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22 September 2015
District Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Robbing Teenagers at GunpointRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cornelius Rice, 27, and Jamal Allen, 25, both of Washington, D.C. have been sentenced to prison terms for robbing seven teenagers at gunpoint earlier this year in Southeast Washington, Acting U.S. Attorney Vincent H. Cohen, Jr. announced.
Rice pled guilty in July 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Allen pled guilty in June 2015 to charges of robbery while armed and fleeing a law enforcement officer.
The Honorable Todd E. Edelman sentenced Rice on Sept. 11, 2015, to a 6 ½-year prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The judge sentenced Allen on Aug. 25, 2015, to six years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Feb. 15, 2015, at about 6:30 p.m., Rice, Allen, and two other men followed seven teenagers, ages 14 and 15, into a carry-out restaurant in the 300 block of Southern Avenue SE with the intention of robbing them. Six of the seven juveniles were wearing Nike shoes, which had gone on sale to the public the previous day. After following the juveniles into the restaurant, Rice brandished a pistol and demanded that the teenagers take off their shoes. During the robbery, Allen had a pistol or imitation pistol.
Rice, Allen, and the two other men took six pairs of shoes from the victims, along with a cell phone and cash from the only victim who was not wearing the newly released shoes. Nine days after the robbery, on Feb. 24, 2015, U.S. Park Police attempted to stop Allen for a traffic violation in Southeast Washington. He fled the area at a high rate of speed, crossing into oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed. He and Rice were arrested within weeks of their crimes.
In announcing the sentences, Acting U.S. Attorney Cohen praised the work of those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and Lindsey Merikas, who investigated and indicted the case.
District Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Shooting in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Joseph, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to a charge stemming from the shooting last year of a man in Southeast Washington, Acting U.S. Attorney Vincent H. Cohen, Jr. announced. Joseph shot the victim seven times, including two gunshot wounds to the middle of the forehead.
Joseph pled guilty to aggravated assault while armed, on July 6, 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for the 10-year prison sentence. The Honorable Rhonda Reid Winston accepted the plea today. Following his prison term, Joseph will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 25, 2014, at approximately 7:30 p.m., the Metropolitan Police Department responded to a dispatch regarding a shooting in the 1000 block of 12th Street SE. Officers discovered the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his body, including his head, leg, kidney area, and hand. According to the victim, he had been arguing with Joseph in the hallway, and the victim returned to the apartment. A short time later, the victim heard a knock at the door, and when he opened the door, Joseph was standing in the doorway. Joseph pointed a handgun at the victim, and then fired one shot at the victim’s leg, causing the victim to fall to the ground. Joseph then fired several more times, striking the victim in the forehead, hand, and stomach area.
The victim now walks with a pronounced limp and requires the aid of a cane at all times. He will never regain full function of his leg or kidney functions.
In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Cohen commended the work of the officers, detectives, and others who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tamika Garcia, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivien Cockburn, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Found Guilty of Shooting in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brian Anderson, 28, of Riverdale, Md., has been found guilty by a jury of numerous charges stemming from an incident last year in Northeast Washington in which he fired nine gunshots at a group of women and an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Acting U.S. Attorney Vincent H. Cohen, Jr. announced today.
The jury found Anderson guilty on Sept. 18, 2015 of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of assault on a police officer while armed; six counts of assault with a dangerous weapon; and related weapons offenses. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20, 2015. Anderson remains held while awaiting sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of June 21, 2014, Anderson’s girlfriend walked into a random private apartment in the 2100 block of H Street NE, where several young women were present. An altercation ensued between Anderson’s girlfriend and the young women, and the argument extended outside the apartment building.
While outside, Anderson got into a rental car and tried to run over the victims, driving up on the sidewalk, hitting parked cars, and hitting three of the young women, before ultimately fleeing the scene. During the melee, the bumper of the rental car was left at the scene. An MPD officer responded to the scene and had begun to interview the women when the victims saw Anderson return. As the MPD officer walked towards Anderson’s car, the defendant got out, pointed a gun in the direction of the officer and the young women, and fired nine shots.
Fortunately, no one was struck by the gunfire.
In announcing the verdict, Acting U.S. Attorney Cohen praised those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan; Litigation Technology Specialists Claudia Gutierrez and Aneela Bhatia; and Paralegal Specialist Donville Drummond. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and Laura Crane, who tried the case, and Adrienne Gurley, who investigated and indicted the case.
Davie Resident Sentenced for her Role in Identity Theft Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Davie resident was sentenced by United States District Judge Beth Bloom to 24 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $191,678 for her role in an identity theft tax fraud scheme.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Raymond Black, Chief, Miramar Police Department, made the announcement.
Ashley Monique Leroy, 26, of Davie, previously pled guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Codes Section 1028A(a)(1).
According to court documents, on September 17, 2012, police officers from the Miramar Police Department arrested Leroy for possession of marijuana and other traffic infractions. After her arrest, officers conducted an inventory search of her vehicle and recovered a blue notebook that contained hundreds of personal identifying information, such as names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth. The notebook also contained information explaining how to file income tax returns.
As part of her plea agreement, Leroy agreed to pay restitution to the IRS of $191,678. This amount represents the monetary loss for the filing of fraudulent income taxes in the names of the individuals listed in the blue notebook found in Leroy’s possession.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Identity Theft Strike Force, with special commendation to the IRS-CI and the City of Miramar Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miesha Shonta Darrough.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Darby Man Charged with Maintaining A Drug-Involved PremisesRead the Press Release
Evonne Hodges, 35, of Darby, PA, was charged today by indictment with maintaining a drug-involved premises, announced U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the indictment, between October 1, 2012 and May 24, 2013, Hodges managed and controlled rooms, as a lessee, in a residence in Darby, PA, and made those rooms available for the purpose of unlawfully storing and distributing marijuana.
If convicted, Hodges faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Darby Borough Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
DEA to Hold 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this SaturdayRead the Press Release
Event will take place from 10 am-2 pm on Saturday, September 26th
This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, come to one of the almost 5,000 collection sites around the nation to return all unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs for safe and anonymous disposal. This is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in the past five years. Collection sites in every local community, manned by DEA and its local law enforcement and community partners, can be found by going to www.dea.gov or calling 800-882-9539. All states and some territories will be participating Saturday (with the exception of Pennsylvania and Delaware, which held their events earlier in the month).
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day addresses vital public safety and health issues. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medications, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – posing safety and environmental hazards.
"Our goal is to reduce the risk of addiction and the 46,000 overdose deaths a year that come with prescription drug abuse. Take Back Day is a great opportunity for folks to help reduce the threat," DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said. "Please clean out your medicine cabinet and make your home safe from drug theft and abuse." 2
DEA’s previous nine nationwide Take-Back events collected 4,823,251 pounds—more than 2,411 tons—of drugs.
Charleston man sentenced in Federal Court for distributing heroinRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher E. Strick, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced today in federal court in Charleston to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Strick previously pled guilty in June of 2015 admitting that he had sold heroin to a confidential informant working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (“MDENT”) in January of 2012. The drug deal took place at Strick’s Edgewood Drive residence.
