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18 October 2024
Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Jago Clay, 24, was sentenced to 108 months, on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, on June 17, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Clay’s vehicle, due to an upside-down license plate affixed to the wrong vehicle. During the stop, officers found a large bag containing approximately 256 pressed fentanyl pills, a digital scale, and two loaded handguns. Clay admitted to knowingly possessing the fentanyl pills, with the intent distribute them, and to possessing the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Under federal law, Clay must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The case was investigated by the ATF, KSP, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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Lancaster man sentenced for COVID relief fraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Larry Jordan, 45, of Lancaster, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud for his participation in a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, joined the announcement.
According to court documents, between April and September 2020, Jordan and his brother Sutukh El a/k/a Curtis Jordan a/k/a Hugo Hurt a/k/a Hugo Hermes Hurtington, conspired to submit eight fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of companies they owned or controlled. Three of the applications were submitted to Evolve Bank & Trust and the other five were submitted to Lendio, a financial technology company based in Utah. The applications contained false statements about the 2019 payroll expenses of each company, which were used to calculate the amount of PPP funds to which the applicant-companies would be entitled. To corroborate the applications, Jordan and El submitted IRS forms, which had never been filed with the IRS, as well as fraudulent payroll registers that purported to identify the names, personal information, and salary of the employees identified on the PPP applications.
For example, a PPP loan application was submitted on behalf of 5 Stems Inc to Evolve. The application represented that in 2019, 5 Stems Inc had 194 employees and an average monthly payroll of $242,133.33. In truth, 5 Stems Inc had nine employees in 2019 and paid those employees a total of approximately $57,380 for all of 2019. Evolve approved the application and funded a $605,200 loan. The money was deposited into an account controlled by defendant El. Some of the money was used for the defendants’ own investments, as well as personal expenses and home improvements.
Sutukh El was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Kruly and Grace Carducci for the Western District of New York and Trial Attorneys Ariel Glasner and Della Sentilles of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Ketchum Man Sentenced to 20 years in Federal Prison for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – Sebastian Hanks, 22, of Ketchum, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, the investigation began when the FBI became aware that Hanks was attempting to access child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the internet. The FBI obtained a federal search warrant to seize and search Hanks’ electronic devices. During a forensic examination of Hanks’ cellphone and tablet, the FBI located numerous files of CSAM, including depictions of prepubescent children being sexually abused by adults. The FBI determined that Hanks had obtained some of the CSAM files from the dark web. The FBI also located approximately 200 images of juvenile females wearing clothing such as swimsuits and leotards. Several of the images show the juveniles in sexually suggestive positions or with the focus on their genitals. Hanks’ tablet contained over 100 graphic fictional stories about adults sexually abusing children. The FBI also found explicit images of two prepubescent children. The investigation revealed that Hanks had taken the photographs of the prepubescent children while he was babysitting them.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Hanks to serve 20 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $38,150.76 in restitution to victims in the images he produced and possessed. Hanks will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“The defendant’s crimes are hard to fathom and painful to describe,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “He not only exploited children by obtaining awful child pornography images, but he also produced images of children he was trusted to care for. The lengthy sentence in this case is necessary for public safety, and I am grateful to the investigators, prosecutors, and victim advocates who achieved justice. This case reflects our commitment to partner with law enforcement in all parts of Idaho to protect our children.”
“This sentence represents the hard work of our multijurisdictional team of investigators and prosecutors,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador. “I’m grateful for the continued commitment of every participating agency to keep our kids safe from abuse and exploitation, and for the courts that recognize the seriousness of these crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the FBI, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, and the Blaine County Prosecutor’s Office, which led to the charges. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kassandra McGrady and Erin Blackadar.
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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Jury Convicts Klamath Falls Man Who Kidnapped and Sexually Assaulted Two Women and Held One in CellRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.— A federal jury found a Klamath Falls, Oregon man guilty after he kidnapped and sexually assaulted two women, and held one in a cell he constructed in his garage.
Negasi Zuberi, 30, also known as Justin Joshua Hyche, was found guilty of kidnapping, transporting a victim for criminal sexual activity, and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, while in Seattle, Zuberi posed as a police officer and used a taser and handcuffs to detain his victim in the backseat of his vehicle. Zuberi then transported the victim approximately 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls, stopping along the way to sexually assault her.
When Zuberi arrived at his residence, he moved the victim from his vehicle into a cell he had constructed in his garage. The woman repeatedly banged on the cell door until it broke open and she escaped. The victim retrieved a handgun from Zuberi's vehicle, fled his garage, and flagged down a passing motorist who called 911.
The next day, on July 16, 2023, Reno Police Department officers and Nevada State Patrol officers located Zuberi in a parking lot in Reno, Nevada. After a short standoff, Zuberi surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody.
While investigating Zuberi's crimes, federal agents discovered that approximately six weeks prior to the kidnapping in Seattle, on May 6, 2023, Zuberi kidnapped and sexually assaulted another victim. While being held by Zuberi, his first victim observed stacked cinder blocks in his garage that he later used to construct the cell where he detained his second victim.
On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Zuberi with kidnapping and transporting a victim with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Later, on February 15, 2024, a second kidnapping charge and charges for illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and attempted escape were added by superseding indictment.
Kidnapping is punishable by up to life in federal prison and transporting a victim across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity by up to 10 years. Illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, and attempted escape are punishable by up to 15 years.
This case was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office, Klamath Falls Police Department, and Oregon State Police with assistance from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada; Klamath County District Attorney's Office; Reno, Nevada Police Department; Washoe County, Nevada District Attorney's Office; and Nevada State Police. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Marco A. Boccato, and Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with assistance from Appellate Chief Suzanne Miles, also of the District of Oregon.
Jefferson County tax preparer sentenced to federal prison for tax fraud schemeRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont woman has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Michelle Denise Johnston, 42, pleaded guilty to making and subscribing a false return and aiding and assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent return and was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on October 16, 2024. Johnston was also ordered to pay $196,177.00 in restitution.
According to information presented in court, Johnston was a was a paid tax return preparer who was working at Allen and Johnston Tax Service (AJTS), in Beaumont. In 2011, Johnston and Yolanda Allen Morris formed AJTS. Each had worked as Jackson Hewitt Office Managers at different Wal-Mart locations and decided to open their own tax preparation business. AJTS existed until Allen and Johnston split in February 2021. Johnston requested refund amounts on customers’ tax returns that were not based on the customers’ actual income, expenses, deductions, and applicable qualifying credits. Instead, she illegally inflated refunds based on fabricated income, expenses, deductions, and credits reported by Johnston without her customers’ knowledge. Johnston then electronically submitted the fraudulent return information to the IRS via wire. The IRS deposited the tax refunds for Johnston’s customers with a third-party vendor. Johnston then caused the third-party vendor to pay the customers a modest tax refund she originally made known to them. Before the third-party vendor paid the customers, Johnston deducted what was essentially a second preparation fee from her customers refund, unbeknown to her customers. The amount of this second fee was generally the difference between the filed, larger tax refund and the modest tax refund originally made known to the customer. In addition, Johnston signed an income tax return that contained a written declaration that it was made under penalties of perjury. She falsely stated the amount of gross receipts knowing the statement was false. She also fraudulently stated taxpayers’ total expenses on tax returns knowing it was false.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
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Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Mark Dennison, (45, Jacksonville) to six years and three months in federal prison for distribution of five grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Dennison entered a guilty plea on June 11, 2024.
According to court documents, Dennison sold two ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on October 10, 2023. The methamphetamine was tested by a Drug Enforcement Administration chemist who determined that it was 95% pure. Dennison was arrested on October 24, 2023, when he arrived at a gas station in Macclenny to sell fentanyl to the confidential informant. Dennison has been detained since his arrest last year.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
Hugo Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Warren Allen Coleman, age 40, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Hugo Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On October 8, 2024, Coleman pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to investigators, on September 1, 2023, OHP troopers conducting a traffic stop discovered Coleman in possession of a chamber loaded 5.7x28mm semiautomatic pistol with 14 rounds in the magazine. Law enforcement also seized a loaded .45 caliber handgun with a magazine holding nine additional rounds of .45 ACP ammunition. Coleman knowingly possessed the firearms after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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 Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Coleman will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith Singer and Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Highgate, Vermont Man Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Jason Douglas, 40, of Highgate, Vermont, pleaded not guilty in United States District Court in Burlington on October 16, 2024 to a charge that he possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. At a subsequent hearing on October 17, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jerome Niedermeier ordered that Douglas be released on conditions that include home confinement during the pendency of the case.
