Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
1 November 2024
Former Louisville, Kentucky, Metro Police Officer Found Guilty of Federal Civil Rights Crimes Related to the Breonna Taylor CaseRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Louisville, Kentucky, today convicted a former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officer for violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor during the execution of a search warrant in March 2020 that led to the tragic death of Taylor in her home.
Brett Hankison, 46, was convicted on one count of civil rights abuse. Count one charged him with depriving Taylor of her constitutional rights when he fired five shots through a bedroom window that was covered with blinds and a blackout curtain. The jury found that Hankison used a dangerous weapon in the commission of the offense, and that his conduct involved an attempt to kill, although his shots did not strike Taylor. Hankison was found not guilty on count two, which charged him with depriving three of Taylor’s neighbors of their constitutional rights by firing five more shots through a sliding glass door that was also covered with blinds and a curtain.
“Today, Brett Hankison was found guilty by a jury of his peers for willfully depriving Breonna Taylor of her constitutional rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “His use of deadly force was unlawful and put Ms. Taylor in harm’s way. This verdict is an important step toward accountability for the violation of Breonna Taylor’s civil rights, but justice for the loss of Ms. Taylor is a task that exceeds human capacity.”
“This defendant is being held accountable for his willful and heinous use of deadly force that endangered the life of Breonna Taylor,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Breonna Taylor’s life mattered. We hope the jury’s verdict recognizing this violation of Ms. Taylor’s civil and constitutional rights brings some small measure of comfort to her family and loved ones who have suffered so deeply from the tragic events of March 2020. We hope that communities use this moment to say her name and to engrave on their hearts and minds Breonna Taylor’s life and enduring legacy. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend the civil rights of every person in this country to be free from unlawful police violence.”
According to evidence at trial, during the execution of the warrant at Taylor’s home, officers knocked on Taylor’s door and announced themselves as police at approximately 12:45 a.m. No one answered the door, and the officers saw no indication that anyone in the home was awake or had heard their announcement. The police then rammed the door open and Taylor’s boyfriend, believing that intruders were breaking in, fired his handgun one time at officers, two of whom fired back, hitting and killing Taylor.
Hankison was not one of the officers who fired from the doorway. He fired separately, from the side of the building, through a sliding glass door and a bedroom window, both of which were covered with closed blinds and curtains. Evidence showed that several of Hankison’s shots passed through Taylor’s apartment, pierced the interior walls and narrowly missed a young couple with a five-year-old child living next door to Taylor. Other shots flew over Taylor’s head as she lay on the floor of her apartment.
At trial, numerous law enforcement witnesses testified that officers are trained never to fire their weapons at a target they cannot see. Officers who were on the scene for the execution of the warrant, and others who responded later, testified that Hankison violated LMPD training and the principles of law enforcement when he fired blindly into a crowded apartment complex. The Commander of LMPD’s SWAT unit, who responded to the scene shortly after the shooting, testified that he was in “shock and disbelief” when he learned that Hankison had fired into the covered windows in Ms. Taylor’s home. The jury also heard from her neighbors, who were nearly hit by Hankison’s bullets.
Hankison will be sentenced on March 12, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Two other LMPD officers remain charged in connection with the search warrant executed at Taylor’s home. Former Detective Joshua Jaynes, 40, and LMPD Sergeant Kyle Meany, 35, are charged with federal civil rights and obstruction offenses for their roles in preparing and approving a falsified search warrant affidavit that resulted in the warrant that led to Taylor’s death. A trial will be set for a later date, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Another former LMPD officer, Detective Kelly Goodlett, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with Jaynes to falsify the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for Taylor’s home and to cover up their actions after Taylor’s death. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 29, 2025.
The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Kalispell assisted living employee admits diverting pain medicationRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A former employee at an assisted living facility in Kalispell today admitted allegations that she tampered with packaging and took pain medications intended for patients, U.S Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Nicole Elice Anderson, 39, of Post Falls, Idaho, pleaded guilty to unlawfully obtaining controlled substances as charged in an indictment. Anderson faces a maximum of four years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for March 12, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Anderson was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that from approximately February 2023 to March 2023, Anderson obtained oxycodone and hydrocodone by fraud and deception. In March 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration agents were alerted to a drug diversion at Prestige Assisted Living in Kalispell in which 120 hydrocodone tablets for a patient had been substituted with Tylenol. Seven medication cards had evidence of tampering. Prestige staff identified Anderson as one of two employees who had access to the drugs when they were taken. Staff also discovered a tampered oxycodone blister pack. Management interviewed Anderson and the other employee, and both submitted to drug tests. Anderson quit before the results came back. Anderson’s test was positive for oxycodone. The other employee was negative for the same drug.
The investigation determined that Anderson was prescribed a significant amount of hydrocodone, but not oxycodone, between February 2021 and March 2023 from seven different providers. In addition, witnesses described Anderson checking out medications for patients who did not receive the drugs. Anderson admitted to multiple coworkers that she was prescribed hydrocodone for back pain, was addicted to the drug and routinely ran out of her prescription. Anderson asked several staff members for pain medications. Anderson later started working at an assisted living facility in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. In June 2023, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department responded to a reported theft of hydrocodone from the facility. Management found multiple medication packs had been tampered with and that hydrocodone and hydromorphone pills had been replaced with Tylenol and anti-anxiety medication.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA conducted the investigation.
XXX
Former Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who stole over $450,000 from a family‑owned business was sentenced October 30, 2024, to two years in federal prison.
Leann Marie Rouse, age 51, from Toledo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 31, 2024 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
Evidence disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that Rouse was hired as a bookkeeper in July 2011 for a trucking company in Traer, Iowa . As bookkeeper, Rouse had access to, and control of, the trucking company’s financial accounting software and she handled payroll. From January 2015, through August 20, 2020, Rouse issued approximately 242 unauthorized checks to herself from the trucking company, stealing at least $453,672.68. Rouse hid her fraud by using the trucking company’s financial accounting software to change the entries in the software to reflect that the unauthorized funds were business expenditures related to various entities that did business with the trucking company.
Rouse was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Leonard T. Strand. Rouse was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, and she was ordered to make $453,672.68 in restitution to the trucking company. She must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rouse was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Devra Hake and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tama County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-00023-LTS.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Foreign National Charged with Multiple Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging a foreign national living in Utah with multiple drug crimes after he was arrested for allegedly possessing narcotics.
Luis Refugio Brindas Guzman, 27, of Salt Lake County, was initially charged by complaint on October 4, 2024, in the District of Utah.
According to court documents, in July 2024, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, began a criminal investigation of Guzman and other members of a drug trafficking organization suspected of distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. In October 2024, undercover officers arranged to purchase a large quantity of methamphetamine. Guzman arrived at the site of the purchase in a Nissan Rogue. During the search of the Nissan Rogue, agents seized approximately 6,682 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine, two grams of field-tested positive heroin, and a marijuana roach (the end of a joint). Guzman was arrested.
Agents then executed a search warrant at Guzman’s residence and seized approximately 7,145 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine, 1,215 grams of field-tested positive heroin, 3,587 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl, and a 9mm handgun. The fentanyl was estimated at approximately 35,000 fentanyl pills.
Guzman is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and reentry of a previously removed alien. His initial appearance on the indictment was October 31, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Jury Convicts Sumter Man of Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —A federal jury in Columbia has convicted Kelsey Antonio McCallum, 27, of Sumter, of illegally trafficking firearms.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that McCallum and his sister, Daeja Hodge, conspired to purchase firearms and resale those firearms for profit. At least 13 times from 2020-2022, McCallum made false statements to acquire firearms at dealers in Columbia, Sumter, and the Upstate. McCallum also purchased firearms from Georgia. During each purchase, McCallum falsely stated that the firearms were intended for his personal use, knowing that he intended to sell them. McCallum would then illegally transport the firearms to Maryland and sell them there. McCallum and Hodge acquired over 100 firearms during this scheme. Most of those firearms ended up in the hands of felons prohibited from possessing firearms or at crime scenes in the Baltimore area. A few firearms were also sold in North Carolina. At trial, the Government introduced more than 30 firearms and ammunition found by law enforcement in the Baltimore area.
Hodge pleaded guilty to her role in the offense prior to McCallum’s trial.
McCallum faces a maximum penalty of 10 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 will sentence McCallum after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in South Carolina and Maryland, investigated the case along with assistance from numerous local agencies in South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and North Carolina. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.
###
El Dorado Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment against Kevin Dail Meadors, 56, of El Dorado Hills, charging him with receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between July 1, 2023, and Dec. 9, 2023, Meadors knowingly received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment alleges that Meadors suffered a prior conviction for committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, which affects the potential penalties he faces in this case.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Meadors faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
El Departamento de Justicia monitoreará los lugares de votación en 27 estados para asegurar el cumplimiento con las leyes federales de derechos electoralesRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que monitoreará el cumplimiento con las leyes federales de derechos electorales en 86 jurisdicciones en 27 estados en las elecciones generales del 5 de noviembre.
El Departamento de Justicia hace cumplir las leyes federales de derechos electorales que protegen el derecho de acceso a las urnas de todos los ciudadanos. El Departamento envía personal del departamento periódicamente a monitorear elecciones en comunidades a través de todo el país.
