Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Thursday 23 May 2024
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, Law Enforcement Partners Announce Safe Summer 2024 Program to Curb Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
Effort will focus on federal firearms offenders with crime guns
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced Safe Summer 2024, a program to address the rise in gun violence that often accompanies the warmer summer months. Under this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will federally prosecute all firearms offenders who possess crime guns – namely, guns previously fired in the commission of a crime.
“Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for youth in America and has inflicted immense trauma on communities across Michigan,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “While we will never prosecute our way out of the gun violence epidemic, Safe Summer 2024 is a part of the solution and is focused on deterring and holding accountable those few individuals driving violence.” He continued: “Safety is a civil right. Your zip code should not determine whether you can walk down the street without fear of gun fire. My team and our partners will not rest until every person, in every neighborhood, in every community is safe from violence.”
WATCH:
- Video message from U.S. Attorney Totten announcing Safe Summer 2024
- Regional press conferences will be held today in Benton Harbor (9 a.m.), Kalamazoo (11 a.m.), Lansing (1:30 p.m.), and Grand Rapids (3:30 p.m.). Each can be viewed on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan’s Facebook Page.
U.S. Attorney Totten was joined by local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to announce Safe Summer 2024 in a series of four press conferences across the District, with stops in Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. The program will run from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Under this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute all cases that satisfy two criteria. First, the case must involve a federal firearms offense. The two most common offenses are felon in possession, which prohibits previously convicted felons from possessing a gun, and possession of a machine gun, which generally prohibits persons from possessing fully automatic guns. Second, the case must involve a crime gun, which is any gun previously fired in the commission of a crime. These criteria will focus federal efforts on the few individuals driving gun violence in their communities.
For example, under Safe Summer 2023 the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Anthony Clarence Pratt, age 24, from Kalamazoo, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and with possessing a machine gun. On August 10, 2023, law enforcement attempted to arrest Pratt on several outstanding warrants as he was walking down the street. Pratt fled but was quickly apprehended. Law enforcement recovered a firearm that Pratt tossed when he ran. The gun was a loaded, .40 caliber, Glock pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device – sometimes called a “switch” – that allowed the gun to fire fully automatic. The gun had an extended magazine with 17 rounds. Investigators later determined the gun was stolen and was a crime gun, used in one or more previous crimes. On April 30, 2024, a federal judge sentenced Pratt to 7 years in prison. The government’s sentencing memorandum is attached to this release. This case was the first case from last summer’s program to reach sentencing; the remaining cases continue to work through the criminal justice system.
“Gun violence affects us all. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is resolute and unwavering in its commitment to aggressively pursue, identify, and prosecute violent criminals, specifically those involved in gun crimes and gang violence,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “ATF’s unique Crime Gun Intelligence and National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) capabilities in conjunction with our well-established mutual partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal, state, and local law enforcement, are fundamental to the success of making our communities safe.”
“Working with our local, county and federal law enforcement partners to address gun crimes is a key component in maintaining public safety,” said Col. James F. Grady II, Director of the Michigan State Police (MSP). “With warmer days and longer evenings upon us, spikes in the use of unlawful firearms and violent criminal activity usually follows. I’m grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for bringing this program back for a second year in recognition of the value and impact federal gun crime penalties have in deterring violence and bringing justice to crime victims.”
“The Michigan State Police is committed to supporting our local partners in reducing violence in West Michigan. This announcement from U.S. Attorney Mark Totten is a clear message to the few people in our communities who would illegally use a firearm,” said Capt. Jason Nemecek, Commander of MSP’s Sixth District. “Gun violence will not be tolerated in West Michigan, and prosecution will be swift.”
“Protecting our residents from the dangers of violent crime is a top priority for the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety (BHDPS),” said BHDPS Director Daniel McGinnis. “We are pleased to partner with our law enforcement partners for the second year of the Safe Summer 2024 Initiative. This program is yet another resource for us as we continue our work to take illegal guns off our streets and hold accountable those driving the crime in our neighborhoods. We appreciate the partnerships that help provide a safer community for our residents."
“As chief, my top priority is keeping our community safe,” said Benton Charter Township Police Department Chief Greg Abrams. “I am a first-hand witness that the U.S. Attorney’s Safe Summer Initiative is a vital cog in the wheels of justice when it comes to relentless prosecution of major gun crime offenders.” Chief Abrams added, “I’m especially proud of the multi-jurisdictional investigation, led by the Benton Charter Township Police Department, that resulted in the indictment of two men who stole over 120 handguns and kidnapped the manager of Dunham’s Sports at gunpoint. The suspects were apprehended in less than 24 hours and all the handguns recovered. The department and our citizens are grateful for all the partnerships that help keep our community safe.”
“Keeping our community safe is our top priority at the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety,” said KDPS Chief David Boysen. “Safe Summer 2024 will send a clear message to offenders that if you choose to be a shooter in our community, we will be working closely with our federal law enforcement partners to make sure you are held accountable. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for making this initiative possible. We are excited to work with our federal partners to keep Kalamazoo safe.”
“The Battle Creek Police Department’s primary focus is the safety of our community,” said BCPD Chief Shannon Bagley. “We will continue our collaboration with local, state, and federal partners to address gun violence. The Safe Summer Initiative is a powerful tool that we hope will deter gun violence and keep our residents safe.”
“The Lansing Police Department is eager to once again partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Safe Summer 2024 project,” said LPD Chief Ellery Sosebee. “Gun violence continues to affect our community at tragic levels. Partnerships like this are crucial to stop violent crime trends and we are thankful to be a part of it.”
“I’ve long said that Lansing has a three-pronged approach to handling gun violence - Prevention, Intervention, and Justice,” said City of Lansing Mayor Andy Schor. “This also must be a multi-level approach with local, state, and federal officials collaborating to combat this issue. By working together, we can ensure that those who commit gun crimes are prosecuted and taken off our streets.”
“We rely on our community's help to look out for their children and neighbors; in order to know what happens, who’s involved, and not tolerate violent crime in their home or neighborhood,” said Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young. “We pledge to continue to prioritize the resolution of violent crime in our community.”
“We are very appreciative of U.S. Attorney Mark Totten’s willingness to review cases of gun violence in our community to see if federal charges could be pursued,” said Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) Chief Eric Winstrom. “On average, GRPD takes one illegally possessed gun off the streets every day. I am grateful for this partnership to help keep our community safe.”
Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. In 2021, for the first time ever, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death for American children, ages birth to 19, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (see also here). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have declined since 2021, they remain high.
Moreover, while gun violence has the potential to impact everyone, recent studies show that gun violence has a disparate impact on people of color. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that the disparity in shooting injuries among children before and after the pandemic in four major cities approximately tripled as between white children and children of color (Black, Hispanic, Asian).
###
U.S. Attorney Announces $10.1 Million Settlement with Managed Long-Term Care Plan for Improper Receipt of Medicaid PaymentsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today a settlement of a civil fraud lawsuit against RIVERSPRING LIVING HOLDING CORP. and ELDERSERVE HEALTH, INC., d/b/a RiverSpring at Home (“RIVERSPRING”), New York not-for-profit corporations that, among other things, administer a Managed Long Term Care Plan (the “RiverSpring MLTCP”) for Medicaid beneficiaries. In connection with the RiverSpring MLTCP, RIVERSPRING arranges for health and long-term care services and is reimbursed by Medicaid through per-member payments on a monthly basis (“Capitation Payments”).
The settlement resolves allegations that RIVERSPRING submitted false claims to Medicaid for months during which RIVERSPRING failed to provide, or failed to adequately document, certain long-term care services to RiverSpring MLTCP members as obligated by the applicable contract between RIVERSPRING and the New York State Department of Health (“DOH”).
Under the terms of the settlement approved today by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, RIVERSPRING must pay a total sum of $10,159,130.95, with $4,063,652.38 paid to the United States and the remaining amount paid to the State of New York. As part of the settlement, RIVERSPRING admits that it either did not provide RiverSpring MLTCP members with qualifying services as required by the applicable contract with DOH or did not adequately maintain documentation of the provision of such services during some or all of their enrollment in the RiverSpring MLTCP. As a result, RIVERSPRING obtained Medicaid payments to which it was not entitled.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “RiverSpring collected millions of dollars in Medicaid payments to provide long-term care services as part of its managed care plan, but in many cases either failed to deliver these services or failed to maintain adequate documentation showing that it did so. This Office is committed to holding recipients of government health care funds accountable when they fail to provide the care and services the government pays them to provide.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “As a part of this settlement, the defendants acknowledged that they obtained funds from the Medicaid program to which they were not entitled. Individuals and entities that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds and the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
RIVERSPRING administers a managed long-term care plan for Medicaid beneficiaries pursuant to applicable contracts with DOH (the “Contract”). To be eligible for enrollment into a managed long-term care plan, a Medicaid beneficiary must, among other things, be assessed as needing at least one of the community-based long-term care services listed in the Contract (“Qualifying Services”) for more than 120 days from the effective date of enrollment. These services include nursing services in the home, therapies in the home, home health aide services, personal care services in the home, and adult day health care. In order to receive Capitation Payments from Medicaid for members of the RiverSpring MLTCP, RIVERSPRING was required to ensure that RiverSpring MLTCP members received Qualifying Services during their enrollment or otherwise remained appropriately enrolled in the RiverSpring MLTCP consistent with the Contract and DOH disenrollment practices. In exchange for arranging and providing these services, RIVERSPRING received Capitation Payments averaging between $4,000 and $4,500 for each member.