On September 26, 2024, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a one-count indictment charging Douglas with unlawfully possessing a Ruger .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol as a convicted felon. According to court records, Douglas is barred from possessing firearms because he has two separate felony convictions in Vermont for kidnapping and burglary. The federal prosecution of Douglas stems from an incident in downtown Burlington on July 29, 2024, in which it is alleged that Douglas pointed a firearm at an individual in the middle of the day. Douglas was arrested shortly thereafter and law enforcement recovered a loaded pistol from the driver’s compartment of the car Douglas was driving. As a result of this incident, Douglas has also been charged in Vermont Superior Court with reckless endangerment.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation and that Douglas is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. If convicted, Douglas faces up to 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
This case was investigated by the Burlington Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Douglas is represented by Federal Public Defender Mike Desautels. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Four S.C. Law Enforcement Officers Honored at 2024 Strom Thurmond AwardsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Four South Carolina law enforcement officers were honored for their achievements today at the 41st annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon.
State, local, and federal law enforcement officials from across South Carolina attended the awards luncheon to celebrate these officers. The awards are presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association (SCLEOA) and the Strom Thurmond Foundation.
The 2024 honorees are:
City – Captain Marty Sawyer, Aiken Department of Public Safety
County – Chief Deputy Tom Fox, Horry County Sheriff’s Office
State – Director Bryan Stirling, S.C. Department of Corrections
Federal – Special Agent Paul Criswell, Homeland Security Investigations
The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by then Senator Strom Thurmond in 1983 to recognize law enforcement officers whose performances demonstrate the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. An annual award is given in each of the four categories: (1) city/municipal; (2) county; (3) state; and (4) federal. An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association, SCLEOA, and past recipients selects the winners from nominations received from across the state.
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Fort Worth Couple Tied to Two Overdose Deaths Sentenced to Combined 51 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Fort Worth couple linked to at least two overdose deaths was sentenced today to a combined 51 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Edward Taylor, 42, Tierrah “TT” Andrews, 29, were charged in March. Both pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. On Friday, Mr. Taylor was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman to 27 years in federal prison; Ms. Andrews was sentenced to just over 24 years in federal prison.
“These drug traffickers callously disregarded the risks of the drugs they were selling, and as a result, two people died,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Traffickers know that fentanyl does not discriminate. It takes the lives of first-time users and long-term addicts alike. These round blue pills are fueling a crisis that is ripping apart families across America. The Justice Department—including this U.S. Attorney’s Office—will not relent until we see each and every fentanyl trafficker held accountable for the lives they destroyed.”
“Although today’s sentencings will provide little solace to the families of those lost to the fentanyl scourge, it is a promising triumph in law enforcement's fight against its vile spread. As we witness in this case, while investigating Federal firearms violations, ATF will occasionally uncover other illicit acts, such as the sale of illegal narcotics. Unbeknownst to the bad guys, law enforcement communicates better than they do. Making these crimes sentenced here today even more monstrous is the fact that Ms. Andrews was carrying a firearm to protect her venture while dealing her filth. Together with our local partners and the DEA, we are committed to putting the bad actors poisoning our streets with fentanyl and carrying firearms in prison through any means necessary,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
According to court documents, Mr. Taylor and Ms. Andrews admitted to trafficking cocaine and fentanyl pills out of a motel room and an apartment in Fort Worth’s Las Vegas Trail neighborhood.
On Nov. 2, 2023, a 45-year-old man identified by the initials T.M. took a rideshare to the motel to purchase drugs from Mr. Taylor. Surveillance video showed the man briefly enter and exit Mr. Taylor’s room. Hours later, the victim’s mother found his body in his bedroom next to a crushed M-30 pill containing fentanyl. Four additional M-30 pills were found in a nicotine box inside the victim’s room.
Less than three months later, on Jan. 26, 2024, a 21-year-old man identified by the initials K.S. texted Ms. Andrews requesting “rocks n blues” (slag for crack cocaine and fentanyl pills). Cell phone data showed he took a rideshare to a gas station near her apartment, walked to her place, and paid her $77 via CashApp. Later that day, his sister found his body, where blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl, white powder, and a glass pipe were later found.
That same month, a source of information reported to police he had purchased crack cocaine and fentanyl pills from a couple trafficking out of Fort Worth. He provided Ms. Andrews’ phone number and Mr. Taylor’s CashApp account. Another source of information confirmed that he too had purchased crack cocaine and “percs” (another slang term for pills) from Mr. Taylor and Ms. Andrews for several months. He reported that the couple generally had a “k-pack” of 1,000 blue M-30 pills in plain view.
On Jan. 27, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ms. Andrews’ apartment, where they found 270 blue M-30 pills, 2.8 grams of cocaine, 6.6 grams of methamphetamine, a drug ledger (also known as a “pay owe” book), and 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition. On Ms. Andrews’ person, agents found a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. She explained to officers that she dealt drugs provided by Mr. Taylor and carried the pistol ”so no one does anything to me.”
On Feb. 29, 2024, an ATF undercover agent and a confidential informant purchased approximately 6.28 grams of blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl from Ms. Andrews at her apartment for $275. They observed Mr. Taylor asking Ms. Andrews about the transaction while she bagged up the blue M-30 pills inside the apartment. The transaction was completed outside, in the undercover agent’s vehicle. The defendants were arrested a week later in possession of additional blue M-30 pills and firearms, despite both being convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms.
When confronted with photos of the victims, Mr. Taylor admitted to selling to T.M. and Ms. Andrews admitted to selling to K.S. Autopsies later confirmed both men suffered fatal drug overdoses.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation as part of a Fort Worth Violent Crime Initiative, with the assistance of the Fort Worth Police Department and the Parker County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas is prosecuting the case.
Former Vice President of SDVOSB Disgorges Profits and Pays $35,000 to Resolve FCA AllegationsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Robert Bechtold, former Vice President of Certified Manufacturing Enterprises, LLC (“CME”), a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and Native American Owned Small Business previously operating in Holt, Florida, entered into a settlement agreement to resolve allegations that he falsely represented CME’s status to obtain set-aside government contracts. The settlement was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This resolution demonstrates our commitment to ensure that socially disadvantaged small businesses can fairly compete in the award of government contracts,” said U.S. Attorney Coody.
“Individuals who fraudulently misrepresent eligibility for set-aside contracts will be held accountable.”
The United States contended that Mr. Bechtold was responsible for violations under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733, related to his representations to the federal government regarding CME’s status as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (“SDVOSB”). In particular, the United States alleged that Mr. Bechtold falsely represented CME’s status as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business to obtain Contract No. SPE4A6-18-P-M255 with the Defense Logistics Agency, which was intended for a true SDVOSB. Mr. Bechtold agreed to pay $35,000 to resolve the allegations, of which $11,285 is restitution.
“We extend our gratitude to the Northern District of Florida’s United States Attorney’s Office and our joint partners for their commitment to integrity in all contractual dealings. This settlement sends a clear message that any attempts to undermine fair competition will not be tolerated, ensuring our nation's defense is supported by principled partners," said Derrell D. Freeman, Special Agent-in-Charge, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Office of Procurement Fraud Detachment 5, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, GA.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle represented the United States in this matter, with assistance from the Defense Logistics Agency, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Federal grand jury indicts Buffalo Police detective for purchases made on illicit online marketplace and making false statements to the FBIRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Terrance Michael Ciszek a/k/a DrMonster, 34, of Buffalo, NY, with possession of unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud and making a false statement to an agency of the United States, which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the cases, stated that since August 2018, the FBI has been investigating an illicit online marketplace known as Genesis Market, whose operators compile stolen data, such as computer and mobile device identifiers, email addresses, usernames, and passwords, from malware-infected computers around the globe and package it for sale on the market. Purchases made through Genesis Market are conducted using virtual currency, such as bitcoin.
According to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, between March 16 and July 29, 2020, Ciszek, a Buffalo Police Detective, purchased 11 packages on Genesis Market that included 194 stolen account credentials. Investigators also determined that Ciszek had bitcoin wallet addresses associated with UniCC, a dark web carding website. Carding websites are illicit marketplaces and/or forums used to share stolen credit card data and discuss techniques for obtaining credit card data, validating it, and using it for criminal activity. On April 15, 2020, Ciszek recorded a video explaining to others how he anonymized his identity on the internet when purchasing stolen credit cards, and described his use of UniCC. In the video, he stated, among other things, “And then I usually get my credit cards from UniCC, which is an amazing place if you guys don’t have it.