Para las elecciones generales, el Departamento monitoreará el cumplimiento de las leyes federales de derechos electorales el Día de las Elecciones en 86 jurisdicciones, incluyendo:
- Bethel Census Area, Alaska;
- Dillingham Census Area, Alaska;
- Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska;
- North Slope Borough, Alaska;
- Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska;
- Apache County, Arizona;
- Maricopa County, Arizona;
- Pima County, Arizona;
- Yuma County, Arizona;
- San Joaquin County, California;
- Broward County, Florida;
- Miami-Dade County, Florida;
- Orange County, Florida;
- Osceola County, Florida;
- Cobb County, Georgia;
- DeKalb County, Georgia;
- Fulton County, Georgia;
- Gwinnett County, Georgia;
- Macon-Bibb County, Georgia;
- Jefferson County, Kentucky;
- Kenton County, Kentucky;
- City of Everett, Massachusetts;
- City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts;
- City of Leominster, Massachusetts;
- City of Lowell, Massachusetts;
- City of Malden, Massachusetts;
- City of Methuen, Massachusetts;
- City of Quincy, Massachusetts;
- City of Salem, Massachusetts;
- Prince George’s County, Maryland;
- City of Ann Arbor, Michigan;
- City of Detroit, Michigan;
- City of Flint, Michigan;
- City of Grand Rapids, Michigan;
- City of Hamtramck, Michigan;
- City of Warren, Michigan;
- Hennepin County, Minnesota;
- City of Minneapolis, Minnesota;
- Ramsey County, Minnesota;
- Covington County, Mississippi;
- Scott County, Mississippi;
- Warren County, Mississippi;
- City of St. Louis, Missouri;
- Blaine County, Montana;
- Alamance County, North Carolina;
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina;
- Wake County, North Carolina;
- Bergen County, New Jersey;
- Middlesex County, New Jersey;
- Union County, New Jersey;
- Bernalillo County, New Mexico;
- Cibola County, New Mexico;
- Clark County, Nevada;
- Queens, New York;
- Cuyahoga County, Ohio;
- Portage County, Ohio;
- Allegheny County, Pennsylvania;
- Luzerne County, Pennsylvania;
- Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania;
- City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
- City of Providence, Rhode Island;
- City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island;
- Charleston County, South Carolina;
- Bennett County, South Dakota;
- Jackson County, South Dakota;
- Minnehaha County, South Dakota;
- Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota;
- Atascosa County, Texas;
- Bexar County, Texas;
- Dallas County, Texas;
- Frio County, Texas;
- Harris County, Texas;
- Hays County, Texas;
- Palo Pinto County, Texas;
- Waller County, Texas;
- San Juan County, Utah;
- Hanover County, Virginia;
- Henrico County, Virginia;
- Loudoun County, Virginia;
- City of Manassas, Virginia;
- City of Manassas Park, Virginia;
- Prince William County, Virginia;
- Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin;
- City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
- Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and
- City of Wausau, Wisconsin;
La División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia coordinará este esfuerzo conjunto. Los monitores incluirán a personal de la División de Derechos Civiles, otras divisiones del Departamento, las Oficinas de los Fiscales Federales y observadores federales de la Oficina de Administración de Personal de EE. UU. Durante todo el Día de las Elecciones, el personal de la División se mantendrá en contacto con los oficiales electorales estatales y locales.
La Sección de Votación de la División de Derechos Civiles hace cumplir las leyes federales civiles que protegen el derecho al voto, incluyendo la Ley del Derecho al Voto, la Ley Nacional de Inscripción de Votantes, la Ley Ayudemos a Estados Unidos a Votar, la Ley de Votación para los Uniformados y los Ciudadanos en el Extranjero y la Ley de Derechos Civiles. La Sección de Derechos en Razón de Discapacidad de la División hace cumplir la Ley para Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA, por sus siglas en inglés) para asegurar que las personas con discapacidades tengan igualdad de oportunidades de votar plenamente. La Sección Penal de la División hace cumplir las leyes federales penales que prohíben la intimidación de votantes y la supresión del voto por razón de raza, color, origen nacional o religión.
Personal de la División de Derechos Civiles estará disponible durante todo el Día de las Elecciones para recibir preguntas y quejas del público relacionadas a posibles vulneraciones de las leyes federales de derechos electorales. Estos reportes podrán presentarse mediante la página web del Departamento en www.civilrights.justice.gov o por teléfono al número gratuito (800) 253-3931 (disponible en español).
Las personas que tengan preguntas o quejas relacionadas a la ADA pueden llamar a la línea directa de información sobre la ADA al (800) 514-0301 o (833) 610-1264 (TTY) o someter su queja a través del enlace en la página web del Departamento sobre la ADA en www.ada.gov.
Denuncias relacionadas a disturbios en un lugar de votación siempre deben reportarse a los oficiales electorales locales (incluyendo a los funcionarios con sede en ese lugar de votación). Denuncias relacionadas a violencia, amenazas de violencia o intimidación en un lugar de votación deben reportarse inmediatamente a la policía local llamando al 911. Estas denuncias deben reportarse al Departamento una vez se hayan puesto en contacto con las autoridades locales.
Información adicional sobre la votación y las elecciones, incluyendo documentos guías y otros recursos, está disponible en Voting | Voting and Elections. Aprenda más sobre la Ley del Derecho al Voto y otras leyes federales electorales en Civil Rights Division | Sección de votación | United States Department of Justice.
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mario R. Aviles, 27, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced October 30, 2024 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. That prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Aviles pleaded guilty to this charge on July 16, 2024.
The government’s investigation revealed that Hector Jimenez-Sosa was the leader of a methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine trafficking organization in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He received large quantities of controlled substances through the mail from his sources in California. Between August and October 2023, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine and fentanyl pills from Jimenez-Sosa and his associates on multiple occasions using a confidential informant. The drug sales took place at two workshops operated by Jimenez-Sosa.
Aviles, Jimenez-Sosa’s nephew, was identified as an important member of Jimenez-Sosa’s organization. Aviles sold drugs himself and was also present when Jimenez-Sosa sold drugs. For example, on September 19, 2023, a confidential informant purchased 60 grams of methamphetamine and 20 fentanyl pills from Aviles at Jimenez-Sosa’s shops in Eau Claire. On October 3, 2023, the confidential informant purchased an additional 20 fentanyl pills from Aviles at one of Jimenez-Sosa’s shops. During that drug sale, the confidential informant and Aviles talked about the prior methamphetamine sale as well as a potential future deal for a larger quantity of methamphetamine.
On December 8, 2023, Jimenez-Sosa was arrested at his residence and Aviles was arrested at one of Jimenez-Sosa’s shops. Search warrants were executed at Jimenez-Sosa’s residence and shops. Officers located cocaine, marijuana, ammunition, and drug trafficking supplies.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Aviles’ growing contribution to his uncle’s drug trafficking organization was significant and he arrived at the sentence after weighing Aviles’ conduct against his lack of prior criminal record among other mitigating factors.
Co-defendant Hector Jimenez-Sosa pleaded guilty to distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced by Judge Conley on September 25, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison.
The charges against Aviles and Jimenez-Sosa were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Eau Claire Police Department, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and United States Postal Inspection Service. The Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Drug Trafficking Biddeford Couple SentencedRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man and woman were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for their roles in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy in southern Maine.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Michael Bolster, 49, to a total of 72 months in prison on one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distributing fentanyl, followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Bolster pleaded guilty on January 18, 2024.
Jessica Bolster, 42, was sentenced to a total of 60 months in prison on one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and one count of distributing fentanyl, followed by four years of supervised release. Jessica Bolster pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024.
According to court records, the Bolsters conspired together and with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. In July 2023, the Bolsters sold fentanyl to a confidential source on three separate occasions. The sales were for approximately 9 grams, 30 grams and 29 grams of fentanyl, respectively. In August 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at the Bolsters’ residence and seized two large bundles of suspected fentanyl made up of small baggies wrapped for individual sale totaling approximately 542 grams. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab tested a sample of the substance and confirmed the presence of fentanyl. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose.
Darwin Mateo, 25, is currently serving a 36-month sentence.
The DEA investigated the case.
###
Drug Courier Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE MARTIN CHAVEZ-VALENCIA, 37, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport, to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, The Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force arranged to purchase three kilograms of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl from Chavez-Valencia’s associates. On September 26, 2022, Chavez-Valencia drove to a parking lot in West Haven to complete the transaction. Chavez-Valencia was taken into custody, and a search of his vehicle revealed approximately three kilograms of heroin. Investigators subsequently located and seized nearly two kilograms of heroin that Chavez-Valencia also had possessed.
Chavez-Valencia has been detained since his arrest. On March 4, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, which includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Nathaniel J. Gentile.
Defendant Pleads Guilty to Federal Kidnapping and Carjacking ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Zanders, 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of federal kidnapping and one count of carjacking, stemming from an incident on May 1, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 4, 2024. The defendant was arrested on November 18, 2022, and has been detained ever since.
According to the court documents, in the early morning hours of May 1, 2022, Zanders and a conspirator kidnapped two males outside of a nightclub located at 645 Florida Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. The pair posed as an Uber and the two male victims subsequently got into the defendant’s vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Zanders pulled over on a neighborhood street in Washington, D.C., pointed a firearm at the two victims and robbed them of their phones and money. The victims were then driven around so the kidnappers could attempt to withdraw money using the victims’ credit cards. One of the victims was able to escape at a gas station in Washington D.C., when Zanders and the other suspect were looking for an ATM. After the first victim escaped, the second victim was driven to a supermarket in Maryland. The defendant and his cohort then retrieved money from an ATM at the supermarket using the second victim’s ATM card. The second victim was then driven to another location in Maryland and released.
That same evening, Zanders, his cohort and a third individual met at 955 Longfellow Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Zanders had arranged a meeting with two additional victims where he was purporting to sell his vehicle but was, in fact, going to take their vehicle. When the two victims arrived in their vehicle, a 2019 green Dodge Charger, Zanders pulled out a gun, threatened to shoot the third victim, and demanded his phone, money and keys. The additional suspects turned towards the fourth victim and demanded the car keys. The fourth victim complied and one of the suspects then drove away with the 2019 green Dodge Charger. Zanders and the additional suspect then drove away in their own vehicles and fled the scene.
Zanders faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison for kidnapping and 15 years for carjacking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, SAC Geist, and Chief Smith commended the MPD officers and FBI agents who collaborated on the investigation as members of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Unit and FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer and by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Renaud. The case was initially investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Strong.
Court Permanently Stops Texas Professional and Business from Organizing and Selling “Tax Plans”Read the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas entered permanent injunctions today against Charles Dombek and The Optimal Financial Group LLC barring them from promoting any tax plan that involves creating or using sham management companies, deducting personal non-deductible expenses as business expenses or assisting in the creation of “captive” insurance companies. The injunctions also prohibit Dombek from preparing any federal tax returns for anyone other than himself and Optimal from preparing certain federal tax returns reflecting such tax plans. Dombek and Optimal consented to entry of the injunctions.
