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Monday 13 January 2025
The United States and State of North Carolina File False Claims Act Complaint Against Durable Medical Equipment SupplierRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that the United States and the State of North Carolina have filed a complaint against Benson I. Ejindu in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, alleging that Ejindu knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to North Carolina Medicaid for more expensive medical supplies than were actually provided to the Medicaid recipients, a practice known as upcoding.
As alleged in the complaint, from at least May 19, 2017, through August 23, 2019, Ejindu, through a durable medical equipment business that he operated under different names, caused the submission of false claims to North Carolina Medicaid for high-reimbursing, specialized nutritional formula for individuals with rare, inherited metabolic disorders when Ejindu knew the Medicaid recipients actually received lower-reimbursing Ensure, PediaSure, Boost, and Glucerna drinks.
“Durable medical equipment providers that cause the government to pay more than it should for medical equipment and supplies waste taxpayers’ dollars and raise the cost of health care for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Our Office is committed to working with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office and our law enforcement partners to put a stop to improper billing practices that exploit Medicaid, a taxpayer funded program that many people depend on to cover their health care needs.”
“Medical providers are required to comply with the law when billing Medicaid for services,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Together with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG is dedicated to investigating and addressing improper billing practices submitted to federally funded health care programs.”
“North Carolinians rely on Medicaid to pay for health care and medical supplies,” said North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “If businesses try to make an unlawful buck off of taxpayer dollars, we’ll hold them accountable. I’m grateful to U.S. Attorney King for working with us to stop health care fraud.”
This matter was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Division. This matter is being handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. Petracca of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office and Assistant United States Attorney Holly H. Snow of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
The claims asserted against the defendant are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robey Lee Butler, age 35, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Stolen Firearm.
The Indictment alleged that on November 7, 2023, Butler knowingly possessed a stolen semi-automatic rifle, and had reasonable cause to believe that firearm was stolen.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Butler will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarrod Leaman, Lewis Matthew Reagan, and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
St. Francois County Sex Offender Admits Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A registered sex offender from St. Francois County, Missouri, on Friday admitted being caught with child sexual abuse material.
Shane Elijah Bottom, 39, of Bismarck, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography as a prior offender. He admitted being caught by investigators with the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control, who were conducting an online investigation of those sharing child sexual abuse material. On Nov. 19 and 20 of 2023, Bottom distributed numerous files containing child sexual abuse material to the investigator via a peer-to-peer file sharing program. After the files were traced to Bottom, he eventually admitted downloading and viewing the images. At least 904 images were found on Bottom’s phone by an agent with the U.S. Secret Service. Of those, 373 images depicted the sexual abuse of minors who have been identified by law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
In 2016, Bottom was convicted in Johnson County (Missouri) Circuit Court with two counts of child molestation first degree for the sexual abuse of a 7-year-old. He was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 20 years in prison followed by life on supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This 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 Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Spiro Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryant Dewayne Underwood, age 36, of Spiro, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of An Unregistered Firearm.
The Indictment alleged that on October 26, 2023, Underwood knowingly possessed one 5.56 NATO (.223) caliber, short-barreled rifle which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Underwood will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarrod Leaman and Edith Singer represented the United States.
Snohomish County man pleads guilty to producing images of child sexual abuse and attempted enticement of minorsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 43-year-old Snohomish County man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to production of images of child sexual abuse and attempted enticement of minors, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Bennett S. Park was arrested in August 2023, when he was attempting to pick up a 13-year-old in a residential area of Everett, Washington. Park had told an undercover law enforcement officer that he planned to pick up and molest the 13-year-old. When Park is sentenced by U. S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez, prosecutors will recommend no more than 25 years in prison and the defense will recommend no less than 20 years. Judge Martinez is not bound by the recommendations. Sentencing is scheduled for April 25, 2025.
According to the plea agreement, in July 2023, Park responded to an online add placed by an undercover Homeland Security Investigation agent, falsely claiming that the agent had two young children that could be molested. In his response, Park indicated that he was actively molesting children between the ages of 11 and 17. Park indicated he wanted to molest the agent’s fictional children but was already meeting a 13-year-old. Law enforcement quickly put Park under surveillance to identify and protect the 13-year-old. Just after 1:45 am on August 8, 2023, law enforcement arrested Park just after the 13-year-old got in his vehicle.
After Park’s arrest a review of his electronic devices revealed he had communicated with dozens of minors. Twenty-three of the minor victims were identified. Park had convinced them to provide images of sexual abuse via Instagram, Discord, Snapchat, Facebook, Gmail and Zoom platforms. In the plea agreement Park details his crimes with eight different minor victims.
Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison. Attempted enticement of a minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison.
This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
Slidell Chiropractor Convicted of Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DENNIS MICHAEL PEYROUX (“PEYROUX”), age 57, of Slidell, Louisiana, pled guilty on January 8, 2025 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347 and 1349, in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for over the counter (“OTC”) COVID-19 test kits that were not requested or otherwise ineligible for reimbursement.
According to court documents, starting in November 2022, PEYROUX conspired with others to purchase Medicare beneficiary information, including names, Medicare identification numbers, and clearly fabricated recordings of individuals posing as beneficiaries and “requesting” OTC COVID-19 test kits, that PEYROUX used to bill Medicare for test kits through his chiropractic clinic. PEYROUX then misappropriated the credentials of a former nurse practitioner who worked for him and falsely listed the nurse practitioner as the referring provider on the thousands of false and fraudulent claims. In total, in around six months, PEYROUX allegedly billed Medicare approximately $3.3 million in false and fraudulent claims for OTC COVID-19 test kits through his clinic, for which Medicare reimbursed approximately $3.2 million. Under the terms of the plea agreement, PEYROUX agreed to pay over $3.2 million in restitution to Medicare. The government also forfeited over $1 million seized from PEYROUX’s bank accounts. The Honorable Lance M. Africk set sentencing for April 23, 2025.
At sentencing, the maximum penalty PEYROUX may receive is ten years of imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under 18 U.S.C. § 3571, or both. PEYROUX also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, of the Financial Crimes Unit and Health Care Fraud Coordinator, and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters, of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, are in charge of the prosecution.
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Six Charged Federally in Glock Switch TakedownRead the Press Release
Six federal defendants involved in the sale of switches via social media were arrested in a joint takedown by ATF Dallas and the Irving Police Department on Thursday, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Marnelius Burks, 20, Marco Cabrales, 22, Royce Weaver, 21, were charged in one indictment with possession and transfer of a machinegun, aiding and abetting the possession and transfer of a machinegun, and conspiracy to possess and transfer a machinegun. Damien Sereseroz, 21, and Gracie Valadez, 20, were charged in a separate indictment with aiding and abetting the possession and transfer of a machine gun. Anthony Joel Cantu, 18, was charged via criminal complaint with possession of a machinegun.
The defendants made their initial appearances in federal court on Monday.
“Six months ago, we pledged to deploy the full force of the federal government against those who traffic in machinegun conversion devices. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we’ve done just that,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “In the hands of a criminal, these illegal devices exponentially increase a firearm’s lethality. We will not allow them to overtake our streets.”
“Unfortunately for the bad guys, the good guys work together. It may not always look that way in Hollywood, but fortunately for our citizens, we work better together than any criminal organization out there. We promised an all-out blitz on machine gun conversion devices last year, and this case shows that our team has all the momentum. I would like to thank the Irving Police Department, specifically their ultra talented detective team, and all our law enforcement partners for this collective win for the people of the DFW metroplex” stated ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
“I want to commend the collaborative effort between the Irving Police Department and ATF Dallas in addressing the serious issue of illegal firearm modifications. Our commitment to public safety remains unwavering, and we will continue to work diligently to prevent the proliferation of dangerous weapons in our community.”
