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19 November 2024
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced for Stabbing Brother on Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on November 18, 2024.
Jadan Poor Bear, 31, was sentenced to one year and eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Poor Bear’s prison sentence is to be served consecutively to a sentence he received for another assault Poor Bear committed on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
A federal grand jury indicted Poor Bear for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in March of 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 27, 2024.
On March 23, 2023, Poor Bear used a knife to stab his brother in the upper chest and shoulder, after an argument. The brother suffered serious injury, including a pneumothorax of his chest and intra-abdominal bleeding. He was life-flighted by helicopter to a hospital in Rapid City, where he underwent surgery to repair his injuries.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court, rather than State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Poor Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Patrick Dwyane Murphy Resentenced to Life in Prison for 1999 Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Patrick Dwayne Murphy, age 52, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for second degree murder in Indian country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On August 5, 2021, Murphy was found guilty by a federal jury at trial of Murder – Second Degree in Indian Country, Murder in Indian Country in Perpetration of Kidnapping, and Kidnapping Resulting in Death. According to investigators, Murphy and two others attacked the victim in rural McIntosh County. Murphy stabbed, mutilated, and killed the victim with a knife. The crimes occurred in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, and in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
On May 10, 2022, Murphy was sentenced to life on all three charges. In May 2024, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the kidnapping convictions and remanded the case for resentencing on the second degree murder conviction.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District U.S. Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the resentencing hearing. Murphy will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarrod Leaman represented the United States.
Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Orleans man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to child pornography offenses.
Anthony Argo, 34, pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Feb. 25, 2025. Argo was arrested and charged in July 2024.
Argo was identified as the user of a chat application who was expressing sexual interest in minors and sharing CSAM. During a search of his residence, Argo was found in possession of an SD card and multiple USB drives, together containing more than 600 images depicting child pornography. The files depicted children as young as infants.
Argo was previously convicted in Barnstable District Court for indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, and in Orleans District Court for kidnapping, enticement of a child under 16, and distributing obscene matter to a minor.
Due to Argo’s prior convictions, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by HSI Frederick Maryland and the Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Oklahoma City Resident Pleads Guilty to Making A False Statement During the Acquisition of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tamarion Dejhun Adamson, age 30, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm.
According to investigators, on July 22, 2024, Adamson attempted to purchase a firearm from Sulphur Pawn in Sulphur, Oklahoma. During that visit, Adamson intentionally made a false written statement on the ATF Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 asserting he was not currently charged with a felony information or indictment. In reality, Adamson faced pending felonies in Oklahoma County at the time of the visit.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Adamson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 40 Years in Federal Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MICHAEL RIOS, 43, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 480 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum, for possession and distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On April 3, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment against Rios, charging him with sexual exploitation of children and possession and distribution of child pornography. According to public record, an FBI agent accessed an online encrypted messaging service, where they encountered a profile that had shared child pornography between January 8 and 9, 2024. The FBI linked the profile to Rios, and after executing a court authorized federal search warrant, agents discovered a large library of child pornography on Rios’s digital devices, and he was arrested.
At the time of his arrest, Rios was on bond pending trial in Oklahoma County District Court, where he’s charged with manufacturing child porn and possession of obscene material involving the participation of a minor under the age of 18 in case number CF-2022-5095. Rios was accused of recording a minor, without their knowledge, while the minor showered in the bathroom of his home in 2019.
On June 3, 2024, Rios pleaded guilty to Counts 2 & 3 of the Indictment and admitted he possessed and distributed child pornography.
At the sentencing hearing on November 18, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Rios to serve 40 years in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the disturbing and demented nature of Rios’ conduct and the danger he presented to the public.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
OCDETF Investigation Results in Convictions of Six Defendants for Nearly 100 Combined Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – An Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) case in Monroe has resulted in the convictions and sentencings of six defendants to nearly 100 years (1,200 months) in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced the six defendants as follows:
Laneython T. Ignont, 29, of Monroe, was sentenced to 360 months (30 years) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms during a drug trafficking offense.
Jamichael D. Ignont, 29, of Monroe, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin.
Donterrian M. Lavender, 31, was sentenced to 210 months (17 ½ years) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Jamarcus G. Jackson, 31, was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Shawn M. Stansbury, 51, was sentenced to 100 months (8 years, 4 months) in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
Beginning in 2021, narcotics agents learned that Laneython Ignont, a.k.a. “Bandz,” was leading a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in the Monroe area. In 2022, agents were granted wiretaps to intercept and record phone calls and text messages made to and from Laneython Ignont’s cell phone. These wiretapped conversations showed Laneython Ignont and his co-defendants discussing and coordinating drug transactions. For example, using this wiretap information, on December 7, 2022, agents stopped Laneython Ignont and Donterrian Lavender as they were attempting to fly from the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (“DFW”) to Los Angeles International Airport to buy drugs. Agents seized from inside one of their suitcases more than $53,000 cash.
On December 13, 2022, and February 28, 2023, agents executed search warrants on multiple Monroe area homes associated with the co-defendants in this case. In total, agents seized approximately 25 pounds of pure methamphetamine, 7 pounds of heroin, and 9 guns from these homes. In particular, agents seized from Laneython Ignont’s home, where he was arrested, approximately 20 pounds of pure methamphetamine, approximately 5 pounds of heroin, 2 semiautomatic handguns, and 2 cars used to traffic drugs. In a separate home, agents located Laneython Ignont’s hidden safe which contained more than $10,000 cash and approximately $262,000 worth of jewelry, including gold and silver necklaces with diamond pendants in the shape of “Hella Bandz” and “HB.”
Another defendant, Joshua Bosley, 36, of Monroe, was indicted separately but also in connection with this OCDETF investigation. He was charged and pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 110 months (9 years, 2 months) in prison.
“The boldness displayed by these defendants in their determination to distribute dangerous narcotics such as heroin and methamphetamine in the southern Monroe area was astounding,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “They were brazen enough to attempt to smuggle these drugs through their luggage at the airports in Los Angeles and Dallas but were not successful. The result of this OCDETF investigation is the product of cooperation between many law enforcement agencies, both in Monroe and Dallas. These convictions should send a message to other drug traffickers that this office and the law enforcement agents in the Western District of Louisiana will exude great patience in the pursuit of justice and keeping our communities safe.”
This case was investigated by members of the DEA, FBI, ATF, HSI, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, Monroe Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and the DFW Airport Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Shannon.
The investigation and conviction of these defendants is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Nineteen-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Luis Enrique Rosado (29, Orlando) to 27 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Rosado to forfeit the firearms that were seized from him on the date of his arrest. Rosado entered a guilty plea on July 1, 2024.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2023, Rosado was pulled over after committing multiple traffic violations in Orlando, Florida. When the Orlando Police Department (OPD) officer approached the vehicle and spoke with Rosado, Rosado denied that there were any firearms in the vehicle. However, when Rosado reached for the vehicle’s registration, the OPD officer observed a black rifle sticking up by the front passenger seat of the vehicle. After observing the visible firearm in the vehicle and learning that Rosado was a nineteen-time convicted felon, he was detained, and the vehicle was searched to secure the firearm. During the search, OPD officers located a rifle and shotgun between the front seat and middle console, as well as a pistol in the glove compartment of the front passenger seat, and various ammunition throughout the vehicle.
Rosado was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including grand theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and over a dozen burglaries of a conveyance. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
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.
Niagara Falls Crips member sentenced on drug chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Pryor, 27, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine, and distribution of fentanyl within 1,000 feet of public housing property, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that between June and October 21, 2022, Pryor conspired with co-defendants Shawn Pryor, Cameron Lee, and others to sell cocaine. Pryor, Shawn Pryor, and Cameron Lee, identified as members/associates of the Crips Gang, assisted each other with the distribution of narcotics by selling drugs to one another when one of them needed some drugs to sell to a customer. In addition, on October 7, 2022, Michael Pryor sold fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer within 1,000 feet of the Anthony Spallina Towers, a housing facility owned by the Niagara Falls Municipal Housing Authority, a public housing authority. He also sold cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl to the undercover officer and an individual working with law enforcement during the course of the conspiracy.
On October 16, 2022, in furtherance of the conspiracy, Pryor, Shawn Pryor, and another individual drove to a convenient store on Ashland Avenue in Niagara Falls and beat up a rival drug dealer, who was selling drugs in their area. They later chased the victim into the convenience store before leaving the area. The victim was treated for a laceration to his right hand and a chip fracture of a wrist bone.
Shawn Pryor and Cameron Lee were previously convicted.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Niagara Falls Police Department, Superintendent Nick Ligammari, and the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti.