As part of the settlement, RIVERSPRING admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following conduct:
- In many instances, RIVERSPRING either did not provide RiverSpring MLTCP members with Qualifying Services or did not adequately maintain documentation of the provision of such Qualifying Services during some or all of their enrollment in the RiverSpring MLTCP. Nonetheless, RIVERSPRING received Capitation Payments to which it was not entitled for these RiverSpring MLTCP members for the months in question.
- In many of these instances, RIVERSPRING collected Capitation Payments for RiverSpring MLTCP members despite the fact that RIVERSPRING either did not provide or did not maintain documentation reflecting the provision of Qualifying Services to these members for three or more consecutive months during their enrollment in the RiverSpring MLTCP.
- In other instances, RIVERSPRING collected Capitation Payments for RiverSpring MLTCP members despite the fact that RIVERSPRING either did not provide or did not maintain documentation reflecting the provision of Qualifying Services to these members during the entirety of their enrollment in the RiverSpring MLTCP.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
* * *
Mr. Williams thanked HHS-OIG for its assistance. Mr. Williams also thanked the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the New York State Attorney General’s Office for its investigative efforts and work on the case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Dolinger and Jacob M. Bergman are in charge of the case.
Three New Haven Men Charged with Trafficking Pills Containing Meth and Fentanyl, Fentanyl Powder Mixed with XylazineRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a seven-count indictment charging MARKEYSE KELLY, also known as “Curry” and “Keyse,” 45, of West Haven; JAQUAN PRICE, also known as “Sub,” 33, of New Haven; and ROBERT COVINGTON, 32, of New Haven, with offenses stemming from the distribution of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, and fentanyl powder laced with xylazine.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2023, FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization led by Kelly. The investigation, which included controlled purchases of narcotics in February and March 2024, revealed that Kelly, Price, and Covington, sold various controlled substances, including multi-colored pills pressed to look like ecstasy that actually contained methamphetamine, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and powder fentanyl laced with xylazine.
Kelly, Price, and Covington were arrested on federal criminal complaints on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized numerous fentanyl and methamphetamine pills; additional quantities of fentanyl powder, meth powder, and cocaine; three handguns, two loaded gun magazines, and ammunition.
On May 21, 2024, the New Haven grand jury returned an indictment charging Kelly, Price, and Covington each with one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine and fentanyl. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of narcotics attributed to each defendant, Kelly faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, Prices faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and Covington faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
The indictment also charges Kelly, Price, Covington each with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and/or fentanyl; Kelly with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon; and Price with unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon.
It is alleged that Price has a prior federal conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Kelly and Price are detained, and Covington is released on a $100,000 bond.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the New Haven Police Department, the West Haven Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Task Force includes personnel from the East Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, Wallingford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and Connecticut Department of Correction.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Texas Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Eliuth Montero-Barrera, 24, a Mexican citizen living in Dallas, Texas, was sentenced May 22, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Montero-Barrera to 108 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Montero-Barrera’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On August 2, 2023, Montero-Barrera arrived at an AutoZone parking lot in Omaha with a co-defendant to drop off meth to two Omaha men. In a post-arrest interview after he was advised of his rights, Montero-Barrera admitted that he had picked up approximately 22.75 kilograms of meth in Houston and had agreed to transport it to Omaha. During the trip to Omaha from Texas, Montero-Barrera placed the meth inside a speaker box in the vehicle. Montero-Barrera also told investigators he had made two previous meth deliveries to Omaha.
Co-defendants Gregorio Mina-Falcon, 36, of Omaha and Alexis Rodriguez, 22, of Dallas have pleaded guilty to the same charge and are scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2024, and June 26, 2024, respectively. Co-defendant Jose Luis Garcia-Perez, 35, of Omaha was sentenced to the same sentence as Montero-Barrera on March 27, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Stalker Arrested for Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats to University of Arizona StudentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Caleb Alfred Tifft, 29, of Tucson, was arrested on May 8, 2024, on a federal indictment warrant by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force on charges of Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats, for stalking and threatening a student at the University of Arizona.
On February 7, 2024, Tifft is alleged to have transmitted a threat in interstate commerce when he sent a message via Facebook Messenger to the victim, stating “Think I’ll just go rape and kill a girl at this point. I give up. I’m the bad guy.” The next day, Tifft was served with an Injunction Against Harassment, which prohibited contact with the victim. Tifft was also served with a 12-month Exclusionary Order from all University of Arizona properties.
Tifft continued to cyberstalk the victim when on March 1, 2024, he made an anonymous 911 call to the Pima County Sherriff’s Department (PCSD), stating that his friend had sent him a message that the friend was going to commit a mass shooting and that the friend was at the “[specific University of Arizona] building.” The call to PCSD was disconnected before it was able to be transferred to the University of Arizona Police Department (UAPD). However, PCSD provided the phone number to UAPD and UAPD recognized that the phone number belonged to Tifft.
Later that day, UAPD received a call from a Tucson Police Department dispatcher who transferred a 911 caller. A male caller, later identified as Tifft, told the UAPD dispatcher he was calling because a friend of his “sent some threatening messages about wanting to commit a mass shooting.” Tifft said the friend was “[the victim]” and confirmed the victim was at the “[specific University of Arizona] building.” The call was then disconnected. A UAPD officer familiar with Tifft from having interacted with him previously listened to the recorded call and determined the voice matched Tifft’s. The telephone number associated with the call was the same number used to contact the PCSD. Tifft turned himself in to the FBI on an indictment warrant.
A conviction for Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats each carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a maximum term of three years of supervised release.
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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Arizona Police Department, as part of the FBI’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-02373-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-067_Tifft# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.South Bend Woman Sentenced to 168 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Danisha Lane, 46 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of attempted robbery affecting commerce, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Lane was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in May 2021, Lane robbed and attempted to rob multiple stores/businesses that are engaged in interstate commerce in the South Bend area. She also used and brandished a firearm during one of the robberies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the South Bend Police Department, the Mishawaka Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Jerome W. McKeever.
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
South African man indicted for stabbing on cruise ship en route to AlaskaRead the Press Release
JUNEAU, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a South African man with assaulting three people with medical scissors while aboard a cruise ship.
According to court documents, on May 6, 2024, Ntando Sogoni, 35, was allegedly discovered trying to deploy a lifeboat and was taken to the ship’s medical area for an evaluation.
During his evaluation, he began struggling with a nurse and security guard and fled to another examination room, where he assaulted a female victim, who is a U.S. citizen. He stabbed her with trauma scissors multiple times in the chest, arms and head, causing serious bodily harm. He proceeded to attack two security guards, stabbing one guard, a national of the Philippines, in the head, and stabbing the other guard, a national of Nepal, in the spine.
He was detained and held in the ship’s jail until arriving in Juneau on May 7, where he was charged by complaint and arrested by the FBI.
At the time of the assault, the ship was on the high seas and within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the U.S., and on a voyage with a scheduled departure from or arrival in the U.S.
Sogoni is charged with one count assault with intent to murder in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(1), three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(3), and three counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(6), The defendant made his initial court appearance on May 9 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the one count of assault with intent to murder and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the other five assault counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day with the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Supervisory Special Agent Brett Durham of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Resident Agency Juneau and Resident Unit Anchorage made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FBI Juneau Resident Agency, and the CGIS Resident Agency Juneau are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Six Chilean Nationals Charged in Connection with Residential Burglaries in Multiple StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Six Chilean nationals have been charged for conspiring to target homeowners across multiple states in residential burglaries, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Flavio Bladimir Astete Castillo, Dareyen Mauricio Cortes-Canete, Luis Esteban Castillo Vivar, Max Vidal Navarrete, Jordán Estefano Contreras Vilches, and Juan Jose Ramirez Nilo, all of Chile, are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to sell and receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Six Chilean nationals have been charged with conspiring to target homeowners in residential burglaries across multiple states from New York to Maryland. The Complaint alleges that they conspired to receive and sell stolen pearl, gold and diamond jewelry, rare coins and other property that was stolen in those burglaries. Residential burglaries affect people in a very serious and personal way, and our office will continue to pursue criminals who are alleged to have violated the sanctity of our homes.”