According to court documents, Mr. Burks and Mr. Weaver allegedly ordered switches from China off the internet and had them shipped to North Texas. Mr. Cabrales allegedly advertised the switches on social media and sold them to an undercover.
Mr. Cantu also allegedly advertised the sale of switches, as well as drop-in sears, on social media. On Dec. 3, 2024, he allegedly met with an undercover officer to deliver one. When asked if the sear in question made rifles fire fully automatic, Mr. Cantu allegedly responded, “hell yeah, my boy,” and said he had one on his own AR-style pistol.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Burks, Mr. Cabrales, Mr. Weaver, Mr. Sereseroz, Ms. Valdez, and Mr. Cantu are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in federal prison.
Two juveniles arrested in the takedown are being charged by the state. They, too, are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division and Irving Police Department conducted the investigation with the help of Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Aulbaugh and Eric B. Chen are prosecuting the cases.
Thursday’s takedown was part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully-automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machine guns. Launched by U.S. Attorneys Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs, and Jaime Esparza in June 2024, Operation Texas Kill Switch relies on partnerships with state and local law enforcement as well as rewards offered by Crime Stoppers.
The arrests were also part of Irving Police Department’s “Operation Reel Switch,” targeting the illegal possession and distribution of machinegun conversion devices in the metroplex. A partnership between Irving Police, ATF Dallas and Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, Operation Reel Switch was launched in September 2024. To date, law enforcement involved in the operation have seized 38 machinegun conversion devices and several guns.
Radiopharmaceutical Company Set to Pay $350,000 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – PharmaLogic Holdings Corporation, a radiopharmaceutical company headquartered in the State of Florida, has agreed to pay $350,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act. Nine of the corporation’s subsidiaries are accused of violating the False Claims Act by knowingly
filing to receive small-entity status to obtain a reduced U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) annual fee.Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced this settlement with Inspector General Robert J. Feitel, NRC.
The NRC, which regulates and licenses civilian use of radioactive materials, charges an annual fee to entities that grant licenses to handle, store, or possess radioactive materials. Entities that qualify as a small entity under 10 C.F.R. § 171.16(c) can obtain a reduced annual fee. The entity obtains the fee reduction by filing an NRC Form 526, Certification of Small Entity Status for the Purposes of Annual Fees Imposed under 10 CFR Part 171.
Beginning around March 31, 2015, thru December 31, 2023, nine entities acquired by PharmaLogic Holdings Corporation filed NRC 526 forms. Through these filings, each entity certified its small-entity status entitling them to a reduced NRC annual fee. Under false pretenses, the NRC certified the entities and reduced their annual fees. However, the entities exceeded the size limits to qualify for reduced annual fees.
“This settlement exemplifies that the United States Attorney’s Office will hold accountable companies that claim falsely their small entity status to obtain from the government a benefit to which the companies are not entitled,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “We will never tire in our efforts to pursue those taking undue advantage of government programs.”
“This case demonstrates the OIG’s commitment to anti-fraud initiatives and is consistent with our office’s recent efforts to ramp up investigations on this front,” said NRC Inspector General Robert J. Feitel. “I also wish to express my sincere gratitude to the NRC staff, particularly the staff in the Labor Administration & Fee Billing Branch of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, for their cooperation during the OIG’s investigation.”
U.S. Attorney Barron and Inspector General Feitel commended the NRC-OIG and the Special Agents on the OIG’s Anti-Fraud Team for their work in this investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields, who handled the case.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to 9.5 Years in Prison for Identity Theft and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 114 months of imprisonment on his conviction of firearms and identity theft offenses, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Cheron Tucker, 28.
According to information presented to the Court, Tucker participated in an identity theft scheme in which he used the dark web to purchase credit card numbers and other identifying information of numerous individuals, using that information to rent vehicles through a complicit manager at a rental car company. Tucker and his conspirators then rented the fraudulently obtained vehicles to other individuals for cash. The Court ordered Tucker to pay nearly $900,000 in restitution to the rental car company.
While investigating one of the vehicles fraudulently obtained from the rental car company, the Brentwood Police Department conducted a search of a home associated with Tucker. The search revealed numerous documents and other evidence associated with the identity theft scheme, but also two loaded firearms, including one with an obliterated serial number. Tucker has prior felony convictions, including a previous federal conviction for use of unauthorized access devices for which Tucker was on federal supervised release when he committed these new offenses. Federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Olshan commended the United States Secret Service and Brentwood Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tucker.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Sending Drugs to Federal InmatesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Julius Darnell Dixon, 54, of Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 51 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release, for providing contraband to federal inmates and for a supervised release violation. On October 21, 2024, Dixon pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The guilty plea also constituted a violation of Dixon’s supervised release for an earlier bank robbery conviction (CR-99-00516-PHX-SPL).
Between February 2023 and April 2024, Dixon conspired with federal inmates at various institutions to mail books to them from bookstores in the Phoenix area containing hidden Suboxone strips. Dixon’s method of using unwitting bookstores to mail the books circumvented prison security, as the books appeared to be purchased by the inmates directly from the bookstores. Investigators identified Dixon by locating communications between Dixon and the inmates after two mailings were intercepted by prison staff. The packages were traced to bookstores in the Phoenix area, where Dixon had given his phone number and, for one mailing, his name and email address.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Bureau of Prisons, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick E. Chapman, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00942-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-003_Dixon# # #
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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Scott Christie, 38, of Petrolia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to four years of federal probation and ordered to pay $24,338 in restitution for theft of public money, property or records. Christie fraudulently obtained $24,338 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds, while a resident of Leon, West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between February 29, 2020, and August 22, 2020, and between February 27, 2021, and August 14, 2021, Christie fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits from WorkForce West Virginia, which administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia. Christie submitted a total of 50 weekly certifications to WorkForce West Virginia that failed to disclose his employment during those time periods. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Christie received 52 unemployment benefits payments from WorkForce West Virginia totaling $24,338 that he was not entitled to receive.
The unemployment benefits fraudulently obtained by Christie included supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As part of his fraudulent scheme, Christie falsely stated in the weekly certifications he submitted that he was unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-107.
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Pasco Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Trafficking in Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Gary Anthony Andrews (34, Holiday) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and cocaine, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. The court also ordered Andrews to forfeit a Hi-Point firearm and a Taurus firearm, which are instrumentalities of the offense. Andrews entered a guilty plea on September 27, 2024.
According to court documents, on March 11, 2024, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Andrews via criminal complaint as he was on his way to sell methamphetamine to a confidential source. Agents recovered approximately 897 grams of methamphetamine and oxycodone pills from the vehicle. Andrews also had two young children in the car. During a search warrant executed at Andrews’s home, agents recovered approximately 400 grams of methamphetamine, 9.9 grams of crack cocaine, scales, baggies, masks, and Narcan. Agents also located two loaded firearms in the home, one with a spent casing inside.
Andrews was identified as the source of supply for another individual in the Tampa area. From October 2023 to March 11, 2024, Andrews was responsible for 2,491.8 grams of methamphetamine, 84.2 grams of fentanyl, and 9.9 grams of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.
Owner of Construction Companies Sentenced to Prison for Tax and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hopkinton man was sentenced on Jan. 10, 2025 in federal court in Boston for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Travelers Insurance Company in relation to wages he paid to employees of his two construction companies.
