Générale Global Treasury Head Danielle Sindzingre and former Paris Treasury Head Muriel Bescond—were indicted for their roles in the scheme. Both individuals remain at large. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The deferred prosecution agreement and the plea agreement are subject to court approval.
The FBI’s Washington and New York Field Offices and IRS-Criminal Investigation’s New York office are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Gerald M. Moody Jr. and Dennis R. Kihm of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Pitluck and James P. McDonald of the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the FCPA case. Assistant Chief Carol Sipperly, Trial Attorneys Timothy A. Duree and Gary A. Winters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Amatruda of the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the LIBOR case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter.
The Department appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the CFTC in this matter. The PNF, the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office, the Federal Office of Justice in Switzerland and the Office of the Attorney General in Switzerland also provided significant cooperation.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s Fraud Section FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Shreveport man sentenced to 70 months in prison for drug distribution, firearm offenseRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Shreveport man was sentenced last week to five years and 10 months in prison for possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute and use of a firearm in a drug trafficking offense.
Xavier Breonte Strickland, 29, of Shreveport, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. On June 2, 2017, officers went to Strickland’s residence to serve a parole warrant, and after someone opened the door, officers saw Strickland exit a bedroom. Officers searched the house and found a loaded Ruger 1911 semiautomatic pistol in the closet of the bedroom where they saw Strickland. Next to the bag was a black zipper pouch that contained a digital scale and a bag containing 31 grams of marijuana.
The ATF and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case.
Shoshone Paiute Tribe Member Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Second-Degree MurderRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – An Owyhee, Nevada, man was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for second-degree murder of a person on Duck Valley Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.
Borden Bitt, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks. Bitt pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder within Indian Country. He is a member of the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. Owyhee is located within the exterior boundaries of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation and is designated as Indian Country.
According to court documents, on July 23, 2017, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) received an emergency phone call about a fight at a house on Atkins Road in Owyhee. A BIA officer arrived on scene and found the victim face down in a pool of blood on the floor. Emergency medical services arrived and determined that the victim was deceased. Bitt admitted that he approached the victim from behind with a large single-blade hunting knife and slit the victim’s throat.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami.
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Sanger Contract Labor Crew Boss Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Fernando Alanis, 55, of Rio Grande City, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to three years and three months in prison for two counts of mail fraud related to an unemployment insurance fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Alanis and others participated in a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) of unemployment insurance benefits. Alanis was a supervisor with a local farm labor contractor that provided contract labor for growers and packers and organized them into crews managed by “crew bosses.” Alanis would hire and supervise crew bosses and facilitate the hiring of other laborers.
According to court documents, Alanis provided the personal identifying information of individuals, including his relatives and other acquaintances, to workers, some of whom were undocumented, so they could obtain employment with the farm labor contractor under the assumed identities. They then worked as seasonal farm laborers and earned wages. When the workers were laid off at the end of the season, with Alanis’ knowledge and assistance, false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims were filed in the names of the assumed identities. This caused EDD to send unemployment insurance checks and benefit debit cards to the addresses of the owners of the assumed identities, who were not entitled to the benefits. The individuals lending their identities would either share some of the benefits with Alanis, or would pay Alanis in advance of the unemployment insurance claims being made. Alanis’ direct and indirect conduct resulted in a loss to EDD of approximately $456,548.
“As a supervisor for a large Central Valley farm labor contractor, Fernando Alanis devised a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor’s unemployment insurance program for his own personal benefit. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat fraud against programs of the Department designed to assist unemployed workers,” stated Abel Salinas, Special Agent-in-Charge, Los Angeles Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the California Employment Development Department Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Henry Z. Carbajal III and Vincenza Rabenn prosecuted the case.