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Newport Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—John Balentine, a multi-convicted felon, will spend 188 months in federal prison after illegally possessing a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Monday, November 18, 2024, by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
Balentine, 34, of Newport, Arkansas, was indicted on December 7, 2022, in a superseding indictment on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on May 24, 2024. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Balentine to five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) revealed that on February 18, 2020, officers from the Newport Police Department and Arkansas Community Correction responded to Balentine’s residence due to reports that he was in possession of a firearm. At the time, Balentine was on active supervision with a search waiver on file. During a search of his bedroom, officers located a Colt, .38 caliber firearm loaded with six rounds between Balentine’s mattresses.
Balentine is classified as an armed career criminal offender due to his violent criminal history, which includes convictions for four residential burglaries, a robbery, and a terroristic act. Due to this history, Balentine faced at least 15 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF with assistance from the Newport Police Department and Arkansas Community Correction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katie Hinojosa.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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Nebraska Man Indicted and Detained for Kidnapping South Dakota MinorRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Bellevue, Nebraska, man has been arraigned on charges of Kidnapping, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, and Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
On November 7, 2024, a federal grand jury issued an Indictment of Sean Carlos Payne, age 33. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on November 18, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the Indictment. Payne was originally charged by Criminal Complaint on October 21, 2024, after he was arrested near Rawlins, Wyoming. There, Payne fled a traffic stop and fled Wyoming law enforcement officers at high speeds, with the minor in his vehicle. Payne is alleged to have used various internet-based applications and chat platforms to communicate with the minor prior to October 20, 2024. He is also alleged to have solicited sexually explicit images of her and sexually abused her before crossing state lines with her to engage in further illegal sex with her.
Payne has an extensive multi-state criminal history, including an Iowa conviction from June 2024, for attempted enticement of a minor. He also has been charged in Nebraska with aggravated assault, domestic violence, and terroristic threats.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for kidnapping is a mandatory minimum of 20 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges are merely accusations and Payne is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the Meade County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Rawlins Wyoming Police Department, and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox is prosecuting the case.
At his arraignment, Payne consented to detention and was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Naples Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – United States District Judge Sheri P. Chappell has sentenced Heidi Torres-Moncaleano (45, Naples) to one year and one day in federal prison for aiding in the preparation of numerous false and fraudulent income tax returns. Torres-Moncaleano was also sentenced to a one-year term of supervised release with a condition that she pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $429,888. Torres-Moncaleano entered a guilty plea on April 17, 2024.
According to court documents, from 2018 through 2021, Torres-Moncaleano, through her business “Torres Tax Services,” submitted fraudulent tax returns and Schedule C forms to the IRS. She inflated her clients’ personal and business losses to generate larger tax refunds. The actual tax loss to the IRS exceeded $847,000.
“A return preparer who artificially and illegally inflates your tax return is doing you no favors,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Their greed and desire to prop up their business could leave you responsible for all that extra money you receive but which you are not entitled to.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
Monroe Jury Finds Drug Trafficker Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – A federal jury in the Monroe Division of the Western District of Louisiana has returned a guilty verdict against Derrick Long a/k/a “Deelong,” 44, of Monroe, for drug trafficking, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided over the two-day trial.
Long was charged in an indictment in August 2024, along with six other co-defendants, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine. According to evidence presented at trial, Long conspired with James Ard, Trentin Demond Parks, and Brandon Wright from January 2023 and continuing through July 2023 to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the Monroe area.
Law enforcement agents began an investigation into the suspected drug trafficking activities of these men and conducted a number of narcotics buys from Long and Ard. Evidence at trial showed that Ard directed their source to call Long wherein they discussed the sale and purchase of methamphetamine. Agents obtained approval to conduct wiretap surveillance of Ard’s cellular phone and were able to intercept phone calls between Long and his co-defendants discussing large amounts of pills that they needed to obtain to sell, the distribution and transportation from Texas to Monroe to obtain the narcotics, and how much it would cost to get them and what profit they would make. Long was present with Ard and other co-defendants during drug transactions that took place at Ard’s residence. Through their investigation, agents were able to arrest the defendants for their involvement in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Long faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. All of the other defendants in this case have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in January and February 2025.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Monroe Police Department and Metro Narcotics Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Samuel Crichton.
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Modesto Methamphetamine and Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lupe Aime Busio-Valencia, 43, of Modesto, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to five years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Busio-Valencia and co-defendant Jose Garcia Herrera, 63, of Modesto, were arrested on July 22, 2020, while attempting to deliver 10 pounds of methamphetamine and 3 kilograms of heroin to a drug customer. The drug were concealed within a hidden compartment underneath the driver’s seat.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Stokman and Justin Lee prosecuted the case.
Garcia Herrera failed to appear for a prior court appearance and is currently a fugitive from justice. The pending charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty to Felony Assault ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathaniel Dewayne Meashintubby, age 41, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of felony assault.
The Indictment alleged that on March 10, 2024, Meashintubby suffocated or attempted to suffocate an intimate or dating partner.
The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Meashintubby will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Manchester Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester woman was sentenced in federal court for her role in a drug trafficking organization selling drugs in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Maria Camacho, age 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 24 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In May 2024, Camacho pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. She is the seventh of 21 charged defendants in the drug trafficking organization to be sentenced.
“The defendant was an operative in a large Massachusetts-based drug trafficking that was supplying drugs here in New Hampshire, fueling the opioid crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The defendant is now facing the consequences of her actions thanks to the coordinated efforts of federal agencies and local law enforcement.”
“Despite having an alternate source of income, Marie Camacho had no shame about dealing deadly poison in New Hampshire on behalf of a large Massachusetts – based drug trafficking organization,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s sentence holds this drug trafficker accountable for the harm she’s inflicted on both her customers and community. The FBI would like to thank our law enforcement partners for working with us to disrupt sprawling drug trafficking organizations like this one in order to make our streets safer.”
“Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison in order to profit and destroy lives,” said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, New England Field Division. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities so every time we take drugs like fentanyl and cocaine off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, county and state law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The defendant was part of a Massachusetts-based drug trafficking organization that was distributing significant quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in New Hampshire, primarily in Manchester. The organization used a dispatch operation to sell drugs. Customers called a phone line to purchase narcotics and would speak to a dispatcher who would put the defendant in touch with the customer to complete the drug sale. The defendant or her associate would then arrange a meeting place for the drug transaction.
On September 13, 2022, the defendant, working with coconspirators, sold approximately 10 grams of fentanyl, and another 10 grams of fentanyl on October 6, 2022. On both occasions, the defendant met the customer at an agreed-upon location in Manchester, picked the customer up in a car she was driving, and exchanged fentanyl for money inside of the car.
On November 8, 2022, law enforcement stopped the defendant’s car for a traffic violation. Law enforcement officers executing a subsequent search of the defendant’s car seized $5,610 and roughly 280 grams of fentanyl, 68 grams of crack cocaine, and 24 grams of powder cocaine in a hidden compartment inside the vehicle. Most of the drugs were stored in plastic bags for distribution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Gingrande and Jarad Hodes are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Manager and Enforcer of Queens-Based Sex Trafficking Ring Convicted of Felony Charges Including Assault In-Aid-Of Racketeering and Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Brooklyn yesterday returned guilty verdicts on all counts against Siyang Chen and Yichu Chen in connection with their roles in a Queens-based sex trafficking and prostitution ring. The jury convicted Siyang Chen of sex trafficking conspiracy, several assaults in-aid-of racketeering and Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy. The jury convicted Yichu Chen of the robbery and assault of a sex worker in Centreville, Virginia on September 15, 2020. The verdict followed a month-long trial before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. Prior to the trial, on September 27, 2024, Siyang Chen pleaded guilty to nine counts in the superseding indictment, including racketeering conspiracy and assaults in-aid-of racketeering, and, during trial, on October 22, 2024, to an additional count of assault in-aid-of racketeering. With this verdict Siyang Chen has now been convicted on all counts in the superseding indictment with which he was charged. When sentenced, Siyang Chen faces up to life in prison and Yichu Chen faces up to 20 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.
“The trial evidence provided a behind-the-scenes view of the horrific machinations of a sex trafficking organization in all its inhumanity and violence motivated by greed,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This verdict is a victory for justice and for the victims who were subjected to brutal beatings and degrading treatment at the hands of the defendants. My Office will stand by the brave victims who assisted prosecutors and law enforcement in holding the perpetrators accountable.”
Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, the Oklahoma City and Manchester field offices of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In addition, local police departments across the United States provided invaluable assistance, including the Beaverton (Oregon) Police Department, the Michigan State Police, the Missouri Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) Police Department, the Omaha (Nebraska) Police Department, the Overland Park (Kansas) Police Department, the Portland (Oregon) Police Department, the Southfield (Michigan) Police Department and the Troy (Michigan) Police Department.