“Thieves are victimizing more and more homeowners in New Jersey and beyond, traveling up from South American nations,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “They hit multiple victims in one community, quickly move on to the next and then flee back to their native country. This isn't your traditional crime spree; it is an actual industry of organized criminals who invade and shatter people's private sanctuaries and steal valuable possessions. These theft groups may believe they can circumvent our laws, but the charges today and other similar outstanding investigations prove we are stopping these offenders and bringing them to justice.”
“These arrests of a group of foreign-born individuals that engaged in interstate crime demonstrates how critical the cooperation between various law enforcement agencies continues to be,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris said. “ERO will continue to leverage our unique authorities in support of community safety.”
“The collaboration among law enforcement agencies was essential in apprehending these individuals who targeted homes across multiple states,” Clinton Township Police Department Chief Thomas A. DeRosa said. “This case exemplifies our commitment to working together and utilizing advanced technology, as well as investing in new technologies, to combat interstate crime and protect our communities. Our collective efforts ensured that these stolen valuables were recovered and those responsible were brought to justice.”
Five of the defendants appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court and were detained. Ramirez Nilo had his initial appearance on May 22, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Christensen in Los Angeles federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants are part of a burglary ring that committed multiple residential burglaries in March and April 2024 in multiple states, including Maryland and New York. The defendants conspired to possess large amounts of jewelry, collectibles, and other valuable goods, among other items. On April 19, 2024, they moved a heavy security safe stolen from a residence, while attempting to conceal the stolen item from detection by covering security cameras.
Law enforcement officers searched a vehicle the defendants were using to transport the stolen goods and recovered multiple pieces of jewelry, collectible coins and cufflinks, and other valuable items, alongside tools commonly used to burglarize residences, such as gloves, balaclavas, and window punches.
The charge of conspiracy to sell or receive stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison; and the charge of receipt of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris; the Clinton Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas A. DeRosa; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Edward T. Cetnar, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the FBI Los Angeles Major Theft Task Force and Customs and Border Protection, as well as the Amtrak Police Department, Baltimore County Police Burglary Unit, Jersey City Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, New Jersey State Police, New York State Police, the Westchester County Police and the NJ Transit Police.
Anyone who believes they may be a victim, or has information about the theft groups or burglaries, is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit the information online at tips.fbi.gov, or call a local field office.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
castilloetal.complaint.pdfRiverside Elementary School Employee Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - On May 22, 2024, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned a three-count indictment charging Dallas Michael Shuler with one count of Production of Child Pornography, one count of Distribution of Child Pornography, and one count of Receipt of Child Pornography.
If convicted, Shuler faces 30 years in prison on the charge of Production of Child Pornography, 20 years in prison for the count of Distribution of Child Pornography, and 20 years in prison for the count of Receipt of Child Pornography. Shuler would also have to register as a sex offender.
According to a complaint filed on May 13, the FBI and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office contacted Shuler, who worked at Riverside Elementary School, about a snapchat video that depicted minors engaged in sexual conduct. Shuler recognized the video and admitted he contacted the minors online and offered explicit images in exchange for their participation in the video.
The complaint alleges Shuler told investigators he enjoyed looking at sexually explicit images of children as young as ten. Shuler also allegedly admitted to conversing with more than two dozen minors regarding sexual content, including sharing and trading sexually explicit pictures and videos.
Shuler allegedly had sexual contact with two juveniles at two separate times. According to the complaint, in both cases, Shuler recorded the sex acts and distributed the videos online. Shuler allegedly admitted he made multiple attempts to solicit other youth to meet him and engage in sex acts.
“My office and our law enforcement partners stand ready to respond with thorough investigations, aggressive prosecutions, and determined advocacy in pursuing those who seek to abuse children, whether it occurs behind a keyboard or closed doors,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is being investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Perez.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Richmond Man Indicted for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Julian Ignacio Ramirez, 18, of Richmond, charging him with distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other charges, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Ramirez distributed 1 pound of methamphetamine in July 2023 and 3 pounds of methamphetamine in October 2023. In November 2023, Ramirez distributed approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills. During the same month, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Ramirez was the front seat passenger. The officers searched the vehicle and seized approximately 4 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 11,000 suspected fentanyl pills.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ramirez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Chief District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on May 16, 2024.
T Jay Joseph Sullivan, 29, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Sullivan will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Sullivan was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography and Transportation of Obscene Matters by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on February 14, 2024.
The investigation originated from a CyberTip which reported child pornography associated with Sullivan’s Facebook account. Investigators learned Sullivan messaged a thirteen-year-old girl over Facebook, sent the girl images of his penis, and requested the girl send him images of some of her specific body parts. The thirteen-year-old girl sent Sullivan images that constituted child pornography. During the investigation, detectives learned Sullivan also requested nude images from a different thirteen-year-old girl by using Facebook Messenger and sent that girl images of his penis. All the messages and images were located in Sullivan’s Facebook account.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Sullivan was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 17, 2024.
Vance Hayes, 34, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hayes was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024.
Hayes was arrested in March of 2023 after being pulled over in Rapid City for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, officers learned Hayes was in possession of a stolen firearm. Hayes is a convicted felon and was on federal supervised release at the time. Hayes was aware of his status as a convicted felon and was also aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Hayes was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Quinton man sentenced for receiving child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Quinton man was sentenced today to five years in prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in July 2021, the FBI identified an IP address used to seek CSAM. Law enforcement then identified that the IP address was assigned to the residence of Vincent Hopson, 66. On Nov. 29, 2021, agents executed a search warrant for the residence and seized several electronic devices, which were forensically examined. Hopson was in possession of 283 images and 95 videos of CSAM.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-5.
Porcupine Man Sentenced to Forty Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Porcupine, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on May 16, 2024.
Wilbur Morrison, age 36, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on each count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor, and 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for the charge of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. He was also ordered to pay a total of $300 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for the three convictions. The prison sentences and periods of supervision shall be served concurrently.
Morrison was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, in February of 2024.
On the evening of January 12, 2023, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety was dispatched to Morrison’s residence for a report of a physical assault between Morrison and his adult brother. Law enforcement learned from a neighbor that Morrison was intoxicated and sexually abusing the victim in the living room of the home. The victim, including other children in the home, ran to the neighbor’s house where the incident was reported to law enforcement. All children were forensically interviewed by the Child Advocacy Center in Rapid City. The victim disclosed sexual abuse occurring on the evening of January 12, 2023, and on at least one other occasion.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Morrison was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pinellas Man Sentenced to 18 Years’ Imprisonment for Selling Fentanyl Linked to Two Fatal OverdosesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Corey Gaddy (31, St. Petersburg) to 18 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances including fentanyl and two counts of distribution of fentanyl. Gaddy was found guilty following a trial on November 3, 2023. A co-conspirator in the case, Shawn Rodriguez, was sentenced on February 7, 2024, to 12 years and 7 months’ imprisonment.
According to testimony, evidence presented at trial, and court records Gaddy was a supplier of opioids in Pinellas County since 2017. One of his dealers, Shawn Rodriguez, was at various times during the conspiracy a distributor of opioids in the Madeira Beach area. In February 2019, the Largo Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Gaddy and discovered heroin concealed in his pants. While on bond for that offense, Gaddy distributed fentanyl to Rodriguez on November 6, 2019, who then supplied the same to K.E. In the early morning hours of the next day, K.E. died of fentanyl toxicity. Gaddy learned that K.E. had died but continued distributing opioids. In April 2020, while still on bond for his pending state case, Gaddy again distributed opioids to J.P. and another person. Two days later, J.P. was found dead on a fishing boat.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Largo Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Lauren Stoia.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on May 15, 2024.
Justin Bradford, 46, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person charge. He was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for the Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance charge. He was also ordered to pay a total of $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The prison sentences and periods of supervision are to be served concurrently.
Bradford was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 10, 2024.
In September of 2022, law enforcement searched Bradford’s residence in connection with a homicide that occurred. Bradford was not involved in the death of the individual, but the shooter intended on purchasing methamphetamine from Bradford when the shooting took place. During the search, law enforcement seized three firearms and several different kinds of ammunition. Bradford was a convicted felon and was not lawfully allowed to possess firearms or ammunition. Bradford was also charged with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine from 2019 through 2022. Bradford managed and organized at least three individuals involved in the conspiracy.
