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1 October 2024
Federal Firearms Licensees Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces the two co-owners of Modern Arms & Optics LLC, a federal firearms licensee that operated from 2019 to 2023 pled guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. On July 25, 2024, Campbell Slayden, 26, of Denver pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. On September 23, 2024, Anthony Gallegos, 26, of Denver pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
The plea agreements stemmed from the defendants’ actions while dealing firearms on behalf of Modern Arms and Optics. In the course of conducting their business, Slayden and Gallegos engaged in deceptive acts to hide information, mislead, and avert further inquiry into their business from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) by concealing their unlawful firearms manufacturing practices in federally required records. Furthermore, the co-owners transferred firearms to people not legally allowed to own firearms through a practice often referred to as “straw purchasing.”
“It is crucial for gun shop owners and dealers to follow the laws that help keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and keep our communities safe,” said Acting United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “We will vigorously prosecute anyone who breaks or evades those laws.”
Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over both hearings. The case was investigated by ATF. Assistant United States Attorney Albert Buchman handled the prosecution.
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.
Case Numbers:
1:24-cr-0034-GPG (Slayden)
1:24-cr-00224-GPG (Gallegos)
Federal Agencies Announce New Prioritized Efforts to Address Domestic Violence in Jefferson County and Will Provide Nearly $850,000 for Local PartnersRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Both the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced new resources and support to combat domestic violence in Jefferson County. This comprehensive assistance will advance the law enforcement, crime prevention, and victim assistance priorities set by the United States Attorney’s Office and its local partners through Operation Safe Families.
Jefferson County’s designation for prioritized enforcement and prosecution responses to domestic violence results from United States’ Attorney General Merrick B. Garland approval of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022. Through this designation, the United States Attorney’s and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions will partner with each local law enforcement and community partners to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.
Alongside Jefferson County’s enforcement prioritization, the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office – Birmingham Division – to enhance its investigations and prosecutions of domestic violence cases. These resources will expand the work of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Domestic Violence High-Risk Team.
HHS is also dedicating new resources in Jefferson County to address generational trauma and adverse childhood experiences caused by domestic violence. HHS is awarding $347,727 to One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center (One Place) for the advancement of its local work through Camp HOPE America – a national, year-round program that works with children (ages 7 -17) who have been impacted by domestic and family violence. One Place facilitates Alabama’s only Camp HOPE America site, serving Jefferson County. Through the HHS grant, One Place will be able to provide living assistance and counseling to families participating in Camp HOPE.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made combatting domestic violence, and the community violence it often leads to, a top priority. In October 2020, the Office announced a new initiative, Operation Safe Families, to fight domestic violence in the Northern District of Alabama. Our top priority is to keep our communities safe by keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. Operation Safe Families brings together federal law enforcement and local victim service providers, state and local law enforcement, and local prosecutors to better respond to the needs of victims of domestic violence and the threats presented to the community by domestic violence offenders. Not only do domestic violence offenders often terrorize former intimate partners, national and local crime data confirms that domestic violence offenders present extreme risks to law enforcement officers and are often responsible for significant amounts of violent crimes in Alabama communities. Operation Safe Families is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and supports of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
“Domestic violence tears at the fabric of our communities and affects every demographic of society,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “People who commit violence within their homes are often also the same people who commit violent crimes in our communities. My office along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement and community partners continue to work together to combat violent crime, to support victims of violence, and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders.”
“ATF recognizes the role firearms play in violent crimes and, more specifically, domestic violence.” ATF Special Agent in Charge, Marcus Watson said. “We at ATF are committed to aggressively pursuing prohibited possession of firearms due to domestic violence convictions and will continue to work with our partners to remove convicted domestic abusers who possess firearms from our communities.”
“Between 2021 and 2023, there were 114 total domestic violence related homicides in Jefferson County, and more than 70% of known homicide offenders in Jefferson County each year have a history of domestic violence,” said District Attorney Danny Carr. “My office will not fail to do its utmost to bring justice, safety, and protection for victims of violence and our community. These additional resources will provide meaningful assistance to sustain and expand the innovative work that our Domestic Violence High-Risk Team is conducting.”
“Preventing domestic violence and remedying the trauma it causes within a family and a community requires a comprehensive approach,” said Rebecca McWilliams, Executive Director of One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center. “The resources provide to Camp Hope from the Department of Health and Human Services can change lives and restore hope and opportunity for children and families affected by family violence. I am grateful and excited for the support and opportunities this grant will make within the lives of our Camp Hope families and in our community”.
To learn more about One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center or Camp Hope, please visit Camp Hope - Alabama .
Evansville Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Receiving and Possessing Explicit Images of Children via SnapchatRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE—Christopher Vickers, 41, of Evansville, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of possession and three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2023, investigators were alerted to a Snapchat account being used to upload, store, and share child sexual abuse material. Further investigation identified Christopher Vickers as the owner of the Snapchat account.
On July 26, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Vickers’ apartment and found multiple cell phones containing over 500 images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The still image and video files included depictions of children engaged in sex acts with adult men and children under the age of 12 years old. The Snapchat account used by Vickers was also installed on one of the cell phones. Investigation revealed that Vickers used the Snapchat account to seek out groups of like-minded Snapchat users with a sexual interest in children to share and discuss depictions of child sexual abuse.
During the search of the apartment, investigators found objects reflecting his sexual interest in children, including underwear made for young girls located in Vickers’ bedroom closet. Investigators learned that the underwear had been stolen from children who Vickers had access to in the past. Further investigation revealed that Vickers, who was then 40, was involved in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl at the time investigators searched his apartment.
“Pedophiles use social media platforms like Snapchat to share their interests with like-minded individuals—gathering online to traffic in child sexual abuse materials,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Prosecution of these criminals helps make our children safer and sends the message that Snapchat and other platforms are not a safe space for predators to trade in images of abuse. Together with our partners at the FBI and local police departments, our office will continue to vigorously prosecute child sex offenders and seek to send them to federal prison where they cannot further harm our children.”
The FBI and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. Vickers must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
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.
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Essex County Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud Conspiracy Related to Checks Stolen from U.S. MailRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for his role in a bank fraud conspiracy related to the theft of checks from the U.S. mail, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Baba Diakite, 23, of East Orange, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. His conspirator, Nasir Johnson, was previously sentenced last year by Judge Salas to 49 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit mail theft and possess stolen mail, and theft of a U.S. Postal Service key. Judge Salas imposed the sentences in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least January 2020 to March 2022, Diakite, Johnson, and others conspired to steal checks from the mail in communities across New Jersey. Diakite and his conspirators used misappropriated keys belonging to the U.S. Postal Service to access mail collection receptacles and steal envelopes that contained checks. After stealing the checks, Diakite and his conspirators sold them to third parties or deposited them, sometimes in altered form for higher amounts, into bank accounts. Diakite and others then defrauded the banks by withdrawing money from the bank accounts. Diakite agreed that he caused a loss of between $550,000 and $1.5 million.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Diakite to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents with the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office; and special agents with the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
El Paso Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Dealing Fentanyl, Causing DeathRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in federal court to 180 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl, causing death or serious bodily injury.
According to court documents, Adrian David Perez Jr., 21, sold counterfeit M-30 pills laced with fentanyl to an individual on Oct. 13, 2021. The individual consumed the pills and his mother found him deceased the following day. The El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the individual died from acute fentanyl toxicity.
In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Leon Schydlower sentenced Perez to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $3,800 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Countryman prosecuted the case.
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El Departamento de Justicia encuentra condiciones anticonstitucionales en las prisiones de GeorgiaRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy sus hallazgos de condiciones de confinamiento en las prisiones de Georgia que vulneran la 8ª Enmienda de la Constitución.
«Nuestro informe de hallazgos expone las condiciones horribles e inhumanas a las que las personas están confinadas dentro del sistema penitenciario estatal de Georgia», comentó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Nuestra investigación a nivel estatal expone infracciones sistémicas desde hace mucho tiempo derivadas de la indiferencia completa y la falta de atención a la seguridad de las personas que Georgia mantiene en sus prisiones. Las personas son asaltadas, apuñaladas, y asesinadas o dejadas para languidecer dentro de instalaciones que, lamentablemente, no tienen personal suficiente. Los presos son castigados y torturados, relegados a una existencia de miedo, suciedad y una negligencia no tan benigna. Estas condiciones peligrosas no solo dañan a las personas encarceladas por Georgia, sino que ponen en riesgo a los empleados de la prisión y a la comunidad en general. El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a utilizar su autoridad para lograr condiciones humanas de confinamiento que sean coherentes con los estándares contemporáneos de decencia y respeto por la dignidad humana básica».
El informe de 93 páginas del Departamento detalla sus hallazgos de una investigación exhaustiva de las instalaciones penitenciarias privadas y operadas por el Estado de Georgia. Georgia tiene la cuarta población penitenciaria estatal más alta del país, con aproximadamente 50,000 personas encarceladas. El informe concluye que:
- El Estado de Georgia incurre en un patrón o una práctica de vulneración de los derechos constitucionales de las personas encarceladas, al no proteger a las personas que se encuentran en instalaciones de seguridad media y cerrada de la violencia física generalizada y someter a las personas encarceladas a un riesgo irrazonable de daño por abuso sexual en todas sus instalaciones. En concreto, Georgia no protege a las personas encarceladas, incluidas las personas lesbianas, gay, bisexuales, transgénero e intersexuales (LGBTI), de daños causados por violencia sexual o abuso sexual.
- La falta crítica de personal y las deficiencias sistémicas en la planta física, la vivienda y la clasificación, el control de contrabando, la notificación de incidentes y las investigaciones contribuyen a la violencia generalizada.
- Georgia permite que las pandillas ejerzan una influencia indebida sobre la vida en la prisión, incluido el control de unidades de vivienda enteras y la operación de maquinaciones ilegales y peligrosas dentro y fuera de las prisiones, así perjudicando tanto a las personas encarceladas como al público.
«Las personas encarceladas por el Departamento Penitenciario de Georgia no deben ser sometidas a violencia potencialmente mortal y otras formas de privación grave mientras cumplen sus penas de prisión», afirmó Ryan K. Buchanan, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Norte de Georgia. «Nuestra constitución requiere condiciones humanas en prisiones que, como mínimo, garanticen que las personas encarceladas estén seguras. Los hallazgos de la investigación de la ley de Derechos Civiles de Personas Institucionalizadas del Departamento Penitenciario de Georgia revelan fallos graves y difusos en lo que se refiere a la protección de los hombres y mujeres alojados en sus instalaciones, lo que incluye muertes perturbadores y cada vez más frecuentes entre las personas encarceladas. Esperamos que el Estado de Georgia comparta nuestro sentido de urgencia en cuanto a la gravedad de las infracciones descritas en este informe y que colabore con el Departamento de Justicia, nuestra oficina y nuestro socio en las Fiscalías para los Distritos Centro y Sur para remediar estas deficiencias sistémicas en las prisiones de Georgia».
«Esperamos que estos resultados sean una llamada de atención. Las personas encarceladas y el personal del Departamento Penitenciario de Georgia se enfrentan a riesgos inaceptables y sistémicos, y el impacto afecta a todas nuestras comunidades», afirmó Peter Leary, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Centro de Georgia. «Esperamos trabajar en colaboración con el estado de Georgia para mejorar estas condiciones mortales; de hecho, la Constitución lo requiere».
«La seguridad y protección de las prisiones de Georgia están inequívocamente vinculadas a la seguridad general de nuestras comunidades», declaró Jill E. Steinberg, la Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Sur de Georgia. «La disfunción a largo plazo en la gestión del sistema penitenciario ha llevado a la proliferación de redes criminales dentro de esas instalaciones que ponen en peligro a los ciudadanos privados, al personal y a las personas encarceladas y conducen directamente a violencia y abuso inaceptables y evitables contra las personas encarceladas. Nos comprometemos a trabajar con el Departamento de Correcciones de Georgia para crear un entorno más seguro dentro y fuera de las prisiones de Georgia».
Las conclusiones anunciadas hoy son el resultado de la investigación civil del Departamento de Justicia y son independientes de cualquier caso penal presentado por el Departamento de Justicia.
La Sección de Litigios Especiales de la División de Derechos Civiles y las Fiscalías Federales para los Distritos Norte, Centro y Sur de Georgia llevaron a cabo la investigación.
Para obtener más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles y la Sección de Litigios Especiales, visite www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. También se puede informar a la Sección de vulneraciones de derechos civiles mediante el formulario de quejas, disponible en civilrights.justice.gov/. Para proporcionar información relacionada con la investigación del Departamento de las prisiones de Georgia, llame al 1-844-401-3736 o envíe un correo electrónico a l Departamento a [email protected].
Eagle Pass Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An Eagle Pass man involved with the violent criminal street gang, Partido Revolucionario Mexicano (PRM), was sentenced in Del Rio to 19.5 years in federal prison for his role in importing and possessing with the intent to distribute over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine into the United States.
