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16 January 2025
Previously Deported Sex Offender Sentenced to 3 years in Federal Prison for Illegal-ReentryRead the Press Release
Del Rio, Texas – A Guatemalan national was sentenced today to 3 years in prison for illegally re-entering the United States following deportation.
According to court documents, Heraldo Agustin Huesgen-De Leon, also known as Heraldo Agustin Hueskin-De Leon, 47, was arrested on May 16, 2024, after being encountered by United States Border Patrol agents near Eagle Pass, Texas. Defendant was previously removed from the United States on September 19, 2018. Defendant had previously been sentenced in 2011 to 20 years imprisonment for second degree rape.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The United States Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Fleming and Matt Kass prosecuted the case.
Pointing weapon at law enforcement sends violent felon to prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Tomas Rodriguez pleaded guilty April 25, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 90 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by a three-year-term of supervised release. At the hearing, the court saw body worn camera video of Rodriguez pointing a firearm at an officer and surveillance video of Rodriguez repeatedly assaulting a female. Judge Bennett also heard testimony from the police officer involved in the incident. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of Rodriguez’s conduct, particularly his vicious assault of a female victim and assault on a law enforcement officer.
On Sept. 5, 2021, a local police department officer responded to a report of an assault in a parking lot near a Houston bar. Witnesses directed him to Rodriguez who had fled towards an injured female lying face down on the ground. Rodriguez fell as he ran and the officer commanded him to remain on the ground.
However, Rodriguez got up and pointed a loaded .22-caliber pistol at the officer who responded by discharging his duty weapon in self-defense. Not struck, Rodriguez proceeded to flee and discarded the weapon. Authorities apprehended Rodriguez following a foot pursuit and subsequently recovered his firearm.
Rodriguez has multiple prior felony convictions. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition per federal law.
Rodriguez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Placer County Man Sentenced to 12 Years and 7 Months in Prison for Sexual Offense Against a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ryan Davidek, 40, of Lincoln, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 12 years and seven months years in prison for interstate transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Davidek was ordered to pay $13,270 in restitution to the victim and serve a lifetime of supervised release.
According to court documents, in 2016, Davidek began a sexual relationship with a middle-school child who he had met online. Over the course of several years, Davidek booked hotel rooms and traveled across state lines, as well as transported the victim from another state to the Eastern District of California, to commit criminal sexual conduct.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, assisted by the Sacramento Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force and other local law enforcement departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexis Klein and Christina McCall are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 108 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on James Pearcy, 60.According to information presented to the Court, from in and around January 2021 to in and around June 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pearcy conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Pearcy was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of cocaine that he distributed to others.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Pearcy. Additional agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Owner of Three North Shore Restaurants Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner and operator of three restaurants in Salem, Peabody and Seabrook (N.H.) was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service of federal employment taxes and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue of state meals taxes over a six-year period.
John Drivas, 66, of Hampton, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Drivas was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,596,775 to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and $439,341 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in addition to a $20,000 fine. In September 2024, Drivas pleaded guilty to five counts of failure to collect and pay over employment taxes owed to the IRS and four counts of wire fraud for state meals taxes he collected from restaurant customers but failed to pay to the state Department of Revenue.
Between January 2016 to October 2022, Drivas was the owner and operator of three restaurants: Red’s Sandwich Shop in Salem, Red’s Kitchen and Tavern in Peabody and Red’s Seabrook in Seabrook, N.H. He was the sole shareholder of the Salem restaurant until he sold it to an employee in September 2022. He was the 100% owner of the Peabody restaurant with his wife and the 52% owner of the Seabrook restaurant with his children.
From at least January 2017 to June 2022, Drivas paid “under-the-table” wages of $1,496,417 to multiple restaurant employees and did not report those wages to the IRS or pay employment taxes on them. Federal tax law requires employers to withhold from any employee wages an amount for income taxes and other amounts for Social Security and Medicare taxes. Drivas caused more than $439,000 in employment tax losses.
Drivas also collected the state and local “meals taxes” paid by restaurant customers, which he failed to pay over to the state as required by law. In Massachusetts, all owners and operators of restaurants and bars are required to collect 6.25 sales taxes on meals. Salem and Peabody also require restaurants and bars to collect an additional 0.75% local option meals excise tax. Although Drivas collected the taxes from restaurant customers, he intentionally withheld $1,596,775 of those taxes from monthly reports and payments owed to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Thomas 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s Criminal Investigations Bureau. Assistant United States Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Owner of Oregon Tree Company Indicted for Employment Tax Crimes and Not Filing Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Portland, Oregon, returned an indictment earlier this week charging a business owner with not paying employment taxes and not filing tax returns.
According to the indictment, Joyce Leard, of Boring, Oregon, owned and operated Mr. Tree Inc., a Happy Valley, Oregon-based company that provided tree removal and landscaping services to customers. Between 2018 and 2020, Mr. Tree allegedly employed approximately 50 to 75 employees. Leard was allegedly responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from her employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter. She was also responsible for filing quarterly tax returns with the IRS.
From the fourth quarter of 2018 through the fourth quarter of 2020, Leard allegedly withheld approximately $655,000 from employees’ wages but did not pay over all those funds to the IRS or file quarterly tax returns as required by law. Instead of paying all the funds over, Leard allegedly purchased real estate that was titled in her name. Finally, according to the indictment, Leard did not file individual tax returns for 2018 through 2020, as required by law.
If convicted, Leard faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each employment tax charge and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each failure to file a return charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys J. Parker Gochenour and Megan E. Wessel of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Orleans Parish Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Control Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – KEVIN LADAY (“LADAY”), age 34, of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, after previously pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Specifically, LADAY was sentenced to seventy months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
As part of “Operation Big Easy,” agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives identified individuals who were involved in trafficking firearms within the City of New Orleans. Agents conducted an undercover purchase of firearms from LADAY between August 30, 2023, and October 26, 2023.
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Orange County Man Indicted for Production and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging David Andrew Ogden (39, Winter Park) with five counts of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Ogden faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for each of the production counts. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession count.
According to the indictment, in September 2022 and on multiple occasions between June and September 2024, Ogden used or attempted to use a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. Additionally, in September 2024, Ogden possessed additional child sexual abuse material.
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 the Winter Park Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oklahoma Man Caught with a Machine Gun and Methamphetamine in Missouri Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced a man caught with a fully automatic handgun and methamphetamine to 10 years in prison.
On August 16, 2022, officers with the United States Marshals Service, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force located Darius R. Clark at a home in Kennett, Missouri. Clark had two backpacks at the time of his arrest. One contained a Glock .40-caliber pistol that had been equipped with a selector switch that converted it into a fully automatic weapon. The firearm was fully loaded and there were additional magazines in the backpack, including an extended capacity magazine that was loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition. The backpack also contained $1,120 in cash. The second backpack contained 84 multicolored tablets containing methamphetamine and 17 tablets containing a mix of meth and other controlled substances.
Clark, 36, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty in September to one count of possession of a machine gun.
Clark’s arrest warrant was triggered by charges of first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, two weeks before his arrest, according to a sentencing memo. Clark will now be returned to Oklahoma.
The United States Marshals Service, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter 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.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DONALD MILLER a/k/a “Duck,”(“ MILLER”), age 43, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five hundred grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride. MILLER was sentenced to seventy-eight months imprisonment, four years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, MILLER and other co-conspirators distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine within the Eastern District of Louisiana. During the investigation, law enforcement, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, seized over forty (40) kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, nearly $700,000.00 in cash, and other property.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Murder in Connection with Staged Automobile Collisions in the New Orleans AreaRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS –The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice announced that RYAN J. HARRIS, a/k/a “Red,” (“HARRIS”), age 36, of New Orleans, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to a three-count superseding bill of information.
Count One charged him with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1343, and 1349. Count Two charged him with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 and 2. Count Three charged him with causing death through the use of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(j) and 2.