The case was investigated by MDENT. AUSA John Frail is responsible for the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of heroin and prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal heroin and pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
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Catherine Greig Indicted on Criminal ContemptRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Catherine Greig, longtime companion of convicted killer James “Whitey” Bulger, was indicted today in U.S. District Court in Boston in connection with her refusal to testify before a grand jury.
“Ms. Greig was ordered by the Court to testify before a grand jury about whether others assisted Mr. Bulger while he lived on the lam for 16 years,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “By refusing to comply with that order, Ms. Greig has committed a new crime and this indictment seeks to hold her accountable. The grand jury is entitled to her testimony and flouting a federal court’s order has substantial consequences.”
"Catherine Greig has yet again failed to do the right thing,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “Her refusal to testify has hindered the FBI's efforts to seek justice for the victims of his crimes. Our efforts to find those who assisted them during their lives as fugitives will not stop despite the fact that Ms. Greig has refused to testify."
Catherine E. Greig, 64, was indicted on one count of criminal contempt. The indictment alleges that on Dec. 9, 2014, and continuing through Sept. 22, 2015, Greig refused to testify before a federal grand jury regarding an investigation into whether other individuals assisted Bulger while he was a fugitive from 1995 through 2011. In 2012, Greig was convicted of identity fraud and harboring James J. Bulger, and was sentenced to eight years in federal prison.
The charge of criminal contempt provides for a prison sentence to be served subsequent to her current eight-year prison sentence and a fine. There is no fixed maximum penalty for criminal contempt, so courts may impose any sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary B. Murrane of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Carlsbad Woman Sentenced for Violating Federal Narcotics Trafficking LawsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE — Monique Maurice Martinez, 35, of Carlsbad, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 84 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for her methamphetamine trafficking conviction.
Martinez was charged in a criminal complaint on April 23, 2014, with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in Eddy County, N.M., on March 18, 2014. According to the complaint, agents with the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Martinez’s residence where they seized approximately 174.6 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and $2,015.00 in cash. Martinez was subsequently indicted on the same charge on Nov. 12, 2014.
Martinez pled guilty to a felony information on July 1, 2015, and admitted that on March 18, 2014, she possessed 166.05 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Martinez further admitted that the methamphetamine, which was in her purse, was discovered during the execution of a search warrant at her residence by the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force and the Carlsbad Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA, the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force and the Carlsbad Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy M. Castellano of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted the case.
The Pecos Valley Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department and Artesia Police Department and is part of the HIDTA Region VI Drug Task Force. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Butler County Woman Charged with ExtortionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Butler County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of interference with commerce by extortion, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The two-count superseding indictment named Pamela A. Vivirito, 45, of Valencia, PA as the sole defendant.
According to the superseding indictment Vivirito extorted property from persons known to the grand jury.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $500,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Brian Smith, 42, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to bank fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maura K. O'Donnell and Russell T. Ippolito, who are handling the case, stated that Smith caused fraudulent loan applications and supporting documentation to be submitted to banks, credit unions, peer to peer lenders, and other business entities. The defendant also defrauded individuals out of funds under the guise of investing their money in real estate, when, in fact, he personally spent the money and did not purchase real estate. Smith also used fraudulent applications to open a credit card and to obtain a Land Rover vehicle. The defendant applied for over $1,000,000 in fraudulent loans. Smith also perpetrated a mortgage fraud scheme, using a straw borrower from Buffalo to obtain fraudulent mortgages for properties in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
A co-defendant, Kelly Atkinson, 32, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, also caused fraudulent loan applications and supporting documentation to be submitted to credit unions and other businesses for the purpose of obtaining loans. The fraudulent loans applied for by Atkinson totaled approximately $460,000. He has been convicted and will be sentenced on January 20, 2016 before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Today’s plea is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Smith will be sentenced on January 16, 2016, also by Judge Arcara.
Bayonne, New Jersey, Police Officer Admits Using Excessive Force During Arrest, Filing False ReportRead the Press Release
Also Admits Role in Fraudulent $20,000 Home Rehabilitation Loan Scheme
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man today admitted using excessive force during an arrest, falsifying records in an attempt to conceal his conduct and helping a relative fraudulently obtain a home rehabilitation loan, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Domenico Lillo, 45, of Bayonne, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and one count of falsifying records to impede a civil rights investigation. Lillo also pleaded guilty to an information charging him with assisting in the filing of a false report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) in connection with a federally funded home rehabilitation loan worth $20,000.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On the early evening of Dec. 27, 2013, Lillo and other police officers from the Bayonne Police Department went to an address in Bayonne to execute a Sussex County arrest warrant. Lillo admitted that he struck the subject of the warrant in the head with a flashlight while the individual was handcuffed and not resisting arrest, which resulted in bodily injury. Lillo also admitted that he falsified a Bayonne Police Department Use of Force Report related to the arrest with the intent to impede an investigation into the case.
In addition, Lillo admitted that on May 10, 2012, he aided a relative in preparing and submitted a fraudulent HUD application to get a federally funded rehabilitation loan on a home Lillo co-owned.
The excessive force charge to which Lillo pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge of falsifying records to impede an investigation carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of making false reports to HUD carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2015.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel in Newark, special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi, and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacques S. Pierre of the Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven G. Sanders of the Appeals Division.
Defense counsel: Frank Arleo Esq. and Thomas Cammarata Esq., West Orange, N.J.
Bangor Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Timothy S. Klimas, 27, of Bangor, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to using children to produce child pornography and to distributing child pornography.
Court records reveal that between 2012 and 2014 the defendant sexually abused three minor children and used a digital camera and his cell phone’s camera to record sexually explicit images of them. He posted many of those images to a website. He was arrested in August 2014.
Klimas faces at least 15 years and up to 110 years in prison and up to a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bangor and Newport Police Departments.
Armed Imperial Gangsta Bloods Drug Dealer Sentenced to 35 YearsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Jermarrieo Javone Stigger, 30, of Portsmouth, was sentenced today to 420 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute narcotics and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Stigger pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2015. According to court documents, Stigger was a high-ranking member of the Imperial Gangsta Bloods, a Portsmouth-based set affiliated with the United Blood Nation that engaged in drug trafficking and acts of violence, including multiple shooting incidents during the summer of 2014. Operating out of Virginia Beach hotel rooms and other residences in Hampton Roads, Stigger bought and sold, and managed others who sold, substantial amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine. He was regularly armed during the course of the drug conspiracy, including with an assault rifle and numerous handguns. The defendant and other members of the Imperial Gangsta Bloods who are awaiting sentencing were investigated in a joint operation by the FBI, the Portsmouth Police Department, the Virginia Beach Police Department, and the Virginia State Police.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and John S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar, Sr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Bosse and Joseph DePadilla prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:15-cr-13.