According to court documents, Ines Adrian Guevara, 25, was subjected to a vehicle inspection at the U.S. Highway 57 checkpoint near Eagle Pass on April 16, 2021 after Border Patrol agents smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. The search revealed 21 bundles containing 14.5 kgs of methamphetamine. Guevara had been instructed to transport the bundles from Piedras Negras, Mexico, to San Antonio.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.
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Eagan Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Eagan woman pleaded guilty to her role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Kawsar Jama, 42, was the principal of Gedo Community Services and Ahlan Childcare Center, Inc. Jama enrolled these entities in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A, and operated sites in Pelican Rapids, Burnsville, and Minneapolis. One of the main food vendors for Jama’s sites was Haji Osman Salad, through his business, Haji’s Kitchen. Salad provided Jama with false food invoices, which she used as part of her fraudulent claims for reimbursement from the Federal Child Nutrition Program. For example, Jama’s Pelican Rapids site, a small town in west-central Minnesota with a population of approximately 2,500 people, fraudulently claimed to have served more than 233,000 meals to children from September 2021 to December 2021 with Haji’s Kitchen as her supposed food supplier.
In total, between June 2020 through 2022, Jama submitted at least $4.5 million in fraudulent claims for Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, some of which she spent on real estate and vehicles, including the purchase of a Tesla Model X.
Jama pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of wire fraud in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case.
Donna drug trafficker convicted of possessing firearmRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 28-year-old man has pleaded guilty to utilizing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On July 24, authorities conducted a search warrant at the residence of Roberto Segura Jr. At that time, they discovered marijuana, over 400 grams of cocaine, and body armor within the home.
Authorities also found a firearm in Segura’s bedroom next to the body armor. Segura admitted he was in possession of the firearm to protect himself during his drug trafficking activity.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has set sentencing for Jan. 7, 2025. At that time, he faces a minimum of five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Segura will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alamo Police Department conducted the joint investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan is prosecuting the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $32 Million in Grants to Support Public Safety Efforts in NevadaRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson today announced awards totaling $31,746,860 in Department of Justice grants to support public safety efforts in the District of Nevada. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
“These grants are a nearly $32 million dollar investment in our state that will be used to assist local governments and Tribal communities; fund law enforcement services, resources, and trainings; and support survivors,” said U.S. Attorney Frierson for the District of Nevada. “I thank the Office of Justice Programs for awarding this critical funding that will help us build trust with and keep communities safer in Nevada.”
The following organizations received funding:
- Bureau of Justice Assistance
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – $1,500,000
- BJA FY24 Extreme Risk Protective Order and Firearm Crisis Intervention Training and Technical Assistance Initiative- Invited to Apply
- City of Henderson – $782,000
- BJA FY24 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program
- Reno-Sparks Indian Colony – $1,865,000
- BJA FY24 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program – $265,000
- FY24 U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation – $1,600,000
- County of Lander– $563,000
- BJA FY24 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program
- City of Reno – $1,500,000
- BJA FY24 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program
- Diphrent Inc. – $963,000
- BJA FY24 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program
- County of Washoe – $996,000
- BJA FY24 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program
- City of North Las Vegas – $1,620,000
- BJA FY24 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program
- Nevada Department of Public Safety – $2,103,677
- BJA FY24 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program Formula Grant Solicitation – $348,149
- BJA FY24 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Formula Solicitation – $1,755,528
- County of Elko – $512,976
- BJA FY24 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
- Clark County Parent – $1,000,000
- BJA FY24 Second Chance Act Pay for Success Program
- Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone – $150,000
- FY24 U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation
- Nevada State – $65,292
- BJA FY24 John R. Justice (JRJ) Formula Grant Program
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – $1,500,000
- National Institute of Justice
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – $2,000,000
- NIJ FY24 National Juvenile Court Data Archive
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – $2,000,000
- Office for Victims of Crime
- Noah’s Animal House Foundation – $81,710
- OVC FY24 Technical Assistance for Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grants - Invited to Apply
- Eighth Judicial District Court – $800,000
- OVC FY24 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program - Invited to Apply
- Division of Child and Family Services – $9,959,406
- OVC FY24 VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant – $7,597,406
- OVC FY24 VOCA Victim Compensation Formula Grant – $2,362,000
- Noah’s Animal House Foundation – $81,710
- Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada – $396,816
- OVC FY24 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program - Invited to Apply
- Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe – $229,973
- OVC FY24 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program - Invited to Apply
- Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe – $229,973
- OVC FY24 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program - Invited to Apply
- Reno-Sparks Indian Colony – $229,973
- OVC FY24 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program - Invited to Apply
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – $600,000
- OJJDP FY24 National Youth Justice Training and Technical Assistance - Invited to Apply
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – $600,000
- SMART Office
- Shoshone-Paiute Tribes – $343,966
- SMART FY 2024 Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program
- Nevada Department of Public Safety –$175,000
- SMART FY 2024 Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program
- Shoshone-Paiute Tribes – $343,966
- Bureau of Justice Statistics
- Nevada Department of Public Safety – $3,079,098
- BJS FY24 NICS Act Record Improvement Program NARIP – $2,413,463
- BJS FY24 National Criminal History Improvement Program – $665,635
- Nevada Department of Public Safety – $3,079,098
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about these and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
About the Office of Justice Programs
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime, and SMART Office – can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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- Bureau of Justice Assistance
Defendant Sentenced to over Eight Years for Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain More Than $1.8 Million in Covid-19 Cares Act Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, federal inmate Jonathan Henry, age 32, was sentenced to 97 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $1,894,971 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance benefits. Henry’s co-defendant, Kenneth Dodd, was previously sentenced to 42 months imprisonment for his role in the offense, which he will serve consecutively to previous sentences he is currently serving as a result of prior federal felony convictions. A third defendant, Jason Haddox, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2025.
The sentences are announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”); and, Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”) - Washington Division.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included expanded eligibility for Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) benefits and increased UI benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (“PUA”), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”), and the Lost Wages Assistance Program (“LWAP”).
According to their plea agreements, during the time of the conspiracy, from March 22, 2020 through at least June 2021, Henry, Dodd and Haddox were inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix (“FCI Fort Dix”). Henry, Dodd Haddox and their co-conspirators (both inmates and outside individuals) submitted fraudulent online applications for UI benefits in Maryland and other states. Henry and other conspirators used the personal identifying information (“PII”) of identity theft victims in many of the applications. Based on the information in the fraudulent applications, the Maryland Department of Labor, which is responsible for processing applications for UI benefits in Maryland, issued prepaid debit cards in the names of the applicants and mailed them to addresses included on the applications, which were accessible to the conspirators. The defendants and their co-conspirators used the prepaid debit cards to withdraw money from ATMs and to make retail purchases.
Henry admitted that he used the PII of identity theft victims to submit approximately 191 fraudulent claims, the majority in Maryland but also in Washington, D.C., Virginia and North Carolina. Of the fraudulent claims submitted, 152 claims were paid, with an actual loss of approximately $1,894,971.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
United States Attorney Barron commended the DOL-OIG and the USPIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Crew Member Sentenced to 168 Months for Role in String of Gun-Point Robberies of South Asian Jewelry Stores That Netted MillionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Marquette Conrad, 34, of Washington D.C., was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 168 months in federal prison for participating in a multi-state string of violent gun-point robberies of South Asian jewelry stores that netted millions of dollars in cash and gold for the 16-member crew, allegedly led by Trevor Wright, aka rapper “Taliban Glizzy.”
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg, of the Washington Field Office; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado of the Newark Field Office, U.S. Marshal Peter Marketos of the United States Marshals Service, and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Conrad, aka “Twin,” pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024, to interfering with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act robbery) and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. In his plea, Conrad accepted responsibility for four robberies that took place in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered Conrad to serve 48 months of supervised release.
According to court documents, over the course of 18 months, Conrad and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to rob multiple South Asian jewelry stores, across multiple states, of heavy gold jewelry. The conspiracy began in January 2022 and continued until August 2023, ending only when several of the co-conspirators, including Conrad, were charged and arrested. Before they were apprehended the co-conspirators robbed at least ten jewelry stores of millions of dollars in jewelry, terrorizing multiple victims and leaving behind a wake of destruction and financial loss.
Conrad was arrested on August 30, 2023. Officers executed a search warrant at a residence associated with him in NW D.C., whereupon they recovered a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol equipped with a machine-gun conversion device; and an AK-Style 7.62 x 39mm rifle.
When he pleaded guilty, Conrad accepted responsibility for his involvement in the November 10, 2022, armed robbery of an estimated $1 million in gold from Baral Jewelers and Gift Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; the November 27, 2022 armed robbery of an estimated $100,000 in gold from Sara Jewelry in Jersey City, New Jersey; the December 22, 2022 armed robbery of an estimated $400,000 in gold jewelry at Chintamanis Inc. in Franklin Park, New Jersey; and the August 4, 2023 armed robbery of an estimated $150,000 in gold from Jolie Jewelry in Washington, D.C.
From surveillance footage taken during the robbery of Baral Jewelers in Harrisburg.
In the aftermath of the Chintamanis robbery, Conrad and his co-conspirators fled the scene at high speed, colliding with another vehicle, and ultimately killing one of the co-conspirators, who police found in the backseat of the getaway vehicle along with two loaded firearms, a hammer, a duffel bag, and stolen gold jewelry from Chintamanis.
This case was investigated by the ATF, FBI Washington Field Office, FBI Newark Field Office, U.S. Marshals, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Andrea Duvall.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Steven Schrank.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Eric Damone Wilson, aka “Hector,” 35, of Hoover, to 180 months in prison for two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Wilson went to trial in May but pleaded guilty after the government rested its case.
According to court documents, on two separate occasions in April 2022, Wilson distributed methamphetamine at a gas station on Green Springs Highway in Birmingham and at his apartment in Hoover. Upon Wilson’s arrest for those drug-trafficking offenses, officers found him to be in possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl, digital scales, money from the previous sale of methamphetamine, and a pistol.
HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Brittany Byrd prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Almost Six Years for Illegal Possession of AR-15 Rifle and Other FirearmsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rashad Dominic Griggs, 36, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department (HPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on August 20, 2022, HPD officers responded to a call for service following reports that Griggs was waving a gun at his girlfriend. The officers knew Griggs had active warrants for his arrest for violating a domestic violence protection order and carrying a concealed firearm. Upon arriving at the location, Griggs emerged from the residence and was arrested on the existing warrants. Following a search of the residence, HPD officers found a white powdery substance that was later lab tested and confirmed to be fentanyl. In addition, officers recovered multiple firearms from the residence, including an AR-15 type rifle, multiple magazines including a drum magazine with shotgun rounds, and multiple rounds of ammunition. The officers knew Griggs had prior convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Court records show that Griggs pleaded guilty to a state offense and was placed on probation.
According to court documents, on June 28, 2023, law enforcement conducted a search of the defendant’s home pursuant to his probation terms. During the search, law enforcement found a rifle magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, a pistol, and multiple rounds of ammunition. During an interview with law enforcement, Griggs acknowledged that he had obtained a pistol approximately seven to eight months prior and stated that he kept the firearm for protection.
On May 16, 2024, Griggs pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. He remains in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and HPD for their investigation of the case, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Community Supervision, for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Regina Pack and Alfredo De La Rosa of 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.
Colombian National Admits Conspiracy to Import 15 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Colombian citizen admitted conspiring to import 15 kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Columbia, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Savier Cervantes, 37, of Cartagena, Colombia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court on Sept. 30, 2024, to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to import cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In December 2021, Cervantes facilitated the transfer of five kilograms cocaine from a source of supply in Colombia to a U.S. citizen, Antonio Diaz, and helped to arrange for the transportation of that cocaine from Cartagena to New Jersey. Diaz previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
In June and July 2022, Cervantes introduced a U.S. citizen, Bashimi Briscoe, to two individuals in Columbia who, between them, sold Briscoe 10 kilograms of cocaine, and arranged a meeting with a third individual who offered to transport that cocaine to the United States. Briscoe previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States.
The count to which Cervantes pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million dollars. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, in New York, and special agents of the DEA operating in Colombia, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
cervantes.information.pdfChicago Lab Owner Pleads Guilty to $14 Million Covid-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The owner of a Chicago laboratory has pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in a COVID-19 testing fraud scheme.
ZISHAN ALVI, 45, of Inverness, Ill., owned and operated a laboratory in Chicago that performed testing for Covid-19. From February 2021 through February 2022, Alvi caused claims to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for Covid-19 tests that were not performed as billed. As part of the scheme, the laboratory released negative test results to patients, even though the laboratory either had not actually tested the specimens or the results were inconclusive. Alvi knew that the laboratory was releasing negative results for tests that were not performed or were inconclusive, but still caused the laboratory to submit claims to HRSA for those tests. HRSA paid the laboratory more than $14 million as a result of the fraudulent claims Alvi caused to be submitted to HRSA.