On April 4, 2023, Ciszek is accused of making false statements to the FBI, claiming that he had not purchased stolen credentials from the internet, and further stating that his nephew may have been responsible for the online purchase of stolen credentials.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Evansville Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for 3D Printing Ghost Gun and Dozens of “Glock Switches”Read the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Marquel D. Payne, 39, of Evansville, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a machinegun.
According to court documents, on January 31, 2024, Evansville Police Department officers observed Payne in possession of a 3D printer while conducting surveillance near his residence. Investigators had received information that Payne was manufacturing machine gun parts using a 3D printer before the surveillance began.
Investigators obtained search warrants for Payne’s residence and other locations he controlled. During the searches, investigators found approximately 60 plastic machine gun conversion devices, a 9mm personally made handgun, also known as a “ghost gun” due to its lack of any traceable serial numbering, an AR-15 rifle, a 3D printer, plastic printing filament, a 3D printed firearm silencer, and 9mm caliber ammunition.
Machinegun conversion devices sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to produce, possess, or sell. The hand grip of the 9mm ghost gun was produced by Payne using a 3D printer. Other parts of the ghost gun were produced in Pennsylvania.
At the time of his arrest, Payne had been previously convicted of numerous felonies, including escape, carrying a handgun without a license, and criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon. These prior felony convictions prohibit Payne from ever again legally possessing a firearm.
“Getting illegal machinegun conversion devices off our streets is a critical public safety priority. Fully automatic weapons and untraceable ‘ghost guns’ pose a serious danger to our communities, especially when they are in the hands of people who have no lawful business possessing any firearm,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution is the result of quick and impactful investigative work by our outstanding partners at the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center. Together we are committed to saving lives and reducing gun violence by combining intelligence and resources to investigate and prosecute dangerous offenders.”
“Unfortunately, these deadly conversion devices continue to show up in our communities,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “U.S. law has long recognized that automatic weapons pose a special risk to public safety, both through the sheer volume of bullets fired and the likelihood that innocent bystanders will be injured or killed. Combine that with an untraceable firearm and an unregistered silencer in the hands of a convicted felon, and it is clear that this individual is solely interested in feeding violence in southern Indiana. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use and distribute machine gun conversion devices.”
“My office applied for and was awarded a $700,000 federal grant to form the crime gun intelligence center where our mission is clear: to work with our state and federal partners to combat the rising crime in Vanderburgh County. We are now seeing the fruits of our labor,” said Prosecutor Diana Moers. “My office and our state and federal partners will stop at nothing to identify and prosecute any who seek to commit violent crimes in our community - this case is a result of teamwork and, with our agencies working together, we expect more cases like this: we are ahead of criminal activity and not simply reacting. Anyone planning to break the law in Vanderburgh County should swiftly reconsider.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Evansville Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC), the Evansville Police Department, and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
In October 2023, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, and Evansville Police Department secured a nearly $700,000 federal grant to establish a Crime Gun Intelligence Center. The goal of the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center is to quickly identify and reduce the amount of gun crime in the Evansville-Vanderburgh County area by providing intelligence, analysis, and resources between agencies for the swift identification and apprehension of suspected armed criminals.
The Department of Justice’s National Ghost Gun Initiative was launched in February 2022 in response to the proliferation of ghost guns in our communities, and the growing number of criminals who unlawfully use or possess these untraceable weapons. The Attorney General directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to train a national cadre of prosecutors as experts to lead investigations and prosecutions of crimes involving ghost guns. These ghost gun coordinators will also share investigation and prosecution tools with other prosecutors and law enforcement officers. As part of the initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana will focus its investigation and prosecution resources on combatting the illegal possession and use of ghost guns.
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Des Moines Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Meth, Fentanyl, and a FirearmRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and a firearm.
In June 2024, a federal jury convicted Dylan Pettyjohn, 33, of possessing distribution quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possessing a firearm as a felon and carrying it in relation to his drug trafficking.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, on May 5, 2023, Pettyjohn led Des Moines police on a vehicle chase. When his car was disabled, he continued running on foot with a loaded firearm and a fanny pack containing cash and drugs. As an officer pursued him, Pettyjohn reached into his waistband and grabbed his loaded firearm, which he threw over his head. When the officer caught up to him, Pettyjohn resisted arrest and grappled with the officer, putting his hand on the officer’s gun. In his fanny pack, Pettyjohn had over 85 grams of methamphetamine and 54 fentanyl pills.
At sentencing, the Court emphasized Pettyjohn’s long and aggravating criminal history. After completing his term of imprisonment, Pettyjohn will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
D.C. Gang Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eugene Tracey Hill , 31, of Washington D.C. and a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) street crew, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison on four felony charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses in the District of Columbia.
The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Hill, aka “Geno” and “Cheese,” pleaded guilty on July 17, 2024, to a four-count criminal information charging him with conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and a detectable amount of oxycodone, conspiracy to use a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and two counts of possessing a handgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
In his plea agreement, Hill admitted that he distributed both marijuana and oxycodone, and that he distributed both substances in bulk to other dealers and in smaller, street-level transactions. He also admitted to purchasing semi-automatic and fully automatic AR-Pistol ghost guns that he stored in “trap houses” maintained by PDS.
In addition to the 180-month prison term, the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson ordered Hill to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Hill held a leadership position in the Push Dat Shit (PDS) Street Crew which held territory in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. Hill conspired with other crew members to distribute both marijuana and oxycodone within their territory and further admitted that the co-conspirators distributed more than 100 kilograms of marijuana during the course of their conspiracy.
Eugene Tracy Hill
The co-conspirators also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.” Hill admitted that, as part of the conspiracy one of his co-conspirators assembled fully automatic AR-Pistol machine guns which were then distributed within the crew for use in furtherance of their drug trafficking conspiracy. Hill admitted that he purchased and possessed machine guns during his part in the conspiracy.
Hill was arrested on September 15, 2022, shortly before the FBI executed a search warrant at a “trap house” he and his co-conspirators maintained on Fourth Street, Southeast. FBI agents recovered two Glock handguns, approximately 100 rounds of ammunition, 1.8 pounds of marijuana, two digital scales, a money counter, and approximately $15,000 from that residence. Hill has been detained since his arrest.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI and ATF with assistance from both officers and detectives from the MPD a part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 22 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machineguns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song with valuable assistance from Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli and Melissa Macechko.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 100 Months in Federal Prison in Connection with Trafficking a Kilogram of Fentanyl, a Kilogram of Cocaine, and a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced in federal court for drug and firearm offenses, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Victor Rosario, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 100 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. On June 25, 2024, Rosario pleaded guilty to one count each of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
“The defendant, a convicted felon, was undeterred from committing new crimes by a prior imprisonment, instead he trafficked deadly drugs and an assault rifle with an obliterated serial number” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Today’s lengthy sentence should serve as a notice to repeat offenders that law enforcement will be relentless in taking drugs, guns and criminals off the streets.”
“Guns and drugs take far too many lives in our communities, and Victor Rosario was contributing to the devastating impact of both here in New Hampshire,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s sentence holds this convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms accountable for selling an AK-47 with an obliterated serial number, along with deadly fentanyl to a confidential informant. While Mr. Rosario is sitting behind bars, the FBI will continue to work with our partners to remove dangerous criminals like him from our streets.”
Between December 2023 and January 2024, Rosario sold fentanyl to a confidential informant on four occasions. On the fourth occasion, Rosario also sold the confidential informant an AK-style rifle with an obliterated serial number. Authorities executed search warrants on Rosario’s home, vehicle, and person, and recovered additional cocaine and fentanyl. In total, Rosario possessed and/or distributed over a kilogram each of cocaine and fentanyl. Rosario was on federal supervised release at the time of his offense.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender Task Force and the Manchester Police Anti-Crime Unit led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police Narcotics Investigations Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasey Weiland and Matthew Hunter are prosecuting the case.
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Connecticut Fisherman Sentenced to Prison for Evading Taxes on More Than $1.4 Million in IncomeRead the Press Release
BOSTON –– A Connecticut man was sentenced on Oct. 16, 2024 for evading taxes on income he earned from commercial fishing in Massachusetts.
Brian Kobus, 49, of Durham, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Kobus was also ordered to pay restitution to the United States of $377,839. In July 2024, Kobus pleaded guilty to two counts of tax evasion.