According to court filings, HARRIS admitted to acting as a “slammer” in a scheme in which he and his co-conspirators intentionally staged automobile collisions in the New Orleans metropolitan area. As a slammer, HARRIS drove automobiles and intentionally collided them with 18-wheeler tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles in order to stage these collisions. After the collisions, the slammers fled the scene, and a passenger would falsely claim to have been the driver during the collision. Thereafter, the passengers, who had been recruited to be part of the scheme, would file false insurance claims. HARRIS then referred these passengers to attorneys, also a part of the scheme, who then filed fraudulent lawsuits on the passengers’ behalf. HARRIS also admitted to aiding and abetting in the murder of a cooperating federal witness, Cornelius Garrison. Garrison, a slammer who had been covertly cooperating with federal agents since October 2019 regarding the staged automobile collision scheme, was shot outside of his home in New Orleans on September 22, 2020.
As to each of Counts One and Two, HARRIS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss to any person, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As to Count Three, HARRIS faces a maximum term of life imprisonment or death, a fine of up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss to any person, up to five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As set forth in the plea agreement in this matter, HARRIS and the government agreed to a total sentence of 35 years in prison, pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(C) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Judge Vitter scheduled HARRIS’s sentencing for September 23, 2025.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, would like to acknowledge the tremendous work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Field Office, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne; Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman; and Trial Attorney J. Ryan McLaren of the U.S. Department of Justice - Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Cares Act Fraud, Money Laundering and False Tax FilingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CLIFTON C. JAMES (“JAMES”), age 50, of New Orleans, pled guilty on January 15, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo to making false statements, theft of government funds, and money laundering related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). He also pled guilty to false tax filing with the Internal Revenue Service.
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program.
According to the charging documents, or about April 30, 2020, JAMES, on behalf of a business that he owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain a $86,800 PPP loan. On or about July 13, 2020, JAMES stole $149,900 from the SBA by using a false application in the name of Crescent City Tax Services, LLC. JAMES then committed money laundering by using these ill-gotten funds to buy an automobile from a dealership in California. Lastly, JAMES filed a false document with the Internal Revenue Service wherein he claimed to have earned $1.00 in a 2019 tax return.
At his sentencing on April 23, 2025, JAMES faces up to five years in prison for each individual charge of making false statements and for filing the false tax document. He also faces up to ten years in prison for each individual charge of money laundering and the theft of government funds. Each charge, individually, also carries a penalty of up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
For more information on the Department of Justice’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.
This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC) and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 78 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Juan Aquino, 53 years old, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Aquino was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in December 2023 Aquino obtained four kilograms of cocaine from Colorado and was transporting it back to New Jersey in hidden vehicle compartments when he was stopped by law enforcement on the Indiana Toll Road. At the time of the offense, Aquino was on court release awaiting the start of a 63-month term of federal imprisonment for distributing fentanyl and conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, including the DEA North Central Laboratory, with assistance from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph P. Falvey and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
New Federal Charges Filed in Carjacking and Murder Case; One Individual Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a new 16-count federal indictment charging 7 individuals with offenses stemming from 4 years of dealing in drugs and an armed robbery spree that culminated in a double homicide on April 10 and 11, 2024. The third superseding indictment alleges the following federal charges:
No.
Charge
Date Range
Defendants
Maximum Penalties
1
Drug conspiracy9/17/20–4/17/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Giovany Crespo Hernandez
Monicsabel Romero Soto
Minimum 10 years, up to life, in federal prison2
Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery2/9/24–4/11/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Sonic Torres
Giovany Crespo Hernandez
Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla
Anneliz Colon De Jesus
Cesar Silva Fernandez
20 years in federal prison3
Hobbs Act robbery2/9/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Anneliz Colon De Jesus
Cesar Silva Fernandez
20 years in federal prison4
Brandishing firearm in robbery2/9/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Anneliz Colon De Jesus
Cesar Silva Fernandez
Minimum 7 years, up to life, in federal prison5
Hobbs Act robbery2/15/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Sonic Torres
20 years in federal prison6
Brandishing firearm in robbery2/15/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Sonic Torres
Minimum 7 years, up to life, in federal prison7
Attempted Hobbs Act robbery4/10/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla
20 years in federal prison8
Possession of ammunition by convicted felon4/10/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
15 years in federal prison9
Hobbs Act robbery4/11/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Giovany Crespo Hernandez
Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla
20 years in federal prison10
Carjacking causing death4/11/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Giovany Crespo Hernandez
Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla
Life in federal prison or death11
Kidnapping causing death4/11/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Giovany Crespo Hernandez
Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla
Minimum of life in federal prison, or death12
Use of firearm causing death4/11/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Giovany Crespo Hernandez
Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla
Minimum 10 years, up to life, in federal prison or death13
Arson4/11/24
Jordanish Torres Garcia
Minimum 5 years, up to 20 years in federal prison14
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substance4/17/24
Monicsabel Romero Soto
Minimum 5 years, up to 40 years in federal prison15
Possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking4/17/24
Giovany Crespo Hernandez
Monicsabel Romero Soto
Minimum 5 years, up to life in federal prison16
Possession of firearm by convicted felon4/28/24
Cesar Silva Fernandez
15 years in federal prisonPreviously, Jordanish Torres Garcia (28, Orlando), Giovany Crespo Hernandez (27, Orlando), and Dereck Alexis Rodriguez Bonilla (21, Orlando) were charged with carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing the death of K.A. on April 11, 2024. Torres Garcia was also charged with possession of ammunition the night before on April 10, 2024, in a homicide in Taft, Florida. Crespo Hernandez and his girlfriend, Monicsabel Romero Soto, were charged with drug crimes occurring on April 17, 2024. The new indictment brings those charges together for one single trial and encompasses years of dealing in drugs and drug proceeds along with multiple robberies culminating in the events of April 10 and 11, 2024.
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.
In addition, on January 15, 2025, Kevin Ocasio Justiniano (27, Orlando), one of the individuals who participated in the carjacking killing on April 11, 2024, pleaded guilty to federal charges arising from the events of that day, along with drug and firearms charges related to events occurring in August 2022. Ocasio Justiniano pleaded guilty to committing and aiding and abetting the commission of carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, and using a firearm resulting in death on April 11, 2024. He also pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances from May through August 2022 and possessing an automatic firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He faces a minimum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, Ocasio Justiniano conspired with others to distribute “dealer packs” of fentanyl and cocaine from May through August 23, 2022, when he was detained by law enforcement carrying a fully automatic handgun. In the months leading up to the robbery on April 11, 2024, and murder of K.A., Ocasio Justiniano participated with Torres Garcia and his brother, Sonic Torres, in an armed home invasion robbery in the Poinciana area.
On April 11, 2024, Ocasio Justiniano made plans with Torres Garcia to conduct the carjacking and kidnapping of K.A. and to rob her of $170,000 in drug proceeds that were being laundered. Ocasio Justiniano received $60,000 for his participation in the crime. In planning for the event, Ocasio Justiniano bought lighter fluid at a gas station near Crespo Hernandez’s home in Casselberry where K.A. was planning to pick up the drug proceeds. After K.A. retrieved the drug proceeds, Ocasio Justiniano drove Torres Garcia’s green sedan while Torres Garcia committed the gunpoint carjacking on East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road. When they arrived at the location in Boggy Creek Road site where K.A. was later killed and burned, Ocasio Justiniano drove the green sedan from the construction site to Boggy Creek Road to meet with Rodriguez Bonilla and a juvenile male accomplice to retrieve the gun that Torres Garcia had used to kill K.A.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the St. Cloud Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Marshals Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dana Hill and Michael Felicetta.
Nashville Man Sentenced to Four Years for COVID FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Nashville man was sentenced to 48 months in prison, and three years of supervised release, for orchestrating a scheme to fraudulently obtain emergency rental assistance designated for households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 12, 2024, Joe Lewis Jefferson, age 50, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of failure to file a tax return. As part of the judgment, Jefferson was also ordered to pay $323,824 in criminal restitution to the U.S. Department of Treasury.