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Arizona Law Enforcement Agencies Receive over $1.3 Million in Federal Grant Funds to Support Body-Worn Camera ProgramRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $1,333,998 in federal grant funds have been awarded to four Arizona law enforcement agencies to support the use of body-worn cameras by patrol officers. Such cameras are intended to enhance public and officer safety and improve police-community relations. The four recipient agencies are the Phoenix Police Department (grant 2015-WY-BX-0004), the City of Peoria (grant 2015-DE-BX-K020), the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (grant 2015-DE-BX-K052), and the City of Glendale (grant 2015-DE-BX-K060). Additionally, the Phoenix Police Department received a separate federal grant of $392,842 (grant 2015-MC-FX-K027) to support its work on the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (“AZ ICAC”).
These grant funds were awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (“BJA”) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (“OJJDP”), which are components of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).
Information on BJA specific: https://www.bja.gov/Programs/VRN.html
Information on OJJDP specific: http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/about.html
Information about OJP and its programs can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.
For additional information about the BWC Pilot Implementation Program, visit
http://www.bja.gov/bwc/pdfs/BWCPIP-Award-Fact-Sheet.pdf
RELEASE NUMBER: 2015-087_BODY_WORN_CAMERAS
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Area Ambulance Company Owner Pleads Guilty in Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas ‐ The owner of Vic’s Texas Transport, Inc. (dba Victory EMS) has been convicted of health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Victor Lee Gonzalez, 28, of Mission, entered his guilty plea today before Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa.
As part of the plea, Gonzalez admitted he submitted claims with Medicare and Texas Medicaid for reimbursement of ambulance transportation services that were not provided. To further execute his scheme to defraud, Gonzalez used the Texas Medicaid number of a patient to submit false and fraudulent billings to Texas Medicaid. The aggregate sum of the false and fraudulent claims submitted by Gonzalez was $1,080,213 to Medicare and Texas Medicaid. As a result of those fraudulent claims, Medicare and Texas Medicaid paid approximately $458,904.45.
Sentencing has been set for Nov. 30, 2015. At that time, Gonzalez faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a possible $250,000 fine. For the aggravated identity theft, he also faces an additional 24 months in prison which must be served consecutively to any other prison sentence imposed. Gonzalez, whose bond was previously revoked in the case, will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services‐Office of Inspector General and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Day is prosecuting the case.
Appleton Men Sentenced for Roles in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 21, 2015, Sa Xiong (age: 25) and Bee Vang (age: 23) of Appleton, Wisconsin, were both sentenced to federal prison by Chief United States District Judge William C. Griesbach. Xiong and Vang had previously entered guilty pleas to a single count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in violation of Title 21 United States Code Section 846. According to the plea agreement and other documents filed with the court, Xiong and Vang helped operate a methamphetamine distribution ring stretching from the Fox Valley to Calumet County. Xiong and another high level co-conspirator distributed the methamphetamine while in possession of several semi-automatic firearms.
In pronouncing the sentences, Chief Judge Griesbach noted the debilitating effect that methamphetamine has on individuals and the great harm the drug causes in Northeast Wisconsin. He further noted that the quantity of methamphetamine and the presence of firearms made this a particularly dangerous conspiracy. Ultimately, Xiong was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 120 months in federal prison for his role as the “right-hand man” to the leader of the drug conspiracy. Vang, who played a much lesser role, received a sentence of 18 months imprisonment followed by 4 months of electronic monitoring and home detention.
The case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, the Appleton Police Department, Fox Valley Metro Police Department, Kaukauna Police Department, Town of Menasha Police Department, Menasha Police Department, Neenah Police Department, Oshkosh Police Department, Calumet County Sheriff’s Department, and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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Annapolis Felon Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Cecil Scott Wiggins, age 49, of Annapolis, Maryland, today to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Annapolis Police Chief Michael A. Pristoop; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams.
According to Wiggins’ plea agreement, on December 19, 2014, Annapolis Police Department (APD) officers were called to the1300 block of Tyler Avenue in Annapolis for reports of shots fired. When officers arrived, the victim stated that her boyfriend, Cecil Scott Wiggins, fired a shot into her home. At the time Wiggins fired the shot, the victim and her fourteen-year old son were attempting to prevent Wiggins from getting inside the home. The shot hit the ceiling of the kitchen, without going through the upstairs floor or causing any injuries.
APD and the Anne Arundel County Police Department eventually located Wiggins at his mother’s home in Annapolis. APD personnel spoke to Wiggins’ mother, who gave consent to search her residence, and signed a consent form. In the basement where Wiggins resided, APD recovered a .22 caliber spent shell casing on the floor near the couch, and a silver/black .22 caliber revolver in the nearby laundry room. The revolver had black tape and multicolored rubber bands around the handle, and was loaded with one round of .22 caliber ammunition that matched the type of shell casing found on the floor.
Wiggins was arrested and transported to APD headquarters. Wiggins acknowledged he had a gun when he went to the victim’s home. He claimed that he accidentally pulled the trigger when he stuck his arm through the open door and the door closed on his arm.
Wiggins had previous felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Police Departments and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelly S. Glenn, who prosecuted the case.
21 September 2015
‘Career Con-man” Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A ‘career con-man’ with twenty-one previous convictions for fraud has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for devising a scheme to deposit counterfeit bank checks into bank accounts he controlled then withdrawing some or all of the funds, and for violating the terms of supervised release on a previous federal conviction for fraud.
Michael P. Tatro, 45, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith to 46 months in prison for bank fraud and to a consecutive sentence of 24 months in prison for violating the terms of supervised release. Tatro was also ordered to serve 5 years of supervised release upon completion of his current prison term and to pay restitution to the banks defrauded in the amount of $45,427.91.
Tatro’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Ted A. Arruda, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the U.S. Secret Service.
Tatro pleaded guilty on January 30, 2015, to bank fraud.
At the time of his guilty plea, Tatro admitted to the court that on October 1, 2013, he opened a business account which he controlled at Bank Rhode Island. Tatro admitted that between December 19 and December 30, 2013, he deposited into the account counterfeit cashier’s checks totaling $108,995. Tatro admitted that after making the deposits he took steps to quickly withdraw monies from the account.
In addition, Tatro admitted to the court that on December 30, 2013, and on January 2, 2014, he deposited checks he wrote on his Bank Road Island business account into an account in his name at Greenwood Credit Union and then quickly withdrew monies. Bank Rhode Island returned the checks unpaid to Greenwood Credit Union.
The court found that at the time Tatro defrauded Bank Rhode Island and Greenwood Credit Union he had violated the terms of supervised release on a previous conviction for bank and tax fraud. In January 2009 he was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
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Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
email: [email protected]
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Woman in Prison for BP Oil Spill Fraud Sentenced to Two More Years for Food Stamp Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM -- A federal judge today sentenced a McCalla woman to two years in prison for food stamp fraud and evading income taxes. The woman currently is in prison for attempting to defraud the Gulf Coast oil spill claims fund, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Veronica Hyman-Pillot, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Investigations, Special Agent in Charge Karen Citizen-Wilcox.
U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced SHERICA LACEY LEE, 33, on one count each of tax evasion and wire fraud. Lee pleaded guilty to the charges in August. Lee is serving a one year and day prison sentence for attempting to defraud the Gulf Coast oil spill fund. She is scheduled to complete that sentence in January, and the time she serves between now and then will be applied to the two-year sentenced she received today.