Dariusz Pietron, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to serve 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Pietron was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,107,000 to the IRS and $244,000 to the Travelers Insurance Company. In May 2024, Pietron pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to collect and pay over employment taxes to the IRS and one count of mail fraud relating to underpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums.
Between 2012 and October 2018, Pietron owned and operated TJM Construction, Inc. (TJM) and Point Construction, Inc. (Point). Pietron failed to report to the IRS the wages he paid to employees, failed to withhold required income taxes and failed to pay required employment taxes. Pietron also failed to disclose to Travelers Insurance Company the actual wages he paid to employees, which resulted in him paying less in workers’ compensation insurance premiums than he owed. As part of the scheme, Pietron recruited and paid two employees to establish three shell companies – companies that would make it appear as if TJM and Point’s employees were subcontractors to whom Pietron had no tax or workers’ compensation obligations. Pietron thereby failed to pay more than $1.1 million in employment taxes and defrauded Travelers of approximately $244,000.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Katherine Mulligan, Chief of Investigations for the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Okmulgee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gabriel Lee Williams II, a/k/a Chi-Chi, age 26, of Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The Indictment alleged that on or about April 27, 2024, Williams knowingly possessed one 9mm handgun and one .40 caliber handgun, despite having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Okmulgee Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Williams will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
Oklahoma City Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Stephanie Leigh Rodgers, a/k/a Stephanie Larsen, age 40, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The Indictment alleged that on or about August 19, 2024, Rodgers knowingly and intentionally possessed methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, intending to distribute it.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Rodgers was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Oconee County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. —Carl Lee Robert Price, 37, of Walhalla, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Price sent explicit images of a child to a minor living in Missouri. Price traveled to Missouri to meet the minor and brought the minor to his home in Walhalla, South Carolina. An interstate search by federal and state law enforcement authorities led them to Price’s property where they recovered the minor. Law enforcement seized Price’s s electronic devices and discovered a total of 265 images and 141 videos of child sexual abuse material, including adults sexually abusing children as young as infants and toddlers.
United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin sentenced Price to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case.
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Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Lewis Tinson, Jr. (29, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Tinson faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, on August 27, 2021, Tinson’s girlfriend called 911 because Tinson had placed a gun to her face earlier that day. When deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrived, Tinson was outside the girlfriend’s home with firearms in his hands. Upon seeing the deputies, Tinson fled inside the residence and unsuccessfully tried to hide three loaded firearms in a clothes hamper.
Tinson is a four-time convicted felon. All his prior felony convictions involve firearms—carjacking with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a delinquent, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and shooting at, within, or into a vehicle. As a convicted felon, Tinson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
New Assistant United States Attorney Sworn-in for the District of Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha today announced the appointment and swearing-in of Taylor A. Dean as Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island. Ms. Dean will serve in the Office’s Criminal Division, focusing on a broad array of matters vital to the safety of Rhode Islanders, including fraud, violent crime, narcotics, and complex financial crime.
A Rhode Island native, Ms. Dean joins the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the partnership of a Rhode Island law firm. Prior to her work there, Ms. Dean spent over a decade as a litigator with an internationally prominent law firm in New York and London, handling complex white collar and commercial litigation matters, including significant criminal cases brought against high-level corporate executives. Ms. Dean is a graduate of New York University and the Fordham University School of Law. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Dean also worked for several years as a victim advocate in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, offering her a first-hand perspective on the critical ways in which thoughtful and victim-centered prosecution is vital to an effective criminal justice system.
“I could not be more delighted to welcome Taylor Dean to the ranks of the United States Attorney’s Office,” remarked U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. “An exceptionally talented lawyer, Taylor combines deep roots in the Ocean State with the type of skill and legal acumen that have enabled this Office to ensure that, no matter the type, size, or complexity of a case, we can and will seek justice for every Rhode Islander.”
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Multiple Foreign Nationals Accused of Distributing Large Amounts of Narcotics in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Foreign nationals, living in Utah, will appear in court today after they were charged with multiple drug crimes last week for allegedly distributing fentanyl and heroin in the District of Utah.
Jose Manuel Perez-Flores, 36, of West Valley City, Utah; Victor Flores Esquivel, 48, of West Valley City; Jaime Hernandez-Ruin, 26, of West Valley City; and Eduardo Hernandez-Ruiz, 28, of Murray, Utah, were initially charged by complaint and taken into custody on December 23, 2024. A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment January 8, 2025.
According to court documents, since approximately September 2024, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) began investigating a group believed to be distributing large amounts of heroin and fentanyl throughout Salt Lake County. During the investigation, detectives conducted several controlled purchases of heroin. Following the controlled purchases, detectives obtained and executed search warrants on three residences on December 16, 2024. During one of the search warrants in West Valley City, detectives seized 436 grams of fentanyl (approximately 4,360 individual pills), 200 grams of heroin, $1,592 in cash, drug packaging material, and a digital scale. In a separate area of the residence, detectives also seized, 309 grams of fentanyl pills (approximately 3,090 individual pills), 26 grams of heroin, and $1,041 in cash. Multiple electronic money wire transfer receipts, and cellular phones were also seized from the residence.
At a second residence in West Valley City, detective seized 39 grams of fentanyl (approximately 390 individual pills), and 82 grams of heroin, as well as cellular phones, drug packaging material, and several electronic wire transfer receipts. At a third West Valley City residence, detectives seized 1,912 grams of fentanyl (approximately 19,012 individual pills), and 269 grams of fentanyl pills (approximately 2,069 individual pills) from a vehicle registered to Eduardo Hernandez-Ruiz. In total, 28,921 individual fentanyl pills, and 308 grams of heroin were seized.
Perez-Flores, Flores Esquivel, Jaime Hernandez-Ruiz, and Eduardo Hernandez-Ruiz are charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin, and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. All four defendants also face additional individual charges. Their initial appearance on the indictment is January 13, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Missouri Man Who Triggered Standoff Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a man from Moberly, Missouri who triggered a 19-hour standoff with law enforcement to 10 years in prison.
According to the evidence and testimony presented at the July trial of Stephen J. Thorp, 62, members of a U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force were attempting to arrest Thorp on a warrant issued by the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole. Thorp was on parole after having been convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in Marion County Circuit Court. The warrant was triggered by new charges of resisting arrest in Callaway County.
After learning that Thorp was at another man’s home in Randolph County, near Moberly, members of the Fugitive Task Force and the Northern Missouri Drug Task Force went there on April 11, 2022. Two occupants exited the house and said Thorp was inside. Thorp ignored loudspeaker announcements to leave. A robot and a K-9 were both unsuccessful in getting him out. After a search warrant was obtained, the Moberly SWAT team sent a drone into the home. Thorp fired three shots while the drone was in the house. The drone later captured video of Thorp with a gun in his hand before he used that gun to disable the drone, evidence and testimony showed. Thorp finally left after a Missouri State Highway Patrol SWAT team deployed a chemical agent.
Jurors in July found Thorp guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
After his release from prison on the second-degree murder charge, Thorp grabbed and threatened his mother in 2018 and led police on a high-speed chase in 2021, prosecutors said in a sentencing memo.
The U.S. Marshals Service, the Moberly Police Department, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office aided in the arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Finlen and Paul Rebar are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Minnesota Woman Sentenced to Decade in Federal Prison for Defrauding Nail Salon OwnerRead the Press Release
A Minnesota woman who defrauded a nail salon owner out of more than $100,000 and then engaged in “bill stuffing” at an Iowa casino to conceal the fraud proceeds was sentenced on January 10, 2025, to ten years in federal prison. Mary Kate Nguyen, age 37, from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, originally from Vietnam, received the prison term after an April 23, 2023, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of contempt of court.