According to information presented in court, Jefferson recruited others to falsely pose as landlords for properties located in Eastern North Carolina. In the names of these nominee landlords, Jefferson prepared and submitted fraudulent North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (NC HOPE) loan applications for emergency rental assistance. When the applications were approved, NC HOPE mailed checks to addresses controlled by Jefferson. Jefferson traveled with the nominee landlords to area banks to negotiate the checks and split the proceeds. Jefferson and his co-conspirators were responsible for the submission of at least 44 fraudulent applications for rental assistance, resulting in the disbursement of approximately $279,000.
The NC HOPE Program administered federal COVID-19 relief funds and provided emergency rental assistance to North Carolina renters who faced eviction and homelessness during the pandemic. The program allowed renters to submit an online application to apply for rental assistance. If approved, the program paid the tenant’s rent, in checks sent directly to the landlord, for up to 15 months of overdue or future rent payments
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The investigation was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00068-D.
Muskogee Resident Sentenced for Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Colby Eric Dean Ballard, age 29, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department.
On March 21, 2024, Ballard pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 4, 2023, Ballard assaulted the victim, strangling the victim and causing injuries to the victim’s face, head, wrist, and stomach. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Ballard will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Edith Singer represented the United States.
Morrisdale Woman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jennifer Quick, 50, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to Count Two of a Superseding Indictment and Counts One and Two of an Indictment.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around October 2019 to January 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Quick conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Quick was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of methamphetamine that she distributed to others. Further, from in and around February 2023 to March 2023, Quick conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 8, 2025. On Count Two of the Superseding Indictment, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. On Counts One and Two of the Indictment, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Quick. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; United States Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office; Erie County District Attorney’s Office; Millcreek Police Department; Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.Mobile Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 27 months in prison for illegally possessing a machinegun.
According to court documents, Ti’Biasz Tithese Houston, 20, was arrested in November 2023 after Mobile police responded to a shots-fired call in a residential neighborhood. Officers located Houston near the scene of the shots-fired incident in a parked SUV. After detaining Houston and others, police conducted a probable-cause search of the SUV, locating marijuana and several loaded pistols equipped with extended magazines. One of the firearms, seized near where Houston was seated in the SUV, was a Glock .40 caliber pistol equipped with a fully loaded 30-round extended magazine and an illegal machinegun-conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” which rendered the pistol a fully automatic weapon.
Agents seized and obtained a warrant to search Houston’s cell phone, which contained evidence of his illegal possession and sale of Glock switches. The phone contained dozens of pictures and videos of Houston illegally possessing pistols equipped with Glock switches, including the pistol that police seized from him in November 2023. The phone also contained numerous text messages that Houston exchanged with other people about selling Glock switches for profit.
In addition to the 27-month prison sentence, Senior United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered Houston to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to drug testing and treatment, and mental health evaluation and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Steele ordered Houston to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.
Missouri Woman Arrested and Indicted for ArsonRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment today charging a St. Peters, Missouri woman, with arson.
According to court documents, on or about January 2, 2025, Danielle Bertothy, 36, maliciously damaged and destroyed, by means of fire, a building and other real and personal property used in interstate and foreign commerce and in activities affecting interstate and foreign commerce, to wit: a commercial building consisting of a retail store, a restaurant, a bar, and a hotel located at Road 3301 KM 2.9 Combate Beach, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
“This defendant will be held accountable for her dangerous actions that caused significant damage and put many lives at risk,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with federal, state and local law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously enforce federal laws and bring to justice criminals who engage in violent crimes.”
“This arrest shows the commitment of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in the fight against violent as well destructive criminal behavior, regardless of where it manifests - on the mainland or the U.S. Territories,” said Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Miami Field Division.
Bertothy is charged with the use of fire to destroy any building affecting interstate commerce (arson) 18 U.S.C. § 844(i). The defendant is scheduled for her initial court appearance on Friday, January 17, before a magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and up to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) are investigating the case. Special thanks to the Puerto Rico Department of Justice District Attorney’s Office in Mayagüez and the PRPB-Explosives Unit in Mayagüez for their unwavering collaboration during this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) Jonathan Gottfried, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Division, Jeannette Collazo, Deputy Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Division, and Corinne Cordero-Romo are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Missouri Man Admits Recording Sexual Abuse of 8-Year-OldRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from O’Fallon, Missouri on Thursday admitted recording his sexual abuse of an 8-year-old.
Jacob J. Hampton, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. He admitted that after investigators were alerted that Hampton had child sexual abuse material stored online, they found videos of Hampton placing a hidden camera in a bathroom to record an 8-year-old girl, as well as other images of that victim. Police found images on Hampton’s phone of Hampton abusing the victim, as well as child sexual abuse material that he’d obtained online, his plea agreement says.
Hampton is scheduled to be sentenced April 22. Both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 25 years in prison.
The FBI, the St. Charles County Police Department and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted 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.
Miami-Based Real Estate Broker Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate Russia-Ukraine Sanctions and to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Miami real estate broker Roman Sinyavsky pleaded guilty today to engaging in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions and commit money laundering by conducting transactions involving blocked properties owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs Viktor Perevalov and Valeri Abramov.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Perevalov and Abramov for conduct including owning and operating VAD, AO, a Russia-based construction company responsible for constructing the Tavrida Highway in the Russian-occupied Crimea Region of Ukraine. Perevalov was designated again by OFAC in December 2024 for operating in the construction sector of the Russian economy.
As described in court documents, from in or around January 2018 through in or around March 2023, Sinyavsky conspired with others to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and commit money laundering by maintaining, transferring, selling, and leasing several luxury condominiums in the Miami area that Perevalov and Abramov owned and by collecting, sharing, and using the proceeds to maintain the properties.
Sinyavsky faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As part of the plea agreement, Sinyavsky agreed to forfeit the proceeds he received from the scheme totaling $182,442.45.
On Feb. 22, 2024, the United States filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleging that two luxury condominiums owned by Perevalov are subject to forfeiture based on the unlawful transactions. On Jan. 6, the court ordered forfeiture of $1.8 million representing the proceeds from the sales of those properties. Abramov’s property was sold in June 2018.
Concurrent with today’s guilty plea, OFAC announced a separate settlement with Sinyavsky and his real estate company Family International Realty LLC in connection with a related, parallel proceeding. Under the terms of that resolution, Sinyavsky and his company have agreed to pay a civil penalty of approximately $1,076,923. In recognition of the amount Sinyavsky has agreed to forfeit in connection with today’s guilty plea, OFAC will credit the forfeiture against its civil penalty.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Rubin for the Southern District of Florida, Trial Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Lindsay Gorman of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Trial Attorney Joshua E. Kurland of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderon for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that, beginning in 2014, the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
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Miami-Based Real Estate Broker Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate Russia-Ukraine Sanctions and to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Miami real estate broker Roman Sinyavsky pleaded guilty today to engaging in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions and commit money laundering by conducting transactions involving blocked properties owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs Viktor Perevalov and Valeri Abramov.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Perevalov and Abramov for conduct including owning and operating VAD, AO, a Russia-based construction company responsible for constructing the Tavrida Highway in the Russian-occupied Crimea Region of Ukraine. Perevalov was designated again by OFAC in December 2024 for operating in the construction sector of the Russian economy.
As described in court documents, from in or around January 2018 through in or around March 2023, Sinyavsky conspired with others to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and commit money laundering by maintaining, transferring, selling, and leasing several luxury condominiums in the Miami area that Perevalov and Abramov owned and by collecting, sharing, and using the proceeds to maintain the properties.
Sinyavsky faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As part of the plea agreement, Sinyavsky agreed to forfeit the proceeds he received from the scheme totaling $182,442.45.
On Feb. 22, 2024, the United States filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleging that two luxury condominiums owned by Perevalov are subject to forfeiture based on the unlawful transactions. On Jan. 6, the court ordered forfeiture of $1.8 million representing the proceeds from the sales of those properties. Abramov’s property was sold in June 2018.