In accordance with Lee's plea agreement with the government on the food stamp fraud and tax evasion charges, Judge Coogler ordered her to forfeit $23,757 to the government as proceeds of illegal activity. She also must pay that same amount in restitution, plus interest, to the Department of Agriculture for food stamp benefits she was not eligible to receive between July 2009 and June 2013, and she must pay $134,448 in restitution, plus interest, to the IRS for taxes not paid in 2008 through 2010. Judge Coogler fined Lee $7,500.
According to Lee's guilty plea, she evaded income taxes for 2008 by preparing and submitting a personal tax return that falsely reported she had no taxable income, when she had $229,147 in taxable income that year. Lee ran a tax preparation business, Lacey's Income Tax Service, with several locations in the Birmingham area. Between 2008 and 2010, Lee's company filed more than 2,000 tax returns and generated about $2.5million in receipts.
Lee committed wire fraud as part of a scheme to obtain federal benefits from the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. USDA administered SNAP, formerly known as the Federal Food Stamp Program, in conjunction with the Alabama Department of Human Resources.
Although Lee had income in excess of $200,000 in 2009, she applied for SNAP benefits by falsely stating on her application to DHR that she had no household income, cash on hand, or money in the bank, according to her plea. Lee submitted additional false application forms in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Her applications caused the $23,757 in SNAP benefits to be wired to an account established in her name and loaded monthly onto an Electronic Benefit Transfer card, which could be used as a debit card to purchase food.
IRS, Criminal Investigation, and USDA-OIG investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat Meadows prosecuted.
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Woburn Promoter Charged in Stock Price Manipulation SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A stock promoter from Woburn was charged today in U.S. District Court in Boston with securities fraud in connection with his participation in a scheme to manipulate the market for the publicly traded stock of a microcap company.
Louis Buonocore, 60, was charged with conspiracy and securities fraud based on his involvement in the manipulation of the stock of YaFarm Technologies, Inc. (YaFarm), a penny stock company that claimed to be entering the stem cell therapy business.
In a parallel action, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced securities fraud charges today against Buonocore and another individual, Frank Morelli, in connection with the scheme.
According to the Information, in late 2012, Buonocore and his co-conspirators secretly acquired majority control of YaFarm’s free-trading shares, using nominees to conceal their ownership from the SEC and others. In early 2013, with millions of shares at their disposal, Buonocore and his co-conspirators launched a misleading promotional campaign to persuade investors that YaFarm was acquiring a successful stem cell therapy business and the new laboratory it was building in Cancun, Mexico. In reality, YaFarm had no meaningful operations, the institution being acquired was still in development, and it lacked the funds needed to build the laboratory. As a result of the hype created by the misleading press releases, Buonocore and his co-conspirators were able to sell their YaFarm stock to unwitting investors at artificially high prices.
These charges arise out of a multi-year investigation focusing on preventing fraud in the microcap stock markets. Microcap companies are small publicly traded companies whose stock often trades at pennies per share. Fraud in the microcap markets is of increasing concern to regulators as such markets have proven to be fertile grounds for fraud and abuse. This is, in part, because accurate information about microcap stocks may be difficult for the average investor to find, since many microcap companies do not file financial reports with the SEC.
Today’s charges follow a series of cases filed by the SEC and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts in which more than 20 individuals have been criminally charged and convicted for using kickbacks and other schemes to trigger investment in, or manipulate the stock of, thinly-traded stocks.
The charge of securities fraud provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $5 million. The conspiracy charge provides a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Ortiz and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The criminal case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Christofferson of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit and SEC Attorney Andrew Palid, who was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought in coordination with President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.
Wisconsin Woman Remains in Federal Custody on Complaint Alleging She Transported a Minor Child to Another State to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A Janesville, Wisconsin woman, Jennifer Lynn Dougherty, remains in federal custody on a federal criminal complaint alleging she transported a minor child from Texas to Wisconsin to engage in sexual activity, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
A detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul D. Stickney.
According to the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, after being notified early last week of a missing minor child by the child’s parents, the Garland Police Department contacted the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and entered the victim into the database as a missing juvenile. A review of the minor child’s X-Box 360 gaming system by detectives with the Garland Police Department revealed recent chat communications, sexual in nature, with a particular user, later identified as Dougherty.
On Wednesday, September 16, 2015, officers with the Dallas Police Department assigned to the Dallas Love Field airport, contacted NCIC advising they had located an individual matching the child’s description, in the company of an adult female, at the airport. Upon receipt of this information, officers with the Garland Police Department went to the Dallas Love Field airport and retrieved the missing child and adult female.
The investigation revealed Dougherty and the minor child met while playing online games. On September 12, 2015, Dougherty allegedly traveled from Wisconsin to Texas, picked up the minor child, and transported the child to Wisconsin, where she sexually assaulted the child.
A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The maximum statutory penalty for the offense as charged is not less than 10 years or up to life in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
The FBI and the Garland Police Department are investigating. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks is in charge of the prosecution.
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Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Bank Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
WICHITA KAN. - A Wichita man pleaded guilty Monday to a bank robbery that ended when he rolled his car in a residential neighborhood, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Harold Carl Deloach, Jr., 41, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to robbing the Credit Union of America at 212 S. Ridge Road in Wichita on Jan. 15, 2015. He entered the credit union at about 5 p.m. and gave the teller a note saying, “Put the money in the bag.” He was arrested after rolling his car in a homeowner’s front yard near 13th North and Tyler, about three miles from the bank.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 14. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney for their work on the case.
Vermilion County Man Indicted on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – A November 2015 trial date has been scheduled for a Danville, Ill., man indicted on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, as announced by Jim Lewis, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. A trial date of Nov. 24, 2015, has been set for Dashun W. Avery, 20, of the 800 block of N. Bowman Ave.
The indictment, returned early this month, had remained sealed pending Avery’s court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long on Friday, Sept. 18. Judge Long ordered that Avery remain detained in U.S. Marshals Service custody.
The indictment alleges that on July 13, 2015, Avery unlawfully possessed a nine millimeter, semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number after having previously been convicted of a felony offense. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is up to 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Danville Police Department.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Urbana Man to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – An Urbana, Ill., man, Talon G. Wright, 39, of the 900 block of East Harding St., was sentenced this afternoon for sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce sentenced Wright to a term of 15 years in federal prison and ordered that he remain on supervised release for a period of 10 years following his release from prison.
Wright entered pleas of guilty on May 14, 2015, to the charge of using and coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual images of said conduct in late 2011 and early 2012. Further, Wright pled guilty to possession of computer devices containing child pornography on Aug. 1, 2014.