Alvi pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of wire fraud, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2025, by U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Chad Yarbrough, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Misty Wright of the Northern District of Illinois, and Claire T. Sobczak, Trial Attorney of the Department of Justice's Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
u.s._v._alvi_-_plea_agreement.pdfBrookline Hospital to Pay up to $6.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Concerning Kickback AllegationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – First Psychiatric Planners, Inc. d/b/a Bournewood Health Systems and Bournewood Hospital (Bournewood) has agreed to pay at least $5.5 million and up to $6.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the federal and Massachusetts False Claims Acts. According to court documents, Bournewood provided free sober housing to substance use recovery patients enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid to induce these patients to participate in Bournewood’s Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) in violation of the federal and Massachusetts Anti-Kickback Statutes. Bournewood frequently sent recovery patients to sober homes whose owners and operators engaged in unlawful behavior and exploited vulnerable recovery patients.
Bournewood is a behavioral health organization that provides inpatient and outpatient mental health and dual diagnosis care for adults and adolescents in Brookline with offices in Dedham and Woburn, Mass. Bournewood’s PHP is a month-long outpatient therapy program providing substance use treatment and psychiatric care to patients after they complete rehabilitation in an inpatient detoxification facility.
According to the settlement agreement, Bournewood admits and acknowledges that from at least Sept. 16, 2013 through May 31, 2022, it contracted with sober homes to house patients of Bournewood’s PHP receiving federal or Massachusetts health care program benefits. Bournewood only paid housing fees to sober homes on behalf of a patient if that patient enrolled in and attended Bournewood’s PHP. Bournewood did not require a patient to be homeless or housing insecure to receive sober housing in exchange for their attendance at Bournewood’s PHP. Once a patient ceased attending the PHP, Bournewood stopped paying the sober home costs for those patients, regardless of the patients’ financial condition, housing status or housing availability.
The three largest sober homes that Bournewood contracted with were Steps to Solutions, Inc., Brady’s Place and Recovery Education Services, who collectively housed 79% of Bournewood’s PHP patients. In May 2024, a federal jury in Boston found the owner and operator of Steps to Solutions, Inc. liable for sexual harassment and retaliation against tenants of his sober homes, in violation of the Fair Housing Act and awarded seven victims a combined total of $3.8 million. In May 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office announced a 37-count indictment against the manager of Brady’s Place for his participation in a fraud scheme. In 2019, the owner and operator of Recovery Education Services, Inc. pleaded guilty to a 36-count indictment brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office related to his management of the sober home which included former Bournewood PHP patients. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in state prison.
The federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded programs. The statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients. The United States and Massachusetts contend that the claims that Bournewood submitted, or caused to be submitted, to Medicare and Medicaid were false because Bournewood’s payment in the form of free sober housing induced vulnerable patients not only to enroll in Bournewood’s PHP, but to regularly attend and remain with the PHP, in violation of the AKS.
“Unlawful kickbacks can corrupt medical judgment, jeopardize patients’ health and create an uneven playing field for companies that play by the rules,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office remains committed to investigating and holding companies that pay kickbacks accountable. As we continue to combat the opioid crisis, we need to focus on getting people services based on what will best aid their recovery, not based on amenities that providers use to lure vulnerable patients to increase profits. That’s especially so where the supposed amenities place patients at risk.”
“Kickback arrangements have no place in our health care system, and such allegations are particularly troubling when they involve the exploitation of vulnerable patients,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “We are committed to protecting taxpayer-funded health care programs and the patients served by those programs, and we will continue to thoroughly investigate schemes that put patient safety at risk.”
“When medical providers put their own financial incentives over the wellbeing of their patients, vulnerable individuals in need of care are unfairly harmed,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “My office and the USAO took action, and we’re proud to have reached a meaningful settlement as we continue to hold accountable those who unlawfully compromise patient care for profit.”
The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HHS-OIG SAC Coviello and AG Campbell made the announcement today. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven T. Sharobem and Julien M. Mundele of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory J. Dorchak and Anuj K. Khetarpal of the Civil Rights Unit. Assistant Attorneys General Katie Cooper Davis and Mary-Ellen Kennedy handled the matter for the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Division.
Bridgeport Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JERMEL BATES, also known as “Mel Kitty” and “Kitty,” 28, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of June 25, 2023, Bates crashed his vehicle into a parked car in Bridgeport and fled the scene on foot. Law enforcement conducted a search of Bates’ vehicle and found plastic bags containing numerous blue/green fentanyl pills stamped “M/30,” wax paper folds containing fentanyl and other controlled substances, and approximately 78 grams of crack cocaine. Bates was arrested later that day and charged with state offenses.
On March 19, 2024, Bates was arrested on a federal criminal complaint. In conjunction with his arrest, investigators searched his person and his Newfield Avenue apartment and found plastic bags with thousands of blue-green fentanyl pills stamped “M/30” and weighing more than 400 grams, hundreds of wax paper sleeves containing fentanyl, and a bag containing approximately 12 grams of crack cocaine.
Bates has been detained since his federal arrest. On May 10, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Norwalk Police Department. The Task Force is composed of personnel from the FBI, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon.
In March 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA’s New England Field Division released a public service announcement warning of the danger of fentanyl and the proliferation of counterfeit prescription pills. Click here for more information.
Bowling Green Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Domestic Violence Offense at Mammoth Cave National ParkRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced today to over 3 years in federal prison for committing a domestic assault in Mammoth Cave National Park.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Scott L. Larson, Regional Chief Ranger of the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers made the announcement.
“I commend the effort of the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers for their outstanding work in this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Working in partnership with the rangers, we will continue to aggressively enforce violations of the law on federal lands located throughout the Western District.”
According to court documents, Rakan F. Elsalem, 40, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing a domestic assault as a habitual offender on May 1, 2023, within the Mammoth Cave National Park, a place within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
At the time Elsalem committed the domestic assault, he had two prior convictions for offenses that would have been, if subject to federal jurisdiction, an assault against a spouse or intimate partner. These included convictions of assault in the fourth degree on September 22, 2020, and on January 24, 2022, in Warren District Court.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Bogalusa Man Sentenced for Migratory Game Bird OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –TREVOR TRUAX, (“TRUAX”), age 29, of Bogalusa, La, was sentenced on August 27, 2024, by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge, Janis van Meerveld, to three years of inactive probation suspending his hunting privileges world-wide, a fine of $15,290.00 and a $40.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
Counts 1 and 2 charged TRUAX with Taking Migratory Birds During Closed Season, in violation of Title 16, United States Code, Sections 703(a)-707(a) and 50 C.F.R. § 20.22. Counts 3 and 4 charged TRUAX with Taking Migratory Birds Over the Limit, in violation of Title 16, United States Code, Sections 703(a)-707(a) and 50 C.F.R. § 20.24.
According to court documents, TRUAX admitted to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents that he illegally duck hunted on multiple occasions in Louisiana and Mississippi. Agents cited TRUAX for the illegal taking of migratory game birds during the closed season and for taking over the limit of ducks/migratory game birds in Washington Parish, Louisiana. TRUAX also previously pled guilty to migratory game bird offenses in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.
The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries with this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.
Belgrade man arraigned on child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Belgrade man accused of producing and distributing child pornography involving multiple minors appeared today for arraignment on a nine-count indictment, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Tyrell Forest Anderson, 35, also of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with three counts of production of child pornography, four counts of distribution of child pornography and two counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Anderson faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Anderson was detained pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that on separate occasions in 2023 to March 2024, in Laurel and Bozeman, Anderson knowingly coerced three minors, identified as Jane Doe 1, 2 and 3, to produce sexually explicit images of themselves. The indictment further alleges that in February 2024 in Bozeman, Anderson distributed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to three other minors, identified as Jane Doe 4 and 5 and John Doe 1, using a computer and the internet, and that Anderson, using Snapchat, sent obscene images to two minors, identified as Jane Doe 6 and 7, in Bozeman.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bozeman Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
PACER case reference. 24-113.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Baxter County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking & Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS - A Baxter County (Salem) man was sentenced yesterday to a total of 240 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of More Than Fifty Grams of Actual Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court documents, beginning in January of 2021 and into May of 2021, Special Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Hot Springs Police Department, Special Investigations Division, conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Michael Steven Benedict, age 45. On April 21, 2021, the Special Agents conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine, four (4) stolen firearms, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition from Benedict. The suspected methamphetamine was submitted to the DEA Southeast Laboratory and determined to be a total of 361.03 grams of actual methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hot Springs Police Department, Special Investigations Division, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted 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.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing A Minor and Recording the AbuseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On September 30, 2024, U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced William Zev Steen, age 46, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 23 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from 2005 to 2011, Steen sexually abused the minor victim, from the time she was two until she was eight years old. Steen recorded two of the instances of sexual abuse in 2008 when the minor victim was 5 years old.
Steen also admitted that in 2022, he collected and shared files depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors using a Peer-to-Peer file sharing network. The files documenting Steen’s abuse of the minor victim were located on his digital devices after his arrest in November 2022.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended HSI Baltimore, HSI Tel Aviv, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Michael Aubin, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Bvi Man Detained Pending Trial in Human Smuggling CaseRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Danny Dennevil, 34, of Tortola, British Virgin Islands, will remain in federal custody pending trial on charges related to a human smuggling operation. On September 26, 2024, Dennevil was charged with illegally bringing aliens to the United States and failure to heave to law enforcement.
According to court documents, on September 25, 2024, at approximately 7 p.m., Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and United States Coast Guard officers intercepted a vessel crossing the international border from the BVI into United States Territory. The unlit vessel, operated by Dennevil, traveled from Tortola, BVI to Leinster Bay, St. John where it offloaded two individuals on the beach. Dennevil immediately departed Leinster Bay and headed back towards Tortola. Officers were forced to disable Dennevil’s vessel after he refused to comply with orders to stop the vessel. Thereafter, officers detained Dennevil and two Dominican Republic nationals who were found on the Leinster Bay trail. Dennevil later admitted to the officers that he smuggled the two Dominican nationals from Tortola to St. John knowing that it was illegal for him to do so. United States Magistrate Allan Teague detained Dennevil and the two Dominican nationals following today’s detention hearing.
This case is being investigated by the United States Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne.
United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that a complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Armed Career Criminal Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Bloomington man has been indicted for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, Ryan Wayne Lewis, 45, knowingly possessed a Taurus Armas G2C 9mm semiautomatic pistol and ammunition. Because Lewis has prior felony convictions in Dakota, Ramsey, and Anoka counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Lewis with one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court yesterday before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby, and a detention hearing has been scheduled for October 4, 2024. Lewis was also charged and convicted in Hennepin County for illegal possession of a firearm.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bloomington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Mattessich is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Allen Man Found Not Guilty of Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Allen, South Dakota, man was acquitted of Involuntary Manslaughter following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on September 25, 2024.
Layne Sharp, age 28, was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2023.
The charge related to Sharp allegedly operating a motor vehicle on May 15, 2022, near Pine Ridge while under the intoxicating influence of alcohol after which the vehicle crashed resulting in another male being killed.
The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe – Department of Public Safety and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.
21-Year-Old Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Alien Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Obiel Anthony Ochoa-Renteria, 21, of Tempe, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy. Ochoa-Renteria pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit on March 27, 2024.
In September 2022, agents from Homeland Security Investigations initiated an investigation into alien smuggling events being arranged through the social media app Instagram. During the course of the investigation, agents identified an Instagram account belonging to Ochoa-Renteria and discovered multiple occasions in which Ochoa-Renteria recruited participants and coordinated smuggling events between June and September 2022. Then on May 14, 2023, Ochoa-Renteria was stopped by a Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper for speeding near Sierra Vista. During the traffic stop, DPS officers were assisted by Border Patrol agents who discovered two men dressed in camouflage in the trunk of Ochoa-Renteria’s vehicle. Border Patrol agents determined that the men were Guatemalan and Mexican nationals who were illegally present in the United States. Ochoa-Renteria admitted that he was aware the men were in the United States illegally, and that he had agreed to transport them for $200 to $300 each.
Homeland Security Investigations and Custom’s and Border Protections United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00802-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-131_Ochoa-Renteria# # #
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.
30 September 2024
Wethersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Oxycodone Distribution Charge Stemming from Overdose InvestigationRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JIMMY LASSUS, 40, of Wethersfield, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to distribution of fentanyl and oxycodone.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning of October 6, 2023, Meriden Police responded to a residence on a report of a suspected overdose and found a 27-year-old woman unresponsive in a bedroom. She was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The investigation revealed that for several months before the victim’s death, the victim engaged in numerous drug-related text message conversations with Lassus. The text messages revealed that Lassus supplied the victim with oxycodone, and that he supplied her with fentanyl that she ingested in the hours before she died. The victim stated in text messages and in a journal entry that it was her first time using fentanyl.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the victim’s death to be caused by acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, benzodiazepines, xylazine, and oxycodone.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for December 23, at which time Lassus faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Lassus has been detained since his arrest on April 11, 2024.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Meriden Police Department, with the assistance of the Wethersfield Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan Keefe and Reed Durham.