Kobus worked as a commercial fisherman and deckhand for various fishing companies in Massachusetts for over 30 years, earning over $1.4 million in taxable income between 2011 and 2013 and between 2017 and 2021. The companies paid Kobus by check after each fishing trip and provided Kobus with IRS forms which detailed his earnings and made clear that no taxes had been withheld. Despite this, Kobus never filed a federal income tax return or paid the taxes he owed on this income. Kobus intentionally concealed his income by immediately cashing each paycheck and paying for all of his personal expenses in cash. In total, Kobus caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $377,839.90.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Condenan a un ciudadano peruano por un entramado transnacional para estafar a consumidores de habla hispana de los Estados UnidosRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Un ciudadano peruano fue condenado hoy a 98 meses de prisión por su participación en la supervisión de una organización de fraude transnacional dirigida contra inmigrantes recién llegados a los Estados Unidos.
Según los documentos judiciales, Jose Alejandro Zuñiga Cano, de 40 años de edad y oriundo de Lima (Perú), era el operador de un centro de llamadas peruano a través del cual estafaba y extorsionaba a residentes de habla hispana de los Estados Unidos con falsas amenazas de arresto, procesos judiciales y consecuencias inmigratorias. Zuñiga fue extraditado desde Perú en marzo para enfrentar cargos relacionados con el entramado y se declaró culpable de conspiración para cometer fraude postal y electrónico en julio.
Al declararse culpable, Zuñiga admitió que poseía y operaba un centro de llamadas en Lima, Perú, a través del cual realizaba llamadas no solicitadas a consumidores de habla hispana en los Estados Unidos y afirmaba falsamente que habían ganado o reunido los requisitos para productos gratuitos, que incluían tabletas informáticas y cursos de idioma inglés. En llamadas posteriores, Zuñiga y sus cómplices afirmaban falsamente que las víctimas estaban obligadas por contrato a pagar grandes sumas para recibir los productos. Zuñiga y sus cómplices se hicieron pasar por abogados, funcionarios judiciales, policías y representantes de un supuesto “Tribunal de Delitos Menores” para intimidar a las víctimas y obligarlas a enviar los pagos. Además, Zuñiga y sus cómplices preguntaban a las víctimas potenciales sobre su país de origen y las amenazaban con procedimientos judiciales, arrestos y consecuencias inmigratorias si no pagaban.
Muchas de las víctimas que efectuaron pagos a raíz de estas mentiras y amenazas fueron revictimizadas con frecuencia por Zuñiga y sus cómplices con un plan de devolución relacionado. El acusado y sus cómplices hicieron llamadas adicionales a las víctimas que ya habían pagado y, mientras se hacían pasar por abogados de un tribunal estadounidense, afirmaban falsamente que las víctimas tenían derecho al pago de devoluciones y que recibirían su dinero de vuelta si abonaban honorarios adicionales. En realidad, no había abogado, ni orden de devolución, ni fondos devueltos a las víctimas que hicieron esos pagos adicionales; sino que Zuñiga se quedó con esos pagos adicionales de las víctimas.
“La Subdivisión de Protección al Consumidor del Departamento de Justicia se dedica a proteger a los consumidores estadounidenses vulnerables de los estafadores, sin importar dónde residan”, dijo Brian M. Boynton, subprocurador general adjunto principal, jefe de la División Civil del Departamento de Justicia. “La sentencia de hoy demuestra que las personas que defraudan a nuestras comunidades de inmigrantes responderán ante los tribunales estadounidenses. Continuaremos trabajando con nuestros socios para garantizar que las personas que se hagan pasar por funcionarios del Gobierno y del tribunal sean llevados ante la justicia”.
“El brazo largo del sistema de justicia estadounidense no tiene límites cuando se trata de llegar a los estafadores que se aprovechan de las poblaciones más vulnerables de nuestra nación, que incluyen a las personas mayores y los inmigrantes recién llegados”, dijo el abogado estadounidense Markenzy Lapointe para el Distrito Sur de Florida. “No permitiremos que los criminales transnacionales utilicen tácticas de miedo e intimidación para robar dinero al público al que atendemos. Las personas que defrauden a los consumidores estadounidenses serán llevadas ante la justicia, sin importar dónde se encuentren”.
“La sentencia dictada hoy contra José Alejandro Zuñiga Cano es una prueba de la dedicación entre el Servicio de Inspección Postal de los Estados Unidos, la División de Protección al Consumidor del Departamento de Justicia y la Oficina del Fiscal de los Estados Unidos para no detenerse ante nada para llevar ante la justicia a los sospechosos que victimizan a nuestros ciudadanos”, dijo el inspector a cargo, Juan A. Vargas, de la División de Miami del USPIS.
Con la sentencia de hoy en el Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Sur de Florida, doce acusados han sido condenados y sentenciados en relación con un entramado de fraude transnacional de $15 millones que estafó y amenazó a los consumidores estadounidenses de habla hispana, alegando que sufrirían consecuencias legales si no pagaban por productos de aprendizaje del inglés que nunca solicitaron. En conjunto, el entramado fue responsable de estafar a más de 30,000 residentes de habla hispana de los Estados Unidos. Muchas de las víctimas son inmigrantes recién llegados que simplemente habían expresado su interés por aprender inglés.
Entre los doce acusados figuran ocho propietarios-operadores de centros de llamadas peruanos y cuatro propietarios-operadores de centros de distribución que procesaban pagos, distribuían productos y posibilitaban el fraude en los Estados Unidos. Muchos de los acusados compartieron estrategias sobre cómo estafar a los residentes de habla hispana de los Estados Unidos.
Zuñiga es el octavo acusado extraditado desde Perú que se declara culpable ante un tribunal federal de cargos de fraude relacionados con los centros de llamadas peruanos implicados en la estafa del aprendizaje del inglés. En 2021 y 2022, el juez de distrito, Robert N. Scola, Jr. condenó a Henry Milla, Carlos Espinoza, Jerson Renteria, Fernan Huerta, Omar Cuzcano, Evelyng Milla y Josmell Espinoza a penas de entre 88 y 110 meses de prisión.
Además de condenar a Zuñiga a una pena de prisión federal, la jueza de distrito, Kathleen M. Williams, también ordenó a Zuñiga el pago de casi $700,000 dólares en concepto de indemnización a sus más de 1,100 víctimas.
USPIS y la Subdivisión de Protección al Consumidor investigaron el caso.
El fiscal principal y coordinador de Litigios Penales Transnacionales, Phil Toomajian, y la fiscal Carolyn Rice, de la Subdivisión de Protección de los Consumidores, llevan el caso, y la fiscal adjunta, Annika Miranda, del Distrito Sur de Florida, se ocupa del decomiso de bienes. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia, la Oficina del Fiscal del Distrito Sur de Florida, el Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática del Departamento de Estado, el Servicio de Alguaciles de Estados Unidos, la Oficina del Fiscal Nacional de Perú y la Policía Nacional de Perú prestaron una ayuda fundamental. El Servicio de Alguaciles, la Oficina del Fiscal General de la Nación y la Policía Nacional de Perú prestaron una ayuda fundamental.
El Departamento de Justicia sigue investigando y presentando cargos en otros asuntos similares relacionados con amenazas contra residentes de habla hispana de los Estados Unidos.
Si usted o alguien que conoce tiene 60 años o más y ha sido víctima de un fraude financiero, tiene a su disposición a profesionales experimentados en la Línea Directa Nacional contra el Fraude a Personas Mayores: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Esta línea directa del Departamento de Justicia, gestionada por la Oficina para las Víctimas de Delitos, puede prestar apoyo personalizado a quienes llaman, evaluando las necesidades de la víctima e identificando los siguientes pasos pertinentes. Los administradores del caso indicarán los organismos de denuncia pertinentes, facilitarán información a las personas que llamen para ayudarlas a denunciar, comunicarán directamente a las personas que llamen con los organismos adecuados y les ofrecerán recursos y remisiones, en función de cada caso. Denunciar es el primer paso. Denunciar puede ayudar a las autoridades a identificar a quienes cometen fraude y denunciar ciertas pérdidas financieras debido al fraude lo antes posible puede aumentar la probabilidad de recuperar las pérdidas. La línea directa está abierta de lunes a viernes de 10:00 a. m. a 6:00 p. m. ET. Se ofrece en inglés, español y otros idiomas.
Para obtener más información sobre las iniciativas del departamento para ayudar a los ciudadanos estadounidenses ancianos, visite la página web de la Iniciativa para la Justicia de Personas Mayores. Para obtener más información sobre la Subdivisión de Protección del Consumidor y sus iniciativas de aplicación, visite www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Las quejas de fraude contra personas mayores se pueden presentar ante la FTC en www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ o en 877-FTC-HELP. El Departamento de Justicia ofrece diversos recursos relacionados con la victimización por fraude de ancianos a través de su Oficina para las Víctimas de Delitos, que puede consultarse en www.ovc.gov.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to 12 years in prison for sex trafficking a minor in the Chicago area.
