Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 27 August 2024
Berwick Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Berwick man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute, methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Bo Rodden, 34, to 90 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Rodden pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023.
According to court records, in January and February of 2023, Rodden sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to a confidential source. On February 14, 2023, a police officer stopped Rodden’s vehicle in Lebanon, Maine. He possessed five bags containing a total of approximately 49 grams of fentanyl and two bags containing a total of approximately 150 grams of methamphetamine.
The FBI, Strafford (NH) County Sheriff’s Office and York County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
###
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Evann Robinson, 39, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2023, Robinson sold a controlled substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley.
Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn 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. 5:23-cr-198.
###
Austal USA LLC Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Navy ShipsRead the Press Release
Austal USA LLC (Austal), a Mobile, Alabama, based company, has agreed to pay $811,259 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly supplying valves that did not meet military specifications.
Austal manufactures numerous ships for the United States, including the Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The United States' settlement alleges that, under a 2011 Navy contract, Austal invoiced for military grade high performance butterfly valves and triple offset butterfly valves it installed on five LCS hulls when it knew the valves had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade.
“It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our Navy fleet that contractors comply with applicable military specifications,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet contract specifications.”
“We cannot and will not tolerate companies who cut corners and misrepresent the products they provide to our military,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This office is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and will pursue fraud wherever we find it.”
“Supplying nonconforming parts to the Department of Defense (DoD) compromises military systems and potentially endangers the lives of U.S servicemembers,” said Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to ensure the safety of our military personnel and protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain.”
“Product substitution risks degrading warfighter capability and wastes U.S. taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Navy Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “I want to thank our investigative partners for their collaboration in working with NCIS to protect the integrity of the Department of the Navy procurement process.”
DCIS, NCIS and the Defense Contract Audit Agency's Office of Investigative Support investigated the case
Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Lamppin Colson for the Southern District of Mississippi handled the case.
The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
SettlementAustal USA LLC Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Navy ShipsRead the Press Release
Austal USA LLC (Austal), a Mobile, Alabama, based company, has agreed to pay $811,259 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly supplying valves that did not meet military specifications.
Austal manufactures numerous ships for the United States, including the Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The United States' settlement alleges that, under a 2011 Navy contract, Austal invoiced for military grade high performance butterfly valves and triple offset butterfly valves it installed on five LCS hulls when it knew the valves had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade.
“It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our Navy fleet that contractors comply with applicable military specifications,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet contract specifications.”
“We cannot and will not tolerate companies who cut corners and misrepresent the products they provide to our military,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This office is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and will pursue fraud wherever we find it.”
“Supplying nonconforming parts to the Department of Defense (DoD) compromises military systems and potentially endangers the lives of U.S servicemembers,” said Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to ensure the safety of our military personnel and protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain.”
“Product substitution risks degrading warfighter capability and wastes U.S. taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Navy Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “I want to thank our investigative partners for their collaboration in working with NCIS to protect the integrity of the Department of the Navy procurement process.”
DCIS, NCIS and the Defense Contract Audit Agency's Office of Investigative Support investigated the case
Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Lamppin Colson for the Southern District of Mississippi handled the case.
The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Settlement
Atlanta’s Former Chief Financial Officer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The City of Atlanta’s former Chief Financial Officer, Jimmie “Jim” A. Beard, has been sentenced to federal prison for a multi-year scheme involving theft of funds, purchase and possession of two machine guns, and obstructing federal tax laws using altered documents and a fake business.
“Jim Beard abused the trust and confidence placed in him by the people of the City of Atlanta when he decided to steal tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayers to support his lavish lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Beard’s sentencing is a demonstration of our commitment to hold accountable public officials who trade their position of power for greed and personal gain.”
“As this prosecution shows, the Department of Justice will work vigorously to protect the integrity of federal funds. Today’s sentence sends a strong message of deterrence to prevent fraud and theft from state and local governments receiving federal benefits,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri.
“Beard’s actions eroded public trust in government. As one of the most powerful people in Atlanta city government, he stole tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayers so he could go on luxurious trips and even buy custom-made machine guns,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Public corruption is one of the FBI’s top priorities and we continue to work to protect citizens against officials who abuse that trust.”
“Public officials are entrusted by the citizens they serve to conduct the business of government on their behalf,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Jim Beard failed in his responsibilities to the community and utilized public tax dollars to satisfy his greed. The sentence today reinforces IRS Criminal Investigation’s commitment to investigating and forwarding for prosecution those who commit financial fraud.”
“Beard repeatedly abused his position, broke the law he was sworn to uphold and betrayed the trust of the people of Atlanta,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Jones. “This case demonstrates the partnerships of law enforcement to enforce the law and hold individuals accountable, regardless of their position or status.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: From approximately November 2011 to May 2018, Beard served as the Chief Financial officer (“CFO”) of the City of Atlanta (the “City”). As CFO, Beard directed and managed the Department of Finance, with primary responsibility for oversight and management of the City’s financial condition, earning a salary of over $260,000 per year.
During his tenure, Beard devised and executed a scheme to obtain money and property from the City for private use, including using City funds to: (1) pay for personal luxury travel expenses for himself, his family, and his travel companions; (2) buy items for personal use, including two machine guns; (3) pay for travel to conferences or meetings for which the conference or meeting host reimbursed Beard, with Beard pocketing the reimbursements instead of giving them to the City; and (4) pay for travel that Beard falsely claimed as business deductions on his taxes for a non-existent personal consulting business.
In total, Beard stole at least tens of thousands of dollars from the City. By way of example only:
•In the summers of 2015 and 2016, Beard charged nearly $4,000 to the City for weekend stays at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. However, Beard was not in Chicago those weekends and the hotel rooms were actually for his stepdaughter to attend the Lollapalooza music festival.
•In December 2015, Beard ordered two custom-built machine guns using a purchase order and $2,641.90 check from the City, telling the manufacturer that the machine guns were for the exclusive use of the Atlanta Police Department (“APD”) – even though Beard took the guns to his own home and APD had no knowledge of them.
•In April 2016, Beard charged more than $2,600 to the City for airfare and hotels for two weekend trips to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Beard had no City business in New Orleans during either trip, and took his wife one of the weekends and a different personal companion the other.
•In June 2016, Beard charged $975.52 to the City for travel to Washington, D.C. for a meeting with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (“MSRB”). Even though Beard had the City pay for this travel, Beard asked the MSRB to reimburse him personally for these costs and submitted copies of his receipts to the MSRB. As a result, the MSRB issued a check to Beard, which he kept and deposited into his personal bank account.
•In April 2017, Beard charged more than $10,000 to the City for a four-day stay for him and his wife at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, in a deluxe suite with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
Beard exploited his position and power to execute his scheme. When lower-level City staff members responsible for processing travel reimbursements asked him for receipts or work justifications for his trips, Beard refused and ordered the staff (who worked for him) to process the reimbursements without the requisite documentation. A City employee described the culture under Beard as, “if the [] CFO asks you for something, you do not ask questions.”
While CFO, Beard also submitted years of fraudulent tax returns in which he claimed personal business expenses to lower what he owed in taxes. During a 2015 audit of one of those returns, Beard lied to the IRS and obstructed auditors by submitting receipts for transactions that were actually paid by the City in connection with Beard’s official duties. The investigation later revealed that Beard did not operate a personal business, and years of tax deductions were based on a lie.
Jimmie “Jim” A. Beard, 60, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Beard was also ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 and restitution in the amount of $177,197.48. Beard was convicted on these charges on April 8, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett Bradford and Tiffany Johnson, Department of Justice Trial Attorney Trevor Wilmot, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Davis prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances and Being a Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Roy Edsel Heifner, Jr., classified as an armed career criminal based on his multiple prior convictions, will spend 15 years in federal prison for his involvement in the distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Monday by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On February 4, 2020, Heifner, 76, of College Station, Arkansas, was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In a superseding indictment filed on February 7, 2023, Heifner was charged with six counts related to the distribution of Schedule II substances, including fentanyl and oxycodone, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the conclusion of a jury trial on March 1, 2023, the federal jury found Heifner guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl and oxycodone, as well as two counts possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and oxycodone, and of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the 180-month sentence, Judge Rudofsky sentenced Heifner to serve three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On September 3, 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information Heifner was distributing various types of prescription medication from his residence located in College Station. An investigation into Heifner’s background revealed that he was a convicted felon with numerous arrests. On October 17, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Heifner’s residence where law enforcement seized over 300 pills resembling oxycodone but which were in fact fentanyl, as well as approximately 100 pills that were confirmed to be oxycodone and hydrocodone. Law enforcement also seized two firearms and more than $300,000 in United States currency believed to be drug proceeds during the search of Heifner’s residence.
After Heifner was first indicted on February 4, 2020, he was released on bond. While on bond, an investigation revealed that he continued to sell pills. In July 2021, law enforcement made controlled purchases of pills from Heifner at his residence, and while again the pills appeared to be oxycodone, they were confirmed as fentanyl. Heifner was taken back into custody and remained detained until his trial.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Arkansas State Police, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, and the Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anne Gardner and Reese Lancaster.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Monday 26 August 2024
Wilmington Crips Gang Member Who Fired a Sawed-Off Rifle Near a School Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after he fired a sawed-off rifle at another person near a school then led officers on a high-speed chase. On May 22, 2024, Jahmez Tavaughn Jackson pled guilty to the charge.