United States Obtains Consent Decree Against Rose Demolition & Carting for Violating Lead Paint Safety RegulationsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Lisa F. Garcia, the Regional Administrator of Region 2 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), announced today that the United States filed a civil lawsuit against ROSE DEMOLITION & CARTING INC. (“ROSE”), alleging violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”) and EPA’s Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (“RRP Rule”), and simultaneously entered into a Consent Decree resolving that lawsuit. The Consent Decree includes a $100,000 civil penalty and requires ROSE to take steps to mitigate potential harms caused by its conduct.
A link to the Consent Decree is here.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rose’s failure to contain actual or potential lead dust in the course of demolition work threatened to expose people, including children, to lead poisoning in communities that already suffer disproportionately from public health and environmental hazards. Through this lawsuit and consent decree, we are holding Rose accountable for its misconduct and preventing future violations.”
EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia stated: “This settlement underscores the importance of following the laws designed to protect communities, especially young children, from lead paint hazards. Under the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule, work must be conducted by certified firms and individuals who are properly trained and equipped to handle toxic lead paint that could pose a serious threat to families and workers.”
TSCA and the RRP Rule impose safety requirements to minimize the risk that young children, tenants, and renovation workers are exposed to toxic lead dust during renovations of residential buildings. Exposure to lead dust is the most common cause of lead poisoning, which can lead to severe, irreversible health problems, particularly in children. Lead poisoning can affect children’s brains and developing nervous systems, causing reduced IQ, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems.
As alleged in the United States’ complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
ROSE is a company that performed demolition work in at least 668 residential properties in New York City between 2016 and 2019. In February 2018, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspected a worksite two days after ROSE had completed demolition work and found that ROSE had failed to contain or clean lead dust, resulting in lead dust exceeding federal standards in public hallways, in violation of the RRP Rule. EPA determined that ROSE failed to assign properly certified managers to direct the demolition work, failed to train its workers on lead-safe work practices, and failed to inform the building owner and occupants of the risks of lead poisoning during that renovation. Many of ROSE’s alleged violations occurred in areas of New York City with low-income populations that are already disproportionately burdened by other environmental hazards, raising environmental justice concerns.
In the Consent Decree, ROSE admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following conduct:
- Failing to assign a Certified Renovator to direct the demolition work and discharge all of the Certified Renovator responsibilities identified in the RRP Rule;
- Failing to ensure that all workers performing the renovations were Certified Renovators or had received training on lead-safe work practices required by the RRP Rule;
- Failing to adequately contain construction dust, including dust containing high concentrations of lead, in violation of the RRP Rule;
- Failing to post signs clearly defining its work area and warning occupants and other persons not involved in renovation activities to remain outside of the work area in violation of the RRP Rule;
- Failing to provide a lead-hazard information pamphlet to the owner or occupants of the building before commencing work in violation of the RRP Rule; and
- Failing to maintain documentation showing that it provided lead-hazard information pamphlets to the owners or occupants of the building or that it had posted warning signs in the building, in violation of the RRP Rule.
Pursuant to the Consent Decree, ROSE will pay a penalty of $100,000, an amount based on the company’s documented inability to pay the full civil penalty for which it otherwise would be liable, and ROSE must comply with safe work practices and other RRP Rule requirements in the future. Additionally, the Consent Decree requires ROSE to notify residents or owners of the 668 affected properties as well as ROSE employees who worked on the affected properties of potential lead exposure and offer lead-dust inspection, cleanup, and clearance testing. Failure to comply with the Consent Decree will give rise to significant additional penalties.
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To provide public notice and afford members of the public the opportunity to comment on the Consent Decree, the Consent Decree will be lodged with the District Court for a period of at least 30 days before it is submitted for the Court’s approval.
Mr. Williams thanked the attorneys and enforcement staff at EPA Region 2 for their critical work in this matter.
This case is being handled by the Environmental Protection Unit of the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mónica P. Folch is in charge of the case.
u.s._v._rose_demolition_carting_complaint.pdfUnited States Justice Department Secures Agreement with Wisconsin Department of Corrections to Improve Communication Access for Incarcerated People who are Deaf or Hard of HearingRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, joins the Civil Rights Division in announcing a settlement agreement has been reached with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WDOC) under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The settlement will help ensure that incarcerated individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing have equal access to WDOC’s programs, services and activities, including educational, counseling, medical, recreational and prison employment programs. The agreement resolves the department’s investigation into complaints that WDOC did not provide auxiliary aids and services, such as sign language interpreters, to incarcerated individuals with hearing disabilities.
Under the settlement agreement, WDOC will provide inmates with hearing disabilities appropriate auxiliary aids and services, such as sign language interpreters, video telephones, visual notification systems and hearing aids when necessary. WDOC must also make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices and procedures to accommodate inmates with disabilities, such as handcuffing in front to allow an individual who uses sign language to communicate, and allowing additional time for telephone calls that rely on an interpreter.
“The ability for incarcerated people with hearing disabilities to understand and to be understood is a critical protection provided by the ADA,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that correctional institutions eliminate barriers, including communication barriers, that prevent inmates with disabilities from participating fully in prison programs.”
“People with disabilities in Wisconsin deserve equal access, and that does not change when they are incarcerated,” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “Our office remains dedicated to supporting efforts to improve access and inclusion for everyone in Wisconsin.”
As a result of the agreement announced today, WDOC will implement a process that begins at intake, and continues throughout incarceration, to identify and accommodate inmates with hearing disabilities; develop individualized communication assessment and plans; provide training on the ADA to staff; and pay $15,000 to compensate three incarcerated individuals who were harmed.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handled the matter.
The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Programs is available at www.justice.gov/usao-edwi/civil-rights.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Sentencing of Datil Man for Filing Fraudulent $20 Million Lien Against Federal EmployeeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Datil man previously prohibited from filing liens without court approval, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for retaliating against a federal employee by filing a fraudulent $20 million lien in Catron County.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on November 28, 2022, Trapper Killsmany, 68, formerly known as David Goldsmith, filed a fraudulent $20 million lien with the Catron County Clerk's Office against several individuals, including a federal employee. The liens were determined to be false, as the listed debtors had no financial relationship or obligations to Killsmany.
Killsmany's actions were in retaliation for the termination of certain Social Security Administration benefits. Killsmany operated a Facebook page titled "Truth for Trapper Killsmany," where he openly stated that the purpose of the liens was to expose alleged frauds and criminal activities by government employees.
Killsmany had previously been prohibited by a United States District Court in Alaska from filing liens without court approval. In his plea agreement, Killsmany admitted he was aware of the fraudulent nature of his actions.
Upon his release from prison, Killsmany will be subject to 2 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of Catron County Sheriff’s Office and the Social Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Esparza Announces $7.8 Million in Justice Department Grants to Support the Uvalde CommunityRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza today announced the award of $7,821,753 in a Department of Justice grant to help the Texas Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office, Victim Services Team (VOCA) by enabling them to serve victims of the May 24, 2022, shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Program funds will support necessary and ongoing trauma-informed, evidence-based healing- and resiliency-related services connected to crisis response and consequence management support for victims of the attack. The grant was awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
“We are firmly committed to supporting Uvalde on its path toward healing and providing the tools for enduring resilience following the senseless, heartbreaking events at Robb Elementary in May 2022,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This funding is a vital step in addressing the trauma caused by those events, providing essential services to the community, and ensuring victims and their families have the appropriate resources to continue recovery in the face of unimaginable loss.”
The award announced above is being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about this and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
About the Office of Justice Programs
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime, and SMART Office – can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Urges the Public to Beware of Scams and Price Gouging in the Aftermath of Hurricane HeleneRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, is reminding the public to beware of emerging scams and price gouging in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and to report suspected fraud and price gouging to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline at 1-866-720-5721, or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.
“It is unfathomable that scammers will try to profit from the devastation caused by a natural disaster, but fraudsters will stop at nothing to fill their pockets,” said U.S. Attorney King. “I urge the public to be extra vigilant about potential scams related to Hurricane Helene, and to report suspected fraud and price gouging to the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 1-866-720-5721, or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm. Reporting scams and price gouging will help law enforcement identify, investigate, and prosecute those who are attempting to exploit the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene for their benefit, and warn others about emerging disaster fraud schemes.”
Possible types of natural disaster scams include:
- Fraudulent charities soliciting donations for disaster victims that often mimic the names of well-known organizations or appearing linked to the disaster.
- Scammers impersonating government officials, offering disaster relief in exchange for personal information or money.
- Fraudsters posing as insurance representatives to collect payments or personal data.
- Scammers promoting non-existent businesses or investment opportunities related to disaster recovery, such as rebuilding or flood-proofing.
- Fraudsters promising expedient home repairs requiring upfront payment or down payment.
- Price gouging for essential goods and services needed by disaster victims.
- Theft from evacuated homes and businesses during or after the disaster.
How to protect yourself from disaster fraud scams:
- Donate only to well-known charities after verifying them through trusted sources.
- Do not respond to unsolicited requests for donations via email, phone, or text, and do not click on links in unsolicited messages.
- Do not assume that online or social media charity solicitations are legitimate. Verify first!
- Use credit cards or checks for donations, instead of sending cash, via wire transfers, or via peer-to-peer mobile payment apps.
- Always keep in mind that government agencies and legitimate organizations will not ask for money or personal information via phone or email. When in doubt, contact the agency directly using a verified phone number or website.
- For storm related repairs, hire contractors that are reputable and always verify references. Beware of contractors who knock on your door or make unsolicited contact, and/or make promises that are too good to be true. Avoid making a large down payment or paying in full before the repairs are finished.
To report disaster-related fraud, contact the NCDF at (866) 720-5721, or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.
U.S. Attorney Announces Guilty Plea in Navajo Nation Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty today in federal court to assault resulting in serious bodily injury after slicing another man's throat during a gathering.
According to court documents, on September 10, 2022, Darron Smith, 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was attending a small gathering at an apartment within the Navajo Nation reservation. Shortly after midnight, without warning or provocation, Smith removed a 7.5-inch blade from a knife block and sliced the throat of John Doe.
Doe was rushed to the emergency room and hospitalized. He suffered a 5 ½ inch laceration on his neck which required 13 sutures.
At sentencing, Smith faces up to ten years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Smith will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. McGinley and Mark A. Probasco are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Smith).pdf# # #
U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against 18 Defendants in Scheme to Manufacture and Distribute Millions of Deadly Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals Through Fake Online PharmaciesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Katrina W. Berger, the Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”); Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”); William S. Walker, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of HSI; Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the DEA; and Daniel B. Brubaker, the Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today the unsealing of charges against FRANCISCO ALBERTO LOPEZ REYES, a/k/a “Frank,” and 17 other defendants located in the United States, Dominican Republic, and India for their involvement in a scheme to advertise, sell, manufacture, and ship millions of deadly pills disguised as legitimate pharmaceuticals. These counterfeit pills were purchased by tens of thousands of victims from fake online pharmacies run by LOPEZ REYES and his co-conspirators. At least nine of those victims later died of narcotics poisoning. Federal authorities have seized nine website domains used by the defendants and their co-conspirators to sell counterfeit pills, four of which are named in the Indictment. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The proliferation of fake online pharmacies is fueling this nation’s fentanyl epidemic. As alleged, Francisco Lopez Reyes, a/k/a “Frank,” and his lieutenants have run a global network of these websites and aggressively marketed, manufactured, sold, and distributed millions of deadly fentanyl pills meant to mimic legitimate prescription drugs. The victims of the scheme include people from all walks of life—people of all ages and occupations—from all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Germany, and Slovenia. At least nine victims who purchased counterfeit pills from the defendants died of narcotics poisoning, including a 45-year-old army veteran who thought she was purchasing real oxycodone. Today’s charges show this Office’s unrelenting commitment to fighting the proliferation of fentanyl and counterfeit pharmaceuticals. I commend the career prosecutors of the Southern District of New York and our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their tireless efforts to bring those poisoning our communities to justice.”