“For three years, Siyang Chen managed a national sex trafficking operation designed to establish a monopoly over their victimized workers through organized attacks, effected by Yichu Chen, among others, to terrorize potential defectors and competitors. This ruthless enterprise ordered brutal assaults with physical restraints and various blunt instruments to maintain its tyrannical control. May this conviction emphasize the FBI’s intolerance of the systemic use of violence and serve as a deterrent to those who employ such horrific measures to increase profits,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
“This verdict delivers a modicum of justice to the courageous survivors who endured unconscionable treatment at the hands of these men, who have now been convicted of operating a brutal interstate sex trafficking and prostitution enterprise,” stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon. “The NYPD, along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those who seek to profit from the abuse and exploitation of others.”As proven at trial, between April 2019 and September 2021, defendant Siyang Chen helped lead a nationwide prostitution business that trafficked women. Members of the organization directed and carried out violent attacks on commercial sex workers to protect the enterprise’s turf and deter the victims from working for rival organizations or independently. Siyang Chen was a manager of the criminal enterprise, who advised the organization on strategies to improve profits, including by using violence—and specifically, by targeting and attacking sex workers. The victims of the organization were subjected to extreme brutality. Evidence admitted at trial demonstrated that members of the organization zip-tied the victims’ hands and viciously beat them with breaker bars, hammers, wrenches, and other blunt objects, leaving the victims bloody, terrified, and, in many cases, seriously injured.
Siyang Chen planned and participated in robberies and assaults across several states. WeChat messages shared among members of the ring graphically depicted violence that occurred during the assaults. Videos of the assaults were circulated to senior members of the enterprise to show that the beatings were sufficiently severe and to sex workers to cultivate an atmosphere of fear. The videos showed victims screaming, struggling while they were bound, bleeding and being beaten with hammers and other blunt weapons. Siyang Chen commented in a message about a planned attack: “beat to the death [] at least 4 fractures ... Tell the girl not allowed back will hit again coming back.” He made clear that his message to sex workers was, “Fuck off if you don’t want to die.”
Yichu Chen was part of the organization’s “hit team.” Specifically, acting at Siyan Chen’s direction, Yichu Chen was recruited to beat a woman who was engaging in commercial sex work for a rival prostitution business at a location in Centreville, Virginia. Siyang Chen instructed Yichu Chen how to zip-tie the woman’s wrists behind her back and, subsequently, Yichu Chen beat her with a metal breaker bar. Yichu Chen robbed the victim of money and a cell phone. Members of the organization paid Yichu Chen an additional $400 for carrying out the attack, which a member of the organization contemporaneously described as a “super severe” beating.
Ten co-defendants charged in the superseding indictment have pleaded guilty to various charges for their roles in the organization, including its boss and Siyang Chen’s wife, Rong Rong Xu, and are currently awaiting sentencing. Four others that committed crimes at the enterprise’s direction have been convicted in related cases and are awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs and Civil Rights Sections. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Galeotti, Sophia M. Suarez and Stephanie Pak are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Anna November.
The Defendants:
SIYANG CHEN
Age: 35
Queens, New YorkYICHU CHEN (also known as “Ban Ban”)
Age: 22
Queens, New York
Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:RONG RONG XU (also known as “Eleanor”)
Age: 31
Queens, New YorkYUAN YUAN CHEN
Age: 31
Queens, New YorkBO JIANG
Age: 29
Queens, New York
MEIZHEN SONG (also known as “Die Die”)
Age: 25
Dallas, Texas
JIARUN YAN (also known as “Raymond Yan” and “Mike”)
Age: 31
Queens, New YorkJILONG YU
Age: 26
Dallas, Texas
CARLOS CURY
Age: 43
Queens, New YorkZERONG TANG
Age: 26
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 22-CR-158 (S-1) (ENV)
Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Death Resulting from Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis County man to 15 years in prison after finding by a preponderance of the evidence that he used an illegally-acquired pistol to kill his pregnant girlfriend in 2017.
Darius Carter, 30, was found guilty after a three-day trial in May of two felony counts: aiding and abetting the making of false statements in the straw purchase of a firearm and conspiracy to make false statements in the straw purchase of firearm.
Witness testimony and evidence showed that Carter enlisted the help of his mother, Lynn Hooks, and his friend, Dakota Carr, to buy a gun for himself and one for his girlfriend from Piazza Jewelry and Pawn on July 14, 2017. Carter was on probation at the time and was forbidden from possessing a firearm. Carr was an employee at the pawn shop, and he, Hooks and Carter conspired to have Hooks buy the guns to get around a background check requirement and the fact that Mason was underage.
They purchased a Heckler & Koch model VP9 9mm for Carter and a .380 caliber Glock pistol for his girlfriend, Sarah Mason.
Mason, who was 20 years old and about eight months pregnant, was fatally shot in the back of the head on Oct. 31, 2017. Her daughter, Milanie, also died.
During Tuesday’s hearing, evidence and testimony showed that Carter and Mason had engaged in a series of arguments about Carter’s infidelity, and he was angry with her for going through his phone. She told her mother that she was moving out of the home she shared with Carter. After work that day, evidence showed Carter travelled to the area of their home in St. John, Missouri, then left. When he returned, he was missing his jacket. His prized pistol was also missing. That gun is consistent with the firearm used to murder Mason. A neighbor testified that Carter was howling and bellowing in distress when he discovered Mason’s body but showed no tears or other evidence that his emotion was real. Carter also has a history of abusive and controlling behavior toward women, according to court testimony.
Judge Autrey said in court that the evidence presented Tuesday was “analogous to first-degree murder.”
The 15-year sentence, consisting of 10 years for the false statement count and five years for the conspiracy count, is the maximum for each crime.
Hooks, 60, and Carr, 32, were sentenced to probation.
Both Hooks and Carr pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the making of false statements in the straw purchase of a firearm and conspiracy to make false statements in the straw purchase of firearm. They admitted that Hooks lied on a form and falsely claimed to be the guns’ buyer. Carr processed that form, knowing that it contained false statements and later bought an accessory for Carter’s gun using his employee discount.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. John Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Reilly and Nino Przulj prosecuted the case.
Louisville Man Sentenced to over 16 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced this week to 16 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphreys of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, on November 18, 2024, Reginald Brown, 38, was sentenced to 16 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 6 years supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
Brown was convicted following a five-day jury trial in August of this year. Brown’s codefendants plead guilty and were previously sentenced.
On January 11, 2024, Clarence Stott, 43, of Louisville, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison, followed by 6 years supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
On December 18, 2023, Axel Diaz Hernandez, 24, of Virginia, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 4 years supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA and the Louisville Metro Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia P. Gomez and Marisa J. Ford prosecuted the case with assistance from paralegal Adela Alic.
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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Leader in debt collection scheme going to prisonRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Joseph Ciffa, 56, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing a false tax return, was sentenced to serve 37 months by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that Ciffa was involved in the debt collection business since at least 2013. Since early 2015, Ciffa ran, and conspired with others to run, an illegitimate debt collection business, operating out of multiple locations, which included: 1625 Buffalo Avenue in Niagara Falls, NY; 870 Ontario Street and 1567 Military Road, both in Kenmore, NY; and out of his home office on Grand Island. The operation utilized fraudulent means to collect debts, to recollect on debts already collected, to over-collect on debts actually owed, and to process and transfer payments related to the collection of such debts. Debt collectors made threatening statements over the telephone to debtors in an effort to induce payment of debts. Those statements included reference to criminal statutes, and the filing of criminal complaints and/or warrants. In order to intimidate debtors and induce payment, debtors were routinely routed to employees who posed as attorneys during the calls.
Between January 2015, and December 2016, Ciffa’s operation collected approximately $3,061,205 from victims. Ciffa also filed a false tax return for the tax year 2015, underreporting his business income, thereby avoiding a total tax liability of approximately $15,651. In addition, in 2016 Ciffa committed fraud involving Medicaid benefits. He lied in an application to the Erie County Department of Social Services, by under-reporting his income, in order to obtain benefits for himself and his children.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso; the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward; and the New York State, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Lucy Lang.
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Lancaster Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Robert Namath Emory, 54, of Lancaster, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after embezzling funds from his employer.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Emory was the head of the accounting department for Mar Mac Protective Apparel, a company in McBee that makes hazardous materials (HAZMAT) suits. Mar Mac used an invoice system that attached a blank, physical check to invoices of large vendors, but would submit payment electronically. Mar Mac used check numbers internally and never submitted them to the bank, thereby avoiding using duplicate checks numbers. Beginning in January 2016, Emory would exploit a flaw in this system by doubling the amount of the invoices, making an electronic payment to the vendor and then use the check numbers to write physical checks to himself or his personal LLC.