According to the government’s complaint, Dombek is a licensed CPA and served as Optimal’s manager and president. Allegedly, Dombek and Optimal promoted a tax scheme throughout the United States to illegally reduce customers’ income tax liabilities by using sham management companies to improperly shift income to be taxed at lower tax rates, improperly defer taxable income or claim personal expenses as bogus business deductions. As alleged by the government, Dombek promoted himself as the “premier dental CPA” in America. The complaint further alleges that in promoting the schemes, Dombek and Optimal made false statements about the tax benefits of the scheme that they knew or had reason to know were false, then prepared and signed tax returns for their customers reflecting the sham transactions, expenses and deductions. The government contended that the total harm to the treasury from the scheme could have been $10 million or more.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Each year the IRS highlights some of the tax scams that put taxpayers at risk of losing money, personal information, data and more. In the IRS’s most recent list, it specifically warned taxpayers “to beware of promoters peddling bogus tax schemes aimed at reducing taxes or avoiding them altogether.”
Working with the IRS, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers and tax scheme promoters over the past decade. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Dombek PI.pdf Optimal Financial PI.pdfCompound Ingredient Supplier Medisca Inc., to Pay $21.75M to Resolve Allegations of False and Inflated Average Wholesale Prices for Ingredients Used in Compounded PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Medisca Inc. (Medisca), has agreed to pay $21.75 million to resolve allegations concerning the establishment of false and inflated Average Wholesale Prices (AWPs) for two ingredients used in compound prescriptions. Medisca’s pricing scheme allegedly caused pharmacies that purchased those ingredients to submit false prescription claims to the Defense Health Agency, which administers the TRICARE Program for the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (federal health care programs).
“We will not tolerate fraudulent pricing schemes targeting health care programs that support veterans and other federal beneficiaries,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As today’s settlement demonstrates, we will hold accountable not just those who submit false claims, but all who participate in schemes designed to defraud the American taxpayers.”
Compounding pharmacies purchase ingredients or chemicals from ingredient suppliers, such as Medisca, to prepare and fill compound prescriptions for patients who require a specially made prescription that is not generally available in the marketplace. Medisca knew that compound prescription reimbursement under federal health care programs was based in part on the AWPs it reported to various price listing agencies. The United States alleged that Medisca knowingly inflated the AWPs for resveratrol (NDC No. 38779-2863) and mometasone furoate (NDC No. 38779-2413) in order to increase the reimbursement that its pharmacy customers received from the federal healthcare programs for using those Medisca ingredients.
Medisca acquired resveratrol from manufacturers for approximately $0.37 per gram. It repackaged and sold resveratrol for under $2 per gram. Medisca reported an AWP for resveratrol at $777 per gram, creating a spread of over $775 for each gram of resveratrol used by a pharmacy customer in a compound prescription reimbursed by the federal healthcare programs. Medisca acquired mometasone furoate from manufacturers for under $8 per gram. It repackaged and sold that ingredient to compound pharmacies for over $1,000 per gram. Medisca reported an AWP for mometasone furoate at over $7,300 per gram, thereby creating a spread of approximately $6,300 for each gram of the ingredient used by a pharmacy customer in a compound prescription reimbursed by the federal healthcare programs.
Medisca allegedly used the high AWPs it reported and the resulting profit potential it created for its customers as an inducement to its compound pharmacy customers to purchase those ingredients. Medisca’s alleged fraudulent pricing scheme enabled its pharmacy customers to bill federal healthcare programs inflated amounts – often thousands of dollars per prescription – for compound formulations containing those ingredients.
“The systems establishing federal reimbursements for compounded pharmaceuticals should not be viewed by companies as an opportunity to artificially inflate reimbursements from federal payors such as TRICARE,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “When companies seek to manipulate the system for their own gain, the Eastern District of Texas will hold them accountable.”
“When federal healthcare programs are defrauded it hurts all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “My office is committed to using the False Claims Act (FCA) to hold individuals and companies accountable for the impact their actions have on our critical programs. Taxpayers deserve honest pricing and assurances that the government is never overcharged.”
“This settlement sends a clear message about the unwavering commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigation Service (DCIS) to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the Department of Defense’s health care benefit program which serves our U.S. military, their family members, and military retirees,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the Department of Defense – Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “Health care providers who use fraudulent means to seek financial gain at the expense of TRICARE and the taxpayer will be diligently investigated and held accountable.”
The settlement resolves claims brought under the whistleblower or qui tam provisions of the FCA by Doug McMakin against Medisca. Mr. McMakin is a pharmacist who owned and operated a compounding pharmacy that dispensed compounded prescriptions. Under the FCA, private parties may sue on behalf of the government for false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. Mr. McMakin will receive $3,425,625 from the proceeds of the settlement. The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. McMakin v. Medisca Inc. (EDTX).
The resolution of these matters was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of Texas and the Western District of Texas, with investigative support from the DCIS, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) and the Department of Labor.
The investigation and resolution of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Senior Trial Counsel Sanjay Bhambhani and Trial Attorney John Deck of the Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Kruger for the Western District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Gillingham for the Eastern District of Texas handled the matter, with investigative assistance from Special Agents Nicholas Koechig of DCIS and Timothy Jones of USPS OIG.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Settlement
Cincinnati man who structured financial transactions from pandemic fraud proceeds sentenced to 4 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Nii A. Tei, 47, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison for structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements. Tei was also ordered to pay approximately $161,000 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and forfeit bank account balances, currency, watches and other items seized by law enforcement pursuant to warrants obtained during the investigation.
According to court documents, Tei held himself out as someone who could prepare PPP loan applications for others for pay. In the PPP loan applications Tei prepared, he inflated the average monthly payroll and number of employees associated with each business. Tei charged substantial fees for preparing PPP applications.
In total, Tei submitted more than 60 PPP loan applications and lenders funded 30 of them, with a total value of more than $1.2 million. Tei earned between $1,500 and $7,000 per loan and spent his proceeds on travel, luxury goods and foreign remittances.
In August 2020, Tei structured proceeds from this scheme at his bank in Cincinnati in an attempt to conceal the source of these funds and evade reporting requirements to the federal government.
He was charged federally in September 2022 and pleaded guilty in April 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Yvonne Dicristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service; and other members of the Financial Crime Working Group Pandemic Fraud Subcommittee announced the sentence imposed on Oct. 31 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Christmas Day Robbery Gets Woman Prison TermRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derricka Burton, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for a Christmas Day robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The Honorable Robert Salerno sentenced Burton to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Burton was found guilty on June 20, 2024 of two counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, at around 2:38 p.m. on December 25, 2023, Burton and three co-conspirators saw the victims, a couple spending time together at the Alethia Tanner Park, located at 227 Harry Thomas Way Northeast. Video footage showed Burton and her co-conspirators huddle together before two of her co-conspirators walked up to the victims and robbed them. Burton’s co-conspirators pointed a gun at the victims and demanded the victims’ Canada Goose brand jacket, cellphone, and other items. The co-conspirators then walked back to Burton and the other co-conspirators. The group conferred with each other and left together. As they did so, one of the co-conspirators dropped some of the stolen property, which Burton picked up before she left with the group. Police arrested Burton on February 12, 2024.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Katrenia Shelly, who prosecuted the case.
Chattanooga Man Sentenced for Firearm and Explosives ViolationsRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On November 1, 2024, Anthony Christopher Lively, 41, of Chattanooga, was sentenced to 54 months in prison by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following imprisonment, Lively will be on supervised release for three years.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Lively agreed to plead guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm silencer and unregistered destructive devices, in violation of the National Firearms Act (“NFA”), 26 U.S.C. §§ 5841. 5861(d), and 5871.
According to filed court documents, in August of 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lively’s Chattanooga home. Investigators located and seized a Grand Power Stribog, Model SP9A1, 9-millimter, short-barrel rifle (8-inch barrel length) equipped with a foldable stock and a fully loaded magazine; multiple firearm magazines; multiple lists detailing explosive components and parts; and assorted ammunition. Further investigation revealed that prior to the execution of the warrant, Lively enlisted a family member to remove contraband from his home. From that family member’s home, law enforcement located and seized a firearm silencer; improvised explosive devices, commonly referred to as “pipe bombs” and “Molotov cocktails”, an improvised incendiary device, commonly referred to as a “Molotov cocktail”, and various fuzes, initiators, and other explosives-related components. Lively later admitted to purchasing and modifying the short-barrel rifle and firearm silencer and constructing the pipe bombs and Molotov cocktail. He also admitted that he directed his family member to remove the items from his home. The firearms and devices were not registered, to Lively or otherwise, in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by the NFA.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations-Chattanooga Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Chattanooga Field Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chattanooga Police Department Bomb Squad and Special Victims Unit; and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin T. Brown represented the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
###
Chatham County man sentenced to federal prison for receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to receiving images of child sexual abuse.
David Johnathan Perry, 43, of Savannah, was sentenced to 97 months in prison after pleading guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Perry to pay $55,000 in restitution and to serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Protecting our most vulnerable citizens is essential, and that includes preventing the spread of sexual abuse material depicting children,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We commend the work of our law enforcement partners for their success in identifying and eliminating these threats.”
As described in court documents and testimony, the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received multiple CyberTip reports identifying child sexual abuse material stored in a Google account registered to Perry’s residence. Investigators searched the residence and seized multiple electronic devices found to contain thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography.
“Every time one of these images is shared or viewed it revictimizes an innocent child and makes the healing process start over again, that is why stopping those who traffic in these disturbing images of abuse so important,” said Steven N. Schrank, acting special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta that covers Georgia and Alabama. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to detect, investigate and prosecute those who seek to exploit our most vulnerable population.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. Blanchard.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Bộ Tư Pháp sẽ Giám Sát Các Cuộc Bỏ Phiếu ở 27 Tiểu Bang nhằm Tuân Thủ Luật về Quyền Bỏ Phiếu Liên BangRead the Press Release
Hôm nay, Bộ Tư Pháp thông báo rằng Bộ đang lên kế hoạch giám sát việc tuân thủ luật về quyền bỏ phiếu liên bang tại 86 khu vực pháp lý ở 27 tiểu bang cho cuộc tổng tuyển cử diễn ra vào ngày 5 tháng 11.
Bộ Tư Pháp thực thi luật về quyền bỏ phiếu liên bang trong đó bảo vệ quyền của tất cả công dân đủ điều kiện trong việc tiếp cận lá phiếu. Bộ thường xuyên điều động nhân viên giám sát việc tuân thủ luật dân quyền liên bang trong hoạt động bầu cử ở các cộng đồng trên toàn quốc.