The victim was 15 years old in December 2015 when WILLIAM MCBETH enticed her to engage in commercial sex acts. McBeth advertised the sex services online and arranged for the victim to meet individuals who responded. McBeth transported the girl to hotels and residences in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs to engage in commercial sex, and on at least one occasion brought her from Wisconsin back to Illinois for that purpose. He provided the victim with illicit drugs and alcohol to keep her working. McBeth kept most of the proceeds from the encounters, spending some of the money on a new car for himself.
McBeth, 39, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of interstate transportation of an individual with the intent that she engage in prostitution. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama on Thursday ordered McBeth to pay $66,594.50 in restitution to his victim.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Petersen.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Chattanooga Provider Settles Allegations of Improper Billing for Electro-Acupuncture DevicesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Apple Corporate Wellness, Inc., now known as Bryn Medical Center and Basket Medical PLLC (collectively “Apple”), agreed to pay $1,148,598 to resolve allegations that it knowingly and improperly billed Medicare for electro-acupuncture using auricular stimulation devices in violation of the False Claims Act (“FCA”).
Apple was an outpatient clinic located in Chattanooga, Tennessee that offered medical and chiropractic services for the treatment of pain. According to the settlement agreement, the United States contends that for dates of service between June 28, 2016, and June 19, 2017, Apple presented, or caused to be presented, to Medicare false claims for payment for the placement of electro-acupuncture devices on patients. The placement of these devices was improperly billed using Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (“HCPCS”) Code L8679, which resulted in Apple receiving payments from Medicare to which it was not entitled.
HCPCS Code L8679 is a billing code for “implantable neurostimulator, pulse generator” devices that are surgically implanted into the central nervous system or targeted peripheral nerves through procedures that are typically performed by a surgeon in an operating room. However, the United States contends that Apple falsely billed Medicare using HCPCS Code L8679 for electro-acupuncture devices it knew were not surgically implanted into their patients and for procedures that did not involve anesthesia or take place in an operating room. The underlying services for which Apple submitted the HCPCS Code L8679 claims involved application of a device used for electro-acupuncture. The electro-acupuncture devices were applied by inserting needles into patients’ ears and by taping the devices behind their ears with an adhesive. Medicare does not reimburse for electro-acupuncture devices billed as neurostimulators and did not reimburse for acupuncture during the period of the covered conduct.
This investigation resulted from a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Southeastern Unified Program Integrity Contractor.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Rodriguez represented the United States.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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California Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Orchestrating $23 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for orchestrating a fraudulent investment scheme that swindled investors out of $23.1 million.
SEAN GRUSD formed three funds that he claimed would invest in private financial technology companies. Beginning in 2021, Grusd provided potential investors with marketing materials containing numerous falsehoods about the funds’ purported investment history and successes. Among other things, the promotional materials falsely claimed that one of Grusd’s funds had been an early investor in successful startup companies, such as Instacart, Coinbase, and Shippo. Grusd also falsely claimed that he had graduated from a prestigious law school and that he managed the personal portfolio of the CEO of a large investment management firm. Based on these and other false representations, more than a dozen victims invested $23.1 million in Grusd’s funds.
Instead of investing the victims’ money, Grusd transferred the funds to his personal bank accounts and spent the money on a lavish lifestyle, including high-end automobiles, luxurious condos in Chicago and Montreal, and lavish travel and entertainment expenses. Many of the victims had invested a significant portion of their life savings with Grusd.
Grusd, 32, of Los Angeles, Calif., pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Chicago to a wire fraud charge. In addition to the seven-year prison term, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis on Wednesday ordered Grusd to pay more than $21 million in restitution to his victims.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“Defendant’s fraud was brazen and unmitigated,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “It was an appalling stream of deliberate choices over almost two years targeting numerous victims and resulting in huge losses.”
Bronx Attorney Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for His Attempted Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TONG HYON SUH, a/k/a “Jason Suh,” was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel for his attempted enticement of an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old. The sentencing followed SUH’s guilty plea on March 19, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Tong Hyon Suh attempted to engage in predatory behavior with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old, showing a disturbing disregard for the safety and well-being of minors. This sentencing underscores our commitment to confronting threats to minors. We will not rest until those who seek to manipulate and endanger children face the consequences of their actions. Justice for the vulnerable is not just our duty; it is a promise we intend to keep.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
Beginning on April 24, 2022, a detective with the Greenwich Police Department (“Detective-1”), who was posing as a 14-year-old girl named “Megan,” communicated via the social platform, Kik, with SUH. During the communications, SUH identified himself as a 45-year-old Korean male living in New York City and indicated that he wanted to meet with “Megan” for the purpose of having sex. Detective-1 told SUH that she was a 14-year-old female from Connecticut.
During their communications, SUH told Detective-1, among other things, that he “find[s] the age gap hot tbh” and “tbh on the down low I want a young submissive slut.” He also told “Megan,” “I can destroy your pussy on the [weekend]” and asked “Megan” for some “slutty pics” that she could “delete after taking.” SUH identified himself as a a New York attorney with an office in the Bronx, New York, and said he had been a lawyer since he was 26 years old.
During their communications, SUH made a plan to meet with “Megan” to engage in sexual activity with her. He told “Megan” that he would take a train to Greenwich, Connecticut, use a ride service to pick “Megan” up at her house, and then they would travel together to a residence he would rent. SUH said that “as soon as the doors close you’re sucking my dick,” “I’m going to keep drilling that little pussy,” and “we’ll record our own little porno, it’ll be fun.” “Megan” gave SUH an address in Greenwich, Connecticut, and told him that she lived in an apartment located at that address. “Megan” requested that SUH bring condoms, lollipops, and marijuana.
On May 27, 2022, SUH traveled to Greenwich, Connecticut, via a northbound Metro North train. He went to the address provided by “Megan,” where he was arrested. SUH’s briefcase contained a laptop computer, a thumb drive, sneakers, matches, marijuana, toiletries, clothing, an unopened package of lollipops, and six condoms.
At the time of his arrest, “TONG-HYON SUH” was registered as an active attorney in New York with a business address in the Bronx.
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In addition to the prison term, SUH, 47, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and the Greenwich Police Department in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer N. Ong and Marcia S. Cohen are in charge of the prosecution.
Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to 40 Years’ Imprisonment for Double Homicide at Bay Shore Long Island Railroad StationRead the Press Release
Earlier today at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Lameek Everette, also known as “La,” a member of the Bloods Street gang, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gary R. Brown, to 40 years’ imprisonment. On November 27, 2017, Everette was convicted of racketeering, including predicate acts of murder, robbery and attempted robbery. Those charges stemmed from his participation in the September 2, 2016 murders of David Arzu and Janelle Curella, who were each shot by Everette during a robbery as the victims walked to the Long Island Rail Road train station in Bayshore, New York.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Robert Waring, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence.
“What started out as a robbery, turned into a double murder with the defendant pulling the trigger over and over to kill his victims simply because they resisted a holdup. Today the defendant faced a reckoning for the devastating harm he has caused,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Gang members’ violent choices will not go unpunished in our district. The substantial sentence handed down today provides some measure of justice following the defendant’s senseless murder of a young man and woman whose families still grieve for the loss of their loved ones. I hope it will also deter others from joining gangs and committing brutal crimes that terrorize our community.”
“Lameek Everette’s blatant disregard for human life was clear not only by the execution of two young victims in cold blood, but also by his decision to spend the remainder of his night at a local club,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Walker. “While no amount of time or justice can bring back David Arzu and Janelle Curella, preventing future violence is of the utmost priority for HSI New York. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue violent street gangs and bring them to justice for the greater good of our Long Island community.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy stated, “Lameek Everette personally appraised the lives of two innocent victims to be less than the potential value of their belongings. His callous actions demonstrate the senseless gang violence that can target random civilians. May today's sentencing reflect the FBI's unwavering commitment to eradicate all gang members threatening the welfare of our communities.”
“Gang violence has no place in Suffolk County, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable dangerous individuals like Everette whose plan for robbery escalated to murder,” stated Acting SCPD Commissioner Waring. “I hope today’s sentence brings some sense of closure to the victims’ family and serves as a reminder we will pursue justice for all victims.”