Record Number New Prosecutors Headed to SDWVRead the Press Release
ON 500TH DAY OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS ANNOUNCES 311 NEW ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY POSITIONS
Southern District of West Virginia Allocated Largest Percentage Increase in New Prosecutors of any District in the Country
Largest Percentage Increase in History of Southern District
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart, Southern District of West Virginia, announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
“Today, I am extremely pleased to announce that the Southern District of West Virginia has been allocated a nearly fifteen percent (15%) increase in new prosecutors which represents the largest percentage increase of any district in the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “It is not only the largest increase in the country but the largest allocation of new prosecutors in the history of the Southern District of West Virginia. It is a strong, strong endorsement of my efforts to combat the opioid crisis, violent crime, and corruption throughout southern West Virginia.”
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the Southern District of West Virginia, three (3) new AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one (1) on civil enforcement. At this time, no determination has been made as to whether new prosecutors will be assigned to the Bluefield, Beckley, Charleston or Huntington field offices.
“At a time of amazing economic challenge and a declining West Virginia population, one could argue for a reallocation of resources from this region to other faster-growing regions of the country,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “Rather than contracting, however, Washington has taken note of our hard work and strong performance and rewarded us with a record number of new prosecutors. I appreciate Attorney General Session’s confidence very much. We’ve developed a great partnership. Every new prosecutor will be put to work in support of the people of our amazing state and hard-working taxpayers.”
U.S. Attorney Stuart added, “We will use these new positions to intensify our approach to apprehending and locking up drug thugs and violent criminals, prosecuting white collar crime and public corruption, and super-charging an offensive-minded civil practice. I have been on offense since the day I got here and these new reinforcements will super-charge my efforts.”Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews
Follow U.S. Attorney Stuart on Twitter: @USAttyStuart
Pittsburgh Man Distributed Heroin and Fentanyl that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - Larry Malloy, 25, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to distributing Schedule I and Schedule II controlled substances, including heroin and fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Malloy pled guilty before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. As part of the guilty plea, Malloy accepted responsibility for causing the fatal overdose death of T.C. in April 2016 and acknowledged being responsible for the distribution of at least 100 grams of heroin and at least four grams of fentanyl.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing to occur on October 3, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses, and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Allegheny County Police Department, the Verona Police Department, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
Pennsylvania Business Owner Gets Five Years in Prison for Defrauding Veterans’ GI Bill of over $24 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his role in a scheme that fraudulently obtained more than $24 million from the Post 9/11 GI Bill, a federal education benefits program designed to help veterans who served in the armed forces following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
David Alvey, 51, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Hayden imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.“Today’s sentence is an appropriate punishment for a man who spent years cheating our veterans by stealing millions in tax payer funds reserved for their education,” said U.S. Attorney Carpenito. “Instead of receiving the quality instruction they were promised, thousands of service men and women recruited by Ed4Mil were enrolled in unapproved online courses without their knowledge. No veteran should be treated this way.”
“The VA’s Post 9/11 GI Bill is an invaluable and comprehensive education program meant to advance our nation’s veteran’s educational and professional lives as they transition to civilian life,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Smith, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office. “The successful prosecution of those who defraud this important program sends a clear message that those who seek to do VA harm will be pursued and prosecuted. VA OIG is committed to working closely with our fellow law enforcement and DOJ partners, and grateful for their efforts in pursuing justice in this matter”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides educational assistance to eligible veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces by paying for veterans’ tuition, housing costs, and other educational expenses as long as their courses meet certain criteria. Because these tuition benefits are paid by the United States directly to the school, all entities involved in developing and administering the courses must be fully disclosed to the United States in order to assess the courses for approval.
From 2009 through August 2013, Alvey – founder and president of Ed4Mil – along with Lisa DiBisceglie and Helen Sechrist, both of whom previously pleaded guilty to a similar wire fraud conspiracy count, and others, conspired to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in tuition assistance and other education-related benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
DiBisceglie, then an associate dean at Caldwell University, helped Alvey get approval from Caldwell’s administration to develop and administer a series of non-credit online courses for veterans in Caldwell’s name. In order for the courses to be eligible for education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, DiBisceglie, Alvey, and others prepared and submitted an application with the Veterans Administration stating that the courses were developed, taught, and administered by Caldwell faculty and met Caldwell’s stringent educational standards. The courses were subsequently approved, and Alvey, Sechrist, and others aggressively marketed the courses to veterans who were eligible to receive the benefits.