Đối với cuộc tổng tuyển cử, bộ sẽ giám sát việc tuân thủ luật về quyền bỏ phiếu liên bang vào Ngày Bầu Cử tại 86 khu vực pháp lý, bao gồm:
- Bethel Census Area, Alaska;
- Dillingham Census Area, Alaska;
- Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska;
- North Slope Borough, Alaska;
- Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska;
- Apache County, Arizona;
- Maricopa County, Arizona;
- Pima County, Arizona;
- Yuma County, Arizona;
- San Joaquin County, California;
- Broward County, Florida;
- Miami-Dade County, Florida;
- Orange County, Florida;
- Osceola County, Florida;
- Cobb County, Georgia;
- DeKalb County, Georgia;
- Fulton County, Georgia;
- Gwinnett County, Georgia;
- Macon-Bibb County, Georgia;
- Jefferson County, Kentucky;
- Kenton County, Kentucky;
- City of Everett, Massachusetts;
- City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts;
- City of Leominster, Massachusetts;
- City of Lowell, Massachusetts;
- City of Malden, Massachusetts;
- City of Methuen, Massachusetts;
- City of Quincy, Massachusetts;
- City of Salem, Massachusetts;
- Prince George’s County, Maryland;
- City of Ann Arbor, Michigan;
- City of Detroit, Michigan;
- City of Flint, Michigan;
- City of Grand Rapids, Michigan;
- City of Hamtramck, Michigan;
- City of Warren, Michigan;
- Hennepin County, Minnesota;
- City of Minneapolis, Minnesota;
- Ramsey County, Minnesota;
- Covington County, Mississippi;
- Scott County, Mississippi;
- Warren County, Mississippi;
- City of St. Louis, Missouri;
- Blaine County, Montana;
- Alamance County, North Carolina;
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina;
- Wake County, North Carolina;
- Bergen County, New Jersey;
- Middlesex County, New Jersey;
- Union County, New Jersey;
- Bernalillo County, New Mexico;
- Cibola County, New Mexico;
- Clark County, Nevada;
- Queens, New York;
- Cuyahoga County, Ohio;
- Portage County, Ohio;
- Allegheny County, Pennsylvania;
- Luzerne County, Pennsylvania;
- Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania;
- City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
- City of Providence, Rhode Island;
- City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island;
- Charleston County, South Carolina;
- Bennett County, South Dakota;
- Jackson County, South Dakota;
- Minnehaha County, South Dakota;
- Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota;
- Atascosa County, Texas;
- Bexar County, Texas;
- Dallas County, Texas;
- Frio County, Texas;
- Harris County, Texas;
- Hays County, Texas;
- Palo Pinto County, Texas;
- Waller County, Texas;
- San Juan County, Utah;
- Hanover County, Virginia;
- Henrico County, Virginia;
- Loudoun County, Virginia;
- City of Manassas, Virginia;
- City of Manassas Park, Virginia;
- Prince William County, Virginia;
- Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin;
- City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
- Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and
- City of Wausau, Wisconsin;
Phòng Dân Quyền của Bộ Tư Pháp sẽ điều phối nỗ lực này. Đội ngũ giám sát viên sẽ bao gồm nhân sự từ Phòng Dân Quyền, các phòng khác trực thuộc bộ, Văn Phòng Chưởng Lý Hoa Kỳ và các cán bộ quan sát liên bang từ Văn Phòng Quản Lý Nhân Sự. Xuyên suốt Ngày Bầu Cử, nhân sự của phòng sẽ giữ liên hệ với các quan chức bầu cử của tiểu bang và địa phương.
Ban Bỏ Phiếu của Phòng Dân Quyền thực thi các điều khoản dân sự của quy chế liên bang bảo vệ quyền bỏ phiếu, bao gồm Đạo Luật về Quyền Bỏ Phiếu, Đạo Luật Đăng Ký Cử Tri Quốc Gia, Đạo Luật Giúp Người Mỹ Bỏ Phiếu, Đạo Luật Bỏ Phiếu Khiếm Diện cho Công Dân Cư Trú Ở Nước Ngoài và Quân Nhân cũng như Đạo Luật Dân Quyền. Ban Quyền của Người Khuyết Tật của phòng thực thi Đạo Luật Người Mỹ Khuyết Tật (Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA) để đảm bảo rằng người khuyết tật có cơ hội bỏ phiếu đầy đủ và bình đẳng. Ban Hình Sự của phòng thực thi các quy chế hình sự liên bang trong đó cấm hành vi hăm dọa và đàn áp cử tri dựa trên chủng tộc, màu da, nguồn gốc quốc gia hoặc tôn giáo.
Vào Ngày Bầu Cử, nhân sự của Phòng Dân Quyền sẽ sẵn sàng hoạt động cả ngày để tiếp nhận những thắc mắc và khiếu nại từ công chúng có liên quan đến hành vi vi phạm luật về quyền bỏ phiếu liên bang có thể xảy ra. Quý vị có thể báo cáo thông qua trang web của bộ tại địa chỉ www.civilrights.justice.gov hoặc bằng cách gọi số điện thoại miễn phí 800-253-3931.
Những cá nhân có thắc mắc hoặc khiếu nại liên quan đến ADA có thể gọi đến đường dây nóng cung cấp thông tin ADA miễn phí của bộ theo số 800-514-0301 hoặc 833-610-1264 (TTY) hoặc gửi khiếu nại thông qua liên kết có trên trang web về ADA của bộ tại địa chỉ www.ada.gov.
Phải luôn báo cáo các khiếu nại liên quan đến bất kỳ hành vi gây rối nào tại địa điểm bỏ phiếu cho các quan chức bầu cử địa phương (bao gồm cả các quan chức có trụ sở làm việc tại địa điểm bỏ phiếu). Phải báo cáo ngay các khiếu nại liên quan đến nạn bạo lực, đe dọa bạo lực hoặc hăm dọa tại địa điểm bỏ phiếu cho các cơ quan cảnh sát địa phương bằng cách gọi số 911. Ngoài ra, cũng phải báo cáo các khiếu nại này cho bộ sau khi đã liên hệ với các cơ quan tại địa phương.
Thông tin bổ sung về bỏ phiếu và bầu cử, bao gồm tài liệu hướng dẫn và các nguồn lực khác, đều có sẵn tại địa chỉ www.justice.gov/voting. Tìm hiểu thêm về Đạo Luật về Quyền Bỏ Phiếu và các luật bỏ phiếu khác của liên bang tại địa chỉ www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Brooksville Woman Who Lied to ATF Agents in Connection with Murder of High School Student Is Sentenced to One Year in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William Jung has sentenced Janet Williams (44, Brooksville) to one year in federal prison for lying to federal agents. Williams entered a guilty plea in June 2024.
According to court documents, on February 8, 2023, Williams’ son, Sheldon Robinson, was arrested in connection with the murder of I.S., a 17-year-old Hernando County High School student. Immediately after his arrest, Williams found approximately $6,000 that Robinson had hidden in two difference places in her home, money Robinson had been paid to murder I.S.
On August 9, 2023, Williams was interviewed by ATF special agents and detectives from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. Williams repeatedly denied finding any money that belonged to Robinson in her home. The following week, Robinson spoke to Williams. During this call, Williams told Robinson about ATF’s visit, telling him; “Feds came to the house. They took over the case.” At one point, she says, “They were asking me…did you come into a whole bunch of money? I said No. But you did come into a whole bunch of money.”
On September 20, 2023, during the execution of a federal search warrant at Williams’ residence, Williams again told federal agents that she had not found any money belonging to Robinson in her home. Williams also denied ever seeing Robinson with a firearm or knowing he possessed one. Agents also executed a search warrant on Williams’ phone which contained numerous photos of Robinson routinely possessing firearms, including possessing them in her own home. During the execution of the search warrant at Williams’ home, agents recovered a firearm partially buried in her backyard. A forensic examination confirmed the firearm was used to murder I.S.
This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Bridger Mother and Son Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison on Murder and Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Bridger, South Dakota, woman and her son, both convicted of Second-Degree Murder, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencings took place on October 28, 2024.
Theodora Belt, age 48, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison on the murder charge and 10 years in prison on each of the remaining assault charges, all to run concurrently. Bailey Belt, age 23, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison on the murder charge and 10 years in prison on the assault charges involving two separate victims, all to run concurrently.
Both defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. On, June 28, 2024, mother and son were convicted following a federal jury trial of all counts in the Indictment.
The convictions stem from an incident that occurred on May 27, 2023, in Bridger, in the Cheyenne River Reservation. Theodora and Bailey Belt were at the victims’ home socializing. An argument began between the parties and the defendants assaulted victim #1 by punching, kicking, and beating him with a shovel. As victim #1 lay on the ground outside the home he was run over with Theodora’s car, which ultimately killed him. In addition, Bailey Belt struck victim #2 in the head with a shovel, causing him to be life-flighted to Rapid City for medical treatment. He survived the assault.
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 as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy R. Morley and Brian J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
The defendants were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Baton Rouge Man Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that a Bill of Information was filed charging James S. Burland, age 69, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with possession of child pornography.
According to the Bill of Information, between on or about November 11, 2022, and April 9, 2023, Burland did knowingly possess material that contained images of child pornography involving prepubescent minors who had not attained 12 years of age.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Attorney General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
NOTE: A Bill of Information is an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty.
15 Charged in Lorain County Drug Trafficking Ring That Distributed More Than 42,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials have unsealed an indictment that charged 15 members of a Drug Trafficking Operation (DTO) based in Lorain County, Ohio.
According to court documents, the DTO was allegedly trafficking fentanyl in counterfeit pill form in the cities of Elyria and Lorain and the surrounding Northeast Ohio areas. This announcement was made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen, and Lorain Police Department Chief James P. McCann.
The investigation that led to the indictment took place over the last year and a half. Agents apprehended individuals in a series of coordinated arrests. They seized large quantities of fentanyl that included thousands of fentanyl pills made to look like legitimate prescription medications. Agents also discovered cash and several illegally possessed firearms during the investigation.