“This Crip gang member was a one-man crime spree, firing shorts towards a Wilmington charter school and leading police on a high-speed chase topping 118 mile per hour,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The new Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is built for cases just like this and got this felon 15 years in federal prison. We’re using the new law to prosecute violent gangs and shooters across North Carolina, especially those endangering our kids. Our law enforcement efforts help ensure kids can start the school year ready to hit the books, not dodge bullets.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Jackson, 24, fired a 9mm sawed-off rifle multiple times at another individual. The shooting occurred during the day on February 22, 2023, at the intersection of 6th Street and Campbell Street in Wilmington, just over 200 feet away from the Roger Bacon Douglas Academy, a K-5 charter school, where children were present. No one was injured during the shooting, though a vehicle parked at the school was struck by one of the bullets. Four additional shell casings were found on scene. Officers located Jackson driving a vehicle in Pender County shortly thereafter and attempted a traffic stop. Jackson fled from law enforcement officers at high rates of speed—as fast as 118 mph—and tossed the gun out of the car window. Eventually, Jackson lost control and crashed the vehicle into a median. A search of the vehicle yielded marijuana and oxycodone along with drug paraphernalia. Jackson’s phone contained evidence of his involvement in the drug trade along with photos in which he posed with firearms, including the sawed-off rifle used in the shooting. Jackson has been convicted of several felony offenses in the past, including assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, felon in possession of a firearm, attempted first degree burglary and attempted second degree kidnapping. He was on state probation and wearing an ankle monitor at the time of the federal offense.
“I am glad to see that the man responsible for these dangerous crimes will be heading to prison for a very long time. There is no place for gun violence in the City of Wilmington. The WPD is doing our part to combat that day-in and day-out. We are thankful that no one was struck by the gunfire that was fired so close to one of our local schools. As a felon, the man convicted in this case should have never had a firearm in his possession. Through his involvement with narcotics and violent gun crimes, he has clearly shown that he is not ready to be out on the streets. I want to thank our women and men for their hard work on this case. Our officers and detectives work long hours to help provide our community with a safe place to live and work. We also appreciate our partner law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorney Michael Easley who helped us ensure a strong conviction,” said Chief Donny Williams.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Wilmington Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pender County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Van Trigt and Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Nokes prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-CR-112-D-RN.
Violent Carjacker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Andalusia, Alabama, man was sentenced to 32 years in federal prison for a brutal, violent carjacking, brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kenneth Lamar Douglas, 49, was convicted of the federal crimes by a jury during April of 2024. Evidence produced at the trial showed that Douglas was staying at the victim’s residence in Andalusia overnight on March 7, 2022, and on March 8, he threatened her and physically struck her, knocking her to the floor in her kitchen. Douglas was trying to arrange with a supplier to get methamphetamine, as he had been a heavy user of methamphetamine for years. Finally, during the afternoon of March 8, Douglas agreed to leave the residence and he and the victim got into her car. Douglas had a bag containing his clothes and a shotgun when he got into the car. Douglas asked to go to a residence where a methamphetamine supplier lived, but when they arrived, Douglas asked to go to a different location. The victim, who was driving her own car, refused to take him to another location. Douglas struck the victim in the side of the neck and head with such force that she was knocked unconscious. When she regained consciousness, she was upside down in the passenger’s seat and covered in blood. She was bleeding from gashes in her head and mouth. Her face was covered in blood.
Douglas was driving her to an abandoned house in the woods of Escambia County, where he told her he was going to kill her and bury her in the backyard where no one could find her. She pleaded with him not to kill her, and when they arrived at the abandoned house, Douglas took his clothes into the house and returned to the car. He asked the victim how much money she had, and she said she did not know but he could have it all and asked again that he not kill her. Douglas took the money and drove back toward the drug supplier’s house. Douglas stopped the car a short distance from the drug suppliers house, took shotgun, and walked away from the car. The victim got behind the wheel and drove to Andalusia, to a friend’s workplace near the hospital. The victim’s friend testified at the trial that she was horrified at the victim’s appearance and told her she would follow her to the emergency room. There, the victim was treated, and medical personnel at the hospital called the police to report the violent assault demonstrated by the victim’s injuries.
Her eyes were almost swollen shut. She had cuts and bruises all over her face. Her face and head were literally covered in blood and the examination revealed a large gash on the top of her head. Her lips were swollen and cut on the inside of her mouth. She had a chipped tooth. Her nose was broken in three places and the breaks were displaced. The x-rays showed that she had blood in her sinuses from the force of the repeated blows to her head. She had a large bloody scrape on her leg. She also had a sprained left wrist from the initial attack on her in her kitchen at the house. A photograph from two weeks later still showed significant bruising and injuries to the victim’s face. The victim testified that she also had bruises on her upper chest and side. She explained that suffered serious and prolonged pain from these injuries. She stayed away from her house at a friend’s house for two weeks, until after Douglas was arrested, out of fear that Douglas would return and further harm her or kill her. The victim described to the jury that she had a large bruise on the side of her face and neck shaped like the butt stock of Douglas’ shotgun.
Andalusia Police spoke to the victim at the hospital and began to search for Douglas. After dark, they surrounded the abandoned house in Escambia County, along with Escambia County sheriff’s deputies. The house had no electricity or plumbing but a generator was running a light inside. The deputies approached the house and saw Douglas standing beside the light in the house. Douglas pointed the shotgun at the deputy approaching the open front door and the deputies took cover. They attempted to talk Douglas out of the house, but he escaped under cover of darkness. The shotgun was recovered from the house along with paraphernalia used for intravenous methamphetamine abuse. DNA testing showed the victim’s blood in the grooves on the end of the butt stock.Douglas claimed during the trial that he did not use the shotgun to strike the victim and that he did not intend to carjack her vehicle due to his severe drug addiction. A psychologist from the Bureau of Prisons had examined Douglas prior to the trial to address his claims of legal incapacity based upon his mental condition and testified at the trial to contradict Douglas’ claims. The jury found Douglas guilty of all three counts charged in the indictment.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced Douglas to a total of 32 years in prison, consisting of 10 years on the felon in possession charge, 25 years on the carjacking charge, to run concurrently with each other, and 7 years on brandishing a firearm in connection with a violent crime, to run consecutively to the sentences on the other two counts. When Douglas is released from prison, he will serve a five-year term of supervised release. Judge Dubose further ordered that Douglas undergo drug abuse counseling and treatment and mental health evaluation and treatment while he is in prison. The judge ordered that drug testing and treatment as well as mental health counseling will also be included as conditions of his supervised release. The judge ordered that the shotgun used in the commission of the crime is forfeited to the United States, and Douglas will also be required to pay $100 to the victim of the carjacking as restitution. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Douglas pay $300 in special assessments.U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Andalusia Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney’s Office Issues Statement on the Passing of Lynn CrooksRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney for the District of North Dakota Mac Schneider today issued the following statement on the passing of Lynn Crooks, a former long-time federal prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s Office:
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota is mourning the loss of Lynn Crooks, a beloved colleague to many of our attorneys and staff and arguably the greatest prosecutor in the history of North Dakota.
During more than three decades of service to the Department of Justice and the District of North Dakota, Lynn served as Criminal Chief, Civil Chief, First Assistant United States Attorney, and Acting United States Attorney. He was a jack of all trades and a master at it all, twice receiving the prestigious Director’s Award for Superior Achievement.
While North Dakota will remember Lynn for prosecuting challenging and consequential federal cases of national prominence, his colleagues will remember him as a kind and generous man who was never too busy to help a friend or mentor a young attorney. Personally, my family and I will never forget his comforting words at the memorial service for United States Attorney John Schneider after he passed away following a cancer diagnosis over 20 years ago.
Relatively few attorneys have had the privilege of representing the United States in federal court. Virtually none of them did it better than Lynn Crooks. He will be missed dearly.
######
United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama Announces ResignationRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross has announced his resignation effective August 24, 2024. Next month, he plans to enter private practice in the Birmingham, Alabama area.
Mr. Ross, a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the Duke University School of Law, joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama in 2014 as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA). During the years that followed, Mr. Ross served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Acting U.S. Attorney. The United States District Court appointed him to the position of United States Attorney in April of this year.
During his tenure as an AUSA, Mr. Ross prosecuted a variety of cases, focusing primarily on white collar offenses and illegal opioid distribution cases. From 2019 through 2022, he was as the office’s Senior Litigation Counsel, responsible for facilitating training for both new and experienced attorneys. As United States Attorney, Mr. Ross prioritized the prosecution of violent offenders, including those who possessed machine gun conversion devices, and narcotics dealers.
“It has been an honor to serve the people of the Middle District of Alabama over the past ten years,” said Ross. “I am thankful to all the federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their support during my time with the Justice Department. These agencies, in addition to the professional and talented staff at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, are responsible for any achievements I had as a federal prosecutor and United States Attorney.”
As of August 25, 2024, First Assistant Kevin P. Davidson will serve as Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District. A native of Birmingham, Mr. Davidson has served with the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2012, prosecuting a variety of crimes with a focus on violent and drug crimes.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson served as a Deputy District Attorney in Montgomery County for eight years. Mr. Davidson is a graduate of Auburn University Montgomery. He received his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law
The Middle District of Alabama covers 23 counties, and includes the cities of Alexander City, Andalusia, Auburn, Clanton, Dothan, Enterprise, Eufaula, Greenville, Montgomery, Opelika, Ozark, Phenix City, Prattville, Troy, and Wetumpka. The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for conducting all criminal and civil litigation in the district involving the United States government.