Since Wright’s arrest on Oct. 27, 2014, he has remained detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson prosecuted the case. The charges were the result of an investigation by the Urbana Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigation, in cooperation with the office of the Champaign County State’s Attorney and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Justice Department Awards Transitional Housing Grant Assistance to Two New Jersey OrganizationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Woman today awarded more than $550,000 in grants to two New Jersey organizations that provide housing assistance to victims of sexual assault, domestic or dating violence and stalking, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Jersey Battered Women’s Services (JBWS) Inc. of Morristown, New Jersey, was awarded a $305,576 grant and 180 Turning Lives Around Inc. of Hazlet, New Jersey, was awarded a $255,284 grant. Both grants were made through the Transitional Housing Grant Assistance program.
The primary purpose of the Transitional Housing Assistance Program is to provide aid to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking who are homeless, or in need of transitional housing, or other housing assistance, including short-term housing assistance and supportive services; and for whom emergency shelter services or other crisis intervention services are unavailable or insufficient. The program also focuses on supporting a holistic, victim-centered approach to provide transitional housing services that move individuals into permanent housing. It is critical that successful transitional housing programs provide a wide range of flexible and optional services that reflect the differences and individual needs of victims and that allow victims to choose the course of action that is best for them.
JBWS will partner with Literacy Volunteers of Morris County for ESL instruction, the Women’s Center for computer classes, the Health Careers Program at the County College of Morris for access to high-earning career tracks, the Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership (NORWESCAP) for financial literacy, Child & Family Resources for child care referral as well as parenting education, and the Greater Morristown YMCA for afterschool and summer camp care. These partnerships will provide a broader range of supportive services needed and requested by clients. Housing and supportive services will be co-located in a cluster model facility for 11 families. The project will provide at least 30 victims the tools necessary to become self-sufficient and achieve long-term safety.
180 Turning Lives Around is a non-profit organization located in Monmouth County, New Jersey, a county encompassing both some of the richest and some of the poorest municipalities in the state. Monmouth County, with a population of 629,735, has had either the 2nd or 3rd highest number of domestic violence reports out of New Jersey’s 21 counties during the past five years. 180 will partner with Long Branch Concordance and contracted service providers to support 10 families in the 180 agency owned scattered site townhomes. 180 Turning Lives Around will limit its use of Transitional Housing Assistance Grant Program funds to supportive services. Funds for housing are designated from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
For more information about this grant, contact the Office on Violence Against Women, Outreach and Communications Division, at (202) 307-6026.
U.S. Department of Justice awards law enforcement hiring grants to help build trust, reduce violence and protect schoolsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding awards to two cities in the Eastern District of Louisiana, aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting, 17 law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $2,095,846.
The list of this year’s grantees includes:
New Orleans Police Department: $1,875,000 to fund 15 officers
Bogalusa Police Department: $ 220,846 to fund 2 officers
Total Funding Awarded: $2,095,846
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
"I thank the COPS Office for its continued support of law enforcement efforts in our District,” state U.S. Attorney Polite. “These grant awards will help improve public safety in two important cities in Southeast Louisiana."
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Provides Nearly $3.4 Million to Arizona Law Enforcement Agencies to Create 27 New PositionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced that the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (“COPS”) will be awarding a total of $3.375 million in federal funds to two Arizona police departments: Phoenix and South Tucson. These funds are intended to create and protect 27 law enforcement positions in Arizona and are part of a $107 million nationwide funding effort.
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
“This is great news for the district. The addition of #27 officers in these communities helps build trust in law enforcement, reduce violence and protect our schools, which significantly increases overall public safety in our District.” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo. “I am very pleased that this Department of Justice - Law Enforcement Grant was awarded to these two communities allowing them to maintain their community policing efforts at peak efficiency.”
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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RELEASE NUMBER: 2015-085_ COPS_AWARDS
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. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect SchoolsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding awards to two cities and one Pueblo in the District of New Mexico, aimed at funding 16 law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $1,921,987.00 for three police departments in New Mexico.
The list of this year’s grantees includes: the Hobbs Police Department which was awarded $625,000.00 to fund five officers; the Las Cruces Police Department which was awarded $1,125,000.00 to fund nine officers; and the Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Police Department which was awarded $171,987.00 to fund two officers.
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
“Every additional officer on the street helps keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez. “The 16 officers who will be hired with this money will help fight crime in Hobbs, Las Cruces and the Pueblo of Laguna and improve the lives of the people who live there.”
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect SchoolsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding awards to five police departments in the Western District of Washington aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting, ten law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $1.25 million for Western Washington.
The list of this year’s grantees includes: the Arlington Police Department – two officers; Issaquah – two officers; Marysville – three officers; the Port Gamble S’Klallam Indian Tribe – one officer; the Tukwila Police Department – two officers.
“Ensuring that local law enforcement officers have the resources they need to serve their communities fairly, faithfully and effectively is among the Justice Department’s highest priorities,” said Attorney General Lynch. “These awards will not only keep more officers on the beat – they will address specific issue areas like violent crime, school safety, homeland security and community trust. They will help our law enforcement agencies become more efficient and more responsive to the needs of their jurisdictions. And they will promote the ongoing efforts of the Department of Justice as we work to build the safe, secure and supportive communities that every American deserves.”
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
“Building trust between communities and police is a key component of effective policing,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “I congratulate these cities and police departments that successfully competed for this grant with proposals aimed and building trust with the communities they serve and keeping our students safe in school.”
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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U.S. Department of Justice Awards Grant to VI to Hire 15 Law Enforcement Officers to Help Build Trust, Reduce ViolenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding awards, including a $1,838,023 award to the Virgin Islands Police Department for 15 additional law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP).
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
“These grants demonstrate the US Department of Justice’s and the US Attorney’s Office’s commitment to ensuring public safety by getting more officers on the streets,” said Ronald W. Sharpe, United States Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands. “Moreover, by having these officers engage in community policing, the community is assured that progressive steps, such as ending excessive use of force and promoting accountability systems, are being taken to build trust between law enforcement officers and the community.”
U.S. Attorney Sharpe said that when there is trust between law enforcement officers and the community, both victims and witnesses are more likely to provide law enforcement with information needed to resolve crimes and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
Priority consideration for the grants was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledgeresource products including publications, training, and technical assistance. For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Awards $1.5 Million Law Enforcement Hiring Grant to Waterbury to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and ProtectRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), today announced that the COPS Office has awarded $1.5 million to the City of Waterbury to fund 12 law enforcement positions. The award is part of more than $107 million in funds awarded this year through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP) to create and protect numerous law enforcement positions across the country.
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
“Enhancing community policing and maintaining our schools as a safe and enriching learning environment are critically important, and I am pleased to join the COPS Office in announcing this grant,” said U.S. Attorney Daly. “This funding will help provide Waterbury with the resources needed to accomplish this vital mission.”
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Announces over $23.2 Million in Funding for Body Worn CamerasRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Attorney General Loretta Lynch today announced that the Justice Department has awarded grants totaling more than $23.2 million to 73 local and tribal agencies in 32 states to expand the use of body-worn cameras and explore their impact. The investment includes $19.3 million to purchase body-worn cameras, $2 million for training and technical assistance and $1.9 million to examine the impact of their use. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), are part of President Obama’s proposal to purchase 50,000 body-worn cameras for law enforcement agencies within three years.