“Given its extreme potency, fentanyl is extraordinarily dangerous—it has poisoned and killed over 3,500 Ohioans in 2023 alone. Distributing it disguised as legitimate prescription medication, as the indictment alleges the defendants did here, is particularly condemnable because it heightens the overdose danger for those who ingest it,” said United States Attorney Lutzko. “I commend the incredible cooperation among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to take thousands of these deadly pills off the streets. Their dedication and hard work led to a successful disruption of this organization, helping to make our neighborhoods safer and free from the criminals who peddle these poisons on our streets.”
The following defendants were charged in the 19-count indictment:
Ronald Whittaker, 31, Cleveland, Ohio
Tyvez McCullum, 30, Elyria, Ohio
Ivan Barrios, 45, Lorain, Ohio
Tavon Martin, 28, Lorain, Ohio
Jaivon Wint, 27, Lorain, Ohio
Katlynn Caudill, 22, Lorain, Ohio
Nicholas Thomson, 47, Elyria, Ohio
Max Kennedy, 19, Wellington, Ohio
Jordan Johnson, 29, Elyria, Ohio
Angela Shuck, 35, Lorain, Ohio
Stacey Thomson, 48, Elyria, Ohio
Tyrone Phillips, 25, Elyria, Ohio
Joseph Kushner, 32, Berea, Ohio
Nicholas Burkholder, 29, Elyria, Ohio
Aubrey Brown, 29, Elyria, Ohio
According to the indictment, from about May 2023 to October 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, mixtures and substances containing amounts of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
It is alleged that McCullum and Whittaker led the conspiracy. After receiving pill supplies from Whittaker, McCullum would redistribute the fentanyl pills to the others listed in the indictment. Those individuals would, in turn, further distribute the fentanyl pills to their own networks throughout the Elyria and Lorain region. The named defendants are allegedly responsible for the distribution of at least 4,406.25 estimated grams of fentanyl and/or 42,793 blue fentanyl pills.
“We will continue leveraging every available resource to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Drug Trafficking Organizations spreading deadly poisons in Ohio. Our collaboration with local, state and federal partners is not just about enforcement, but it’s about safeguarding the future of our communities and ensuring they remain safe and drug-free,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene.
“Illegal drugs are devastating lives and corrupting communities all across northern Ohio,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “This indictment underscores the commitment not only of the FBI, but our multi-agency partners who work collaboratively to identify local drug traffickers and disrupt and dismantle their drug trafficking networks.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, each defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This investigation 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 investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the DEA, FBI Cleveland Division, HSI, City of Lorain Police Department, City of Elyria Police Department, Lorain County Drug Task Force, United States Marshals Service, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Paul Hanna for the Northern District of Ohio.
31 October 2024
“OkieMalePerv007” Sentenced for Possessing and Distributing Thousands of Images and Videos of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Randal Dewayne Davis, 48, of Salina, for Receipt, Distribution, and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Davis to serve a total of 121 months of imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Davis will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Hill further ordered Davis to pay $44,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, investigators received several tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) related to Davis sharing sexually explicit content of children being abused under the screen names “OkieMalePerv007” and “randyman.” After a search warrant was served on his home, the investigation revealed that Davis possessed and distributed thousands of images and videos of minor victims being sexually abused and exploited. Davis admitted that some of the sexually explicit content was of infants.
Davis will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshals Service, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
“Bearded Bandit” Bank Robber Admits Striking the Same Rhode Island Bank AgainRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Cranston man, previously convicted in federal court and incarcerated for more than six years for robbing nine banks in 2012, admitted to a federal judge on Wednesday that he participated in the robbery of an East Providence bank on New Year’s Eve in December 2019, a bank he had previously robbed during his 2012 spree, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Justin Worley, 44, known previously as the “Bearded Bandit,” admitted that he entered the bank late in the afternoon of December 31, 2019 with another person, and that they each approached a teller and demanded that they empty their money drawers. The second man, later identified as Nicholas Lage, 38, brandished a knife during the robbery. Between them, the two men fled the bank with approximately $12,000. They were spotted and arrested later in the evening at Twin River casino.
Worley pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2025. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Nicholas Lage pleaded guilty on April 1, 2021, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. He was sentenced on August 6, 2021, to 36 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by East Providence Police Department and the FBI.
###
Youngstown, Ohio, Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Youngstown, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to committing firearm and drug trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Antoine Tate, 43, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and oxycodone and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime on October 31, 2020.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $2,250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Union Township Police Department, New Castle Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Tate.
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 of Justice 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.
York County Man Charged with Sorna Violation, Drug Trafficking, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eric C. Haggins Jr., age 39, of Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, was indicted on August 7, 2024, by a federal grand jury for failure to register as a sex offender, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between April 2022 and July 2024, Haggins knowingly failed to register and update a registration as required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). It alleges Haggins was required to register under SORNA because of prior convictions for Rape in the Second Degree and Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the state of Maryland. The indictment also alleges that Haggins possessed cocaine, and marijuana with the intent to distribute, possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessed a firearm while he was prohibited from doing to because of his previous convictions.
This case was investigated by United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dukes is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 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.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that James Tyra Bowman, age 30, of Appleton, Wisconsin, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. As a result of his convictions, Bowman faces potential life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime period of supervised release—which includes sex offender registration requirements.
According to admissions made during his plea, Bowman used social media applications and the name “Genius_Outlaw” to attempt to convince someone he believed was an 11-year-old girl to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. Bowman offered her gifts to entice her to engage in the sexual acts. The 11-year-old girl was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Bowman also sent the undercover officer a picture of himself and his penis and demanded that she send him sexually explicit videos and images of her. Bowman also planned an arrangement where Bowman would have the supposed 11-year-old girl (undercover officer) for a period to train her in illegal sex acts in Wisconsin. Bowman was arrested by law enforcement in January of this year.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Waterloo Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing GunRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who displayed a firearm at others in a threatening manner was sentenced on October 28, 2024, to eight years in federal prison.
Rodney Lavern Thein, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 30, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by a felon.
Evidence disclosed at sentencing showed that, on July 13 and 14, 2023, Thein displayed a firearm in a threatening manner at people during confrontations over a trailer at Thein’s residence in Waterloo. During the investigation into the confrontations, law enforcement officers searched Thein’s residence, and seized nine firearms. Six of the firearms were loaded, and at least one of the firearms had been reported stolen. At the time, Thein was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously been convicted of three felony offenses.
Thein was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Thein was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment, and he must serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Thein is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑02074.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Washington man sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for trafficking eagles, hawks killed on the Flathead Indian Reservation and sold on black marketRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Washington man who conspired to hunt and kill bald and golden eagles and hawks on the Flathead Indian Reservation to sell on the black market was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $777,250 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington, and formerly of the Flathead Reservation, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy, two counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and violation of the Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate trade in wildlife that has been taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of federal or state law. The Lacey Act also prohibits any person from making or submitting any false record, account, label for or identification of wildlife that has been or was intended to be transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court ordered Branson to self-report to the Bureau of Prisons.
“The bald eagle, adopted as America’s national symbol in 1782, represents our country’s core ideals of freedom, strength, and justice. Once on the brink of extinction, eagles recovered only because of conservation efforts by the American people and federal laws protecting them. None of that mattered to Travis Branson. Instead, Branson went on self-described ‘killing sprees’ for thousands of eagles and hawks, butchered them, and sold the parts and feathers for profit on the black market. He knew he was committing felonies and even joked his cost to kill them was the price of a bullet. But his conduct was no laughing matter. With today’s sentence, the cost to Branson was more than a bunch of bullets – he forfeited the very freedom the bald eagle symbolizes,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“The unlawful killing of these majestic birds violates federal law and is a profound offense against our nation's cherished natural heritage,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Travis Branson's blatant disregard for the law and the sanctity of these protected species highlights the urgent need for stringent enforcement and greater public awareness regarding wildlife trafficking. His actions are particularly egregious, considering the significant number of bald and golden eagles he killed for personal profit, and such behavior will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect America's wildlife and hold accountable all who are engaged in these illicit activities.”
“We are going to feel the impacts of the Flathead Reservation’s raptor loss for years to come,” said Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairman Mike Dolson. “We hope this helps put a stop to illegal poaching on our homelands and gives these birds a chance to recover. Eagles are not only a treasured and important part of the Reservation’s ecosystem, but they also have a profound place in CSKT cultural and spiritual practices.”
In court documents, the government alleged that from about January 2015 until about March 2021, Branson and others hunted and killed eagles on the Flathead Reservation. Branson then sold the eagles on the black market across the United States and elsewhere. Brandon traveled from Washington to the Flathead Reservation, where he met co-defendant, Simon Paul. Branson and Paul would then shoot, transport and ship bald and golden eagles for future black-market sales. Co-defendant Paul remains a fugitive.
The government sought restitution values of $5,000 per eagle and $1,750 per hawk.
The government estimated that from 2009 until 2021, Branson made between $180,000 and $360,000 by selling eagles feathers and parts for profit on the black market.
The government’s investigation showed that Branson and others killed approximately 3,600 birds during the conspiracy. At least 118 eagles and 107 hawks killed were directly traceable to Branson and documented through his own text messages. Branson had taken up to nine eagles at a time. The photograph below shows nine sets of feathers, with one set stacked on top of the other in the upper left corner.
Law enforcement also recovered text messages from Branson stating he was specifically looking to shoot a baby eagle.
Not only did Branson kill eagles, but he also butchered them into pieces to sell. On March 13, 2021, Branson shot and killed a golden eagle near Polson. Law enforcement stopped Branson and recovered from Branson’s vehicle the feet and feathers of the golden eagle and later recovered the remainder of the carcass in a field. The claws are identified here:
Branson knew killing and selling eagles was illegal and that he did not have a permit for any of the activities. When negotiating a purchase price for eagle feathers with a potential buyer, Branson said:
“I don’t get em for free though ..out hear committing felonies”
Branson told another potential buyer he would obtain other eagle tails by “[g]oing on a killing spree.”
Further, Branson acknowledged that international shipping was illegal:
“International is still illegal ..I just get em for 99 cents ..price of a bullet..lol”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Fish and Game Department conducted the investigation.
