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30 September 2024
Brooklyn-Based Home Health Care Agencies Settle Fraud Claims for $9.75 Million and Agree to Pay $7.5 Million in Wages and Benefits to Underpaid AidesRead the Press Release
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Letitia James, New York State Attorney General, announced settlement agreements with Brooklyn-based licensed home care service agencies (LHCSAs) Edison Home Health Care of New York LLC (Edison) and Preferred Home Health Care of New York LLC (Preferred) today. The settlement agreements address allegations that Edison and Preferred, which were related companies, violated the federal False Claims Act and New York State’s False Claims Act in claiming that they paid their home care aides the minimum wages required under New York State law. The agencies received payments from Medicaid, which is funded in part by the federal government, and much of that money was meant to pay the wages and benefits of their aides.
Today’s settlement with Edison and Preferred follows similar settlements with the LHCSAs All American Homecare Agency, Crown of Life Care NY LLC, and White Glove Community Care, Inc.
“Home health aides work long hours at difficult, often thankless tasks to ensure that the vulnerable individuals who they provide services to are properly cared for,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “These aides deserve the hard-earned benefits guaranteed them under the law and my Office will ensure that they are accurately compensated.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the New York State Attorney General for its partnership in the government’s investigation and resolution of this important case.
“Home health aides provide crucial care to our most vulnerable neighbors and loved ones, and they deserve to be paid for their hard work,” said Attorney General James. “Edison and Preferred cheated employees out of years of pay and cheated New York taxpayers by defrauding Medicaid for their own benefit. This is a tremendous victory for our ongoing efforts to protect hardworking New Yorkers’ rightfully earned wages. My office will do everything in our power to ensure that companies cannot steal wages and take advantage of the system. Thank you to U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for his continued partnership in rooting out Medicaid fraud.”
The New York Wage Parity Act sets minimum wage and benefits requirements for LHCSAs that employ home care aides who render services to Medicaid recipients in New York City and in Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. Under the Wage Parity law, aides are to be paid a minimum amount in total compensation; only then will the LHCSAs receive Medicaid reimbursement for home care services. The required compensation comes in the form of a base wage and a supplemental benefit. The base wage must be paid in cash. The benefit portion can include the value of vacation, holiday, and sick pay, among other things. It can also include health insurance, pension plans, or educational assistance. Today, the minimum amount of total compensation for an aide in New York City is $19.09 per hour; for Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties, the minimum is $18.22 per hour.
Home health aides perform all aspects of personal care for sick or homebound patients and frequently work long shifts lasting up to 24 hours. The tasks performed in caring for patients are demanding and can consist of assisting or lifting patients out of bed and bathing, dressing, grooming, preparing meals for and, in some instances, feeding them. Patients may suffer from physical or mental disorders that can make the work of the aides physically and emotionally taxing. In fact, it was in recognition of the difficulty of this work that New York passed the Wage Parity Act.
The Settlement
This Office, in coordination with the New York State Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, commenced an investigation after whistleblowers alleged that certain LHCSAs had knowingly defrauded the federal government and New York State by underpaying home health aides in violation of the Wage Parity Act. The government’s investigation determined that Edison and Preferred certified their compliance with the law and sought and received reimbursement from Medicaid, even though the government determined that their payments to their aides fell short of the requisite compensation.
Under the terms of the agreements with the United States and New York State, Edison and Preferred have agreed to pay $3.9 million to the United States and $5.85 million to New York State for conduct that took place from 2012 to 2022.
In addition to the payments to resolve the government’s fraud claims, Edison and Preferred are required to pay $7.5 million to current and former aides who were and are entitled to compensation under the Wage Parity Act. Moreover, Edison and Preferred have admitted to conduct that led the government to determine that they fell short of Wage Parity Act requirements.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Blume of the Office’s Civil Division.
Amsterdam Woman and Las Vegas Man Charged in Pandemic Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jodi Drygula, age 52, of Amsterdam, New York, and Anthony Camou, age 45, of Las Vegas, Nevada, have been indicted on mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud charges for fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits in the names of other people.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Lucy Lang, New York State Inspector General (NYS-OIG), made the announcement.
Drygula appeared on August 27, 2024, before United States Magistrate Christian F. Hummel in Albany, and Camou appeared on September 13, 2024, before United States Magistrate Daniel J. Albregts in the District of Nevada; both defendants were ordered released with conditions.
The indictment alleges that from July 2020 through September 2021, Drygula and Camou fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (“NYSDOL”) in the names of three people. As a result of their conspiracy, which included additional fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits, Drygula and Camou defrauded the NYSDOL out of more than $250,000. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty.
The mail fraud and conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case is being investigated by USDOL-OIG, USPIS, and NYS-OIG, with assistance from the New York State Department of Labor. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Paulbeck and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. 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.
54 Defendants Charged with Federal Firearms-Related Crimes Since October 2023 Through Partnership Between United States Attorney’s Office and Tucson Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the Tucson Police Department (TPD) announced today the results of the first year of the PSP Pilot Program, a collaborative effort between the USAO and the TPD, in which local defendants are referred federally for charges involving firearm-related offenses. The partnership has resulted in 54 defendants being charged since October 2023. In 2022, the Tucson Police Department was selected by the United States Department of Justice as a partner agency in the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), an initiative to combat violent crime, with an emphasis on drug, gang, and gun violence. Cases referred for federal prosecution also receive additional investigative assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-Tucson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Tucson.
Representative cases referred for PSP prosecution include:
United States v. Jesus Antonio Najar: Najar was indicted by a federal grand jury with multiple firearms and narcotics offenses, occurring on three different dates. On April 19, 2024, TPD officers apprehended Najar for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, officers found unregistered AR Drop In Auto Sear Swift Links (parts designed and intended solely and exclusively for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun capable of automatic fire), unregistered silencers without serial numbers, and an AR pistol with an obliterated serial number. On October 12, 2023, Najar allegedly conspired and possessed cocaine for distribution while using and possessing a Glock 17 with a machinegun conversion device attached and two additional firearms. Najar is alleged to have possessed the machinegun conversion device that was not registered to him. In addition, Najar is alleged to have possessed an unregistered short-barrel rifle on December 11, 2023. Najar is currently in custody.
United States v. Geoffrey Fred Cruzado: Cruzado was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal possession of approximately 134 rounds of ammunition as a convicted felon, after allegedly threatening an intimate partner. Cruzado is currently in custody.
United States v. Jessica Guillen-Morales: A federal grand jury indicted Guillen-Morales with possession of six firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of unregistered firearms, illegal reentry, and possession of a firearm by an alien after she was found to be present illegally in the United States in Tucson, on November 19, 2023, after having been deported to Mexico from the United States less than three weeks earlier. Guillen-Morales is currently in custody.
United States v. Israel Manuel Ortiz: In January 2024, TPD officers encountered Ortiz in possession of approximately 57 grams of counterfeit oxycodone “M30” pills, later determined to contain fentanyl, and a .40 caliber pistol. Ortiz, a three-time convicted felon for misconduct involving weapons and armed robbery, was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Possessor and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Ortiz is currently in custody.
United States v. Isaiah Thomas Taylor: When TPD officers were serving a state arrest warrant for Taylor at a residence last February, Taylor, a convicted felon for misconduct involving weapons, was found to be in possession of a Glock pistol. A subsequent search of the residence revealed three additional Glock pistols, including one fitted with a fully automatic conversion device. Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Possessor and Possession of a Machine Gun. Taylor is currently in custody.
United States v. Jesus Alfredo Romo: On October 6, 2023, Romo fled in a vehicle from TPD officers during a traffic stop. Once Romo was apprehended, a 9mm loaded handgun was observed on the driver’s side floorboard and a backpack was retrieved from the vehicle containing 60,000 fentanyl tablets and two baggies of methamphetamine, one weighing over 2.5 grams and the other over 0.8 grams. Officers also found two digital scales and Romo had almost $1,300 in cash on his person. Romo, who was previously convicted of felony possession of dangerous drugs for sale, was indicted on November 21, 2023, with various counts including Trafficking in Firearms and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. He pleaded guilty to those two charges with stipulated, concurrent sentences of five and 10 years. His anticipated sentencing date is January 15, 2025. Romo is currently in custody.
“The evolving threat of firearms in America requires vigilance and cooperation,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We see a growing number of defendants who possess devices used to convert a firearm to a more dangerous fully-automatic mode, and we intend to seek sentencing enhancements for the possession of those dangerous devices. Our efforts to mitigate the specific threat in Tucson through a local-federal partnership are paying dividends and protecting the community.”
“Gun crime has impacted the Tucson community at an unacceptable rate over the past several years. Through the PSP program, TPD's partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies have expanded, and we are collectively making significant strides in arresting those responsible for making our community less safe,” said Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar. “Individuals who illegally possess firearms, sell drugs, or engage in gun violence will be held accountable through TPD arrests and federal prosecution by the United States Attorney’s Office. This behavior has no place in Tucson, and we are grateful for the partnerships that are leading to jail sentences for violent offenders, which directly results in decreased gun violence.”
“This is a perfect example of how cooperative law enforcement should work,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “By teaming up, federal and local agencies can collaboratively work to rid our communities of those violent criminals who plague law abiding citizens and the communities they live in.”
“These cases are a prime example of how the Public Safety Partnership program works. No single agency can combat violent crime on its own and this program brings a multi-agency approach to better protect our communities,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “The FBI will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in Tucson and throughout Arizona.”
The National Public Safety Partnership was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-24-03292-SHR
CR-24-01981-RCC
CR-24-00677-RCC
CR-24-01171-RCC
CR-24-05416-JCH
CR-23-01846-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-130_PSP Pilot Program# # #
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 news15 Gang Members and Their Associates Sentenced for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Fifteen members or associates of a south St. Louis gang that sold fentanyl have been convicted and sentenced for drug, gun and other crimes.
Rapper Davante “Jizzlebuckz” Lindsey, 27, was sentenced September 9 to 12 years in prison. Andre “Luh Half” Pearson, 28, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on September 20. Lindsey and Pearson were leaders of the 55 Boyz, a gang and drug trafficking organization that at one time was responsible for a significant amount of the fentanyl being sold in south St. Louis. Lindsey and Pearson helped form the 55 Boyz out of other gangs, including YPG (Young Project Goons), TKO (Team Knockout), The Strip, Pressure Gang, and CAVE. Lindsey was the face of the gang, rapping about the gang, fentanyl distribution and other illegal activity, according to court documents.
The final two defendants in the initial phase of the case were sentenced Monday. Five others were indicted individually, and all five have pleaded guilty. Four have been sentenced.
"Working together, the United States Attorney’s Office, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, ATF and IRS – Criminal Investigation targeted and prosecuted a drug gang that was the main source of supply of fentanyl in the south St. Louis area," said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. "And as is often the case for drug trafficking organizations and gangs, they were both the targets of drug-linked shootings as well as the perpetrators of such violence.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department began investigating the fentanyl dealing in September of 2021. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had independently been investigating another matter and arrested someone with drugs and guns. Both agencies began working in concert, and IRS – Criminal Investigations later joined to target money laundering and trace the illegal proceeds of drug sales.
The co-conspirators used phones to arrange drug sales, even sending out text messages advertising their illegal product.
Investigators made a series of court-approved searches of various locations in the St. Louis area, eventually seizing about two dozen guns, more than $120,000 in cash, thousands of capsules containing fentanyl and two vehicles. Two homes purchased with rug proceeds were forfeited, as well as the cash value of a third home. Diamond jewelry was also seized, including a 55 Boyz chain necklace with roughly 2,500 tiny diamonds.