HSI Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger said: “Trafficking counterfeit pharmaceuticals is not just a crime; it is a threat to public health. HSI is committed to working with our partners to stop those who poison our neighborhoods for the sake of profit.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “The 18 defendants in this case operated a sophisticated network of fake online pharmacies and pill mills in India, the Dominican Republic, and the United States that preyed on Americans who believed they were purchasing legitimate medications from legitimate pharmacies. The defendants exploited the online pharmacy market to sell counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine to unsuspecting victims. These individuals sold millions of dangerous fake pills to victims in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia. The defendants did this to make money by driving addiction with deadly, highly-addictive fentanyl. The DEA is relentlessly focused on saving lives by finding these criminal networks and shutting them down.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker said: “In just the last few months, Homeland Security Investigations agents, analysts, and task force officers in New York City have intercepted hundreds of pounds of fentanyl and other deadly narcotics. Investigators uncovered illicit clandestine drug labs operating in residential basements, and seized fentanyl from parcel facilities where day-to-day mail is processed. We further uncovered strategies allegedly used by those who deal death to exploit parcel systems in furtherance their illegal enterprise. HSI is on the frontlines of the fentanyl epidemic, doing everything in our power to prevent the deadly narcotic from reaching just one more victim. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with grieving families who were forced to say goodbye to their loved ones too soon.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “Over the past year, our DEA New York team, along with our law enforcement partners, targeted those individuals involved in the operation of illegal pill mills in the Bronx and Manhattan, producing deadly fake pills made up of fentanyl and methamphetamine. This investigation demonstrates the complexity and global influence that predatory drug trafficking organizations have on our communities, families, and young people; many times, leaving a trail of devastation in its path.”
USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “We are proud to be working with our law enforcement partners on this impactful case. These arrests represent the progress we have made to disrupt and ultimately dismantle this illegal narcotics distribution network. The defendants allegedly took advantage of the online pharmaceutical space and preyed upon innocent victims who were in need of medication, people suffering with legitimate ailments. Postal Inspectors will constantly be vigilant in this fight against fentanyl and all illicit drugs, to preserve the integrity of the mail and most importantly to keep our employees and the American public safe.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
The proliferation of unregulated online pharmacies has fueled the nation’s fentanyl epidemic, enabling drug traffickers to peddle direct-to-consumer counterfeit pharmaceuticals, which are devoid of the medication they purport to contain and are instead comprised of deadly narcotics like fentanyl and its analogues.
For at least the last two and a half years, a network of individuals located in the U.S., the Dominican Republic, India, and elsewhere have exploited Americans’ reliance on online pharmacies by advertising, selling, manufacturing, and shipping through the mail millions of unregulated counterfeit prescription pills to tens of thousands of victims. Instead of prescription drugs at a bargain, what customers actually received were phony pills made of fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl—an analogue of fentanyl—and methamphetamine. Shaped, dyed, and stamped to be indistinguishable from actual prescription medication, these tablets were in fact manufactured by the defendants in industrial-scale milling facilities, or pill mills, located in the basements of several residential buildings in, among other places, Manhattan and the Bronx, New York.
As part of this scheme, the defendants shipped counterfeit pharmaceuticals to victims across the United States and around the world, including in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Germany, and Slovenia. The victims of this criminal enterprise range in age from at least 23 to 77 years old. They include veterans, doctors, lawyers, musicians, artists, politicians, economists, restaurant managers, personal trainers, dancers, former schoolteachers, administrative executives, and first responders, among others.
Between in or about August 2023 and in or about June 2024, at least nine victims—all of whom purchased counterfeit prescription pills from the defendants—died of narcotics poisoning. One victim, Victim-1, a 45-year-old woman, was a veteran who had served for 12 years in the U.S. Army National Guard. Victim-1 believed she was purchasing 30-milligram oxycodone, also known as “M30s,” from the defendants’ online pharmacy, but the pills were, in fact, made of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl. After receiving the pills, Victim-1 conducted research to attempt to learn whether the pills were genuine, but, because the defendants made the pills look real, Victim-1 was unable to tell the difference. Five days after receiving counterfeit oxycodone pills advertised, sold, manufactured, and shipped by the defendants, Victim-1 died from acute fentanyl intoxication. The fake oxycodone pills that killed Victim-1, which were recovered from her bedside, are pictured below:
LOPEZ REYES led the enterprise, orchestrating and controlling every facet of the scheme from the Dominican Republic. With his co-conspirators, LOPEZ REYES set up dozens of online pharmacy websites, designed to appear legitimate in order to lure customers into buying, at reduced prices, tablets of fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and methamphetamine disguised as real prescription medications, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, Adderall, and Xanax, among others. LOPEZ REYES also relied on others, including SADIQ ABBAS HABIB SAYYED, a/k/a “Rakesh Sharma,” a/k/a “Jonathan Acosta,” KHIZAR MOHAMMAD IQBAL SHAIKH, and ALBA GONZALEZ to sell counterfeit pills to Americans over the internet and through encrypted messaging platforms. The homepage of one such website, Curecog.com (“Curecog”), is pictured below. Curecog purported to be a “US-based online pharma store” that was “approved” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), which “serve[s] affordable medicines . . . approved by specialists and manufactured by trusted brands.” Curecog, however, was neither legitimate nor FDA approved. Instead, Curecog was a fraudulent storefront that peddled the defendants’ controlled substances, including fentanyl.
To fulfill pill orders, LOPEZ REYES enlisted JUAN EFREN PAULINO, a/k/a “Freddy,” and JUAN MOISES PEREZ MENDEZ, a/k/a “Caballero,” as his principal lieutenants to oversee the operation of multiple pill mills in New York City. At those pill mills, workers used dyes with specific colors and specialized equipment with custom molds to press powdered narcotics so as to mimic the color, shape, size, and markings of commercially manufactured prescription pills, at rates of up to 100,000 pills every 12 hours. Law enforcement raided at least three of these pill mills and two other narcotics storage locations, seizing approximately 625,000 counterfeit pills—the majority of which contained fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and/or methamphetamine—10 industrial pill presses, commercial mixers, industrial-grade gas masks, and more. At these facilities, law enforcement also seized staggering quantities of not yet processed narcotics. In total, law enforcement seized approximately 255 pounds of para-fluorofentanyl, 100 pounds of fentanyl, and 215 pounds of methamphetamine, in pill, powder, and crystal form. Each of these seizures were a mere snapshot in time, representing only a single day’s working supply at these pill mills and storage locations. Multiple defendants—including EFREN PAULINO, PEREZ MENDEZ, WELLINGTON EUSTATE ESPINAL, a/k/a “Roni,” HERIBERTO EUSTATE ESPINAL, a/k/a “Daulin,” EUSEBIO PERALTA BAUTISTA, a/k/a “Luis Collazo Santos,” HECTOR BIENVENIDO FELIZ FELIZ, a/k/a “Tacoma,” and LUIS PAULINO—worked at these pill mills day and night. A photograph of the over 190,000 pills seized from just one of the defendants’ pill mills is pictured below:
After the defendants manufactured the counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, a network of shippers, including MIGUEL CONCEPCION BRITO, CYNTHIA ONEGA, EDWARD EUSTATE JIMENEZ, a/k/a “Chino,” ROBERT JUNIOR RAMOS HENRIQUEZ, a/k/a “Junior,” a/k/a “Kiko,” JOSE CONCEPCION BRITO, ANGEL VALDEZ BRITO, and WILIANYI ALMANZAR POLANCO, packaged and mailed the pills to customers across the country at the direction of LOPEZ REYES, who specified to whom and where to ship particular types and quantities of pills. After orders were delivered, the defendants and their co-conspirators bombarded customers with aggressive and manipulative marketing tactics to pressure their victims to order more illegal pills, including by providing unsolicited free samples via mail of counterfeit pills containing addictive and deadly fentanyl and near-daily outreach by phone call or text message. One victim had to block up to 30 phone numbers in an effort to stop the harassment.
Information about safe, legal internet pharmacies is available. According to the FDA, a safe, legal internet pharmacy:
- always requires a doctor’s prescription;
- has a physical address and telephone number in the United States;
- is licensed in the state(s) in which they are operating;
- is licensed in all states in which they do business; and
- has a state-licensed pharmacist on staff to answer patient questions.
The FDA also maintains the BeSafeRx campaign, with resources and tools to help make safer, more informed decisions when purchasing prescription medicine from an online pharmacy. That resource is available at: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/quick-tips-buying-medicines-over-internet/besaferx-your-source-online-pharmacy-information.
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A chart containing the charges and minimum and maximum penalties each defendant faces is attached.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the El Dorado Task Force International Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, which is comprised of law enforcement officers and investigators from the DEA, HSI, the New York City Police Department, the New York State Police, the USPIS, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office; the New York City Border Enforcement Security Task Force Contraband Group; the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces’ (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force; the USPIS New York Division Contraband Interdiction and Investigations Team; HSI New York; and the DEA New York Field Division. Mr. Williams also thanked HSI Santo Domingo, the DEA Dominican Republic Country Office, the U.S. Marshals Service Dominican Republic Foreign Field Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance.
The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the U.S., and bring criminals to justice. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maggie Lynaugh, Adam Sowlati, Chelsea Scism, Katherine Cheng, Camille Fletcher, and Lisa Daniels are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant
Age
Charges
Minimum and Maximum Penalties
FRANCISCO ALBERTO LOPEZ REYES, a/k/a “Frank”
44Continuing criminal enterprise (principal); narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in death; distribution of narcotics resulting in death; conspiracy to commit money launderingMandatory life in prisonJUAN EFREN PAULINO, a/k/a “Freddy”
53Continuing criminal enterprise; narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonJUAN MOISES PEREZ MENDEZ, a/k/a “Caballero”
56Continuing criminal enterprise; narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonSADIQ ABBAS HABIB SAYYED, a/k/a “Rakesh Sharma,” a/k/a “Jonathan Acosta”39Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonKHIZAR MOHAMMAD IQBAL SHAIKH33Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonWELLINGTON EUSTATE ESPINAL, a/k/a “Roni”42Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonHERIBERTO EUSTATE ESPINAL, a/k/a “Daulin”28Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonEUSEBIO PERALTA BAUTISTA, a/k/a “Luis Collazo Santos”59Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonHECTOR BIENVENIDO FELIZ FELIZ, a/k/a “Tacoma”45Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonLUIS PAULINO66Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonMIGUEL CONCEPCION BRITO27Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonCYNTHIA ONEGA22Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonEDWARD EUSTATE JIMENEZ, a/k/a “Chino”22Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in death; distribution of narcotics resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonROBERT JUNIOR RAMOS HENRIQUEZ, a/k/a “Junior,” a/k/a “Kiko”34Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in death; distribution of narcotics resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonALBA GONZALEZ36Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in death; distribution of narcotics resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonJOSE CONCEPCION BRITO28Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonANGEL VALDEZ BRITO29Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonWILIANYI ALMANZAR POLANCO34Narcotics trafficking conspiracy resulting in deathMandatory minimum of 20 years in prison; life in prisonU. S. Attorney Hairston Cautions Against Disaster Fraud in the Wake of Hurricane HeleneRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina Sandra J. Hairston today reminded everyone to guard against and report disaster-related fraud following Hurricane Helene.
“The impact of disasters affecting our citizens are not just from the events themselves, but also from fraudsters who take advantage of disaster victims and good-hearted people who want to help those affected,” said U.S. Attorney Hairston. “These criminals take advantage of victims before, during, and after a natural disaster strikes, targeting people when they are most vulnerable, and their methods to commit fraud are wide-ranging. My office works closely with the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), which tracks and manages complaints of fraudulent activity – like phony charities or fake contractors who prey on victims of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and more. If you suspect that someone is trying to take advantage of your situation after a natural disaster or if you are the victim of disaster-related fraud, please contact the NCDF at (866) 720-5721 or online at http://www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm and complete the online form.”
The NCDF is the result of a partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and various law enforcement and regulatory agencies to form a national coordinating agency within the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice to improve and further the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, and to advocate for the victims of such fraud.
Here are examples based on over 200,000 disaster fraud complaints submitted to the NCDF:
- Fake charities immediately soliciting donations either using the names of well-known charities or appearing reasonable as related to a disaster;
- Individuals impersonating government officials advising that disaster assistance will be made available should the potential victim provide a sum of money or personal identifiers such as date of birth, social security number, and bank account information (name of financial institution, routing number, and account number);
- Individuals impersonating insurance provider representatives requesting money and personal identifiers as described above;
- Individuals soliciting victims to invest in non-existent businesses and ventures offering recovery efforts such as cleanup, rebuilding, and making structures (homes) more resistant to future disasters (e.g., elevation to minimize future flood risks);
- Individuals overcharging for goods and services needed by victims of disaster (aka price-gouging).
In addition, based on the type of disaster, individuals are frequently victimized by theft of property from businesses and residences abandoned because of a disaster (either evacuation pre-disasters such as flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires or to obtain living accommodations because of damaged apartments and homes).
Recommended Measures to Avoid Becoming a Victim
- Only make donations to known charities and only after contacting the charity directly and not in response to an email, instant message, phone call, text, etc. A recommended step is to research the charity by visiting recognized charity information/rating websites such as the www.Give.org, CharityNavigator.org, and CharityWatch.org.
- Never click on a link in an unsolicited email, instant message, text, etc.