XXX
Vallejo Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Assaulting Federal Agents with a Firearm and VehicleRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sean Thomas Delapp, 38, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2023, Delapp assaulted two FBI special agents by pursuing them with his car, pulling up alongside them, and aiming a firearm at them through the window, making a recoil motion with the firearm. A subsequent search warrant at his residence resulted in the discovery of a Glock 29 firearm, ammunition, and various firearm parts. Delapp is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was previously convicted of a felony evasion offense.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
United States Files Suit for Unpaid Duties and Penalties for Alleged Failure to Pay Duties on Imported Chinese Bedroom FurnitureRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a civil lawsuit against Lawrence Bivona, who was the President of LaJobi Inc., a Delaware corporation that imported Chinese-manufactured children’s bedroom furniture into the United States. The lawsuit alleges that Bivona made false statements to customs officials and, as a result, avoided paying antidumping duties owed on the imported furniture.
At the time merchandise is entered into the United States, the importer is responsible for providing all information necessary to enable Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess the applicable duties owed on the goods, including any antidumping duties applicable to the merchandise. Antidumping duties are trade remedies that help protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices by foreign businesses and countries, such as government subsidies or below market sales.
The United States’ complaint contends that Bivona caused LaJobi to misrepresent the identity of the manufacturers of the children’s furniture imported from China. In particular, the United States alleges that Bivona falsely represented that the furniture was manufactured by Chinese entities subject to duty rates of approximately 7% or less, and failed to disclose that the furniture was actually manufactured by entities subject to duty rates of 216%.
“Anti-dumping duties play an important role in countering illegal foreign trade practices and protecting U.S. manufacturers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who seek to gain an unfair advantage by violating our trade laws.”
“These civil penalties support the seriousness of CBP’s trade mission and protect the U.S. economy, while maintaining fair trade and preserving American jobs from predatory practices,” said Executive Director Susan Thomas of CBP’s Cargo and Conveyance Security, Office of Field Operations. “CBP’s antidumping and countervailing duties enforcement aims to mitigate harm by anti-competitive behavior and supports a level playing field for U.S. companies injured by unfair trade practices.”
“We take very seriously our role in protecting the U.S. economy from illegal and predatory trade practices,” said Assistant Director Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Global Trade Investigations. “HSI is committed to working alongside CBP and partners to stop those who engage in fraud to circumvent U.S. trade laws.”
The complaint seeks the recovery of over $7 million in import duties and over $15 million in civil penalties.
HSI Newark led the investigation with CBP Trade Regulatory Audit Newark, CBP Associate Chief Counsel New York, CBP Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising (CPMM) Center of Excellence and Expertise. CBP and HSI are the agencies responsible for enforcing U.S. laws related to the importation of merchandise into the United States, including the collection of duties and assessment of penalties.
Trial Counsel Daniel Hoffman of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, National Courts Section, is handling the case.
The case is filed in the Court of International Trade and captioned United States v. Lawrence Bivona No. 24-00196.
To combat trade fraud, including avoidance of import duties, the Justice Department created a Trade Fraud Task Force. The Task Force partners with CBP and other law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with U.S. trade laws.
The claims in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
United States Attorney Designates Election Officer for Eastern District of OklahomaRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Cameron McEwen will lead the Eastern District’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA McEwen has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District, which is comprised of twenty-six counties in eastern, southeastern, and southcentral Oklahoma. In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
“The right and ability to vote is the cornerstone of our American democracy,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “We all must ensure that those entitled to participate in the election process can exercise that right if they choose, and those who seek to corrupt it are held accountable. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA McEwen will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by calling 918-684-5174.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI National Threat Operations Center can be reached by the public at 1-800-CALL-FBI [(800) 225-5324].
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington proudly commemorates Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) this October. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Vanessa R. Waldref, joins the U.S. Department of Justice in reaffirming its unwavering commitment to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and promoting justice for all affected by domestic violence.
DVAM serves as a crucial opportunity to shed light on the profound impacts of domestic violence and emphasize the importance of collective action. Each year, millions of individuals are impacted by intimate partner violence, and far too many families endure the tragic consequences of domestic abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that survivors are heard, and perpetrators are held accountable.
This year is a special year to commemorate DVAM because it is also the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. In 1994, the passage of this landmark, bipartisan legislation transformed the way our nation addresses domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by increasing protections for survivors, providing critical federal resources to support a coordinated community response to these crimes, and awarding grants at the local, state, territory, Tribal, and national levels. Recent grant awards include $350,000 to the City of Yakima to combat domestic violence and sexual assault and $600,000 the Kalispel Tribe of Indians to respond to and prevent sexual assault.
“Everyone deserves to live in a safe home free of domestic violence,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Domestic violence victims often struggle to access the justice system and get the protection and resources they need, which is why we use all the tools at our disposal—including leveraging our partnerships with local law enforcement, domestic violence advocacy organizations, and local prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
Domestic violence is one of the root causes underlying the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis. Prosecuting cases on Tribal lands that involve intimate partner violence is a critical tool to bringing justice to victims and safety to Tribal communities. Recent cases include:
- United States v. Marvin Samson Butterfly, 2:23-cr-00110-TOR: Butterfly was found guilty of assaulting and suffocating his partner, as well as Attempted Witness Tampering.
- United States v. James Edward Kensler, 2:18-cr-00096-TOR: Kensler was sentenced to 60 months in prison for violently assaulting his girlfriend.
- United States v. Branden Scott Higgins, 1:23-cr-02056-SAB: Higgins was sentenced to nearly three months in federal prison for choking his pregnant girlfriend
- United States v. Xander Lee Ostenberg, 2:23-cr-00031-TOR: Ostenberg was sentenced to 60 months in prison for violently assaulting his partner and tribal elders.
Another crucial part of combatting domestic violence and reducing violent crimes includes enforcing federal firearm prohibitions. Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners. In addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Under federal law, people with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions and those subject to domestic violence protective orders are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms.
In October 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref announced her office’s Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative to prevent domestic violence homicides and prevent abusers who have previously been convicted of domestic violence offenses from having access to firearms. Partnering with the Yakima Police Department, Yakima County Prosecutor’s Office, Spokane Police Department, and Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, and domestic violence prevention advocates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focuses enforcement on individuals identified as repeat domestic violence abusers who unlawfully possess firearms.
Recent cases charged as part of the Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative include:
- United States v. Benjamin D. Cliett, 1:22-cr-02111-MKD: Pleaded guilty to Person Subject to a Court Order in Possession of Firearms, in connection to violating a no-contact order and possessing more than a dozen firearms.
- United States v. Tyler Jonas Senator, 1:23-cr-02027-SAB: Sentenced to 84 months on one count of Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangling or Suffocating, in connection with a violent attack on his partner.
- United States v. Michael Brian Ross, 2:23-cr-00021-MKD: Sentenced to 4 years on count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in connection with threating his partner with a firearm.
“Federal prosecutors witness the devastating impacts of domestic violence on the lives of victims and their families, who may endure long-term trauma and are at increased risk for returning to abusive relationships. Firearms are used by abusers to control their victims through fear and intimidation. Law enforcement responding to active domestic violence scenes are also at increased risk when firearms are present,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref.
Video Message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRNct8hfuxw
U.S. Attorney Waldref continued, “My Office’s Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative focuses on curbing gun violence by removing firearms unlawfully possessed by individuals with a track record of violent crime and domestic violence – these efforts protect victims, law enforcement, and the entire community.”
Facing domestic violence? Find support in your state through @OVWJustice's Local Resources: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-for-survivors
Immediate help for domestic violence victims: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (@ndvhofficial) at 1-800-799-7233 or Strong Hearts Native Helpline (@strongheartsdv) at
1-844-762-8483.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts “Protecting Places of Worship” Forum to Enhance Safety and Support for Religious CommunitiesRead the Press Release
On October 24, the U.S. Attorney’s Office held a “Protecting Places of Worship” forum to address security concerns faced by religious communities in the current climate of increased threats. The forum is part of a U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS) program that focuses on safeguarding religious institutions from violence, discrimination, and hate-based incidents. Leaders from diverse faith communities, law enforcement, and federal agencies gathered to discuss collaborative strategies for enhancing security and promoting unity.
Community leaders and stakeholders gathered on October 24 to discuss collaborative strategies for enhancing security and promoting unity in faith communities. The PPOW forum included a panel discussion with faith and community leaders on assessing community safety and ways to prevent targeted violence.Key speakers at the event underscored the importance of fostering resilient partnerships between law enforcement and religious communities. Discussions centered on best practices for threat assessment, active shooter response, and emergency preparedness. Additionally, representatives from CRS and the Department of Homeland Security provided insights into federal resources, such as grants, and other support mechanisms available to religious organizations.
In addition to security, the forum also addressed the need for greater understanding and respect among communities of different faiths. Religious leaders expressed concerns over rising incidents of hate crimes and emphasized the value of building trust with local authorities to ensure swift, effective responses to potential threats.
Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the rights of all individuals to worship freely and safely. They highlighted the Office’s proactive role in prosecuting hate crimes and supporting communities through educational initiatives, outreach, and collaboration with religious organizations.
This forum serves as a reminder of the shared responsibility to safeguard places of worship and promote inclusivity within communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains dedicated to working with community leaders and law enforcement to protect the freedoms that define our nation.
For more information on resources available to religious institutions, please visit our grant resources page.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Mescalero Man with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man has been charged by criminal complaint with assault resulting in serious bodily injury after allegedly attacking a friend with a beer bottle, leaving the victim with severe facial injuries.
According to the criminal complaint, on January 5, 2024, Lewis Michael Bigmouth, 27, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, allegedly assaulted another enrolled tribal member on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, striking the victim multiple times in the face with a beer bottle. The victim suffered severe injuries, including a partial amputation of his nose requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries.
Bigmouth appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which is has not been set.
If convicted, Bigmouth faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Kirk Williams are prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Bigmouth).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # #
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Successful Child Exploitation Prosecution Efforts in North IdahoRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the results of three separate child exploitation cases in Northern Idaho today.
“I am proud of my office’s efforts to partner with law enforcement throughout our state to locate and bring to justice child predators,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “These cases involving defendants in North Idaho and North Central Idaho shows the reach of our collaborative efforts, and Idaho’s children are safer because of these results.”