United Seating and Mobility, LLC, D/B/A Numotion, Agrees to Pay $13,500,000 to Resolve Alleged False Claims for Custom WheelchairsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino announced today that United Seating and Mobility, LLC, d/b/a Numotion (Numotion), a Missouri limited liability company that provides specialized durable medical equipment, agreed to pay $13,500,000 to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act (FCA).
The settlement resolves allegations by the United States that Numotion submitted false claims to Medicare and other federal health care programs for custom wheelchairs and wheelchair parts. According to the United States’ allegations, the claims were false because they were based on patient evaluations that were unlawfully authored, completed, or signed by Numotion employees rather than being authored, completed, or signed by qualified medical professionals. Additional details of the United States’ allegations are set forth in the settlement agreement, available here.
Numotion Settlement Agreement“The custom wheelchairs and parts involved in this investigation are critical to helping patients who rely on federal health care programs, including America’s veterans, meet their medical needs and thrive,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “But medical professionals must evaluate the need, not sales personnel from the supplier. Thanks to Numotion for self-reporting this conduct and cooperating in the investigation, and to the Inspector General for protecting the public fisc and ensuring accountability.”
“Providers that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws and regulations meant to protect the integrity of these programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy DeFrancesca of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold providers accountable when they do not follow these statutes.”
The settlement resolves three qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuits filed in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, private citizens may bring civil actions on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained. The lawsuits resolved by the settlement agreement are:
- United States ex rel. Weiss v. United Seating & Mobility, LLC, d/b/a Numotion (CV-20-1573-PHX-SPL)
- United States ex rel. Vega v. United Seating and Mobility d/b/a Numotion, et al. (CV-21-1306-PHX-DJH)
- United States and State of Tennessee ex rel. Prager v. United Seating and Mobility LLC, d/b/a Numotion (CV-22-1899-PHX-CDB)
Through a series of self-disclosures, Numotion voluntarily reported several overpayments to the United States and cooperated with the United States’ investigation. The United States considered Numotion’s self-disclosures as one of several factors in reaching the settlement amount and the resolution of the case. The settlement is neither an admission of liability by Numotion, nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. The case was handled by the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona and by the Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
Individuals with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse related to federal programs should contact the relevant federal agency. A list of agencies and contact information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/agency-links.
CASE NUMBERS: CV-20-1573-PHX-SPL
CV-21-1306-PHX-DJH
CV-22-1899-PHX-CDB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-117_Numotion
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains $850,000 Settlement with Fresno Acupuncturist to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Improper BillingRead the Press Release
kim_agmt_fully_executed.pdfFRESNO, Calif. — Fresno medical provider Young Sam Kim has agreed to pay the United States $850,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for health care services that were not in fact provided, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
Kim is an acupuncturist practicing at the Acuworld Health Clinic in Fresno, and who provided care to a number of Veterans through various federal programs funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, between 2016 and 2020, Kim submitted claims for payments to the VA for acupuncture services that were significantly overstated, including multiple instances in which Kim submitted claims totaling more than 24 hours in a single day.
“The exploitation of federal health care programs designed to help Veterans is inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “We will continue to hold accountable those who defraud such programs for personal gain.”
“The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring veterans receive the quality health care they deserve, and we will continue to work to make certain that VA healthcare services are not compromised by fraudulent billing practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.”
The resolution announced today was made possible by an investigation conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. Kennedy handled this matter for the United States.
U.S. Attorney's Office Collaborates with FBI to Secure Guilty Plea in Shiprock Murder CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinehill man pleaded guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal stabbing during a family gathering in Shiprock.
According to court documents, on July 31, 2023, Kirtie Cohoe, 48, an enrolled member of Navajo Nation, attended a gathering at a relative's home in Shiprock, New Mexico. During the event, Cohoe and John Doe were alone in the kitchen when a dispute erupted. Cohoe lost self-control and, instead of walking away, stabbed John Doe multiple times in the torso with a knife.
After the incident, Cohoe fled the scene on foot, taking the weapon with him. Navajo Police Department officers responding to the call found John Doe deceased at the home. Cohoe was later apprehended in a nearby wooded area, with blood visible on his clothing. The weapon was recovered near Cohoe's wallet.
At sentencing, Cohoe faces 15 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Cohoe will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
This case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Mark Probasco are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
U.S. Attorney Secures Guilty Plea from Santo Domingo Man in Child Sexual Abuse CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Santo Domingo man pleaded guilty in federal court to sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl on the Navajo Nation after meeting her online and lying about his age.
According to court documents, Jordian Pacheco, 33, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Santo Domingo, met Jane Doe on the internet and they began to communicate via phone, email, and social media platforms.
On January 9, 2021, Pacheco drove to Jane Doe's residence, located within the Navajo Nation, when her mother was not home. He then engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts with Jane Doe, knowing she was only 14 years old at the time. Pacheco, who was 29 years old, did not disclose his true age to Jane Doe.
On January 10, 2021, Navajo Police Department (NPD) officers responded to a call from Jane Doe’s mother about a man hiding in Jane Doe's closet. Upon arrival, they found Pacheco, who initially provided false identification and denied any wrongdoing. He was detained and transported to Window Rock Adult Detention Center.
NPD officers located an unknown vehicle outside Jane Doe’s residence and towed it. When they ran the plates, it came back as belonging to Pacheco. Officers spoke to Pacheco again who confirmed that he had given them false identification. He later confessed to engaging in sexual acts with Jane Doe and lying to her about his age during an interview with the FBI.
At sentencing, Pacheco faces 63 to 78 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Pacheco will be subject to not less than five years and up to life of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
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 Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
# # #
Two high-seas mariners convicted for violation of Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act in the Eastern Pacific OceanRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted two Nicaraguan nationals on Aug. 23 for possession with intent to distribute over two tons of marijuana on the high seas, in international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, on board a stateless vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 27, 2023, while on routine patrol in the Eastern Pacific, a maritime patrol aircraft located a go-fast vessel (GFV) in international waters 97 nautical miles southwest of Malpelo Island, Colombia. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) James (WSML 754), a National Security Cutter, was patrolling nearby and maneuvered to intercept the GFV.
After requesting and receiving authority, Cutter James launched a helicopter, which first attempted to contact the GFV on a maritime channel, then activated its blue warning lights, fired three warning shots across the bow, and, as the vessel failed to yield, engaged a precision gunner to disable the GFV’s engines.
A boarding team launched from the Cutter James and found three individuals onboard, including Maximo Zacarias, 43, Ismael Alexis Martinez, 29, and Bernacio Solares Ramon, 30. The boarding team determined the GFV, El Tanque, was without nationality. The team was authorized to recover 74 bales of marijuana, weighing of 4,610 pounds, and a five-gallon bucket containing electronics devices such as a GPS, SAT phone, ship-to-ship walkie-talkie, and other communication devices. Ramon was in possession of paperwork with GPS coordinates for the routes of travel to near a Pacific island off the coast of Costa Rica.
Zacarias and Ramon are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 19. They face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Martinez pled guilty on Aug. 8 to possession with intent to distribute more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana on board a vessel. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17, and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Rear Admiral Joseph R. Buzzella, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the verdict. The Maritime and Counternarcotics Unit within the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock, Eric M. Hurt, and Joseph E. DePadilla are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-129.
Two Members of Violent Waterbury Gang Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
EZRA ALVES, also known as “EJ” and “Ezzy,” 24, and his brother, AHMED ALVES, also known as “Stones,” 26, both of Waterbury, were sentenced today in Bridgeport federal court for offenses related to their participation in a violent Waterbury street gang. U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley sentenced Ezra Alves to 252 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release, and Ahmed Alves to 54 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Ezra Alves, Ahmed Alves, and 14 other 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.
On March 20, 2024, Ezra Alves pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, three counts of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, two counts of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.
Alves specifically admitted that he and other 960 members were engaged in drug trafficking and violent activity, and conspired to shoot and murder members of rival gangs.
- On September 21, 2018, in retaliation for the murder of an associate, Ezra Alves and other 960 members participated in a drive-by shooting of an occupied residence on Scott Road in Waterbury.
- On October 6, 2018, in a drive-by shooting, Ezra Alves and other gang members attempted to murder individuals believed to be members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to an individual.
- On November 18, 2018, Ezra Alves and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting of rival gang members, which resulted in gunshot wounds to two individuals.
Ezra Alves has been detained since November 15, 2019.
On March 12, 2024, Ahmed Alves pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of being an accessory after the fact. Alves admitted that he trafficked drugs in furtherance of the 960 enterprise. He also admitted that, after the gang-related shooting that occurred on November 18, 2018, he picked up 960 members who participated in the shooting using a stolen car, and drove them to a 960 member’s residence where they stashed firearms. Later, 960 members drove the stolen car and left it in Meriden, and Ahmed Alves again picked them up.