Emory pleaded guilty to count one of his 50-count indictment for submitting a fraudulent check for $9,583.79 in February 2021. Through this scheme, Emory was able to obtain nearly $5 million. Emory was previously convicted of wire fraud in 2008.
Emory faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Emory after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case.
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Lackawanna County Man Convicted of Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Federico Rosario, age 30, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was convicted on November 18, 2024, for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death following a four-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Rosario was a drug dealer residing in Scranton in 2021. On August 11, 2021, Rosario sold a mixture containing fentanyl and cocaine to a 17-year-old who ingested the mixture and died shortly thereafter. Rosario was also found guilty of three additional sales of cocaine to the same victim that occurred on July 10th, July 13th, and July 28th, 2021.
During the four-day trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented the testimony of 19 witnesses, including expert witness testimony from a forensic pathologist, a forensic toxicologist, two forensic chemists, a forensic cell phone examiner, a DNA expert, and an expert in drug trafficking investigations.
The charges stem from a joint investigation conducted by the Scranton Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Sarah R. Lloyd.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also 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.
In this case, maximum penalty under the federal statute for drug distribution resulting in death is life imprisonment. The offense also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Justice Department Sues Pennsylvania over Discriminatory Code Requirements That Restrict Community-Based Housing for People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Justice Department announced today that a lawsuit was filed against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to challenge discriminatory code requirements that deny or limit the availability of community-based housing for people with intellectual disabilities and autism.
“People with disabilities should not have their housing opportunities stripped away from them by restrictive safety measures that are simply not necessary,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The failure of the Commonwealth’s building code to take into account the specific needs and the capacity of people with disabilities illegally denies them access to housing opportunities. Through vigorous enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, the Justice Department is committed to ensuring that building requirements, zoning restrictions and land use codes are not abused and manipulated to deny people with disabilities their right to live integrated in their communities.”
“Although expensive fire prevention methods, like automatic sprinklers, may reduce personal injury and damage to property, Pennsylvania cannot require individuals with disabilities to obey this code requirement without assessing their unique and specific needs,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania’s building code enforcement improperly demands individuals with disabilities living in community homes to pay thousands of dollars to install automatic sprinklers yet allows those without disabilities in similar resident housing to avoid such costs. This office will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act and partner with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to ensure our disabled citizens share the same rights as their neighbors.”
Under the Commonwealth’s Uniform Construction Code, which all local governments must follow, every “community home” for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism must install, at their own expense, an automatic sprinkler system. No other single-family home, including newly constructed homes, is required to install automatic sprinklers. “Community homes” allow people with intellectual disabilities and autism to live in a family-like setting in the community, alongside people without disabilities. Such homes in Pennsylvania have an average of 2.3 residents and may have no more than four residents. The Commonwealth already requires community homes to comply with numerous fire and safety regulations, including regular fire drills verifying that the residents are able to evacuate in under two and one-half minutes.
Pennsylvania’s building code, however, classifies community homes for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism as “facilities” and requires them to install automatic sprinkler systems, regardless of how old the home is or how capable the residents are to evacuate notwithstanding their disabilities.
Sprinkler system requirements limit the availability of housing in several ways. First, landlords in rental housing may refuse to allow sprinkler systems to be installed because their appearance, which includes long, exposed metal pipes, may render a home less marketable to future tenants and is reminiscent of the institutional facilities community homes were intended to replace. Second, sprinkler systems often cannot feasibly be installed in individual apartments, thus eliminating their ability to be used as community homes. Finally, as the department’s investigation found, sprinkler systems cost, at a minimum, nearly $10,000 to install in a small, single-family home, but these costs may triple when local water utilities require sprinkler systems to have their own water line. These costs may exceed the financial means of many community home operators and may force others to operate larger, less individualized homes.
The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, including an order requiring the Commonwealth to allow local governments to assess the need for automatic sprinklers in community homes based on the unique and specific needs and abilities of each home’s residents, as well as monetary damages.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online. Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
Individuals who have information on community homes being required to install automatic sprinklers in Pennsylvania or who have other information that may be relevant to this case may contact the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, press 1 for English; press 1 for discrimination in housing; and press 9 for the United States v. Pennsylvania lawsuit mailbox. Individuals can also email the Justice Department at [email protected].
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Justice Department Sues Pennsylvania over Discriminatory Code Requirements That Restrict Community-Based Housing for People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to challenge discriminatory code requirements that deny or limit the availability of community-based housing for people with intellectual disabilities and autism.
“People with disabilities should not have their housing opportunities stripped away from them by restrictive safety measures that are simply not necessary,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The failure of the Commonwealth’s building code to take into account the specific needs and the capacity of people with disabilities illegally denies them access to housing opportunities. Through vigorous enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, the Justice Department is committed to ensuring that building requirements, zoning restrictions and land use codes are not abused and manipulated to deny people with disabilities their right to live integrated in their communities.”
“Although expensive fire prevention methods, like automatic sprinklers, may reduce personal injury and damage to property, Pennsylvania cannot require individuals with disabilities to obey this code requirement without assessing their unique and specific needs,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania’s building code enforcement improperly demands individuals with disabilities living in community homes to pay thousands of dollars to install automatic sprinklers yet allows those without disabilities in similar resident housing to avoid such costs. This office will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act and partner with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to ensure our disabled citizens share the same rights as their neighbors.”
Under the Commonwealth’s Uniform Construction Code, which all local governments must follow, every “community home” for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism must install, at their own expense, an automatic sprinkler system. No other single-family home, including newly constructed homes, is required to install automatic sprinklers. “Community homes” allow people with intellectual disabilities and autism to live in a family-like setting in the community, alongside people without disabilities. Such homes in Pennsylvania have an average of 2.3 residents and may have no more than four residents. The Commonwealth already requires community homes to comply with numerous fire and safety regulations, including regular fire drills verifying that the residents are able to evacuate in under two and one-half minutes.
Pennsylvania’s building code, however, classifies community homes for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism as “facilities” and requires them to install automatic sprinkler systems, regardless of how old the home is or how capable the residents are to evacuate notwithstanding their disabilities.
Sprinkler system requirements limit the availability of housing in several ways. First, landlords in rental housing may refuse to allow sprinkler systems to be installed because their appearance, which includes long, exposed metal pipes, may render a home less marketable to future tenants and is reminiscent of the institutional facilities community homes were intended to replace. Second, sprinkler systems often cannot feasibly be installed in individual apartments, thus eliminating their ability to be used as community homes. Finally, as the department’s investigation found, sprinkler systems cost, at a minimum, nearly $10,000 to install in a small, single-family home, but these costs may triple when local water utilities require sprinkler systems to have their own water line. These costs may exceed the financial means of many community home operators and may force others to operate larger, less individualized homes.
The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, including an order requiring the Commonwealth to allow local governments to assess the need for automatic sprinklers in community homes based on the unique and specific needs and abilities of each home’s residents, as well as monetary damages.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online. Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
Individuals who have information on community homes being required to install automatic sprinklers in Pennsylvania or who have other information that may be relevant to this case may contact the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, press 1 for English; press 1 for discrimination in housing; and press 9 for the United States v. Pennsylvania lawsuit mailbox. Individuals can also email the Justice Department at [email protected].
Justice Department Sues Kentucky Rental Property Manager and Owners for Sexual HarassmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Adnan Shalash, the owner and operator of rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky, for engaging in sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit also names as defendants 12 owners of rental properties managed by Adnan Shalash, including Fox Den Properties LLC and Griffith Market Inc.
“Sexual harassment by housing providers is an egregious abuse of power,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Women should never feel unsafe in their own homes. The Justice Department is committed to vigorously protecting the rights of vulnerable tenants subjected to sexual harassment and holding housing providers and managers accountable when they violate the law.”
“Sexual harassment in housing deprives its victims of the safety and security that a home is supposed to provide them,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “That makes committed enforcement of the Fair Housing Act critical to ensuring that victims can gain relief from this shameful conduct and seek a safe and secure home for their families.”
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, alleges that for many years Shalash has sexually harassed numerous female tenants. According to the complaint, Shalash has offered housing-related benefits in exchange for sexual contact, made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their permission, subjected female tenants to unwelcome touching and groping and taken adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused his sexual advances.
The lawsuit, which is the result of a joint investigative effort of the Justice Department with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Office of Inspector General, seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment, a civil penalty against each defendant to vindicate the public interest and a court order barring future discrimination.
“My office will not tolerate landlords committing sexual harassment or abuse against tenants,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “Adnan Shalash allegedly preyed upon vulnerable tenants’ basic human need for housing. Today’s complaint demonstrates the HUD Office of Inspector General’s commitment to stop landlords who abuse their power over vulnerable tenants and ensuring that victims of their sexual harassment obtain relief.”