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.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Bradford was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 36 months in Prison for Robbing a Postal Carrier, Mail Theft, and Check-Washing SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Sam Wolo, 23, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond to 36 months for his role in a scheme to steal checks from the United States mail, and to then fraudulently alter and deposit the stolen checks.
Co-conspirator Gransae Manue, 22 of Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 2 to 33 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and restitution of $42,184.
Co-conspirator Bruno Nyanue, 22, of Philadelphia, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12.
All three men admitted to their roles in the conspiracy, with Nyanue pleading guilty on November 8, 2023, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and robbery of a postal carrier. Wolo pleaded guilty on December 5, 2023, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and robbery of a postal carrier, and Manue pleaded guilty on January 10, 2024, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and robbery of a postal carrier.
On December 22, 2021, the co-conspirators had forcibly robbed a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier of his Arrow Key, used by letter carriers to access blue USPS collection boxes along their routes. The Arrow Key stolen by the defendants opened collection boxes in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and the three used it repeatedly to steal mail from boxes in that area.
Between December 2021 and February 2022, the co-conspirators “washed” and altered checks they stole from the mail that belonged to victims who had mailed checks in Drexel Hill. The defendants altered the stolen checks to make them payable to third parties, often in amounts greater than the checks’ original value, without the victims’ knowledge or consent. As part of the scheme, the defendants deposited the fraudulently washed and altered checks into those third-party accounts, and in at least some instances, withdrew some of the fraudulently deposited funds. Approximately 370 stolen checks and nine stolen money orders were recovered from defendant Wolo’s apartment. The Arrow Key stolen by the defendants from the USPS letter carrier in Drexel Hill, as well as two stolen checks and two money orders, were also recovered from defendant Wolo’s vehicle. Altogether, the value of stolen checks and money orders recovered from defendant Wolo’s apartment and car totaled more than $171,000.
"The United States Postal Service is vital to American life, delivering essential items such as income, bills, and expenses," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "Today's sentence reflects the serious consequences that await those who compromise the security of our mail system. We ask everyone to help support this critical service and maintain the integrity of our mail system by reporting any suspicious activity as we work together to keep our mail safe and secure."
“Sam Wolo, Gransae Manue, and Bruno Nyanue are being held accountable for their roles in robbing a Postal Service carrier of postal keys, stealing checks out of the U.S. mail, and fraudulently trying to pass those checks through the financial system,” said Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division for the Postal Inspection Service. “Along with our law enforcement partners, Inspectors will work relentlessly to hold accountable individuals who bring violence and theft onto the Postal Service and its customers. I want to thank the investigators from the Philadelphia Police Department and the Upper Darby Police Department, along with the Inspectors from the Philadelphia Division, for identifying and apprehending these suspects. I also want to acknowledge the efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office for prosecuting these three individuals.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Upper Darby Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.
Patient Coordinator for O.C. Sober Living Home Arrested for Alleged Kickback Payments to ‘Body Brokers’ and Referred PatientsRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A patient intake coordinator for an addiction treatment facility in Orange County was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he conspired to pay $37,000 in illegal kickbacks to so-called “body brokers” in exchange for finding him new patients.
Luis Guerrero, 53, of Santa Ana, was arrested this morning. He is scheduled for arraignment this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana. Guerrero is charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of offering or paying illegal remunerations for referrals to the clinical treatment facility that employed him.
According to the indictment that a grand jury returned on May 22, Guerrero sought the services of two body brokers in referring patients to his employer’s Orange County-based addiction treatment facility, which treated patient populations that received health care benefits through health insurers.
Guerrero allegedly then negotiated kickback payments to the body brokers on behalf of the facility and arranged for the body brokers to receive thousands of dollars per patient in illegal kickbacks. The indictment alleges that these kickbacks were intended as compensation to the brokers for referring patients and to induce them to continue referring patients so Guerrero could meet a monthly patient intake quota – a condition of his employment with the facility.
Guerrero also assisted the body brokers in paying thousands of dollars directly to the patients, as a further kickback to compensate the patients for allowing the facility to bill their insurance providers for treatment, the indictment alleges. For example, during a call with a body broker over an encrypted messaging service, Guerrero arranged for a patient to receive a $5,000 electronic payment and agreed to assure the patient that “we’ll do something to put money in her hands before she leaves or before she arrives [home],” according to the indictment.
In October 2020, Guerrero allegedly negotiated payment of $37,000 in kickbacks to the body brokers in exchange for their referral of five patients over the previous two months, leading to a $30,000 partial payment to the body brokers later that month.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, Guerrero faces a statutory maximum sentence of 35 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin R. Barron and Nandor Kiss of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case.
Pasco Man Found Guilty of Witness Tampering, Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Obstructing Justice Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Javier Monserrate Vazquez (47, Wesley Chapel) to 27 years in federal prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy against the United States, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, suborning perjury, and contempt of court. Monserrate Vazquez was also ordered to forfeit $250,000. A federal jury found Monserrate Vazquez guilty on October 16, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Monserrate Vazquez was a supplier of cocaine in Pasco County. The drugs were received through the mail from Puerto Rico. Co-conspirators received the packages for further distribution. In October 2018, agents discovered a package containing two kilograms of cocaine addressed to one of Monserrate Vazquez’s co-conspirators. In a controlled delivery, a third co-conspirator retrieved the package. A search of his cellphone showed that Monserrate Vazquez had coordinated the pickup. Monserrate also delivered more than $171,000 in cash to an undercover agent in June 2018 for the purpose of laundering the funds to Colombia through the Black-Market Peso Exchange.
In the summer of 2018, agents obtained evidence of Monserrate Vazquez threatening to kill an associate over an unpaid drug debt. The threats included claims that he would burn the associate alive, cut off his head, and chop off his hands. In the spring of 2020, Monserrate Vazquez induced two people – including the person he threatened to kill – to sign affidavits claiming that Monserrate Vazquez had no involvement in drug trafficking. In court filings seeking to exclude evidence, Monserrate Vazquez relied on one of the affidavits to accuse the federal agents investigating him of misconduct and to potentially end their careers. Monserrate Vazquez kept in contact with potential witnesses against him through an encrypted phone application and a contraband prison cellphone, as well as aided a witness in leaving Tampa while trial was pending to avoid a subpoena to testify. He also paid as much as $10,000 for his co-defendant’s attorney in exchange for his co-defendant’s silence.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Largo Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Diego Novaes.
Orange County Man and Convicted Sex Offender Arrested for Alleged Attempts to Solicit Sexual Activity from Minors on RedditRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A convicted sex offender faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison after his arrest today on a five-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he attempted use the Reddit internet platform to solicit sex with someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl, but instead was undercover law enforcement.
Shaw Warrington, 34, of San Juan Capistrano, is charged with one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, one count of attempted production of child pornography, one count of commission of a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Warrington was arraigned today in United States District Court in Santa Ana and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. A trial date of July 16 has been scheduled in this case. A federal magistrate judge ordered Warrington jailed without bond.
According to the indictment returned on Wednesday and unsealed today, in January and February of 2023, Warrington used the Reddit website to attempt to solicit sex from minors in Orange County. An undercover law enforcement official responded to Warrington’s requests and eventually scheduled a meeting at a Newport Beach shopping center, where Warrington believed he would engage in criminal sexual activity, the indictment alleges. Instead, Warrington was arrested after appearing at the meeting location.