Ahmed Alves, who was arrested on September 16, 2021, has been released on a $100,000 bond. He is required to report to prison on October 7.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr., and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Two Correctional Officers Indicted for Civil Rights Violation and Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice in Connection with Assault o Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Passaic County correctional officers were indicted today by a federal grand jury for their role in violating a pretrial detainee’s civil rights and conspiracy to obstruct justice, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Sergeants Jose Gonzalez, 45, and Donald Vinales, 38, are each charged in a two-count indictment with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Gonzalez and Vinales were previously charged by complaint. They will be arraigned on a date to be determined.
According to the indictment:
On Jan. 22, 2021, a pretrial detainee at the Passaic County Jail (PCJ) squirted a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer. The following day, Gonzalez, Vinales and other correctional officers transported the detainee through an area of the PCJ that does not have a video surveillance camera, which correctional officers and inmates at the PCJ have referred to as a “blind spot.” While in that blind spot, Gonzalez and Vinales assaulted the detainee, while he was handcuffed, when they knocked him to the ground and struck him multiple times. One day after the assault, the detainee was taken to a local hospital, which documented injuries from the assault.
The defendants were required to submit documentation regarding their use of force. None of them submitted any such reports.
In April 2022, after receiving federal grand jury subpoenas in connection with this investigation, Gonzalez, Vinales, and Correctional Officer Lorenzo Bowden, among others, met to discuss the federal investigation. The group agreed not to cooperate with the federal investigation and also agreed to say that nothing had happened to the detainee (referring to the assault). During an interview with federal investigators in October 2022, Bowden falsely stated that the detainee had not been assaulted and that there had not been any meeting or communication among those who participated in or witnessed the assault.
Bowden pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz to an information charging him with conspiracy to obstruct justice and is awaiting sentencing.
The charge of deprivation of rights under color of law carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and the charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Division of Internal Affairs, under the direction of Acting Director Gary F. Giardina, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levin, Co-Chief of the General Crimes Unit, and R. Joseph Gribko, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
gonzalezvinales.indictment.pdfTrumbull Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Receipt of FirearmRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHASE DRALLE, also known as “Chevy,” 21, of Trumbull, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2023, Stefan Bagley, Jr. was shot and wounded while traveling in his vehicle in Bridgeport. Later that same day, Bagley’s vehicle was used in another shooting incident in Bridgeport. An investigation revealed that, between October 2022 and October 2023, Bagley purchased approximately 20 9mm handguns from licensed firearm dealers and then trafficked the guns to a network of customers, including Dralle. Bagley typically scratched the serial numbers off of the firearms before providing them to his customers, making the guns more difficult to trace.
During the investigation, a search of Bagley’s text messages revealed communications between him and Dralle in which the two discussed Bagley purchasing a firearm and ammunition for Dralle. Dralle then paid Bagley more than $700 for a 9mm firearm.
Dralle was arrested on December 18, 2023. On May 2, 2024, he pleaded guilty to receipt of a trafficked firearm.
Dralle, who had been released on bond, has been detained since August 21, 2024, when his bond was revoked.
Bagley pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.
Most of the firearms purchased by Bagley are unaccounted for.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that this case is being prosecuted, in part, under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
This matter is being investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
The Office of the Pardon Attorney Releases Spanish Language Commutation ApplicationRead the Press Release
The Office of the Pardon Attorney (Pardon) released a Spanish-language version of its application for commutation of sentence. The Spanish-language application can be used to request that the President commute the sentence of an individual who is incarcerated. This application follows the launches of the improved pardon application in June 2024, and the English-language commutation application in November 2023.
In 2023 and 2024, Pardon revised all its clemency forms to make them more accessible and user-friendly. The revisions have been part of a department-wide effort to expand access to justice by simplifying public-facing forms and documents, consistent with the recommendations described in the 2022 and 2023 Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Reports.
“Through collaboration with the Office for Access to Justice, regular community outreach and education, and the hard work of our team, we have been able to overhaul our entire platform of clemency applications,” said Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer. “The Spanish-language application will allow a large number of people within the Federal Bureau of Prisons to better access the clemency process going forward. It is a key step in our efforts to make clemency more transparent and to meet our obligation to increase language access for our applicants.”
Pardon is also working with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) to make the Spanish-language commutation form available to Spanish speakers within FBOP facilities.
To learn more about the work and outreach of the Office of the Pardon Attorney, visit Office of the Pardon Attorney | Office of the Pardon Attorney (justice.gov).
Texarkana Physician Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Prescribing Controlled Substances Without a Legitimate Medical PurposeRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, AR – A Texarkana Physician was sentenced today to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised on two counts of Distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance Without an Effective Prescription and 12 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release on two counts of Distribution of a Schedule V Controlled Substance Without an Effective Prescription, all to run concurrently. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Texarkana.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Little Rock District Office (LRDO), Tactical Diversion and Diversion Groups initiated an investigation into Dr. Lonnie Parker, age 59, of Texarkana, Arkansas in 2018 after receiving complaints from local law enforcement about a suspected pill mill and possible overdose death of a patient. Investigators analyzed prescription drug monitoring data attributed to Dr. Parker, and the investigation revealed Dr. Parker prescribing controlled substances, to include opiates, benzodiazepines, and promethazine with codeine cough syrup with unusual frequency and in unusually large quantities in the Texarkana area. In the two-year period analyzed, Dr. Parker prescribed approximately 1.2 million dosage units of opiates, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, to approximately 1,508 patients (approximately 847 dosage units per patient). Dr. Parker also prescribed approximately 16 gallons of Promethazine with Codeine cough syrup to approximately 29 patients during the same time period. These prescriptions included several for combinations of narcotics and sedatives to high diversion-risk patients.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Little Rock District Office (LRDO), Tactical Diversion and Diversion Group, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Texarkana Police Department, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS) investigated the case.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Anne Gardner and Assistant United Sates Attorney Graham Jones prosecuted the case for the United States.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Tehachapi Man Sentenced for Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Blake Wayne Reed, 28, of Tehachapi, was sentenced today to four years and four months in prison and ordered to pay $48,052 in restitution for committing bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between August 2020 and April 2021, Reed obtained hundreds of pieces of stolen mail that included at least 130 checks and approximately 30 debit cards or credit cards belonging to other individuals and businesses. Reed then forged signatures on the stolen checks and used the stolen debit cards to deposit the checks into victims’ bank accounts. He then made cash withdrawals from the accounts. Reed’s scheme caused more than $40,000 in fraudulent transactions to be made on the victims’ accounts.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Joseph D. Barton prosecuted the case.
Shelby County Man Convicted of Theft of Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. - A Shelbyville, Ky., man, Jeremy Wayne Harrell, 43, was convicted on Friday, August 23, by a federal jury in Frankfort, of theft of government benefits. The jury’s verdict was returned following a five-day trial and less than two hours of deliberations.
According to testimony at trial, Harrell intentionally stole money from the United States in an amount exceeding $1,000, namely U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Individual Unemployability (IU) disability payments that he was not entitled to receive.
Specifically, the evidence presented at trial indicated that Harrell was initially awarded IU benefits in 2011. In 2019, Harrell then founded Veterans Club, Inc., and he served as the Founder and CEO of the organization. The evidence that showed Harrell had a high level of work activity for Veterans Club, from 2019 through 2023. This included working 40-60 hours per week, actively running the organization, organizing events, managing over $400,000 in assets and approximately 6,000 volunteers, engaging in news media interviews, appearing on podcasts, appearing and speaking at community events, meeting with business and political leaders, teaching classes, accepting donations, among other work. This evidence confirmed that Harrell, as the active and successful Founder and CEO of Veterans Club, could maintain substantial gainful employment, rendering him ineligible to receive the IU benefits that he received from 2019 through 2023. Additionally, the evidence showed that Harrell made numerous false statements to the government about his daily life and work activities, depicting himself as withdrawn, without the ability to perform work, leading a highly restricted life, and rarely leaving his home; when in truth, he was an active and successful CEO of a vibrant organization. The evidence confirmed Harrell made these false representations to the government to depict himself as unemployable, conceal his active role as CEO of an organization, and attempt to continue to receive IU benefits. In total, Harrell wrongfully received more than $108,000 in IU benefits.
“In the end, this case was about a simple principle: preventing people from taking government assistance they are not entitled to receive,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “He provided false information to the government, which concealed his ineligibility, and he wrongfully obtained a significant amount funds – funds that should have been provided to other veterans who were eligible for this assistance. I commend the efforts of our law enforcement partners and trial team, whose work defended this simple principle, and resulted in a verdict reaffirming it.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal, jointly announced the verdict.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman.
Harrell will appear for sentencing on December 9, 2024. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing its sentence.
— END —
Rochester Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man has been sentenced to 240 months followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning in July 2022—shortly after he was released early from prison for prior controlled substance felonies—through December 2002, Panh Thavong, 51, was part of a conspiracy in which he would distribute methamphetamine in the greater Rochester area. After an investigation that was conducted over several months, law enforcement identified locations and vehicles that Thavong was using to facilitate his methamphetamine distribution along with one or more of his conspirators. On December 9, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants at these locations and seized over 34 kilograms of methamphetamine: 3.5 kilograms from the stash house, 4.5 kilograms from the rental unit, and 26 kilograms from a conspiracy vehicle. As part of his guilty plea, Thavong admitted that the seized controlled substances were intended for distribution.