The Justice Department launched its Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative in October 2017. The initiative, which is led by the Civil Rights Division in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or others who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the Justice Department has filed 46 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing, recovering damages and civil penalties from those violating the law.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings owned or managed by Adnan Shalash, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, should contact the Housing Discrimination Tip Line, at 1-833-591-0291, select 1 for English and select option number 2 then option number 04 to leave a message. To leave a message in Spanish, select 2 for Spanish, and select option number 1 and then option number 9 to leave a message. Individuals may also email the Justice Department at [email protected] or submit a report online. Reports also may be made by contacting the HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
Investigation into Shooting in Bricktown Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for 10 Years for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – QUINTRAL DEMETRICES JONES, 28, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On December 19, 2023, a federal Grand Jury returned a three-count Indictment against Jones, charging him with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. According to public record, on December 18, 2022, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a parking lot in Bricktown in reference to a shooting. On scene, officers reviewed surveillance footage, where they watched a passenger of a vehicle—later determined to be Jones—fire a weapon out of the passenger window at another occupied vehicle. Officers eventually located and searched the vehicle Jones was in and found cocaine and a firearm, which was later confirmed to be the one fired at the scene of this shooting.
On June 24, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty, and admitted he intended to distribute the cocaine in the car and possessed a gun in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
At the sentencing hearing on November 19, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Jones to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the serious nature of the offense involving the discharge of a firearm and the possession of distribution levels of cocaine. Judge Jones further noted that Jones had a lengthy criminal history—including previous convictions involving both guns and drugs—yet still participated in the activity leading to his convictions in this case. Public record reflects that Jones has a long criminal history, with convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include:
- concealing stolen property and possession of marijuana in case number CF-2014-5742;
- unauthorized use of a vehicle, aggravated attempting to elude a police officer, and possession of an offensive weapon while committing a felony in case number CF-2014-6402;
- second degree burglary in case number CF-2014-6451;
- possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and felon in possession of a firearm in case number CF-2017-6174.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan J. West prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of “Operation Shots Fired.” Operation Shots Fired targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Indiana Man Sentenced to 21 Months for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Damarion Jackson, 21, Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 21 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Jackson pleaded guilty to this charge on August 28, 2024.
On November 4, 2023, Jackson was a passenger in a high-speed car chase in Monona, Wisconsin. Police officers were able to disable the car, forcing the driver to stop. Jackson fled on foot carrying a small bag. Officers found Jackson hiding between two residential fences with the bag nearby. In the bag there was a loaded Glock 29 10mm handgun with an extended magazine and equipped with a machinegun conversion device.
A machinegun conversion device is an illegal after-market device that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully functioning machinegun. A handgun with a machinegun conversion device is extremely dangerous, even for experienced firearms users, because it is difficult to control and is capable of firing 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger.
Jackson is not legally permitted to possess firearms or ammunition because of a prior felony conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley commented on Jackson’s escalating conduct and the dangers of having a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device. Judge Conley also noted that Jackson had “started a criminal lifestyle” at a young age, but expressed hope that this conviction would be a turning point for Jackson.
The charge against Jackson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Monona, Madison, and Fitchburg Police Departments. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the investigation. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Indiana Man Pleads Guilty to and Sentenced for Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on November 18, 2024, Brandon Anderson, 34, of Greenwood, Indiana, pleaded guilty in United States District Court in Burlington, to making a false statement to a department or agency of the United States. During the same hearing on November 18, Chief U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Anderson to time-served and one year of supervised release.
Previously, on February 22, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Anderson, with two counts of impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States and one count of making a false statement to a department or agency of the United States.
According to court records, Anderson, while wearing a tactical uniform with black body armor and a holstered firearm, impersonated a federal law enforcement official on two occasions. Anderson was not in fact a federal law enforcement official during either occasion, but instead was a privately contracted security guard for a federal agency. In addition, investigation of Anderson revealed that, in becoming a security guard for the federal agency, he falsely stated that he had served in the United States Marine Corps and received an honorable discharge, when in fact he had not served in the Marines at all.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department, and the South Burlington Police Department.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Anderson is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.
Illinois Man Charged with Producing False U.S. Passports and Mailing Them to New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Illinois man is charged with furnishing others with false U.S. passport cards through the mail, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Juma Wajid, aka “Jay Khan,” and “Jamal Anthony,” 36, most recently of Chicago, Illinois, is charged with one count of furnishing a false, forged, and counterfeited U.S. passport to another for use. Wajid appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins III in Atlanta federal court and was released on $15,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In April 2024, law enforcement identified a package containing a fake U.S. passport card that was sent through the mail. Law enforcement found that Wajid used an online account to send hundreds of mailings between June 2022 and April 2024 and that he used an encrypted messaging application to advertise the sale of fake identification documents.
In August 2024, law enforcement purchased five false U.S. passport cards, as well as additional documents, from Wajid, who created the documents and mailed them to an address in New Jersey in exchange for payment in cryptocurrency.
The charge of furnishing a false passport to another person carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian K. Wood; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; and officers of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, under the direction of Director Laurie Doran, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
wajid.complaint.pdfIllinois Man Arrested for Allegedly Plotting to Abduct a Child in FloridaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An Illinois man has been arrested in Chicago for allegedly plotting to abduct a child from a school in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
DEVONTAY SHIELDS, 35, of Danville, Ill., is charged with one count of attempted kidnapping, according to a criminal complaint filed Sunday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Shields was arrested on Saturday at Union Station in Chicago as he attempted to board an Amtrak train to Miami, Fla. He remains detained in federal custody. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 25, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman.
According to the federal complaint, Shields plotted to kidnap a boy from a school in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and hold him for a $100,000 ransom. Shields communicated his plans to individuals who, unbeknownst to Shields, were cooperating with law enforcement. At the direction of law enforcement, the cooperating individuals surreptitiously recorded a conversation with Shields, during which Shields stated that he planned to “get me a little boy” from the Florida school, the complaint states. Prior to leaving for Florida, Shields went to retail stores and purchased two children’s toys and zip ties. He was in possession of those items when he was arrested at Union Station.
The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. Substantial assistance was provided by the HSI Fort Lauderdale office, Chicago Police Department, Amtrak Police Department, Chicago Metropolitan Rail Police Department, Carpentersville, Ill. Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran.
The attempted kidnapping charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
shields_complaint.pdfHowe Residents Plead Guilty to Crimes Relating to Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Armondo Joseph Palma, age 22, and Brooklyn Elaine Wilson, age 27, of Howe, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas related to the sexual abuse of a minor.
Palma entered a plea of guilty to one count of Transportation of a Minor.
Wilson entered a plea of guilty to four counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
The Indictment alleged that in December of 2023, Palma and Wilson knowingly transported an individual under the age of 18 from Oklahoma to Missouri with intent to engage in sexual activity.
The Indictment further alleged that on November 2, 2023, November 9, 2023, December 4, 2023, and March 3, 2024, Wilson knowingly engaged in a sex act with a child under the age of 12 years intending to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, arouse, or gratify sexual desire. Additionally, the Indictment alleged that between about August of 2023 until about April of 2024, Wilson knowingly possessed a visual depiction of a minor under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The crimes occurred in LeFlore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the District 16 District Attorney’s Task Force, the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Carl Albert State College Campus Police.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Palma and Wilson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.
Head of School at Early Education Center in Northwest Arrested for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James S. Carroll, 55, of Washington D.C., was arrested today on a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, charging him in connection with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Carroll, the Head of School at an early education center in Northwest Washington D.C., is charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He made his first court appearance today before Magistrate Court Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh.
According to the criminal complaint, between November 5, 2024 and November 14, 2024, Carroll used the Discord messaging application to communicate with an undercover officer who posed as the father of a young child. Carroll directed the undercover officer to abuse his child over a period of approximately two weeks. Law enforcement agents identified Carroll as the Discord user based on IP addresses that traced back to both his residence and workplace.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes agents and officers from the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie.
To report child exploitation, call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Gary Man Sentenced to 105 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Cachun Combs, Jr., 46 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Combs was sentenced to 105 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on June 2, 2023, an officer with the Gary Police Department approached a running vehicle parked in an alley and observed Combs sleeping inside the vehicle with a loaded rifle on his lap. Comb’s criminal history revealed that he had prior felony convictions for aggravated discharge of a firearm, attempted battery and carrying a handgun without a license, battery resulting serious bodily injury, and a possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Any one of these convictions prohibited him from possessing the firearm in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristian R. Mukoski.
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.
Fort Worth mother admits to smuggling minors from MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 36-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle children into the United States for financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Aug. 8, Sandra Perez applied for admission into the United States driving an SUV. She had her three minor U.S. citizen children with her along with two minor Mexican children.
Perez claimed the two Mexican children were also hers and attempted to present Texas birth certificates and Social Security cards that belonged to her two other children as proof.