Concurrent with today’s guilty plea, OFAC announced a separate settlement with Sinyavsky and his real estate company Family International Realty LLC in connection with a related, parallel proceeding. Under the terms of that resolution, Sinyavsky and his company have agreed to pay a civil penalty of approximately $1,076,923. In recognition of the amount Sinyavsky has agreed to forfeit in connection with today’s guilty plea, OFAC will credit the forfeiture against its civil penalty.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Lindsay Gorman of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Trial Attorney Joshua E. Kurland of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Rubin for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that, beginning in 2014, the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Mexico National Sentenced to over 11 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Sergio David Jaime-Zazueta, age 45, of Mexico, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Jaime-Zazueta to a total of 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jaime-Zazueta’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On April 25, 2024, Jaime-Zazueta was contacted as the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle on Interstate 80 in Seward County, Nebraska. Jaime-Zazueta agreed to speak with law enforcement. He said that he was driving from Stockton, California to St. Louis, Missouri for work, but he kept changing his story about the route he took. Eventually, a K9 performed a sniff on the vehicle and alerted.
Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found approximately 200 pounds of a substance that tested positive for meth. The meth was found in a box in the rear cargo area of the vehicle and in garbage bags on the back seat of the vehicle. The box in the cargo area contained 75 2-lb bags of meth. The garbage bags on the back seat contained 25 2-lb bags of meth.
After his arrest, Jaime-Zazueta agreed to speak with the DEA through the aid on an interpreter. Jaime-Zazueta informed the DEA that he was transporting the drugs for someone in Mexico from Los Angeles, California to St. Louis, Missouri. This was his second trip and he had previously driven 100 pounds of meth from Los Angeles to St. Louis.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Seward County Sheriff’s Office.
Mexican National Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Orlando Torres Angulo, 30, of Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 12 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distributing methamphetamine, and use of a cellphone in aid of racketeering, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in February 2021, Torres Angulo conspired with other individuals in both Mexico and California to distribute methamphetamine in pound quantities. Torres Angulo arranged for the delivery of 4 pounds of methamphetamine to a customer, who was in fact an undercover officer in Fresno. Torres Angulo later delivered another 2 pounds of methamphetamine to the undercover officer in Roseville. While discussing this deal, Torres Angulo told the undercover officer that he would set aside 15 pounds of methamphetamine if the undercover officer came to his place in Tulare. Torres Angulo then helped coordinate a third deal for 10 pounds of methamphetamine in Terra Bella.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Financially Benefiting from Forced LaborRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Mexican National illegally residing in Lexington, Serafin Bayona, 35, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, before U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to two counts of financially benefiting from forced labor.
According to his guilty plea agreement, Bayona participated in a venture to financially benefit through the forced labor of others. Specifically, Bayona would loan money to the victims, all Mexican nationals then living in Mexico, to be smuggled into the United States. He would then coordinate the smuggling of these victims and arrange transportation to Lexington, where they would be housed in one of several properties he maintained. The victims would repay Bayona, after they obtained work in the United States, with interest that was added to their debt. Bayona also would charge the victims other fees, including fees for rent, transportation, cleaning, food, clothing, and obtaining employment and false identification documents. Ultimately, the amounts owed by the victims resulted in an endless cycle of debt. When the victims protested paying the continued fees, Bayona used threats of force on victims and the victims’ families, including instances of brandishing a firearm, to compel the victims to continue to work in order to pay him. During the execution of a search warrants at properties Bayona maintained, over $50,000 in cash was discovered, which he admitted was generated through his participation in this forced labor venture.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, HSI, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Bayona is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2025.
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Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced to More Than 25 Years Combined in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EL DORADO – An Arkansas man and woman were sentenced to a combined total of 308 months in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking and related crimes. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearings, which took place in the United States District Court in El Dorado.
According to court records, on August 24, 2023, Willis Devin Johnson, age 36, of Mountain Home, and Sarah Lavon Paxton, age 37, of Mountain Home, were located in a vehicle at a local car wash in Bearden, Arkansas. Agents with the El Dorado Police Department, CAD, and the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force had received information that Johnson was attempting to sell several ounces of methamphetamine. Johnson and Paxton were taken into custody and a search of the vehicle revealed three vacuum sealed bags containing 1,400 grams of methamphetamine.
On August 22, 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to Possession of More than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Paxton plead guilty on September 11, 2024, to Possession of More than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute
For those crimes, Johnson was sentenced on January 15, 2025, to 188 months, in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Paxton was sentenced on January 14, 2025, to 120 months, in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes made the announcement.
The El Dorado Police Department, CAD, and the 13th Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Daniels prosecuted the case for the United States.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston area man pleaded guilty today to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
James Rodrigues, 34, of Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 30, 2025.
Rodrigues was identified as a member Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation. Cameron Street members use firearms to murder and assault gang rivals as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds.
Rodrigues worked with other Cameron Street members to distribute hundreds of grams of cocaine and cocaine base, more commonly referred to as “crack” cocaine, from a stash house in Somerville. On Aril 15, 2022, during a search of the stash house, 398 grams of cocaine along with packaging materials, two hydraulic presses, a digital scale, a cell phone, and $14,986 in U.S. currency were seized.
The charge of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of 20 years, at least three years and up to lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Attorney and Poker Player Charged with Tax Crimes and Making False Statements to Mortgage LendersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, returned a 22-count indictment today, charging a Maryland attorney with tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, failure to pay taxes and making false statements to two separate mortgage lenders.
According to the indictment, between 2016 and 2023, Thomas C. Goldstein, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., was the sole owner of Goldstein & Russell P.C., a boutique law firm specializing in appellate litigation, including litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court. Goldstein was allegedly also a high-stakes poker player, frequently playing in games involving millions of dollars.
During that time, Goldstein allegedly engaged in a scheme to evade his taxes. Goldstein allegedly took various steps to carry out his scheme including diverting legal fees that were due to the law firm to his personal bank account, and then using them to pay personal poker-related debts; using the law firm’s assets to satisfy his personal poker debts and causing those payments to be falsely classified as “legal fee” expenses on the firm’s books and records; and using firm assets to pay salaries and health insurance premiums for people with whom Goldstein had a personal relationship but who performed little or no work for the law firm and did not qualify for its health insurance.
Goldstein also allegedly did not report, or falsely understated, millions of dollars of gambling winnings on his tax returns. In addition, for 2016 through 2021, except 2018, Goldstein allegedly did not pay the taxes he self-reported were due on his returns, while simultaneously spending millions of dollars on personal expenses such as gambling debts, travel, vacation rentals and luxury goods.
In 2021, Goldstein also allegedly submitted false mortgage applications to two separate mortgage lending companies, seeking financing to purchase a $2.6 million home in Washington, D.C. On those mortgage applications — which required Goldstein to list all his liabilities and debts — Goldstein allegedly omitted millions of dollars of liabilities, including over $14 million he owed at the time on two promissory notes, as well as taxes he owed to the IRS. Goldstein’s false statements to one of the mortgage lenders allegedly resulted in his obtaining a $1.98 million loan.
If convicted, Goldstein faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the tax evasion charges; a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns; a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each of count of willful failure to pay taxes; and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each count of making false statements to mortgage lenders. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Stanley Okula and Trial Attorneys Emerson Gordon-Marvin and Hayter Whitman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Kibbe for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Attorney Charged with Tax Crimes and Making False Statements to Mortgage LendersRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, a federal grand jury returned a 22-count indictment, charging a Maryland attorney with tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, failing to pay taxes, and making false statements to two separate mortgage lenders.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron announced the indictment with Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert, Department of Justice Department, Tax Division.
According to the indictment, between 2016 and 2023, Thomas C. Goldstein, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., was the sole owner of Goldstein & Russell, P.C., a boutique law firm specializing in appellate litigation, including litigation before the United States Supreme Court. Goldstein was allegedly also a high-stakes poker player, frequently playing in games involving millions of dollars.
During that time, Goldstein allegedly engaged in a scheme to evade his taxes. Goldstein allegedly took various steps to carry out his scheme, including diverting legal fees that were due to the law firm to his personal bank account, and then using them to pay personal poker-related debts; using the law firm’s assets to satisfy his personal poker debts and falsely classifying those payments as “legal-fee” expenses on the firm’s books and records; and using firm assets to pay salaries and health insurance premiums for people with whom Goldstein had a personal relationship but who performed little or no work for the law firm and did not qualify for its health insurance.