- Registered Sex Offender in Moscow Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography
In one case, David William Peer, 47, of Moscow, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court records, in early 2024, law enforcement received cybertips from an email provider indicating that somebody using its email service was distributing child pornography from multiple related email addresses. Law enforcement traced the email addresses to a Moscow address where Peer lived. Peer was a registered sex offender on federal supervision for prior convictions in another state related to child pornography. In February 2024, law enforcement searched Peer’s home and found a cell phone belonging to Peer. A forensic analysis of that phone revealed that it contained over 1,000 images of child pornography. Analysis of the phone also showed that Peer was using privacy-focused search engines to access child exploitation websites on the phone while on federal supervision.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered that Peer be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life following his prison sentence. Peer pleaded guilty to the charge on June 17, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Moscow Police Department, the Latah County Sheriff’s Office, the Lewiston Police Department, the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI, which led to the charges.
- Lewiston Man Who Distributed Hundreds of Videos Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography
In another case, Eric Marshall Villa, 39, of Lewiston, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court records, in 2023, the FBI began investigating an individual who was exchanging child pornography with others online under aliases on Instagram and Telegram. The FBI determined that Villa was behind the accounts and, following the issuance of multiple federal search warrants, searched Villa’s Lewiston home and vehicle in early 2024. Law enforcement found a phone belonging to Villa in his vehicle. A court-authorized forensic analysis of Villa’s phone revealed that he had received more than 750 videos of child pornography, distributed more than 550 videos, and distributed more than 100,000 files totaling more than 460 GB of data through links to an online file-hosting service.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered that Villa be placed on supervised release for 15 years following his prison sentence. Villa pleaded guilty to the charge on July 15, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the Lewiston Police Department, the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office, the Moscow Police Department, and the FBI for their collaboration in this investigation.
- Rathdrum Man Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Federal Prison Following Online Child Enticement Sting
In another case, Donovan Vinton Nagle, 62, of Rathdrum, was sentenced to a total of 90 months in federal prison for two counts of attempted use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor.
According to court records, between June 30 and August 24, 2023, Nagle engaged in explicit online communications with an undercover agent from the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, who was posing as the mother of an 11-year-old girl. Nagle expressed sexual interest in the fictional child, sent explicit photographs, and arranged to meet the mother and child for a sexual encounter at a hotel in Coeur d’Alene. On the day of the arranged meeting, Nagle drove from his work to the hotel, parked his vehicle, and began walking towards the hotel. Nagle, who was carrying a bag containing candy, ice cream bars, and energy drinks, was then arrested in the parking lot.
Chief District Judge David C. Nye also ordered that Nagle be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life following his prison sentence. Nagle pleaded guilty to the charges on July 15, 2024.
“Every child deserves to grow up safe, unscarred, in communities free of the threat posed by child predators,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentence helps keep a dangerous predator off the street, and if we are to be effective at protecting our most vulnerable, it will take everlasting vigilance from HSI, our law enforcement partners, and the public to identify those that would attempt to exploit children.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by of Homeland Security Investigations and thanked the Idaho State Police for their assistance in apprehending Nagle.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted all three cases.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Plea in Shiprock Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty in federal court to charges stemming from a highway shooting in Shiprock, New Mexico, that left one person seriously injured.
According to the plea agreement, on January 9, 2024, Larence Cambridge, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, flashed a firearm at the occupants of a vehicle before repeatedly shooting at it. As a result of the shooting, the vehicle was struck repeatedly, and one of the occupants was seriously injured. The shooting occurred on U.S. Highway 64 in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Cambridge pled guilty to one count each of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Cambridge will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Cambridge faces seven to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Cambridge will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Cambridge).pdf# # #
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Plea in Fatal Drunk Driving CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault in connection with a drunk driving crash on the Navajo Nation reservation that resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries.
According to court documents, on December 1, 2023, Brian Gonnie, 44, of the Navajo Nation, was driving under the influence of alcohol on Highway 64 in Shiprock, New Mexico. Gonnie was traveling at approximately 86 mph in a 35-mph zone when he crossed into the oncoming lane and struck another vehicle head-on. The collision resulted in the deaths of Gonnie's passenger and the driver of the other vehicle. A passenger in the struck vehicle sustained serious injuries, including broken ribs, a broken pelvis, and a leg fracture that required surgery.
Gonnie’s blood alcohol concentration was .267% and his vehicle was littered with empty alcohol containers. When interviewed by FBI agents, Gonnie admitted to drinking and driving that night.
Gonnie will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Gonnie faces up to ten years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Gonnie will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
This case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
# # #
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Plea in Fatal DUI Crash on Navajo NationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Vanderwagen man pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal drunk driving crash that occurred on the Navajo Nation reservation in 2022.
According to court documents, on October 2, 2022, Sheldon Carlton Daye, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, drove while impaired by alcohol. He knew that driving drunk would pose a risk to others on the road. While driving on Highway 602 near Bread Springs, New Mexico, within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation reservation, Daye struck and killed two motorists who were stopped on the side of the highway changing a tire.
Daye will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Daye faces up to 16 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Daye will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Meg P. Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
# # #
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow Announces $4.8 Million in United States Department of Justice Grants to Support Victims of Domestic Violence and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – In addition to the $12.1 million in grants announced on September 23, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico announces another $4,803,662 in grants related to protecting vulnerable victims from domestic violence and related crimes, as listed below:
- Puerto Rico Department of Justice received $1,265,216 from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Formula Solicitation.
- Coordinadora Paz Para la Mujer, Inc. received $693,750 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program.
- Solo Por Hoy received $450,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program.
- Proyecto Matria, Inc. received $400,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program.
- Hogar Nueva Mujer Santa María de la Merced, Inc. received $400,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program.
- Puerto Rico Instituto de Ciencias Forenses received $294,696 from OJP BJA for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program and $600,000 for the Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction.
- Hogar Ruth, Inc. received $200,000 from OJP BJA for the Meeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims.
- Puerto Rico Department of Justice received $500,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Local Law Enforcement Grants for Enforcement of Cybercrimes Program.
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about these and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
About the Office of Justice Programs
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime, and SMART Office – can be found at www.ojp.gov.
###
U.S. Attorney Easley Announces Appointment of District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Karen Haughton will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Haughton has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combating discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying, and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the DEO will be on duty in this district while the polls are open. The DEO can be reached by the public at the following telephone number, 919-856-4530 or 919-856-4808, or by email at [email protected].
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public by calling 704-672-6100 or 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by email at tips.fbi.gov.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Please note, however, that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown Announces Election Day Program to Prevent Voter Fraud and Protect Voting RightsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/MONROE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) Jabrina Edwards will lead the efforts of our office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Edwards has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Louisiana, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Brown stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Edwards will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. AUSA Edwards can be reached by the public at our Shreveport office at 318-676-3600.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public in Shreveport at 318-861-1890, Monroe at 318-387-0773, Alexandria at 318-443-5097, Lafayette at 337-233-2164 and Lake Charles at 318-433-6353.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Brown said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
# # #
U.S. Attorney Avery Announces 2024 Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery today announced that Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Francis will lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Francis serves as the District Election Officer for the District of Connecticut and is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.”
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that in order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Francis will be on duty while the polls are open and will be in regular communication throughout the day with the FBI and with state election and law enforcement authorities.
The Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) is staffing a hotline during polling hours on Election Day. Anyone with knowledge of election fraud or voting rights abuses is encouraged to call 1-866-733-2463 (1-866-SEEC-INFO) to report suspected violations. The SEEC staff will answer questions, advise on complaint procedures and, if appropriate, request the assistance of state criminal or federal law enforcement authorities in the investigation and possible prosecution of the matter.
The FBI in Connecticut and across the country will have special agents available to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office in New Haven can be reached directly at 203-777-6311.
In addition, complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the public,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, individuals should call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
More information on the Justice Department’s efforts to protect the right to vote and make elections secure is available here.
Two Violent Sex Traffickers Sentenced to Combined 39 YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – D’Angelo Taborn, of Durham, was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Following an FBI sting operation in Jacksonville, NC, Taborn and his co-defendant, Imani Franco, were arrested for using threats to coerce women into sex trafficking. Taborn, 31, pled guilty to the charge on July 24, 2024. Franco, 30, pled guilty on April 25, 2024, and was sentenced on September 23, 2024, to 12 years.
“Our Human Trafficking Task Force brings agencies together to expose traffickers, rescue victims, and dismantle the illicit networks that traffic in human beings for sex or labor,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “These defendants treated their victims like animals, deprived them of food, and threatened them with violence if they did not comply. Thankfully the FBI, NCIS, and local law enforcement acted swiftly, to hold the traffickers accountable and help put the survivors on their path of healing.”
“It is difficult to hear these victims literally felt “caged” by these offenders. To be forced into sex trafficking, to have to ask for food, those are deplorable conditions for any human being to endure,” said Robert M. DeWitt the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “The FBI and our local law enforcement partners will never stop working to combat human trafficking.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 12, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Human Trafficking Task Force conducted a proactive sting operation in Jacksonville, based on online advertisements for commercial sex. An undercover officer responded to an advertisement and was directed to a hotel in Jacksonville. The undercover officer encountered a young female depicted in the advertisement, later identified as Victim 1.
A short time later, law enforcement observed the defendants step out of a hotel room just down the hall. When they saw law enforcement, Taborn and Franco attempted to leave, but they were detained while officers obtained search warrants for their hotel room and vehicle. Taborn and Franco carried three phones between them, and when officers called the number listed in the commercial sex advertisement for Victim 1, one of the phones rang.
When Taborn and Franco were arrested, Victim 1 became visibly relieved. She explained that Taborn and Franco had recruited her a month earlier and that they expected her to engage in commercial sex to make money for them. Taborn required Victim 1 to perform oral sex on him twice to ensure she was a “good product.” Taborn and Franco controlled all aspects of the commercial sex operation and took all the money that Victim 1 earned. They transported Victim 1 to different cities—Jacksonville, Charlotte, Durham, and Danville, Virginia—to find additional customers for commercial sex. Investigators located numerous commercial sex advertisements and obtained hotel receipts and surveillance footage that confirmed Victim 1’s account.