After the Mexican children failed to answer authorities questions, Perez admitted to attempting to bring the Mexican children into the United States to the children’s mother in Fort Worth, knowing that they did not have legal authority to enter the country.
She also admitted she expected to receive $5,000 per child after delivery.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña accepted the plea and will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Perez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Perez was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri P. Chappell has sentenced Nicholas Smith (45, Fort Myers) to five years and five months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Smith was found guilty following a bench trial on August 21, 2024.
According to court documents, on September 5, 2023, officers with the Fort Myers Police Department stopped Smith for multiple traffic infractions near Winkler Avenue and Fowler Street in Fort Myers. During a subsequent search of Smith, officers retrieved a large plastic bag containing 11 smaller bags of a pink powdery substance that later tested positive for para-Fluorofentanyl and fentanyl, weighing 9.55 grams.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey
Former senior manager of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond pleads guilty to insider trading and making false statementsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Mosley man pled guilty today to committing insider trading and making false statements about his trading to his employer, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (FRBR).
According to court documents, Robert Brian Thompson, 43, worked as a bank examiner and senior manager with supervisory duties for the FRBR. Due to his position, Thompson was privy to confidential information about certain financial institutions under FRBR’s supervision, including Confidential Supervisory Information (CSI), which is property of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. As an employee of the FRBR, Thompson was also required annually to file a “Form for Employees Involved with Supervision and Regulation,” also called a “Form D.” Among other things, a Form D requires employees to disclose if they have any assets, including any equity interest in any banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System and/or bank holding companies.
According to court documents, from October 2020 through February 2024, Thompson misappropriated confidential information, including CSI, to execute trades in publicly traded financial institutions. In total, Thompson executed 69 trades in seven different publicly traded financial institutions for approximately $771,678 in personal profits. To conceal the scheme, in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, Thompson falsely represented on the FRBR’s Form D that he had no equities in any publicly traded financial institutions, and that he had not engaged in any activity that would constitute conflicts of interest, violations of FRBR policies, or violations of law.
Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of insider trading and one count of making false statements. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the insider trading count and five years in prison for the false statements count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge John Perez of Headquarters Operations, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG), made the announcement.
FRB-OIG is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Della Sentilles and former Assistant Chief Leslie S. Garthwaite of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-164.
Former Tennessee State Senator Resentenced and an Additional Fine ImposedRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently resentenced former Tennessee State Senator Katrina Robinson, 43, of Memphis, Tennessee to time served and imposed a fine in the amount of $48,600 for misrepresentations made to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the new sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, Robinson was the founder and director of The Healthcare Institute (THI), a for-profit provider of educational and training programs for jobs in the healthcare field. Between 2015 and 2019, THI received over $2.2 million in federal grants from HRSA, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
In 2021, a jury found Robinson guilty of two counts of wire fraud in connection with transfers that she made from THI’s operating account for personal expenditures for her wedding. The jury also found Robinson guilty of two counts of wire fraud for fraudulent misrepresentations made by Robinson to HRSA when completing Annual Performance Review forms for years 2017-2018 (Count 19) and 2018-2019 (Count 20). With respect to Count 19, the government presented evidence that Robinson reported to HRSA that 215 students had received scholarships in 2017-2018, but an investigation had confirmed that only 161 of those students actually received scholarships.
The district court granted Robinson’s post-verdict motion for judgment of acquittal as to the wire fraud counts that involved fraudulent misrepresentations to HRSA, setting aside the jury’s verdict on Counts 19 and 20. The United States appealed the district’s court’s acquittal on Count 19 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The appellate court reversed the district court’s grant of acquittal and reinstated the jury’s verdict with respect to Count 19. It held that the evidence at trial showed that Robinson made material misrepresentations to HRSA in 2017-2018 with the intent to deprive HRSA of grant funds and to induce HRSA to continue funding Robinson’s organization.
Upon remand, Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman resentenced Robinson to time served and assessed Robinson a fine of $48,600 for the misrepresentations she made to HRSA in 2017-2018.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General.
Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Cotten, Scott Smith, and Raney Irwin, who prosecuted this case in the district court, and Naya Bedini, who prosecuted this case on appeal with AUSA Cotten, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Former Senior Manager of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
A Virginia man pleaded guilty today for committing insider trading and making false statements about his trading to his employer, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (FRBR).
According to court documents, Robert Brian Thompson, 43, of Mosley, worked as a bank examiner and senior manager with supervisory duties for the FRBR. Due to his position, Thompson was privy to confidential information about certain financial institutions under FRBR’s supervision, including confidential supervisory information (CSI), which is the property of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. As an employee of the FRBR, Thompson was also required annually to file a “Form for Employees Involved with Supervision and Regulation,” which is also called a “Form D.” Among other things, Form D requires employees to disclose if they have any assets, including any equity interest in any banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System and/or bank holding companies.
From October 2020 through February 2024, Thompson misappropriated confidential information, including CSI, to execute trades in publicly traded financial institutions. In total, Thompson executed 69 trades in seven different publicly traded financial institutions for a total of approximately $771,678 in personal profits. To conceal the scheme, in each year from 2020 through 2024, Thompson falsely represented on the FRBR’s Form D that he had no assets, including no equities in any publicly traded financial institutions, and that he had not engaged in any activity that would constitute conflicts of interest, violations of FRBR policies, or violations of law.
Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of insider trading and one count of making false statements. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the insider trading count and five years in prison on the false statements count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Special Agent in Charge John Perez of Headquarters Operations, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG) made the announcement.
FRB-OIG is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Della Sentilles and former Assistant Chief Leslie S. Garthwaite of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Former Rhode Island Correctional Officer Sentenced for Smuggling Contraband into a Federal Detention CenterRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A now former Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility correctional officer who smuggled controlled substances into the federal detention center has been sentenced to federal prison to be followed by a term of home confinement, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to charging documents and information presented to the court, in mid-February 2021, two inmates housed at the Wyatt Detention Center communicated with a former detainee and another person outside of the facility to arrange to provide a controlled substance to then-correctional officer Kaii Almeida-Falcones, 30, of Smithfield, who smuggled the substances into the facility.
A strip search of a detainee on February 15, 2021, revealed a package containing the drugs smuggled by Almeida-Falcones, which were confirmed to be controlled substances by subsequent lab testing. Additional controlled substances smuggled into the facility were found in the cell of another detainee, concealed inside a pillowcase. Almeida-Falcones is seen on Wyatt Detention security video entering each of the detainees cells the evening before.
Almeida-Falcones was sentenced on November 14, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to six months of incarceration in federal prison to be followed by twenty-four months of federal supervised release - the first six months to be served on home confinement. He pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024, to the charge of providing contraband to an inmate.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, and the Professional Standards Unit at the Wyatt Detention Center.
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Former Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 34 Years in Prison for Large-Scale Fentanyl Trafficking and Money Laundering ConvictionsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 34 years of imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Paris Carter, 35. Earlier this year, a federal jury in Pittsburgh found Carter guilty of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to information presented to the Court, between January 2017 and February 2018, Carter arranged for the illegal importation of multiple kilograms of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl directly from China into the Pittsburgh area and then arranged for the distribution of those drugs in the Pittsburgh area. Using the proceeds of his drug trafficking, Carter moved to Beverly Hills, California, where he rented two different homes at costs of $14,500 and $10,000 per month and also leased three vehicles: two Bentleys and a Mercedes Benz.
The evidence at trial also established that Carter laundered his drug trafficking proceeds by using others to initiate financial transactions in their names to pay for the drugs obtained from China. He also provided drug proceeds to approximately seven other individuals who used the funds to purchase cashier checks that Carter then used as downpayments on his vehicles, which he arranged to lease in the name of his aunt and co-defendant, Tamara Carter, whom the jury acquitted at trial.
“Paris Carter’s time driving Bentleys and living a life of luxury in Beverly Hills has come to an end,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Today, a federal judge imposed a 34-year prison sentence, an appropriate punishment for a defendant who flooded the Pittsburgh area with kilogram quantities of Chinese-sourced fentanyl. Holding the most dangerous and prolific drug traffickers accountable to the fullest extent of the law is and will remain a top priority for our office and our valued partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement.”
“We hope the magnitude of this sentence is a deterrent to anyone who is considering becoming involved in the drug trafficking business, particularly involving life threatening synthetic opioids like fentanyl,” said Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge of the Pittsburgh Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “The fact that Paris Carter will be behind bars for multiple decades should be a welcomed sigh of relief for our community members. This is a testament that Postal Inspectors will use all available resources to hold accountable those who use the mail for nefarious activity. At our core, we strive to keep the mail system safe, and ensure the trust of the American public. We want to thank our law enforcement partners for helping us achieve our goal.”