At approximately 9:30 p.m. on September 2, 2016, David Arzu, Janelle Curella and two friends were walking towards the Bay Shore train station. Unbeknownst to them, Everette and a fellow Bloods member had devised a plan to rob them at gunpoint, and were lying in wait for them. When Everette and his coconspirator spied Arzu, Curella and their friends, they approached the group, brandished firearms and demanded the victims’ money and valuables. Arzu resisted, and a struggle ensued. When Curella attempted to come to Arzu’s assistance, Everette shot and killed her. Everette then shot Arzu multiple times, killing him. Everette later posted pictures of himself of Facebook, flashing hand signals that signified his affiliation with the Bloods and wearing a necklace he had stolen from Arzu when he murdered him.
Everette’s coconspirator in the robbery, Taheem Smith, was previously sentenced to 27 years’ incarceration for his role in the killings.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of a renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Misorek and Anthony Bagnuola are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
LAMEEK EVERETTE
Age: 31
Bay Shore, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-504 (GRB)
Avon, NY, police trainee charged with attempted kidnapping, cyberstalking, and multiple child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Casey Medina, 33, of Rochester, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with attempted kidnapping, distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography, cyberstalking, and aiding and abetting. The charges carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that in May 2024, the Onondaga County, NY, Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a 31-year-old female (victim), who reported that she had been receiving text messages from unknown numbers that included photographs depicting her face superimposed on various pornographic images made to appear as if she had been engaging in sexual acts. In addition, the victim reported being threatened by the unknown numbers, including being kidnapped, raped, sexually abused and/or killed. In August 2024, the victim indicated to investigators that the text messages in May occurred over the course of approximately 26 days, and, after short break, continued sporadically through June and July 2024. The victim stated that the messages were becoming very concerning, and she had no idea who they were coming from.
Also in August 2024, law enforcement received a tip from an individual that he had communicated with another individual with username “crcdal” via social media. The other individual, later identified as Medina, was looking for someone to help to harass the victim. Medina provided the individual with the victim’s personal information, including her place of employment, home address, personal cell phone number, and a variety of photos. The individual provided law enforcement with several screenshots of communications with Medina, which included discussions of abducting, drugging, and raping the victim. An undercover law enforcement officer then began communicating with Media online, during which they also discussed abducting, drugging, and raping the victim.
On August 22, 2024, Medina was an Avon Police Department trainee, and was arrested by the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office at the Rural Police Training Academy in Livingston County on multiple state charges. Investigators executed a search warrant on Medina’s cell phone and recovered the communications discussing the abduction, drugging, and raping of the victim as well as images and videos of child pornography that Medina shared online.
The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Onondaga County, NY, Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Tobias Shelley, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Associate of Violent Gang Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Home Invasion RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston gang Cameron Street was sentenced yesterday for committing an armed home invasion robbery with fellow gang members.
Brendon Amado, 27, of Randolph, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Amado pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence.
Amado was identified as an associate of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence, including murder and attempted murder, to preserve, protect and expand their territory.
In July 2018, Amado, along with Cameron Street members and co-defendants Deronde Bethea and Michael Nguyen, committed a home invasion robbery with firearms of two victims at the home of a rival drug dealer in Canton. Amado, Bethea and Nguyen broke into the home through the back door, wearing masks and dark hoodies and carrying firearms. One victim ran out of the front door of the house and called 911. The second victim was brought into the living room, punched in the head, had a gun put to her head. as the men ransacked the house demanding, “where’s the stuff, where’s the money, where’s your boyfriend?” Amado, Bethea and Nguyen later fled the house in a silver pickup truck after stealing $2,000 in cash and a safe. Among other evidence, Amado and Bethea were identified on convenience store surveillance footage shortly before the robbery took place.
In December 2023, Nguyen pleaded guilty and in March 2024 he was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Bethea pleaded guilty in February 2024 and in June 2024 was sentenced to 250 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, and Boston Police Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anchorage man charged with firearm, drug trafficking crimesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week charging an Anchorage man with trafficking firearms and illicit drugs in Alaska.
According to court documents, from May 29 to Sept. 6, 2024, Donte Richard Rocreec Outwater, 19, allegedly engaged in dealing firearms without being a licensed dealer, and while believing that the firearms would be used illegally. The documents also allege that on five occasions between July 3 and Aug. 13, the defendant distributed controlled substances along with firearms. On all five occasions, he allegedly possessed a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes he was committing. Outwater is also charged with illegally possessing a machinegun.
A criminal complaint previously filed against the defendant alleges that Outwater began selling firearms to an undercover law enforcement officer in June 2024. In total, Outwater illegally sold undercover law enforcement 18 firearms. One of the firearms was a fully automatic machinegun, and several of them were reported as stolen.
Outwater was arrested by the Anchorage Police Department on July 26, 2024, after fleeing from a traffic stop. According to court documents, within an hour of his release from custody, he contacted the undercover officer to arrange further firearm sales.
Outwater is charged with one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, one count of trafficking firearms, five counts of distribution of controlled substances, five counts of using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and one count of illegal possession of a machinegun. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on Oct. 22 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison for each count of using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and up to 20 years in prison for his other alleged crimes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais made the announcement.
The ATF Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshal Service and Anchorage Police Department, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Klugman is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal Land Offenses
Michael A. Tunis, age 66 of West Yellowstone, Montana, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and a 5-year period of probation, with a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that time, for a DUI per se and open container violation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Oct. 11, in Mammoth, Wyoming.
Darrell C. Osterhout, age 63 of New Brighton, Minnesota, was sentenced to 7 days in jail and 1 year of probation, with a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that time, for DUI per se and interference with law enforcement functions. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Oct. 16, in Mammoth, Wyoming.
Production of Child Pornography
Robert Wayne Eaker, 38, of Boulder, Wyoming, was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for production of child pornography with 15 years of supervised release. The court also ordered the defendant to pay $36,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to court documents, Eaker is a registered sex offender for prior offenses involving the sexual abuse of minors. In September 2023, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force were conducting an online investigation for people sharing child pornography. Agents discovered a Wyoming IP address sharing numerous files of child pornography and traced it back to Eaker. Agents later received a search warrant for the house where he was living. Agents found Eaker had produced lewd and lascivious files of a child. Eaker admitted to producing the files without the child’s knowledge. In addition, investigators found hundreds of files of child pornography containing prepubescent children on multiple devices belonging to Eaker. DCI-ICAC investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Eaker was indicted on May 16, pleaded guilty on July 25, and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Oct. 16, in Cheyenne.
Drug and Firearm Offenses
Brady Mitchell, 33, a transient, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for being a felon and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on April 13, Cheyenne Police Officers contacted Mitchell who was asleep in his van in a gas station parking lot. During questioning, officers saw a hatchet under his seat and smelled marijuana. They asked him to step out of his van so they could secure the weapon and conduct a search. Officers found a .22 revolver on Mitchell and approximately 12 ounces of marijuana, 3.31 grams of Xanax, 3.75 grams of fentanyl, and 1.13 grams of methamphetamine in his van. Mitchell is a previously convicted felon and not allowed to possess a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Cheyenne Police Department investigated this crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Mitchell was indicted on April 13, pleaded guilty on July 11, and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Oct. 15, in Cheyenne.
llegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Luis Barajas-Morales, 46, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days for deportation for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Feb. 26, Barajas-Morales was arrested by the Teton County Sheriff’s Department for the charge of contempt of court. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted. A Deportation Officer processed the defendant and obtained fingerprints matching pre-existing fingerprints in their database indicating Barajas-Morales was in the U.S. illegally and had not applied for permission to reenter the U.S. after being formally removed in December 2003. ICE investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Oct. 15, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00106.About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
Acting U.S. Attorney Appoints District Election Officer to Ensure Voting Integrity in West TennesseeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Will Crow will lead District efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.
AUSA/DEO Crow has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Tennessee, 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.
“Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy,” said Acting United States Attorney Fondren. “We have a duty to ensure that every citizen who chooses to exercise their right to vote can do so without interference or discrimination and that those votes are counted in a fair and free election.”
Fondren added, “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. Our office and 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 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).
Acting United States Attorney Fondren 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.”
AUSA/DEO Crow will be on duty while the polls are open 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. He can be reached by the public at 901-544-4231.
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 Nashville Division of the FBI, which covers the entire state of Tennessee, can be reached by the public at 865-544-0751.
Anyone with specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud should make that information available to the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
However, if you witness 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.