On July 20, 2023, Thavong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced on August 23, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, and the Red Wing Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Roanoke Man Pleads Guilty to Selling ‘Ghost Gun,’ Pressed Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man pled guilty last week to a handful of federal drug and gun charges after orchestrating the straw purchase of a firearm and selling pressed fentanyl pills and multiple firearms (including a ‘ghost gun’) to a confidential informant.
Julius Frederick Muse, III, 19, of Roanoke, Virginia, pled guilty last week to four counts of selling a firearm to another person knowing or having a reasonable cause to believe that person was a convicted felon, two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of aiding and abetting a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer and one count of knowingly possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
As part of the plea agreement, the government and the defendant have agreed to recommend a sentencing range between 70 and 108 months. The final sentence will be determined by the Court at sentencing.
According to court documents, in December 2022, Muse provided cash to another person to purchase an AR-style pistol on his behalf and paid that individual with marijuana. In order to do so, the individual made a false statement on ATF Form 4473.
Later that month, Muse sold a confidential informant four pressed fentanyl pills and two firearms. Eight days later, Muse sold the same informant 27 more pressed fentanyl pills and a Polymer 80 privately-made firearm, also known as a ‘Ghost Gun,” which Muse claimed was “untraceable.”
Muse later sold the informant four more firearms, including another AR-pattern pistol. At the time of these sales, Muse knew or had a reason to believe the informant was a convicted felon who was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Federal agents searched Muse’s apartment in March of 2023 and discovered, among other items, a 9mm Hi-Point pistol with an obliterated serial number.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable support and assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Brett is prosecuting the case for the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Quincy Landlord Agrees to $15,200 Settlement for False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy landlord has agreed to a settlement for a False Claims Act violation.
Mario Bianco, 79, of Quincy has agreed to pay a $15,200 settlement for submitting false claims to the government after receiving side payments in excess of approved monthly rent from a low-income tenant participating in a federal housing subsidy program.
The Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as “Section 8,” provides federal funding to low-income individuals to help them secure safe and affordable housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides this funding through local public housing agencies, which establish the total monthly rent due to landlords of Section 8 tenants. HUD pays the housing subsidy directly to landlords. In return, landlords agree to comply with certain program requirements, including that they will not charge Section 8 tenants rent exceeding the amount set by the public housing agency.
Despite this restriction, Bianco demanded and received side rent payments from a Section 8 tenant, who brought a lawsuit against Bianco under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. As part of today’s settlement, Bianco admits to demanding and receiving side payments from the Section 8 tenant in violation of his agreements with HUD.
“The Section 8 program provides critical assistance to families in need of safe and affordable housing,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We will vigorously defend the integrity of the Section 8 program against landlords that seek to take advantage of members of our community for their own financial gain. We encourage any Section 8 tenants who have been forced to pay excess rent in violation of the terms of their leases to bring their concerns to our Office’s attention.”
“Mr. Bianco preyed on the vulnerability of a low-income household by demanding rent payments in excess of the agreed upon amount by HUD from a tenant participating in HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “This type of financial fraud scheme takes valuable dollars out of the pockets of low-income households and reduces the number of families that HUD’s assisted housing programs can serve. Our office will continue to pursue these matters with the United States Attorney’s Office to bring justice to those victimized by these schemes and to promote safe, affordable housing.”
The False Claims Act allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud to bring civil actions on behalf of the government. The settlement agreement requires the defendant to pay $15,200 to the United States, and the whistleblower will share in that recovery.
Acting United States Attorney Levy and Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Seol of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
Plant City Man Indicted for Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Janye B. Evans (18, Plant City) with interstate transmission of a threat to injure. If convicted, Evans faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to court records, on July 24, 2024, law enforcement learned that Evans had posted a photograph of himself on social media. The photograph depicted Evans in front of a Hillsborough County high school and contained a caption threatening to injure others. Law enforcement obtained additional photographs from Evans’s account on the social media platform, several of which depicted Evans in possession of what appeared to be firearms.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Philadelphia Fentanyl Trafficker Is Sentenced to 12 ½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Jomeir Zakied McCutchen, 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on October 10, 2022, at approximately 5:46 p.m., a CMPD officer was at a Quick Trip (“QT”) gas station in Charlotte, when he observed an individual, later identified as McCutchen, engage in a hand-to-hand drug transaction. Specifically, the officer observed an individual hand McCutchen U.S. currency in exchange for a clear bag containing suspected narcotics. Court records show that when McCutchen saw the officer he quickly walked into the QT and then was picked up at a side door of the store by a juvenile female, who drove away from the gas station in a white SUV at a high rate of speed. The officer followed McCutchen and attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the juvenile driver did not obey and drove away. A little while later, the officer located the unoccupied white SUV parked in the parking lot of an apartment complex. While looking through the vehicle’s windows, the officer observed in plain view drugs and drug paraphernalia, including digital scales. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle, seizing a bag containing more than 12 grams of fentanyl. The officers also located identifying documents in the vehicle in the name of the defendant. Further investigation revealed that McCutchen was a convicted felon on parole in Pennsylvania.
According to court records, on October 11, 2022, law enforcement located McCutchen at a gas station in Charlotte. Law enforcement observed McCutchen exit the gas station and approach a red vehicle. CMPD Officers attempted to stop McCutchen, but the defendant fled on foot, dropping a black pistol to the ground as he ran off. McCutchen was arrested and detained. Law enforcement searched the red vehicle and seized over 83 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also recovered the discarded firearm and determined it was loaded with a round in the chamber.
On February 21, 2024, McCutchen pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. McCutchen is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell noted that prior convictions and probation from other courts had not deterred the defendant.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Gleason with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Parkersburg Man Admits to Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael McHenry, age 22, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, has admitted to the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, McHenry is prohibited from having firearms because of a grand larceny conviction in Wood County. McHenry had a 9mm pistol.
McHenry faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Aaron Cardinale, age 48, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced August 22, 2024, in federal court in Omaha after having pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Cardinale to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cardinale’s release he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On July 27, 2022, Cardinale was stopped for a traffic violation in South Omaha. During the stop officers became suspicious of illegal activity and called for a canine that alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from within the vehicle Cardinale was driving. A search of the vehicle revealed 87 grams of actual meth.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Drew Lamont Scruggs, 48, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2024, Scruggs pawned a Kimber model Stainless Ultra Carry II .45-caliber pistol at a Huntington business. Scruggs admitted to possessing the firearm and that the firearm was later determined to have been stolen at the time he possessed it.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Scruggs knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for voluntary manslaughter on June 25, 1997, trafficking in cocaine on April 1, 1998, and on November 12, 2012, and failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer on November 3, 2015, and on August 6, 2019, all in Summit County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas.
Scruggs is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-49.
###
New York Auto Repair Shop Owner Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A New York man was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing income from the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Aniello Strocchia, of Maspeth, owned and operated an auto repair shop. From 2013 to 2017, Strocchia cashed, with the help of others, more than $1.3 million in checks made out to the shop at commercial check-cashing businesses, instead of depositing those funds into the shop’s bank account. Strocchia then hid the check-cashing activity from his return preparers, thereby causing his preparer to file false tax returns for himself and his business. The business returns underreported the shop’s gross receipts and ordinary business income; and his personal returns underreported his total income. In addition, Strocchia did not pay the full amount of the taxes he reported as due on his personal returns. Instead of reporting all his income and paying all the taxes he owed, Strocchia spent money on luxury items, including a luxury car collection, a second home and approximately $500,000 on extensive home renovations.
In total, Strocchia caused a loss to the IRS of $989,976.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Hector Gonzalez for the Eastern District of New York ordered Strocchia to serve two years of supervised release and to pay approximately $989,976 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew Cofer of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Morgantown Physician Admits to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David M. Anderson, age 63, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to filing a false tax return, according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.
According to court documents, Anderson, a physician, filed false tax returns that understated his taxable income, causing a loss to the IRS of $143,599.
“The Justice Department works every day to ensure that those who fail to pay their income taxes are held to account,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Dr. Anderson fell far short of his obligation and now he must pay up, plus penalties and interest, and faces a lengthy prison sentence.”
Anderson faces up to three years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Moreno Valley Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Ponzi Scheme that Drew in More Than $24 Million from VictimsRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for running a Ponzi scheme that lasted nearly 20 years and fraudulently obtained more than $24 million from at least 200 investors.
Paul Horton Smith Sr., 61, of Moreno Valley, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, who also ordered him to pay $13,331,505 in restitution.
Smith pleaded guilty on January 8 to one count of wire fraud.
“This defendant’s greed and deceit caused major losses for his victims, who discovered that the supposed gains for their retirement were nothing more than a lie,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute fraudsters who take advantage of victims in our community, and I also encourage everyone to use caution and skepticism with regard to any investments, especially those that seem too good to be true.”
“Paul Smith's clients trusted him. Smith knew that and used it to his advantage, selling them on a bogus investment opportunity and pocketing those funds,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “The fact that the bulk of his investors were seniors, men and women alike, and in various stages of vulnerability, makes this case all the more heartbreaking. Now, he's finally being held accountable. The FBI will continue shutting down crooks like this to help find justice for their victims.”
Smith operated Riverside-based companies named Northstar Communications LLC, Planning Services Inc., and eGate LLC. From July 2000 to May 2020, Smith obtained money from investors by soliciting individuals – who often were elderly or retired – to invest in something Smith called “Northstar.” Some of the investors previously were Planning Services clients.