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Horan noted the serious nature and impact of Carter’s crimes and stated that her sentencing of the defendant reflected both the course of conduct Carter chose to pursue and flagrancy Carter adopted in his actions.
Carter had previously been convicted in the Western District of Pennsylvania of a serious drug felony—namely, possession with the intent to distribute heroin, for which he was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment in 2011.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Postal Inspection Service, which worked with numerous other federal and state law enforcement agencies, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Carter.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Former GE Executive Convicted at Trial of Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the conviction in Manhattan federal court of WILSON DANIEL FREITA DA COSTA of one count of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft for his role in a scheme to use forged documents on Angolan Government letterhead to deceive a subdivision of the GE Company and the Angolan Government. The jury convicted DA COSTA yesterday following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As a unanimous jury of his peers has found, Wilson Da Costa brazenly used forged documents to deceive a subdivision of the GE Company and the Angolan Government, causing hundreds of millions of dollars to be disbursed. The scheme further committed the Angolan Government to purchase expensive equipment that it had not agreed to purchase – all so that Da Costa could receive millions of dollars for himself on the back end. Thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners at HSI, Da Costa has now been held to account for his fraudulent conduct.”
As reflected in the Superseding Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
In or about October 2017, DA COSTA, the former Chief Executive Officer of GE Angola, disseminated fake documentation on Angolan Government letterhead, purportedly signed by officials from the Angolan Government and purportedly showing the Angolan Government’s commitment to purchase more GE-manufactured turbines than the Angolan Government had actually agreed to purchase. These forged documents were then used to justify and support payouts from a $1.1 billion loan from a subdivision of the GE Company to the Angolan Government. Subsequently, when questions arose about the number of turbines the Angolan Government had actually purchased, DA COSTA lied and continued to rely on the same forged documents that he had previously disseminated. For his efforts, DA COSTA received millions of dollars in kickback payments from the founder of a local Angolan company that had contracts to supply the Angolan Government with the GE-manufactured turbines.
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DA COSTA, 51, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was convicted by a jury of one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison to run consecutively to any other prison terms imposed.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. DA COSTA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Castel on February 26, 2025.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer N. Ong, Christopher D. Brumwell, and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Angelica Cotto and Nerlande Pierre.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Making Hate Crime Threats against the Council on American-Islamic Relations (“CAIR”) Michigan ChapterRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Florida man pleaded guilty today to federal charges for repeatedly threatening the Council on American-Islamic Relations (“CAIR”) Michigan Chapter, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Chad Baugh, Chief of the Canton Police Department.
According to court documents, Michael Shapiro, 72, of West Palm Beach, Florida, placed three separate phone calls to CAIR’s office located in Canton, Michigan, and left voicemails containing the following threats:
• December 8, 2023: “I’m going to kill you bastards. I’m going to kill you bastards.”
• December 14, 2023: ““I’m going to kill you mother f*****g bastards. Muslims! I’m going to kill you mother f*****s. I’m going to kill you! I’m going to kill you! I’m going to kill you!”
• December 15, 2023: “You’re a violent people. Why do you come to America? Why do you come to Europe? Mother f*****s. You’re violent. You’re killers. You’re rapists. I’m going to kill you mother f*****s!”
For this, Shapiro pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Shapiro also admitted that he intentionally selected CAIR as the victim of his threats because of the actual and perceived religion and national origin of the people who work at and are assisted by CAIR.
“No one should be able to threaten violence and instill fear on an entire community. Today’s conviction should send a strong message that those who do so will be investigated, identified, and aggressively prosecuted,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.
"Michael Shapiro's guilty plea for threats motivated by religious bias underscores the FBI's unwavering commitment to protecting individuals from hate and intolerance," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "This conviction serves as a powerful demonstration of the serious consequences faced by those who engage in hate-fueled threats, sending a clear warning to others. The success of this case is a direct result of the strong collaboration between the FBI Michigan and the Canton Police Department. Law enforcement efforts are greatly bolstered by the community's support, including faith-based organizations, in addressing and preventing hate crimes. Together, we remain steadfast in our dedication to combating violence rooted in bias and will continue to promote safety, respect, and justice for all members of our diverse communities. This case unequivocally illustrates that acts of hate and intolerance are met with zero tolerance by the Michigan law enforcement community. Such offenses will be vigorously prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, exemplifying our unwavering commitment to justice and protecting all community members."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson.
Five Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Federal Drug and Drug-Related CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that five members of a drug trafficking organization pleaded guilty to Drug Conspiracy and other federal drug and drug-related crimes.
Rito Alvarado Gomez, age 36, pleaded guilty to Drug Conspiracy. Jose Alberto Alvarado Gomez, age 34, Ricardo Villeda, age 26, and Iris Yoselin Luna-Herrera, age 27, pleaded guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine. Ana Isabel Frayre Barboza, age 38, pleaded guilty to Misprision of Felony.
The Indictment alleged that beginning in 2018 and continuing until around March 13, 2024, the defendants willfully and knowingly conspired together and with others to possess and distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the 8th North Drug Task Force of Hope, Arkansas, and the 9th West Drug Task Force of Nashville, Arkansas. Additionally, several law enforcement agencies contributed to this investigation, including the Arkansas State Police, the Hope Police Department, and the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Rito Alvarado Gomez, Jose Alberto Alvarado Gomez, Ricardo Villeda, and Iris Yoselin Luna-Herrera were remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Ana Isabel Frayre Barboza was allowed to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Felon Sentenced to 64 Months in Prison for Stealing from Gun StoreRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who stole a gun from a St. Louis County gun store to 64 months in prison.
On Oct. 17, 2023, Johnny Phillips stole a Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 pistol from the display case of the store. His theft was captured on video. The next day, the Bridgeton Police Department arrested Phillips and recovered the gun. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing a firearm.
Phillips, now 33, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, pleaded guilty in July to one count of theft of a firearm from a federally licensed firearm dealer and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Bridgeton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke 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.
Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Bryson J. England, 42, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 2, 2024, England was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in the Beckley area of Raleigh County. During the vehicle stop, officers conducted a pat-down search of England and found a loaded Armscor of the Philippines model M1911-AU FS .45-caliber pistol on his person. Officers also searched the vehicle and found an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle on the passenger side.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. England knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Kanawha County Circuit Court on January 6, 2003.
England is scheduled to be sentenced on March 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-138.
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Exeter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for 48 Months for Possessing over 2,000 Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Exeter man was sentenced in federal court in connection with the possession of child sexual abuse materials, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Nathan Kohler, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 48 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Kohler was also ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution to the victims of his offense. On July 8, 2024, Kohler pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Child Pornography.
“The actions of the defendant fuel the demand for the horrific sexual abuse of children and results in life-long suffering for those victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Those who would seek out on the internet these images documenting the pain and abuse of a child are on notice. They will be found, prosecuted, and incarcerated.”
“Kohler admitted that he had been downloading child sexual abuse material at his home for years. The children depicted in these images were victimized at the time the photos were taken and victimized again every time they are distributed. HSI works tirelessly with our partners to ensure those who trade in these horrific images are brought to justice,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol.
On January 2, 2023, and again on February 14, 2023, the NH Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Task Force’s BitTorrent software identified a target IP address making child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”) available for download through the Peer-to-Peer (“P2P”) network BitTorrent. Further investigation identified the defendant’s residence in Exeter, New Hampshire as the subscriber of the target IP address.
On April 5, 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence. During that search, law enforcement seized a Dell laptop computer from the defendant’s bedroom, containing approximately 2,000 images of CSAM and two video files. Numerous images depicted prepubescent minors, or minors who had not attained 12 years of age as well as sadistic or masochistic conduct.
During an interview with law enforcement, the defendant admitted that he was the individual who has been using the internet in the residence to download CSAM and has been engaged in such activity for a number of years. The defendant stated that he used his laptop computer which was located in his bedroom to access CSAM.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Exeter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Evansville Drug Dealer Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison After Investigators Locate 2,000 Fake Pills Laced with FentanylRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE— Andre Lamont Wright Jr., 29, of Evansville, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, prior to December 2022, law enforcement officers received information that Wright was selling large quantities of fentanyl-laced counterfeit “M30” oxycodone pills. On December 7, 2022, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Evansville Police Department observed Wright conduct a drug deal outside of his Evansville home. Officers stopped the buyer for a traffic violation after leaving Wright’s home and recovered approximately eighteen counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills.
Officers conducted a court-authorized search of Wright’s home and found approximately 2,000 counterfeit “M30” pills containing fentanyl, a digital scale, a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, 9mm ammunition, plastic bags, and $453 in cash.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.