A search of Warrington’s cellphone allegedly returned two images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Law enforcement also seized a firearm and more than 350 rounds of ammunition from Warrington’s residence. Warrington is not permitted to possess them because of his 2013 felony conviction in Orange County Superior Court for meeting a minor with the intent to engage in lewd conduct. As a result of that conviction, Warrington is required to register as a sex offender.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Warrington would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison – 15 years for the attempted production of child pornography count and a 10-year mandatory consecutive sentence for commission of a felony involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. Warrington, if convicted, would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI and the Newport Beach Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin J. Campbell of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Operators of Nationwide Sports and Pokémon Trading Card Fraud ArrestedRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANTHONY CURCIO, a/k/a “Brendan Wooley,” and IOSIF BONDARCHUK, a/k/a “Joe Bondarchuk,” with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. The charges arise from the defendants’ fraudulent scheme to defraud buyers and marketplaces to purchase sports and Pokémon trading cards at false and inflated prices by misrepresenting that low-to-mid grade cards had received high-grade ratings from a reputable card authentication company (“Company-1”), thereby causing victims to pay more money for the cards than they otherwise would have. CURCIO and BONDARCHUK were arrested this morning and are expected to be presented today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Washington. This case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk carried out a brazen, nationwide fraud scheme involving valuable sports and Pokémon trading cards to deceive buyers and marketplaces, ultimately amassing over $2 million in fraudulent and attempted sales. Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly sold and tried to sell at inflated prices cards of various professional athletes, including, among others, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Nolan Ryan, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson, as well as various valuable Pokémon cards. Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the dedicated prosecutors of this Office, and the many victims who came forward, this alleged fraud has had its last dance. Our message today is clear: no matter what product you’re selling, if you try to deceive the public to make money, you will be brought to justice.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “For over two years, Anthony Curcio and Joe Bondarchuk allegedly manipulated common-level trading cards to fraudulently inflate the retail price from its true market value by assigning false validity grades, resulting in more than $2 million in victim losses. This alleged scheme not only damages the reputation of a respectable authentication company, but the defendants’ alleged actions also betray the trust and wallets of avid collectors. The FBI will continue to investigate all fraudulent behavior, especially those who seek to exploit the good faith of companies and consumers.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment:[1]
From at least 2022 to May 2024, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK sold and attempted to sell fraudulent sports and Pokémon trading cards to victims across the country. In total, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK attempted to deprive victims of over $2 million through their sales and attempted sales by misrepresenting the grade of numerous trading cards.
Sports and Pokémon trading cards containing the images of professional athletes and Pokémon can have considerable resale value depending on, among other things, their condition and authenticity. Company-1 is a prominent card authenticator and grader. For a fee, it verifies a card’s authenticity, assesses its condition, and assigns it a numerical grade from one to 10, with one being the lowest grade and 10 being the highest grade. The grade assigned is reflective of the card’s comparative market value. After grading a card, Company-1 seals the card in a distinctive, tamper-resistant plastic case that encloses the card to preserve its condition and indicates its grade on an affixed label.
The card grade assigned by Company-1 significantly impacts the market value of the card. As an example, among the cards that CURCIO and BONDARCHUK sold in connection with the scheme was a misrepresented 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan #57 rookie card (the “1986 MJ Card”). The 1986 MJ Card graded as an 8 has an estimated market value of between $6,000 and $7,000. But this same card, when graded as a 10 by Company-1, has had an estimated market value of between approximately $185,000 and $203,000. In short, representations about Company-1’s grade of the card go directly to the value of the card itself and the price at which the card can be bought and sold. In May 2022, CURCIO advertised one version of the 1986 MJ Card on an online marketplace based in Manhattan (the “Manhattan Marketplace”) for sale for the amount of $171,700, as pictured below:
As is depicted above, CURCIO advertised the 1986 MJ Card as having a purported grade of 10 assigned by Company-1. In truth and in fact, CURCIO knew that Company-1 had not assigned this grade to the card. To further make it appear that the 1986 MJ Card had received a rating of 10 from Company-1, CURCIO caused a purported Company-1 label to be included in the plastic case, along with a fraudulent bar code and certification number.
Through the Manhattan Marketplace, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK sold various cards at inflated prices by falsely claiming the cards had been assigned higher ratings by Company-1 than was true.
CURCIO and BONDARCHUK also sold and attempted to sell fraudulent cards at in-person card shops, auctions, and card shows. CURCIO further sold and attempted to sell fraudulent cards through other online platforms using third-party sellers.
When victims demanded refunds and confronted CURCIO and BONDARCHUK, including by showing them confirmations from Company-1 that they had misrepresented the grade of the cards they were selling, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK feigned ignorance and often refunded the victims. Yet, after being put on notice that the cards’ grades and labels were fraudulent, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK repeatedly attempted to, and did, sell these very same cards to subsequent victims, again with fraudulent labels showing an inflated grade from Company-1.
Among the fraudulent cards that CURCIO, BONDARCHUK, and others sold and attempted to sell are a 1999 Pokémon Venusaur card and a 1999 Pokémon Charizard card, pictured below.
In July 2023, as part of a law enforcement undercover purchase of the above fraudulently misrepresented 1999 Pokémon Venusaur card for $10,500—a card which BONDARCHUK had previously attempted to sell on an online marketplace—CURCIO mailed the card to the undercover law enforcement purchaser in Manhattan after the undercover purchaser wired the money to a CURCIO-controlled bank account.
CURCIO and BONDARCHUK repeatedly used fake names and identities in order to conceal their involvement in the fraudulent scheme. For example: after a victim complained to BONDARCHUK about his sales of fraudulent cards, including a Tom Brady rookie card, a John Elway rookie card, and various Michael Jordan cards, BONDARCHUK gave the victim CURCIO’s phone number but falsely told the victim that the phone number belonged to another individual who, in reality, was a leader of the Hells Angels motorcycle ring. After another victim complained to BONDARCHUK about his sales of fraudulent cards, including a 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan/Jerry Koosman rookie card, BONDARCHUK gave the victim CURCIO’s phone number but this time falsely told the victim that the phone number belonged to someone named, “John Steel.”
Last month, in April 2024, at a card show in New Jersey, CURCIO gave a business card to a potential victim buyer, falsely claiming to be “Brendan Wooley” and listing, among other identifiers, a phone number and LinkedIn page purportedly belonging to “Brendan Wooley.” In truth and in fact, CURCIO—and not “Brendan Wooley”—created and operated the LinkedIn page and controlled the phone number.
In furtherance of the fraud, CURCIO ordered from an online marketplace various items needed to create forged card cases and labels. The items included various card grading cases, thermal transfer barcode labels, a magnifier loupe optical glass, a handheld inkjet printer, a lock-cutting kit, an electric grinding pen, an abrasive buffer and polishing wheel, an abrasive and bristle brushes, and drill bits designed for engraving.
* * *
CURCIO, 43, of Redmond, Washington, and BONDARCHUK, 37, of Lake Stevens, Washington, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David R. Felton and Kingdar Prussien are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
One Detroit Partnership Announces the 3rd Annual Unified Summer Enforcement, Prevention, and Reentry Strategy Targeting Designated High Crime Areas in DetroitRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Today, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison, along with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Kym Worthy, and Detroit Police Chief James E. White, announced the third annual Summer Surge, a targeted strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit. The Surge, which is a product of the continuing collaboration of the One Detroit partnership, will focus on Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts—the precincts with the highest rates of violence in the city. And this year, the One Detroit partners will also concentrate on Detroit’s public spaces to ensure they are safe. One Detroit is an ongoing coalition of community and law enforcement partners working together to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime through enforcement, prevention, and reentry.
Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Special Agent in Charge James Deir, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division, Beverly Smith, Assistant Deputy Director, Operations Office, Michigan Department of Corrections, Bishop Edgar Vann, II, Second Ebenezer Church, Alvin Stokes, President, Citywide Citizens Police Community Relations, Quincy Smith, Ceasefire Detroit and Kenyatta Stephens, CEO Black Family Development.
As temperatures rise, so too does violent crime. With summer approaching, the One Detroit Partnership will again strategically focus resources on some of the most dangerous areas of the city. These neighborhoods in the 8th and 9th Precincts are among the highest in the city in fatal and non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings. And because our parks should be safe to enjoy by all, One Detroit will incorporate them into our Summer Surge.
One part of the Summer Surge is an enforcement strategy designed to prosecute the most violent individuals and crimes in federal court when that is possible. Under the strategy, violent felons arrested for illegally possessing firearms and those arrested with fully automatic firearms and firearms with obliterated serial numbers in Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts, or in Detroit’s parks, will be subject to immediate federal prosecution. In addition, any individual who commits an armed carjacking or robbery of a business in the targeted areas will be prosecuted federally. Finally, any individual with a meaningful connection to the targeted areas, who commits this type of crime elsewhere in the city, will be prosecuted federally. The “hot spot” strategy for federal enforcement will begin on Memorial Day and will last until Labor Day in September.
The One Detroit partnership is also engaged in preventing crime in the targeted areas. In an effort to deter violence and illegal gun possession, last week, letters were sent to 351 individuals on probation, parole, or supervised release in the targeted areas, warning them of the enforcement strategy. But the letter—which was signed by the entire executive team of One Detroit—did more than warn. The letter asked the recipient to be a part of the solution and to help make their neighborhood a safer place. And it invited the recipient to participate in a Peacenic in their neighborhood. Peacenics are community events where residents can come for fun, engage with law enforcement, and obtain resources to improve the quality of their lives. This year’s Peacenics will take place on June 15, 2024, at Heilman Park (rain date June 23), and Saturday, June 29, 2024, at O’Hair Park (rain date June 30) from 3 PM to 7 PM. The events will feature vendors offering a variety of resources, including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial, career development programs, and more. And back by popular demand is the Peacenic Clothing Boutique where residents can shop for gently used clothing. Several law enforcement agencies will also be present to engage with the community and recruit to fill vacancies in their organizations.