In her plea and sentencing hearings, Nguyen admitted that in 2016 she told the owner of a Minnesota nail salon that she operated a loan brokering business known as “My Second Chance Financing, Ltd.” Nguyen told the victim she could help build the victim’s credit by obtaining and then paying off loans for her. The victim provided various means of identification to Nguyen, who used the victim’s identity to obtain over $90,000 in loans at four different financial institutions. Nguyen also instructed the victim to make a series of wires with the loan proceeds to Iowa, purportedly to expedite the loan repayment process. Instead of paying off the loans in full, however, Nguyen used loan proceeds for her own benefit.
Between December 2016, and February 2017, Nguyen and others acting at her direction engaged in “bill stuffing” at a casino in Northwood, Iowa. “Bill stuffing” is the practice of creating slot machine tickets by inserting currency and then cashing out those tickets at a casino in order to create a paper trail. By “bill stuffing,” Nguyen concealed the illegal source of the funds she had obtained.
A grand jury indicted Nguyen in late 2021, and a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Minnesota released Nguyen pending trial. While on pretrial release in Minnesota, Nguyen used methamphetamine and eventually absconded from supervision. In September 2022, the United States Marshal’s Service arrested Nguyen in Minnesota.
While on pretrial release in Minnesota, and later in a jail in Orange City, Iowa, Nguyen attempted to perpetrate a serious of financial frauds in Minnesota and North Dakota. Among other things, Nguyen repeatedly provided false and fraudulent bank statements and other financial documents to banks in attempts to obtain loans to purchase commercial and residential properties. In September 2022, Nguyen submitted the winning bid of $1.3 million to purchase the former federal courthouse in Bemidji, Minnesota. Nguyen also obstructed justice by threating to “hang” investigators.
Nguyen has an extensive criminal history in Minnesota. Nguyen’s prior convictions include four convictions for theft by swindle and three convictions for driving while impaired, as well as convictions for theft by check, giving a peace officer a false name, and drug possession.
Nguyen was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Nguyen was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and fined $20,000. She was ordered to make $131,175 in restitution to her victim. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In sentencing Nguyen, Judge Strand stated that Nguyen’s conduct while on pretrial release and in jail was “incredible” and “stunning.” Judge Strand found Nguyen was an “extreme danger to society” and a “substantial, serious menace to society” with respect to financial crimes.
Nguyen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation-Special Enforcement Operations Bureau. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Woodbury (Minnesota) Police Department, U.S. Marshal’s Service, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement, and Iowa Division of Intelligence assisted in the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-3037.
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Minnesota Man Charged with Hate Crime for Assault Against Black ManRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minnesota man was indicted today and charged with federal hate crime offenses for assaulting a Black man outside of a bar, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the indictment that was unsealed this afternoon, on or about February 3, 2024, Justin Anthony Kudla, 35, used force or the threat of force to injure, intimidate, and interfere with the victim – a Black man identified in the indictment as Victim 1 – because of Victim 1’s race, color, religion and/or national origin, and because Victim 1 was enjoying the goods, services, and accommodations of a local bar. The indictment also charges Kudla with willfully causing bodily injury to Victim 1 because of Victim 1’s actual and perceived race.
The indictment charges Kudla with one count of interference with federally protected activities and one count of hate crime. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. If convicted of the hate crime offenses, Kudla faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each offense and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office, with assistance from the Belle Plaine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Gilead for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorneys Katherine G. DeVar and Briana M. Clark of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Minnesota Construction Company Agrees to Pay $5.9M to Resolve False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Morcon Construction Company, Inc., based in Fridley, Minnesota, has agreed to pay $5.9 million dollars to resolve allegations of False Claims Act violations. Founded in 1982, Morcon is a general contractor responsible for certain repair, maintenance, and related work at U.S. Postal Service sites throughout Minnesota and elsewhere.
The United States alleged that beginning in approximately January 1, 2016, to the present, Morcon intentionally failed to disclose the use of subcontractors to perform repairs and maintenance; falsely certified work as self-performed rather than performed by subcontractors; and falsified subcontractor invoices as part of its claims submissions.
The United States contended that Morcon’s fraudulent conduct resulted in millions of dollars of false claims paid by the United States Postal Service. “This case demonstrates the dedication of the United States Attorney’s Office along with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who undermine the integrity of the government contracting process,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“We are gratified to have contributed to this investigation and applaud the exceptional work by the United States Attorney’s Office for protecting both U.S. Postal Service funds and the integrity of our repairs and maintenance program,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “Special Agents of the USPS OIG will continue to aggressively investigate those who would engage in fraudulent activities designed to defraud the Postal Service. This settlement demonstrates that the USPS OIG will pursue contractors that overcharge the government and enrich themselves at the expense of USPS customers.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Rau and U.S. Attorney’s Office investigator Maleko Lattin-McCrary with the assistance of the USPS Office of Inspector General investigated the matter.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Military Contractor Employee Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announces that, Joseul Sanchez Usana, age 29, from Yigo, Guam, was sentenced to 120-months imprisonment in the U.S. District Court of Guam for Attempted Enticement of a Minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). The Court also ordered Usana to serve five years of supervised release, comply with sex offender registration requirements, and pay a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
In May of 2024, Air Force Office of Special Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted a joint undercover operation to identify and target individuals who were seeking to contact and engage in sexual activity with minor children. Agents created multiple personas on several social networking applications and posted in online forums.
On May 30, 2024, Josuel Sanchez Usana, a civilian employee of a military contractor with access to Andersen Air Force Base, contacted the undercover persona. Within the first few messages, the undercover persona said that she was 14 years old and still in school. Despite being told multiple times that the undercover persona was underage, Usana continued to communicate with the undercover persona, including conversations related to sex. Usana indicated that he wanted to have sex with the underage undercover persona, describing his plan in detail. Usana agreed to meet the undercover persona at the Andersen Air Force Base front gate for this purpose. Investigators him at that location upon his arrival.
“This case is another reminder of the risks to children in our islands,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Parents must remain vigilant against the dangers of online activity in their homes. Innocuous messaging can quickly develop into harmful physical contact. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and combat these threats.”
The investigation was conducted by Air Force Office of Special Investigation Detachment 602 and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin K. Petersburg prosecuted the case in the District of the Guam.
This was a Project Safe Childhood (PSC) case, 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 CEOS, PSC 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 PSC, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Mexican national imprisoned for attempting to smuggle drugs with her daughter in towRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old woman has been sentenced for her role in conspiring to import nearly six kilograms of cocaine from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Carmen Julia Carreon Segovia pleaded guilty June 12, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Carreon Segovia to serve 120 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face removal proceedings following her imprisonment.
"Even more insidious than smuggling a dangerous and highly addictive drug into the United States is bringing along your own minor child, exposing her needlessly to a dangerous underworld,” said Hamdani. “Segovia will now have 10 years in a prison cell to contemplate the consequences of her actions, actions that affect and endangered her teenage daughter.”
On Jan. 19, 2024, Carreon Segovia drove an SUV to the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in Laredo to apply for admission into the United States. Her 16-year-old daughter was riding as passenger.
Authorities inspected the vehicle and found eight bundles containing 6.30 kilograms of cocaine with an approximate street value of $90,000. Law enforcement discovered the bundles hidden in the front fender areas of the SUV.
Carreon Segovia denied any knowledge of the drugs. After her arrest, authorities revoked her non-immigrant visa.
She subsequently admitted to knowing the other co-conspirators concealed drugs somewhere within the vehicle for her to attempt to smuggle them into the United States.