“Fentanyl traffickers are responsible for incalculable damage to our families and communities, peddling deadly pills with utter disregard for human life,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Just one of these fake pills can kill, that’s why we prioritize federal prosecution of the criminals who push this poison. Together with the Evansville Police Department and the DEA, our federal prosecutors will continue working to remove fentanyl and fentanyl dealers from our neighborhoods.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
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El Departamento de Justicia demanda a un administrador de propiedades de alquiler de Kentucky y a los propietarios por acoso sexualRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha entablado una demanda contra Adnan Shalash, propietario y operador de propiedades de alquiler en Lexington, Kentucky, por acoso sexual y represalias, en violación de la ley de Vivienda Justa. La demanda también nombra como demandados a 12 propietarios de propiedades de alquiler administradas por Adnan Shalash, incluidas Fox Den Properties LLC y Griffith Market Inc.
“El acoso sexual por parte de los proveedores de viviendas es un abuso de poder atroz”, afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Las mujeres nunca deben sentirse inseguras en sus propios hogares. El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a proteger activamente los derechos de inquilinas vulnerables sujetas al acoso sexual y a responsabilizar a los proveedores y administradores de vivienda cuando infrinjan la ley”.
“El acoso sexual en la vivienda priva a sus víctimas de la seguridad y protección que se supone que una casa les debe proporcionar”, declaró Carlton S. Shier, IV el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Este de Kentucky. “Esto hace que la aplicación comprometida de la ley de Vivienda Justa sea fundamental para garantizar que las víctimas puedan obtener compensación por esta conducta vergonzosa y buscar un hogar seguro para sus familias”.
La demanda, presentada en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito para el Distrito Este de Kentucky, alega que durante muchos años Shalash ha acosado sexualmente a numerosas inquilinas. De acuerdo con la queja, Shalash ha ofrecido beneficios relacionados con la vivienda a cambio de contacto sexual, ha hecho comentarios y avances sexuales no deseados a inquilinas, ha entrado en las casas de inquilinas sin su permiso, ha sometido a inquilinas a contacto y manoseo no deseados y ha tomado medidas adversas relacionadas con la vivienda contra inquilinas que rechazaron sus insinuaciones sexuales.
La demanda, que es el resultado de un esfuerzo de investigación conjunto del Departamento de Justicia con la Oficina del Inspector General del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD, por sus siglas en inglés), busca daños monetarios para compensar a las personas perjudicadas por el supuesto acoso, una sanción civil contra cada demandado para reivindicar el interés público y una orden judicial que prohíbe la discriminación futura.
“Mi oficina no tolerará que propietarios cometan actos de acoso o abuso sexual contra las inquilinas”, dijo la Inspectora General del HUD, Rae Oliver Davis. “Adnan Shalash supuestamente abusó de la necesidad humana básica de vivienda de inquilinas vulnerables. La queja de hoy demuestra el compromiso de la Oficina del Inspector General del HUD de detener a los propietarios que abusan de su poder sobre inquilinas vulnerables y garantizar que las víctimas de su acoso sexual obtengan una compensación”.
El Departamento de Justicia lanzó su Iniciativa contra el acoso sexual en la vivienda en octubre del 2017. La iniciativa, dirigida por la División de Derechos Civiles en coordinación con las Fiscalías Federales por todo el país, busca abordar y aumentar la concientización sobre el acoso sexual por parte de propietarios, administradores de propiedades, trabajadores de mantenimiento, oficiales de préstamos u otras personas que tienen control sobre la vivienda. Desde el lanzamiento de la iniciativa, el Departamento de Justicia ha presentado 46 demandas que alegan acoso sexual en la vivienda, así recuperando daños y sanciones civiles de aquellos que infringen la ley.
La ley de Vivienda Justa prohíbe la discriminación en las viviendas por motivos de raza, color de piel, religión, origen nacional, sexo, discapacidad y situación familiar. Hay más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles y las leyes que hace cumplir en su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt.
Aquellas personas que crean que pueden haber sido víctimas de acoso sexual u otros tipos de discriminación en la vivienda en viviendas de alquiler de los que Adnan Shalash es propietario o administrador, o que tienen otra información que puede ser relevante para este caso, deben comunicarse con la línea informativa para discriminación en la vivienda al 1-833-591-0291, seleccionar 1 para inglés y seleccionar la opción número 2 y luego la opción número 04 para dejar un mensaje. Para dejar un mensaje en español, hay que seleccionar 2 para español, seleccionar la opción número 1 y luego la opción número 9 para dejar un mensaje. También se puede enviar un correo electrónico al Departamento de Justicia a [email protected] o entregar un informe en línea. Los informes también se pueden realizar comunicándose con el HUD al 1-800-669-9777 o rellenando una queja en línea.
Eden Prairie Man Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for COVID Relief Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Eden Prairie man has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution for fraudulently applying for more than $2.1 million in COVID-19 relief funds and then spending those proceeds on himself, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.As proven at trial, between March and May 2020, Harold Bennie Kaeding, 75, applied for at least $2,182,625 in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. Kaeding used the name of his own close family members to submit the loan applications in the names of six different purported corporate entities. But these entities were either defunct or not even in existence when the pandemic began, trial evidence showed. None of the businesses had filed tax returns or reported the payment of wages to a single employee for calendar years 2019 and 2020. Kaeding instead fabricated tax documents, manufactured bank statements, and submitted other records to ensure the applications appeared legitimate. These false statements to lenders manufactured the number of employees a given entity employed, the amount of average monthly payroll expenses, and false statements about the intended use of the loan proceeds.
As a result of his material falsehoods and omissions, Kaeding initially received approximately $1,642,670 in relief funds before some banks detected irregularities and clawed back some of the money. This left Kaeding with $658,490 in fraud proceeds, which he transferred to bank accounts—often opened in the names of close family members—that he controlled. Among other things, Kaeding used the money to get his personal residence out of impending foreclosure, purchase an SUV, and stockpile more than $80,000 in cash. In early 2021, Kaeding fled to Colombia after learning he was under investigation. Law enforcement eventually located Kaeding and successfully deported him back to the United States to face prosecution.
Following a ten-day trial in August 2024, Kaeding was convicted by a federal jury on three counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering. He was sentenced last Friday, November 15, 2024, by Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and IRS—Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Robert M. Lewis prosecuted the case.
Dorchester Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man residing in Dorchester was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Tommy Raul Jimenez-Perez, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 18 months in prison, to be served concurrent to an already imposed state drug sentence of five to seven years, and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Jimenez-Perez pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
On an unknown date, Jimenez-Perez entered the United States from the Dominican Republic without inspection. Thereafter, on two different dates in May 2018, Jimenez-Perez was convicted of two separate narcotics cases before departing the United States on his own, on an unknown date. In February 2020, Jimenez-Perez was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas after it was determined that he had unlawfully entered the United Staes without inspection. Jimenez-Perez was removed from the United States on March 3, 2020. Sometime after his removal, Jimenez-Perez unlawfully reentered the United States before being arrested in January 2023 on new, unrelated charges.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Dell and Iron Bow Agree to Pay $4.3M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Submitting Non-Competitive Bids to the ArmyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – Dell Technologies Inc. and Dell Federal Systems L.P. (collectively Dell), located in Austin, Texas, have agreed to pay $2,300,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting and causing the submission of non-competitive bids to the Army and thereby overcharging the Army under the Army Desktop and Mobile Computing 3 (ADMC-3) contract. Iron Bow Technologies LLC (Iron Bow), located in Herndon, Virginia, also agreed to pay $2,051,000 for its role in the scheme.
The settlements resolve allegations that from May 2020 to April 2024, Dell operated a deal registration program, whereby it gave advantageous pricing to Iron Bow to sell certain Dell computer hardware products to the Army in response to solicitations under the AMDC-3 contract. The United States alleged that Dell also submitted its own direct bids to the Army on the same solicitations, knowing that its prices would be higher than Iron Bow’s, thereby creating a false appearance of competition. The United States further alleged that Dell’s practice of providing higher direct bids influenced the Army’s source selection process and enabled Iron Bow to overcharge the Army for certain Dell products.
“The United States relies on competition to get the best value and price for the American taxpayers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s commitment to hold accountable those who overcharge the government through collusion or other unlawful conduct.”
“Fraud in the government contracting process costs taxpayers untold dollars each year,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “We will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners to investigate and pursue those who commit government contracting fraud.”
The Dell settlement also resolves a lawsuit filed against Dell under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Brent Lillard, an executive of another IT reseller, to receive a $345,000 share of the recovery from Dell. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Lillard v. Dell Technologies Inc., No. 5:20-CV-1613-HNJ (NDAL).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General, Army Criminal Investigation Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General and General Services Administration Office of Inspector General.
Trial Attorney Samson Asiyanbi of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Blutter for the Northern District of Alabama handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.