However, Caldwell did not participate in developing or teaching the online courses. The veterans were instead enrolled in online correspondence courses developed and administered by a sub-contractor of Ed4Mil. Neither Ed4Mil nor its sub-contractor were disclosed to the government, and neither were eligible to receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Alvey and others concealed the true nature of the courses from the government and the veterans who enrolled in the courses. Thousands of veterans enrolled in the online courses believing they were taking courses from Caldwell. The scheme caused the United States to pay more than $24 million in tuition benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
“Today's action should serve as a warning to anyone who intentionally steals or misappropriates federal student aid for their own selfish purpose: you will be caught and held accountable for your criminal actions,” said Debbi Mayer, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General's Eastern Regional Office. “As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Education, we will continue to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate student aid funds for their own purposes. America’s veterans and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”
“Today's sentencing of David Alvey is yet another example of the FBI's aggressive posture in pursuing those who defraud the government,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie of the Newark FBI Field Office. “This case, where the victims were U.S. military veterans, is no exception.”
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Alvey to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution in the amount of $24,024,465.65.
DiBisceglie and Sechrist are scheduled to be sentenced June 5, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Division, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Smith; the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ehrie in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mayer, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Eskew, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division, Senior Litigation Counsel David E. Malagold of the Criminal Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Mastropieri of the Healthcare and Government Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jafer Aftab of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
Defense Counsel: Stacy Biancamano Esq., Chatham, New Jersey
Orange County Commodities Trader Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison in Scheme that Took $1.6 Million from InvestorsRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Irvine man who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges related to a bogus commodities trading program that caused losses of approximately $1.6 million was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison.
Rawle Gerard Suite, 57, was sentenced by United States District Judge James V. Selna.
Suite, who also used the name “Jerry Snead” and other aliases, was sentenced after pleading guilty in June 2017 to four counts of wire fraud. To perpetrate the fraud that took place over a 3½-year period that ended in May 2016, Suite concealed his true identity from investors and used a series of companies with names such as STA Opus, TBT Analysis LLC, and Another Winning Trade that purportedly were trading in commodities that included soybeans, gold, oil and unleaded gas.
As part of the fraudulent scheme, Suite made a series of false claims to investors, such as that STA Opus had annual returns of at least 60 percent, when in fact the company had continually suffered trading losses.
Suite was a registered commodity trading advisor and commodity pool operator from late 1985 until May 3, 1990, when his registration was revoked. Since then, Suite has been targeted twice by the California Department of Corporations, which in 2012 obtained a $2.5 million judgment against Suite, in part for violating a prior order issued by the agency.
“Though this is [Suite]’s first criminal case for investment fraud, it is clear that defendant has a history of fraud and violating court orders,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court. “Shortly after being enjoined by the Los Angeles Superior Court, defendant began this fraud scheme.”
The case against Suite was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which received substantial assistance from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vibhav Mittal of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Operators of A Mental Health Provider Indicted on Health Care Fraud and Tax Evasion ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury sitting in Greensboro, North Carolina returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging the operators of a mental health provider with multiple crimes related to the submission of false claims to Medicaid and tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
Catinia Farrington and Haydn Thomas, both formerly of Durham, North Carolina, are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax evasion. Thomas is also charged with one count of money laundering.
According to the indictment, Farrington owned Durham County Mental Health and Behavioral Health Services LLC (“DCMBHS”) in Durham, North Carolina. From 2011 through 2015, Farrington, along with Thomas, allegedly submitted thousands of false claims to Medicaid that resulted in Medicaid paying over $4 million to DCMBHS. During the relevant period, Thomas worked as an office manager for an oral surgeon. Thomas and Farrington allegedly obtained the Medicaid numbers of dental patients and then submitted false claims to Medicaid for mental health services that were not performed without the permission of the patients.
The indictment further alleges that Farrington and Thomas diverted millions of dollars from DCMBHS for their own personal use and evaded income taxes by, among other things, transferring money to various business bank accounts and paying personal expenses from the business bank accounts.