Carreon Segovia will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Esteban Suarez Trejo (33, Mexico) to 33 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after deportation by a felon. Suarez Trejo pleaded guilty on October 4, 2024.
According to court documents, Suarez Trejo was convicted of aggravated assault on January 4, 2010, and deported from the United States to Mexico. Following his deportation, Suarez Trejo illegally reentered the United States.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
Mercer County Man Pleads Guilty to Communicating Threats to Attack Members of the White CommunityRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man admitted to transmitting, via the internet, a post containing threats to injure members of the white community by shooting them with a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today.
Joshua Cobb, 24, of Trenton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On December 17, 2022, Cobb used a social media application to post a message, stating:
“I want to cause mayhem on the white community. The reason i specifically want to target white people is because as a black male, they will NEVER understand my struggles. Same way I will never understand their struggles, but I don't care to. I want to erase them. All of them really, but in this case as many as I possibly can.
As of today I have officially began planning my attack. It is going to take place in 2023 in the state of New Jersey, I have not chosen a exact date but I am going to be sure it is close to an important holiday to their race. I have a location in mind already which I have frequented for the past year and I am certain nobody there is armed to be able to stop me from spraying them to the ground. I have already acquired 2 of the 4 firearms I plan to use for my attack, and I also know my entry and exit points already after the mayhem…
White people are going to feel my pain in 2023. I will be certain I send as many as I possible can to the deepest pits of hell. I am going to wipe those ugly smiles completely off their faces. I dream of a day of pure evil on them. I plan to allow every evil spirit to work entirely through me and kill as many as i can. Some will get extra rounds through their head.
And you guys can think I'm a troll all you want. Just pay close attention the news, you will see my aftermath. And I will be sure I kill myself after I finish my terrorism.
White men and women in New Jersey, get ready. You are going to feel my pain very fucking soon. I put that on my life. From here on out I don't want to talk, my rounds are going to, after they exit the back of all your heads. Get ready New Jersey. The devil is coming.”
As part of his guilty plea, Cobb admitted to writing the above-described posts, and that he understood that the messages would be threatening towards certain individuals. He had previously provided detailed information to law enforcement on locations he had considered as possible targets for his attack, including a gym and a grocery store in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Cobb also discussed his access to guns and idolization of other mass shooters.
Transmitting a threat in interstate commerce carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2025.
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Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Driscoll, with the investigation. He also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, under the direction of U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada, agents of the FBI Field Office in Los Angeles, California, under the direction of Acting Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis; the Hamilton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kenneth R. DeBoskey; the Robbinsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael K. Polaski; and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton.The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
cobb.information.pdf
Maryland Man Sentenced to 18 Years on Sex Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Maryland man, who used the drug dependency of multiple adult women to compel them to engage in commercial sex work, was sentenced today to 18 years in federal prison.
William O’Neil Murray III, 36, pled guilty in August 2024 to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. In addition to jail time, Murray was also ordered to pay $94,190 in restitution to his victims.
“The fight against human trafficking is a cornerstone of the Department of Justice,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “Every day the men and women who investigate and prosecute these cases fight to protect those who are victims of these heinous crimes. I am grateful to the FBI, Virginia State Police, and Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for bringing this matter to justice.”
“This sentencing is a powerful reminder that the FBI Richmond team will tirelessly work to free victims of sex trafficking and bring to justice those who seek to exploit their vulnerabilities for personal gain,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “I commend our team and partners on the I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force who investigated these heinous crimes here in Virginia and along the east coast. Every month, and especially during Human Trafficking Awareness month, we encourage the public to recognize the signs of human trafficking and report concerns to tips.fbi.gov.”
"Human trafficking investigations can be very complex" said Lieutenant Colonel Matt Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. "I commend the investigative team for the outstanding cooperation that brought this case to a close."
According to court documents, beginning in December 2021 and continuing through July 2022, Murray engaged in a multistate sex trafficking operation involving at least three adult female victims. Murray recruited and coerced his victims into commercial sex work using their drug dependency as his primary method of control.
Murray controlled his victims’ narcotics supply and usage, not allowing them to obtain drugs from anyone but himself. Murray would withhold drugs from his victims if they did not follow his directions or engage in commercial sex. Many of the victims described becoming “dopesick” when Murray withheld drugs from them. Thus, Murray stood between them and the threat of painful withdrawal. Murray knew that withholding drugs from the victims would have a coercive effect and incentivize them to obey him and continue engaging in commercial sex.
Murray managed every aspect of the commercial sex transactions for his victims. The defendant used various commercial sex websites, such as Skipthegames.com and Backpage.com, to set up dates with commercial sex customers, set the prices, booked the hotel rooms, and transported his victims to the dates. And in most cases, Murray received all the proceeds from the commercial sex acts.
Murray maintained strict control over his victims’ activities including requiring them to stay in communication with him while they completed their commercial sex “dates.” Victims were not allowed to go anywhere without Murray’s permission and were punished if they did so.
The criminal behavior occurred in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Florida.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force (I-81 HTTF), the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police investigated the case.
The I-81 HTTF is a collaborative effort of law enforcement and community partners focused on identifying instances of human trafficking along the I-81 corridor in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland; prosecuting those responsible; and providing assistance to the victims impacted by these crimes. The I-81 HTTF includes law enforcement from Frederick, Clarke, and Shenandoah counties as well as the cities and towns of Front Royal, Hagerstown, and Frederick, Maryland, and Lord Fairfax Community College.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith, Sally J. Sullivan and Trial Attorney Christina Randall-James with the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Marion County Man Admits to Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Emmanuel D. Gibson, 34, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Westover Police attempted a traffic stop on Gibson’s vehicle and Gibson fled, leading to a chase that ended with Gibson’s arrest. A vehicle search resulted in the seizure of fentanyl-laced pills, other controlled substances, two firearms, and drug paraphernalia.
Gibson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge would determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Westover Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl and Other Synthetic OpioidsRead the Press Release
MIAMI– On Dec. 10, Blake Alfonso Kolessa, 27, of Greenacres, Fla., was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks for possessing with intent to distribute metonitazene, N-desethyl isotonitazene, and methamphetamine.
Kolessa previously pled guilty to selling thousands of pressed pills containing metonitazene, N-desethyl isotonitazene, and methamphetamine, between January and June 2024. Kolessa also admitted possessing over six kilograms of powders and pressed pills containing fentanyl, protonitazene and N-pyrrolidino protonitazene.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter of the DEA Miami Field Division, and West Palm Beach Police Chief Tony Araujo made the announcement.
DEA West Palm Beach and the West Palm Beach Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Funk prosecuted it.
According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, nitazenes are synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, but some nitazenes can match or surpass the potency of fentanyl. Different nitazenes have been appearing in fentanyl mixtures in the United States since 2019. When combined with fentanyl, the effects of both drugs are heightened, which significantly increases the chance of a fatal drug poisoning.
Synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning the nation. Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate. Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida.
For more information visit: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html#; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
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 at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80077.
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Man Charged in Federal Court with Robbing Postal Carrier at Gunpoint in Chicago Suburb; Second Man Charged with Firing at Investigating AgentsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been charged in federal court with robbing a United States Postal Service carrier at gunpoint in a Chicago suburb last week. A second man has been charged with firing shots at investigators near the scene of the robbery.
AHMEL HOLMES, 18, of Kankakee, Ill., robbed the postal carrier on Jan. 8, 2025, in Harvey, Ill., according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The postal carrier was on duty that morning delivering mail along East 158th Street near Union Avenue when Holmes approached her with a gun equipped with a drum magazine and demanded her belongings, the complaint states. Holmes then demanded and obtained access to the victim’s postal vehicle, from which he took a USPS tub containing mail, the complaint states.