The others who have been convicted and sentenced along with Lindsey and Pearson are Edward “Edot” Hopkins, 22, Tony Evans, 35, Araven Johnson, 29, Douglas Simpson, 35, Jeffrey Moore, 26, Shawn Liggins, 22, Omar Lewis, 23, Willie Lindsey, 44, Jamond “Huncho” Dismukes, 24, Travon Weatherspoon, 34, Birtha Lindsey, 43, Erik Simmons, 30, and Armani Tatum, 33.
Separately, Martez Lindsey, 32, Jaheim “DaeDae” Young, 23, Jaron Tate, 24, and Jhonetta Phillips, 33, have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced on drug or gun charges. Ja’Vonne Lindsey, 20, awaits sentencing.
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.
29 September 2024
Shreveport Woman Indicted for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – KRISTEN LEVIN, a/k/a Kristen Cassels, (“LEVIN”), a resident of Shreveport, Louisiana, was indicted on September 26, 2024, on three counts of Wire Fraud, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, LEVIN was employed by Company A from 2015 to 2020. Company A was partly located in St. Rose, Louisiana. LEVIN misused her position to steal funds, totaling approximately $589,729.12, from Company A by using fraudulent invoices for products never received by Company A. LEVIN knew she was not entitled to this money.
If convicted, LEVIN faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans stated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit and Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Men Sentenced for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALPHONSE BAZILE (“BAZILE”), age 78, and RAYSHAUD GREEN (“GREEN”), age 35, both of New Orleans, were each sentenced on September 18, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 180 months incarceration, three (3) years of supervised release and the payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to the counts of the superseding indictment against them.
Specifically, Count 1 charged BAZILE with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
Count 2 charged GREEN with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), and 2. Count 3 charged GREEN with possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o), 924(a)(2), and 2.
According to court documents, on August 17, 2022, New Orleans Police Department officers responded after learning that a shooting occurred at BAZILE’s residence, near Curran Boulevard and Haney Drive in New Orleans, LA. Surveillance footage revealed an earlier fight between juveniles outside of the residence. Although the fight had ended and the juveniles dispersed, approximately 30 minutes later, a group of juveniles in a car returned while BAZILE and GREEN were standing outside. A few of the juveniles exited the car, armed with firearms, and approached BAZILE and GREEN. BAZILE told them to leave and, they did. GREEN and BAZILE then returned to the residence. While inside, BAZILE armed himself with a .32 caliber revolver and ammunition. GREEN armed himself with a Polymer 80 Model P940C, nine-millimeter firearm, with a Glock auto-sear, that converted the weapon into an automatic machine gun. BAZILE and GREEN then exited the residence, firing at the juveniles, killing one.
On September 8, 2022, GREEN was arrested in New Orleans and, a search of a bedroom in GREEN’s residence uncovered the same firearm he used to shoot at the juveniles.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution of this matter.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Federal Drug and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TALYA SMITH (“SMITH”), age 29, of New Orleans, was indicted on September 26, 2024 for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts.
SMITH is charged in Count 1 of the indictment with Possession with Intent to Distribute Tapentadol and Marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D). He is charged in Count 2 with Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). In Count 3, he is charged with Possession of a Machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o), and in Count 4 with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)1).
As to Count 1, SMITH faces up to twenty years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to Count 3, he faces up to ten years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release. Finally, as to Count 4, SMITH faces up to fifteen years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
According to court documents, on or about March 31, 2024, SMITH allegedly possessed with the intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana. He also allegedly illegally possessed a Glock Model 23, .40 caliber handgun and ammunition in furtherance of his possession, with intent to distribute, tapentadol and marijuana. Additionally, this firearm had a machinegun conversion device attached to it. Lastly, as a previously convicted felon, SMITH knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition.
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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry of a Removed Alien Previously Convicted of a FelonyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSE MANUEL CHENO (“CHENO”), age 55, a Mexican national, was sentenced on September 25, 2024 after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a deported alien previously convicted of a felony, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(2).
According to court documents, CHENO was encountered in Jefferson Parish on March 31, 2023, after having been previously deported on January 27, 2018. Furthermore, on or about May 5, 2005, CHENO was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana in the District of Arizona.
U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced CHENO to a term of imprisonment of twenty-one (21) months, a term of supervised release of two years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Houston Man Sentenced to 18 Months Imprisonment for Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JIAQIN YE (“YE”), age 29, a resident of Houston, Texas, was sentenced on September 26, 2024 to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) related to a government imposter scam.
According to court documents, YE traveled from Houston, Texas, to a residence in Covington, Louisiana, to collect approximately $34,500.00 from the victim of a government imposter scam. When YE arrived, he was arrested by the FBI, and then made false statements to agents relating to his prior involvement in similar schemes.
In addition to prison, YE was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
For more information on how to prevent being the victim of fraud, please visit the Federal Trade Commission website at https://www.ftc.gov/. You can also report internet crime on the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center website found at https://www.ic3.gov/.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the FBI in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney and Elder Justice Coordinator Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
Gretna Man Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –FELIX MACKEY (“MACKEY”), age , a Gretna, Louisiana resident, was sentenced on September 25, 2024, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846. Also, FELIX pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). MACKEY was sentenced to 192 imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, MACKEY sold methamphetamine to a confidential source on three occasions in May 2021. On June 3, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant on MACKEY’s residence and found 92.127 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, 99.31 grams of cocaine, and 10.13 grams of cocaine base. Law enforcement also seized a black Taurus Model PT111, nine-millimeter pistol, bearing serial number TJT26730 and loaded with eleven (11) bullets. MACKEY had previously been convicted of a felony in Plaquemines Parish.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.
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Former Army Reservist Guilty of Conspiring to Steal Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that former United States Army reservist CODY FRANCIS (“FRANCIS”), pled guilty on September 26, 2024 to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds. FRANCIS stole $11,378.27 from the United States Department of the Army, by claiming reimbursement for performing military funeral honors ceremonies that never actually happened.
The National Defense Authorization Act of 2000 authorizes military funeral honors for active-duty soldiers, retirees, and veterans. At a family’s request, eligible persons can receive military funeral honors, including the folding and presenting of the United States flag and the playing of “Taps.”
By pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, FRANCIS faces up to five (5) yearsimprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. FRANCIS has agreed to repay the Department of the Army for the $11,378.27 in stolen funds. FRANCIS will be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown on February 13, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command. Assistant United States Attorney Andre J. Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Arizona Resident Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that WILLIAM J. WHITE, age 63, of Phoenix, Arizona was sentenced on September 25, 2024, by the Honorable Sarah S. Vance, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana, for bank fraud.
According to documents filed in federal court, WILLIAM J. WHITE entered a local bank and used a false identification document during an attempt to cash a forged and fraudulent check. The defendant was sentenced to fifteen (15) months of imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Diplomatic Security Service, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
27 September 2024
Woman and Her Two Daughters Sentenced to Federal Prison for Labor Trafficking Conspiracy in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A woman and her two daughters were sentenced to federal prison terms today for conspiring to force undocumented West African children to work in the Chicago suburbs.
NAWOMI AWOGA and her two daughters, MARINA OKE and ASSIBA LEA FANDOHAN, were convicted last year of conspiring to conceal, harbor, and shield from detection two children from the West African country of Benin. Awoga coached the victims, then age 14 and 12, in Benin to lie to U.S. immigration authorities about their family relationships in order to obtain tourist visas. Awoga then accompanied the children into the United States. Once in the U.S., Awoga, Oke, and Fandohan harbored the victims in residences in the Chicago suburbs of Country Club Hills and Hazel Crest while forcing the victims to provide labor and services for the defendants’ financial gain. The defendants used violence against the victims to force them to work both inside the residences and at a nearby hair salon.
U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the prison sentences today in federal court in Chicago. Awoga, 75, of Hazel Crest, Ill., was sentenced to eight and a half years. Oke, 38, of Country Club Hills, Ill., was sentenced to seven years and ten months. Fandohan, 35, of Hazel Crest, Ill., was sentenced to six years and eight months.
The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations; James Mead, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Mark Woods-Hawkins, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service’s Chicago Field Office. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Chicago Police Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking, and the U.S. Embassy’s Regional Security Office in Cotonou, Benin. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Tiffany Ardam, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin M. Linsley.
“Labor traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause unimaginable harm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “My office is committed to using every available resource to combat labor trafficking and support victims and survivors.”
“The conviction of Awoga and her daughters underscores our unwavering commitment to bringing justice to the most vulnerable among us,” said HSI SAC Fitzgerald. “These defendants not only exploited and abused two young children, but they also coerced them into lying to authorities to facilitate their heinous scheme. This case highlights the relentless efforts of our law enforcement partners to dismantle such criminal networks and ensure that those who perpetrate these despicable acts are held accountable.”
“Nawomi Awoga, Marina Oke, and Assiba Lea Fandohan trafficked two children who they forced to work for them,” said DOL-OIG SAC Mead. “The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and bring to justice those who engage in labor trafficking and involuntary servitude, particularly when minors are involved.”
“Combating trafficking requires a strong coalition of local and global partners to share resources and information, better equip front-line workers, and track and respond to evolving trafficking trends,” said DSS SAC Woods-Hawkins. “I’m proud to say that justice was finally served in this child labor trafficking case that has spanned nearly a decade. It was through our successful partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Benin, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice that we were able to secure this verdict and move closer to delivering justice for the victims.”
Anyone with information about a potential human trafficking situation is encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling 1-888-373-7888 or texting 233733. More information about the Justice Department’s work to combat human trafficking can be found here.
Winter Garden Man Who Backed Vehicle into Business and Stole Six Firearms Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Edward Vincenzo Camacho (20, Winter Garden) has pleaded guilty to theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee. Camacho faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, just before midnight on August 18, 2023, Camacho backed a sports utility vehicle into the front of a federal firearms licensee business. After smashing the front door and wall of the business, Camacho entered the store and broke a glass case where multiple firearms were housed. Camacho stole six firearms and then fled in his vehicle.
Camacho was apprehended less than two hours later after a foot pursuit with law enforcement. During the foot pursuit, Camacho was seen tossing three firearms onto the ground, two of which were confirmed to be stolen from the federal firearms licensee business.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Winter Park Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Alexa McNeff.
This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Wichita, Kansas Woman Convicted by Jury for Transportation of a Minor for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that a federal jury in Omaha, Nebraska, returned a guilty verdict on September 27, 2024, against Joan Robinson, age 35, of Wichita, Kansas, for one count of transportation of a minor for prostitution. The verdict subjects Robinson to a potential prison term of up to life and a minimum of ten years. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher presided over the trial and set sentencing for January 9, 2025.
This investigation began on November 16, 2022, when Minor Victim 1 (“MV1”) and co-defendant Khalah Beard were stopped for shoplifting at a Wal-Mart in Omaha. The responding officer suspected that sex trafficking may have been involved and she reported the matter to the Omaha Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit. MV1 was identified as a missing minor who was a ward of the state of Kansas. She had been missing for years at the time of this incident and was only 17 years old.
Throughout the investigation, it was determined that on November 12, 2022, Robinson, along with co-defendants Khalah Beard, and Alexas Davis, drove from Wichita to Omaha so that Beard, Davis, and MV1 could engage in prostitution. They checked into adjoining hotel rooms in Omaha which were booked by Robinson using her Priceline account. Photos of MV1 were used to advertise commercial sex acts online. Davis, who was in an intimate relationship with Robinson, kept track of the others and would report to Robinson about when MV1 and Beard would have “dates.” Davis was charged with making sure Robinson was receiving her “cut” of money from the other two girls’ “dates” as Robinson expected to receive half the proceeds from all the “dates.” When Robinson learned she was not getting her “share” from MV1 and Beard, she and Davis abandoned MV1 and Beard in Omaha.