If convicted, Farrington and Thomas face a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison for each count of health care fraud, 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft, and five years in prison for each count of tax evasion. Farrington and Thomas also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and United States Attorney Martin commended special agents of the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, Office of Inspector General, and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office (MID), who conducted the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Robert Hamilton, Trial Attorney Mara Strier of the Tax Division, and Special United States Attorney Michael Heavner MID, who are prosecuting the case.
Operators of A Mental Health Provider Indicted on Health Care Fraud and Tax Evasion ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A federal grand jury sitting in Greensboro, North Carolina returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging the operators of a mental health provider with multiple crimes related to the submission of false claims to Medicaid and tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
Catinia Denise Farrington, age 44, and Haydn Patrick Thomas, age 44, both formerly of Durham, North Carolina, are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax evasion. Thomas is also charged with one count of money laundering.
According to the indictment, Farrington owned Durham County Mental Health and Behavioral Health Services, LLC (“DCMBHS”) in Durham, North Carolina. From 2011 through 2015, Farrington, along with Thomas, allegedly submitted thousands of false claims to Medicaid that resulted in Medicaid paying over $4 million to DCMBHS. During the relevant period, Thomas worked as an office manager for an oral surgeon. Thomas and Farrington allegedly obtained the Medicaid numbers of dental patients and then submitted false claims to Medicaid for mental health services that were not performed without the permission of the patients.
The indictment further alleges that Farrington and Thomas diverted millions of dollars from DCMBHS for their own personal use and evaded income taxes by, among other things, transferring money to various business bank accounts and paying personal expenses from the business bank accounts.
If convicted, Farrington and Thomas face a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison for each count of health care fraud, 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft, and five years in prison for each count of tax evasion. Farrington and Thomas also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and United States Attorney Martin commended special agents of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, Office of Inspector General, and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office (MID), who conducted the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Robert Hamilton, Trial Attorney Mara Strier of the Tax Division, and Special United States Attorney Michael Heavner with MID, who are prosecuting the case.
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On the 500th Day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
Today, on the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis. In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
To see more information on the locations of the 311 Assistant United States Attorney positions click here.On the 500th Day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon for the District of South Carolina announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the District of South Carolina, three of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime while an additional AUSA will take on civil enforcement.
USA Lydon echoed Attorney General Sessions’ support and dedication to public safety. “With four new Assistant U.S. Attorneys joining our ranks in South Carolina, our ability to continue our efforts alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners as well as our state prosecutors will be significantly enhanced. The timing could not be better as we advance to secure communities and citizens across our state.”
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On the 500th Day of Trump Administration. AG Sessions Announces 311 New Asst. U.S. Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Scott W. Brady announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and attack the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest personnel increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas across the country. This includes 190 new violent crime prosecutors, 86 new civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
The Western District of Pennsylvania will receive two of the new prosecutors who will focus on violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Brady said, "The top priorities of General Sessions and our Office are reducing violent crime and combatting the opioid crisis. These two new prosecutors will be critical to this mission. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to take dangerous criminals off the streets. These additional resources will be crucial in fulfilling our responsibility to keep the citizens of western Pennsylvania safe."
On 500th day of Trump administration, Attorney General Sessions announces 311 new Assistant U.S.Attorney positionsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/MONROE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES, La. – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant U.S. Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force, which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump’s strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime-fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the Western District of Louisiana, two of these AUSAs will focus on prosecuting violent crime and one will focus on civil enforcement of federal law.
“Upon taking office, I promised to aggressively prosecute violent crime throughout the district while ensuring immigration offenses, public corruption, and our efforts to stem the opioid epidemic remain top priorities,” Joseph stated. “These additional prosecutors will assist in achieving our objectives by bringing more criminal prosecutions against those who threaten the safety and wellbeing of our citizens. These positions also give our office more capacity to pursue those who abuse government benefits and otherwise cheat the United States, by bringing civil actions against them. I want to thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for the opportunity to hire additional Assistant United States Attorneys to serve the communities in our district. We will work with our federal agencies as well as our state and local partners to ensure we make the most of these added resources.”