“This vital pilot program is designed to assist local jurisdictions that are interested in exploring and expanding the use of body-worn cameras in order to enhance transparency, accountability and credibility,” said Attorney General Lynch. “The impact of body-worn cameras touches on a range of outcomes that build upon efforts to mend the fabric of trust, respect and common purpose that all communities need to thrive.”
The Albuquerque Police Department received a $250,000.00 grant. “As we support the men and women of APD in their work to protect our community, we are mindful that effective public safety depends not simply on taking criminals off the streets, but on winning – and keeping – the confidence of the people our officers are sworn to serve,” said U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez. “As the first police department to implement court-ordered reforms that include a body-worn camera program, this money will help APD implement reforms that will enhance officer interaction with the public and build community trust.”
The grants, which require a 50/50 in-kind or cash match, can be used to purchase equipment and require that applicants establish a strong implementation plan and a robust training policy before purchasing cameras. The long term costs associated with storing this information will be the financial responsibility of each local agency.
In addition to funds to help purchase body-worn cameras and train officers in their use, grants under the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA’s) Smart Policing Initiative will support police departments in Miami, Milwaukee, and Phoenix as they examine the impact of body-worn cameras on citizen complaints, internal investigations, privacy, community relationships and cost effectiveness. Each of these three departments will partner with a research institution to gain insight on the merits of deploying body-worn camera programs.
Lynch announced the award today during a White House Champions of Change event co-hosted by the Office of Justice Programs and the Community Oriented Policing Services Office (COPS). The event honored law enforcement officers and young people who are leading efforts to improve relationships between law enforcement and youth in their communities.BJA has launched a comprehensive online toolkit that consolidates research, promising practices, model policies and other tools that address issues surrounding body-worn cameras, including implementation requirements; image retention; concerns of policy makers, prosecutors, victim and privacy advocates; and community engagement and funding considerations. The toolkit is available at: https://www.bja.gov/bwc/.
OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics is collecting data on body-worn camera usage through surveys of law enforcement agencies. It is also designing data collection forms for future surveys of prosecutors and public defenders to measure how body-worn camera footage is being used by the courts in criminal cases.
For additional information about the BWC Pilot Implementation Program, visit
http://www.bja.gov/bwc/pdfs/BWCPIP-Award-Fact-Sheet.pdf.
About the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). OJP, headed by Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has six components: the Bureau -of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. More information about OJP can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence, and Protect SchoolsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced the 2015 Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) Hiring Program Awards, including a $1,875,000 grant to the Tallahassee Police Department in the Northern District of Florida to fund 15 law enforcement positions.
The COPS Hiring Program provides grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years. More than $107 million nationally and more than $7,000,000 in Florida will be awarded through this program.
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
“Keeping our communities safe is the primary role of our criminal justice system, and grants such as this one help accomplish that goal,” said Christopher P. Canova, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “My office is committed to maintaining partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to help protect Tallahassee’s citizens and the communities within the Northern District of Florida.”
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing Final Report for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. The office strives to protect and serve the citizens of the Northern District of Florida through the ethical, vigorous, and impartial enforcement of the laws of the United States, to defend the national security, to improve the safety and quality of life in our communities through the protection of civil rights, and to protect the public funds and financial assets of the United States. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
For more information, contact:
Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
(850) 216-3854, [email protected]
U.S. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect SchoolsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) a funding award to Metropolitan Dade County, in the Southern District of Florida, aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting twenty-five (25) Miami-Dade County Police Department law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $3,125,000 to be awarded to Metropolitan Miami-Dade County.
The list of this year’s grantees includes Metropolitan Miami-Dade County (the Miami-Dade County Police Department).
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
“The CHP grants support law enforcement’s ability to advance public safety and strengthen community relations.” stated U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida applauds Metropolitan Miami-Dade County for receiving an award that will augment the crime prevention efforts of our local law enforcement partner, the Miami-Dade County Police Department.”
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect SchoolsRead the Press Release
$1,585,858 Awarded to Kentucky Law Enforcement Agencies
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. today announced the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funded twelve law enforcement positions in the Western District of Kentucky. These hiring grants, totaling $1,460,858.00, are aimed at creating and in some cases continuing law enforcement positions in two police departments and one sheriff’s department in the District. Another hiring grant also was awarded today in the Eastern District of Kentucky, for a total award of $1,585,858.00 to Kentucky.
“This federal grant money enables local law enforcement agencies to hire officers who will be dedicated to specific community policing focus areas: community outreach, gun violence, school-based policing, or homeland security,” stated U.S. Attorney John Kuhn. “The goal of these hiring grants is to use a community policing model to improve public safety and relationships between the police and the community they serve.”
In the Western District of Kentucky, grants were awarded to the Albany Police Department for one officer in the amount of $98,888; to the Louisville Metro Police Department for ten officers in the amount of $1,248,371; and to the Todd County Sheriff’s Department for one officer in the amount of $113,604.
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch made the announcement today in Washington. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally this year, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP). CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect SchoolsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Today, U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding awards to 3 agencies in the Eastern District of North Carolina, aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting, 9 law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $1,075,523 for the Eastern District.
The agency names, award amount, and number of positions are:
Elizabeth City Police Department, $120,074 - 1 position
Greenville Police Department, $500,000 - 4 positions
Lumberton Police Department, $455,449 - 4 positions
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect SchoolsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced an Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding award to one county in the Eastern District of Tennessee, aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting, six law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $621,318.00 awarded to the Eastern District of Tennessee.
The list of this year’s grantees includes the Sevier County Sheriff’s Department, which was awarded the entire $621,318.00 referenced above to fund six additional officers.
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
“We are pleased that this grant will provide Sevier County funding to hire more officers for the safety of not only Sevier County residents, but the large number of tourists who visit Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, the Smoky Mountain National Park and surrounding areas within the county,” said U.S. Attorney William C. Killian.
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect SchoolRead the Press Release
United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch and United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding awards to five cities and counties in the District of Minnesota, aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting, 23 law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $2,875,000 in the District of Minnesota.
The list of this year’s grantees includes: The City of Aitkin, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department, the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Department, St. Cloud Police Department, and the City of St. Paul.
“Working with our local law enforcement partners on a wide array of cases is critical to upholding justice in Minnesota,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “COPS grants to grow local police and sheriff’s departments are an important resource from the federal government to benefit local cities and counties. I am gratified that our local partners are benefitting from this investment in our communities.”
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
U.s. Department of Justice Awards Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect SchoolsRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding awards to four municipalities and one county in the District of Maine aimed at creating five law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $625,000 in Maine.
The list of this year’s grantees includes: the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department and the municipalities of Fort Kent, Norway, Old Town and Winslow.
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
Thomas E. Delahanty II, United States Attorney for the District of Maine, said that COPS has been a highly successful program for 20 years and that Maine law enforcement agencies have received many grants that have provided much needed resources for a variety of projects. The five grants to Maine agencies this year will be used to assist the agencies in different ways.