Goldstein also allegedly did not report, or falsely understated, millions of dollars of gambling winnings on his tax returns. In addition, for 2016 through 2021, except 2018, Goldstein allegedly did not pay the taxes he self-reported were due on his returns, while simultaneously spending millions of dollars on personal expenses such as gambling debts, travel, vacation rentals, and luxury goods.
In 2021, Goldstein also allegedly submitted false mortgage applications to two separate mortgage lending companies, seeking financing to purchase a $2.6-million home in Washington, D.C. On those mortgage applications — which required Goldstein to list all his liabilities and debts — Goldstein allegedly omitted millions of dollars of liabilities, including more than $14 million he owed at the time on two promissory notes, as well as taxes he owed to the IRS. Goldstein’s false statements to one of the mortgage lenders allegedly enabled him to obtain a $1.98 million loan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the tax evasion charges; three years for each count of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns; a maximum of one year on each of the five counts charging willful failure to pay taxes; and 30 years for each count of making false statements to mortgage lenders. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties, and restitution.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Kibbe, of the District of Maryland, Senior Litigation Counsel Stanley Okula, and Trial Attorneys Emerson Gordon-Marvin and Hayter Whitman, of the Tax Division, are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Mansfield Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for $8.5 Million PPP FraudRead the Press Release
A Mansfield businesswoman was sentenced today to more than 7 years in federal prison in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain approximately $8.5 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Tamara Starks, 42, of Mansfield, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to wire fraud. She was sentenced Thursday to 86 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, who also ordered her to pay $4,476,523.73 in restitution.
According to court documents, from approximately May 2020 to May 2021, Ms. Starks devised a scheme to defraud the PPP program through materially false pretenses. As part of the scheme, Ms. Starks created and submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications that included false payroll information and tax documentation for companies owned by her and her husband. She also obtained PPP loans for other individuals.
In total, Ms. Starks, and others working with her, submitted more than 100 PPP loan applications totaling approximately $8.5 million and received $4.5 million in PPP loan funds.
Once the loans were funded, Ms. Starks directed loan recipients to set up fraudulent payrolls through third-party vendors to make the PPP funds appear as though they were being used for legitimate purposes. In many cases, Ms. Starks received money back from their “employees” and used the PPP funds for personal expenses and purchases. Once the loan proceeds were distributed, the loan recipients paid Starks a portion of the loan proceeds as a “fee” for obtaining the loan.
The Dallas Field Offices of FDIC-OIG, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and SSA-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha and Nashonme Johnson (fmr.) prosecuted the case.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. Anyone with general information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing a ChildRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref announced that on January 15, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Fleet Patrick Matt, age 49, to 10 years in federal prison on one count of Abusive Sexual Contact. Judge Rice also imposed a lifetime of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in September 2022, Matt sexually abused a child on the Kalispel Reservation. During the investigation, additional individuals disclosed that they, too, were victims of abuse by Matt, including conduct that dated back several years.
“My heart breaks for the victims in this case. I am grateful for their courage to come forward and engage with law enforcement to seek justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Children deserve to live in a world where they feel safe -- free from abuse and the fear of abuse. Mr. Matt was held accountable due to the joint efforts of the FBI, the Kalispel Tribal Police Department, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the community. By working together, we can continue to build trust and keep our communities safe and strong.”
On November 3, 2022, the Kalispel Tribal Court banished Fleet Matt from the Kalispel Indian Reservation, including all Tribal lands, properties, and businesses. “Fleet Matt acted in a nature that is offensive to the morals of the people of the Reservation. We thank our federal law enforcement partners for working closely with Tribal officers and social workers to protect the Kalispel Tribe’s most precious resource, our children,” stated Kalispel Tribal Council Vice Chair Curt Holmes.
“Being able to provide justice to victims of crimes is one of the most fulfilling accomplishments in law enforcement.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “I applaud the victims in this case for the bravery shown in advocating for themselves following the horrendous actions of Mr. Matt. Combatting violence and crime on our state’s reservations is a priority for the FBI and our partners here in Washington.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Kalispel Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann Wick.
22-cr-00160-TOR
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Corey L. Thomas, Jr., age 39, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, to 42 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Thomas’s vehicle was stopped on July 13, 2021, by a Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Detective after Thomas briefly met with a drug trafficker being investigated in an unrelated investigation. Thomas was found to be in possession of drug proceeds and a .380 Ruger handgun with an obliterated serial number.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley 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.
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Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy with the Asian Boyz street gang.
Brian Gingras, a/k/a “Cheech,” 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2025.
Gingras was a drug supplier in an extensive trafficking network allegedly involving Asian Boyz gang member, Bill Phim. Between May 2022 and September 2022, Gingras allegedly delivered counterfeit pills made to resemble the pharmaceutical product, Adderall, to Phim on at least five occasions. Phim then allegedly sold the pills to an undercover federal agent for more than $18,000. Chemical testing confirmed that the pills were not actually Adderall but a dangerous compound of methamphetamine and caffeine, instead. When investigators searched Gingras’ residence, they discovered hundreds more counterfeit “Adderall” pills, counterfeit “Xanax” pills, and a pill press. The search also revealed that Gingras maintained a storage unit where he was keeping a loaded firearm and even more counterfeit pills.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. The charges also involve the forfeiture of property derived from or used to commit the offenses, including a 2014 Mercedes Benz C Class car that Gingras used to transport the drugs to Phim. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Phim has pleaded not guilty and his case is pending trial.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, and Superintendent Greg Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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 https://www.justice.gov/PSN.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants in the case are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Local woman sentenced for embezzling funds from dental officeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Hockley resident has been sentenced for her role in a scheme to steal more than $200,000 from her employer, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jennifer Lynn Thornton pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud July 20, 2023.
Senior U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Thornton to serve 41 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She was also assessed 10 $100 special assessments. Restitution will be determined at a later date. In imposing the sentence, the court noted “I don’t believe you have proper respect for authority. The harm you caused to the victims was very personal.”
Thornton had been a financial coordinator in a dental office in Houston. The dentist had been in business for 38 years. In July 2021, he began a detailed review of his company accounts to prepare for retirement. At that time, he discovered Thornton had been stealing from him.
She had created a shell company called SGS Healthcare and had payments intended for the dental practice diverted there. Insurance companies made checks payable to the dental practice which she then deposited into her own accounts.
She also manipulated the company books to allow her to take cash she had received from patients. The victim hired a private auditor who identified $243,597 in losses.
Thornton was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation along with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kyle Joseph Kumpula, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Kumpula to 46 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kumpula’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.
In April and May of 2024, a confidential informant working with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force made two purchases of meth from Kumpula and two purchases of meth from a co-conspirator for a total of approximately 1 ½ ounces. Both purchases from Kumpula occurred at a Lincoln residence shared by Kumpula and his two co-conspirators.
On May 6, 2024, a search warrant was executed at that residence. During the search, investigators found a total of approximately 21 ¾ ounces of meth at various locations in the residence. After the search was completed, investigators saw Kumpula arrive and park near the house. He was found in possession of another ½ ounce of meth.
Kumpula agreed to talk to investigators. He told them he had been living at the searched residence for three to four months. He admitted he had meth on his person at the time of his arrest. He said he started selling meth about two months prior. He said he had about five customers and the meth he sold came from his co-conspirators.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Lee County Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Distributing MethRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine from his Leesburg, Georgia, residence.
Shaun Anthony Akins, 44, of Leesburg, was sentenced to serve 144 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on Jan. 14. Akins previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on April 24, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The armed distribution of methamphetamine and other deadly and addictive drugs are the types of cases that are being quickly elevated to the federal level for prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to support the efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement to make our communities safer and seek justice.”
“Shaun Akins valued the profit from his drug trade over the lives of his customers,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Wherever you operate, if you sell drugs, DEA will hold you accountable.”