Shortly after the robbery, two Postal Inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were canvassing the area when they observed three individuals near an alley. When the inspectors moved toward them to speak with them, one of the men – JESUS SANTILLAN, 19, of Harvey, Ill. – pointed a handgun at the inspectors and fired shots, the complaint states. The inspectors were not wounded and did not return fire, but they chased Santillan into a nearby residence, where they arrested him, the complaint states. The inspectors also found Holmes in the residence and took him into custody.
Holmes is charged with armed robbery of a postal carrier, which is punishable by up to 25 years in federal prison. Santillan is charged with using a deadly and dangerous weapon to assault postal inspectors and impede performance of their official duties, which is punishable by up to 20 years.
A detention hearing for Holmes is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffery T. Gilbert. Santillan waived his right to a detention hearing at this stage of the case and was ordered to remain held in federal custody.
The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Harvey, Ill. Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Maione.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
holmes_and_santillan_complaint.pdfMan Admits Staging Auto Accidents to Commit Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man on Monday admitted staging a series of vehicle accidents and injuries to defraud insurance companies.
Adrian Peebles, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Peebles admitted that from September of 2021 to January of 2023, he staged auto accidents, usually at night in remote areas to reduce his chances of getting caught. Peebles nearly always told the responding police officers that he had been injured. He went to the emergency room complaining of “non-determinative pain that required expensive tests that never identified any particular injury.” Peebles insisted that the resulting payments from the vehicle insurance companies be made to him rather than the hospital and then did not pay his medical bills. Two insurance companies lost a total of $107,951 to Peebles’ scheme.
Peebles is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware is prosecuting the case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Aidan J. Glenn, 25, of Lincoln, Nebraska was sentenced on January 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of distribution fentanyl resulting in death. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Glenn to a total of 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Glenn’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On August 10, 2023, Aidan Glenn sold Chase Hartung ten fentanyl pills. After Hartung received the pills, he gave five of them to T.R.H. That individual used at least one of the pills which resulted in T.R.H.’s overdose and death.
T.R.H.’s phone records showed that Hartung was T.R.H.’s only source of fentanyl. Hartung admitted he provided T.R.H. with the pill on August 11, 2023. Through conversations with Hartung and a review of Hartung’s phone law enforcement learned that Hartung and T.R.H. occasionally pooled money together to purchase M30 pills from Aidan Glenn and Wren Chamberlain.
On August 12, 2023, Hartung helped law enforcement arrange a controlled purchase of M30s from Glenn. Glenn informed Hartung that he was going to meet Michael Smith at a location in Lincoln to get more pills. Law enforcement then arrested Glenn, Chamberlain, and Smith at that location.
During recorded jail calls Glenn admitted to selling Hartung the pills that resulted in T.R.H.’s death.
Wren Chamberlain was previously sentenced on December 5, 2024, by United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis, to 51 months imprisonment and a 3-year term of supervised release for one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Chase Hartung is currently set for a court hearing on January 28, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline M. DeLuca.
Michael Smith is currently set for sentencing on March 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.
Kennebunk Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining PPP Funds During PandemicRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Kennebunk woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to wire fraud.
According to court records, in April 2021, Meghan Martell, 33, submitted an application to a California lender for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Martell falsely stated on the application that she was the sole proprietor of a beauty salon with gross income in 2019 of $99,870. She also submitted fraudulent documentation in support of the application, including a false tax form. The California lender transferred $20,806 in PPP funds to Martell’s bank account in Maine.
Martell faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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Justice Department Sues Stockton-based Nurse Practitioner to Stop Her Sale of Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
rubinger_complaint.pdfSACRAMENTO, Calif. — The United States has filed a civil complaint against nurse practitioner Joan Rubinger, registered in Stockton, that alleges a long-running nationwide scheme to sell illegal opioid prescriptions for cash, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.
The lawsuit asks the Court to prohibit Rubinger from prescribing controlled substances and to impose civil penalties on Rubinger for her conduct in providing more than 900 illegitimate prescriptions to customers around the country.
According to court documents, between Nov. 1, 2019, and June 17, 2024, Rubinger traveled from city to city, providing a range of services from intravenous flushes to prescriptions for controlled substances. Her unorthodox practice consisted of her, a personal assistant, and a person who managed billing. No licensed physician supervises Rubinger, and no licensed physician is associated with, or employed by, her practice. She usually met customers in non-medical environments, such as hotel rooms, without access to necessary diagnostic tools, proper medical records, or any other infrastructure required to treat chronic pain.
According to the complaint, Rubinger sold opioid prescriptions to her customers for cash, often during brief text message conversations over the encrypted messaging application Telegram. The complaint alleges that Rubinger provided her customers with price lists that invited them to select their own prescriptions from a menu of highly addictive drugs intended to treat a wide variety of medical conditions, including Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and Adderall, some of which can be dangerous in combination. Once customers paid Rubinger, she allegedly issued the requested prescriptions without conducting any examination or creating any medical records. The complaint further alleges that, to conceal the excessive quantities of drugs that she prescribed to her customers, Rubinger wrote prescriptions in the names of the customers’ friends and family members, many of whom did not consent to participate in Rubinger’s scheme, which allowed the customers to obtain opioids under false names. Many of Rubinger’s customers allegedly abused the drugs or resold them on the street.
According to court documents, Rubinger knew her conduct was illegal and gave her customers specific instructions that she told them would “make sure each patient appears as a legitimate medical patient.” In a document that she titled “THE RULES,” Rubinger explained to new customers the steps they had to take “to minimize the attention we attract from the DEA.” Among other things, Rubinger told customers they were required to pay her for prescriptions in advance because “just like at McDonald’s, you gotta pay for your burger before they hand it to you.”
The investigation and litigation of this matter illustrates the government’s continued emphasis on combating opioid abuse. Tips and complaints from all sources can be reported to the DEA at 1-877-792-2873 or https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Tennyson is litigating the case. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The complaint contains allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The case is United States v. Rubinger, 2:25-cv-00091-DAD-JDP (E.D. Cal.).
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Minnesota Restaurant Group to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured an agreement with a Minnesota-based restaurant group doing business as Brick & Bourbon. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that the restaurant group routinely discriminated against lawful permanent residents when verifying their permission to work in the United States by requiring them to provide more documents than necessary.
“It is unlawful for employers to impose additional or unnecessary requirements on employees because of their citizenship status when checking their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Discriminatory treatment during any step of the employment process harms workers who are lawfully participating in our economy and can deprive employers of their talents.”
After conducting an investigation, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that Brick & Bourbon had a longstanding practice of requiring additional and unnecessary documentation from lawful permanent residents, even after they had presented sufficient proof of their permission to work, because of their citizenship status.
Lawful permanent residents are sometimes referred to as “green card holders,” but they can show their permission to work using different types of documentation. As explained in the department’s recently-released fact sheet for lawful permanent residents, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) protects lawful permanent residents from discrimination when an employer is verifying their permission to work. The INA prohibits employers from asking for specific or unnecessary documents because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and cannot reject valid documentation that reasonably appears to be genuine and to relate to the worker.
Under the terms of the settlement, Brick & Bourbon will pay a $95,000 civil penalty to the United States, train its employees on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring.