Finally, the One Detroit partners will invite returning citizens who live in the “hot spot” areas to participate in Community Roundtables with justice-impacted citizens who have successfully transitioned back into society along with service providers to help directly address any barriers that are preventing them from fully reintegrating in society.
As part of our unified strategy, we encourage residents to join the partnership by taking a pledge to put down the guns and be an agent of change in their community. The pledge can be found by going to the U.S. Attorney’s Office web page at www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/one-detroit-peace-pledge. The web page will be a resource residents can go to learn of upcoming events related to One Detroit.
“Two years ago, members of our community, government, and law enforcement, formed the One Detroit partnership with one goal: to reduce violent crime in the city. Since then, we have created direct partnerships in Detroit’s precincts, commenced reviews of non-fatal shootings, worked with returning citizens to transition peacefully back to the community, prevented violence through focused deterrence, and created a youth advisory team to learn directly from our teens what risks they face. And violent crime has dropped dramatically,” United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison said. “But let me be clear: we are not done. Detroiters—like everyone—deserve to be safe. They deserve to enjoy their public spaces. They deserve to spend their summer without fear. The Summer Surge is designed to make that a reality. We will work tirelessly to prevent violence from occurring. And when it does occur, we will hold accountable those few responsible.”
“One Detroit isn’t just about partnerships to fight crime or increase enforcement, it’s about building relationships with the neighborhoods we serve,” said Detroit Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison. “Our Peacenics have been very successful in helping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and our community, letting residents know we care and we’re all in this together.”
“Partnership is a powerful component of One Detroit. We have shown that by working collectively we can make an impact in violent crime. This summer we will continue our important mission,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
“The Detroit Police Department looks forward to another successful One Detroit partnership to reduce violence in our neighborhoods most impacted by violent crime,” said Detroit Police Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes. “Thanks to the leadership and vision of U.S. Attorney Ison, Mayor Duggan, Chief White and all partners involved, we’re able to collaborate effectively to bring safety and resources to our community.”
Omaha Man Sentenced for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Taliaferro D. Thompson, age 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 22, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a bank robbery. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Thompson to a total sentence of 270 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Thompson’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Thompson was also ordered to pay $269,822 in restitution.
In pronouncing the sentence Judge Buescher agreed that with the characterization that this robbery was unusually heinous, cruel, brutal, and degrading and stated, “What happened here was unbelievably sickening.”
On January 26, 2023, Thompson and co-defendant Andrew Kincaid while armed with handguns entered the First National Bank of Omaha location at 2625 S. 175th Streets in Omaha. Upon entering the bank, Thompson and Kincaid brandished the handguns, pointing them at the employees and customers. Kincaid shoved a customer to the ground. During the robbery, Thompson pistol whipped a bank employee in the head and then forced that bank employee to open the vault while holding a gun to his head. Thompson also drug a pregnant bank employee across the floor by her hair before forcing her to open the teller drawer while putting a gun to her head. Thompson and Kincaid stole $348,920 from the bank which they placed in a trash bag before fleeing.
Thompson was identified as a potential suspect based on a facial recognition match from the surveillance video. Law enforcement learned of a possible residence that Thompson and Kincaid were located at. Thompson was stopped leaving that residence and found to be in possession of approximately $76,000 in currency and a handgun; a second handgun was also located in the vehicle. Kincaid was located by law enforcement in the residence and had apparent red dye on his face and head. A dumpster nearby included burnt money with red dye on it that would have been consistent with the stolen money from the bank robbery that contained a hidden red dye pack within it. Officers searched the residence and found a white belt and black mask that were consistent with items worn by Thompson during the robbery.
Kincaid has pled guilty to bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a bank robbery, and is scheduled for sentencing on September 4, 2024 at 10:00 AM.
This case was investigated by officers with the Omaha Police Department’s Robbery Unit and Gang Unit as part of the FBI’s of Great Plains Violent Crimes Task Force.
Ocala Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Justin Lewis (41, Ocala) to 10 years and 7 months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material. This sentence must be served after another 5 and a half-year federal sentence Lewis is currently serving for wire fraud. A jury had previously found Lewis guilty of the child sexual abuse material offense on June 27, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, federal agents executed a search warrant at Lewis’s Ocala residence on February 7, 2018, looking for evidence in the wire fraud investigation. During the search, agents found two external hard drives on Lewis’s desk that contained video files depicting child sexual abuse material. The same hard drives also contained numerous files and documents attributed to Lewis, including his personal photographs, a copy of his high school diploma, emails, text messages, and assorted business records. One of the hard drives was also encrypted with the same password that Lewis used for many of his personal accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
North Hollywood Man Charged in Federal Complaint Alleging Armed Robbery Spree of a Dozen Southern California BusinessesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with the attempted armed robbery of a Downey business – an attack in which a store employee pulled out a firearm and opened fire – as part of a series of armed robberies of other businesses in Los Angeles and Orange counties during a two-week crime spree earlier this year, the Justice Department announced today.
Antonio Bland, 34, of North Hollywood, is charged in a criminal complaint with one count of attempted interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). Bland, who was in state custody until earlier this week, made his initial appearance on Wednesday in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles and was ordered jailed without bond. His arraignment is scheduled for June 10.
Complaints have also been filed against two other suspected accomplices, who also face attempted Hobbs Act robbery charges:
- Ronnie Tucker, 22, of Long Beach, who is expected to be transferred to federal custody in the coming weeks.
- Abigail Luckey, 49, of North Hollywood, who was the alleged getaway driver in the February 14 robbery of the Downey donut shop. She was ordered released on bond in state court but has since failed to appear in court and is considered a fugitive.
According to an affidavit filed May 13 with the complaints, from January 29 to February 14, Bland and his accomplices are suspects in armed robberies of 11 other businesses: one smoke shop in Tustin, nine 7-Eleven stores in North Hollywood, Burbank, Torrance, Van Nuys, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, and one donut shop in Los Angeles.
“We’ve seen too much violent gun crime in our community and it has to stop,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Our Operation Safe Cities initiative is intended to do just that. Violent criminals should take heed that federal and local partners are collaborating more than ever to ensure that there are consequences for those who engage in gun crime.”
“Mr. Bland and others went on a mission to violently rob employees of small businesses in and around Los Angeles,” said Krysti Hawkins, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is dedicated to working with our local partners to pursue the most violent criminals wreaking havoc on our communities. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of fugitive Abigail Luckey is urged to contact the FBI.”
“We appreciate the ongoing partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office, which will go a long way in holding these individuals accountable for their alleged violent actions on our community,” said Burbank Police Chief Michael Albanese.
These commercial robberies typically occurred late at night and usually involved two men who entered each business wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks. In several of the robberies, a getaway driver waited outside for the subjects to complete the robbery and fled the scene in a white four-door sedan when the subjects returned to the vehicle.
The spree ended after Bland, along with two other individuals, committed an attempted armed robbery of a donut shop in Downey during the early morning hours of February 14, the affidavit states.
Once the subjects entered the donut shop, one yelled, “Open the cash register!” The employee noticed that one of the subjects, believed to be Bland, had what appeared to be a handgun tucked into his front waistband with the handle visible. Fearing that the subjects were going to harm him, the employee ran toward the rear kitchen area from behind the main sales counter. The subjects jumped the counter in pursuit of him. The employee retrieved his own firearm to defend himself. To deter the suspects from attacking him, he fired at least one shot, hitting a wall of the building.
After the employee fired, the subjects ran out of the store.
Law enforcement witnessed the attempted robbery and, shortly afterward, pulled over a car containing Bland and two other individuals, and later retrieved a firearm from the vehicle.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Bland and the other defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments.
The FBI and the Burbank Police Department are investigating with assistance from the Tustin, Torrance, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and Downey police departments.
Assistant United States Attorneys J’me K. Forrest of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Diane Roldán of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
North Dakota Man Sentenced for Possession of Nine Pounds of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute it in Northern South DakotaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Fargo, North Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2024.
Travis Leanell Henley, 28, was sentenced to 14 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Henley was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 10, 2023.