The other two co-defendants both plead guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor earlier this month. The maximum prison term for both of the co-defendants is a term of up to life. Alexas Davis is set for sentencing on December 18, 2024, and Khalah Beard is set for sentencing on January 15, 2025.
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 www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department, and the Wichita Police Department.
Vermont Man Charged with Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that on April 25, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Travis Collins, age 42, formerly of Chittenden County, Vermont with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Collins entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on September 24, 2024 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Collins be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, on January 9, 2024, Collins was arrested in downtown Burlington, Vermont, on outstanding State of Vermont warrants. At the time he was arrested, Collins was wearing a backpack that contained a loaded pistol. The pistol, which had an obliterated serial number, was later determined to have been stolen. Collins was held in state custody until his appearance in federal court on September 24.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Collins is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Collins faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Cate. Collins is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
U.S. Marshals Arrest over 3,400 fugitives in Operation North StarRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) arrested 3,421 violent fugitives, including 216 for homicide, 803 for assault, and 482 for weapons offenses, during the latest phase of its high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative called Operation North Star FY 2024 (ONS FY24).
ONS FY24 enforcement activities covered 74 operational days, from May 10 to Sept. 13, and targeted fugitives and violent offenders in 10 metropolitan areas, prioritizing those who used firearms in the commission of crimes or signaled high risk factors for violence. ONS FY24 targeted violent offenders wanted on warrants for homicide, sexual offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, and firearms violations. During the operation, investigators also seized 534 firearms, more than $508,000 in U.S. currency, and 456 kilograms in illegal narcotics, including 138 pounds and over 550,000 pills of deadly fentanyl.
The 10 metropolitan areas selected for ONS FY24 were identified using data from the National Crime Information Center and the FBI Uniform Crime Report, and included Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Charleston and North Charleston, South Carolina; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Phoenix; St. Louis (to include East St. Louis, Illinois); Birmingham, Alabama; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; and San Antonio.
“We first launched Operation North Star in 2022 to identify and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives and violent offenders,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “From May to September of this year, the U.S. Marshals Service worked with state and local law enforcement partners in 10 metropolitan areas to arrest more than 3,400 fugitives and violent offenders and seize large quantities of firearms and fentanyl. I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal, Task Force Officer, investigator, and police officer who carried out these arrests, and who did so at great risk to themselves.”
“Over the past year, the Marshals Service conducted Operation North Star in 10 cities across the country experiencing high levels of gun violence,” said USMS Director Ronald L. Davis. “Over 3,000 dangerous fugitives, including over 200 homicide suspects, were apprehended and removed from neighborhoods. The success of this operation is the result of the outstanding combined efforts of our Deputies and Task Force Officers, along with strong collaboration with the community and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”
Since July 2022, in a total of 30 locations, USMS Operation North Star initiatives have resulted in the apprehension of more than 10,200 wanted fugitives, including 1,153 charged with homicide, in addition to the removal of more than 1,425 weapons associated with violent crime. The agency utilized a data-driven, evidence-based approach to remove the dangerous criminals who are the drivers of violence in those communities. The concept behind interagency law enforcement operations such as ONS evolved largely from regional and district fugitive task forces. Since the 1980s, the USMS has combined its resources and expertise with local, state, and federal agencies to find and apprehend dangerous fugitives.
Significant arrests:
Aaron Michael Jones was arrested on May 20, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by members of the Middle Louisiana Task Force. He was wanted by the Baton Rouge Police Department for home invasion, domestic abuse battery, and child endangerment.
Hayden Bates-Vellmure, Jordan Elijah Jackson, Allan Gilbert, and Patrick Biscoe were arrested on May 22, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas, by members of the North Texas Fugitive Task Force. The four were wanted on charges relating to a drive-by shooting, which injured multiple children. The arrest team recovered nine handguns and one shotgun.
Garron Stevenson was arrested on May 21, in St. Louis, by USMS personnel from the Eastern District of Missouri. He was wanted for the unlawful use of a weapon and first-degree murder after opening fire at a street racing event, striking seven people and killing a 14-year-old. An AR-15 style rifle and a revolver were recovered during the arrest.
Michael Muldovan was arrested on Aug. 15, in Sterling, Virginia, by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. He was wanted in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for first degree statutory rape and indecent liberties with a child.
View ONS FY24 operational photographs here.
View the ONS FY24 B-Roll video here.
For more information on ONS FY24 visit USMarshals.gov.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to work with Fremont County to reduce domestic violenceRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming will be working closely with the Fremont County Attorney’s Office to prosecute gun crimes related to domestic violence. This comes as the U.S. Department of Justice designated Fremont County, along with 78 other communities across the United States, as communities that could benefit from increased intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders. This designation is made under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, also known as VAWA.
“The VAWA designation of Fremont County allows for a state prosecutor to serve as a Special Assistant United States Attorney who can then prosecute gun crimes in federal court,” explained Acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann. “This partnership will allow for the federal prosecution of appropriate domestic violence offenders prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms. Prosecution of federal gun crimes committed by these offenders will result in significant prison sentences, which will make Fremont County safer by removing these violent offenders from the community and deterring others from unlawfully possessing or using guns.”
Fremont County Attorney Patrick LeBrun remarked, “This partnership will greatly increase options available to Fremont County law enforcement in deterring violent domestic batterers from possessing firearms and escalating levels of violence. Local law enforcement is the front line defender fighting this scourge in Fremont County. And with this designation, the option of additional prosecution resources and stricter punishment for the appropriate offender will be a telephone call away.”
The VAWA designation and partnership between the Fremont County Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Justice Department program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and in support of the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
U.S. Attorney honors law enforcement for exceptional service in the Eastern District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber recognized officers and agents from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies from across the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) with Public Service Awards.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office typically holds annual awards ceremonies to recognize the law enforcement officials for their service and contribution to various criminal and civil cases investigated and prosecuted in EDVA. Award ceremonies took place Sept. 4 in Alexandria, Sept. 16 in Richmond, Sept. 25 in Newport News, and Sept. 26 in Norfolk.
“This annual recognition of our law enforcement partners is truly one of my favorite events each year,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This event allows us to share with these dedicated public servants our appreciation for their efforts. The gratitude we express here and now is the gratitude we hold each day.”
The awards highlighted federal cases, operations, and initiatives from 2023. The federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies listed below had officers and/or agents who were recognized for their bravery, outstanding collaboration, investigative achievement, investigative excellence, and victim assistance. Members of the following agencies were recognized at each of the ceremonies:
AlexandriaRichmondNewport NewsNorfolkArlington County Police DepartmentArmy CIDATF Washington Field DivisionATF Washington Field DivisionArmy CIDATF Washington Field DivisionDepartment of Labor OIGChesapeake Police DepartmentArmy Criminal Investigative ServiceChesterfield County Police DepartmentDiplomatic Security ServiceDrug Enforcement AdministrationATF Washington Field DivisionCity of Richmond OIGDrug Enforcement AdministrationFBI - Norfolk Field OfficeBaltimore City Police DepartmentDepartment of Labor OIGFBI - Norfolk Field OfficeFranklin Police DepartmentD.C. Metropolitan Police DepartmentDepartment of Labor OIGHomeland Security InvestigationsGreensboro Police DepartmentDefense Criminal Investigative ServiceDrug Enforcement AdministrationInternal Revenue Service - Criminal InvestigationsHomeland Security InvestigationsDOJ - Child Exploitation and Obscenity SectionFBI - Richmond Field OfficeNewport News Police DepartmentNaval Criminal Investigative ServiceDrug Enforcement AdministrationHenrico County Police DepartmentU.S. Marshals ServiceNorfolk Police DepartmentFairfax County Police DepartmentHomeland Security InvestigationsU.S. Postal Inspection ServiceNorfolk Sheriff's OfficeFBI - Washington Field OfficeICEVirginia State PolicePortsmouth Police DepartmentFederal Reserve Board of Governors and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau OIGInternal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations Portsmouth Police DepartmentGeneral Services Administration OIGOffice of the Va. Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Suffolk Police DepartmentHHS OIGPetersburg Bureau of Police U.S. Postal Inspection ServiceHomeland Security InvestigationsPrince George County Police Department U.S. Postal Service OIGHyattsville Police DepartmentRichmond Police Department Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's OfficeICESmall Business Administration OIG Virginia Beach Police DepartmentInternal Revenue Service - Criminal InvestigationsU.S. Marshals Service Virginia State PoliceLabor OIGU.S. Postal Inspection Service Office of Naval Research, U.S. NavyU.S. Secret Service Office of the Va. Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control UnitVeterans Affairs OIG Prince William County Police DepartmentVirginia State Police Treasury OIG U.S. Air Force U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Marshals Service U.S. Postal Inspection Service U.S. Postal Service OIG Virginia Conservation PoliceA copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
U.K. National Charged with Multimillion-Dollar Hack-to-Trade Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A United Kingdom national has been charged for his execution of a hack-to-trade scheme, through which he generated millions of dollars in profits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Robert Westbrook, 39, of London, United Kingdom, was arrested in the United Kingdom this week with a view towards extradition to the United States so that he can face an indictment charging him with securities fraud, wire fraud, and five counts of computer fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2019 through May 2020, Westbrook executed a hack-to-trade scheme through which he generated millions of dollars in profits. On at least five occasions, Westbrook gained unauthorized access to Office365 email accounts belonging to corporate executives employed by certain U.S.-based companies to obtain non-public information, including information about impending earnings announcements. Westbrook then used that information to purchase securities that he sold in short order for substantial profits after the material information became public. On several occasions, Westbrook implemented auto-forwarding rules designed to automatically forward content from the corporate executives’ compromised email accounts to email accounts controlled by Westbrook. Westbrook generated profits exceeding $3 million dollars through this scheme.
The securities fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $5 million. The wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of either $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Each computer fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of either $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also filed a civil complaint against Westbrook today based on the same conduct.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha C. Fasanello, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tucker Man Pleads Guilty to Burglary on Choctaw ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Tucker man pled guilty to the burglary of a home in the Tucker Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Reservation.
According to court documents, in December 2021, Sherente Tubby, 22, broke into the home of another person with intent to commit assault.
Tubby is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2024, and faces a minimum of three years and a maximum of twenty-five years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Tigard Mother and Daughter Indicted for Holding Three Victims in Indentured Servitude in Adult Foster Care HomeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A mother and daughter from Tigard, Oregon were arraigned in federal court today after they were indicted for using force and threats to compel three victims, including a minor victim, to work for little or no pay in an adult foster care home.
Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 66, and Yolandita Marie Andre, 30, have been charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiring with one another to commit forced labor, committing forced labor, and benefitting from forced labor.
According to court documents, Valmont and Andre, the owners and operators of Velida’s Care Home in Tigard, began their trafficking scheme in 2023 when they convinced two adults and a child from Haiti to travel to the United States to work at Velida’s.
In early September 2023, all three victims arrived in Portland and were immediately taken to Velida’s where they were forced to work long, difficult hours for little or no pay. Valmont and Andre are also alleged to have taken their victims’ immigration paperwork and forbade them from leaving Velida’s under any circumstances. Valmont is further alleged to have thrown items at the victims, threatened to send them back to Haiti and have them killed, and threatened to call the police and make false theft allegations against them.