IER is responsible for enforcing the INA’s anti-discrimination provision. This law prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
IER’s website has more information on lawful permanent residents’ rights under the INA and how employers can avoid unlawful discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify), or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a live webinar; watch an on-demand presentation; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan has sentenced Ronald Holland (46, Jacksonville) to 18 years and 9 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The court also ordered Holland to forfeit $1,500, which represents proceeds of the offense, and multiple firearms seized during the investigation. Holland entered a guilty plea on March 26, 2024.
According to court documents, between 2020 and 2023, Holland operated and managed a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Jacksonville. Holland and his co-conspirators acquired bulk narcotics from Mexico-based sources of supply who trafficked the narcotics through Houston, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia to Jacksonville. Holland directed two of his underlings, Annette Jones and Janice Strong, to distribute the fentanyl and methamphetamine from two houses he operated off Verbena Road in Jacksonville.
In 2022, federal agents and local law enforcement officers jointly investigated the drug trafficking activities of all three individuals. Between December 2022 and March 2023, agents conducted multiple controlled purchases of pure methamphetamine directly from Strong at one of the houses off Verbena Road. During this time, agents also conducted multiple controlled purchases of pure methamphetamine and fentanyl directly from Jones. Agents observed Holland re-supplying Jones and Strong, and accompanying Jones during drug transactions. Law enforcement officers also observed heavy foot traffic at the two houses off Verbena Road, which was indicative of drug trafficking activity.
On March 15, 2023, federal agents and local law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Holland’s apartment off Harts Road and the two houses off Verbena Road. At Holland’s apartment, agents seized approximately 680 grams of cocaine, 173 grams of pure methamphetamine, 130 grams of fentanyl, assorted drug paraphernalia, and ammunition. At the Verbena Road houses, agents seized approximately 415 grams of pure methamphetamine, 50 grams of fentanyl, and $1,500. Agents also located a Springfield Armory pistol, a North American Arms revolver, a Savage Arms rifle, two Ruger pistols, extended magazines, assorted ammunition, and a bulletproof vest.
According to the joint investigation, Holland was responsible for distributing more than 50 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, over 5 kilograms of fentanyl, and 680 grams of cocaine during the drug trafficking conspiracy. In a related case, Annette Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
Janice Strong was indicted, and her case is pending trial. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Weslee Nathaniel Black, 39, of Huntington, was sentenced today to eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a short-barrel shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2024, law enforcement officers ordered Black to exit a vehicle on the 1300 block of Marcum Terrace in Huntington and arrested him for grand larceny of the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and seized a Hatfield Gun Company model PAS 12-gauge shotgun with a shortened barrel. Black admitted that he possessed the firearm, that he knew it had a shortened barrel when he purchased it, and that it was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Black knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for domestic battery in Cabell County Magistrate Court on January 31, 2023.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-84.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Beecher Lee Shuler, 43, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 21, 2023, Shuler sold approximately 3.48 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $275. Shuler admitted that he conducted the transaction at his Huntington residence and arranged the transaction beforehand with the confidential informant.
On July 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Shuler’s residence and seized cocaine, oxycodone, at least 3,787 tablets containing protonitazene, six firearms and approximately $1,111. Protonitazene is a synthetic opioid potentially more dangerous and deadly than fentanyl, and the seized tablets weighed approximately 813 grams.
Shuler is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-151.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Michael Vernon Pinson Jr., 30, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 20, 2024, law enforcement officers responding to reports of an unresponsive male in a vehicle in Huntington encountered Pinson in the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Officers searched the vehicle during the encounter and found a loaded Taurus model PT111 Millennium Pro 9mm pistol in the vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Pinson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Cabell County Circuit Court on February 16, 2016.
Pinson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-149.
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Former President and Executive Vice President of Local Teachers Union Indicted for Stealing Union Funds in Leave ScamRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Teresa Brady (69, Jacksonville) and Ruby George (81, Jacksonville) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, eight counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud, and three counts of aiding and abetting mail fraud. Brady is also charged with two counts of money laundering. If convicted on the conspiracy, wire fraud, and mail fraud counts, Brady and George each face a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment on each count. Brady also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years on each money laundering count. The indictment notifies Brady and George that the United States intends to forfeit at least $2,600,235.99, which are alleged to be proceeds obtained from the fraud.
According to the indictment, Brady and George were the President and Executive Vice President of Duval Teachers United (DTU), a labor union that represents Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) teachers, paraprofessionals, and office personnel. DTU has approximately 6,500 members and represents approximately 80 percent of eligible DCPS employees. DTU’s annual revenue is approximately $5 million, which is comprised of funds paid by dues-paying members.
The indictment alleges that between 2013 and 2022 Brady and George engaged in a conspiracy to steal more than $1.2 million each from the DTU by selling back leave time that they had not accrued or earned back to DTU. Brady and George allegedly hid this activity by providing false information to DTU’s auditors (Certified Public Accountants), and by signing each other’s checks when distributing the unaccrued and unearned leave money, hiding those payments from the DTU Secretary/Treasurer. The indictment further alleges that Brady and George withheld this unearned compensation from the Florida Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC), responsible for public labor unions in Florida, in required annual financial statement filings, some of which were mailed to PERC.
Brady also allegedly used the fraud proceeds and engaged in two monetary transactions of more than $10,000 to pay personal credit card debt.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Tysen Duva and Kelly S. Milliron.
20250113_brady_george_indmt.pdf Download IndictmentFormer Federal Government Employee and Co-Conspirator Plead Guilty to Hobbs Act ExtortionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—Ruth Nivar, 57, a former D.C. Department of Human Services employee, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthews M. Graves, FBI Office Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and the District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.
The charges stemmed from a years-long scheme in which Nivar extorted money from low and no-income individuals to process applications for public assistance programs, even though it was part of her job responsibilities to do so free of charge. Nivar took money herself from these low-income victims simply to apply for public assistance. U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 25, 2025.
According to the plea paperwork, beginning at least since 2018 and continuing through at last May 2023, Nivar used the authority of her public office to obtain money from public assistance applicants to which neither she, nor the District of Columbia, were entitled. In 2022, after Nivar understood that law enforcement may have become aware of her scheme, she added an accomplice, civilian Yessica Moya, who did not work for the D.C. government, to assist in the extortion scheme.
Because Nivar worked on public assistance programs for the D.C. government, Nivar was able to provide information to Moya about eligibility requirements for applicants – including certain documents that needed to be submitted with applications – as well as information about applicants from the internal DHS database, including historical benefits information, status of benefits, identity verification, and dependent information. Moya then created online accounts and submitted application materials for health care coverage on behalf of the individuals they extorted. Nivar told individuals to pay Moya, who would then split the monies evenly with Nivar, even though it was Nivar’s duty to provide all these services for the community free of charge.
Moya pleaded guilty in the same case on January 8, 2025, to one count of aiding and abetting Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right. Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division and D.C. Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Madhu Chugh and Will Hart of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Former Atlantic City Housing Authority Coordinator Admits to Fraud in Connection with Covid-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – The former Ross Family Service Coordinator for the Atlantic City Housing Authority and Urban Redevelopment Agency today admitted to fraudulently applying for and obtaining COVID-19 relief funds, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Luquay Zahir, 50, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to two counts of an information charging him with making false statements to influence the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
In 2020 and 2021, Zahir, then the Ross Family Service Coordinator for the Atlantic City Housing Authority and Urban Redevelopment Agency, fraudulently obtained more than $30,000 through a Paycheck Protection Program loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
The count of making false statements to influence the SBA carries a maximum potential penalty of two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The count of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Driscoll; and special agents of SBA Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
zahir.information.pdf
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office, working in conjunction with the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Florida Client of Tax Refund Scheme Sentenced to Prison for Obstructing the IRSRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for obstructing the IRS in connection with his use of the “Note Program,” a tax fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2018, Arthur Grimes, of Ocoee and Orlando, was a client of a tax fraud scheme promoted by Jasen Harvey and Christopher Johnson. The scheme involved Harvey and Johnson filing false tax returns for clients that claimed that large nonexistent income tax withholdings had been paid to the IRS and sought substantial refunds based on those purported withholdings.