To see more information on the locations of the 311 Assistant U.S. Attorney positions click here.
On 500th day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions announces 311 new Assistant United States Attorney positionsRead the Press Release
WHEELING – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia Bill Powell announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the Northern District of West Virginia, one of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, and one on civil enforcement. “Our Assistant United States Attorneys have been working extremely hard and getting great results. We are very appreciative that the Attorney General has given us these additional resources. We have a vital mission to fulfill, and we will put the new resources to good use,” said Powell.
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Peter E. Deegan, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Northern District of Iowa, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime. The addition of these two AUSAs brings the total number of AUSAs in the district to 26, representing an increase of over 7%.
“The new Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Iowa will be dedicated to working with all of our law enforcement partners to help keep our communities safe,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “Our office remains committed to fighting violent crime and these new positions will allow us to bring even more prosecutors to the fight.”
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On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Andrew E. Lelling announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis. The District of Massachusetts will receive five new federal prosecutors who will focus on violent crime, civil enforcement and immigration matters.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
The District of Massachusetts will hire two new AUSAs to focus on violent crime, two on civil enforcement and one who will prosecute immigration crimes.
“Reducing violent crime, tackling the opioid crisis and enforcing immigration laws are top priorities for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Lelling. “In recent years, prosecutors working in these areas have seen significant increases in Massachusetts. This overwhelms our capacity to prosecute those who disregard the laws of our country and strains legal and law enforcement resources. Hiring five new Assistant U.S. Attorneys will pay dividends for years to come and make a discernable impact in communities across the Commonwealth.”
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
St. Louis – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Jeff Jensen announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Eastern District of Missouri, four of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one on civil enforcement against pharmacists and physicians who over-prescribe or divert opioids.
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico John C. Anderson announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant U.S. Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the District of New Mexico, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, and one on civil enforcement. The District of New Mexico previously was allocated six new AUSA positions to focus on prosecuting immigration crimes on May 2, 2018, when the Justice Department announced the dedication of additional resources for U.S. Attorney’s Offices along the Southwest border.
“I welcome the addition of these new AUSA positions to the District of New Mexico, and I am confident that the assignment of these prosecutors will represent a direct and immediate benefit to the United States and the people of New Mexico,” said District of New Mexico U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson. “In light of the substantial federal presence in New Mexico, the additional focus on affirmative civil enforcement will ensure that federal dollars are spent efficiently and we will improve our ability to root out waste, fraud and abuse. The violent crime positions will allow this Office more effectively to address the high rate of such offenses in New Mexico, including in our tribal communities.”
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
June 4, 2018 – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, United States Attorney General Sessions, together with Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system. The three AUSA positons allocated to the Eastern District of Washington will focus on violent crime, civil fraud enforcement, and immigration crimes.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
United States Attorney Harrington said: “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington is committed to combatting violent crime, attacking fraud, and addressing immigration matters together with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners. The additional AUSA positions that have been allocated to the District will assist significantly in these efforts.”
The Eastern District of Washington is comprised of the eastern two-thirds of the State of Washington (approximately 41,826 square miles). The District is bounded by the Canadian border to the north, Idaho to the east, Oregon to the south, and the crest of the Cascade Mountains to the west. The District includes twenty Washington counties and four Indian Reservations.
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Allocates Three New Prosecutors to the Western District of Oklahoma to Focus on Violent Crime and Civil EnforcementRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Robert J. Troester, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys throughout the nation to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly-created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force, which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
Three of these new positions have been allocated to the Western District of Oklahoma. Two will focus on violent crime, while one will focus on civil enforcement.
"Adding three new prosecutors will significantly enhance our ability to pursue key Administration priorities," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester. "Those priorities include our work to combat and reduce violent crime through Project Safe Neighborhoods and fight the illegal distribution of opioids, whether by street dealers or those in the medical community, through our Western Oklahoma Opioid Enforcement Team. These new positions will certainly strengthen our ability to reduce violent crime and promote public safety in communities throughout the Western District of Oklahoma."