- Never assume that charity solicitations posted on the internet and social media are legitimate.
- Avoid cash donations to charities - use a credit card or pay with a check. Never transmit donations to a named individual.
- Charities do not seek donations via electronic fund (financial institution)/wire transfers.
- Avoid being victimized by impersonators of government officials, insurance companies, investment companies, etc., by terminating the phone call or other exchange of information (e.g., email, texts) and calling the actual government agency, insurance company, and/or investment company directly using a well-advertised/posted phone number and/or email address.
- Check with your state contracting board before hiring a contractor to repair storm damage.
- Cautiously rely on recommendations from family and friends.
- Consider purchasing materials on your own from a reliable supplier and having them delivered to your damaged structure to avoid putting down money before work is started.
- Consider paying for repairs as they are completed.
- Do not be forced into making repair decisions by a high-pressure contractor.
Protect yourself and your neighbors. If you or someone you know has been targeted by fraudsters or been the victim of disaster-related fraud, contact the NCDF at (866) 720-5721 or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.
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Two Individuals Detained in Ongoing Elder Fraud InvestigationsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – Two individuals have been ordered detained in federal custody, charged in ongoing federal, state, and local law enforcement investigations into online scams targeting Rhode Island seniors, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
On September 26, Jirui Liu, 22, of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, appeared before a U.S. Magistrate, having been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. It is alleged that he participated in a scheme that caused a 79-year-old man to turn over to $35,000 in cash and gold bars valued at $130,000 to members of the conspiracy.
On September 23, 2024, Kush J. Patel, 22, of Bridgeport, CT, was ordered detained following his initial appearance in U.S. District Court, having been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. It is alleged that Patel participated in a scam that defrauded a Rhode Islander of nearly $200,000.
As reflected in court documents in the matter of the United States v. Jiri Liu, while shopping online, a 79-year-old Narragansett man received a pop-up message that falsely claimed that he was under investigation for attempting to purchase child pornography. He was directed him to call a telephone number provided to him to address the issue. When he called the number, scammers falsely told him that his Social Security number had been compromised and is involved in money laundering activity, and that the government was attempting garnish his assets. The scammers then put the victim in touch with co-conspirators who impersonated federal authorities and a bank employee who instructed the victim to turn over his assets to the government so that they could be secured during the investigation. It is alleged that as part of the scheme, in early September, an unknown member of the conspiracy traveled to the victim’s home, where the victim provided him with $35,000 in cash. Several days later, at the direction of the conspirators, the victim purchased $135,000 in gold bars and delivered them to members of the conspiracy.
On September 24, 2024, the scammers attempted to arrange for the victim to deliver an additional $160,000 in gold bars. Before that occurred, however, the victim contacted law enforcement to report that he had been scammed. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arranged for the production of fake gold bars, which were provided to the victim for the third delivery. HSI agents surveilled the delivery as it was made, as is alleged, to Liu, who was arrested outside of the victim’s home.
In a separate investigation that resulted in the arrest of Kush J. Patel, HSI joined Tiverton, RI, Police after learning that a 72-year-old individual was the likely victim of online scammers. That investigation determined that a separate victim responded to an online pop-up message claiming that his computer contained a virus, and was falsely told that his identity had been compromised and that drug trafficking, money laundering, and child pornography had been associated with his name. The victim was advised that he would need to speak with a Federal Trade Commission agent about the matter, at which point this purported agent told the victim that, in order to resolve the issue privately, his assets would need to be frozen. Over the next several weeks, the fake FTC agent directed the victim to make three purchases of gold bullion from a specific gold dealer in New York via wire transfer, and that the gold was to be delivered to the victim’s home. As a result of these instructions, the victim made three purchases of gold bullion in amounts totaling $96,093.96 $101,233.79; and $165,762.32, respectively. The first two deliveries of bullion were picked-up by an unknown member of the conspiracy.
On September 21, at the direction of law enforcement, the victim substituted the contents of the third package before meeting with and delivering the package to an unknown individual, later identified allegedly as being Patel. The delivery occurred under law enforcement surveillance in a restaurant parking lot. Patel was followed as he left the parking lot and was arrested following a traffic stop by Connecticut State Police.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.
These matters were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the East Providence Police Department, with substantial assistance from the Narragansett and Tiverton Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Providence, Warwick, Pawtucket, Cranston, and Newport Police Departments, and the Rhode Island and Connecticut State Police.
A series of joint federal, state, and local law enforcement investigations into online scams presently targeting victims in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire remain ongoing.
Reporting fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professional who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.[ET]. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.
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kush_patel_criminal_complaint_aff.pdf jirui_criminal_complaint_aff.pdfTD Securities to Pay $15.5M in Connection with Scheme to Defraud U.S. Treasuries MarketsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – TD Securities (USA) LLC (TD Securities), a securities firm based in New York, has entered into a resolution with the Justice Department to resolve criminal charges concerning a scheme to defraud that involved hundreds of episodes of unlawful trading in the secondary (cash) market for U.S. Treasuries.
TD Securities entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal information filed today in the District of New Jersey charging the company with one count of wire fraud. Under the terms of the DPA, TD Securities will pay over $15.5 million in a criminal monetary penalty, forfeiture, and victim compensation. Under the DPA, TD Securities will pay the equivalent of the statutory maximum criminal fine in connection with the offense (approximately $9.4 million) and will ensure that victims of the offense are made whole through a claims administration process (approximately $4.7 million in victim compensation).
The former head of the TD Securities desk that was responsible for trading U.S. Treasuries, Jeyakumar Nadarajah, was indicted on Nov. 7, 2023, in the District of New Jersey in connection with this scheme and is awaiting trial. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“TD Securities placed hundreds of orders to buy and sell U.S. Treasuries that it never intended to execute, in order to deceive market participants and manipulate prices by creating the false appearance of supply and demand,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Such efforts to profit through unlawful trading undermine public confidence in U.S. Treasuries markets and defraud other market participants. The Criminal Division is committed to ensuring the integrity of our financial markets and holding accountable those who engage in deceptive trading practices.”
“The American public places trust in our financial institutions and relies on companies to be truthful and execute their obligations to traders in an ethical manner,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)’s Criminal Investigations Group. “The USPIS’ DOJ Mail Fraud team found there was a blatant violation of that trust, as this individual placed billions of dollars in spoof orders, distorting supply and demand and causing significant losses. These charges send a clear message that such deceptive practices will not be tolerated, and we are dedicated to protecting the integrity of our markets and the interests of honest investors.”
According to court documents and admissions, Nadarajah, a former director and head of the TD Securities U.S. Treasuries trading desk, engaged in a scheme to defraud in connection with the purchase and sale of U.S. Treasuries in the secondary market. In hundreds of instances, Nadarajah placed orders to buy and sell U.S. Treasuries with the intent to cancel those orders before execution. Nadarajah did so in an attempt to profit by injecting false and misleading information concerning the existence of genuine supply and demand for U.S. Treasuries, thereby deceiving other market participants and fraudulently inducing those participants to trade at prices, quantities, and times that they otherwise would not have traded.
As part of the DPA, TD Securities, and its U.S. parent company, TD Group US Holdings LLC (TDGUS), have agreed to, among other things, continue to cooperate with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section in any ongoing or future investigations by the Fraud Section begun before or during the term of the DPA. As part of its cooperation, TD Securities and TDGUS are required to report evidence or allegations of conduct that may constitution a violation of the U.S. anti-fraud, securities, and commodities laws as defined in the DPA. In addition, TD Securities and TDGUS have also agreed to enhance TD Securities’ compliance program where necessary and appropriate, and to report to the government regarding remediation and implementation of their enhanced compliance program.
The department reached this resolution with TD Securities based on numerous factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offense conduct, which involved placing hundreds of fraudulent spoof orders amounting to tens of billions of dollars of false supply and demand in the secondary market for U.S. Treasuries, and TD Securities’ failure to voluntarily self-disclose the offense conduct to the department.
TD Securities received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation and for remedial measures taken, including terminating Nadarajah, and reviewing and continuing to enhance the compliance function.
Today, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority announced a separate settlement with TD Securities in connection with a related, parallel proceeding. Under the terms of that resolution, TD Securities agreed to pay a fine of approximately $6 million. Also today, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced a separate settlement with TD Securities in connection with a related, parallel proceeding. Under the terms of that resolution, TD Securities agreed to pay approximately $7 million, which includes a civil monetary penalty of approximately $6.5 million, as well as approximately $400,000 in disgorgement and $135,000 in prejudgment interest. A portion of the forfeiture agreed to in the department’s DPA will be credited against payments made to the SEC under a separate agreement with the SEC.
USPIS is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney John J. Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. Former Deputy Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section provided substantial assistance.
South Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges an Attorney, Former SBA Employee, Tax Preparer, and others with COVID-19 Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida remains a leader in COVID-19 pandemic relief prosecutions, holding a range of actors accountable for these crimes. Over this summer alone, the district has charged 17 individuals with COVID-19 relief fraud cases, with scheme amounts totaling over $21 million.
In 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. In 2022, the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office was selected to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. Together, with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office targets fraudsters that took advantage of programs that offered assistance during the pandemic. Since the pandemic, more than 185 people have been charged in the Southern District of Florida for schemes involving more than around $220 million.
“These defendants have in common a willingness to exploit federal programs created to help people in a global pandemic for their own gain,” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to uncover COVID-19 related financial fraud schemes and hold people accountable – regardless of their role in the community. We will not allow limited federal tax dollars, which were intended to provide a lifeline to small businesses as they struggled to stay afloat during the economically devastating pandemic lockdown, to be stolen to support criminal actors.”
“The Department of Justice remains committed to the prosecution of those who engaged in COVID-19 benefits program fraud and the return of recovered funds to the American taxpayers. I appreciate the dedication of the prosecutors and investigators who brought these people to justice and worked to protect the integrity of our federal benefits programs,” said Mandy Riedel, Director of COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement.
The following cases were charged this summer.
Cases Against Federal Employees
A number of federal employees and former federal employees have been charged with COVID loan schemes, including:
U.S. v. Malaina Chapman, Case No. 24-CR-20321: Chapman, 37, of Hialeah, Fla., a former SBA employee, was indicted in July 2024. The indictment alleges that, while employed by the SBA, Chapman became involved in multiple schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, as well as to defraud local credit unions and local and state programs designed to assist those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic pay their rent. United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) and the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) investigated this case. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein.
“Fraudulent exploitation of SBA's pandemic relief programs diverts critical resources from the small businesses that truly need them,” said Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the SBA OIG’s Eastern Region. “Our office is committed to protecting taxpayer funds and ensuring that individuals who attempt to defraud SBA programs are brought to justice. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and dedication to justice.”
Unemployment Insurance Fraud
A number of defendants in Florida were charged with defrauding the California Employment Development Department of millions of dollars by making false claims for unemployment with the personally identifiable information of the victims of identity theft. These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL OIG), SBA OIG, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
This includes:
U.S. v. Harold Eubanks and Myotha Francois, Case No. 24-CR-20335: handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz.
U.S. v. Kenneth Dikari Stevens, Jr. and Giovanni Kymani Paul Matthews, Case No. 24-CR-20293: handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Cronin and Aimee Jimenez.
U.S. v. Zachary Ramyard, Case No. 24-CR-20382: handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joesph Egozi.
“These cases represent the continued commitment of the FBI and many other federal agencies to identify and hold accountable those who engaged in COVID relief fraud,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office. “The intent of these programs was to provide a financial safety net to eligible businesses during a time of economic duress – not as a way for criminals to fund their lifestyles. While the relief programs have ended, our pursuit of the fraudsters has not. The amount of fraud we’ve seen is staggering. We continue to work hard every day to investigate these fraud schemes and protect the public from being swindled.”
“This funding was intended to mitigate the risk to Americans and businesses impacted by an unprecedented global pandemic but was stolen by individuals for their own personal gain” said Anthony Salisbury Special Agent in Charge Homeland Security Investigations in Miami “Criminally taking advantage of programs designed to help our communities will not be tolerated. HSI and their partners will vigilantly pursue all those who seek to exploit these programs to ensure that Americans properly in need of this kind of support have access.”
COVID-19 Procurement Fraud
This office continues to investigate and pursue individuals who capitalized on the pandemic by illegally profiting on personal protective equipment (PPE), including:
U.S. v. Nabil Nahlah, Case No. 24-CR-20434: Nahlah, 49, of Miami Beach, Fla., was charged with one count of fraud against the United States, arising from his efforts to sell millions of dollars of PPE to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to allegations contained in the charging documents filed Sept. 25, Nahlah, through his company The Noble Attorney, made bids on various procurement requests from the VA for items like medical masks and examination gloves. Nahlah won the contracts by making false and fraudulent representations to the VA, namely by claiming that his firm was an authorized distributor or reseller of the PPE manufacturers and that he had the qualifying PPE in stock and available for immediate delivery. Nahlah furthered the scheme to defraud the VA by creating a fake web domain and email address for a PPE manufacturer and using it to submit a phony authorized distributor letter to the VA. Once awarded the lucrative contracts, Nahlah shipped non-conforming PPE to the VA, including counterfeit medical masks. This case was investigated by the VA Office of Inspector General’s (VA OIG) and the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger.