“This sentencing underscores the ongoing commitment of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking networks and hold those accountable who poison our communities with dangerous substances like methamphetamine,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This case is a reminder that those who engage in the illegal drug trade will face significant consequences, and we will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to undermine the safety of our citizens.”
“Armed methamphetamine trafficking is very dangerous, and these kinds of deadly drugs are killing our citizens. This case shows that dealers who continue to push illegal drugs in Lee County will wind up spending a lot of time behind bars for their crimes,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals.
According to the plea agreement and other statements referenced in court, law enforcement had received information from multiple citizen complaints dating back to 2022 that Akins was selling methamphetamine out of his Leesburg residence. A confidential source (CS) working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) contacted Akins to purchase methamphetamine. Akins was recorded selling methamphetamine to the CS at his Leesburg residence on January 30, 2023, Feb. 6, 2023, and Feb. 24, 2023. On May 8, 2023, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) conducted surveillance on Akins and observed an individual quickly arrive and depart from Akins’ residence, which law enforcement determined was consistent with a drug customer. LCSO conducted a traffic stop on the individual and recovered approximately 33 grams of methamphetamine, baggies and a digital scale. The investigation revealed Akins had just sold the individual the methamphetamine. Soon after, LCSO conducted a lawful search of Akins’ residence and recovered 162 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine in his bedroom, additional quantities of methamphetamine throughout the house, as well as plastic baggies, digital scales, several rounds of ammunition, two semiautomatic pistols and a semiautomatic rifle. LCSO subsequently searched Akins’ cell phone and located several incriminating photographs depicting the same firearms recovered from the residence, as well as quantities of suspected methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the GBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Leaders of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle over 43,000 Kilograms of Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jorge Hernan Gonzalez-Ortiz (50, Colombia) and Carlos Andres Aldana-Gil (43, Colombia) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. Each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreements and other court documents, from 2016 until 2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz established and led a drug trafficking organization in Colombia responsible for transporting cocaine via commercial airplanes. Conspirators loaded the commercial aircraft with cocaine disguised in boxes of fruit at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali, Colombia and intended for Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport in San Andrés Island, Colombia. With the assistance of corrupt Colombian police officers, the conspirators unloaded the cocaine and then smuggled it by boat to either Nicaragua or Honduras, then to Mexico and the United States.
From 2016 until 2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz’s organization smuggled cocaine onto at least 27 commercial flights in Cali, totaling at least 43,000 kilograms.
From 2021 to 2023, Aldana-Gil worked on behalf of Gonzalez-Ortiz for all logistical aspects of the smuggling operation from Cali. He received truckloads of cocaine from other conspirators, transported the drugs to the airport, and paid an airport security supervisor to divert security cameras away from the airport’s external gates. He also hired and paid the conspirators responsible for altering the cargo manifests as well as the luggage cart drivers who loaded the drugs onto commercial aircraft. On July 29, 2023, one of the organization’s cocaine shipments was interdicted by the Colombian National Police after it was offloaded from a commercial aircraft in San Andrés Island.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Colombian National Police’s Dirreccion de Antinarcotics (DIRAN), and the Colombian Equipo de Trabajo Investigativo Control Aeronaves (ETICA). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.
Leader of Pharmacy Burglary Ring Across Multiple States Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Keith Brown, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 209 months, or nearly 17 ½ years, in federal prison for his lead role in a criminal organization that was responsible for dozens of pharmacy burglaries and stolen controlled substances worth millions of dollars. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on today by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller on Thursday.
A federal grand jury indicted Brown, along with 41 other defendants who were indicted in a superseding indictment on July 2, 2024, on November 8, 2023. He was charged in six counts related to the burglaries, including two conspiracy counts and four counts for pharmacy burglary. Brown was initially indicted on November 8, 2022, along with 17 co-conspirators. On September 4, 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
An investigation revealed that Brown, 35, of Humble, Texas, was involved in a drug trafficking organization that included documented gang members from the 5th Ward area in Houston, Texas. Investigators discovered more than 96,000 tablets of Schedule II controlled substances—including oxycodone, hydrocodone, Adderall, and others—were stolen were stolen from pharmacies throughout the United States, including pharmacies in the Eastern District of Arkansas. The street value of all controlled substances stolen by the organization in the Arkansas burglaries alone is close to $1.6 million. Investigators also seized six firearms, approximately $79,000 in U.S. currency, and custom jewelry retailing approximately $330,000.
Brown, who was the leader of the organization, was personally involved in the commission of at least 34 pharmacy burglaries between July 24, 2021, and November 13, 2022. These burglaries took place in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, and Florida. The quantity of Schedule II controlled substances stolen from pharmacies and distributed by Brown and his co-conspirators has a street value of more than $12,000,000. Brown previously has been convicted of aggravated robbery, burglary of a building with intent to commit theft, possession of codeine, burglary of a building (which was a pharmacy in Texas), and burglary – 2nd degree (which was a pharmacy in Oklahoma).
Judge Miller sentenced Brown to serve 209 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Miller also sentenced Brown to three years’ supervised release. At a later date, Brown will be ordered to pay restitution to the pharmacies affected and that is expected to exceed $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
Trial for the remaining defendants is currently scheduled for April 7, 2025.
Investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Little Rock District Office, worked in conjunction with the following law enforcement partners:
DEA New Orleans Division (Little Rock District Office, Fayetteville Resident Office, Shreveport Resident Office, Mobile Resident Office),
DEA Special Operations Division,
DEA Houston Division (Houston TDS Group, Galveston Resident Office),
DEA Omaha Division,
DEA Rocky Mountain Division (Salt Lake City District Office, Cheyenne Resident Office),
DEA Atlanta Division (Columbia District Office),
DEA Miami Division (Pensacola District Office),
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Little Rock Field Office,
FBI Cast Team,
U.S. Marshals Service,
Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics,
Harris County Sheriff’s Office,
League City Police Department (Dickinson, Texas),
Houston (Texas) Police Department Northeast Division Crime Suppression Team,
Houston (Texas) Police Department CID, and
Arkansas State Police
The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Fields.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Relief Fraud and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining and misusing COVID-19 relief funds and stealing Social Security benefits totaling over $200,000.
Randolph Dominguez, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2025.
In June 2020, Dominguez submitted a loan application on behalf of an interpreter business he owned and operated, Dominguez SP Interpreters, to the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which provided loans to small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dominguez fraudulently obtained $74,900 in EIDL funds from the SBA in July 2020 when he claimed falsely on his EIDL application that his gross business revenue was $600,000 the previous year, when it was only $16,989. Further, Dominguez improperly spent all of the EIDL funds received on non-business expenses.
Separately, from April 2001 through April 2023, Dominguez stole approximately $163,642 in Social Security benefits. Dominguez’s father was receiving Social Security benefits at the time of his death in March 2001. His death was never reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the agency continued to pay monthly benefits on his behalf. Dominguez used his deceased father’s debit card to withdraw the improperly paid benefits at ATMs and to make purchases more than 22 years after his death.The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Kissimmee Businessman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Millions of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Edwin Rivera today pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Rivera faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between October 2023 and July 2024, Rivera and his co-conspirators operated a scheme to steal government funds. As part of the scheme, Rivera stole the identity of large corporations and filed fraudulent tax returns with the IRS on behalf of those companies, causing the IRS to generate tax refunds and mail them to Rivera. Rivera then deposited the checks into bank accounts he and his co-conspirators controlled. As part of this scheme, Rivera obtained at least four fraudulent tax refunds for a total of $2,741,581.74.
This case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations . It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
Kidnapper Who Abducted 6-Year-Old to Peru Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Edwin Alonso Cuadros Bravo, 54, formerly residing in Sacramento, pleaded guilty to interstate and international kidnapping conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in November 2021, Cuadros Bravo and his wife and co‑defendant Yulisa Alexsandra Guevara Wintong abducted their six-year-old grandchild from Sacramento and took the victim to Peru. Despite pleading from the mother, Cuadros Bravo and Guevara Wintong did not return the victim to the United States. In December 2022, the victim was returned to Sacramento as a result of government intervention.