In the summer of 2023, authorities with the Oregon Department of Justice were alerted to the situation at Velida’s following the minor victim’s disclosure of her indentured servitude to a pediatrician. Shortly after, the minor victim was removed from Velida’s and placed in a foster home. On Thursday, the FBI arrested Valmont and Andre at Velida’s without incident.
Both defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released pending further court proceedings.
Committing and benefitting from forced labor are both punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison per count of conviction.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Tigard Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Eliza Carmen-Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
If you believe a child is involved in a trafficking situation, you can also submit a tip via the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST. FBI personnel assigned to NCMEC review information provided to the CyberTipline.
Three IRGC Cyber Actors Indicted for ‘Hack-and-Leak’ Operation Designed to Influence the 2024 U.S. Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Iranian nationals, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) employees, Masoud Jalili, 36, also known as, مسعود جلیلی, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, 34, also known as, سید علی آقامیری, and Yaser Balaghi, 37, also known as, یاسر بلاغی, with a conspiracy with others known and unknown to hack into accounts of current and former U.S. officials, members of the media, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals associated with U.S. political campaigns. The activity was part of Iran’s continuing efforts to stoke discord, erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process, and unlawfully acquire information relating to current and former U.S. officials that could be used to advance the malign activities of the IRGC, including ongoing efforts to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC – Qods Force (IRGC-QF).
As alleged, in or around May 2024, after several years of focusing on compromising the accounts of former U.S. government officials, the conspirators used some of the same hacking infrastructure from earlier in the conspiracy to begin targeting and successfully gaining unauthorized access to personal accounts belonging to persons associated with an identified U.S. Presidential campaign (U.S. Presidential Campaign 1), including campaign officials. The conspirators used their access to those accounts to steal, among other information, non-public campaign documents and emails (campaign material). The activity broadened in late June 2024, when the conspirators engaged in a “hack-and-leak” operation, in which they sought to weaponize campaign material stolen from U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 by leaking such materials to members of the media and individuals associated with what was then another identified U.S. Presidential campaign (U.S. Presidential Campaign 2), in a deliberate effort to, as reflected in the conspirators’ own words and actions, undermine U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
“The Justice Department is working relentlessly to uncover and counter Iran’s cyberattacks aimed at stoking discord, undermining confidence in our democratic institutions, and influencing our elections,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The American people – not Iran, or any other foreign power – will decide the outcome of our country’s elections.”
“This indictment alleges a serious and sustained effort by a state-sponsored terrorist organization to gather intelligence through hacking personal accounts so they can use the hacked materials to harm Americans and corruptly influence our election,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The detailed allegations in the indictment should make clear to anyone who might attempt to do the same that the Department of Justice has the ability to gather evidence of such crimes from around the globe, will charge those who commit such crimes, and will do whatever we can to bring those charged to justice.”
"The defendants' hack-to-leak scheme is one of the Iranian government's latest ploys to erode public trust in the U.S. presidential election process," said FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office. "The FBI will not tolerate malign foreign influence operations targeting U.S. political campaigns or voters. We will continue to work with our partners, as we have this year and during previous elections cycles, to identify and disrupt threats to elections and protect Americans' right to vote."
As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around January 2020, Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi, working on behalf of the IRGC, commenced a wide-ranging hacking campaign that used spearphishing and social engineering techniques to target and compromise victims computers and accounts. Among the conspirators’ techniques were: using virtual private networks and virtual private servers to obscure their true location; creating fraudulent email accounts in the names of prominent U.S. persons and international institutions; creating spoofed login pages to harvest account credentials; sending spearphishing emails using compromised victim accounts; and using social engineering to obtain victims’ login information and multi-factor recovery/authentication codes. Some of the conspirators’ efforts were successful, while others were not.
In April 2019, the U.S. Department of State designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. Among the purposes of the conspiracy were for the conspirators to: (i) steal victims’ data, such as information related to U.S. government and foreign policy information concerning the Middle East; (ii) steal information relating to current and former U.S. officials that could be used to advance the IRGC’s malign activities; (iii) disrupt U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East; (iv) stoke discord and erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process; (v) steal personal and private information from persons who had access to information relating to U.S. Presidential Campaign 1, including non-public campaign material and information; and (vi) undermine U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election by leaking stolen campaign material and information.
As reflected in the September 18, 2024 joint statement released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: “Iranian malicious cyber actors in late June and early July sent unsolicited emails to individuals then associated with President Biden’s campaign that contained an excerpt taken from stolen, non-public material from former Trump’s campaign as text in the emails. There is currently no information indicating those recipients replied. Furthermore, Iranian malicious cyber actors have continued their efforts since June to send stolen, non-public material associated with former President Trump’s campaign to U.S. media organizations.”
As alleged in further detail in the indictment, the conspirators’ hack-and-leak efforts involved the conspirators emailing stolen campaign material to individuals that the conspirators believed were associated with what was then U.S. Presidential Campaign 2 and members of the media.
First, between on or about June 27 and July 3, the conspirators sent or forwarded an unsolicited email message to personal accounts of three persons that the conspirators believed were associated with U.S. Presidential Campaign 2. The June 27 email was sent to two recipients, and then forwarded the same day to another account for one of those recipients (due to the earlier email being sent to an invalid account for that recipient). This email chain contained campaign material stolen from an official for U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 (U.S. Victim 11). Neither of the recipients replied to the conspirators’ email. In addition, the conspirators sent a follow up email on July 3rd to a third recipient’s account, and the recipient similarly did not reply to the conspirators.
Second, between on or about July 22, 2024, and on or about August 31, 2024, the conspirators distributed other campaign material stolen from U.S. Victim 11 regarding U.S. Presidential Campaign 1’s potential vice-presidential candidates to multiple members of the news media, in an attempt to induce the news media to publish the material. In one instance, for example, the conspirators’ message stated “I think this information is worth a good [U.S. news publication] piece with your narration. Let me know your thoughts.”
As alleged, these defendants also sought to promote the IRGC’s goals and mission by compromising and maintaining unauthorized access to the email accounts of a number of former government officials, including U.S. Victim 1, who had served in a position with responsibility over U.S. Middle East policy at the time of Qasam Soleimani’s death. Using this access, the defendants obtained information to assist the IRGC’s efforts to target U.S. Victim 1 and others, including their means of identification, correspondence, travel information, lodging information and other information regarding their whereabouts and policy positions.
Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi are charged with: conspiracy to commit identity theft, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud, unauthorized access to computers to obtain information from a protected computer, unauthorized access to computers to defraud and obtain a thing of value, and wire fraud, all while knowingly falsely registering domain names, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison; conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; eight counts of wire fraud while falsely registering domain names, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 27 years in prison; and eight counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State, through the Rewards for Justice Program, issued a reward of up to $10 million for information on Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi, the IRGC’s interference in U.S. elections, or associated individuals and entities. Also, concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, as amended, and E.O. 13848 designated Jalili for being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, a cyber-enabled activity originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States that is reasonably likely to result in, or has materially contributed to, a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States and that has the purpose or effect of causing a significant misappropriation of funds or economic resources, trade secrets, personal identifiers, or financial information for commercial or competitive advantage or private financial gain.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating this case. The FBI Cyber Division and Springfield and Minneapolis Field Offices provided substantial assistance in this matter. For more information on threat activity as well as mitigation guidance, the FBI has released a Joint Cyber Security Advisory titled “Iranian Cyber Actors Targeting Personal Accounts to Support Operations.”
The Department of Justice would like to thank the following private sector partners for their assistance with this case: Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Meta.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla and Christopher Tortorice for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Greg Nicosia of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from Paralegal Specialists Mariela Andrade and Kate Abrey. Josh Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section also provided valuable assistance.
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An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
hack_to_leak_indictment_20240927_.pdfFBI Most Wanted Poster English
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Three IRGC Cyber Actors Indicted for ‘Hack-and-Leak’ Operation Designed to Influence the 2024 U.S. Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictment here and the FBI Wanted Poster here.
The Justice Department today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Iranian nationals, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) employees, Masoud Jalili, 36, also known as, مسعود جلیلی, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, 34, also known as, سید علی آقامیری, and Yaser Balaghi, 37, also known as, یاسر بلاغی (the Conspirators), with a conspiracy with others known and unknown to hack into accounts of current and former U.S. officials, members of the media, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals associated with U.S. political campaigns. The activity was part of Iran’s continuing efforts to stoke discord, erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process, and unlawfully acquire information relating to current and former U.S. officials that could be used to advance the malign activities of the IRGC, including ongoing efforts to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC – Qods Force (IRGC-QF).
As alleged, in or around May, after several years of focusing on compromising the accounts of former U.S. government officials, the conspirators used some of the same hacking infrastructure from earlier in the conspiracy to begin targeting and successfully gaining unauthorized access to personal accounts belonging to persons associated with an identified U.S. Presidential campaign (U.S. Presidential Campaign 1), including campaign officials. The conspirators used their access to those accounts to steal, among other information, non-public campaign documents and emails (campaign material). The activity broadened in late June, when the conspirators engaged in a “hack-and-leak” operation, in which they sought to weaponize campaign material stolen from U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 by leaking such materials to members of the media and individuals associated with what was then another identified U.S. Presidential campaign (U.S. Presidential Campaign 2), in a deliberate effort to, as reflected in the conspirators’ own words and actions, undermine U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
“The Justice Department is working relentlessly to uncover and counter Iran’s cyberattacks aimed at stoking discord, undermining confidence in our democratic institutions, and influencing our elections,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The American people – not Iran, or any other foreign power – will decide the outcome of our country’s elections.”
“Today’s charges represent the culmination of a thorough and long-running FBI investigation that has resulted in the indictment of three Iranian nationals for their roles in a wide-ranging hacking campaign sponsored by the Government of Iran,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The conduct laid out in the indictment is just the latest example of Iran’s brazen behavior. So today the FBI would like to send a message to the Government of Iran – you and your hackers can’t hide behind your keyboards.”
“These hack-and-leak efforts by Iran are a direct assault on the integrity of our democratic processes,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Iranian government actors have long sought to use cyber-enabled means to harm U.S. interests. This case demonstrates our commitment to expose attempts by the Iranian regime or any other foreign actor to interfere with our free and open society.”
“This indictment alleges a serious and sustained effort by a state-sponsored terrorist organization to gather intelligence through hacking personal accounts so they can use the hacked materials to harm Americans and corruptly influence our election,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “The detailed allegations in the indictment should make clear to anyone who might attempt to do the same that the Justice Department has the ability to gather evidence of such crimes from around the globe, will charge those who commit such crimes, and will do whatever we can to bring those charged to justice.”
As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around January 2020, Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi, working on behalf of the IRGC, commenced a wide-ranging hacking campaign that used spearphishing and social engineering techniques to target and compromise victims computers and accounts. Among the conspirators’ techniques were: using virtual private networks and virtual private servers to obscure their true location; creating fraudulent email accounts in the names of prominent U.S. persons and international institutions; creating spoofed login pages to harvest account credentials; sending spearphishing emails using compromised victim accounts; and using social engineering to obtain victims’ login information and multi-factor recovery/authentication codes. Some of the conspirators’ efforts were successful, while others were not.
In April 2019, the Department of State designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. Among the purposes of the conspiracy were for the conspirators to: (i) steal victims’ data, such as information related to U.S. government and foreign policy information concerning the Middle East; (ii) steal information relating to current and former U.S. officials that could be used to advance the IRGC’s malign activities; (iii) disrupt U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East; (iv) stoke discord and erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process; (v) steal personal and private information from persons who had access to information relating to U.S. Presidential Campaign 1, including non-public campaign material and information; and (vi) undermine U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election by leaking stolen campaign material and information.