Grimes participated in the scheme by causing four false income tax returns prepared by Harvey to be filed that sought refunds totaling $627,587 of which the IRS paid approximately $270,000. When the IRS attempted to recover a refund issued to Grimes based on one of those returns, Grimes made false statements and submitted false documents to an IRS revenue officer and transferred funds to a nominee bank account.
Harvey and Johnson previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS and were respectively sentenced to 48 months in prison and 37 months in prison.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. for the Middle District of Florida ordered Grimes to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $238,973 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind, Jeffrey McLellan and Caroline Pearson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Florida Client of Tax Refund Scheme Sentenced to Prison for Obstructing the IRSRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – A Florida man was sentenced to 21 months in prison for obstructing the IRS in connection with his use of the “Note Program,” a tax fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2018, Arthur Grimes, of Ocoee and Orlando, was a client of a tax fraud scheme promoted by Jasen Harvey and Christopher Johnson. The scheme involved Harvey and Johnson filing false tax returns for clients that claimed that large nonexistent income tax withholdings had been paid to the IRS and sought substantial refunds based on those purported withholdings.
Grimes participated in the scheme by causing four false income tax returns prepared by Harvey to be filed that sought refunds totaling $627,587 of which the IRS paid approximately $270,000. When the IRS attempted to recover a refund issued to Grimes based on one of those returns, Grimes made false statements and submitted false documents to an IRS revenue officer and transferred funds to a nominee bank account.
Harvey and Johnson previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS and were respectively sentenced to 48 months in prison and 37 months in prison.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. for the Middle District of Florida ordered Grimes to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $238,973 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind, Jeffrey McLellan and Caroline Pearson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Fentanyl “M30 King of Fresno” Sentenced to 23 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr., 24, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 23 years and one month in prison for distribution of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, the investigation began after a series of fentanyl-pill overdoses in the Fresno area. These overdoses were caused by counterfeit oxycodone M30 tablets containing fentanyl, referred to on the street as M30s. The investigation, dubbed “Operation Killer High,” targeted the drug dealers believed to have supplied the toxic pills that caused the spike in fentanyl-related overdoses. The operation uncovered a large drug-trafficking ring led by Torrecillas Urias, the self-proclaimed “M30 king of Fresno.”
Torrecillas Urias was obtaining, directly from sources in Mexico, tens of thousands of counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills and large quantities of fentanyl powder, cocaine, and methamphetamine. He and his co-defendants were then distributing these illicit drugs to dealers inside and outside of California. During the investigation, federal, state, and local law enforcement agents conducted traffic stops, intercepted packages, and executed residential search warrants that resulted in the recovery of over 55,000 fentanyl pills, 6 pounds of fentanyl powder, 10 pounds of methamphetamine, a pound of cocaine, 25 firearms, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Operation Killer High resulted in three federal cases charging a total of 20 defendants. All but one pleaded guilty. The remaining defendant, Alma Garza, was found guilty in September 2024, after a four-day jury trial. She is set for sentencing on Feb. 24, 2025.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Felon Sentenced to 30 Months for Unlawfully Dealing Firearms on Social MediaRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Leonel Castillo, 34, of Denver, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Engaging in a Business of Dealing Firearms without a Federal Firearms License.
According to the plea agreement, between September 2022 and May 2023, Castillo operated a business utilizing Facebook to raffle items including firearms. Castillo purchased firearms from federal firearms licensees or third-party private sellers. He then held interactive raffles on Facebook in which participants paid for the chance to win the firearms. Castillo would then have federal firearms licensees transfer the firearms to the winners of the raffles, sometimes through straw transfers. Castillo was a felon and prohibited from possessing firearms throughout the time he ran this business.
“Criminals who deal firearms illegally can’t escape consequences by using social media as their marketplace,” said United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “I am grateful that our partners at the ATF were able to investigate this unusual scheme and that our office was able to bring this person to justice.”
United States District Court Judge Nina Y Wang presided over the sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Albert Buchman handled the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Case Number: 23-cr-00326-NYW
Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer and Two Conspirators Plead Guilty to Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Matthew L. Stephen Easton (35, Melrose) has pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking. Easton faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 24, 2025. Easton’s co-defendants, Derick Yamir Perez Diaz (22, Orlando) and Ernesto Vasquez (23, Kissimmee), previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms. They each also face a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Perez Diaz and Vasquez are scheduled to be sentenced on March 25 and April 8, 2025, respectively.
According to the plea agreements, Easton, a federally licensed firearms dealer, supplied Perez Diaz with large quantities of firearms, despite knowing that Perez Diaz was dealing in firearms without a license. Perez Diaz, in turn, trafficked those firearms to Vasquez who resold them and smuggled them out of the country. Between October and December 2023, more than 100 Glock pistols and AK-47 rifles were trafficked, including those pictured below:
Additionally, Vasquez and Perez Diaz admitted to trafficking machinegun conversion devices:
On April 18, 2024, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, executed a Search Warrant at Vazquez’s residence. Inside they found multiple firearms, stockpiles of ammunition, and grenades:
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Noah P. Dorman and Dana E. Hill.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fayette County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeff Allen Adkins, 66, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to 12 years eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 8, 2022, Adkins was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in Oak Hill. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 113 grams of fentanyl and 109 grams of methamphetamine. Adkins told officers he possessed the controlled substances and intended to distribute them.
Adkins has a long criminal that includes prior convictions for such offenses as grand larceny, breaking and entering, possession of a controlled substance, carrying a concealed weapon, hit and run, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Oak Hill Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess, Alexander A. Redmon and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-57.
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Evansville Domestic Abuser Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Federal Prison After Leading Police on a Foot Chase while Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE— Arties Dushawn Brown., 35, of Evansville, Indiana, has been sentenced to fifteen years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on April 2, 2023, Evansville Police officers were called to a residential area in response to a report of shots being fired. The 911 caller claimed that a man wearing a black jacket, white hat, white shoes, and a camouflage jacket was walking down the street and fired a gun into the air. When officers arrived on scene, they found a spent shell casing at the same location the caller claimed the shot was fired from.
Officers located Arties Brown wearing the same clothes as the reported shooter and with a black firearm hanging out of his pants pocket. Officers ordered Brown to show his hands. Instead, Brown disregarded the orders and fled through an outdoor apartment hallway. Brown tossed the firearm away, jumped a residential fence, entered a backyard and approached the homeowner while repeating “change of clothes.” The homeowner gave Brown a change of clothes.
After a short time, officers located and arrested Brown wearing the new change of clothes. The firearm Brown threw was found lying in a neighbor’s backyard and was still loaded.
At the time of this arrest, Brown had sustained multiple felony convictions, including three separate counts of burglary and battery by means of a deadly weapon, as well as a misdemeanor conviction for domestic battery. These convictions prohibit Brown from ever legally possessing a firearm again.
“Illegally armed domestic abusers pose a significant danger to everyone close to them, our law enforcement officers, and our communities as a whole,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “That’s why we have prioritized federal prosecution of illegally armed individuals with a history of domestic violence. Our office will continue to partner with the ATF and local task forces in Evansville and all across our district to ensure that the most dangerous armed offenders are taken off our streets.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.