U.S. v. Rodrigo Mera, Case No. 24-CR-20148: In August 2024, Mera pled guilty to stealing gloves and other PPE from his employer during the pandemic. Mera admitted he sold the stolen PPE under false pretenses and profited over $1 million. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service (USSS). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein.
“The charges included in today’s announcement highlight the VA Office of Inspector General’s dedication throughout the pandemic to protect veterans and VA employees from those who would exploit the opportunity for fraudulent gain,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the VA OIG Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG remains steadfast in our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of VA’s vital supply chain.”
“The FDA continues to monitor the marketplace to ensure that medical devices are safe and effective for American consumers,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Miami Field Office. “Today’s announcement should serve as a reminder that the FDA is continuing to collaborate with our fellow law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who place profits above the public health.”
Cases Against COVID-19 Loan Preparers
A number of loan preparers have been charged, including:
U.S. v. Pete Andrew Cohen, Case No. 24-CR-60017: Cohen, 56 of Miramar, Fla., was the president of Taxez Taxez Taxez Incorporation in Miramar. From June 2020 through June 2021, the defendant caused the filing of approximately $3 million in fraudulent PPP loan applications that falsely and fraudulently inflated the number of employees and payroll figures for the applicants. The defendant also arranged for PPP loan borrowers to create false and fraudulent payroll information using a payroll service. Cohen pled guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17, before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG). This case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Michael N. Berger.
U.S. v. Marc Prince, Case No. 24-CR-20214: Prince, 41 of Miramar, reached out to various small business owners, directly or indirectly, to offer to obtain PPP loans. From June 2020 through April 2021, Prince caused the filing of approximately $3 million in fraudulent PPP loan applications that falsely and fraudulently inflated the number of employees and payroll figures for the applicants. Prince charged a fee, typically, of around 20 percent of the value of the PPP loan. Prince pled guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17, before U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles. This case was investigated by IRS-CI, FDIC-OIG, and HSI. This case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Michael N. Berger.
“These charges demonstrate the FDIC OIG's commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud in COVID-19 relief programs and other financial crimes that threaten to undermine the safety and soundness of our Nation's financial institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles, of the FDIC OIG Atlanta Region.
“It has been four years after the enactment of a key pandemic-era law and IRS-CI still continues to investigate cases related to the CARES Act,” said Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Miami Field Office. “These cases cover a wide range of criminal activity, including tax, money laundering, fraudulently obtained loans, credits and payments meant for American workers, families, and small businesses. In the last year alone, IRS-CI has opened nearly 700 new COVID fraud investigations nationwide that collectively add up to $5 billion. If you committed fraud, know that we are working hard every single day to find you and hold you accountable.”
Theft of Employee Retention Credit Checks
This office has charged the theft of employee retention checks, for example:
U.S. v. Madelein Olivia, Case No. 24-CR-20323: Olivia, 52, of Miami, was indicted by a grand jury for stealing a $7 million Employee Retention Credit (ERC) check issued to a victim business where she was not employed. ERC checks are refundable tax credits for certain eligible businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) investigated the case. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Altanese Phenelus.
An indictment, information, and complaint contain mere allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
For more information regarding the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under the case numbers referenced above.
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South Carolina Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Shipping Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl to North GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Onesepherous L. Grissette has been sentenced to federal prison for shipping thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl from South Carolina to North Georgia using the U.S. Mail.
“The danger posed by counterfeit pills and fentanyl is a real and continuing threat to our citizens and has claimed many lives,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office and agency partners are continually developing new and innovate investigative strategies for identifying traffickers who peddle these dangerous drugs and to hold them accountable for causing irreparable harm to our communities.”
“The US Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “We remain steadfast to seek justice to the end and to keep communities safe through continued collaborative investigative efforts with our law enforcement partners.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: In July 2022, investigators with the United States Postal Inspection Service seized a shipment of pills mailed from South Carolina that were addressed to an individual who resided in Chickamauga, Georgia. The pills resembled the prescription drug oxycodone, but testing confirmed that the tablets contained fentanyl. The investigation revealed that Grissette shipped more than 4,500 pills to this individual for nearly two years and that the individual paid Grissette approximately $85,000.
Onesepherous L. Grissette, 43, of Conway, South Carolina, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II to five years, 10 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Grissette was convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance on June 24, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with valuable assistance provided by the Lookout Mountain Drug Task Force and the Horry County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin A. Leipold, III prosecuted the case.
The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia recommends that parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following websites: www.justthinktwice.gov; www.operationprevention.com/; and www.dea.gov/onepill.
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.
Somerset County Man Sentenced to 64 Months’ Incarceration for Concealing Material Support to HamasRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to time served – 64 months – for concealing his attempts to provide material support to Hamas, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, FBI-Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado Jr., and FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism David J. Scott announced.
Jonathan Xie, 25, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with one count of concealing attempts to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
“Jonathan Xie not only admitted sending money that he hoped would be used by the terrorist organization Hamas to fund violent acts against civilians in Israel, he professed his desire to travel to Gaza to join them. Brandishing a gun and holding a Hamas flag, he also posted that he was going to shoot everybody at a pro-Israel march and ruminated how one could go on a rampage by ramming pro-Israel demonstrators with a car. This supporter of Hamas learned the true cost of supporting terrorists.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
“Xie is an unfortunate example of an emerging and extremely dangerous threat the FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force is seeing with much more frequency,” Newark FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado said. “The average age of the international and domestic terrorism subjects we investigate is under 21 years old, and they're being radicalized in only a few months. Xie was a teenager when he decided to send money in support of a terrorism organization and then threaten to carry out a plan to kill pro-Israeli people. We need this case to serve as a warning to parents and guardians - pay attention to what your teenagers are doing online.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Xie knowingly concealed and disguised the nature, location, source, ownership and control of his attempt to provide material support and resources to Harakat alMuqawamah al-Islamiyya and the Islamic Resistance Movement, an organization that is commonly referred to as Hamas. Xie admitted that he knew Hamas was a designated foreign terrorist organization and has engaged in terrorist activities. He said he attempted to conceal his attempted support believing it would be used to commit or assist in the commission of a violent act.
In December 2018, Xie sent $100 via Moneygram to an individual in Gaza who Xie believed to be a member of the Al-Qassam Brigades – a faction of Hamas that has conducted attacks, to include suicide bombings against civilian targets inside Israel. At approximately the same time that Xie sent the money, he posted on his Instagram account “Just donated $100 to Hamas. Pretty sure it was illegal but I don’t give a damn.”
In April 2019, Xie appeared in an Instagram Live video wearing a black ski mask and stated that he was against Zionism and the neo-liberal establishment. When asked by another participant in the video if he would go to Gaza and join Hamas, Xie stated “yes, If I could find a way.” Later in the video, Xie displayed a Hamas flag and retrieved a handgun. He then stated “I’m gonna go to the [expletive] pro-Israel march and I’m going to shoot everybody.” In subsequent Instagram posts, Xie stated, “I want to shoot the pro-israel demonstrators . . . you can get a gun and shoot your way through or use a vehicle and ram people . . . all you need is a gun or vehicle to go on a rampage . . . I do not care if security forces come after me, they will have to put a bullet in my head to stop me.”
In April 2019, Xie sent a link to a website for the Al-Qassam Brigades to an FBI employee who was acting online in an undercover capacity. Xie described the website as a “Hamas” website and stated he had previously sent a donation to the group. Xie then sent screenshots of the website to the undercover employee and demonstrated how to use a new feature on the website that allows donations to be sent via Bitcoin. On April 18, 2019, when the undercover employee asked whether Bitcoin was anonymous, Xie responded: “yah… i think thats why hamas is using it now because money transfer is not that anonymous.”
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Xie to 20 years of supervise release, including six months of home detention with location monitoring for the first six months.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Olsen credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado; and the U.S. Department of Defense, Army Counterintelligence, 902d Military Intelligence Group, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanks the U.S. Secret Service for its assistance.
The government is represented by Joyce M. Malliet, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorney Taryn Meeks of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division (currently detailed to the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section).
Siemens Energy, Inc. pleads guilty to stealing confidential competitor information in $104M resolution after former corporate executive and others were sentencedRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Siemens Energy, Inc. (Siemens), pleaded guilty today and has agreed to pay $104 million to resolve the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into violations related to the misappropriation of confidential competitor information. Additionally, Siemens has agreed to a three-year term of organizational probation.
Siemens is a U.S.-based subsidiary of a Germany-based global manufacturing conglomerate, Siemens Energy AG (SMNEY), whose technology is responsible for one sixth of electricity production worldwide.
“Corporate accountability remains a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The actions of these defendants undermined the integrity of the competitive marketplace, harming both competitors and consumers. The Department has established whistleblower programs to encourage corporations and individuals to come forward with timely information regarding misconduct and criminal behavior. Failing to do so invites prosecution and serious consequences.”
“The FBI will work to hold those accountable who steal confidential information to obtain a competitive advantage, whether they be agents, employees, executives, or corporations themselves,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. “We will rigorously investigate those who criminally conspire to defraud companies for their personal gain.”
“Corporate fraud schemes ultimately end up hurting the consumers they serve,” said Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division. "Protecting the U.S. Mail from these schemes will always be a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. We are proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring this case to a successful conclusion.”
According to court documents, in 2019, Dominion Energy, Inc. (Dominion), a utility company based in Richmond that provides electricity to four million customers in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, sought to build a “Peaker” combustion turbine power plant in the greater Richmond metropolitan area. Peaker power plants are specifically designed to add electricity generation capacity to alleviate high grid load and improve electric grid resiliency. The electricity infrastructure project had projected cost of upwards of $500 million.
To build the power plant, Dominion opened a competitive, closed bid process soliciting requests for proposals from qualified companies. Three companies bid for the work: General Electric Company (GE), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), and Siemens. All companies executed non-disclosure agreements restricting the disclosure of confidential information provided to Dominion during the bid.
After GE and MHI submitted their closed bids to Dominion in May 2019, Account Manager, Michael P. Hillen of Siemens coordinated with a Dominion insider, Director of Generation System Planning Theodore S. Fasca, who used his sensitive position to improperly obtain GE and MHI confidential information. Hillen and Fasca funneled the pilfered GE and MHI bid information through private email accounts, including Hillen’s wife’s Hotmail email address, before sending the confidential information to Hillen’s Siemens email address. Hillen then disseminated the confidential information to Siemens Account Manager Mehran Sharifi, who analyzed the confidential bid information with other employees. Realizing that Siemens had a less competitive bid than GE by some metrics, Sharifi recommended to Siemens Executive Vice President and Head of Sales for North America, John Gibson, that Siemens resubmit a lowered bid to undercut GE’s bid price. Gibson, Sharifi, Hillen, and Fasca all knew the GE and MHI bid information was improperly obtained and that Siemens should not have had access to this information.
Gibson strategically disseminated the confidential information to other Siemens senior executives, to leaders within Siemens’ business intelligence unit, and to representatives of Siemens’ then-parent company in Germany. Gibson’s dissemination of the information was calculated to provide Siemens with a competitive advantage in the bid for the Dominion project, improve Siemens’ business intelligence, and provide Siemens with a competitive advantage in future bids, all to the detriment of GE and MHI.
After learning of GE’s and MHI’s bids for the Dominion project, Gibson authorized and obtained approvals within Siemens, including from the Chief Executive Officer for Power Generation and representatives of Siemens’ then-parent company in Germany, to resubmit a lower bid for the Dominion project, undercutting GE’s bid. Siemens won the bid with Dominion. Even after submitting the lowered bid, Siemens continued misappropriating GE and MHI confidential information on numerous occasions throughout June 2019.
Siemens Energy Inc. is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5. The company’s plea today comes after Gibson, Hillen, Fasca, and Sharifi entered guilty pleas for their roles in the criminal misconduct.
Gibson pled guilty to conspiracy to convert trade secrets and was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison.
Hillen and Fasca each pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and were sentenced to three years and one month in prison.
Sharifi pled guilty to conspiracy to convert trade secrets and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 11. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth, Kenneth R. Simon, Jr., and Brian J. Samuels are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Gill assisted the prosecution.
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 Nos. 3:24-cr-141 (Siemens Energy, Inc.), 3:23-cr-137 (John Gibson), 3:23-cr-83 (Theodore S. Fasca), 3:24-cr-20 (Mehran Sharifi), and 3:23-cr-120 (Michael P. Hillen).