For more information on the locations of the 311 Assistant United States Attorney positions, see the attached document.
AUSA ListOn 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO- On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Alex G. Tse announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Northern District of California, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one will focus on civil enforcement. In addition, the Northern District of California previously was allocated another two AUSA positions that were dedicated to violent crime. This brings the total number of newly allocated positions to five since January 2017.
“We are very pleased to receive additional resources consistent with the demonstrated needs of the district and the priorities of the Department of Justice,” said Acting US Attorney Tse. “We intend to take full advantage of these resources to efficiently and effectively prosecute violent crime and further build upon our robust civil fraud work.”
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Middle District of Florida, three of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, two on civil enforcement, and one on prosecuting immigration crimes.
“We are grateful for the additional resources to better serve our constituents here in the Middle District,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “These new positions will provide much needed assistance as we continue to focus on the Department’s priorities and meet the needs of our communities.”
The Middle District of Florida is the second largest federal district in the country, with a population of more than 11 million. It includes 35 of Florida’s 67 counties and includes offices in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Ft. Myers, and Ocala. For more information about the MDFL, visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl.
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Northern District of Indiana U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
The Northern District of Indiana received 4 new AUSAs from the above allocation, 3 to fight violent crime and 1 for civil enforcement.
US Attorney Kirsch said, “With these new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions, my office will commit even more prosecutorial resources to fighting violent crime and addressing the opioid crisis in the District. Along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively go after those who break the law and ensure that they are prosecuted for their crimes.”
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On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
Largest Increase in AUSAs in Decades Allocates Two Prosecutors to the Eastern District of Kentucky to Focus on Violent Crime and Civil Enforcement
LEXINGTON, Ky. – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, increase civil enforcement efforts, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system. The Eastern District of Kentucky will receive two of the positions.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Eastern District of Kentucky, one of these AUSAs will focus on prosecuting violent crime cases. “President Trump and Attorney General Sessions have prioritized reducing violent crime, through investigation and prosecution of the ‘worst of the worst’ offenders. With this new position, we intend to do just that,” stated U.S. Attorney Duncan. “The new violent crime AUSA will work with our federal, state, and local partners to help protect the public and keep our communities safe and will prosecute cases arising from the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a multi-agency partnership aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.”
The other AUSA position will focus on conducting affirmative civil enforcement actions, including bringing actions against medical professionals for over prescribing opioids and submitting fraudulent claims for reimbursement to the federal government. “As directed by Attorney General Sessions, we will use every available tool, including through the use of civil enforcement measures, to stop the spread of the opioid epidemic,” stated U.S. Attorney Duncan. “This new civil enforcement AUSA position will add to an already productive affirmative civil enforcement practice.”
To see more information on the locations of the 311 Assistant United States Attorney positions click here.
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
Largest Increase in AUSAs in Decades Allocates Seven Prosecutors to the District of New Jersey to Focus on Violent Crime, Civil Enforcement, and Immigration Crimes
NEWARK, N.J. – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Craig Carpenito announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force, which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump’s strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis – and today we are sending in reinforcements,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to repurpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the District of New Jersey, four of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, two on civil enforcement, and one on immigration. In February, U.S. Attorney Carpenito announced a reorganization of the office to focus its work on areas of criminal and civil enforcement that will pay the biggest dividends in protecting the public.
“The additional Assistant United States Attorneys provided to New Jersey that were announced by Attorney General Sessions today will provide a tremendous boost to our efforts to take dangerous criminals off the streets and protect the public,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Whether it’s prosecuting dangerous street gangs, pushing back against the tide of opioid abuse or shutting down fraudsters who prey on the most vulnerable among us, our focus is on safety and public protection. These additional prosecutors – along with our existing staff and a growing roster of Special Assistant United States Attorneys who are joining us from our law enforcement partners at the state and local level, will give us the tools we need to accomplish our mission.”