50-Year Prison Term Handed Down for Man in Double Shooting at a Temp Labor AgencyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Matthew Walker, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, to 50 years in prison for shooting two men, killing one, at a temporary labor agency in Northeast Washington D.C. on February 14, 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Walker was convicted at trial in January 2024 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
In addition to the 50-year prison term, Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo also ordered Walker to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:45 a.m. on February 14, 2019, Walker walked into Trojan Labor, a temporary labor agency in Northeast Washington D.C. Once inside, Walker ran directly to the agency’s dispatch office, where he repeatedly shot David Remen, one of the agency’s workers and Michael Hardy, the manager of the agency. Walker then fled away from the scene and discarded his clothing, mask, and firearm nearby. Mr. Remen died on scene. Mr. Hardy died in 2022. DNA evidence from the clothing, mask and firearm, as well as ballistic, video, and other evidence linked the defendant to the shooting.
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 acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Prava Palacharla who investigated and indicted the case, Deputy Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Donavan for providing forensic DNA expertise, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez, Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling, and IT Specialist Charlie Bruce.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Seidel and Alec Levy, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
17 October 2024
Wyoming County Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony C. Donnora, Sr., age 79, of Forkston Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted on October 15, 2024, by a federal grand jury and charged with drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Donnora with the distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, maintaining a drug involved premises, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. The alleged offenses occurred in Wyoming County between August 6, 2021 through February 27, 2024.
The charges stem from a joint investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations– Scranton Office, ATF, the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Tunkhannock Borough Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, 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 and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Wabash Man Sentenced to 100 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Roy Skeens, 40 years old, of Wabash, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after being found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a 2-day jury trial in July of 2024, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Skeens was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in November 2020, Skeens possessed a handgun while at a home in Wabash County. Specifically, police were called after multiple rounds were heard having been shot outside the basement of the home. When police arrived, Skeens refused to leave the home and a standoff ensued. He was later taken into custody and the firearm was recovered. Skeens has 13 prior felony convictions, any one of which prohibit him from possessing the firearm in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Wabash Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katelan McKenzie Doyle and Joseph P. Falvey.
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.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate ThreatRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Sebastian Reigle, 24, of Woodbridge, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 4, 2023, Reigle used a cell phone while in Virginia to leave a voicemail message for an individual living within the Southern District of West Virginia. In the message, Reigle threatened to injure the individual and leave the individual unconscious.
Reigle is scheduled to be sentenced on January 16, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-134.
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United States Attorney’s Office Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Providence, RI — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October, reflecting our steadfast commitment to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and promoting justice for all those affected by domestic violence, announced U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month serves as an important opportunity to shed light on the profound impacts that domestic violence has on victims, families, and communities, and to 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. This Office is committed to ensuring that survivors are heard and perpetrators are held accountable and to strengthening partnerships with communities to prevent domestic violence.
This year marks a particularly significant commemoration of efforts to combat domestic violence 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.
“Domestic and intimate partner violence is insidious, and it takes a devastating toll on our communities, transforming homes that should be places of refuge into scenes of abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha. “I am determined to expand our efforts to use federal law enforcement tools to seek justice for the victims of these crimes, and hold the perpetrators accountable – the survivors of domestic violence deserve no less.”
This year, on September 18th, 2024, the office announced the launch of a DOJ initiative with local law enforcement partners to reduce domestic incidents in Rhode Island cities of Woonsocket, Pawtucket, and Central Falls. The initiative was a provision for each district to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecution of domestic violence offenders prohibited from owning firearms.
Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking can have long-lasting impacts and consequences, and survivors in underserved communities are disproportionately impacted due to the lack of resources or barriers to accessing services. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
We also encourage everyone to learn more about domestic violence and take steps to support friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors who may be affected. By understanding the signs of abuse, providing a safe space for survivors, and connecting them to available resources, we can all play a role in creating safer communities.
Victims of domestic violence deserve safety, dignity, and justice. We are committed to prosecuting those who violate federal laws, collaborating with local law enforcement and prosecutors to identify domestic violence offenders who violate federal firearms prohibitions, and ensuring survivors have access to the resources they need for safety and healing. Together, we can bring hope to those in need and build a future free from domestic violence. For more information on Domestic Violence Awareness Month or to access resources, please visit https://ricadv.org/.
United States Attorney's Office to Monitor Election Day ComplaintsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today that Criminal Chief Ben Schrader will lead the United States Attorney’s Office’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. Criminal Chief Schrader has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of Tennessee, 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.
Acting United States Attorney Jaworski 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).
Acting United States Attorney Jaworski 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, Criminal Chief/DEO Schrader will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (615) 736-5151.”
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 Nashville Division of the FBI, which covers the entire state of Tennessee, can be reached by the public at (865) 544-0751.
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.
Acting United States Attorney Jaworski said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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United States Attorney Designates District Election Officer for November 2024 General ElectionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Harry M. Jacobs 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 Jacobs has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Minnesota, 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 Luger 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 Luger 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 Jacobs will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (612) 253-0948.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (763) 569-8000.
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 Luger 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.
United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison Appoints Patrick Martin as District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
DETROIT - United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Patrick Martin will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Martin has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Michigan, 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 Ison 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 Ison stated that: “Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. 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. 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 Martin will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (313)226-9168.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (313)965-2323.
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 Ison 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.
United States Attorney Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – United States Attorney Sean P. Costello announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) John P. Hutchins, III 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 Hutchins has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Alabama, 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 Costello 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 Costello 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 Hutchins will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (251) 415-7139.”
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 Mobile FBI field office can be reached by the public at (251) 438-3674.
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 Costello 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’s Office Secures Sentencing of Albuquerque Woman for 2023 AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury after a drunk driving incident left a woman permanently disabled on the Navajo reservation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2023, Jacquelyn Moore, 48, a certified member of the Navajo Nation, drove into the To'hajiilee Chapter House building after consuming alcohol. Multiple witnesses saw Moore enter the parking lot driving slowly, rev her engine, accelerate her vehicle, and jump a concrete parking curb before driving into a group of four women outside of the To'hajiilee Chapter House. Moore’s vehicle struck Jane Doe, pinning her against the building wall. Moore also injured two other women.
After the crash, Moore tried to flee, laughed at her actions, and yelled perceived threats. Due to Moore’s repeated drunk driving history, the Court found that Moore acted deliberately and intentionally.
The collision resulted in severe injuries to Jane Doe, including the amputation of her leg. Jane Doe's husband applied an emergency torniquet, probably saving her life. Jane Doe, who has endured 11 surgeries and will undergo continued physical therapy and treatment, as well as the other two women who were injured by Moore, continue to persevere through their injuries.
Upon her release from prison, Moore will be subject to 3 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 FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Appoints District Election Officer to Monitor Federal Election Law Violations in Southern District of IndianaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Zachary A. Myers announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Tiffany J. Preston will lead the efforts of the Southern District of Indiana’s Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Preston has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Indiana, 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.
U.S. Attorney Myers 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).
U.S. Attorney Myers 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, DEO Preston will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 317-226-6333.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 317-595-4000.
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 Myers said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of Repeat Domestic Violence OffenderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Bosque Farms man has been sentenced to three years in prison for domestic assault by a habitual offender.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2022, Daniel Vincent Olguin, 38, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, assaulted his intimate partner by striking her in the head, causing a concussion. The assault occurred on the Isleta Pueblo. Olguin had previously been convicted by the Isleta Tribal Court of aggravated assault against an intimate partner in 2012 and in federal court of assault against an intimate partner in 2016.
Upon his release from prison, Olguin will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Isleta Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Guilty Pleas from Zuni Couple for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni couple pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon for a brutal 2023 assault in the presence of minors.
According to the plea agreements, on September 3, 2023, Shannon Concho, 46, and LouAnn Johnson, 28, both enrolled members of the Pueblo of Zuni, assaulted John Doe at his residence on the Zuni Pueblo. The incident began as a verbal altercation but quickly escalated to physical violence when Johnson repeatedly slapped the victim across the face. Concho and Johnson then prevented John Doe from calling for help by taking away two of his phones and attempting to enter a bedroom where a witness and two minor children were located.
As the attack escalated, Concho beat John Doe over the head with a chair almost to the point of unconsciousness. Concho then directed Johnson to kick Doe in the head because she was wearing boots at the time. After Johnson kicked Doe in the head, Concho continued the beating until Johnson alerted him that a witness called the police. Concho and Johnson then fled the scene and were on the run before eventually being apprehended.
At sentencing, Concho and Johnson each face up to 10 years in prison followed by 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 Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro.
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U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref Appoints Election Officer for the Eastern District of WashingtonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Frieda Zimmerman will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Zimmerman has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Washington, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of 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 Waldref 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 Waldref stated that: “The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to this right 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 Zimmerman will be on duty in this District on election day. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (509) 353-2767.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (509) 458-8100.