Seven Year Sentence Handed Down for the Carjacking of a Rideshare DriverRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tykel Wilson, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced on Friday for the armed carjacking of a rideshare driver, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Wilson pleaded guilty on June 28, 2024, to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. On September 27, 2024, Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno sentenced Wilson to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, with which Wilson agreed, at approximately 1:43 p.m., on April 29, 2023, in the 900 block of Allison Street, NW, the victim, a rideshare driver, had pulled his car over after dropping off a passenger. While parked, Wilson approached the victim’s car, armed with a silver firearm, and demanded that the victim exit his car. The victim complied with the Wilson’s demands and Wilson drove off in the victim’s car.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Bartz and Randle Wilson, who prosecuted the case.
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San Joaquin County Skydiver Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Running Unauthorized Tandem Skydiving Instructor CoursesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Robert Allen Pooley, 49, of Acampo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to two years in prison for wire fraud related to tandem skydiving instructor courses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Pooley was convicted by a federal jury in May 2024 after a seven-day trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2010, Pooley obtained ratings as a “tandem examiner” with the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA) and with Uninsured United Parachute Technologies LLC (UPT), a manufacturer of tandem parachute systems. He then began conducting training courses for candidates seeking to obtain their USPA Tandem Instructor ratings and/or their certifications to use UPT tandem parachute systems. The Tandem Instructor certifications Pooley provided enabled students to conduct tandem jumps with members of the public throughout the United States and abroad. Pooley charged money for these courses and conducted them at a skydiving business located in Acampo.
In August 2015, USPA and UPT suspended Pooley’s tandem examiner ratings, which meant that he could no longer conduct the tandem instructor courses on his own. Nevertheless, he continued running USPA and UPT tandem instructor rating courses without authorization, and he concealed his suspensions from tandem instructor candidates. Pooley falsely told students that he was a tandem examiner, led them to believe they could obtain USPA and UPT tandem ratings through his courses, hid the fact that he had been suspended, and helped students fill out USPA and UPT rating paperwork to further the impression that the students would legitimately get their tandem ratings through his courses.
As part of the scheme, Pooley used a digital image of the signature of another properly rated USPA and UPT tandem examiner to sign off on training that Pooley himself had conducted when the other tandem examiner was not even in the country. In 2016, Pooley accepted numerous students in this manner from around the world, including the Republic of Korea, Chile, and Mexico. Each student paid approximately $1,100 for these courses. The signed documents that Pooley provided some of the students led them to believe they were certified to conduct tandem skydives with members of the public. On Aug. 6, 2016, one such student fell to his death in a tandem skydiving accident with a customer who also perished. After those deaths, numerous victims of Pooley’s scheme asked for their money back, but he did not repay them, and several students had to pay for entirely new tandem instructor courses at other locations. In sentencing Pooley, Judge Shubb found that Pooley’s offense involved a conscious or reckless risk of death or serious bodily injury and, based on that finding, applied a sentencing enhancement.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Dhruv M. Sharma prosecuted the case.
Romanian National Indicted for Federal Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DORU ADAMESC a/k/a Petru Golban (“ADAMESC”), age 32, a national of Romania, was indicted on September 26, 2024 with four counts of access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(e)(8).
According to court documents, between May 19, 2024 and May 20, 2024, ADAMESC possessed scanning receivers capable of recording electronic device data at four locations in the Eastern District of Louisiana. If convicted, ADAMESC faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100, as to each count.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; the United States Secret Service; the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office; the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office; and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Rochester man with gun and fentanyl sentenced to 10 years prisonRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jaomi Delgado, 31, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that on May 18, 2022, law enforcement observed Delgado, who had been under investigation for months, drive into a parking on Norton Street in Rochester and enter a restaurant. Investigators observed a firearm in plain view near the center console of Delgado’s vehicle. He was taken into custody as he exited the restaurant. Delgado’s vehicle was towed and searched. During the execution of a search warrant, officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber handgun, 60 fentanyl pills, four cell phones, and $17,875.00 in cash.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
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Remarks of United States Attorney Todd Gee Regarding the Department of Justice’s Efforts in 2024 to Protect the Vote and Secure ElectionsRead the Press Release
Thank you, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dimachkie.
It has been a long-standing priority of the Department of Justice to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation, or criminal activity in the election process. The Department is also committed to ensuring that our elections are secure and free from foreign malign interference.
In order to achieve these goals, we want to share some information with the public about steps the Department is taking to protect the right to vote and prevent federal election crimes in Mississippi and throughout the nation during this year’s federal elections in November. These measures are consistent with longstanding Justice Department practices and policies.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, is responsible for ensuring compliance with the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, and with federal criminal laws that prohibit discriminatory interference with that right. Throughout the election cycle, attorneys with the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi will be available to receive and review complaints of potential violations of these laws.
Individuals with complaints related to possible violations of federal voting laws can call the Justice Department’s hotline at 1-800-253-3931, and can also submit complaints through the Department’s website at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Additionally, as part of the Justice Department’s efforts to secure the election, each U.S. Attorney’s office – including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi – has partnered with the local FBI field office to respond to reports of federal election crimes, such as alleged destruction of ballots, vote-buying, multiple voting, submission of fraudulent ballots or registrations, and alteration of votes.
The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s offices are also responsible for enforcing federal criminal law prohibiting unlawful threats to election workers. As part of these efforts, each U.S. Attorney’s Office has designated an Assistant U.S. Attorney, who is a career public servant, to serve as the District Election Officer responsible for overseeing potential election-crime matters in their districts, and for coordinating with the Department’s election-crime experts at the Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C.
The FBI has also designated a specially trained agent in each field office as an Election Crime Coordinator who will be on duty while polls are open to receive complaints from the public. The FBI’s Election Crime Coordinator and the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s District Election Officer will also work closely with the Office of the Mississippi Secretary of State and other state and local officials regarding alleged election crimes.
Members of the public in Mississippi can report election-crime complaints to the Jackson FBI Field office at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
The Department of Justice has also launched a website with information about its efforts to secure elections and the right to vote at www.justice.gov/voting.
Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election crimes, and securing our elections in Mississippi and throughout the nation are essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government. The Justice Department encourages anyone with information regarding concerns in these subject areas to contact the appropriate authorities.
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Registered Sex Offender Sentenced After Sharing over Seventy Images Depicting the Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Bryon Alan Lee, 32, of Sapulpa, for Production, Receipt, Distribution, and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Judge Russell ordered Lee imprisoned for 360 months, followed by ten years of supervised release. Upon his release, Lee will also be required to register as a sex offender and ordered to pay $6,300 in restitution.
“Online and sexual predators like Lee know how to manipulate their way into a child’s life,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I cannot stress enough that parents and guardians need to know who their children are talking to online. This sentencing shows the unwavering commitment of our office and law enforcement partners to hold sex offenders accountable for their actions and to protect children.”
“The lengthy sentence of this repeat offender sends a clear message to those who would attempt to exploit our most vulnerable citizens – our children,” said Travis Pickard, acting Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “HSI through the collaboration of all our law enforcement partners will use every available resource to hold child sexual predators like this defendant accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, in October 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received several CyberTips about an individual online uploading videos and images that contained the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The investigation revealed that Lee possessed or uploaded more than seven videos and 68 images to social media and file-sharing platforms. Further, Lee would “chat” about his fantasies of raping and abusing young children.
In April of 2021, Lee was convicted in State court of Using Technology to Engage in Sexual Communication with a Minor. Even after receiving a ten-year suspended sentence in state court and having to register as a sex offender, Lee continued to exploit minors and created sexually explicit images.
Lee is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Joshua Carmel prosecuted.
To learn more about the sex offender registries from all 50 states, please visit the National Sex Offender Public Website.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Readout of Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen’s Participation at United Nations General Assembly High-Level Side EventRead the Press Release
On Thursday, Sept. 26, Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division traveled to New York City to lead a multilateral side meeting on stopping the destabilizing flow of sensitive technology as part of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week. AAG Olsen chaired the meeting, which was co-led by Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders. In total, officials from 18 countries and the EU attended the meeting, which was held at the Reiss Center on Law and Security at NYU’s School of Law in Manhattan.
©Creighton: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau.In the first session, presenters described the threats and risks posed by the acquisition of sensitive technology by malign actors.
“Stopping our adversaries from acquiring sensitive, emerging technology is one of our top national security priorities at the Department of Justice and across the U.S. government. And it’s not something we can do alone,” said Assistant Attorney General Olsen.
The second session of the meeting focused on the sharing of attendees’ experiences using legal authorities and other tools to stop the illicit flow of sensitive technology, as well as opportunities for collaboration and partnership. During his remarks, AAG Olsen highlighted the work of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency enforcement effort co-led with the Department of Commerce to prevent critical technologies from being unlawfully acquired and used by foreign adversaries.
“Today’s meeting reflects the understanding that this type of partnership is foundational to our ability to turn the tide against malign uses of sensitive technology — it requires partnership and collaboration within our own governments, and it requires us to come together and find ways to work together on an international level,” said Assistant Attorney General Olsen.
©Creighton: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau. ©Creighton: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau.Along with AAG Olsen, presenters from the U.S. delegation were:
- Matthew Axelrod, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at U.S. Department of Commerce;
- Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; and
- Tom West, head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the U.S. Department of State.
Presenters from other delegations were:
- Yamazaki Kazuyuki, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Japan to the UN;
- Ivars Lasis, the Undersecretary of State – Political Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Latvia;
- Brendan Dowling, Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology; and
- Mina Noor, Head of Counterterrorism and National Security Division and Special Envoy for Counterterrorism at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for The Netherlands.
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.
Pilates Instructor Sentenced After Fraudulently Obtaining Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Hillary Brown, 41, of Taylorsville, Utah, was sentenced today to 12 months’ home detention, five years’ probation, and ordered by the court to pay $148,310.25 in restitution after defrauding the Social Security Administration (SSA) and other government agencies for approximately 15 years.
On July 9, 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to wire fraud before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was then sentenced before Senior U.S. District Court Judge David Sam.
According to court documents and statements made at Brown’s sentencing hearing, beginning by at least May 13, 2009 and continuing until June 1, 2023, Brown deceived SSA to fraudulently obtain funds from the United States. She did so by providing the government with false and exaggerated information. Brown falsely claimed she was experiencing debilitating effects from an October 2008 stroke to such a degree that she had right side paralysis and could not work.
On December 15, 2009, Brown underwent a psychiatric assessment to support her application for SSA benefits. The examining doctor documented Brown’s self-reports that she was struggling with brain damage. However, just days prior, Brown completed upper-level college coursework with As and Bs. Unaware of this mismatch in information, SSA granted Brown Title II disability benefits on December 16, 2009. From the outset of her benefits, SSA provided several notices to regularly remind Brown of her obligation to report any improvements in her condition to SSA. However, within months of receiving benefits and claiming cognitive and physical disabilities, Brown graduated from college. She later obtained a driver’s license by certifying that she did not have a condition that impaired her ability to drive, despite claims to SSA that she could not drive due to crippling physical symptoms. She also obtained various physical certifications, including a Pilates Mat Teacher Training program diploma in July 2010, a certification indicating she completed 850 hours of requirements and testing to become a certified Pilates instructor in June 2015, and a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training certification in October 2018. Meanwhile, Brown continued to receive disability benefits and did not report any improvements in function to SSA.
After learning Brown was active and working, on February 13, 2021, SSA sent Brown a letter explaining she was not eligible to receive disability benefits and had received overpayment. Brown requested that the overpayment be waived and continued to claim she was too disabled to engage in substantial work, while also continuing to teach physically active classes and post about them on social media.
Social Security AdministrationIn the winter of 2022-2023, Brown submitted more false statements to SSA about her ability to work – claiming that right-side paralysis and other ailments still prevented her from working, and that they made basic functions like walking, standing, or using her arms difficult. However, during the same time frame, SSA agents observed and recorded hours of footage documenting Brown’s capable lifestyle and active Pilates teaching.
Once SSA had the opportunity to review Brown’s activities since receiving disability benefits, it became clear that she was never eligible for benefits. In fact, evidence from 2009 to 2023 indicates that Brown was highly functional within months of her stroke.
“Since 2009, Ms. Brown defrauded the government and stole from benefit programs that provide a critical safety net to those who truly need them and legally apply,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah. “My office, and our law enforcement partners, are committed to protecting these important benefits for their rightful recipients and holding to account those who fraudulently drain them.”
“For 15 years, Hillary Brown defrauded SSA by feigning a disabling condition. By purporting debilitating effects from a stroke and partial paralysis, her false exaggerations caused SSA to improperly pay her disability benefits. This sentence holds her accountable for her criminal acts,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I am grateful for the outstanding work of our Cooperative Disability Investigations Division for conducting this investigation and continually working to protect SSA disability benefits for those who are truly eligible to receive them. I thank Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachi J. Jepson for prosecuting this case.”
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachi J. Jepson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.