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement Assistant U.S. Attorneys will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force that targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
“The District of Nevada is grateful for the addition of three new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions,” said U.S. Attorney Elieson. “One will focus on violent crime prosecutions, one on affirmative civil enforcement, including civil opioid enforcement, and one on prosecuting criminal and civil immigration enforcement work. We look forward to hiring talented, experienced, and service-minded individuals who are committed to making Nevada a safer state.”
To see more information on the locations of the 311 Assistant United States Attorney positions click here.
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On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of Oklahoma, Trent Shores announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the Northern District of Oklahoma, one of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one on civil enforcement.
United States Attorney Shores stated, “I am thankful for the opportunity to add two more dedicated public servants to our staff. These new positions will enable my office to better combat violent crime and opioids in northeastern Oklahoma. We will hire attorneys with integrity, energy, and intelligence who will protect our community through the enforcement of federal law.”
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, PR – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Rosa Emlia Rodríguez-Vélez announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump’s strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the District of Puerto Rico, five of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, and one on civil enforcement.
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico is grateful to Attorney General Sessions and the leadership at the United States Department of Justice for the allotment of these six new Assistant United States Attorney positions. The Department of Justice has recognized, through the allocation of these positions, the significance of the violent crime problem on our island. They have also shown great confidence in our Office by placing these valuable department resources in a place where they are both desperately needed and greatly appreciated,” said US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez.
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On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the Middle District of Tennessee, three of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, and one AUSA will be dedicated to civil enforcement.
“We are serious about reducing violent crime and confronting the opioid crisis head-on,” said U.S. Attorney Don Cochran. “Under Attorney General Sessions’ leadership, we are getting back to the basics of enforcing our nation’s laws and removing violent offenders from our communities. The addition of these prosecutors is long overdue and will enable our office to more effectively support our law enforcement partners at the state and local level. These additional prosecutors will have a devastating effect on violent criminals who continue to operate in the Middle District and will also enable our office to hold those accountable who continue to fuel the opioid epidemic.”
With these positions, five additional violent crime prosecutors have been added in the Middle District of Tennessee in the last six months.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Latasha Ellis, age 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today by the Honorable Laurie Smith Camp. Ellis had previously entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government. Ellis was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $280,442 in restitution to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
From January 2012 until December 2014, Ellis and co-defendant Niquisha Taylor conspired to defraud the United States and the United States Department of the Treasury by obtaining and aiding to obtain the payment of a fraudulent claim by filing and assisting others in filing false tax returns. As part of their scheme, tax returns were filed that had false Schedules C, Profit or Loss from Business. By including false Schedules C, an individual’s earned income was inflated which had the effect of maximizing the amount of Earned Income Tax Credit the taxpayer would receive back. There were 55 tax returns filed as part of their scheme. Taylor previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 3 years of supervised, 120 hours of community, and also ordered to the $280,442 in restitution jointly and severally with Ellis. That is, they are each responsible for the entire amount offset by whatever amount the other pays.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Kurt Alme announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In Montana, one new AUSA will join the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative to help reduce violent crime in the state, which, according to the FBI, increased almost 35% from 2010 to 2016. The second AUSA will litigate cases involving opioids, health care fraud and other frauds committed against the United States. These new AUSAs will increase the total number in Montana to 30.
United States Attorney Kurt Alme added, “These new prosecutors will help reduce violent crime by prosecuting violent criminals and those who cause violent crime by trafficking meth into our state, and will help stop the improper use of opioids and frauds committed against taxpayer dollars. Our office looks forward to continuing to work with our federal, state, tribal and local partners to address these important problems in Montana.”