Cuadros Bravo was detained following his first appearance and he remains in custody. Guevara Wintong has not yet appeared to answer the charges against her. The charges are only allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case.
Cuadros Bravo is scheduled for sentencing on April 21, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Cuadros Bravo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to ‘Swatting’ Phone Call That Targeted IRS Employee, Led to LockdownRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to making a hoax telephone call that led to an IRS employee being detained and the IRS office on Pershing Road being locked down.
Anthony M. Alford, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of intentionally conveying false and misleading information.
By pleading guilty today, Alford admitted he placed a hoax telephone call to emergency services, falsely claiming that an individual was armed with a firearm and was threatening to shoot people in an IRS building.
Alford called 911 on Sept. 10, 2024, and reported that a person identified in court documents as “Victim One” had a gun and was threatening to shoot up the Internal Revenue Service building at 333 W. Pershing Road in Kansas City, Mo. Victim One is an employee of the IRS.
Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the building, where they contacted IRS security and Federal Protective Service officers. Victim One had been detained and searched for weapons based on the 911 call. Following the 911 call, the B-Wing of the IRS building was locked down. The IRS announced that there was an active shooter in the building and told those in the B-Wing to stay locked down.
Victim One, though, was unarmed and had no intent to harm anyone. Victim One told investigators she had been dating Alford for about a month and was trying to break up with him. Alford had never been violent, she said, but had exhibited controlling, possessive, and jealous behavior. Alford had repeatedly called and messaged her the previous night, she said, and earlier that morning sent her messages threatening to involve the police. Alford messaged Victim One saying he was “[o]n the phone with IRS police have fun when you get there” and later he said “… just wait until you get to work.”
Alford was arrested on Sept. 25, 2024. Alford told investigators that Victim One did not threaten to shoot up the IRS Building, as he had said in the 911 call. He said he had been drinking alcohol and was upset when he made the 911 call.
Under federal statutes, Alford is subject to a sentence of up to five in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Issues Report Highlighting Critical Enforcement Work over the Past Four YearsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division today issued its 2021-2024 Civil Rights Division Highlights Report, outlining various accomplishments of the division and its partners in enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws and the Constitution from 2021-2024.
The report reflects upon a portion of the critical civil rights work across the division’s 11 sections where the career staff and leadership worked to bring to justice those who harmed, threatened and/or intimidated people because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, English proficiency or disability status.
“Our Civil Rights Division has doggedly pursued justice for our nation’s most vulnerable through enforcement of our civil rights laws by combating hate and exploitation, promoting fairness and accountability in our criminal justice system, strengthening democracy, and expanding and ensuring opportunity and access for all. This report provides snapshots of some of that work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Over the past four years, I have had the privilege and honor of leading the Civil Rights Division and overseeing this crucial work. I am incredibly grateful for the tireless efforts of our career employees who have steadfastly abided by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s charge to uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights and keep our country and communities safe. And I am indebted to our communities and advocates who bravely asserted their rights and shared their stories in our common pursuit of justice and fairness.”
More information about the Civil Rights Division can be found at www.justice.gov/crt. To report a possible civil rights violation, please visit www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Issue Antitrust Guidelines on Business Practices that Impact WorkersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today jointly issued Antitrust Guidelines for Business Activities Affecting Workers. The guidelines, which replace the 2016 Antitrust Guidance for Human Resource Professionals, explain how the Justice Department and FTC identify and assess the antitrust risks of business practices affecting workers.
“For more than a century, the antitrust laws have protected workers from unlawful schemes, abuses of bargaining power, and restrictions on their mobility,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to work with its federal and state partners to ensure the economic freedom and opportunity of American workers and their families.”
The guidelines provide examples and cite cases to explain how the agencies analyze business practices that may violate the antitrust laws, such as information sharing, restrictions on worker mobility, abuses of bargaining power and other restrictive, exclusionary or predatory employment conditions. The guidelines also explain that certain types of agreements between employers, such as wage-fixing or no-poach agreements, may expose companies and executives to criminal liability under the antitrust laws.
The agencies encourage members of the public to report potential antitrust violations, and the guidelines provide information on how to submit these complaints.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Sangamon County, Illinois and County Agencies Resolving Race and Disability Discrimination InvestigationRead the Press Release
Note: The original headline was updated to fall within character count limitations
The Justice Department announced today an agreement with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the Sangamon County Central Dispatch System (SCCDS), and Sangamon County, Illinois, to resolve an investigation of race and disability discrimination in the provision of policing and dispatch services.
The department launched its investigation based on complaints and reports about an SCSO deputy’s fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman experiencing a mental health crisis, while responding to Ms. Massey’s 911 call for help.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division investigated the entities’ compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the nondiscrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act (Safe Streets Act), and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Title VI and the Safe Streets Act collectively prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion by recipients of federal financial assistance, such as SCSO. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities.
“The death of Sonya Massey was a terrible tragedy for a woman experiencing a mental health crisis, her family, and the entire Sangamon County community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement reflects Sangamon County’s commitment to instituting reform and taking action that will help improve public safety and restore trust with the community in the road ahead.”
In response to the investigation, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office worked cooperatively with the department to reach a resolution agreement to ensure that SCSO has the tools and training to conduct its policing activities in a nondiscriminatory manner and that the County and SCCDS provide dispatch services in a nondiscriminatory manner.
Under the agreement, the entities will review and update policies, rules, and procedures and provide training on a variety of topics, including non-discriminatory policing and interactions with individuals with behavioral health disabilities. The agreement requires the development and implementation of a mobile crisis team program, which will include trained behavioral health staff who timely respond to individuals needing urgent behavioral health assistance. The agreement also provides for the development of a Community Engagement Plan to ensure collaborative problem-solving and nondiscrimination in policing, as well as to increase transparency and community confidence. The agreement sets forth a framework for data collection and reporting for a two-year period of departmental monitoring, among other provisions. The agreement does not constitute any admission of liability by the entities, and the department has not reached a finding of discrimination.
Nondiscrimination under Title VI, the Safe Streets Act, and the ADA is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with San Luis Obispo County, California, to Resolve Claims that Conditions in the County Jail Violate Federal LawsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the department has reached an agreement with San Luis Obispo County, California, resolving the department’s findings that the conditions of confinement at the San Luis Obispo County Jail (the jail) violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement recognizes and outlines the significant strides the county has made in some areas since the findings were issued.
“We are encouraged by the improvements the San Luis Obispo County Jail has made since we announced our investigation, but there is still more that must be done to achieve constitutional compliance,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This agreement includes strong remedial provisions that, if fully implemented, should improve suicide prevention, reduce excessive force and reduce the use of unnecessary isolation.”
“Safeguarding civil rights is core to American values,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “We are pleased that — with the cooperation of San Luis Obispo County — we have achieved a comprehensive agreement that will protect the safety and civil rights of people incarcerated at the county’s jail. Under this agreement, the county must implement reforms in suicide prevention, restrictive housing, use of force and quality assurance. My office is committed to protecting the civil rights of everyone in our district.”
Under the agreement, the jail will, among other things:
- Take steps to protect incarcerated people at risk of suicide;
- Stop housing people with serious mental illness in isolation absent specific and significant protections;
- Require any use of force by staff comply with constitutional standards; and
- Implement a quality assurance program to identify and correct systemic deficiencies.
The agreement also requires the appointment of a lead expert to assess the county’s compliance with the agreement and provide technical assistance and recommendations to facilitate compliance. The lead expert will issue public reports every six months on the county’s compliance with the agreement.
The Justice Department initiated its investigation of the San Luis Obispo Jail in October 2018 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the ADA. The department provided San Luis Obispo County written notice in August 2021 of its findings, along with the supporting facts for its findings, and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the violations found.
The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee, California, South Carolina, and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky. The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons, Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities, the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, South Carolina, and the Georgia Department of Corrections. The division entered into agreements, including consent decrees, regarding the Fulton County, Georgia, Jail, the Cumberland County, New Jersey, Jail, the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey, the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina, the Manson Youth Institution in Connecticut, and the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The division is also litigating matters related to the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men and the incarceration of people beyond their release dates in Louisiana prisons.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Individuals in the seven counties of the Central District of California may file a complaint asserting civil rights violations with the Civil Rights Section, Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office by completing and submitting this form (English) (Spanish) by email to [email protected].