As reflected in the Sept. 18 joint statement released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, FBI, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: “Iranian malicious cyber actors in late June and early July sent unsolicited emails to individuals then associated with President Biden’s campaign that contained an excerpt taken from stolen, non-public material from former Trump’s campaign as text in the emails. There is currently no information indicating those recipients replied. Furthermore, Iranian malicious cyber actors have continued their efforts since June to send stolen, non-public material associated with former President Trump’s campaign to U.S. media organizations.”
As alleged in further detail in the indictment, the conspirators’ hack-and-leak efforts involved the conspirators emailing stolen campaign material to individuals that the conspirators believed were associated with what was then U.S. Presidential Campaign 2 and members of the media.
First, between on or about June 27 and July 3, the conspirators sent or forwarded an unsolicited email message to personal accounts of three persons that the conspirators believed were associated with U.S. Presidential Campaign 2. The June 27 email was sent to two recipients, and then forwarded the same day to another account for one of those recipients (due to the earlier email being sent to an invalid account for that recipient). This email chain contained campaign material stolen from an official for U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 (U.S. Victim 11). Neither of the recipients replied to the conspirators’ email. In addition, the conspirators sent a follow up email on July 3rd to a third recipient’s account, and the recipient similarly did not reply to the Conspirators.
Second, between on or about July 22 and on or about Aug. 31, the conspirators distributed other campaign material stolen from U.S. Victim 11 regarding U.S. Presidential Campaign 1’s potential vice-presidential candidates to multiple members of the news media, in an attempt to induce the news media to publish the material. In one instance, for example, the conspirators’ message stated “I think this information is worth a good [U.S. news publication] piece with your narration. Let me know your thoughts.”
As alleged, these defendants also sought to promote the IRGC’s goals and mission by compromising and maintaining unauthorized access to the email accounts of a number of former government officials, including U.S. Victim 1, who had served in a position with responsibility over U.S. Middle East policy at the time of Qasam Soleimani’s death. Using this access, the defendants obtained information to assist the IRGC’s efforts to target U.S. Victim 1 and others, including their means of identification, correspondence, travel information, lodging information and other information regarding their whereabouts and policy positions.
Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi are charged with: conspiracy to commit identity theft, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud, unauthorized access to computers to obtain information from a protected computer, unauthorized access to computers to defraud and obtain a thing of value, and wire fraud, all while knowingly falsely registering domain names, which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison; conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; eight counts of wire fraud while falsely registering domain names, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 27 years in prison; and eight counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Concurrent with today’s announcement, the Department of State, through the Rewards for Justice Program, issued a reward of up to $10 million for information on Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi, the IRGC’s interference in U.S. elections, or associated individuals and entities. Also, concurrent with today’s announcement, the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, as amended, and E.O. 13848 designated Jalili for being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, a cyber-enabled activity originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States that is reasonably likely to result in, or has materially contributed to, a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States and that has the purpose or effect of causing a significant misappropriation of funds or economic resources, trade secrets, personal identifiers, or financial information for commercial or competitive advantage or private financial gain.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating this case. The FBI Cyber Division and Springfield and Minneapolis Field Offices provided substantial assistance in this matter. For more information on threat activity as well as mitigation guidance, the FBI has released a Joint Cyber Security Advisory titled “Iranian Cyber Actors Targeting Personal Accounts to Support Operations.”
The Justice Department would like to thank the following private sector partners for their assistance with this case: Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Meta.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla and Christopher Tortorice for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Greg Nicosia of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from Paralegal Specialists Mariela Andrade and Kate Abrey. Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section also provided valuable assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Taylorville, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to Three Years of Probation and Ordered to Pay $600,000 in Restitution for Stealing from the Christian County YMCARead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Taylorville, Illinois, woman, Lori Zeitler, 65, was sentenced on September 26, 2024, to three years of probation and ordered to pay $600,000 in restitution after being convicted of five counts of wire fraud.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Zeitler took advantage of her position of trust as an employee of the Christian County, Illinois, YMCA and stole at least $292,336.29 and was responsible for $600,000 in loss. Zeitler worked at the YMCA for 32 years in various roles, including bookkeeper. Zeitler’s theft was discovered when the YMCA switched to an internet-based accounting software.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that in addition to the money Zeitler took from the YMCA, she also broke the trust between the organization and the community. Judge Myerscough noted that Zeitler’s crimes against the YMCA were almost unbelievable.
On March 28, 2024, Zeitler appeared in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. McNaught and pleaded guilty to all counts in the indictment.
The statutory penalties for wire fraud are up to twenty years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and restitution as set by the court.
“The impact of the defendant’s deception is wide reaching, as the money she stole deprived the Christian County YMCA of funds that should have gone towards needed facility improvements and to support programs for members,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore. “The restitution order is a just result that will help the YMCA to continue their mission in serving the community.”
“As a YMCA employee of 32 years, Lori Zeitler developed a long-time pattern of embezzlement, using her position of trust to steal from her employer, and ultimately shortchanging the community the YMCA serves,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “We at the FBI and our law enforcement partners will always pursue justice in an effort to preserve the public’s trust in its valued institutions.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; the Taylorville Police Department; and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of a Cell Phone StoreRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A man has pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of a St. Paul cell phone store, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on April 5, 2024, Johnnie Ward, Jr., 33, walked into a cell phone store in St. Paul, with an accomplice who was carrying a torch lighter. While the accomplice pointed the weapon at the store clerk, Ward demanded access to the safe in the back storage room, telling his victim to “hurry up or else.” Ward and his accomplice ultimately fled the store with several cell phones.
Ward pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Susan Richard Nelson to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January 28, 2025.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen is prosecuting the case.
Springfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Nationwide Controlled Substance ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to an indictment charging conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
Denise Guyette, 31, of Springfield, Mass. was charged in February 2023 along with Gerardo Garza, a/k/a “Oso,” of Yuma, Ariz., and Nathan Boddie, Pawtucket, R.I., in an indictment alleging conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. In June 2023, a federal grand jury sitting in Boston returned a superseding indictment alleging that 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine were attributable to Guyette.
In or about April 2022, law enforcement opened an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO). Guyette conspired with Garza, Boddie and others to traffic various controlled substances – including methamphetamine, fentanyl pills and cocaine – in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and elsewhere. The DTO routinely used the mail to ship drugs from Arizona to Massachusetts, often hiding the drugs within packages containing children’s items such as toy trucks, Halloween decorations and Disney items. Between May and October 2022, investigators seized seven packages containing a total of over 900 grams of methamphetamine, thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, as well as suspected Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a very strong psychedelic.
At the time of Guyette’s arrest on Feb. 8, 2023, approximately 6.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and over 2,700 counterfeit fentanyl pills weighing over 300 grams were located in a safe in her bedroom. A digital scale as well as multiple Rhode Island and Massachusetts driver’s licenses, Social Security cards and credit cards in the names of other individuals were also found during a search of Guyette’s residence.
Boddie and Garza have both pleaded guilty. On September 19, 2023, Boddie was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Hudson Police Chief Richard DiPersio made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Imperial County Resident Agency and Yuma Resident Agency; United States Postal Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Woonsocket (R.I.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Shipping Companies Sentenced to $2M Criminal Penalty for Concealing Oil DischargeRead the Press Release
Two corporations that operated the motor tanker P/S Dream — Prive Overseas Marine LLC and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret — were sentenced yesterday in federal court in New Orleans to pay a $2 million criminal penalty and complete four years of probation. The companies pleaded guilty in May to charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). The court sentenced the P/S Dream’s Captain, Abdurrahman Korkmaz, on Sept. 10 to eight months in prison for an APPS offense and obstructing the U.S. Coast Guard’s investigation.
The charges pertain to the investigation of the P/S Dream vessel when it was heading to New Orleans in January 2023. Senior corporate managers were aware that Korkmaz had arranged to discharge oil-contaminated waste from a residual tank on deck into the ocean. The captain ordered the crew to pump the waste overboard and clean the tank with soap. The seamen rigged a portable pump to empty the contents overboard over three days. The defendants falsified the vessel’s oil record book by omitting the discharge.
One of the crew members alerted the Coast Guard and shared videos of the discharge and resulting oil sheen. When the ship arrived in Louisiana, another crew member came forward and gave the Coast Guard a recording of an officer discussing the discharge.
The falsified logs, presented to the Coast Guard during its inspection, were intended to conceal the fact that the crew had dumped oil-contaminated waste overboard in violation of MARPOL Annex I, an international treaty regulating oil pollution from ships. Corporate representatives at Prive Shipping were aware that the oil-contaminated waste remained in the tank and were informed by the ship’s master that it had been dumped overboard.
The $2 million criminal penalty includes $500,000 in organizational community service payments that will fund various maritime environmental projects in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Those projects will be managed by the congressionally established National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
Captain Korkmaz is a Turkish national. Prive Overseas Marine is based in Dubai and Prive Shipping is headquartered in Turkey. As a condition of probation, the corporations must also adhere to an environmental compliance plan mandating audit, safety and inspection requirements over the next four years.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service and EPA Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case with assistance from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans.
Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Dall Kammer and Christine M. Calogero for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
Prive JFS Filed.pdf Exhibits Prive.pdfShipping Companies Sentenced to $2M Criminal Penalty for Concealing Oil DischargeRead the Press Release
Captain Received Eight Month Prison Term
WASHINGTON — Two corporations that operated the motor tanker P/S Dream — Prive Overseas Marine LLC and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret — were sentenced yesterday in federal court in New Orleans to pay a $2 million criminal penalty and complete four years of probation. The companies pleaded guilty in May to charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). The court sentenced the P/S Dream’s Captain, Abdurrahman Korkmaz, on Sept. 10 to eight months in prison for an APPS offense and obstructing the U.S. Coast Guard’s investigation.
The charges pertain to the investigation of the P/S Dream vessel when it was heading to New Orleans in January 2023. Senior corporate managers were aware that Korkmaz had arranged to discharge oil-contaminated waste from a residual tank on deck into the ocean. The captain ordered the crew to pump the waste overboard and clean the tank with soap. The seamen rigged a portable pump to empty the contents overboard over three days. The defendants falsified the vessel’s oil record book by omitting the discharge.
One of the crew members alerted the Coast Guard and shared videos of the discharge and resulting oil sheen. When the ship arrived in Louisiana, another crew member came forward and gave the Coast Guard a recording of an officer discussing the discharge.
The falsified logs, presented to the Coast Guard during its inspection, were intended to conceal the fact that the crew had dumped oil-contaminated waste overboard in violation of MARPOL Annex I, an international treaty regulating oil pollution from ships. Corporate representatives at Prive Shipping were aware that the oil-contaminated waste remained in the tank and were informed by the ship’s master that it had been dumped overboard.
The $2 million criminal penalty includes $500,000 in organizational community service payments that will fund various maritime environmental projects in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Those projects will be managed by the congressionally established National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
Captain Korkmaz is a Turkish national. Prive Overseas Marine is based in Dubai and Prive Shipping is headquartered in Turkey. As a condition of probation, the corporations must also adhere to an environmental compliance plan mandating audit, safety and inspection requirements over the next four years.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service and EPA Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case with assistance from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans.
Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Dall Kammer and Christine M. Calogero for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
exhibits_prive.pdf prive_jfs_filed.pdfSerial Sex Offender Is First Defendant Charged Under New Secure DC Law Targeting Repeat Sexual AbusersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Hilliard, 65, of no fixed address, was charged by complaint today in D.C. Superior Court with one count of enhanced misdemeanor sexual abuse (a felony) and two counts of third-degree sexual abuse for sexually touching a treating nurse at George Washington University Hospital, a stranger to him. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Hilliard is detained pending a September 30, 2024, preliminary hearing.