Naldo Gagnon, Chief Deputy Sheriff for Cumberland County, said that they will use to funds to provide a School Resource Officer for the Town of Gray which does not have its own police department. It will be of great assistance to that town.
Thomas Pelletier, Chief of Police of Fort Kent, said that the grant will allow Fort Kent to add an officer increasing the size of the department by 25 percent. The police have had a noticeable increase in calls for assistance over the past few years, but the town has been unable to finance an additional officer. The police assist with security at the community hospital which serves the region and responds to calls from the University of Maine at Fort Kent and at the border, given the town's proximity to a major border crossing.
Together with the Norway, Old Town and Winslow Police Departments, the five recipients will receive a total of $650,000, at $125,000 for each position.
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman Announces over $5 Million in Law Enforcement Hiring Grants to Help Build Trust, Reduce Violence and Protect Schools in New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman, in conjunction with the U.S. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), today announced funding awards to four New Jersey cities and counties, aimed at creating and, in some cases, protecting 39 law enforcement positions.
The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) will award over $107 million nationally, including $5,187,015 in New Jersey. The list of this year’s grantees includes:
State and Agency Name
Number of Officers Funded
Award Amount
Camden County Police Department
15
$2,187,015
City of East Orange
12
$1,500,000
Essex County Sheriff’s Office
6
$750,000
Wildwood Police Department
6
$750,000
“There is no doubt that community policing is integral to our crime prevention strategy,” U.S. Attorney Fishman said. “These federal grants help mitigate the effect of diminishing resources on our local law enforcement partners who use face-to-face engagement to build better relationships with their communities.”
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”
CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers. All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin and other Federal, State and local officials to provide update on efforts to address opiate abuseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin, together with public health, treatment, prevention and law enforcement professionals, will provide an update on current strategies to address opiate abuse in southern West Virginia and the Kanawha Valley, in particular, and discuss next steps in turning back the tide of heroin addiction.
WHEN: Tuesday, September 22, 2015, 10:00am
WHERE: Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, 108 Lee Street East, Charleston, WV
WHO: Booth Goodwin, United States Attorney, SDWV
Brent Webster, Chief Charleston Police Department
Dr. Michael Brumage, Kanawha-Charleston Health Department
Suzan Williamson, RAC Drug Enforcement Administration
Chuck Miller, Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney
Mike Rutherford, Chief Deputy Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department
Mark Strickland, Captain Charleston Fire Department
Dana Petroff, Prestera Center for Mental Health Services
Steve Burton, First Choice Health Systems
Kristi Justice, Kanawha Communities that Care
Kenny Burner, Appalachia HIDTA
Kim Walsh, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities
Two St. Louis Area Men Sentenced for Role in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on September 18, 2015, Steven Syms, 41, of St. Louis, Missouri, and Antoine Jenkins, 27, of Cahokia, Illinois, were sentenced for their involvement in a drug distribution organization that funneled cocaine from Houston, Texas, to the St. Louis metro area between April 2011 and February 2013. Syms, a leading co-conspirator, was sentenced to 151 months in prison, 5 years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay a $500 fine and a $100 special assessment. Jenkins was sentenced to 27 months in prison, 3 years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 fine and a $100 special assessment. Jenkins’ 27 month sentence was ordered to run consecutive (in addition) to a previously imposed sentence of 308 months for kidnapping and using or carrying a firearm during or in relation to kidnapping. To date, ten other members of the drug trafficking organization have been convicted and sentenced.
Evidence in support of the sentencing was obtained in an investigation which was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura V. Reppert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Drucker.
Two Plead Guilty to Trafficking Firearms into ProvidenceRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Kinmonte Markell Brown, 28 and Dennis Wells, 24, of Greenville, North Carolina pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence on Friday to trafficking more than a dozen firearms from North Carolina into Providence between November 2014 and January 2015.
The defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, dealing firearms without a license, being felons in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The guilty pleas are announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division; Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr.
Information that led to the arrest of Brown and Wells and the interruption of the flow of the firearms from North Carolina to an apartment in the Hartford Park neighborhood was developed as a result of the Rhode Island Urban Violent Crime Initiative - a wide-ranging collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement and federal and state prosecutors who are targeting violent crime and violent criminals in urban neighborhoods of Rhode Island.
In late 2013, the Initiative began targeting the distribution of heroin and crack cocaine in Providence and the importation of firearms onto the streets of Providence. Simultaneously, and in close coordination, the FBI’s Safe Street Task Force and Providence Police began targeting gang members and associates engaged in violent crime, including gun crimes, in Providence.
Information gathered during these investigations led to a separate investigation by DEA, ATF, Providence Police, and state and federal prosecutors which resulted in the interruption of the flow of illegal firearms into Providence from Greenville, North Carolina, and the arrest of Kinmonte Brown and Dennis Wells.
According to information presented to the court, beginning in late November 2014, and continuing through January 2015, a person working at the direction of DEA began a series of negotiations with Brown and Wells for the purchase and shipment of illegal firearms into Rhode Island. The ongoing negotiations led to a series of sales and delivery of 15 illegal firearms and ammunition from North Carolina to Providence by Brown and Wells. Each time firearms were delivered they were quickly secured by law enforcement.
On January 31, 2015, as previously arranged by the person working at the direction of DEA, Brown and Wells drove to Rhode Island from North Carolina to sell and deliver seven firearms, including a .357 magnum revolver with an obliterated serial number, a .38 caliber handgun and several shotguns and rifles. Browns and Wells were detained moments after they delivered the firearms.
The defendants, who have been detained since their arrest, are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on December 18, 2015.
The case is being prosecuted by in federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. and Joseph J. McBurney, Special Assistant R.I. Attorney General
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Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
email: [email protected]
on Twitter @USAO_RI
Two Mexican Nationals plead guilty to credit card fraudRead the Press Release
Charleston, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that Marco Carrillo, 22, and Luis Vazquez, 24, both of Sonora, Mexico, plead guilty in federal court in Charleston today to conspiring to commit credit card fraud. During their plea hearings, Carrillo and Vazquez admitted that they traveled to Charleston, West Virginia from Mexico to pick up a package at Federal Express that contained 100 fraudulent credit cards. They admitted that they intended to use the fraudulent cards to buy electronic goods and gift cards. The package containing the fraudulent credit cards was intercepted by Federal Express and turned over to law enforcement agents prior to Carrillo and Vazquez picking it up. When Carrillo and Vazquez arrived at the Federal Express facility and picked up the package, they were arrested by agents from the United States Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Carrillo and Vazquez were stopped by law enforcement before they used any of the fraudulent credit cards.
Carrillo and Vazquez face up to 5 years of imprisonment when they are sentenced on December 21, 2015.
The United States Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations were in charge of the investigation. They were also assisted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Assistant United States Attorney Blaire L. Malkin is handling the prosecution.