On April 5, 2022, Henley was pulled over for a traffic violation in Roberts County, South Dakota. The Roberts County Deputy noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was searched. The deputy located marijuana in the ash tray, approximately $3,000 in cash in the center console, a loaded firearm in the backseat, and over nine pounds of methamphetamine in the back hatch of the vehicle. Upon the deputy locating the methamphetamine, Henley fled the scene on foot. After a short chase, Henley was captured and arrested for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Roberts County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cass County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
Henley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Newport News man sentenced after being stopped with gun, drugs, and unrestrained child in vehicleRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for federal drug and firearms offenses.
According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2022, two Newport News Police Department (NNPD) officers observed Daquan Montreal Lane, 29, driving a vehicle with a seven-year-old child in the back seat who was not properly restrained. The officers conducted a traffic stop and spotted a knotted, plastic “corner bag” of suspected narcotics protruding from the pocket of Lane's hoodie. As the officers began to investigate, they spotted and seized a firearm in the driver door of the vehicle.
Lane refused to exit the vehicle. As officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle, several more bags containing narcotics fell from his hoodie pocket. NNPD recovered bags containing 8.37 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, 4.69 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, 8.19 grams of methamphetamine, 4.71 grams of cocaine, and a flip phone. NNPD also conducted a search of the vehicle, finding a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, two digital scales containing narcotics residue, a cell phone, and approximately 140 grams of marijuana in 12 separate bags.
In 2013, Lane was convicted of shooting at an occupied building, attempted malicious wounding, two counts of use/display a firearm during commission of a felony, and reckless handling of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Lane could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition at the time of the traffic stop.
On Oct. 30, 2023, Lane pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-50.
New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft and False Use of a PassportRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New York woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and false use of a passport.
According to court records, in May 2023, Lisa Campos, 57, attempted to withdraw funds from the joint credit union account of two victims, presenting a fake United States passport card as identification. She was successful in withdrawing $8000 from one credit union branch in two separate transactions. She made two additional unsuccessful attempts at other branch locations. Shortly after leaving the third branch, Campos was located by Freeport Police Department officers and provided them with the purported passport card and a debit card, both in one of the victims’ names.
Campos faces up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million followed by up to five years of supervised release on the bank fraud charge. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 followed by up to three years of supervised release on the false use of a passport charge. She faces up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 followed by up to a year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft charge. Any sentence on the aggravated identity theft charge would be served consecutively with any other sentence. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service investigated the case with assistance from the Sanford, Topsham, and Freeport police departments.
###
New Canaan Man Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that VISHAL DHAR, 55, of New Canaan, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dhar formed and operated various entities, including Grey Brown, Inc. (a holding company for several restaurants operating under the name “Oaxaca Taqueria”), West Partners, Inc., and NY Cloud Kitchens, LLC. From approximately October 2013 through August 2023, Dhar willfully failed to disclose to the Internal Revenue Service significant income from his business and gifts from family members. Instead of paying his outstanding tax liabilities, Dhar paid off personal and business debts, invested in a new business venture, and paid various personal expenses. In evading his payment of taxes owed, Dhar used financial accounts in the names of entities and other individuals rather than in his own name, paid personal expenses with corporate funds, and omitted significant assets on IRS forms.
In addition, in the bankruptcy case In re Grey Brown Inc., filed in the Southern District of New York, Dhar failed to disclose the receipt of an Employee Retention Credit check in amount of $254,203.01 made payable to Oaxaca Atlantic Avenue, LLC. The Employee Retention Credit is a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the 2011 through 2020 tax years, Dhar owes $272,390.07 in back taxes, penalties, and interest. As part of the plea agreement, Dhar has agreed to pay that full amount in restitution.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for August 15, at which time Dhar faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Dhar is released pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
Monroe City, Missouri Woman Sentenced to 120 Months for Distributing Methamphetamine in Quincy, IllinoisRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Monroe City, Missouri, woman, Amanda Carroll, 35, was sentenced on May 23, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to 120 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Carroll was indicted in April of 2023 and pleaded guilty in August 2023. She has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since being arrested.
At sentencing, the government showed that on March 13, 2023, Carroll was travelling from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois with approximately one-half of pound of almost pure methamphetamine when her vehicle was stopped and searched after a K9 alert. When she was taken to jail, more methamphetamine was found on Carroll’s person. All total, she was held responsible for 223.8 grams of methamphetamine.
The statutory penalties for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine are up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the West Central Illinois Task Force, Illinois State Police, Quincy Police Department, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Carroll 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.
Mobridge Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Mobridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2024.
Charles Evyn Russell, age 36, was sentenced to nine years and one month in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon his release from federal prison, Russell will be required to register as a sex offender.
Russell was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023.
The conviction stems from incidents between July 31, 2021, and April 1, 2022, when Russell possessed over 600 images of child pornography on various computer and electronic devices at his residence in Mobridge. Russell used the application KIK to obtain child pornography from other users.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Mobridge Police Department, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Russell was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Jeremy Kinsey, a Baldwin County, Alabama man, has been sentenced to 360 months (30 years) in federal prison for production of child pornography. Kinsey pled guilty to five counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in January 2024. The sentence was imposed by Senior United States District Judge Callie V. S. Granade.
According to court documents, in April and May of 2023, Kinsey produced recordings of WhatsApp video chats where he was communicating with adult women who were sexually abusing minor children, including a toddler-aged child, The victims in this case were located in the Philippines. Evidence recovered from Kinsey’s cellular device showed that he was sending money to the women in exchange for the video chats where the women sexually assaulted their children at his direction while he watched and recorded. Kinsey was also convicted of possession of child pornography.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Granade imposed a 360-month sentence of incarceration as to the production counts and a 240-month sentence as to the possession of child pornography count. The sentences will run concurrently and will be followed by a 15-year term of supervised release upon Kinsey’s discharge from prison. Kinsey will be required to undergo mental health evaluation, sex offender treatment, and will be required to register as a sex offender upon release.
This case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorneys Beth Stepan and Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.
Minnesota man sentenced for airline assault, interferenceRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Minnesota man was sentenced today to five years’ probation for assaulting a flight attendant and interfering with a flight crew’s normal duties.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2023, Christian Burch, 38, went into the bathroom while he was aboard a flight from Minneapolis to Anchorage. Flight attendants heard a scream coming from the bathroom and tried knocking on the door multiple times. The defendant slammed the door open and walked up the aisleway, appearing shaky and confused.
After being questioned by another flight attendant, Burch became unresponsive. A registered nurse aboard the flight examined the defendant and suspected he was overdosing. The flight attendants and a male passenger assisted the nurse is administering a dosage of Narcan, but Burch began to violently struggle when the Narcan was inserted into his nose. The flight attendants and multiple passengers were involved in the struggle, and at one point, Burch grabbed one of the flight attendants near her throat. Burch was also bleeding from his nose and mouth during the altercation, causing multiple passengers and flight attendants to come in contact with his blood.
The nurse was able to administer two doses of Narcan during the altercation and Burch was restrained in one of the cabin seats for the remainder of the flight. Due to Burch’s actions, the flight crew had to stop performing their normal duties to remedy the situation and update the pilots.
Burch was arrested once the plane landed in Anchorage and served six days in federal custody before being released. Upon his return to Minnesota, he was arrested and held in state custody for 72 days for violating his state parole by leaving the state without permission. Burch pleaded guilty in December 2023 but was arrested in March 2024 for violating his pretrial release and has remained in custody since, serving 66 days total in federal custody.
“Air travel is a necessity for many Alaskans and tourists, and all who use or work on this mode of transportation should feel safe while aboard an aircraft,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “This case serves as a reminder that we will prosecute anyone who chooses to commit such actions while in our district.”
“Criminal conduct aboard an aircraft, such as interference with a flight crew, jeopardizes the safety of all passengers and is a federal crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI is committed to investigating federal crimes occurring on commercial aircraft, and holding accountable those that endanger the safety of passengers and flight crews.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Airport Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder prosecuted the case.
###
Mid-County felon sentenced to federal prison for having firearm at Central MallRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Groves convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a firearm, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Moses Benjamin Castillo, 38, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on May 23, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on Sep. 28, 2022, Port Arthur Police received information that Castillo was in possession of methamphetamine and a gun in the Central Mall parking lot in Port Arthur. Police encountered Castillo as he was leaving the parking lot and initiated a traffic stop after observing him commit a traffic violation. Castillo consented to a search of the vehicle where officers located a firearm, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Further investigation revealed Castillo to be a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Port Arthur Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
###
Miami Man Indicted for Conspiracy, Bank Larceny, and Accessing a Protected Computer in Furtherance of FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An eight-count indictment was unsealed following the arrest of Carlos Luis Vera La Cruz, 44, of Miami, charging him with conspiracy, bank larceny, accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, and attempting to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
The indictment, brought on April 18, 2024, also charges a second individual, whose name remains under seal.