According to the complaint, at approximately 9:00 a.m., on September 26, 2024, the victim attempted to draw blood from Hilliard, where he sat inside of a hospital room. Hilliard requested to sit in a chair to get his blood drawn. As the nurse approached him, Hilliard grabbed her into a face-to-face bear hug. He then touched her on her genitalia and buttocks.
Hilliard has more than three prior convictions for misdemeanor sexual abuse. Most recently, he pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court on December 19, 2023, to two misdemeanor charges for sexually abusing a woman and physically assaulting another, both of whom were strangers to him.
Hilliard is the first individual charged with enhanced misdemeanor sexual abuse, a felony created by the D.C. Council’s Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024. Before this legislation went into effect, repeat offenders who committed such assaults could not be charged with a felony, no matter how many times this Office had prosecuted those defendants, often for virtually identical misdemeanor sexual abuse conduct.
“The reason we advocated so vigorously for this change and are so appreciative of its enactment is that there is a relatively small population of offenders who repeatedly commit this offense that are not deterred by misdemeanor convictions,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves. “This new law allows our Office to charge these individuals with felonies so that we can advocate for them to be removed from our community for longer periods of time.”
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Houck.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Santa Maria Man Charged in Federal Complaint Alleging He Injured Five People in Bomb Attack in Lobby of County CourthouseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Barbara County man was charged today in a federal criminal complaint alleging he committed a bomb attack at a courthouse in Santa Maria on Wednesday, in which at least five people were injured.
Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, of Santa Maria, is charged with maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive.
McGuire, who was arrested Wednesday shortly after the attack, is expected to make his initial appearance Friday afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on September 25, McGuire entered a courthouse of Santa Barbara County Superior Court and threw a bag into the lobby. The bag exploded and McGuire left the courthouse on foot. The explosion injured at least five people who were present at the courthouse at that time.
Shortly thereafter, McGuire was apprehended and detained by Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies as he was trying to access a red Ford Mustang car parked outside the building. McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel.
Inside the car, a deputy saw ammunition, a flare gun, and a box of fireworks. A search of the car revealed a shotgun, a rifle, more ammunition, a suspected bomb, and 10 Molotov cocktails. Law enforcement later rendered the bomb safe.
A search of McGuire’s residence revealed an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks, and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material.
“This defendant’s alleged misconduct was chilling,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Not only did he injure five people and traumatize many more, but he possessed a cache of weapons that would have allowed him to wreak even greater destruction had he not been stopped. Attacks on our courts, law enforcement officers, and other public servants are unacceptable, and it is critical that those who carry out such assaults be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
“The idea of intentionally setting off an explosive device to do harm and avoid justice in the process shocks the conscience,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Make no mistake, we are committed to holding Mr. McGuire accountable for this blatant act of violence. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety.”
“This was a shocking and unprecedented crime in our county, but, in spite of its audacity, the security of the Santa Maria courthouse was maintained,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown. “The suspect was swiftly apprehended by a court security officer, a sheriff’s deputy, two California Highway Patrol officers, and a district attorney’s investigator; we are proud of their resolute actions that almost certainly prevented further violence. We are also grateful for the substantial investigative assistance that has been provided by our colleagues with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and from U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada and his office.”
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, McGuire would face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
The FBI and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Takla and Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island, Illinois, man, Marques Dupree Wilson, 39, was sentenced on September 17, 2024, to 100 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara L. Darrow, the government established that Wilson not only possessed a firearm but discharged that firearm multiple times into an unoccupied home in Rock Island. During the hearing, Judge Darrow noted that Wilson had a significant criminal history, which included prior instances of inflicting harm on others.
Wilson pleaded guilty to the felon-in-possession count in July 2023. The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Rock Island Police Department investigated the matter, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.
The 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.
Repeat Felon Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing ammunition as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2023, officers with the St. Paul Police Department responded to a residence after receiving a 911-call reporting that several males with firearms were in and around an SUV parked near the residence. Officers learned that one of the males was Travis Howard Warner, 31, who had been involved in a St. Paul bar fight the night prior where he brandished a firearm with an extended magazine and threatened two people with the firearm during the fight. When officers arrived at the residence, Warner exited the SUV and began walking toward the side entrance of the residence, ignoring officers’ commands to stop. Officers arrested Warner on an active felony warrant from a prior incident. Through the windows of the SUV, officers observed a firearm sticking out from under the driver’s seat and a box of cash on the front passenger’s seat. Law enforcement later obtained and executed a search warrant on the SUV and recovered, among other items, $3,157 in cash, a plastic bag containing 50 M30 fentanyl pills, and a ghost gun with an attached large-capacity magazine, loaded with 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition and with one round in the chamber. Warner could not be excluded from being a possible contributor to the DNA profile detected on the firearm and matched the DNA profile found on the bag containing the fentanyl pills.
Because Warner has multiple prior felony convictions in Ramsey and Dakota Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On June 18, 2024, Warner pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of ammunition as a felon. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.
Readout of Departments of Justice and Interior Roundtable on Media Coverage of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Peoples and Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
Senior officials from the Justice Department and Department of the Interior yesterday convened a roundtable discussion with Tribal leaders, advocates, members of the media, and federal officials to discuss how media coverage can be channeled to help address the crisis of missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking (HT).
The virtual roundtable was organized as part of the federal response to the recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission (NIAC) — a federal advisory committee established in November 2023 under the Not Invisible Act of 2019 to recommend strategies for combating violent crime on Indian lands and against American Indian and Alaska Native people. During seven field hearings across the country as well as a virtual national hearing that informed the Commission’s recommendations, people affected by the crisis of MMIP and HT shared their concerns about lack of media coverage and whether that may contribute to cases being ignored or going unsolved. The Commission in turn recommended the Justice Department and Department of the Interior hold a roundtable discussion as a step toward developing a set of best practices.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and delivered video remarks.
“Public communication, news stories, and social media can be crucial in finding and investigating cases of missing or murdered Indigenous persons,” said Attorney General Garland. “That is why, on the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendation, we convened this roundtable to develop best practices and guidelines to aid law enforcement, families, advocates, and journalists when a member of a Native community is reported missing. It is our hope that this convening will strengthen those partnerships, which are essential to advancing our shared goal of ending this crisis.”
“Since day one, the Biden-Harris administration has been committed to fulfilling our promises to Indian Country,” said Secretary Haaland, who authored the Not Invisible Act while in Congress. “This roundtable is part of that promise as we act on one of the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations because a crisis that exists in silence will never be solved. Today is one step of many to ensure our missing relatives’ stories are told.”
Attorney General Garland also announced that this month, the Justice Department will award more than $210 million to American Indian and Alaska Native communities through three separate programs to support a wide range of public safety challenges. These funds will go directly to efforts to support Tribal safety. They include programs dedicated to reducing domestic violence and sexual violence, supporting victims of crime, and providing resources to law enforcement, Tribal youth programs, and treatment programs.
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer delivered opening remarks at the roundtable, saying “it is critical now, more than ever,” to work together to draw attention to the MMIP and HT crises. “The potential for immediate, real-time alerts makes media, particularly social media, a powerful tool to get the word out fast when emergencies happen. And the widespread use of media facilitates information sharing and collaboration that can help resolve missing persons cases.”
Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland opened the roundtable and said, “The overarching principle that guides our work is to make life better for people in Tribal communities and making sure that Indian people have the opportunity to live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives in their tribal communities. Public safety is a big part of this, and addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis and human trafficking are at the forefront of our public safety work.”
In August, Attorney General Garland and Secretary Haaland visited New Mexico to discuss efforts to confront the MMIP crisis and human trafficking with federal and Tribal leaders. Under Attorney General Garland and Secretary Haaland’s leadership, the Biden-Harris Administration has worked to address the high rates of violent crime in Indian Country. Read more about these efforts.
The Departments plan to publish best practices stemming from this discussion by the end of the year. To submit recommendations, email [email protected] no later than Friday, Oct. 4.
Additional Background on the Departments of Justice and Interior’s commitment to addressing MMIP and HT
Law Enforcement Collaboration: At the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and FBI announced an agreement to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in Indian Country. The agreement specified that BIA’s Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) and the FBI would cooperate on investigations and share information and investigative reports as well as establish written guidelines outlining jurisdiction and investigative roles and responsibilities. The agreement also requires that all BIA, FBI and Tribal law enforcement officers receive training regarding trauma-informed, culturally responsive investigative approaches.
Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU): As one of her first acts as Secretary, Secretary Haaland created a new MMU within BIA-OJS to pursue justice for missing or murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The MMU, headquartered in Albuquerque, provides leadership and direction for cross-Departmental and interagency work involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The MMU has enabled the Interior Department to expand its collaborative efforts with other agencies, such as working to enhance the Justice Department’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) and working through strategic partnerships with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Units (BAUs), the FBI Forensic Laboratory, the USMS’ Missing Child Unit (MCU) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
MMIP Regional Outreach Program: Since the start of this Administration, the Justice Department has made strides in implementing systems aimed at preventing new instances of MMIP, locating individuals who are reported missing, and, where a crime has occurred, investigating and prosecuting those responsible. In Summer 2023, the Department launched an MMIP Regional Outreach Program. This program places attorneys and coordinators at U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people.
Not Invisible Act Commission: The Departments worked collaboratively to stand up the Not Invisible Act Commission, which was created by legislation the Secretary led in Congress, to develop recommendations on how the federal government can combat crimes against American Indian and Alaska Native people. The Commission included federal, state, and Tribal law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors. In 2023, the Commission held seven field hearings across the country as well as a virtual national hearing to hear directly from individuals affected by the MMIP crisis. In March, the Departments released their response to the Commission’s recommendations, which they are in the process of implementing in collaboration with Congress.
Operation Not Forgotten: The FBI established this operation to focus resources on seeking justice for Tribal community members who have been victims of unresolved crimes. Operation Not Forgotten first surged resources to Tribal communities in 2023 with the mission of examining cases that have gone unresolved. The goal was to move those cases closer to resolution, provide services for victims, and to bring offenders to justice, who had so far escaped it. Due to the success of the 2023 operation, the FBI is currently partnering with the BIA-MMU to surge resources in 2024. BIA-MMU is providing significant intelligence and investigative support for the duration of the operation. Over 45 special agents and five intelligence personnel have deployed in support of the 2024 operation.
White House Council on Native American Affairs: At the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden signed Executive Order 14053 on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People directing the Departments of Justice, the Interior, and Health and Human Services to work with Tribal Nations and partners to build safe and healthy Tribal communities and to support comprehensive law enforcement, prevention, intervention and support services. President Biden signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 into law, which built on advancements from previous reauthorizations and included new provisions to address the crisis of MMIP across the country and re-enforced Tribal sovereignty by providing means for Tribes to address the epidemic of violence within their lands and communities. The White House Council on Native American Affairs is continuing to implement this work through its Public Safety and Justice committee, which is co-chaired by the Departments of Justice and the Interior, as part of an all of government approach to address public safety and the MMIP crisis.
International Collaboration: The United States is also working with its international counterparts from Canada and Mexico to address public safety issues on a larger scale. In September 2023, Canada chaired the Fifth Convening of the Trilateral Working Group on Violence against Indigenous Women and Girls in collaboration with Indigenous leaders and government officials from Canada, the United States and Mexico and global subject-matter experts. Discussions at this year’s convening focused on human trafficking and access to justice. Officials from the three countries agreed to continue to protect and uphold the rights of Indigenous women, learn from and implement Indigenous-led approaches, provide accessible and culturally safe services, and support the preservation of Indigenous cultures and languages. A sixth gathering is expected later this year.