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 Waldref 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 ballot drop boxes, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan Issues Press Release Relating to the November 2024 General ElectionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan announced today that an Assistant U.S. Attorney will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) and lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. The DEO 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 Department of Justice’s Headquarters in Washington.
“Every eligible citizen must be free to vote without interference or discrimination and have that vote counted as part of a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Critical to the preservation of this sacred right is our duty to ensure that election officials and staff, many of whom are elder members of our communities, be permitted 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 performs 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).
U.S. Attorney Buchanan added, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We must all endeavor to guarantee that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise this right if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt or interfere with this right are brought to justice.”
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 District’s AUSA/DEO will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. The DEO can be reached by the public at (404) 581-6001.
In addition, the FBI will assign special agents to be available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 770-216-3000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC via a complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” said U.S. Attorney Buchanan. “It is important that anyone aware of specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud makes that information available to the Department of Justice.”
But please note that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, you 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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg Appoints Election Officer for the Middle District of FloridaRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Roger B. Handberg announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Frank Talbot 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 Talbot has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of Florida, 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.
“It is essential to our democratic principles that every citizen be able to exercise their right to vote without interference or discrimination and that officials and staff responsible for facilitating that process be able to perform their duties without fear of intimidation, threats, or violence,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “Anyone who has specific information about election discrimination, interference, or fraud should make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
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).
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 Frank Talbot will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (904) 301- 6284.
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. Local FBI field offices can be reached by the public at (813) 253-1000 (Tampa/Orlando Division) or (904) 248-7000 (Jacksonville Division).
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.
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 Prim F. Escalona Appoints Election Officer for the Northern District of AlabamaRead the Press Release
Birmingham, Ala. – United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona announced today that an Assistant U.S. Attorney will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) and lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. The DEO 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 Department of Justice’s 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 Escalona. 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).
U.S. Attorney Escalona added, “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.”
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 District’s AUSA/DEO will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. The DEO can be reached by the public at 205.244.2001.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 205-326-6166.
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.
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “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.”
But please note that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, you 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.
U.S. Attorney Office for Eastern District of Kentucky Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky commemorates and emphasizes Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) this October, by reaffirming its unwavering commitment to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and promoting justice for those 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 Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that survivors are heard, perpetrators are held accountable, and to strengthening partnerships with communities to prevent domestic violence.
This year’s commemoration of DVAM is special because it also marks 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.
“Domestic violence accumulates a massive toll, not only on its victims, but also on the friends, families, and communities that surround them,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Home is where people go to feel safe and secure, not where fear, abuse, and violence should engulf their lives. We remain committed to doing our part to combat this destructive threat, to making our communities safer, and to holding people responsible for these shameful acts of violence and abuse.”
Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking can have long-lasting impacts and consequences, and survivors in underserved communities are disproportionately impacted due to the lack of resources or barriers to accessing services. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
We also encourage everyone to learn more about domestic violence and take steps to support friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors who may be affected. By understanding the signs of abuse, providing a safe space for survivors, and connecting them to available resources, we can all play a role in creating safer communities.
Victims of domestic violence deserve safety, dignity, and justice. We are committed to prosecuting those who violate federal laws, collaborating with local law enforcement and prosecutors to identify domestic violence offenders who violate federal firearms prohibitions, and ensuring survivors have access to the resources they need for safety and healing. Together, we can bring hope to those in need and build a future free from domestic violence. For more information on Domestic Violence Awareness Month or to access to local resources, please visit https://www.sos.ky.gov/safe-at-home/Pages/Survivor-Resources.aspx
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U.S. Attorney Moore Appoints Election OfficerRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - United States Attorney Teresa Moore announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Nicholas Heberle will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Heberle has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Missouri, 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 Moore 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 Moore 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 Heberle will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (816) 426-4233.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (816) 512-8200.
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 Moore 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 Mark Totten Announces District Election Officer, Hotline, Website to Help Ensure Safe, Secure November 2024 ElectionRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. – U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Austin Hakes 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 Hakes will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Michigan, 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, D.C. In addition, U.S. Attorney Totten announced a hotline, 616-808-2140, and website for members of the public to make a complaint or share information related to voting rights concerns.
“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 Mark Totten. “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.”
WATCH: Voting Rights Video Message from U.S. Attorney Mark Totten
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 Totten stated: “Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who have the right to vote can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.”
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 Hakes will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.
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.
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 Totten said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Indian Government Employee in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York CityRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States, Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee VIKASH YADAV, a/k/a “Vikas,” a/k/a “Amanat,” in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. The charges are contained in a Second Superseding Indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. YADAV’s alleged co-conspirator, NIKHIL GUPTA, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the First Superseding Indictment. YADAV is at large. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Last year, this Office charged Nikhil Gupta for conspiring to assassinate a U.S. citizen of Indian origin on U.S. soil. But, as alleged, Gupta did not work alone. Today, we announce charges against an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, who orchestrated the plot from India and directed Gupta to hire a hitman to murder the victim. The right to exercise free speech is foundational to our democracy, and predicated on the notion that we can do so without fear of violence or reprisal, including from beyond our borders. Let this case be a warning to all those who would seek to harm and silence U.S. citizens: We will hold you accountable, no matter who and where you are.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person – regardless of their position or proximity to power – who seeks to harm and silence American citizens. As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil. Today’s charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every U.S. citizen is entitled.”
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States. To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “DEA foiled this assassination attempt last year and has continued to trace this case back to an employee of the Indian government whom we charge was an orchestrator of this intricate murder-for-hire scheme. DEA did not relent, and today’s indictment names Vikash Yadav as that alleged mastermind. We charge that Yadav, an employee of the Indian government, used his position of authority and access to confidential information to direct the attempted assassination of an outspoken critic of the Indian government here on U.S. soil. This case was led by the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of DEA, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department, and is a true testament to the tenacity and determination of our team.”
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said: “The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights. The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression.”
FBI Assistant Director James E. Dennehy said: “As alleged in today’s indictment, Vikash Yadav, a senior field officer with the government of India’s Research and Analysis Wing, along with Nikhil Gupta, planned to murder a political activist and prominent critic of the Indian government who is an American citizen in New York City. The United States government was able to disrupt this abhorrent plot to silence an American before it could be carried out. Today’s charges make clear the FBI, in conjunction with our DEA and SDNY partners, will not tolerate a foreign government attempting to violate our laws and our sovereignty here in New York or anywhere.”
As alleged in the Second Superseding Indictment and other public court documents:[1]
Last year, YADAV, working together with others, including GUPTA, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the “Victim”). The Victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The Victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the Victim and his separatist organization from India.
During times relevant to the Second Superseding Indictment, YADAV was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses Indian’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. YADAV has described his position as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence.” YADAV also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” YADAV is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the Victim from India.
In or about May 2023, YADAV recruited GUPTA to orchestrate the assassination of the Victim in the United States. GUPTA is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with YADAV and others. At YADAV’s direction, GUPTA contacted an individual whom GUPTA believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source working with the DEA (the “CS”), for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the Victim in New York City. The CS introduced GUPTA to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the “UC”). YADAV subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by GUPTA, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the Victim. On or about June 9, 2023, YADAV and GUPTA arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. YADAV’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan.
In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, YADAV provided GUPTA with personal information about the Victim, including the Victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the Victim, and details about the Victim’s day-to-day conduct, which GUPTA then passed to the UC. YADAV directed GUPTA to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which GUPTA accomplished by forwarding to YADAV, among other things, surveillance photographs of the Victim. GUPTA directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but GUPTA also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.
On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the Victim, and, like the Victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, GUPTA told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” GUPTA added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, YADAV sent GUPTA a news article about the Victim and messaged GUPTA, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”
* * *
YADAV, 39, and GUPTA, 53, of India, have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Counterintelligence Division of the FBI’s New York Field Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the DEA’s Special Operations Division, the DEA’s Vienna Country Office, the FBI’s Prague Country Office, the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters for their assistance. The DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force comprises agents and task force officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, and the New York State Police.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit, Violent and Organized Crime Unit, and Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The charges contained in the Second Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
yadav_superseding_indictment_s2_23_cr._289.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Second Superseding Indictment and the description of the Second Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.s. Attorney Announces Election Day Program & District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Christopher J. Ladwig 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 Ladwig has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, 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 Haanstad 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.”
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).
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 Ladwig will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 414-297-4103.
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. In the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the FBI can be reached at 414-276-4684, option 7.
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.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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For further information contact:
Public Information Officer
(414) 297-1700
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