Smith communicated with the victim investors regarding Northstar in person, over the telephone, and via email and text messages. He falsely told investors that Northstar was an annuity or an investment like an annuity. He falsely told other investors that Northstar invested in real estate or followed the stock market. He typically told the investors that their investment would generate a fixed rate of return and was a “safe investment.”
While Smith led most Northstar investors to believe his company reinvested their initial investment, generating the percentage they were to earn, in fact, he never invested the money. Instead, Smith deposited all investor funds into a non-interest-bearing checking account.
Smith used some money from later Northstar investors to pay earlier Northstar investors’ monthly interest payments and to repay earlier investors who wanted to withdraw their investment.
For example, in April 2019, Smith caused one victim to invest with him $400,000 – life insurance proceeds after the victim’s spouse had died. The victim wrote a personal check for that amount and the check was deposited into a bank account in Riverside, which then was electronically transferred to the bank’s Alabama headquarters for processing.
Smith promised the victim he would invest the $400,000 in a safe investment with a 5% rate of return. But Smith never invested the money. Instead, he transferred the funds to pay other victims of his Ponzi scheme. In an attempt to conceal his criminal activity, Smith made 11 payments to the victim that totaled $163,324.
As a result of the scheme, Smith fraudulently obtained more than $24 million from at least 200 investors. Of these investors, 106 victims have not been fully repaid. The total loss for these victims is $13,331,505.
The FBI investigated this matter. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a complaint and obtained a judgment against Smith and Northstar Communications LLC in 2020, provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin J. Weir of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 22, 2024, Montae D. Jacobs (age: 34) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced to a term of 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, after being convicted following a bench trial of two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, one count of sex trafficking of a child, and ten other related charges.
According to court records, the offenses for which Jacobs was convicted began in 2019 and continued through 2023. It also included conduct that occurred after his arrest and indictment in this case, while he served a state prison sentence. Throughout his time in custody, Jacobs continuously attempted to recruit new victims for his sex trafficking scheme, including at least one minor. Jacobs solicited, and in some cases paid, his fellow inmates for the contact information of women and girls they thought might be susceptible to Jacobs’ pitch, which was that they could quickly become wealthy by prostituting and live-streaming pornographic content if they followed his detailed instructions. His instructions included paying part of their earnings to him. Jacobs sent any women who were responsive to him letters, emails, and calls multiple times a day, exhorting them to call him “daddy” and “king,” to “submit” and “bow down” to him, and to recruit other victims for him.
In announcing the sentence, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman emphasized that while Jacobs may not have been as financially successful or as violent as some other traffickers previously sentenced in this district, his unusual degree of persistence and total lack of remorse required a serious sentence, both to protect the community from future crimes by Jacobs and to deter others who would engage in similar conduct. Judge Adelman also noted that the varied and nefarious means by which Jacobs controlled his victims, including false promises, physical violence, threats to have the victims arrested or evicted, and manipulation of their drug addictions, influenced the Court’s sentencing decision.
“The sentence in this case reflects the fact that human trafficking is a brutal offense, involving victimizing individuals day after day,” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “In this case, Mr. Jacobs not only engaged in this conduct while in the community but he also continued to seek to victimize vulnerable individuals even after being placed in custody. I commend the hard work of all involved in seeking justice for and giving a voice to the individuals exploited by Mr. Jacobs.”
“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that has no place in Wisconsin or anywhere else,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to everyone who collaborated to make this investigation and prosecution successful.”
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, with support from the South Milwaukee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erica J. Lounsberry and Kate M. Biebel.
###
For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer
414-297-1700
Follow us on Twitter
Mexican National Sentenced for Possessing Heroin with Intent to Distribute in BakersfieldRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Beltran-Chaidez, 54, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in January 2022, Antonio Beltran-Chaidez recruited his brother, Jose Beltran-Chaidez, 68, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, to deliver more than 2 pounds of heroin to Jorge Calderon-Campos, 42, of Bakersfield, who was the target of a federal wiretap investigation for distribution to Calderon-Campos’s customers. However, when Calderon-Campos was unable to sell the drug, Jose Beltran-Chaidez retrieved it from Calderon-Campos at Antonio Beltran-Chaidez’s direction and was in possession of the heroin when stopped by a law enforcement officer for a traffic violation.
Calderon-Campos and Jose Beltran-Chaidez recently pleaded guilty to their involvement in a larger drug conspiracy and are scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 21, 2024, and Nov. 4, 2024, respectively. They face a mandatory statutory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the CHP, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mercer County Couple Admit Conspiring to Submit Fraudulent Asylum ApplicationsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, couple today admitted their roles in a conspiracy to prepare and submit fraudulent asylum applications, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Zuwairul Ameer, aka “Zuwairul Thowfeek,” 61, and Claudette Ameer, aka “Claudette Pieries,” 63, both of Lawrence Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton federal court to count one of an indictment charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Applicants for asylum in the United States must show that they have suffered persecution in their country of origin on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, or have a well-founded fear of persecution if they were to return to that country. The process requires an application that is reviewed by an asylum officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), who makes an initial determination whether to grant asylum. If the application has been prepared by someone other than the applicant, the preparer must disclose his or her name and address and must sign the application.
Since at least 2007, Zuwairul Ameer has been in the business of preparing fraudulent asylum application on behalf of his non-citizen clients. Claudette Ameer has managed that business, acting as the primary point of contact for clients, arranging meetings, and mailing completed applications to USCIS. With Claudette Ameer’s assistance, Zuwairul Ameer met with clients, listened to their stories of mistreatment in their countries of origin, and drafted applications on their behalf that were fraudulent because they: exaggerated the stories of mistreatment; falsely omitted Zuwairul Ameer’s name as the preparer; or both.
The conspiracy charge to which the Ameers have pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, New York Field Office, under the direction of under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge James Smith, and immigration officers with of the USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate at the New York Asylum Office, under the direction of Director Mathew Varghese, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
ameer.indictment.pdfMan Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Abusing, Stalking, and Blackmailing Three Victims, Including a Child and a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John’Ta Price, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 40 months in prison for the sexual abuse of three deaf victims, including a child and a minor, between 2015 and 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced.
Price pleaded guilty on June 18, 2024, to second-degree child sexual abuse, attempted stalking, and attempted blackmail in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun sentenced the defendant on August 23, 2024, to 30 months in prison for the second-degree child sexual abuse, plus 180 days for attempted stalking, plus 120 days for attempted blackmail, all to run consecutively, followed by five years of probation. Price will also be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
According to the government’s evidence, between March 1, 2015 and February 20, 2020, Price engaged in a course of conduct to stalk the first victim, who throughout this period was around 13 to 18 years-old. The defendant sent nude videos and pictures on at least 10 different occasions to the victim, despite the victim repeatedly asking him to stop. Price continued his inappropriate behavior when he confronted the victim at her high school and made lude remarks about having sexual intercourse with the victim. While making these remarks, Price touched the victim’s shoulder and attempted a hug, but the victim pushed him away. Price then attempted to grab the victim’s breast.
In or around November 2021, Price threatened to expose nude pictures of the second victim to the public if the victim did not perform sexual acts on the defendant.
On October 21, 2023, the third victim, a 14-year-old child, was contacted by Price to meet up. The victim subsequently met up with Price at Union Station. Price asked the victim to get inside his vehicle and perform a sexual act on him, which the victim performed after Price’s request. Then, after asking to perform a subsequent sexual act on the victim, Price proceeded to perform that sexual act on the victim.
The defendant was arrested December 1, 2023, and was a Gallaudet student at the time. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Crocetti, of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Unit, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Man Charged with Threatening Election Officials, State Judge, and Federal Law Enforcement AgentsRead the Press Release
A Colorado man will make his initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Durango, Colorado, today on federal charges in connection with a series of online threats he made toward election officials in Colorado and Arizona, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents.
Teak Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, was arrested on Friday in Cortez.
“We allege that the defendant made detailed death threats against election officials, judges, and law enforcement officers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Violent threats against public servants are a danger to our democracy, and the arrest and charges announced today make clear that the Justice Department will see to it that perpetrators answer for their actions.”
“As alleged, Teak Brockbank threatened the lives of multiple public servants on social media. Among other threats, he allegedly claimed that it was ‘time’ to put two state election officials to death and that he was obligated to ‘put a bullet’ in the head of a Colorado state judge,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Public servants must be able to do their jobs without fear. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who target public officials with threats of violence.”
According to court documents, between September 2021 and August 2022, Brockbank allegedly used two social media accounts to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials. For example, on Aug. 4, 2022, Brockbank allegedly posted a message referring to separate election officials in Arizona and Colorado and then stated: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”
Brockbank also allegedly posted a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?”
Finally, Brockbank allegedly threatened federal law enforcement on July 20, 2022, posting: “ATF CIA FBI show up to my house I am shooting them peace’s of s*** first No Warning!! Then I will call the sheriff!!! With everything that these piece of shit agencies have done I am completely justified to just start dropping them as soon as they step on my property! justified.”
Brockbank is charged with transmitting interstate threats. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The FBI Denver Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the Task Force has begun.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the Task Force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Charged with Threatening Election Officials, State Judge, and Federal Law Enforcement AgentsRead the Press Release
DENVER – A Colorado man will make his initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Durango, Colorado, today on federal charges in connection with a series of online threats he made toward election officials in Colorado and Arizona, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents.