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
Largest Increase in AUSAs in Decades Allocates 5 Prosecutors to Eastern District of North Carolina to Focus on Violent Crime, Civil Enforcement, and Immigration Crimes
RALEIGH - On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 4 of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and 1 on civil enforcement. Mr. Higdon welcomed the addition of five new prosecutors to the staff of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District: “We are so pleased that the Department of Justice has responded to our plea for new prosecutors. President Trump and the Attorney General have charged this office with reducing the crime rate in the Eastern District and we have mobilized all the resources of this office – all 51 Assistant United States Attorneys and nearly 20 Special Assistant United States Attorneys – to drive the crime rate down and to make our communities safer and more secure. The addition of five new prosecutors will improve our effectiveness and allow us to be even more responsive to the needs of law enforcement and to the communities all across our district. We will move swiftly to fill these positons and the public will soon begin to see the results of more federal prosecutors working to reduce our violent crime rate and to stem the tide of the opioid crisis.”
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051Largest Increase in AUSAs in Decades Allocates Four New Prosecutors to the Western District of New York to Focus on Violent Crime, Civil Enforcement, and Immigration Crimes
BUFFALO, NY – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Western District of New York, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, one on civil enforcement, and one on prosecuting immigration crimes. The United States Attorney for the Western District of New York issued the following statement:
“I am grateful to the Attorney General for the additional manpower which will allow the men and women in our Buffalo and Rochester offices to continue and to build upon the tremendous work they do day in and day out. The allocation of these positions to our Office is tangible evidence of the fact that the Administration recognizes that our Office is providing taxpayers a phenomenal return on their investment.
The Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) working in our Narcotics and Violent Crimes Section have worked tirelessly to remove violent criminals, along with the guns and the drugs they often possess, from the streets of our communities. Over the last decade, we have prosecuted 14 violent streets gangs in Buffalo and Rochester whose members sought to destroy the quality of life for residents. In particular, the successful prosecution of the 7th and 10th Street Gangs, which vastly improved the quality of life for residents living on Buffalo’s West Side, is an example of those efforts. The addition of two more prosecutors to focus on violent crime will allow our office to continue these actions until we rid our communities completely of the scourge of violent gang activity.
We have recently started a new Strategic Operations and Prosecution (STOP) Section, which will work to rid our community of the worst-of-the-worst in terms of violent offenders. Study after study shows that the majority of the violence in any given community is committed by a small handful of violent criminals. By targeting those individuals—the Alpha criminals if you will—we expect to be able to further to drive down violence in our communities.
Moreover, our office has been on the front lines for more than five years prosecuting illegal opiate dealers at all levels. From the common street dealer to the medical professional prescribing outside the course of accepted practice, these defendants are putting drugs into the hands of our struggling loved ones and we have sadly lost too many lives. While prosecution is but one of several prongs of the opiate reduction strategy which we have adopted, with treatment and prevention being the others, we have been both aggressive and progressive handling these cases. While much of the credit belongs to many in the community who have done an exemplary job responding to the opiate crisis, the fact that in 2017 the number of deaths resulting from drug overdoses in Erie County declined for the first time in 5 years is proof positive that our collective efforts are working. The addition of a Civil Enforcement AUSA—to a unit which each year has recoveries which far exceed our Office’s annual operating budget—will provide just one more tool with which to fight this deadly epidemic and to hammer home the point that crime doesn’t pay.
In addition to focusing on violent crime and the deadly opioid epidemic, our office will continue efforts to secure the international borders located in the Western District of New York. The addition of an AUSA to focus on immigration issues will help to ensure that those who seek to enter our country illegally are apprehended and prosecuted. In so doing, we will be enforcing the rule of law and reinforcing the notion that in a just society people must follow the law.”
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
June 4, 2018 – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Matthew D. Krueger announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
“Under President Trump’s strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
In the Eastern District of Wisconsin, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one AUSA will focus on affirmative civil enforcement, including cases involving illegal opioid distribution.
“We are grateful for additional prosecutors to confront the opioid epidemic and violent crime in our community,” said United States Attorney Krueger. “Last month, in a single weekend in Milwaukee County, at least six people died of drug overdoses. For many, addiction starts with prescription opioids. The new civil enforcement AUSA will reinforce our efforts to deter prescribers and pharmacies that distribute prescription opioids illegally. Violent crime rates are also far too high. The two new criminal AUSAs will bolster our campaign to prosecute aggressively the firearms offenses that disrupt neighborhood safety.”
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