Physician and Office Manager Pay $450,000 to Resolve Alleged Violations of the Controlled Substance Act and the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The physician and office manager of a medical practice in Jackson, Kentucky, have agreed to pay $450,000 to resolve civil allegations that the physician unlawfully prescribed controlled substances, and that they both defrauded federal healthcare programs by soliciting kickbacks for laboratory referrals.
Pablo Merced, M.D. owned and operated St. John Neumann’s Extended Hours Clinic, a medical practice in Jackson, Kentucky. His wife, Theresa Merced, worked as St. John Neumann’s office manager. In his practice, Dr. Merced referred laboratory testing to several laboratories, including Physicians’ Medical Center, BIOTAP Medical, and Bluewater Toxicology. Dr. Merced also prescribed controlled substances to his patients at his medical practice.
As set forth in the settlement agreement, the United States alleged that Dr. and Mrs. Merced solicited kickbacks from a lab sales representative, in exchange for Dr. Merced’s referrals of laboratory tests to Physicians’ Medical Center, BIOTAP Medical, and Bluewater Toxicology, from April 2016 to November 2021. The sales representative paid cash directly to the Merceds and to multiple laboratory specimen collectors who worked at St. John Neumann’s. The specimen collectors, who were supposed to only work for the labs, also performed office work at St. John Neumann’s.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits giving cash and in-kind payments, such as free office work, to induce medical providers’ referrals for services paid by federal healthcare programs. Medicare, Kentucky Medicaid, and TRICARE programs paid more than $9 million for laboratory tests referred by Dr. Merced. Submission of these tainted claims violated the False Claims Act, a federal law that prohibits knowingly submitting a false claim for reimbursement to federal programs.
The United States also alleged that Dr. Merced violated the Controlled Substances Act, by writing invalid prescriptions. The Controlled Substances Act, which was passed to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances, requires a prescription for Schedule II controlled substances to be issued for a legitimate medical purpose, by a licensed practitioner acting in the usual course of his professional practice. Dr. Merced pre-signed 94 blank prescriptions and permitted unauthorized individuals to complete and issue those prescriptions for controlled substances to patients in his absence, which is outside the usual course of professional practice.
Dr. and Mrs. Merced agreed to pay the United States $450,000, as part of an ability-to-pay settlement, to resolve the allegations of False Claims Act and Controlled Substances Act violations. Dr. Merced further agreed to a 15-year voluntary exclusion from federal healthcare programs and to refrain from reapplying for a registration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which he surrendered during the investigation.
“This case involved two important principles: averting the submission of false claims to federal programs and preventing the irresponsible distribution of addictive controlled substances,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Eastern Kentucky has been hard hit by the drug epidemic. And with the assistance of our partners, this case highlights our commitment to reducing that suffering, and holding professionals accountable for improperly depleting critical government resources and recklessly dispensing addictive drugs.”
"HHS-OIG is dedicated to investigating medical providers who undermine federal health care programs and jeopardize patient welfare by submitting false or fraudulent claims,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly J. Blackmon with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Health care professionals have a responsibility to bill accurately for services and prescribe controlled substances responsibly."
“Dr. Merced’s reckless behavior in this case demonstrated a clear violation of the Controlled Substances Act,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek Davodowich, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “Doctors who operate outside of accepted medical guidelines can pose a threat to the health of their patients and should expect to meet the full weight of the justice system.”
This settlement is part of a larger case brought under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which returned more than $7.3 million to federal programs. The civil case is captioned United States ex rel. Clark et al. v. United States Medical Scientific, LLC, et al., Case No. 0:18-cv-109-KKC, which the court recently unsealed for public access on September 23, 2024.
The Government’s work in this investigation illustrates its commitment to combatting health care fraud, waste, and abuse, as well as its continued emphasis on combating the prescription opioid crisis. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, and abuse can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Anyone with concerns about prescription drug diversion can report them to the DEA by submitting a tip at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
The settlement agreement resulted from the joint efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Stubblebine. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Pennsylvania Woman Convicted of Heroin and Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jalisa Lashae Hawkins, 35, of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, was convicted today by a jury of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Investigators were conducting surveillance on a Clarksburg residence after receiving complaints of drug activity. Officers saw Hawkins drive to the residence, interact with someone, and leave. Officers continued surveillance on Hawkins and pulled her vehicle over for multiple traffic violations. During the stop, officers seized fentanyl stamps and heroin.
Hawkins faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and William Rhee prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Mountaineer Highway Interdiction Team South investigated.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Pearl River Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possession of Approximately 400 Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Pearl River man was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, William Henry, 52, possessed approximately 400 pornographic images of children that were under the age of twelve. Henry was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2020, and pled guilty in October 2023.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Henry was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to victims and a $9,000 assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.
Owner of Oahu Physical Therapy Clinics Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced that Stephen Timothy Wells, 41, pleaded guilty today in federal court to executing a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs through the submission of false billings. Sentencing is scheduled for January 29, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake.
According to court documents and information presented in court, Wells was the owner and operator of Oahu Spine and Rehab (“OSR”), a physical therapy clinic with locations in Kailua and Aiea. From July 2013 through early 2020, Wells submitted false claims for payment for physical therapy services to TRICARE, the health care program for United States military service members and their families, and Medicare. Wells admitted he directed OSR to submit claims to these health care benefit programs using the unique provider numbers of doctors, nurses, and physical therapists, thereby falsely stating that they had personally provided the physical therapy services to patients, when in fact, the services were provided by Wells’s unlicensed staff members. These unlicensed staff members included massage therapists, athletic and personal trainers, and one individual who had no professional certifications whatsoever.
As part of the Plea Agreement, Wells stipulated that his scheme caused a loss of between $250,000 and $550,000 and agreed to pay total restitution in the amount of $392,157.20, with half to be paid before sentencing. The United States and Wells agreed that Wells should be sentenced to a term of between probation and two years in prison.
The case was jointly investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mohammad Khatib.
North Platte Woman Sentenced to 31 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Nikki Guerra, age 46, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 26, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Guerra to a total of 31 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Guerra’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On October 15, 2023, officers with the North Platte Police Department stopped a vehicle owned by Guerra as it entered North Platte for at traffic violation. From prior intel, officers suspected the vehicle had been involved in the distribution of narcotics and suspected narcotics were currently in the vehicle at the time of the stop.
Both Guerra and the driver were asked to step back to patrol cars while officers checked their identification, and a drug dog was deployed while the traffic stop was in progress. The dog alerted to the presence of narcotics and officers conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle. In a XL men’s sized jacket pocket, officers located a pound of meth. The jacket was located on the floor of the passenger’s side seat where Guerra was sitting at the time of the stop.
The recovered meth was sent to the state crime lab where it was tested and confirmed to meth, with a purity of 95.7% for a total of 400 grams actual meth.
In sentencing Ms. Guerra, Judge Gerrard complimented the work she had done since being arrested to address her substance abuse issues.
This case was investigated by the North Platte Police Department.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Trying to Extort Millions of Dollars from D.C.-Based CompanyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Cameron Curry, 25, of Raleigh, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to stealing sensitive data from his prior employer, a D.C.-based company, and extorting the company by threatening to publish this data unless the company paid him $2.5 million. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Curry pleaded guilty to one count of felony extortion for making an interstate threat to injure the property or reputation of another in order to extort money before U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 28, 2025.
According to court documents, Curry admitted that he had been working as a contract employee with the victim company but was told on December 5, 2023, that his last day of employment would be December 15, 2023. On December 11, 2023, posing under the pseudonym of “Loot,” Curry began sending a series of emails to the victim company and its employees threatening to publish certain sensitive financial records and personally identifiable information of the victim company’s employees. In one email, Curry wrote, “If you wish to reclaim your data, we recommend doing so promptly at 2.5 million USD in order to save your company and stocks, as each subsequent month will incur a $100,000 USD increase.” Between December 11 and January 23, Curry allegedly sent over 60 similarly threatening emails to the company.
Law enforcement identified Curry as the individual posing as “Loot” by metadata in the communications he sent to the company, user information for the email address he used to send these communications, and account details for the cryptocurrency wallet to which he directed the victim to send him the ransom he demanded, among other evidence.
On January 24, 2024, when the FBI sought to execute a search warrant at Curry’s residence, Curry was arrested after he refused to leave the residence and then sent a series of messages to the victim company threatening to publish its data if he were to be arrested.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Field Office in Charlotte, North Carolina.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Macey and Joseph “Tony” Misher for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
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New Hampshire Man Admits Producing Child Sex Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DAVID EDDY, 59, of Manchester, New Hampshire, has waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to child exploitation offenses stemming from his sexual abuse of a young girl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2022, Eddy sexually abused a minor girl, who was approximately five years old, and used his cell phone to take photographs of his sexual abuse of the victim. Analysis of Eddy’s phone revealed more than 150 child sexual abuse images and videos of the minor victim and other child victims of sexual abuse.
On September 25, 2024, Eddy pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Eddy has been detained since October 2022, when he was arrested on related state charges. The state charges are pending.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Simsbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Manchester (N.H.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia King.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Naugatuck Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud Offense Related to $865K Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that JENNIFER CORMIER, 45, of Naugatuck, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to a fraud offense stemming from an embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cormier was employed at a family-owned business, identified in court documents in “Company A,” in Naugatuck, where she performed bookkeeping and other office-related tasks. Between approximately 2017 and July 2023, Cormier stole from her employer by fraudulently creating approximately 1,000 checks made payable to her and to “cash,” forged the signature of Company A’s owner or used the owner’s signature stamp on the checks, and then cashed them or deposited them into her personal bank account. After the checks were issued, she deleted the transaction in Company A’s accounting system. Through this scheme, Cormier embezzled $865,106.17.
Cormier pleaded guilty to bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30. She is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for December 18.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Deland Ray Sam, age 64, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The Indictment charged Sam with knowingly possessing one .40 caliber pistol and 10 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition on June 21, 2021, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sam will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to over 11 Years Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning on October 27, 2022, through January 18, 2023, Jackie Gerald Smith, 55, knowingly and willingly entered into a conspiracy with his co-defendant, Damon Antone Young, 49, to distribute methamphetamine in and around the state of Minnesota. Between November 2022 and January 2023, an undercover agent arranged a series of controlled substance buys through Smith and Young, and on two separate occasions, those controlled substances were delivered by Smith. On January 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Minneapolis and found 368 grams of methamphetamine and 12 grams of fentanyl. On January 18, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at two self-storage units rented by Young and found 1.35 kilograms of fentanyl powder and approximately 2.83 pounds of methamphetamine. Smith later admitted that they were using the residence and storage units to facilitate their drug trafficking conspiracy scheme.
On April 9, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Joan N. Ericksen. Young pleaded guilty on August 27, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; he will be sentenced at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a machine gun, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on October 17, 2023, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to a report of two men with guns near the intersection of 17th Avenue south and Cedar Avenue. When officers responded, they attempted to stop one of the men, later identified as Brandon Lee Tahahwah, 21, as he fled on foot. Officers observed a black handgun in Tahahwah’s possession and, after he was arrested, officers found that the gun was equipped with an attached machine gun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear,” which is designed to convert a semiautomatic weapon to shoot automatically.
Tahahwah pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan to one count of possession of a machine gun. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.
Member of U.S. Attorney’s Office Receives J. Michael Bradford Memorial Award from National Association of Former United States AttorneysRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of New Jersey was recognized by the National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys (NAFUSA) today during their annual meeting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
NAUFA selected AUSA John Romano to receive the J. Michael Bradford Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Assistant U.S. Attorney, which recognizes an AUSA for outstanding performance in a significant civil or criminal matter, or a series of matters, that have had a significant impact and merit special recognition.