Teak Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, was arrested on Friday in Cortez.
“We allege that the defendant made detailed death threats against election officials, judges, and law enforcement officers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Violent threats against public servants are a danger to our democracy, and the arrest and charges announced today make clear that the Justice Department will see to it that perpetrators answer for their actions.”
“As alleged, Teak Brockbank threatened the lives of multiple public servants on social media. Among other threats, he allegedly claimed that it was ‘time’ to put two state election officials to death and that he was obligated to ‘put a bullet’ in the head of a Colorado state judge,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Public servants must be able to do their jobs without fear. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who target public officials with threats of violence.”
According to court documents, between September 2021 and August 2022, Brockbank allegedly used two social media accounts to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials. For example, on Aug. 4, 2022, Brockbank allegedly posted a message referring to separate election officials in Arizona and Colorado and then stated: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”
Brockbank also allegedly posted a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?”
Finally, Brockbank allegedly threatened federal law enforcement on July 20, 2022, posting: “ATF CIA FBI show up to my house I am shooting them peace’s of s*** first No Warning!! Then I will call the sheriff!!! With everything that these piece of shit agencies have done I am completely justified to just start dropping them as soon as they step on my property! justified.”
Brockbank is charged with transmitting interstate threats. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The FBI Denver Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the Task Force has begun.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the Task Force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Harassing and Threatening Woman and Her Family MembersRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Maine man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to one count of making repeated phone calls with the intent to harass and one count of transmitting a threatening interstate communication.
According to court records, from mid-July to early August 2023, Angelo Castigliola, 44, formerly of Biddeford, repeatedly called and texted the victim, including calling her 57 times and leaving her nine voicemails. He also sent the victim 40 text messages on one day alone. These repeated communications were harassing in nature. In the communications, Castigliola repeatedly threatened to harm an individual with whom he believed the victim had a relationship, and repeatedly referenced the victim’s minor child. On July 28, 2023, Castigliola also made several telephone calls to the victim’s mother, often disguising his phone number, leaving two voicemails. In one voicemail, Castigliola threatened to kill three of her family members including the victim, and to rape two minor children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information to protect the victims’ privacy.
Castigliola faces up to two years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000 for making repeated harassing phone calls and up to five years and a maximum fine of $250,000 for transmitting a threatening interstate communication. Any sentence would be followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
###
La Oficina del Abogado de Indultos Publica la Solicitud de Conmutación de la Pena en EspañolRead the Press Release
La Oficina del Abogado de Indultos (Indultos) publicó una Versión en idioma español de su solicitud de conmutación de la pena. La solicitud en español puede usarse para pedirle al presidente la conmutación de la pena de una persona que está encarcelada. Esta solicitud sigue el lanzamiento de la solicitud de indulto mejorada en junio de 2024, y de la solicitud de conmutación de la pena en inglés en noviembre de 2023.
En 2023 y 2024, Indultos revisó todos sus formularios de clemencia para hacerlos más accesibles y fáciles de usar. Las revisiones han sido parte de un esfuerzo de todo el departamento por ampliar el acceso a la justicia mediante la simplificación de los formularios y documentos de carácter público, coherente con las recomendaciones descritas en los Informes de la Mesa Redonda Interinstitucional de Asistencia Jurídica de 2022 y 2023.
“Por medio de la colaboración con la Oficina de Acceso a la Justicia, la divulgación y la educación regulares de la comunidad, y el arduo trabajo de nuestro equipo, hemos sido capaces de revisar toda nuestra plataforma de solicitudes de clemencia”, dijo la Abogada de Indultos Elizabeth Oyer. “La solicitud en español permitirá a un gran número de personas dentro de la Oficina Federal de Prisiones acceder mejor al proceso de clemencia en el futuro. Es un paso clave en nuestros esfuerzos por hacer el indulto más transparente y cumplir con nuestra obligación de aumentar el acceso lingüístico de nuestros solicitantes”.
Indultos también está trabajando con la Oficina Federal de Prisiones (FBOP, por sus siglas en inglés) para poner el formulario de conmutación en español a disposición de los hispanohablantes en las instalaciones de la FBOP.
Para obtener más información sobre el trabajo y el alcance de la Oficina del Abogado de Indultos, visite la Oficina del Abogado de Indultos | Oficina del Abogado de Indultos (justice.gov).
Justice Department Sues Pennsylvania Man for Physically Obstructing Access to Reproductive Health Services in Violation of Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit today in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against a man for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The FACE Act is a federal statute that prohibits use of force, threats of force or physical obstruction against anyone for seeking or providing reproductive health services.
The lawsuit alleges that, on Aug. 27, 2021, Matthew Connolly violated the FACE Act by intentionally creating a physical obstruction at a reproductive health clinic in Philadelphia. In particular, the complaint alleges that the defendant, after entering the clinic, barricaded himself inside one of the clinic’s bathrooms and that his actions forced the clinic to shut down for the day, requiring the intervention of the local police. As a result, at least 44 appointments had to be re-scheduled. The complaint seeks monetary penalties and injunctive relief as provided by the FACE Act.
“The defendant engaged in conduct calculated to shut down a reproductive health clinic for an entire day, forcing the evacuation of the clinic’s patients and obstructing access to reproductive health services. The FACE Act prohibits conduct intended to interfere with access to reproductive healthcare,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing the FACE Act to ensure that providers can continue to deliver legal reproductive health services and that patients can obtain them.”
For additional information about the Civil Rights Division and Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. Those interested in learning more about the FACE act can visit www.justice.gov/crt/freedom-access-clinic-entrances-places-religious-worship. Past FACE Act cases handled by the Special Litigation Section can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section-cases-and-matters#face.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Transportation Management Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with BreakthroughFuel LLC (Breakthrough), a transportation management company based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with nationwide operations. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Breakthrough violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against a non-U.S. citizen worker when the company withdrew its offer to work on a project based on his citizenship status.
“Employers cannot unlawfully exclude people with permission to work in the United States because of their citizenship status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that employers do not unlawfully deny workers equal treatment in the workplace.”
After opening an investigation based on a worker’s complaint, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that Breakthrough, which used a third-party staffing agency to fill a role on Breakthrough’s project, asked the agency to withdraw a job offer to a worker when Breakthrough learned he was not a U.S. citizen. IER also concluded that Breakthrough did not have any legal justification for withdrawing the offer.
Under the terms of the settlement, Breakthrough will pay a civil penalty to the United States, train its employees on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies and processes and be subject to monitoring by the department. During the course of IER’s investigation, Breakthrough and the staffing agency provided the worker with monetary compensation to address his claim of lost wages.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination in recruiting and hiring on IER’s website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.
Joplin Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms.
Dustin L. Holden, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark on Friday, Aug. 23, to 22 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.
On Feb. 13, 2024, Holden pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Co-defendant Britton D. Friday, 42, of Nixa, Mo., was stopped by a Christian County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy while driving a Dodge Avenger in Ozark, Mo., on Jan. 11, 2022. Friday had 32.8 grams of methamphetamine in his possession and was arrested.
Holden admitted that he sold methamphetamine to Friday and others for approximately $350 per ounce (28 grams).
On Feb. 10, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Holden’s residence and found a black zippered case that contained 187.9 grams of pure methamphetamine. Officers also found a Taurus 9mm handgun, a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun, a Poly Tech 7.62mm rifle, a Ruger AR15 rifle, and an Anderson Manufacturing AR15 lower assembly (which was reported stolen).
Friday was sentenced on July 16, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Friday admitted that he purchased a total of 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamine from Holden.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Rodney Smith, 68, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around January 2021 to in and around June 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Smith conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base in the form commonly known as crack. Smith was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for January 13, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Smith. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Jamaican National Extradited for Scheme to Defraud American CitizenRead the Press Release
A Jamaican national was extradited to the United States and made his initial appearance today in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, following his role in a long-running scheme to defraud a California woman.
Dwayne Anderson, 35, of Hannover, Jamaica, will face federal wire fraud charges. He was arrested, pursuant to the U.S. request for extradition, on July 11, by Jamaican authorities. He has remained in custody in Jamaica since that time.
According to the indictment, from as early as 2010 until September 2017, Anderson participated in a scheme to defraud an American woman. Using phony names, he contacted the victim by telephone, text message, and email and falsely informed her that she had won millions of dollars in a sweepstakes. Anderson persuaded the victim, who believed the defendant’s false representations, to send money to pay various fees and taxes associated with the sweepstakes. He instructed the victim on how, and to whom, to send these payments. Anderson repeatedly contacted the victim with additional requests to pay money and told the victim that her winnings would be forthcoming if she paid the requested money.
Anderson induced the victim to travel to Jamaica in September 2017 by falsely informing her that she would be able to collect her prize winnings. He told the victim to bring $1,600 in cash with her to Jamaica and instructed the victim to give the money to a driver that met her at the airport. The victim paid the purported fees but never received any of her purported winnings.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to bringing transnational criminals who defraud Americans to justice, wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Ensuring that those who perpetrate these types of fraud schemes are held accountable is a priority of the department, and I thank the government of Jamaica for its assistance extraditing the defendant to face charges here in the United States.”