Justice Department Secures Agreement with San Luis Obispo County to Resolve Claims that Jail Conditions Violate Federal LawsRead the Press Release
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department announced today that the department has reached an agreement with San Luis Obispo County, resolving the department’s findings that the conditions of confinement at the San Luis Obispo County Jail violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement recognizes and outlines the significant strides the county has made in some areas since the findings were issued.
“Safeguarding civil rights is core to American values,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “We are pleased that — with the cooperation of San Luis Obispo County — we have achieved a comprehensive agreement that will protect the safety and civil rights of people incarcerated at the county’s jail. Under this agreement, the county must implement reforms in suicide prevention, restrictive housing, use of force and quality assurance. My office is committed to protecting the civil rights of everyone in our district.”
“We are encouraged by the improvements the San Luis Obispo County Jail has made since we announced our investigation, but there is still more that must be done to achieve constitutional compliance,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This agreement includes strong remedial provisions that, if fully implemented, should improve suicide prevention, reduce excessive force, and reduce the use of unnecessary isolation.”
Under the agreement, the Jail will, among other things:
- Take steps to protect incarcerated people at risk of suicide;
- Stop housing people with serious mental illness in isolation absent specific and significant protections;
- Require any use of force by staff comply with constitutional standards; and
- Implement a quality assurance program to identify and correct systemic deficiencies.
The agreement also requires the appointment of a lead expert to assess the county’s compliance with the agreement and provide technical assistance and recommendations to facilitate compliance. The lead expert will issue public reports every six months on the county’s compliance with the agreement.
The Justice Department initiated its investigation of the San Luis Obispo Jail in October 2018 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the ADA. The department provided San Luis Obispo County written notice in August 2021 of its findings, along with the supporting facts for its findings, and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the violations found.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Barragan of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section conducted this investigation in coordination with the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee, California, South Carolina, and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky. The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons, Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities, and the Georgia Department of Corrections. The division entered into agreements, including consent decrees, regarding the Fulton County, Georgia, Jail, the Cumberland County, New Jersey, Jail, the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey, the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina, the Manson Youth Institution in Connecticut, and the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The division is also litigating matters related to the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men and the incarceration of people beyond their release dates in Louisiana prisons.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Individuals in the seven counties of the Central District of California may file a complaint asserting civil rights violations with the Civil Rights Section, Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office by completing and submitting this form (English) (Spanish) by email to [email protected].
Justice Department Secures Agreement with DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld to Resolve Allegations of Discriminatory Policy Against Hosting ArabsRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with AWH Orlando Property LLC, the owner of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld in Florida (DoubleTree), to resolve allegations that the DoubleTree discriminated against people of Arab descent in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title II). Title II prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, including hotels.
The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida alleges that the DoubleTree adopted and implemented a discriminatory policy against hosting guests of Arab descent by unilaterally canceling a conference that was to be held by the Arab America Foundation, a non-profit educational and cultural organization, in November 2023, a week before the conference was scheduled to begin.
“No one may be denied the right to use hotel facilities because of their national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the rights of all people to be free from discrimination in hotels and other public accommodations around the country.”
“The right to enjoy and have equal access to places of public accommodation is essential in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District will continue to hold places of public accommodation accountable to ensure that the civil rights of all people are protected.”
The lawsuit alleges that the DoubleTree’s decision to cancel the Arab America Foundation’s conference was not predicated on any legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons. Although the hotel claimed that the cancelation was because of security concerns, the hotel faced no security threats or risks associated with the conference. Indeed, as alleged in the department’s complaint, contrary to representations that the DoubleTree made to the Arab America Foundation, the DoubleTree had not received any calls or other communications raising a safety or security threat to the conference or to the hotel. Rather, the decision to cancel was based on the national origin of the Arab America Foundation’s members and the conference attendees. The complaint therefore alleges that the DoubleTree discriminated on the basis of national origin and denied people of Arab descent the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations, and privileges at the hotel.
The settlement, in the form of a consent decree that must still be approved by the court, requires the DoubleTree to:
- Issue a statement to the Arab America Foundation that all guests and groups are welcome to the hotel, including Arab and Arab American guests and groups;
- Retain a qualified compliance officer to oversee compliance with the consent decree for two years;
- Notify employees and executives of the DoubleTree’s obligations under Title II and the consent decree, including DoubleTree’s commitment to ensuring equal access to the hotel, regardless of race, color, religion or national origin;
- Establish a written anti-discrimination policy, which includes a system of accepting, investigating and responding to guest complaints of discrimination;
- Conduct outreach to Arab or Arab American groups to share promotional materials about the hotel and indicate that it is open to all members of the public;
- Provide training to employees and executives on Title II and the DoubleTree’s obligations under the consent decree; and
- Make regular reports to the department to demonstrate its compliance with the consent decree.
Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld to Resolve Allegations of Discriminatory Policy Against Hosting ArabsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with AWH Orlando Property LLC, the owner of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld in Florida (DoubleTree), to resolve allegations that the DoubleTree discriminated against people of Arab descent in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title II). Title II prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, including hotels.
The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida alleges that the DoubleTree adopted and implemented a discriminatory policy against hosting guests of Arab descent by unilaterally canceling a conference that was to be held by the Arab America Foundation, a non-profit educational and cultural organization, in November 2023, a week before the conference was scheduled to begin.
“No one may be denied the right to use hotel facilities because of their national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the rights of all people to be free from discrimination in hotels and other public accommodations around the country.”
“The right to enjoy and have equal access to places of public accommodation is essential in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District will continue to hold places of public accommodation accountable to ensure that the civil rights of all people are protected.”
The lawsuit alleges that the DoubleTree’s decision to cancel the Arab America Foundation’s conference was not predicated on any legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons. Although the hotel claimed that the cancelation was because of security concerns, the hotel faced no security threats or risks associated with the conference. Indeed, as alleged in the department’s complaint, contrary to representations that the DoubleTree made to the Arab America Foundation, the DoubleTree had not received any calls or other communications raising a safety or security threat to the conference or to the hotel. Rather, the decision to cancel was based on the national origin of the Arab America Foundation’s members and the conference attendees. The complaint therefore alleges that the DoubleTree discriminated on the basis of national origin and denied people of Arab descent the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations, and privileges at the hotel.
The settlement, in the form of a consent decree that must still be approved by the court, requires the DoubleTree to:
- Issue a statement to the Arab America Foundation that all guests and groups are welcome to the hotel, including Arab and Arab American guests and groups;
- Retain a qualified compliance officer to oversee compliance with the consent decree for two years;
- Notify employees and executives of the DoubleTree’s obligations under Title II and the consent decree, including DoubleTree’s commitment to ensuring equal access to the hotel, regardless of race, color, religion or national origin;
- Establish a written anti-discrimination policy, which includes a system of accepting, investigating and responding to guest complaints of discrimination;
- Conduct outreach to Arab or Arab American groups to share promotional materials about the hotel and indicate that it is open to all members of the public;
- Provide training to employees and executives on Title II and the DoubleTree’s obligations under the consent decree; and
- Make regular reports to the department to demonstrate its compliance with the consent decree.
Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
Justice Department Issues Findings Report Regarding Louisiana State PoliceRead the Press Release
Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department announced today its findings that the Louisiana State Police (LSP) engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, the Justice Department finds that LSP uses excessive force, including unjustified uses of Tasers, escalation of minor incidents and use of force on people who did not pose a threat.
The report acknowledges LSP’s ongoing reforms. Among other improvements, LSP has revised its use-of-force policy, created a Force Investigation Unit for serious uses of force and updated training. More is needed to remedy the violations the report identifies. The department is committed to working collaboratively with the state and LSP to continue to fortify these reforms.
The Justice Department opened this investigation on June 9, 2022, under 34 U.S.C. § 12601.
Information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt.