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Tuesday 29 October 2024
Man Indicted for over $800,000 Worth of Retail TheftRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Yasin Saleem has been arraigned on federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with defrauding Home Depot of more than $800,000.
“Saleem and a crew of conspirators allegedly used fictitious driver’s licenses and fraudulent debits cards to exploit vulnerabilities within Home Depot’s equipment and tool rental service by stealing more than $800,000,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is committed to partnering closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement investigators to disrupt these kinds of criminal schemes and to prosecute the individuals who perpetrate them at the expense of corporations.”
“Saleem’s retail theft scheme not only resulted in substantial financial loss for Home Depot but highlights the complex and widespread nature of organized retail crime,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This indictment demonstrates the need for strong and collaborative efforts between the FBI and private-sector partners, to combat such threats effectively.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Yasin Saleem and his co-conspirators allegedly presented fictitious driver’s licenses to Home Depot to conceal their true identities in connection with fraudulent equipment and tool rentals. They also used debit cards with account holder names matching the fictitious licenses in these rentals. These debit cards were frequently issued prior to their use in the fraud scheme and carried the minimal amount of funds sufficient to commit the fraud.
The co-conspirators then failed to return the rented equipment and tools. Nor did the fraudulent debit cards carry sufficient funds to replace the stolen materials. Saleem and his co-conspirators allegedly disabled the GPS devices attached to the rental equipment in an effort to avoid detection. They also allegedly used stolen license plates to conceal their involvement in the scheme. In total, Saleem and his co-conspirators allegedly stole over $800,000 worth of equipment from Home Depot.
Yasin Saleem, 45 of Macon, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Christopher C. Bly on October 25, 2024. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 25, 2024.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Huber is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Los Angeles Attorney Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Willfully Evading Payment of More Than $4 Million in Income Tax over Two DecadesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Milton C. Grimes, a long-time Los Angeles lawyer, pleaded guilty today to evading the payment of more than $4 million in federal taxes over a 21-year period.
Grimes pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion relating to his 2014 taxes, admitting that he failed to pay $1,690,922 to the IRS.
According to his plea agreement, Grimes did not pay federal income taxes due for 23 years, 2002 through 2005, 2007, 2009 through 2011, and 2014 through 2023 – a total of $4,071,215 owed to the IRS. Grimes also admitted he did not file a 2013 tax return with the IRS.
From at least September 2011, the IRS attempted to collect Grimes’ taxes by issuing more than 30 levies on his personal bank accounts. However, from at least May 2014 to April 2020, Grimes willfully evaded the payment of the outstanding income tax owed to the IRS by not depositing income he earned from his clients into his personal bank accounts that were subject to levy.
Instead, Grimes purchased approximately 238 cashier’s checks totaling $16 million to keep the money out of the reach of the IRS. Grimes would routinely purchase cashier’s checks and withdraw cash from his client trust account, his Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA), and his law firm’s bank account, rather than pay the IRS.
For example, on December 5, 2018, Grimes purchased nine cashier’s checks worth approximately $1,001,961, following the deposit of the same amount and on the same date into his IOLTA bank account.
United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. scheduled a February 11, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Grimes will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Prosecutors have agreed to seek a prison sentence of no more than 22 months for Grimes.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Valerie L. Makarewicz and Sarah S. Lee of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Sara E. Henderson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Leader and Three Members of Poly-Drug Trafficking Organization Are Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The leader and three members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) were handed down sentences ranging from 70 months to 27 years in prison today for the bulk distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other narcotics, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
Led by the FBI, ATF, and CMPD, this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation successfully dismantled a poly-drug network that trafficked large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Mecklenburg County.
The investigation identified nine members of the DTO who were prosecuted federally in connection with this case. The four sentenced today are:
George Irving Rivens, 38, of Charlotte, and leader of the DTO, was sentenced to 27 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Paul Alexander Kaber, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 172 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.
Christopher Ahmad Townsend, 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.
Joseph Earl Connor, 34, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl.
The five DTO members previously sentenced and the charges they pleaded guilty to are as follows:
Daneon Hansen, 47, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
Deion Rashaad Thompson, 30, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl; distribution of methamphetamine; and two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
Joseph Stewart, 36, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl.
Naliyah Tekayla Herd, 26, of Charlotte, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Alexis Taylor, 27, of Mount Holly, N.C., was sentenced to four months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
According to court documents and court proceedings, from at least January 1, 2021, to June 3, 2022, Rivens supplied the members of the DTO with methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine for local distribution in Charlotte. During the investigation, law enforcement identified a residence in Charlotte the DTO was using as a wholesale stash house to store and traffic drugs. On June 3, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at the stash house, seizing 16.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 5.7 kilograms of fentanyl, over 2.6 kilograms of cocaine, over a kilogram of heroin, 37 kilograms of marijuana, and more than half a kilogram of cocaine base. In addition, 10 firearms and nearly $30,000 in cash drug proceeds were seized. Court record show that, when law enforcement conducted the search warrant, it appeared that some of the occupants of the stash house had been attempting to destroy evidence by flushing methamphetamine down the toilet.
On the same day, investigators also executed a search warrant at another location, seizing 3.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.1 kilograms of heroin, three firearms, and $60,000 in cash. From another residence used by Rivens, law enforcement seized $30,303 in cash and two more firearms. In total, over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over a quarter million dollars in drug cash proceeds and other assets, including over $100,000 worth of jewelry, a 2020 Dodge Charger Scat Pack, and a residence used by the DTO to facilitate drug trafficking.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI, ATF, and CMPD for leading this 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Last of Four Defendants Sentenced in 2018 Attempted Armed Robbery of Lancaster City PharmacyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Andrew Garrett, 30, of Steelton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sánchez to 84 months in prison and three years of supervised release for attempted robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (“Hobbs Act robbery”), for his role in the October 2018 attempted armed robbery of Smithgall’s Pharmacy in Lancaster, Pa.
Garrett is the last of four defendants in the case to be sentenced. Garrett, Brandon Galette, Johnny Straining, and Lamar Black were charged in 2019 in connection with the attempted robbery, in which they sought to steal prescription opioids. Straining and Black were also charged in connection with another armed pharmacy robbery they committed in York, Pa., the day before they attempted to rob Smithgall’s. All eventually admitted participation and entered guilty pleas.
Galette, 30, of Harrisburg, Pa., was sentenced this February to 148 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $12,650 in restitution for attempted Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Straining, 28, also of Harrisburg, was sentenced in August 2023 to 168 months in prison and two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and attempted Hobbs Act robbery.
Black, 35, also of Harrisburg, was sentenced in August 2023 to 180 months in prison and two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
On the afternoon of October 23, 2018, Galette entered Smithgall’s with a loaded firearm, given to him by Black, and demanded prescription opioid pills at gunpoint. He assaulted a customer, then tried to corral pharmacy employees into a back room.
As he did, the owner of the pharmacy pulled a gun from his desk drawer and shot Galette three times. Galette lunged at the owner, and they wrestled on the ground for several seconds. Galette then tried to flee but collapsed from his injuries on the sidewalk outside the pharmacy.
Upon hearing shots, Straining, who had entered the pharmacy to help take the pills, ran out of the store and fled with Black and Garrett in a getaway car.
“This attempted armed robbery was a terrifying experience for the employees and customers of Smithgall’s,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and our law enforcement partners won’t stand for these armed robbery crews targeting our stores, businesses, and the people in them. We’ll continue to take violent offenders off the street and hold them accountable for their actions, making our communities safer for one and all.”
“This sentencing makes clear, even the attempt to commit an armed robbery carries serious consequences,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Lancaster City Bureau of Police, we will continue our efforts toward safer communities.”
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency and the Lancaster City Bureau of Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Stengel.
Justice Department Designates Madison County for Federal Support to Reduce Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland approved 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, and U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe announced Madison County as a designee.
With this designation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Illinois and the Kansas City Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives partnered with the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to develop a plan to reduce firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.
“To address domestic violence in our communities, it’s important to strengthen the relationships between prosecutors and law enforcement in order to hold abusers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “As October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we reaffirm our commitment to reduce intimate partner violence by working directly with our community and law enforcement partners.”
“This partnership strengthens the commitment of the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to reduce violent crime in our homes, which should be places of peace and joy, not fear and harm. Effective prosecution of abusers can mean the difference between life and death for victims, as well as for the law enforcement officers who respond to incidents of violence,” said Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine. “With this partnership, we will continue to deploy prosecution resources to ensure that victims of domestic violence are protected and their abusers brought to justice.”
To select designees, the Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from an increased focus on intimate partner violence. The partnership will connect stakeholders with resources and increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
“In April, ATF hosted the first Inaugural Gun Violence Survivors’ Summit to honor those who have fallen to domestic violence and today’s announcement is an example of how ATF will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities every day,” stated Bernard G. Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Kansas City Field Division. “ATF’s mission is as critical as it has ever been, we will not stop working to prevent gun violence and will do everything we can to stop the cycle of domestic abuse.”
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Murdering Best Friend and Conspiring to Influence a WitnessRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eugene Burns, 32, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a Superior Court jury of first-degree murder while armed and related firearm offenses. The jury also found Burns and co-defendant Tyre Allen, 24, of Washington, D.C., guilty of conspiracy and obstruction of justice in relation to the murder case. The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo scheduled sentencing for both defendants on January 31, 2025. Burns faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison, and Allen faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
On October 24, 2024, following a five-week trial in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, the jury convicted Burns of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. On October 28, 2024, the jury convicted Burns and Tyre Allen of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice (corrupt persuasion of a witness), and obstruction of justice (due administration of justice).
In 2017, Burns was convicted by a jury of murdering the victim, but the conviction was overturned on appeal in 2020. Following the reversal, Burns and co‑defendant Tyre Allen, Burns’s cousin, conspired to and did obstruct justice by corruptly influencing a witness in the murder case to sign a false affidavit in October 2020 recanting the witness’s prior grand jury and trial testimony incriminating Burns in the murder.
On November 14, 2015, defendant Burns lured his best friend, Onyekachi Emmanuel Osuchukwu III, to Burns’s mother’s apartment in the 2900 block of 2nd Street Southeast, Washington, D.C. Once inside the apartment, Burns shot the victim four times, killing him. Burns then fled the apartment but returned the next day with family members, falsely reporting to police that they had just found the victim’s body. Evidence introduced at trial established that Burns had been planning to murder the victim for several days.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, with valuable assistance provided by the ATF Washington Division and investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles R. Jones and Sharon Donovan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Jesup Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms as a Drug UserRead the Press Release
A man who possessed twenty-one firearms as a drug user was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Douglas Gilbert Uchytil, age 61, from Jesup, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2024, guilty plea to possession of firearms by a drug user.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that when law enforcement officers searched Uchytil’s residence on April 6, 2023, they found twenty-one firearms, over $25,000 in cash, and over half a pound of ice methamphetamine. Uchytil possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. He also admitted that he was a methamphetamine user.
Uchytil was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Uchytil was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Uchytil is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Fire Marshal Division, and Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-2056.
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Iowa City Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography.
According to public court documents, law enforcement received multiple CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Cody Andrew Long, 23, had uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement searched Long’s cell phone and a computer located at Long’s Iowa City residence which revealed approximately 100 images and 25 videos of child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Long will be required to serve an eight-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Long was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution. In addition, Long will be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department and the Johnson County Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team.
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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Holland Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of A Child, Penalties for Registered Sex OffendersRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Jared Hanner, 32, of Holland, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Penalties for Registered Sex Offenders. Hanner previously pleaded guilty to the charges and faced a mandatory 35-year prison sentence.
“Sexual exploitation crimes against our children are especially egregious,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We will continue to hold sexual predators and their coconspirators accountable by working with our law enforcement partners to secure a measure of justice for the minor victims and prevent future harm.”
Last year, Hanner met Tasha Erin Blake, 38, of Grand Haven, online and convinced her to text him explicit photos of a minor in her care and custody, under 13 years of age. Blake complied, but subsequently confessed her actions to the police. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Hanner’s phone and found the explicit photos and his request for them. Blake pleaded guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography earlier this year and was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
“Anyone who means to manipulate and sexually exploit children should face severe consequences, and the FBI will never stop seeking justice for victims,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “This sentencing would not be possible without the dedicated work of our FBI West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX) and collaboration with our law enforcement partners who we remain committed to working alongside to protect our communities.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Haven Department of Public Safety, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, and Kent County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Doaa Al-Howaishy prosecuted it.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
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Haskell Resident Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Keith Wyatt Underwood, age 32, of Haskell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Haskell Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On July 10, 2023, Underwood pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 24, 2022, Underwood was discovered by a property owner stealing copper cables from a Muskogee County property. Underwood then pulled a revolver on the resident before driving away with the stolen cables. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Underwood will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.
Grandville Man Pleads Guilty to Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Thomas Aaron Hungerford faces 15 to 30 years in prison
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Thomas Aaron Hungerford, 54, of Grandville, pleaded guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child. He is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks and faces a minimum prison term of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years.
“Protecting children and teenagers from sexual exploitation is a critical part of our mission,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “I’m grateful to the FBI for its swift and careful work on this case and the work the Bureau does every day to protect kids.”
On August 16, 2023, while in Grandville, Hungerford recorded a minor female under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit activity, and specifically depicting her private areas, without her knowledge or consent. Hungerford made the recording on his iPhone and saved it on a removable storage device. On May 24, 2024, Hungerford was charged by criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography following a federal search warrant that same day. He has been held in custody since his arrest.
Hungerford’s signed plea agreement is attached. The previous release can be viewed here.
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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.
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Former prosecutor goes to prison for extorting moneyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – The former elected Starr County Attorney has been sentenced for extortion under color of law, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Victor Canales Jr., 51, pleaded guilty Sept. 5, 2023.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Canales to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard testimony from an auditor with the Texas Attorney General’s Office describing the cash deposits made into Canales’s personal accounts and his use of funds from the Starr County Attorney’s account. In imposing the sentence, the court determined the amount of the bribes at $44,000. The court also noted comments about the culture of corruption in Starr County, and said today’s sentence would act as a deterrent to that corruption.
“Prosecutors of all stripes, whether at the federal, state or city level, are defined by an oath, one to serve and protect their communities. It’s an oath that seeks only one thing—justice,” said Hamdani. “Victor Canales Jr. violated that oath and the trust of Starr County’s residents in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. As an office of dedicated public servants, including 200 prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District has little patience for corrupt officials, especially when a prosecutor trades his authority, his oath, for personal gain.”
“Today’s sentencing highlights the FBI’s commitment to combat public corruption at every level. Citizens in the Rio Grande Valley deserve local government officials who can be trusted,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The FBI would like to thank our Operation Ice River partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as Texas Office of the Attorney General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Rangers for their continued collaboration in rooting out corruption and keeping our communities safe.”
Canales was the Starr County Attorney from 2005 to 2022. In that role, he was responsible for prosecuting misdemeanor crimes.
In September 2021, a woman reached out to Canales for assistance because her son had been charged with three misdemeanor offenses in Starr County. He said he could help her and that for $1500, he could take care of the Starr County tickets.
The mother gave Canales three money orders totaling $1500. He deposited the proceeds into his own checking account and used it for his own personal needs rather than depositing the monies into the Starr County account.
Canales then sent a series of letters to Cameron County indicating the three charges against the woman’s son would be dropped.
Canales was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI worked in partnership with the Texas Attorney General’s Office to conduct the Border Corruption Task Force investigation with the assistance of Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations and Texas Rangers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Cook Profit prosecuted the case.
Former USPS Supervisor Admits Stealing Cash and Gift Cards from MailRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, announced that DEBRA WATSON, 64, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to obstruction of mails.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Watson was employed as a supervisor at the U.S. Postal Service’s processing and distribution center in Hartford. From December 2021 through July 2022, Watson took envelopes from the mail stream, removed cash and gift cards, resealed the envelopes, and returned them to the mail stream at another location. When confronted by law enforcement on July 15, 2022, Watson had 53 pieces of mail on her person and a $500 gift card that had taken from the mail.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for January 21, 2025, at which time Watson faces a maximum term of imprisonment of six months.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington.
Former Sioux City Plastic Surgeon Agrees to Pay Nearly $200,000 to Settle Allegations He Submitted False ClaimsRead the Press Release
Adam B. Smith, M.D., also known as “Adam Bryant,” has agreed to pay $198,755.42 to the United States and the State of Iowa to resolve allegations that he billed government health insurance programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, for medically unnecessary procedures and for procedures more complicated than those he performed. The settlement resolves allegations brought by the United States and the State of Iowa in a Civil Complaint filed last May in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The settlement amount was based on Smith’s ability to pay.
In its Complaint, the government alleged that, from August 2014 until August 2019, Smith was practicing as a plastic surgeon in Sioux City in association with Tri-State Specialists, L.L.P. During that time, the government alleged, Smith engaged in a scheme to overcharge government health care programs by falsely claiming that cosmetic procedures he performed were medically necessary and that the medically necessary procedures he billed for were more complicated (and more highly compensated) than what he performed. Cosmetic procedures are generally not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. To obtain federal payment for procedures that would not otherwise be covered, the government alleged Dr. Smith claimed he performed complicated hernia repair or tissue transfer procedures when he actually performed body contouring, tummy tucks, and cosmetic procedures to remove excess skin and fat.
The Complaint also contended that Smith submitted claims for more expensive wound repair procedures and office visits by claiming the wounds he repaired were larger, the procedures he performed were more complex, and the office visits were more thorough, than they actually were. This practice, known as “upcoding,” occurs when medical providers fraudulently overcharge insurers for more significant (and more expensive) procedures than they perform.
In February 2021, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement relating to a healthcare matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a), in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. As part of his plea, Smith acknowledged that he had falsely described a cosmetic procedure as medically necessary and reimbursable by Medicare while he was practicing medicine in Traverse City, Michigan from May 2011 to January 2014. Smith voluntarily surrendered his South Dakota medical license in 2019 and his Iowa medical license in 2021.
The United States entered into a settlement agreement with Smith’s employer, Tri-State Specialists, LLP, in December 2021, resolving the same allegations for $612,501.44.
“Government healthcare programs depend on the honesty and competency of healthcare providers. Our office will work tirelessly to pursue providers who break that trust and to recover dollars meant to benefit the American people,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax.
“Holding health care professionals accountable for submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring critical resources are appropriately used,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our other law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate to protect the integrity of federal health care programs.”
“Today’s outcome demonstrates the collaboration among the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its investigative partners to safeguard taxpayer dollars that fund programs like Tricare, the military’s healthcare system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “As the criminal investigative arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General, DCIS is committed to investigating those who put the health of America’s warfighters and their families at risk.”
This civil matter arose from an action brought under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act.
The claims asserted against Smith are allegations only; there was no determination or admission of liability.
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon J. Gray and Brian J. Keogh and the State of Iowa Attorney General’s Office and investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the State of Iowa’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
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Former Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $135,000 from Dupo School DistrictRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Waterloo woman admitted guilt to a federal charge Monday for embezzling more than $135,000 as a former employee of Dupo Community Unit School District #196.
Linda J. Johnson, 58, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of theft from a federally funded program.
According to court documents, Johnson committed the embezzlement while employed in an administrative support role in the superintendent’s office between 2020 and 2022. In this role, Johnson was responsible for depositing cash and checks into the district’s activities account intended to support student athletics, clubs, and extracurriculars.
To conceal her crime, she would prepare bank deposit slips reflecting the correct amount of cash and checks received, but later she prepared a second set of fraudulent deposit slips that only accounted for the checks, while she kept the cash.
“Stealing funds from student activities directly deprives children of opportunities within their extracurriculars,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Although the defendant tried to conceal her crime from school officials by preparing two sets of records, her deceit was discovered, and she will be held accountable.”
The loss to the school district is $135,566.80.
“The FBI works to protect the well-being of our children on many levels, and investigating the embezzlement of school funds is no different,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “FBI Springfield would like to thank the Dupo Police Department for their vital role in this investigation.”
Theft from a federally funded program convictions are punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000. Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 27, 2025, at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
Officials with the Dupo School District said the plea agreement reached Monday represents accountability for a serious breach of public trust that impacted their students, staff, and the entire Dupo School District community. They said they are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their diligent work in securing justice for our students and taxpayers.
The Dupo Police Department and the FBI Springfield Field Office are directing the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Weinhoeft is prosecuting the case.
Former Detroit Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A former Detroit Police Officer pleaded guilty today to lying to federal agents who were investigating bribery allegations, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Dametri J. Wade, age 26, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to a federal agent before United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.
According to the plea agreement, while employed by the Detroit Police Department and driving a Detroit Police scout car, Wade was present at the scene of a larceny that occurred on August 11, 2022, on Saint Maron Street in the City of Detroit. The perpetrators of the larceny used false documents to make it appear like they had legal authority to access the property. Wade was present at the scene in his Detroit Police Department vehicle to further the ruse that the perpetrators of the larceny were legally permitted to enter the home in question.
Wade was interviewed about this incident by FBI agents conducting a bribery investigation on December 19, 2022. Wade denied any knowledge of a larceny at the Saint Maron street property. In fact, Wade knew that there was going to be a larceny at the property, and that his presence was necessary to further the fiction that the larceny’s perpetrators were entering the property for a legally valid purpose. At the time he made the statement to the FBI agents, Wade knew that the statement was false, and he further knew that making false statements to the FBI was unlawful.
“Lying to law enforcement is never acceptable, but for an officer sworn to uphold the law to do so is inexcusable,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Today’s conviction should send a strong message that no one, even a police officer, is above the law.”
"Today’s guilty plea from former Detroit Police Officer Dametri Wade reinforces our unwavering commitment to enforcing the highest standards of integrity in law enforcement," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Detroit. "We appreciate the crucial collaboration with Detroit Police Chief White and his department throughout this investigation. Let it be clear: Wade’s actions do not represent the exemplary standards of the Detroit Police Department. The FBI's Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force will relentlessly pursue any acts of public corruption, ensuring accountability for those who break the law and safeguarding the public's trust in those dedicated to protecting our great community."
Sentencing for Wade is scheduled for February 5, 2025. Wade faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with Investigators of the Detroit Police Department's Professional Standards Bureau. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran.
Former Detroit Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A former Detroit Police Officer pleaded guilty today to lying to federal agents who were investigating bribery allegations, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Dametri J. Wade, age 26, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to a federal agent before United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.
According to the plea agreement, while employed by the Detroit Police Department and driving a Detroit Police scout car, Wade was present at the scene of a larceny that occurred on August 11, 2022, on Saint Maron Street in the City of Detroit. The perpetrators of the larceny used false documents to make it appear like they had legal authority to access the property. Wade was present at the scene in his Detroit Police Department vehicle to further the ruse that the perpetrators of the larceny were legally permitted to enter the home in question.
Wade was interviewed about this incident by FBI agents conducting a bribery investigation on December 19, 2022. Wade denied any knowledge of a larceny at the Saint Maron street property. In fact, Wade knew that there was going to be a larceny at the property, and that his presence was necessary to further the fiction that the larceny’s perpetrators were entering the property for a legally valid purpose. At the time he made the statement to the FBI agents, Wade knew that the statement was false, and he further knew that making false statements to the FBI was unlawful.
“Lying to law enforcement is never acceptable, but for an officer sworn to uphold the law to do so is inexcusable,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Today’s conviction should send a strong message that no one, even a police officer, is above the law.”
"Today’s guilty plea from former Detroit Police Officer Dametri Wade reinforces our unwavering commitment to enforcing the highest standards of integrity in law enforcement," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Detroit. "We appreciate the crucial collaboration with Detroit Police Chief White and his department throughout this investigation. Let it be clear: Wade’s actions do not represent the exemplary standards of the Detroit Police Department. The FBI's Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force will relentlessly pursue any acts of public corruption, ensuring accountability for those who break the law and safeguarding the public's trust in those dedicated to protecting our great community."
Sentencing for Wade is scheduled for February 5, 2025. Wade faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with Investigators of the Detroit Police Department's Professional Standards Bureau. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran.
Foreign National Convicted of Conspiring to Export US-Made Drill Rigs to Iran in Violation of US Sanctions LawsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — A federal jury convicted Brian Assi, also known as Brahim Assi, yesterday of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), attempted unlawful export of goods from the United States to Iran without a license, attempted smuggling goods from the United States, submitting false or misleading export information, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“The defendant schemed to unlawfully export U.S.-origin mining drills to Iran, while deceiving his employer into believing that they were being sent to Iraq,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This conviction affirms the Justice Department’s resolve to disrupt and hold accountable those who evade our sanctions against Iran, wherever in the world they may be.”
“As this verdict makes clear, no matter how hard you try to obfuscate your scheme to send restricted U.S. items to Iran, we will work tirelessly to bring your conduct to light and ensure you face justice,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “We take action whenever we uncover attempts to evade our sanctions, especially when those efforts are designed to support adversaries like Iran.”
“Efforts to conceal impermissible transactions and circumvent imposed sanctions represent a threat to both the United States economic and national security interests,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida. “Today’s verdict demonstrates our collective resolve to hold those who violate regulatory restrictions accountable for their criminal conduct.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Assi was a Middle East-based salesman of a multinational heavy machinery manufacturer with a U.S.-based subsidiary and production plant located in northern Florida. Assi conspired with individuals affiliated with Sakht Abzar Pars Co. (SAP-Iran), based in Tehran, Iran, to export U.S.-made heavy machinery indirectly to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Assi and his Iranian co-conspirators orchestrated the scheme by locating an Iraq-based distributor to serve as the forward-facing purchaser of two U.S.-origin blasthole drills from the U.S. subsidiary of Assi’s employer. The drills are a type of heavy machinery used to create holes in the ground that are then filled with controlled explosives for mining.
Assi facilitated the sale of the drills and attempted to export them to Iran and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the U.S. to Turkey. In doing so, Assi concealed any Iranian involvement in the transaction from his employer, claiming the drills were ultimately destined for use in Iraq. But in truth, Assi intended for his Iranian co-conspirators to transship or reexport those items from Turkey to Iran, in circumvention of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Assi concealed his activities with his Iranian co-conspirators by causing false information to be entered into the Automated Export System (AES), a U.S.-government database containing information about exports from the United States. The U.S.-based plant hired a U.S. freight forwarder to arrange the drill’s export from the United States to Iraq. As part of the shipping process, the freight forwarder submitted information to AES about the shipment, including the ultimate consignee’s name and the ultimate delivery destination. Assi misled his employer by claiming that the Iraqi distributor was the ultimate consignee, and that the ultimate delivery destination was Iraq. In fact, Assi knew that his coconspirators in Iran were the true intended recipients, and Iran was the ultimate intended delivery destination.
In furtherance of the illicit transaction, Assi and his coconspirators caused the transfer of approximately $2.7 million from Turkey to pass through the United States.
Sentencing for Brian Assi is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2025.
The BIS is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Grogan and Harley W. Ferguson for the Northern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Federal jury convicts Belgrade man of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunitionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal jury on Monday convicted a Belgrade man of a firearms crime after he was accused of illegally possessing two handguns and ammunition while he was the subject of a court restraining order, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a one-day trial that began on Oct. 28, the jury found the defendant, Jordan Charles Kirsch, 34, guilty of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Kirsch faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 12, 2025. Kirsch was detained pending further proceedings.
“Firearms involved in domestic disputes often lead to tragic results. Here, Kirsch was under a court order of protection restraining him from any violence against the petitioner, and yet he illegally possessed two guns in violation of federal law. I am pleased the jury agreed with us and convicted him, and I am grateful to our prosecution team and law enforcement partners for their work to protect the safety of our fellow Montanans,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Dec. 19, 2023, a state district court judge in Gallatin County conducted a hearing and issued a final Order of Protection for 10 years against Kirsch. The court’s order found that the petitioner was in danger of harm, restrained Kirsch from committing or threatening to commit any acts of violence to the petitioner and ordered Kirsch not to threaten, harass, abuse, follow, stalk, annoy or disturb the petitioner.
In April 2024, a court order was issued for Kirsch to be removed from a Belgrade residence and for possession of the residence to be delivered to the petitioner. A sheriff’s office detective conducting surveillance observed Kirsch exit the residence with a black semi-automatic handgun and fire it 10 to 20 times toward a berm near the property. On May 2, 2024, Kirsch was arrested and evicted from the property. A search warrant was executed on the property, and law enforcement found two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in various calibers.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Missouri River Drug Task Force and Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Federal Jury Finds Man Guilty of Defrauding UConnRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found DICKSON ALORWORNU, also known as “Dixon Al,” 35, a citizen of Ghana residing in Greenwich, guilty of fraud offenses. The trial before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala began on October 23 and the jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts of an indictment this afternoon.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, in December 2017, Alorwornu used other individuals’ names, fake Social Security numbers, and email addresses to submit two non-degree student applications to the University of Connecticut (“UConn”). He then used American Express card information that had been stolen from three victims to fund the two student accounts with a total of more than $62,000 in fraudulently obtained funds. In early 2018, Alorwornu withdrew from the courses and requested that UConn refund the money he had deposited. UConn subsequently transferred tens of thousands of dollars to bank accounts Alorwornu controlled. The investigation revealed that the email accounts that Alorwornu used to defraud UConn were also used to commit fraud at other universities.
The jury found Alorwornu guilty of two counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for February 19.
Alorwornu was arrested on February 1, 2023. He is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the UConn Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Chang and Elena Coronado.
Federal Jury Convicts Belzoni Man of Conspiracy for Role in Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – A federal jury convicted Belzoni resident Jarvis Hood, 23, of conspiring to transfer firearms to Chicago, Illinois residents and making false statements to federal firearms licensees during the purchase of multiple firearms.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the investigation began after agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives noticed a high volume of firearms recovered in crimes in the City of Chicago, Illinois had been purchased in the Northern District of Mississippi. Some of the firearms involved in new crimes had been purchased as recent as one day prior to use in a new offense.
Several of the firearms were recovered in violent crimes and had machinegun devices attached that converted the firearms to be able to fire automatically. In total, investigators identified over 60 firearms that were purchased illegally and transported to Chicago for resale. Five defendants previously pled guilty for their roles in the offense.
Hood was charged with conspiracy to transfer firearms to out-of-state residents and to make false statements to federal firearms licensees during firearms purchases. After a five-day trial, a federal jury returned a verdict Monday finding Hood guilty of the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for February 4, 2025.
“This defendant and his cohorts profited and contributed to the gun violence plaguing Chicago by illegally trafficking in firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “AUSAs Julie Addison and Sam Stringfellow led an interagency team that has helped to stem the flow of illegal firearms from Mississippi to Chicago while also ensuring that the defendant will be held accountable for his criminal actions.”
“Machine gun conversion devices threaten the safety of our communities and law enforcement officers, and this verdict reinforces the urgent need to dismantle trafficking networks bringing these dangerous devices and firearms to the streets of Chicago,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “I thank the ATF Oxford Mississippi Field Office and the Northern District of Mississippi United States Attorney’s Office for their continued partnership.”
The case was investigated by the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the ATF Oxford, Mississippi Field Office. Valuable contributions were made by the Chicago Police Department, Wilmette Police Department, and Amtrak Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Addison and Samuel Stringfellow 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.
Federal Indictment Charges Three Men with Chicago CarjackingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted three men on carjacking and firearm charges for allegedly violently stealing a vehicle in Chicago.
MARQUELL DAVIS, 22, RAMONE BRADLEY, 26, and EDMUND SINGLETON, 34, all of Chicago, conspired to take an Infiniti Q50 and a BMW X6 on Nov. 3, 2022, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Davis carried a firearm while the trio carjacked the Infiniti’s driver at a gas station in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago, the indictment states. Later that day, Bradley and Davis carried firearms while they attempted to carjack the BMW at a gas station in Chicago’s Douglas neighborhood, the indictment states. Davis took the BMW driver’s car key, but he and Bradley were not successful in stealing the vehicle, the indictment states.
All three defendants are currently in law enforcement custody. Bradley faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Davis and Singleton face mandatory minimum sentences of seven years and a maximum of life. Arraignments are scheduled for Nov. 5, 2024, at 1:15 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Steindorf.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
davis_et_al_indictment.pdfFederal Escapee Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was finishing his prison sentence at a residential reentry center for a 2020 escape and then escaped again in 2023 was sentenced on October 28, 2024, to more than two years in federal prison.
Caleb Lee Olson, age 49, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 15, 2024, guilty plea to one count of escape from Federal Bureau of Prisons custody on November 27, 2023.
At the guilty plea, Olson admitted that on November 27, 2023, he was completing his sentence for a 2020 escape in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at Gerald R. Hinzman Center in Cedar Rapids when he left the facility without permission and did not return. Olson was found in Marion, Iowa, and was arrested on December 5, 2023.
Olson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Olson was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Olson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by United States Marshals Service and the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00003.
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Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Indiana Tax Preparer and CompanyRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana permanently enjoined an Indianapolis-area tax return preparer and his company yesterday from preparing federal tax returns for others and from owning or operating any tax return preparation businesses in the future.
According to the civil complaint filed in the case, Juan Santiago resides in Lakeland, Florida, but travels to Indianapolis for tax preparation season to operate his tax preparation business, Madison Solutions LLC. Santiago failed to respond to the civil complaint filed against him, so the court entered the permanent injunction against him by default.
The civil complaint alleges that Santiago and Madison Solutions used a variety of schemes to improperly reduce their customers’ tax liabilities or to obtain tax refunds to which the customers were not entitled. The complaint alleges that Santiago repeatedly placed false or incorrect items, deductions, exemptions or statuses on customers’ tax returns without their knowledge. For example, the complaint alleges that Santiago routinely elected head of household filing status and child tax credits for customers when they were otherwise not qualified for such status or credits. The complaint also alleges that Santiago reported fictitious businesses on customers’ returns and fabricated business expenses and income to fraudulently reduce taxable income.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Santiago - Permanent Injunction.pdfEight-Time Mail Robbers Sentenced to Combined 21 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
The men responsible for eight mail carrier robberies were sentenced today to a combined 21 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jerrad Coleman, 18, and Louis Dixon, 18, were charged via criminal complaint in April. Mr. Dixon pleaded guilty in June to robbery of property of the United States and conspiracy to rob and unlawfully possess property of the United States, while Mr. Coleman pleaded guilty to the same charges the following month.
The pair were sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, who noted that the U.S. Postal Service is critical to the functioning of our country and called their crime a “heinous offense.” Mr. Coleman was sentenced to 60 months on count one and 91 months on count two to run consecutively, for a combined 151 months (12 ½ years) in federal prison; Mr. Dixon was sentenced to 60 months on count one and 108 months on count two to run concurrently for a total of 108 months (9 years) in federal prison.
“Violence against letter carriers not only puts federal workers in fear for their lives, but also undermines the functioning of the U.S. postal system,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute individuals that endanger our Postal colleagues and the system as a whole.”
“Today’s sentencing serves as a notice to those who wish to commit violent acts against U.S. Postal Service employees that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to finding those responsible and bringing justice to the victims. U.S. Postal Service employees are delivering across America and deserve to work in their communities free from danger,” said Kai Pickens, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Fort Worth Division.
According to court documents, the men trawled the streets of DFW looking for U.S. Postal Service letter carriers to rob in hopes of obtaining an Arrow Key, a master key used by letter carriers to gather mail deposited in blue collection boxes. Unauthorized possession of these keys, prized by mail thieves, allows individuals to illicitly access mailboxes to steal victim mail, checks, credit cards, bank account information, and other sensitive information.
Over the course of about four months, the men conspired to commit robberies against U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers, including those on Jan. 17 in Fort Worth, Jan. 18 in Fort Worth, Jan. 25 in Dallas, Jan. 29 in Dallas, March 15 in Fort Worth, March 28 in Arlington, April 4 in Frisco, and April 17 in Fort Worth.
After robbing the mail carriers, often at gunpoint, the men fled in getaway vehicles. They then unlawfully used, sold, or disposed of the Arrow Keys.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation with the help of the Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Frisco Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted the case.
Eight Defendants Charged in Federal Drug Trafficking Probe Targeting Fentanyl and Cocaine Sales in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal investigation has resulted in federal drug and firearm charges against eight individuals for allegedly trafficking fentanyl and cocaine on the South Side of Chicago.
An indictment unsealed Friday in federal court in Chicago accuses the eight defendants of conspiring to traffic fentanyl and cocaine from March 2023 to July 2024. During the conspiracy, the defendants used a residence in the 2000 block of West 69th Place in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago to carry out their illicit activities, the indictment states. The defendants possessed loaded handguns while engaged in their drug trafficking crimes, the indictment states.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized distribution quantities of suspected fentanyl-laced heroin and crack cocaine, as well as more than a dozen firearms and associated ammunition.
Charged with federal drug and firearm offenses are PATRICK TUCKER, 33, THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, 29, DARIUS JOHNSON, 23, KYWANTE SHUMAKE, 26, KEONTIS SHUMAKE, 23, KAMARI ROSS, 26, DREQUAN BASS, 26, and LACOLA WILLIAMS, 26, all of Chicago. The charges in the indictment carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Tucker and Cunningham also face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, while the others face a mandatory minimum of ten years. The defendants were arraigned in U.S. District Court in Chicago and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen B. McCurry and Michael Maione.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers and other criminal offenders 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 against criminal networks.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
tucker_et_al_indictment.pdfDrug Dealer Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Opioid Pill Mill Scheme That Illegally Distributed More Than 1.2 Million Oxycodone PillsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Michael Kent was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to nine years in prison for his role in recruiting sham patients, paying off complicit pharmacists and illegally distributing oxycodone in a Brooklyn-based narcotics conspiracy. Kent pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone in September 2023. Kent also paid $635,875 in forfeiture in advance of his sentencing.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the sentence.
“The opioid epidemic has destroyed countless families and communities in our district, New York City and across the country,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The proliferation of pill mill clinics, like the medical office involved in this case, significantly contributes to the opioid crisis. Today’s sentencing holds the defendant accountable for his role in callously diverting highly potent and addictive drugs from medical offices to the streets of New York.”
Mr. Peace also thanked the New York City Department of Investigation, the New York City Police Department and the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, for their assistance on the case.
“Michael Kent knew the harmful effects of his pill mill scheme, and knowingly jeopardize the health and safety of those individuals he profited from, all while exacerbating the opioid crisis. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to those individuals putting profits over human lives and looking to capitalize from the illegal sale of addictive opioids” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “The DEA remains committed to fighting this opioid crisis head on and those who exploit it.”
“The defendant in this case was involved in a scheme to steer controlled substances to the street, which is especially egregious given the ongoing opioid epidemic,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure individuals involved in fraud schemes that exploit federal health care programs and threaten patient safety are held accountable.”
“Kent created an extravagant, multi-layered scheme in order to earn a simple title—drug dealer. He had no regard for the welfare of those buying the oxy as long as he lined his pockets, which were fat enough to buy three buildings in New York City. Unlucky for him, this elaborate scam was not too tricky for law enforcement to figure out, and he is now sentenced to time behind bars,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Fattorusso.
As set forth in the indictment and publicly filed documents, between December 2018 and October 2022, Kent and his co-defendants operated a drug distribution ring out of a medical practice on Linden Boulevard in East New York, Brooklyn. Together, they unlawfully distributed more than 11,000 prescriptions for oxycodone, amounting to more than 1.2 million oxycodone pills, which carry a street value of at least $24 million. They made millions of dollars from the scheme. Nine defendants have been charged in this matter, including one doctor and four Brooklyn-based pharmacists. In addition to Kent, five co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Three co-defendants are scheduled for trial in January 2025.
As part of his role in the scheme, Kent recruited approximately 45 sham patients who were prescribed more than six kilograms of medically unnecessary oxycodone over a four-year period. Kent paid these individuals for the use of their names, picked up the oxycodone from pharmacists, whom he paid off, and sold the oxycodone to dealers for distribution on the street. Kent then laundered the drug proceeds through a shell company he created called “Michael’s Cleaning Service,” using the money to buy three buildings in New York City. When he was arrested in October 2022, law enforcement officers recovered two loaded firearms from his home and seized thousands of dollars in cash.
Oxycodone is a highly addictive opioid used to treat severe and chronic pain conditions. Every year, millions of Americans abuse oxycodone, and the misuse of prescription painkillers like oxycodone leads to hundreds of thousands of annual emergency room visits. More than 14,000 Americans died from prescription opioid overdoses in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Oxycodone prescriptions have enormous cash value to drug dealers. For example, one oxycodone 30 mg tablet, which was the dosage prescribed in this case, can be sold by dealers on the street for between $20 and $30 in New York City.
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.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise, Victor Zapana and Gilbert Rein are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialists Rachel Friedman and Nadya Osman. Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
MICHAEL KENT
Age: 51
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-464 (AMD)
Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Elberta man was sentenced on October 28, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison for his possession with intent to distribute of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Baldwin County, Alabama. Marcus Allen Heaton, 38, was identified during several encounters with Baldwin County sheriff’s investigators from 2019 through 2021.
Court documents show that in May of 2021, Heaton was driving a vehicle displaying improper rear lights. Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies stopped the vehicle and initiated an investigation. A drug detecting dog was used to walk around the outside of the vehicle, and the dog gave a positive alert for the odor of drugs emanating from the vehicle. The deputies searched the vehicle and found 132.6 grams of methamphetamine divided among five plastic bags, packaged in that manner for resale. The deputies also found 6.58 grams of fentanyl divided among three other plastic bags, also packaged for resale. Heaton’s phone was seized during the stop and deputies obtained a search warrant to examine the contents. In the phone, deputies found numerous texts and electronic messages relating to Heaton’s distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Heaton pled guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one for methamphetamine and one for fentanyl, in June of 2024.
United States District Court Judge Jeffery Beaverstock imposed a sentence of 15 years imprisonment for Heaton’s illegal possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was the minimum mandatory sentence under federal law based on the amount of methamphetamine involved in the offense and Heaton’s prior convictions for serious drug felonies. On the charge for Heaton’s illegal possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, the judge imposed a sentence of 130 months imprisonment, which will run concurrently with the sentence on the methamphetamine charge. When Heaton is released from custody, he will serve 5 years of supervised release. Heaton’s supervision includes a set of standard conditions as well as a special condition requiring drug testing and treatment and permitting the probation officer to search his person or property upon a showing of reasonable suspicion that he is in violation of any of the conditions of his supervision. No fine was imposed but Heaton was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Doctor Sentenced for $54M Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Texas doctor was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison and ordered to pay over $34 million in restitution for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare by prescribing durable medical equipment and cancer genetic testing without seeing, speaking to, or otherwise treating patients.
According to court documents, Daniel R. Canchola M.D., 54, of Flower Mound, agreed to electronically sign doctor’s orders for durable medical equipment (DME) and cancer genetic testing that he knew were used to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. From August 2018 through April 2019, Canchola received approximately $30 in exchange for each doctor’s order he signed authorizing DME and cancer genetic test orders that were not legitimately prescribed, not needed, or not used — totaling more than $466,000 in kickbacks. The doctor’s orders Canchola signed were used to submit more than $54 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. According to court filings, the Medicare beneficiaries for whom Canchola prescribed DME and cancer genetic testing were targeted by telemarketing campaigns and at health fairs, and they were induced to submit to the cancer genetic testing and to receive the DME regardless of medical necessity.
In October 2022, Canchola pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; and Chief William Marlowe of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and MFCU investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Brynn Schiess and Trial Attorney Ethan Womble of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Dibble Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Mother on Hospice Care in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – BILLY JACK WAITMAN, 39, of Dibble, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for committing an assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On December 5, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Waitman, charging him with attempting to commit murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to public record, in the months leading up to July 2023, Waitman lived with his mother, who at the time was a terminally ill, bedridden hospice patient. Family members told law enforcement that Waitman was growing hostile toward his mother, and made several threatening remarks, including that he intended to kill her, in March 2023. That remark was heard by a family member, who called authorities and had Waitman placed into custody. He was released four days later.
On July 24, 2023, another family member of Waitman’s came to the defendant’s home and found Waitman on top of the victim with his hands on her. The family member restrained Waitman, and he was arrested shortly after. A further evaluation of the victim showed that Waitman had brutally assaulted the victim, and she was taken to a nearby hospital. The victim was released to a nursing home and died three days later of what was determined to be natural causes.
On April 16, 2024, Waitman pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment, and admitted he assaulted the victim in Indian country, and the victim sustained serious bodily injuries that involved extreme physical pain.
This case is in federal court because Waitman is a member of the Choctaw Nation and the crime was committed within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
At the sentencing hearing on October 29, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Waitman to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted there was an “avalanche of evidence” showing Defendant intended to harm his mother because he considered her a burden.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Division and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, in collaboration with the Chickasaw Nation Office of Tribal Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Stoneman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 17 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
According to public court documents, in July 2023, Deandre Julian Hensley, 30, possessed a loaded nine-millimeter pistol in his waistband and approximately 7.5 grams of crack cocaine in his pocket when he was arrested for outstanding warrants. The firearm recovered from Hensley was the same firearm that he shot near a downtown Davenport bar earlier in July 2023. Two bystanders were injured in that shooting.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Hensley will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Darnell Bishop Sentenced to 15 Years for Role in Benton Harbor Dunham’s Store Handgun TheftRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Darnell Bishop, 32, of Benton Harbor, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Mr. Bishop’s criminal scheme, had it succeeded, would have flooded the streets of southwest Michigan with illegal guns,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The proliferation of illegal guns is one cause behind the gun violence epidemic we are experiencing in Benton Harbor, across the state, and across the nation. I am grateful to our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners for their swift and smart response that prevented the worst from happening. Moving forward, we will continue to focus our efforts on those few individuals who are driving gun violence in their communities.”
Bishop was charged along with his brother and codefendant, Dontrell Nance, for the theft of 123 handguns from Benton Harbor Dunham’s Sports Store. Bishop and Nance kidnapped the Dunham’s manager from outside the manager’s home using a pistol, blindfolded and handcuffed him, took him to a second location, and threatened the manager into providing the alarm code for Dunham’s. Bishop then went to the store and stole 123 pistols, which he carried away in two large coolers. Law enforcement has since recovered all the firearms.
Nance previously pled guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
“Today’s sentence is an example of our commitment to our industry partners and their employees, that their safety and security is one of ATF’s top priorities,” said Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Mr. Bishop and his cohorts need to be held accountable for their actions and represent the most deserving of Federal prosecution. They are criminals who put personal greed before the safety of Dunham’s employees and their families. Now, they will have plenty of time in prison to reflect on their wrongdoing.”
“Mr. Bishop’s sentencing brings closure to a community left rattled by a violent attack against Dunham’s Sports and its manager in a plot to traffic over 100 illegal guns into our streets,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “I am thankful for the cooperation of our law enforcement partners, especially the Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force, whose prompt response thwarted this plot and averted potentially devastating consequences.”
This case was investigated by the Benton Charter Township Police Department, Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, ATF, and FBI.
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The previous press releases, complaint, and press conference can be viewed at the following links here, here, here, here, and here.
Crystal Springs Man Sentenced to over 9 Years in Prison for Brandishing a Firearm During a Carjacking in JacksonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Crystal Springs man was sentenced today to 110 months in prison for brandishing a firearm while carjacking a woman in front of her home in Jackson.
According to court documents, Christopher Lawrence Murray, 31, brandished a pistol during a carjacking in the Jackson area. In May of 2021, Murray and another man approached a woman sitting in her car in front of her home. Working in tandem, both men pointed pistols at the woman and demanded she hand over her cellular phone and the keys to her car. The woman, at gunpoint, complied with the demands and the men left in the woman’s car.
Murray was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 6, 2023, and he pled guilty on July 31, 2024, to brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Jackson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.
In an effort to focus resources on carjacking in Jackson, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jackson Police Department and the Capitol Police Department formed a carjacking task force in April of 2024. In keeping with the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, the task force represents a strategic enforcement priority for the department, focusing federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime.
Convicted Felon Who Fled Police at High Speed in a Stolen SUV Sentenced for Possessing a Loaded Machine GunRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamal Fleming, 32, of Washington D.C. was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a loaded machine gun as he led police on a chase in a stolen SUV while under the influence of cocaine. Fleming crashed the vehicle into a utility pole and then attempted to elude officers on foot before becoming stuck in a fence. The conviction, which is Fleming’s third for possessing an illegal firearm, involves a weapon that had been modified into a fully automatic machine gun.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Fleming pleaded guilty on March 8, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the 46-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Fleming to serve 36 months of supervised release.
On October 11, 2023, at about 10 p.m., Prince George’s County police observed a black Jeep Grand Cherokee driving in the 4200 block of 58th Avenue in Bladensburg, Maryland. The officers were aware of a recent rash of commercial armed robberies in the county involving a black Grand Cherokee. The officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The SUV fled, pursued by police by several police cruisers. MPD’s Falcon helicopter also followed the SUV as it entered Washington, D.C. About five miles from the start of the pursuit, the SUV crashed into a utility pole in the alleyway behind the 4200 block of Eads Street NE. Leaving the SUV running, Fleming jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot, dashing through an alleyway, until he was caught on a fence where officers apprehended him.
Fleming crashed the SUV into a utility pole following a five-mile high-speed chase.
Officers searched Fleming and recovered a key fob to the SUV that they used to unlock it. Inside the SUV, officers found a black Glock 29 loaded with 16 rounds of 10mm ammunition. The weapon was outfitted with a “switch,” which converted the gun into a fully automatic firearm, and a laser sight. Later DNA testing linked the firearm to Fleming. Officers determined that the SUV had been stolen the week before from an automotive repair shop in Beltsville.
Officers discovered a loaded Glock -- outfitted with a laser sight and a “switch” that made the weapon fully automatic – on the floor of the SUV on the driver’s side.
Fleming has been barred from possessing a gun since 2016 after he was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm. On May 5, 2022, Fleming was driving when he was stopped by police. He had an open bottle of champagne in the vehicle’s cupholder, a bag containing more than a pound of marijuana, cocaine, pills and a Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun. On December 12, 2022, Fleming was sentenced to five years in prison with all but one year suspended, along with three years of supervised probation. In October 2023, at the time of his most recent arrest, Fleming was still on probation.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer.
23cr0370
California Company Charged with Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California company, and three individuals who owned and managed the company, have been charged and have agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to the shipment of facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Advoque Safeguard LLC (ASG) was charged with one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Jason Azevedo, 33, of Cedar Creek, Texas; Paul Shrater, 51, of Simi Valley, Calif.; and Andrew Stack, 52, of Santa Cruz, Calif., were charged with one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce. Plea hearings have not yet been scheduled by the Court.
Earlier this month, a second company, JDM Supply LLC (JDM), and two individuals, Daniel Motha and Jeffrey Motha, were charged and agreed to plead guilty in connection with this investigation. In addition, in August 2023, another individual, Jason Colantuoni, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging.
According to the charging documents, in the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, ASG and JDM conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. It is alleged that one hospital, identified as “HOSPITAL 1,” accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by ASG and sold to HOSPITAL 1 by JDM. (HOSPITAL 1 did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to ASG.) It is further alleged that ASG and JDM misled the hospital into believing that the ASG masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not. In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the ASG masks that had been shipped to HOSPITAL 1. All 10 ASG masks tested between 83.94% and 93.24% filtration efficiency, and thus fell under the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators.
The charge of conspiracy to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device with intent to defraud or mislead provides for a fine of $500,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense, whichever is greater and up to five years of probation. The charge of introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal 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; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Brady and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
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 Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Career Assistant United States Attorney to Lead DOJ Election Day Program in the District of North DakotaRead the Press Release
Fargo - United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Rick L. Volk will lead the efforts of the Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Volk has served as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of North Dakota for the past 20 years, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the Office’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.
“Lawfully casting a vote without interference or discrimination and having that voted counted in a fair and free election is a fundamental right in North Dakota and across the country,” Schneider said. “There is a history in the District of North Dakota of election officials and staff serving their critical roles without being subject to unlawful threats or violence, and the Department of Justice will do its part to uphold that tradition and protect the integrity of the election process. With an experienced career federal prosecutor as a point of contact on Election Day, our Office stands ready to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns or election fraud in real time while the polls are open.”
Volk has led the Office’s Election Day efforts since 2004 and has served as DEO during five presidential elections. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, Volk will be on duty while the polls are open in the District of North Dakota. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 701-530-2420 and/or 701-297-7400.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The relevant FBI field office for the District of North Dakota can be reached by the public at 763-569-8000.
Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
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Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Guns from Georgia to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TYREE THOMAS, 39, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking firearms from Georgia to Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Thomas’ criminal history includes felony convictions and he is prohibited from purchasing firearms. Between approximately August and December 2021, Thomas traveled to Georgia multiple times where, using a family member as a straw purchaser, he acquired approximately 24 firearms. He then transported the firearms to Connecticut where he sold or transferred them to others, including felons, gang members, and juveniles.
Nine of the firearms that Thomas acquired in Georgia have been recovered by law enforcement in Connecticut, including three that were seized during traffic stops, one of which was possessed by a juvenile; one that was found in the possession of felon who was subsequently federally prosecuted for the offense; one that was used in a Bridgeport shooting incident in August 2022, that resulted in the death of one of victim and injury to two others; one that was recovered from a Bridgeport murder suspect who used it to commit suicide during a standoff with law enforcement in Tennessee in June 2022; and one that was recovered from a homicide victim in Meriden in March 2023. Fifteen of the guns have not been located.
Thomas was arrested on September 6, 2023. On June 17, 2024, he pleaded guilty to crossing state lines with the intent to engage in the unlawful dealing of firearms.
Thomas, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 7.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Clark and Rahul Kale. through 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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 www.justice.gov/PSN.
Boise Health Care Company and Former Therapist Resolve Fraudulent Psychotherapy Billing Allegations Involving Vulnerable Refugee PopulationRead the Press Release
KA Health Services, and its Owner Paid $321,576.51 to Resolve Allegations they Fraudulently Billed for Psychotherapy and Related Services that Were Not Performed or Not Performed by a Qualified Professional; Former Psychotherapist at KA Health Admits to Violations of the False Claims Act as Part of a $40,000 Consent Judgment
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced that KA Health Services (KA Health) and its owner, Khalid Ameri, paid $321,576.51 to resolve allegations that they knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medicaid for psychotherapy, language interpretation, and other services. The United States contended that these submissions were false because the claimed services were never provided and/or not provided by a qualified professional.
As a result of the same investigation, licensed professional counselor Karen Canfield, 61, of Boise, consented to a judgment against her in United States District Court after admitting to violations of the False Claims Act. Canfield admitted to knowingly causing KA Health to submit false or fraudulent claims to Medicaid for reimbursement for psychotherapy, language interpretation, and other services.
According to court records, Canfield admitted that she knew that KA Health’s clients were refugees that recently arrived in the United States and were not fluent in English. Rather than treat KA Health’s clients, Canfield directed language interpreters – who were not licensed or otherwise qualified to provide psychotherapy services – to meet with the clients without Canfield being present or otherwise participating in the meeting. Canfield further admitted that she filled out their medical records in a false or fraudulent manner because those records indicated she had provided services when she was not, in fact, meeting with KA Health’s clients – much less providing them with therapy. Canfield later signed the false medical records, which she knew KA Health then used as the basis for submitting claims to Medicaid for reimbursement.
“The vast majority of Idaho’s health care providers play by the rules. Our office is committed to rooting out the few wrongdoers, particularly those that prey on vulnerable patient populations,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. “Healthcare fraud enforcement is and will remain an important priority for our office. We will not tolerate individuals and businesses who compromise the integrity of the healthcare system for financial gain.”
“These resolutions demonstrate our commitment to protecting Idaho communities from schemes targeting Idaho’s Medicaid program, which provides necessary services to some of the most vulnerable populations in the state,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG values our continued partnership with the Idaho Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and our other law enforcement partners, and will continue to investigate fraud allegations, which threaten the integrity of both federal and state health care programs and the people served by them.”
These matters were investigated jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Additional assistance was provided by the Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wertheim handled the cases.
The claims resolved by the settlement against KA Health and Khalid Ameri are allegations only and there has been no admission or determination of liability. For additional case information for the Canfield case and publicly available court documents, see United States v. Canfield, 1:24-CV-00460-BLW (U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho.)
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Berks County Businessman Indicted on Tax Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Alan C. Redmond, 42, of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with six counts of failure to pay over employment taxes between 2019 and 2021 for Bene Market LLC, a call center in Reading, Pa., that purported to act as a broker of insurance, selling health insurance and related products over the telephone. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court on these charges this afternoon.
The indictment alleges that, as the 96% general partner of Bene Market, and as the individual with ultimate and final decision-making authority for the corporation, Redmond was legally obligated to withhold Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from wages paid to employees (known as “trust fund taxes”) and to pay over these taxes to the IRS each quarter, along with matching contributions from the employer for Social Security and Medicare taxes.
The indictment further alleges that between 2019 and 2021, Redmond caused Bene Market to withhold over $1 million in trust fund taxes from the wages and paychecks of its employees, but Redmond did not pay over these withheld amounts to the IRS on behalf of the employees, as required. Instead of paying over the trust fund taxes withheld from employee paychecks, Redmond caused Bene Market to make thousands of dollars of expenditures for his own personal benefit, including property purchases, airline tickets, limousine services, vehicle purchases, event tickets, mortgage payments, and partnership distributions.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a three-year period of supervised release, and a $1,500,000 fine.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Crawley and Samuel Dalke.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On October 28, 2024, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Larry Benner, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland to 75 months prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department (“BPD”).
According to the guilty plea, BPD officers were monitoring Citiwatch cameras in Baltimore city on January 21, 2023 when they observed Benner and two codefendants engaged in drug activity. BPD officers arrived on scene and placed the defendants under arrest. Officers recovered various controlled dangerous substances from Benner, including approximately 87 grams of cocaine, 5 grams of fentanyl, and quantities of heroin, Alprazolam, and Buprenorphine. Officers also recovered from Benner a Smith & Wesson 9mm Luger pistol loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition and an additional drum magazine loaded with 35 live 9mm cartridges.
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.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Liane Kozik and Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III, who prosecuted the federal case.
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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Alabama Man Sentenced for Threatening Fulton County Sheriff and District AttorneyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Arthur Ray Hanson, II has been sentenced to federal prison for transmitting interstate threats to injure Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis because of their connections to the Fulton County, Georgia investigation and prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
“Public servants have a responsibility to enforce our criminal laws, and anyone who threatens to harm or intimidate them will face the consequences of their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners who diligently worked to ensure public officials are free to perform their essential work without the threat of physical attack.”
“Threats against public servants are not only illegal, but also a threat against our democratic process,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution. We take this responsibility very seriously and seek to punish those who engage in this type of criminal behavior, and to send the message that such conduct will not be tolerated.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: On August 6, 2023, Hanson called the Fulton County Government customer service line twice and left two voicemails—the first for Sheriff Labat and the second for District Attorney Willis. During both calls, Hanson threatened violence against these officials.
In his message for Sheriff Labat, Hanson made statements that included the following:
- “If you think you gonna take a mugshot of my President Trump and it’s gonna be okay, you gonna find out that after you take that mugshot, some bad [expletive]’s gonna happen to you;”
- “If you take a mugshot of the President and you’re the reason it happened, some bad [expletive]’s gonna happen to you;”
- “I’m warning you right now before you [expletive] up your life and get hurt real bad;” and
- “Whether you got a [expletive] badge or not ain’t gonna help you none;” and “you gonna get [expletive]ed up you keep [expletive]ing with my President.”
In Hanson’s message for District Attorney Willis, he made statements that included the following:
- “Watch it when you’re going to the car at night, when you’re going into your house, watch everywhere that you’re going;”
- “I would be very afraid if I were you because you can’t be around people all the time that are going to protect you;”
- “There’s gonna be moments when you’re gonna be vulnerable;”
- “When you charge Trump on that fourth indictment, anytime you’re alone, be looking over your shoulder;” and
- “What you put out there, [expletive], comes back at you ten times harder, and don’t ever forget it.”
Arthur Ray Hanson, II, 59, of Huntsville, Alabama, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to one year, nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $7,500 fine. Hanson was convicted on these charges on July 3, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting interstate threats.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
2nd Georgia Man Sentenced for Role in Stolen Check SchemeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Atlanta, Georgia man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland this week for conspiring to commit bank fraud.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Rasheed Colbert, 33, to 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $69,744 in restitution. Colbert pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024.
According to court records, in March 2022, Colbert and coconspirators stole checks out of the mailboxes of local businesses then used the stolen checks to create counterfeit checks. The counterfeit checks were made payable to unhoused individuals Colbert and others recruited to cash them. Colbert and his coconspirators netted just under $70,000 from the cashed counterfeit checks.
Coconspirator Mantavious Jones, 36, also of Atlanta, received a 16-month prison sentence for his role in the scheme to be followed by three years of supervised release.
The New England Cyber Fraud Task Force and Kennebunk Police Department investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Saco and Scarborough police departments.
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10 people charged in Alaska drug trafficking ringRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska announced today that 10 people have been charged through three indictments in connection with a drug trafficking organization operating in Anchorage.
According to court documents, Rodney Godwin, 50, is allegedly the leader of a drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking kilograms of controlled substances in Alaska. From April 2023 to May 2024, Godwin allegedly conspired with at least nine other people to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and other controlled substances in Alaska.
Court documents allege that members of the organization used firearms during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes. On Nov. 13, 2023, Jeremy Nichols, 40, allegedly possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On May 31, 2024, Reigna Archuleta, 39, also allegedly carried or used a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to a detention memo, Archuleta allegedly attempted to body smuggle roughly $21,000 in cash through the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport while traveling to Seattle with Godwin. The cash was seized at security.
Court documents also allege that Godwin and Miles Apatiki, 37, conspired to launder money as part of the enterprise.
In total, law enforcement has seized approximately 3.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.6 kilograms of cocaine, 1.3 kilograms of heroin and tens of kilograms of assorted other controlled substances allegedly connected to this drug trafficking organization.
Defendants in these cases include:
- Rodney Godwin, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, Godwin faces up to life in prison.
- Calvin Oktollik, 37, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. If convicted, Oktollik faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Miles Apatiki, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, Apatiki faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Jennifer Godwin, 40, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. If convicted, Godwin faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Andrew Akulaw, 41, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Akulaw faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Reigna Archuleta, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one count of carrying firearms during a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Archuleta faces up to 20 years in prison.
- David Henry, 50, of Palmer, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Henry faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Page Peak, 25, of Sterling, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Peak faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Corabelle Bolden, 55, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Bolden faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Jeremy Nichols, of Black Diamond, Washington, is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relations to a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Nichols faces up to 20 years in prison.
The defendants were arrested and made their initial court appearances over the last five months before U.S. Magistrate Judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile, IRS Criminal Investigation, Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Tirpak is prosecuting the case.
Case numbers:
United States v. Godwin et al.: 3:24-cr-00049
United States v. Nichols: 3:24-cr-00061
United States v. Bolden: 3:24-cr-00085
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
UPDATE: This release has been updated to include IRS Criminal Investigation, the Alaska State Troopers and the Anchorage Police Department as investigating agencies.
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Monday 28 October 2024
Winston-Salem Man Involved in Two Car Chases SentencedRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Winston-Salem, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Greensboro to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to two firearm charges, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
AMARI JAQUEZ HAIRSTON, age 21, was sentenced to consecutive sentences of 60 months imprisonment (Count Two) and 84 months imprisonment (Count Six), plus 5 years supervised release, by the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, HAIRSTON was ordered to forfeit two Glock handguns, two machine gun conversion devices, extended magazines, and multiple rounds of ammunition.
HAIRSTON pleaded guilty on August 7, 2024, to two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court records, the charges against HAIRSTON relate to two separate incidents:
On July 15, 2022, Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD) officers looking for a suspect in a gang-related shooting attempted to stop a black Honda carrying four people. The driver fled, traveling at extremely high speeds on Silas Creek Parkway and weaving in and out of traffic During the chase, pursuing officers saw HAIRSTON, who was a passenger in the back seat, throw drugs and guns from the left rear passenger window. WSPD officers and Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputies stopped and located items HAIRSTON threw from the black Honda while others continued the pursuit. The Honda was intentionally bumped by a FCSO deputy on Reynolda Road and wrecked. Items that HAIRSTON threw from the Honda included two Glock handguns, a large capacity magazine, ammunition, a baggie containing 5.8 grams of fentanyl, and approximately 340 grams of marijuana.
On October 11, 2023, WSPD officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a blue Dodge Charger traveling north on Polo Road at a high rate of speed. The driver of the Charger fled and, while attempting to evade the police vehicle, crossed the double yellow line and collided with a tractor trailer heading west on Akron Drive. After the wreck, the driver, later identified as HAIRSTON, fled on foot. The Dodge Charger HAIRSTON was operating was stolen from Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 3, 2023. At the time of the theft, the vehicle contained three firearms, none of which have been recovered. In a search of the stolen Charger, officers located HAIRSTON’s North Carolina ID, a Glock handgun and a Machine Gun Conversion Device or “switch,” approximately 50 grams of marijuana packaged in individual baggies, a scale, 15 pills and several pill fragments containing fentanyl, and other controlled substances.
The case was investigated by the Winston-Salem Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Robert A. J. Lang.
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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Waterbury Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempted Drug Robbery in BridgeportRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KAREEM PORTER, also known as “Reem,” 24, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in an attempted drug robbery in Bridgeport.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2023, Porter, Andy Marte, and Tyrone Allen drove to a Bridgeport apartment building where they intended to carry out a robbery at an apartment in which they believed they would find drugs and drug proceeds. Marte instructed Porter and Allen, who had a crowbar, to carry out the robbery while Marte remained in the car and to serve as a getaway driver. After failing to enter the apartment, Marte contacted Jermaine Bethel, who arrived to participate in the robbery. Porter, Allen, and Bethel tried again to enter the apartment, but failed, and then returned to the vehicle where they were encountered by law enforcement. Officers searched the vehicle and its occupants and seized two handguns, which Marte had brought to the robbery, and the crowbar.
On April 4, 2024, Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery.
Porter, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 6, 2025.
Marte, Allen, and Bethel pleaded guilty to the same charge and await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen Peck.
United States Obtains $400,000 Judgement against Oklahoma Physician for Issuing Invalid Prescription for Schedule II Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A judgment for $400,000 has been entered against CHRISTOPHER BRADSHAW, D.O. (“Dr. Bradshaw”) in a civil lawsuit for issuing invalid prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances in violation of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (“Act”) and its regulations, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
During the relevant time, Dr. Bradshaw was licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners to practice medicine in the State of Oklahoma. Dr. Bradshaw also was a DEA registrant having a registered address in Oklahoma City, OK.
Schedule II controlled substances are those with a high potential for abuse that may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence and that have a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. The Schedule II substances at issue in this lawsuit were Adderall® (amphetamine mixed salts), Vyvanse® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate), and Norco® (hydrocodone, bitartrate, and acetaminophen).
To be valid under the Act, a prescription for Schedule II controlled substances must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his or her professional practice. In the State of Oklahoma:
- Osteopathic physicians cannot sign blank prescription forms;
- Osteopathic physicians may not dispense, prescribe, administer, or otherwise distribute any drug, controlled substance, or other treatment without sufficient examination or the establishment of a physician/patient relationship; and
- Osteopathic physicians may not issue a prescription for a controlled substance without documentation, diagnosis, and physical exam.
From March 29, 2019, to May 4, 2020, Dr. Bradshaw issued sixteen prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances without documentation, physical exam, or the establishment of a physician-patient relationship with the recipients. This unprofessional conduct was outside the course of usual professional practice and violated federal and Oklahoma law.
On October 17, 2024, United States District Judge Jodi W. Dishman entered a default judgment in favor of the United States and directed Dr. Bradshaw to pay civil penalties in the amount of $400,000, which represents a $25,000 penalty for each of the sixteen violations of the Act. In determining the appropriate penalty amount, the Court considered a number of factors, including the egregiousness of Dr. Bradshaw’s conduct, the risks associated with Schedule II controlled substances, the potential for public harm, and the need for meaningful deterrence against future infractions.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda R. Johnson and Ronald R. Gallegos prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney's Office Announces District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—United States Attorney Natalie Wight announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Ethan Knight will lead the efforts of this office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.
AUSA Ethan Knight, Cyber and National Security Unit Chief, has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Oregon, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
“The Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process,” said Natalie Wight, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Justice Department has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation on Election Day, threats of violence directed at election officials and workers, and election fraud. The department will address these violations wherever they occur. The department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.
The FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. To report allegations, contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or www.tips.fbi.gov.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
If you have questions about the Justice Department’s Election Day Program in Oregon or need assistance directing election-related complaints to the proper authorities, District Election Officer Knight can be reached by calling (503) 727-1000.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Navy Reserve Officer Sentenced for Bribery Scheme Involving Department of State’s Approval Process for Special Immigrant VisasRead the Press Release
A U.S. Navy Reserve Commander from Florida was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his role in a years-long bribery scheme involving Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghan nationals.
According to court documents and evidence submitted at trial, Jeromy Pittmann, 53, of Pensacola, accepted bribe payments from Afghan nationals in exchange for drafting, submitting, and verifying fraudulent letters of recommendation for Afghan nationals who applied for SIVs with the U.S. Department of State. Since 2009, Congress has authorized the State Department to offer a limited number of SIVs to enter the United States for Afghan nationals who were employed as translators for U.S. military personnel. Pittmann signed over 20 letters in which he fraudulently represented that he personally knew and had supervised the Afghan national visa applicants while they worked as translators in support of the U.S. military and NATO; that the applicants’ lives were in jeopardy because the Taliban considered them to be traitors; and that, based on his personal knowledge of the applicants, he believed they did not pose any threat to the national security of the United States. In truth, Pittmann did not know the applicants and had no basis for recommending them for SIVs. In exchange for the fraudulent letters, Pittmann received several thousands of dollars in bribes. To avoid detection, Pittmann received the bribe money through an intermediary and created false invoices purporting to show that Pittmann was receiving the money for legitimate work unrelated to his military service.
On July 12, Pittmann was convicted by a jury in the District of New Hampshire after a four-day trial of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, making a materially false writing, and conspiring to commit money laundering.
“By protecting Afghan nationals who risk their personal safety to help the U.S. government, the SIV program is essential for the security of U.S. military and diplomatic personnel in Afghanistan,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Jeromy Pittmann, however, used his position of authority over the program to benefit foreign nationals who paid him bribes, falsely asserting that they had served the United States. Today’s sentence demonstrates that the Justice Department has zero tolerance for those who place their self-interest ahead of our national security.”
“This case shows how someone betrayed his sacred oath of office to commit crimes for personal gain, with no regard for how his actions could threaten U.S. homeland security and harm Afghans, who risked their lives to help the United States,” said Inspector General John F. Sopko of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). “It also shows how a U.S. Government investigation — from initial tip to prosecution to conviction — can hold individuals accountable for their crimes. I’m proud of SIGAR special agents and our investigative partners who brought Pittmann to justice, and I hope their hard work will deter others from pursuing similar acts.”
“Pittmann’s participation in this bribery scheme not only jeopardized the integrity of the SIV program, which protects our allies, but also introduced significant security risks to our nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners will continue to hold accountable those who exploit government processes for personal gain, ensuring that the safety of the public and our warfighters is preserved.”
“Pittmann deliberately chose self-enrichment over service when he violated federal law in his lengthy bribery scheme. He also compromised the integrity of the Afghan SIV system which is intended for those who faithfully performed activities while working for, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Afghanistan,” said Inspector General Robert P. Storch of the Department of Defense. “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), in collaboration with its law enforcement partners, is resolved to help bring to justice those who abuse their public office for personal gain.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is firmly committed to protecting the integrity of all U.S. visas and travel documents,” said Deputy Assistant Director Greg Batman of DSS. “This case is the result of a strong partnership among federal law enforcement agencies and DSS’ global network of special agents working together to stop visa and passport crimes, and to stop criminals from earning illegal income by exploiting U.S. visas, passports, and foreign nationals.”
SIGAR, NCIS, DCIS, and DSS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Theodore M. Kneller of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA Announce Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task ForceRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge, Jarod Forget, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, announced that their agencies have formed the Maryland Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force (“MFFOTF”).
The alarming rate of overdoses in Maryland has continued, resulting in more than 2,000 deaths from July 2023 through June 2024 – more than 1,600 were fentanyl related.
“This problem demands a reinvigorated, unified response throughout Maryland,” said Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “Devastated communities and families are urging us to do more, especially more education and intervention to prevent the needless loss of life.”
According to the DEA, fentanyl has reached every corner of Maryland. It is cheaper and more readily available than ever before.
The Maryland Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force is a joint local, state, and federal task force consisting of sworn law-enforcement members from agencies throughout Maryland. Led and coordinated by DEA’s Washington Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, task force participants remain with their departments conducting their normal duties and will serve on the task force as a collateral duty when needed. The goal of task force is to raise awareness and increase the number of prosecutable overdose-death cases through proper evidence collection and preservation, while also conducting community outreach to educate vulnerable communities throughout Maryland.
“The threat to our national security posed by illicit drugs extends beyond traditional challenges and directly impacts public health and safety. Every day, the DEA — alongside its local, state, and federal partners — works to preserve the safety and health of our citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Forget. “As you can see, we recognize that it is essential to direct our resources to the most affected communities. This initiative is a clear example of our collective response to disrupt and dismantle criminal drug trafficking networks, both domestic and abroad, and provide training, operational resources, and engage directly with the communities to talk about drug prevention, fentanyl, and how only ‘One Pill Can Kill’.”
As of October 2024, MFFOTF is comprised of 17 state, local, and federal law-enforcement offices:
- Anne Arundel County Police Department
- Baltimore Police Department
- Baltimore County Police Department
- Calvert County Sheriff’s Office
- Cecil County Sheriff’s Office
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Frederick City Police Department
- Hagerstown Police Department
- Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
- Montgomery County Police Department
- Ocean City Police Department
- Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff
- St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office
- U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland
- Washington County Sheriff’s Department
- Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department
- Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program
As part of this work, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA created the following: a Public Service Announcement, a training for first-responding law enforcement arriving to an overdose crime scene, and a training for community education and outreach. As part of community outreach efforts, members of the task force have already delivered presentations on the dangers of fentanyl to more than 200 senior citizens across the state, including in Salisbury, Elkton, Hagerstown, Denton, and Prince Frederick.
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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U.S. Attorney Appoints Election Officer for the Eastern District of KentuckyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – United States Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Kate Smith will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Smith has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Kentucky and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Shier said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Shier stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Smith will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 859-685-4884.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (502) 263-6000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Shier said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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