“Making a living by exploiting the trust of Americans and draining their hard-earned savings is despicable,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “The District of South Dakota, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will pursue and prosecute anyone who engages in criminal acts that harm Americans.
“Collaboration between international law enforcement partners is critical to protecting the international rule of law and the U.S. Mailstream,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting Americans from transnational crime and is grateful to our partners in Jamaica for assistance in bringing Anderson to Justice.”
Anderson is charged with eight counts of wire fraud filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota in February 2023 and was unsealed upon the defendant’s extradition to the United States on Aug. 22. If convicted, Anderson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count.
USPIS investigated the case. The Jamaica Constabulary Force provided critical assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Anderson.
Trial Attorneys Brandon Robers and Edward Emokpae of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Hoffman for the District of South Dakota prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters involving attempts to defraud residents of the United States. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
JBER soldier indicted on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment on Thursday charging an Army soldier with child pornography offenses.
The defendant, Seth Herrera, 34, who is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, was arrested on August 23, 2024.
According to court documents, Herrera transported, received and possessed files depicting child sexual abuse. Herrera also allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to generate child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) depicting minors known to him.
Court documents further allege that law enforcement uncovered tens of thousands of visual depictions of the violent sexual abuse of children as young as infants on cellphones belonging to the defendant. Herrera also allegedly used encrypted messaging applications and network applications to find, receive and download CSAM.
Herrera is charged with one count of transportation of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant is currently scheduled for his initial court appearance on August 27, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“The misuse of cutting-edge generative AI is accelerating the proliferation of dangerous content, including child sexual abuse material – so the Department of Justice is accelerating its enforcement efforts,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “As alleged, the defendant used AI tools to morph images of real kids into horrific child sexual abuse material. Criminals considering the use of AI to perpetuate their crimes should stop and think twice – because the Department of Justice is prosecuting AI-enabled criminal conduct to the fullest extent of the law and will seek increased sentences wherever warranted.”
"Technology may change, but our commitment to protecting children will not,” said S. Lane Tucker, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska. “We will aggressively pursue those who produce and traffic in child sexual abuse material (CSAM), no matter how that material was created. Put simply, CSAM generated by AI is still CSAM, and those who sexually exploit children, through whatever technological means, will be held accountable by our office in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, for justice and the safety of our children."
“The charges against Herrera, a U.S. military soldier, for trafficking and generating child sexual abuse materials using artificial intelligence represent a profound violation of trust as well as preview of the challenges law enforcement continues to face in this evolving threat to our children” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Pacific Northwest Division. “This appalling misconduct undermines Herrera’s commitment to defending both our nation and its most vulnerable members.”
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Pacific Northwest operations made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Army Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the case. If anyone has information concerning Herrera’s alleged actions or may have encountered someone in person or online using the name Seth Herrera, please contact the HSI tip line at 1-877-447-4847.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson and Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indianapolis Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 44 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Eleven-Year-Old over SnapchatRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS—Sonny Dale Applegate, 27, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to forty-four years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of committing a felony offense while required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, on December 17, 2020, Applegate was convicted of possession of child pornography in Marion County and sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment, with nearly the entire sentence suspended to probation. At the time Applegate committed the following offenses, he was on probation because of that conviction.
Despite being on probation and subject to stringent restrictions, Applegate reoffended. Between August 1 and September 12, 2022, Applegate used Snapchat to communicate with a child he knew was underage. At the time, the victim was an eleven-year-old child residing in Missouri. Through Snapchat, Applegate engaged in graphically explicit sexual chat with the child and routinely demanded that they create and send him images and videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct that he directed.
On September 12, 2022, during a routine probation visit, Applegate’s probation officer discovered that he was in possession of a Samsung Galaxy cell phone hidden under a pillow. A forensic investigation recovered the child sex abuse material of the child, and more than 600 images or videos of child sex abuse material involving other children that he had collected from the Internet.
Applegate must also pay $10,000 in restitution and is required to register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, pursuant to state law.
“Every family should know that social media apps like Snapchat are not safe spaces for young children and are often hunting grounds for predators who seek gratification from their exploitation,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana “The federal prison sentence imposed here ensures that the public will be protected from this offender for many decades to come. Other online predators should take notice that the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the FBI, and our federal prosecutors, will work tirelessly to hold them accountable and make our children safer from abuse.”
"This sentence reflects the profound harm the defendant caused the victim and should serve as a warning that those who exploit children will be held accountable,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue our unwavering commitment to ensure we protect vulnerable children from such heinous crimes.”
The FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by Indianan Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Marion County Probation, and the FBI’s Kansas City, Missouri, Field Office. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/ to learn more about their efforts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
###
Hungarian National Arrested on Charges of Conspiring to Export U.S. Military-Grade Radios to Russian Government End UsersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department unsealed a criminal complaint charging Hungarian national Bence Horvath with violations of U.S. export controls targeting Russia, including by conspiring with others to illegally export U.S.-origin radio communications technology to Russian government end users without a license. Horvath is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA). He was arrested on arrival at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, on Aug. 23.
“As alleged, the defendant attempted to purchase military-grade radios for Russian entities using a multinational procurement chain to evade law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to disrupting and holding accountable criminal networks that continue to fuel Russian aggression abroad and threaten our collective security.”
“Targeting illicit global procurement networks that operate in the shadows to equip the Russian government is of the highest priority to BIS,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “As Horvath’s arrest demonstrates, it doesn’t matter where in the world you operate – when the United States believes your conduct violates our export laws, we take action.”
“This defendant allegedly sought to skirt U.S. export controls put in place to protect our national security and to address Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice the people who scheme to secure U.S. technology in violation of U.S. laws.”
According to the court documents, Horvath and others managed a multinational procurement network that contracted directly with various entities in the Russian government and worked on large scale projects such as the construction of operational radio communications systems in Russia’s Kursk region along the Russian/Ukrainian border. The complaint alleges that Horvath himself arranged to purchase U.S.-origin radio communications technology and smuggle such technology to Russian government end-users through a network of affiliates located in Spain, Serbia, Hungary, Latvia, and elsewhere.
Beginning at least around January 2023, Horvath and others in his network initiated discussions with a small U.S. radio distribution company about procuring and exporting to Russia U.S.-manufactured military-grade radios and related accessories. Over the next several months, Horvath continued his efforts to secure those items, which he intended to transship to Russia via a freight forwarder in Latvia.
As part of the conspiracy, Horvath purchased 200 of the military-grade radios and intended to export them to Russia, but he was not successful. U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained the shipment, preventing the radios from falling into the hands of prohibited Russian end users.
Homeland Security Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Department of Commerce are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Maeghan Mikorski for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hungarian National Arrested on Charges of Conspiring to Export U.S. Military-Grade Radios to Russian Government End UsersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bence Horvath, 46, of Spain, was arrested in San Francisco, California on charges, unsealed today, that he conspired with others to illegally export U.S.-origin radio communications technology to Russian government end users without a license.
The arrest and charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew Olsen, Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish of the Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement (DOC) Dallas Field Office.
Horvath was arrested on arrival at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California on August 23, 2024. He is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (“ECRA”). According to the complaint, Horvath and others managed a multinational procurement network that contracted directly with various entities in the Russian government and worked on large scale projects such as the construction of operational radio communications systems in Russia’s Kursk region along the Russian/Ukrainian border. The complaint alleges that Horvath himself arranged to purchase U.S.-origin radio communications technology and smuggle such technology to Russian government end-users through a network of affiliates located in Spain, Serbia, Hungary, Latvia, and elsewhere.
“This defendant allegedly sought to skirt U.S. export controls put in place to protect our national security and to address Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice those who scheme to secure U.S. technology in violation of U.S. laws.”
“As alleged, the defendant attempted to purchase military-grade radios for Russian entities using a multinational procurement chain to evade law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “The Justice Department remains committed to disrupting and holding accountable criminal networks that continue to fuel Russian aggression abroad and threaten our collective security.”
“HSI protects national security by defending our U.S. import and export laws,” said Special Agent in Charge DeLaune. “This criminal thought he could exploit our laws for nefarious purposes, but thanks to HSI special agents and our partners at the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, he was stopped in his tracks.”
“Securing DoD technology and innovation from foreign adversaries is critical to U.S. national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “DCIS and our partners remain committed to protecting American-made military and dual-use technologies by using every tool at our disposal, and we’ll never rest in our pursuit of those who intend to harm the United States and our allies.”
“Targeting illicit global procurement networks that operate in the shadows to equip the Russian government is of the highest priority to BIS,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. “As Horvath’s arrest demonstrates, it doesn’t matter where in the world you operate – when the United States believes your conduct violates our export laws, we take action.”
According to the complaint, beginning at least around January 2023, Horvath and others in his network initiated discussions with a small U.S. radio distribution company about procuring and exporting to Russia U.S.-manufactured military-grade radios and related accessories. Over the next several months, Horvath continued his efforts to secure those items, which he intended to transship to Russia via a freight forwarder in Latvia.
As part of the conspiracy, Horvath purchased 200 of the military-grade radios and intended to export them to Russia. But he was not successful, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained the shipment, preventing the radios from falling into the hands of prohibited Russian end users.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigation’s New Orleans, Louisiana Field Office, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Commerce. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Maeghan Mikorski of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Kate Abrey and Jorge Casillas, of the USAO-DC.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture and the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.