Two Bakersfield Men Plead Guilty in Large Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Two Bakersfield residents pleaded guilty today to drug trafficking offenses, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
Guillermo Magallanes, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and Pasqual Gonzales Magallanes, 44, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, the defendants conspired with Juan Lascano Jr. 32, of Bakersfield, to distribute pound-quantities of methamphetamine in the Bakersfield area. In addition to the criminal charges, the United States is seeking the forfeiture of $31, 242, a 2014 Lexus IS250 F Sport, and a 2012 Acura TL sedan as proceeds of the illegal drug trafficking activity. Lascano pleaded guilty on July 27, 2015, to distribution of methamphetamine.
This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by: the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.
Guillermo Magallanes and Pasqual Gonzales Magallanes are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill on December 14, 2015. Lascano is scheduled to be sentenced October 19, 2015. Guillermo Magallanes faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $5 million fine and Pasqual Gonzales Magallanes and Juan Lascano Jr. face a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Third Defendant Sentenced in Cross-Border Cocaine Smuggling CaseRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Jose Luis Montoya-Salazar, aka Rafael Salazar-Sanchez (Montoya), 43, a native and citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiring with Jimmy Gil, 35, of Shafter; and Luis Ricardo Eslava-Corral (Eslava), 42, of Sinaloa, Mexico, to import, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 38 kilograms, or about 84 pounds, of cocaine, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. In a prior civil proceeding, U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill ordered the forfeiture of $3,104,661 in cash that drug agents seized during the investigation of the criminal case.
Montoya’s sentence follows his guilty plea in May. In pleading guilty, Montoya admitted that he had conspired to offload the cocaine in Bakersfield that had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico. Follow-up investigation resulted in the seizure of over $3 million in cash hidden in an asphalt roller. The seized cocaine has a street value of over $3 million.
On July 27, 2015, Gil was sentenced to five years in prison, and on July 20, 2015, Eslava was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southern Tri-County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the criminal case, and Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Khasigian handled the civil forfeiture proceeding.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Company of $300,000Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Texas man has pled guilty to maintaining a scheme that defrauded a labor service provider of $300,000. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in open court, Robert Ross was employed by Impact Logistics for two decades. Impact was a cost per unit labor service provider for large distribution companies such as Home Depot, Ryder Truck Rentals, and Discount Tire. Among the services provided by the company were loading and unloading trailers, performing assembly line work, sorting, and shrink wrapping products.
Impact operated in multiple states including Tennessee, California, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. The company maintained a corporate office in Memphis. Impact employees were paid through direct deposit or prepaid debit cards titled "Transcards."
Ross held the position of senior director prior to his termination, according to court information. Under the role, he was responsible for managing Impact’s operations in Atlanta, Georgia and Dallas, Texas. He reportedly ensured that all billing and payroll was done accurately and submitted to the corporate office.
From February 2013 to June 2015, Ross defrauded Impact of $300,000 by making fraudulent representations regarding the employment status of former employees. He also made fraudulent entries in payroll records.
According to court information, Ross executed his scheme by intentionally failing to notify Impact when an employee resigned from the company. Thus, the former employee was not removed from the Impact payroll. Ross would falsely claim that the employees had lost their Transcards and requested for new prepaid cards to be activated. Impact would subsequently mail new Transcards from Memphis to Ross’
Mansfield, Texas residence. After receiving the Transcards, Ross submitted falsified time records in the name of the former employees to reflect that they had worked and were entitled to payment, according to court information. When Impact loaded money on the Transcards to pay the former employees, Ross used the funds for his personal benefit. Ultimately, he defrauded Impact of approximately $300,000.
Ross faces up to 20 years imprisonment for wire fraud and a fine of up to $250,000. He’s scheduled to be sentenced by Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. on Thursday, December 17th.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll Andre is prosecuting the case on the government’s behalf.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Operating Bitcoin Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that TRENDON SHAVERS, a/k/a “pirateat40,” pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn to one count of securities fraud stemming from his involvement in a Bitcoin-related Ponzi scheme. SHAVERS was the founder and operator of Bitcoin Savings and Trust (“BCS&T”), which offered and sold Bitcoin-based investments through the Internet. In total, SHAVERS fraudulently obtained approximately 146,000 Bitcoin in BCS&T investments, which amounted to approximately $807,380 based on the average price of Bitcoin over the duration of the scheme. SHAVERS is expected to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan on February 3, 2016.
Bitcoin are a decentralized form of electronic currency, existing entirely on the Internet and not in any physical form. The currency is not issued by any government, bank, or company, but rather is generated and controlled automatically through computer software operating on a “peer-to-peer” network. Bitcoin transactions are processed collectively by the software-enabled computers composing the network.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Trendon Shavers has admitted that his high-yield Bitcoin investment program yielded high returns for himself rather than his investors. Instead of reaping gains, his investors were largely swindled out of their money in a cyber-age Ponzi scheme. Shavers now awaits sentencing for his crime.”
According to the Indictment, other public records, and statements made today in court:
From at least September 2011 up through and including September 2012, SHAVERS operated a Ponzi scheme. Specifically, SHAVERS solicited investments in BCS&T on the “Bitcoin Forum” – a public, Internet-based forum where, among other things, Bitcoin investment opportunities were posted. SHAVERS’s offer to investors was straightforward: investors who loaned Bitcoin to BCS&T would be paid up to seven percent interest weekly – an annualized interest rate of 3,641% per year – and investors could withdraw their investments in BCS&T at any time. SHAVERS claimed that the Bitcoin invested by BCS&T investors would be used to support a Bitcoin market-arbitrage strategy, which included (i) lending Bitcoin to others for a fixed period of time; (ii) trading Bitcoin via online exchanges; and (iii) selling Bitcoin locally via private, off-markets transactions – i.e., “over-the-counter transactions.” SHAVERS also personally guaranteed that he would cover any losses in the event of a market change. In truth, SHAVERS largely failed to execute the claimed market arbitrage strategy, failed to honor all of his investors’ redemption requests as well as his personal guarantee, and failed to deliver the agreed-upon rates of interest.
In the end, BCS&T was simply a Ponzi scheme through which SHAVERS used Bitcoin from new investors to make purported interest payments and cover investor withdrawals on outstanding BCS&T investments. In addition, SHAVERS diverted investors’ Bitcoin for day trading in his own account on a Bitcoin currency exchange, and exchanged investors’ Bitcoin for U.S. dollars to pay his personal expenses. At the peak of the scheme, SHAVERS raised, and had in his possession, about seven percent of all the Bitcoin that was in public circulation at the time. At least 48 of approximately 100 investors lost all or part of their investment in BCS&T.
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SHAVERS, 33, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the judge.
On September 18, 2014, in a separate civil action, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas entered final judgment against both SHAVERS and BCS&T, and ordered SHAVERS to pay more than $40 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty of $150,000 related to BCS&T.
Mr. Bharara praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its invaluable assistance.
The charges were brought in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel S. Goldman and Michael Ferrara are in charge of the prosecution.
Taylor County, WV man sentenced for possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Terry V. Austin, Sr., 50, of Grafton, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for possession of child pornography, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Austin was discovered in possession of multiple images and videos of child pornography in Barbour County, West Virginia. He pled guilty in May 2015 to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Vogrin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.