Victim 1 described how she feared Taborn and felt “like an animal in a cage.” She was not allowed to leave her room and had to request food and water from Taborn and Franco. When officers recovered her, it had been more than 24 hours since she had last eaten—a meal that consisted of four leftover chicken wings from Taborn’s and Franco’s dinner. On one occasion, Victim 1 witnessed Taborn and Franco recruit another female victim, Victim 2, who they picked up in South Carolina and transported back to North Carolina. Victim 2 had not known they wanted her to engage in commercial sex in North Carolina. When Victim 2 said she did not want to participate, Taborn threatened her with his black handgun in front of Victim 1. Officers found a firearm with an extended magazine and laser matching the description in the glovebox of Taborn’s car.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) undertook this investigation as part of “Operation Cross Country,” a nationwide sex-trafficking enforcement campaign, with assistance from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Police Department, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case.
This case was part of our Human Trafficking Task Force created to expose and prosecute anyone who exploits North Carolinians for sex or forced labor. Our victim-centric approach focuses on stabilizing victims, getting them resources, and helping them through the court process. If you have a tip about trafficking, text 233733.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-cr-0092-D.
Twelve indicted in connection with violent drug trafficking gang that distributed fentanyl in Seattle and EverettRead the Press Release
Seattle – A coordinated law enforcement operation over the last 48 hours has resulted in eleven arrests of members of a drug trafficking ring that set up shop in the University District of Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. A year-long wire-tap investigation led to the indictment of 11 defendants on drug distribution and weapons charges. A twelfth defendant with ties to the organization was indicted on illegal weapons possession in connection with a deadly shooting at a Hookah bar in South Seattle. The defendants arrested over the last two days have or will be making appearances in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
“These defendants were prolific fentanyl dealers who were frequently armed when guarding their stash or distributing their drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The danger to the community cannot be overstated in this case. The leader of the drug crew was gunned down last summer – right in front of one of the U District locations where members of the crew distributed their poison, and continued do so, following the deadly shooting.”
"This operation exemplifies the power of collaboration among law enforcement agencies at all levels,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “By uniting our resources and expertise, we have successfully dismantled a criminal network that has endangered our communities through violent acts and the distribution of fentanyl. Together, we will continue to fight against violent crime and protect the lives of our citizens."
“There’s no true relief for those who have lost loved ones to drug-related crime or rising overdoses,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke of IRS-CI Seattle. “We stand with our law enforcement partners to stop groups that profit from the fentanyl epidemic by following the money.”
Thirty-one locations were searched yesterday by some 600 law enforcement officers from ten different agencies. A total of eleven people were arrested: nine of those indicted and two additional defendants were arrested on criminal complaints.
Three defendants are indicted for both gun and drug crimes:
Cooper Sherman, aka “Coop,” 27, of Seattle is charged with conspiracy, two counts of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Alvin Whiteside, aka “Mafia, 51, of Federal Way is charged with conspiracy, one count of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Whiteside is in state custody and will be transferred to federal custody.
Muhamed Ceesay, aka “Mo,” 27, of Lynnwood is charged with conspiracy, two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Ceesay remains a fugitive.
These eight defendants are charged in the indictment for the drug conspiracy and various drug distribution crimes:
Ali Kuyateh, aka “Pops,” 49, of Seattle
Lamin Saho aka “Buck,” 38, of Everett, Washington
Oche Poston, 31, of Everett, Washington
Jaquan Means, 45, of Bellevue, Washington
Dominque Sanders, 34, of Everett, Washington – remains a fugitive.
Patrick Smith, 27 of Edmonds, Washington – remains a fugitive.
Matthew Robinson, 37, of Everett, Washington
Yohannes Wondimagegnehu, aka “Jon,” 35, of Seattle
Finally, Khaliil Ahmed, aka “Bossup,” 26, of Kent, Washington, was identified as someone who supplied guns to members of the conspiracy. He is charged in a separate indictment with three counts of illegal possession of firearms, and one count of illegal possession of ammunition. Two of the charges relate to guns he possessed on August 20, 2023, at the time of a fatal shooting at a hookah bar in South Seattle. Ahmed was injured in the shooting and three others were killed. The final two charges relate to a firearm and ammunition he possessed on May 30, 2024. Ahmed is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2022 conviction for illegally possessing firearms.
Two defendants – Anteneh Tesfaye, 39, of Edmonds, Washington, and Michael Janisch, 25, of Mercer Island, Washington, were arrested on criminal complaints.
Over the course of the investigation law enforcement has seized more than 19 kg of fentanyl, 12 firearms, and more than $130,000 in cash. In the operations yesterday they seized over 50 firearms to include fully automatic weapons and handguns with Glock switches; thousands of rounds of ammunition, including high capacity drum magazines, and armor-piercing rounds; several hundred thousand dollars of bulk cash and jewelry; 1 kilogram of fentanyl and 4 kilograms of cocaine.
The charges contained in the indictments are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case 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 .
This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with significant participation by Seattle Police Department (SPD), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington State Patrol (WSP), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Border Patrol, the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bellevue Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Everett Police Department, Renton Police Department, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Washington State National Guard, Washington State Gambling Commission, Yakima County Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D) Narcotics and Gang Task Force, and Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Jensen and Joseph Silvio.
Transporting and Possessing Child Pornography Nets District Man More Than 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephen Rattley Johnson, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 7.5 years in prison for uploading and possessing videos in 2020 depicting the rape and sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent girls.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Johnson was found guilty by a federal jury on April 17, 2024, of five counts of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. On the possession count, the jury further found that the child pornography involved minors under 12 years of age, an aggravating circumstance that doubles the statutory maximum sentence. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Johnson to pay $52,600 in restitution and special assessments. Upon release from his prison term, Johnson will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, on September 21, 2020, and October 1, 2020, Johnson uploaded hundreds of child pornography files to his Google Drive cloud storage account. Google identified 220 of the files as known child pornography and closed Johnson’s account. Consistent with its statutory obligations, Google reported the material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which in turn referred the matter to law enforcement. As part of its investigation, investigators obtained the contents of Johnson’s Google account, which included hundreds of child pornography files.
Law enforcement arrested Johnson on October 7, 2021, and searched his then-residence in the H Street Corridor of Northeast Washington. Among other evidence, law enforcement seized his cellphone and the laptop Johnson had used to upload the child pornography. Although Johnson deleted the child pornography from his computer after Google closed his account, digital forensics experts were able to recover artifacts showing that Johnson had downloaded many of the files as early as April 2020 and that he had opened and watched them. Many of the files are videos depicting the rape and sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent girls. In addition, Johnson’s web browser history showed that he had navigated to child pornography online—including several of the files he later uploaded to Google—and evidence from his cellphone showed that he continued to seek out child pornography even after Google closed his account.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force; the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; and the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janani Iyengar and Jocelyn Bond.
22cr176
Three Defendants Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three defendants charged in separate cases with illegal possession of a firearm were sentenced today in federal court, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney presided over the hearings.
The cases are being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence and making communities safer for everyone.
Tyree Lashawn May, 31, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents filed in the case, in 2015, May was convicted of robbery. As a result of that conviction, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. Court records show that, on October 6, 2022, two individuals reported to law enforcement that someone they knew as “Scooter” had stolen their vehicle. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Scooter was May. The next day, on October 7, 2022, officers found the stolen vehicle and observed May carry a black bag to the car and place it in the trunk. The officers stopped May who falsely claimed his name was Jerome Drummond and he was from Virginia. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and found a 9mm firearm in the bag May had put in the trunk.
Victor Angel Ortiz, 42, of Matthews, N.C., was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court records, in April 2023, law enforcement began an investigation into Ortiz, after the defendant made reference to a “strap,” which is a slang term for a firearm, during a conversation with an inmate in the North Carolina Department of Correction. On May 4, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ortiz’s residence, where they located a 9mm firearm hidden behind the oven in the defendant’s home. Ortiz is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior criminal convictions.
Zaire Edreece Lucky, 24, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents and proceedings, on November 22, 2023, Lucky was arrested on outstanding state arrest warrants by CMPD officers at the train station in Charlotte. During the arrest, Lucky was found to be in possession of a Glock firearm with a loaded 17-round magazine. At the time,CMPD detectives were investigating Lucky for his role in motor vehicle thefts in the region. In addition to the firearm, Lucky also possessed an Autel handheld key programmer, frequently used in vehicle thefts, as well as three key fobs. Lucky has multiple criminal convictions and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The ATF and CMPD investigated the cases against May and Lucky. The FBI handled the investigation into Ortiz.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Sielaff is in charge of the prosecution of May and Ortiz. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin is handling Lucky’s prosecution.
Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Traveling to Florida to Have Sex with A MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Tyler Colton Rock (26, Texas) to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for coercion/enticement of a minor and transferring obscene material to minors. Rock entered a guilty plea on March 1, 2024.
According to court documents, Rock was 25 years old when he engaged in an online relationship with a 13-year-old in Pinellas County. Rock had the child produce explicit images of herself and sent her various images of his genitalia and videos of him masturbating. In anticipation of traveling to meet the child, Rock texted the child that it was either going to be the best trip ever or he would end up in federal prison, but he was excited. In February 2023, Rock traveled from Texas to Pinellas County to engage in sexual intercourse with the child. He brought with him a bag filled with condoms, morning-after emergency contraception pills, and stuffed animals. Rock provided the child with marijuana prior to engaging in sexual intercourse with her.
“This man knew what he was doing was a federal crime, and yet, continued to prey on the young victim,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “This investigation is another example of the tenacious commitment of our agents and analysts to rescue children from these sexual predators.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ten-Time Convicted Felon, Who Fled from Girlfriend’s Violent Death, Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Albert Ayala (34, Orlando) to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ayala entered a guilty plea on May 21, 2024.
According to court records, Ayala was driving a vehicle on I-4 when his girlfriend, the sole passenger in the vehicle, was ejected from the car. The woman was struck by multiple vehicles, causing her death. Ayala continued driving and crashed the vehicle at the base of an I-4 exit. Ayala then fled the scene on foot, leaving behind a pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. Ayala’s DNA was located on the firearm and airbag that had deployed during the crash. Prior to possessing the firearm, Ayala had been convicted of 10 felonies. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
“We’re proud to have helped put this heartless suspect behind bars for a long time,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
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.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Richard Dale Lea, age 43, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months for illegally possessing a firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On February 14, 2024, Lea pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to investigators, on April 9, 2023, Lea was found in possession of two loaded semi-automatic pistols during the search of a vehicle by Tahlequah Police. At the time of the investigation, Lea had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Lea will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.