AUSA Romano was selected for his outstanding advocacy from 2015 through 2024 in United States v. Carolyn Jackson and John Jackson, a case involving two defendants’ horrifying treatment of their three very young foster children while living at the Picatinny Arsenal and elsewhere. The three children were all less than 4 years old and developmentally delayed when the defendants committed neglectful and cruel acts, including breaking their bones, denying them medical attention, withholding water, and force-feeding them hot sauce.
“The defendants’ foster children suffered gut-wrenching abuse and neglect. AUSA Romano’s work – specifically, his continuous and dogged efforts to seek justice for these vulnerable victims – exemplifies his devotion to the department’s mission and warrants this award.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
For more than nine years, AUSA Romano has played a pivotal role in this effort to secure justice for the defendants’ victims. He initially helped advise the trial team. When, despite the defendants’ grievous conduct, the district court sentenced them leniently, AUSA Romano successfully appealed. The district court again imposed a lenient sentence, and so AUSA Romano appealed again. After a third, lenient sentencing, AUSA Romano appealed and sought reassignment to a different judge, which the Third Circuit Court of Appeals granted.
These appeals required reviewing tens of thousands of pages of transcripts and exhibits and conducting exhaustive legal research. AUSA Romano also composed appellate briefs for all three appeals, which totaled in excess of 60,000 pages of briefing, and twice argued the case before the Court of Appeals.
In October 2023, AUSA Romano handled the fourth resentencing hearing before the newly assigned district judge. As a result of his compelling advocacy, both written and oral, he secured sentences of 140 months’ imprisonment for Carolyn Jackson and 108 months’ imprisonment for John Jackson.
MS-13 Members Charged with Racketeering and MurderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three alleged members of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, have been charged for their alleged roles in two separate murders in Massachusetts in December 2010 and July 2020.
William Pineda Portillo, a/k/a “Humilde,” 31, of Everett, and Jose Vasquez, a/k/a “Cholo,” a/k/a “Little Crazy, 31, of Somerville, are charged in a second superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to conduct racketeering affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy) and one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity. Franklin Antonio Amaya Paredes, a/k/a “Tony,” 27, of New Bedford, was charged in a separate indictment with racketeering and violent crime in aid of racketeering. Pineda Portillo and Vasquez are currently in federal custody. Amaya Paredes is current in state custody on related charges. All three will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
“The charges announced today reflect the relentless commitment of this office and our law enforcement partners to holding violent criminals accountable, no matter how much time has passed. The brutal acts of violence these defendants are accused of committing demonstrate a complete disregard for human life and the rule of law. We will not allow MS-13 or any other violent criminal organization to terrorize our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will use every tool available to disrupt and dismantle these operations piece by piece and bring those responsible for senseless violence to justice.”
“What these men allegedly did to their victims was particularly heinous – so much so that, over a decade later, the circumstances still stand out,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s charges should make it clear to MS-13 members and their associates that medieval-style violence and senseless murder will not be tolerated in Massachusetts. The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force and its partners have put years of hard work into rooting out all the violence this transnational criminal organization has created and bringing those responsible to justice.”
According to the charging documents, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez allegedly conspired with other members of MS-13 to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea, Mass. Specifically, Pineda Portillo drove the victim and a group of MS-13 members to the murder scene –in Chelsea. There, the victim was found with 12 stab wounds to his head and chest. It is further alleged that Vasquez was one of the individuals who stabbed the victim and that his palm print was on the handle of a silver kitchen knife left at the murder scene.
During a 2016 investigation that targeted dozens of leaders, members and associates of MS-13 in Massachusetts, Vasquez pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 212 months in prison – a sentence he is currently serving. Vasquez was a member and local leader of the Trece Locos Salvatrucha, or TLS, clique of MS-13. In addition to being a leader of an MS-13 clique, Vasquez personally participated in racketeering activity and multiple acts of violence on behalf of MS-13.
Pineda Portillo was also indicted for RICO conspiracy as a result of that same investigation, during which he was recorded discussing the need to locate and murder a member of MS-13 who he believed (incorrectly) was cooperating with law enforcement. Pineda Portillo was deported to El Salvador shortly before that indictment was returned. Approximately five years after the indictment, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he crossed into Texas from Mexico. According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13 and fingerprint analysis determined that there was an active arrest warrant for him. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts where he remains in federal custody pending trial.
On Sept. 11, 2024, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez were indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the 2010 murder.
According to the charging documents, Amaya Paredes allegedly murdered a second victim who was 27 years old in July 2020 near Horseneck Road in Dartmouth, Mass. Specifically, it is alleged that Amaya Paredes lured the victim to a family party, after which Amaya Paredes drove the victim to the murder scene where he shot and killed the victim.
Surveillance video and location information allegedly showed that Amaya Parades and the victim entered a Honda Pilot minivan that was tracked to the scene of the murder at the time gunfire was heard. According to court filings, the victim was found lying face down with multiple gunshot wounds. Several 9-millimeter shell casings were recovered near the victim’s body.
In the days following the 2020 murder, Amaya Parades was charged by state authorities with murder. During the investigation, Amaya Parades was allegedly identified as a member of MS-13 and determined that he had allegedly murdered the victim in order to gain influence and improve his position in MS-13. The investigation also allegedly revealed that Amaya Parades conspired to murder a witness following Amaya Parades’ arrest on state murder charges. On Sept. 11, 2024, Amaya Parades was indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the 2020 murder and his alleged conspiring to murder a witness.
According to court documents, MS-13 is a violent, transnational criminal organization involved in murder, assault, extortion, kidnapping, obstruction of justice and drug trafficking. MS-13 operates in the District of Massachusetts as well as in New York, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Texas and California. The gang also maintains a large presence in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. MS-13 members commit violence, threats of violence and intimidation, including murder and assault with deadly weapons, often firearms. MS-13 members maintain and enhance their status in the gang, and the overall reputation of the gang, by participating in such violent acts.
The charge of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy involving murder provides for a sentence of life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of violent crime in aid of racketeering involving murder provides for a sentence of life in prison or death and a fine of $250,000. The charge of racketeering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
These indictments were brought as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty and Meghan C. Cleary of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining PPP Loan During PandemicRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to filing a fraudulent application for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court records, in April 2021, Shahied Golden, 29, filed a fraudulent PPP loan application and received approximately $20,833 in PPP funds. The application listed a false gross income for 2020 and falsely stated the loan proceeds were needed to make payroll payments for his alleged business. He also submitted a fraudulent document in support of his application, which falsely stated his gross income, among other things. Further, Golden caused the funds to be deposited into his own personal bank account, quickly withdrew the funds, and did not use the PPP proceeds for approved expenses.
Golden faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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Leader of 2021 Tennessee Clinic Blockade Sentenced for Federal Conspiracy Against Rights and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Chester Gallagher, the leader of a March 5, 2021, blockade of a Mount Juliet, Tennessee, reproductive health clinic was sentenced yesterday to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release following his convictions for federal conspiracy against rights and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act offenses.
“This defendant, like everyone else, has a right to his personal views regarding reproductive healthcare, and the right to speak, write and demonstrate about those views,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “But he does not have the right to impose his views on others by using intimidation and physical obstruction to prevent access to reproductive health care. This defendant is being held accountable for leading both a conspiracy to blockade a reproductive health clinic and the actual blockade, which physically obstructed patient access. The Justice Department will continue to protect patients seeking reproductive health services and the providers delivering those services.”
“The defendant and his co-conspirators knowingly chose to violate a law that was enacted to protect health care providers and patients in an effort to impose their views about reproductive healthcare on others” said U.S. Attorney Henry Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “While we are all entitled to our personal views, yesterday’s sentence is a reminder that we cannot pick and choose which laws we follow and that those who violate the law will be held accountable.”
“This sentencing should send a clear message that the FBI will always work to bring to justice those who violate the civil rights of others,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate FACE Act violations to protect the rights of those who receive or provide lawful reproductive health care without the threat of violence or intimidation.”
Gallagher and five co-defendants were previously convicted at trial of all charges. A sixth co-defendant previously pleaded guilty. Evidence presented at trial proved that Gallagher and his co-defendants engaged in a conspiracy to prevent employees at the Mount Juliet reproductive health clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services, a civil right secured by the FACE Act. As part of the conspiracy, Gallagher and others traveled to Tennessee from other states to participate in the clinic blockade, and Gallagher and another co-defendant stalled the Mount Juliet Police Department through phony negotiations. Evidence at trial further proved that the defendant violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because the clinic provided, and the patient sought, reproductive health services.
Gallagher was also convicted of conspiracy against rights and FACE Act offenses in the Eastern District of Michigan on Aug. 20.
The FBI Memphis Field Office, Nashville Resident Agency, investigated the case.
The U.S Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Lead Defendant in Federal Case Against High-End Brothel Network Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The manager responsible for operating an interstate prostitution network of sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia pleaded guilty today.
Han Lee, 42, of Cambridge, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2024. Han Lee was arrested and charged in November 2023 with co-defendants Junmyung Lee, 31, of Dedham, Mass., and James Lee, 69, of Torrance, Calif. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024.
From at least July 2020, Han Lee operated an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Mass., as well as in Fairfax and Tysons, Va. The defendant established the infrastructure for these brothels in multiple states for the purposes of persuading, inducing and enticing women – primarily Asian women – to travel to Massachusetts and Virginia to engage in prostitution.
Specifically, Han Lee and, allegedly, her co-defendants, rented high-end apartments as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. It is further alleged that the defendants coordinated the women’s airline travel and transportation and permitted them to stay overnight in the brothel locations so they did not have to find lodging elsewhere, therefore enticing women to participate in their prostitution network. To protect and maintain the secrecy of the business and ensure that the women did not draw attention to the prostitution work inside apartment buildings, Han Lee and, allegedly, her co-defendants established house rules for the women during their stays.
The defendants allegedly advertised their prostitution network and offered appointments with women in either greater Boston or eastern Virginia via bostontopten10.com and browneyesgirlsva.blog, respectively. Both websites purported to advertise nude models for professional photography at upscale studios as a front for prostitution offered through appointments. Investigators searched and seized the domain names for both websites pursuant to search warrants executed in November 2023.
Additionally, each website described a verification process that interested sex buyers undertook to become eligible for appointment bookings– including requiring that clients complete a form providing their full names, email address, phone number, employer and reference if they had one. Han Lee and, allegedly, her co-defendants persuaded the women to work for their prostitution network because the business maintained a regular customer base of men that were adequately screened, ensuring that the customers were not members of law enforcement or men who posed a risk to the safety and security of the commercial sex workers.
Han Lee and, allegedly, her co-defendants maintained local brothel phone numbers which they used to communicate with verified customers and schedule appointments via text messages; send customers a “menu” of available options at the brothel, including the women and sexual services available and the hourly rate; and to text customers directions to the brothel’s location where they engaged in commercial sex with the women.
According to the charging documents, the defendants charged sex buyers a premium price for appointments with the women advertised on their websites, which ranged from approximately $350 to upwards of $600 per hour depending on the services and were paid in cash.To conceal the proceeds of the prostitution network, Han Lee deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash proceeds into personal and third-party bank accounts and peer-to-peer transfers. Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds. These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at brothel locations in Massachusetts and Virginia.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should contact [email protected].
The charge of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of funds laundered, whatever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Central District of California; Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. Postal Service; and Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye, of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.