According to court documents, Vera La Cruz and others engaged in an ATM “jackpotting” conspiracy where they stole money from ATMs at targeted banks and credit unions around the country. They did this by infecting the ATMs with malware, which forced the ATMs to dispense money without a valid transaction. In June 2023, as part of this scheme, Vera La Cruz targeted seven ATMs belonging to a bank in and around Redding and Chico, California, stealing $291,820. In total, Vera La Cruz and his co-conspirators have successfully stolen more than $2,615,766 from banks and credit unions in multiple states.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Vera La Cruz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for bank larceny, and a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the counts of conspiracy and for each count of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2024.
Benjamin Eagle, age 62, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 20, 2023.
Around August 9, 2022, Eagle was visiting a residence in McLaughlin, within the Standing Rock Reservation. He was at the residence because he was consuming alcohol, was not getting along with his significant other, and could not be at his own residence. Eagle used force to engage in sexual contact with a nine-year-old child. The child later disclosed the abuse at a child advocacy center in Bismarck, North Dakota. Eagle admitted he had no excuse nor justification for abusing the child and knew the wrongfulness of his actions at the time of the offense.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
May Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the May Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Antonio Deshawn Baker. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Baker, 18, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-160
Mark Verron Callshim, Jr. Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Callshim, 37, of Tulsa and a member of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, is charged with taking something of value by force, violence and intimidation. He is further charged with using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting
the case. 24-CR-159Ernesto Casrto-Sierra. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Castro-Sierra, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in May 2018, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting
the case. 24-CR-158Leonel Limberg Hernandez. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Hernandez, 33, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly coercing and enticing an individual whom he believed was a minor child younger than 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting
the case. 24-CR-166Juan Jose Huerta; Miguel Angel Huerta; Carlos Pena-Villalba; Jose Fernando Flores Carillo; Roberto Carlos Valle. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 2 & 8); Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Counts 4, 6, 9, 11 & 14); Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 5, 10 & 13); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 7 & 15); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 12) (superseding). Juan Huerta, 57, a Mexican National; Miguel Huerta, 27, of Broken Arrow; Pena-Villalba, 53, a Mexican National; Carillo, 24, a Mexican National; Valle, 45, a Mexican National are charged with conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and maintaining a residence to distribute drugs. Juan Huerta is charged with allegedly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute. He is additionally charged with possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Miguel Huerta is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Pena-Villalba is charged with possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Carillo allegedly possessed cocaine with intent to distribute and possessed a firearm while drug trafficking. Valle is further charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-118
Tracy Eugene King. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. King, 44, of Sapulpa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with possessing firearms and ammunition knowing he was previously convicted of several felonies. The Homeland Security Investigations, Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-156
Juan Daniel Rodriguez; Adrian Hernandez Barrios; Adolfo Jacobo; Jesus Ponce Alcaraz; Aureliano Rodriguez Hernandez; Felecia Martinez; Luis Martinez; Marco Antonio Monreal Lopez; Juan Luna; Bulmaro Martinez; Cesar Adolfo Gonzalez-Barrera; Jorge Mario Piedra Hernandez; Jaime Murillo. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Drug Conspiracy (Count 2); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 3); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 4 through 6); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Count 7); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Count 8); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 9 & 11); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 10, 12 & 14); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 13); Distribution of Cocaine (Counts 15 & 16); Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony (Counts 17 through 59) Rodriguez, 18, of Tulsa, Barrios, 29, of Tulsa, Jacobo, 28, of Tulsa, Alcaraz, 30, of Tulsa, Aureliano Hernandez, 38, a Mexican national, Felecia Martinez, 39, of Tulsa and a member of Potawatomi Nation, Luis Martinez, 37, a Mexican national, Lopez, 41, a Mexican national, Luna, 41, a Mexican national, and Jaime Murillo, 45, of Broken Arrow, are charged with conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. Barrios, Jacobo, Alcaraz, Bulmaro Martinez, 38, a Mexican national, Gonzalez-Barrera, 28, a Mexican national, Jorge Hernandez, 28, a Mexican national, Felecia Martinez, and Jaime Murillo, are charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine. In addition to being charged as part of the drug conspiracies, several defendants are charged with committing additional federal drug offenses. Barrios is separately charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of the charged drug conspiracies, distributing methamphetamine, and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Rodriguez is separately charged with distributing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Aureliano Hernandez is separately charged with possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Felecia Martinez is separately charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Alcaraz is separately charged with distributing cocaine. With the exception of Felecia Martinez, each of the defendants is charged with using a telephone to communicate to facilitate the charged drug conspiracies and methamphetamine and cocaine distribution. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. McConney is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-078
Markell Demond Stanley. Bank Robbery; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Stanley, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with taking money belonging to another from a bank, by force and violence. He is charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence. Stanley is further charged with being in possession of a firearm knowing he was previously convicted of several felonies. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen J. Flynn and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-157
Gabriel Urquiza-Urquiza; Leticia Garcia Salazar; Daisy Villanueva; Javier Rodarte; Ricardo Plateado-Martinez; Eliser Blanco; Adamaris Jimenez; Rosa Maria Olmos. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Firearms Conspiracy (Count 2); Firearms Trafficking (Count 3); Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering (Count 4); Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity (Counts 5 & 6); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Count 7); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 8 & 9); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 10 & 17); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 11); Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms (Count 12); Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 13); Illegal Export of Firearms (Count 14); Smuggling Firearms from the United States (Count 15); Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien (Count 16) (superseding). Urquiza-Urquiza, 26, a Mexican National; Salazar, 22, of Tulsa; Villanueva, 24, of Oklahoma City; Rodarte, 26, of Moore; Plateado-Martinez, 34, of Broken Arrow; Blanco, 26, of Oklahoma City; Jimenez, 22, of Oklahoma City; Olmos, 35, of Broken Arrow are charged with conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. Urquiza-Urquiza, Salazar, Villanueva, Rodarte, Plateado-Martinez, and Olmos are charged with conspiring to conceal or disguise proceeds from the transactions of methamphetamine distribution. Urquiza-Urquiza is charged with two counts of knowingly engaging in monetary transactions that involved criminally derived property valued at more than $10,000. Salazar is further charged with intentionally distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine. Villanueva is also charged with Salazar for intentionally distributing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Lopez, Jimenez, and Salazar are charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Salazar is further charged with maintaining a residence to distribute drugs. Urquiza-Urquiza is also charged with possessing firearms knowing he is an illegal alien unlawfully in the United States and with possessing firearms in the furtherance of drug trafficking. He is additionally charged with willfully exporting and smuggling firearms from the United States to Mexico. The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Oklahoma City Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-131
Robert Wallace; Marsha Clevenger. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Wallace, 52, of Tulsa, and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Clevenger, 66, of Tulsa, are charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and more than 40 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute. They are further charged with maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. McConney is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-162
Dylan Ray Yahola. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography; Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Yahola, 32, of Kiefer and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with coercing and enticing a minor child under 18 years old to produce visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. He is further charged with receiving visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The FBI and the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-163
Manderson Man Sentenced for Misprison of a FelonyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Circuit Judge Jonathan A. Kobes, sitting in district court in Rapid City, South Dakota, has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Misprison of a Felony. The sentencing took place on May 14, 2024.
Ivan White Plume, a/k/a Ivan White Butterfly, 33, was sentenced to time served, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. White Butterfly served a total of one year and 11 months in custody.
White Butterfly was indicted for Accessory After the Fact to Second Degree Murder by a federal grand jury in May of 2022. He pleaded guilty on February 14, 2024.
In February 2022, White Butterfly was questioned by tribal law enforcement officers about the disappearance of a 17-year-old female. Despite knowing that his relative, Tyson White Plume, had confessed to shooting and killing the victim, White Butterfly concealed his knowledge of the minor’s death and the shooter’s confession.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Man Charged in Scams Targeting SeniorsRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 22, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Jiaci Liu appeared in federal court today following his arrest for engaging in a multinational fraud conspiracy targeting seniors, including a 63-year-old man from Poway.
According to a federal complaint, the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force (ETJF) learned of the fraud scheme after the victim reported to the San Diego Sheriff’s Department that he been duped as part of a layered tech support, bank impersonation and government impersonation scam.
Specifically, while on his personal computer, a pop-up window appeared indicating there was a possible virus on his computer and instructing him to contact a phone number. When he contacted the number, he was transferred through a series of co-conspirators pretending to work in tech support. The victim was informed that his computer had viruses. The victim was then transferred to another conspirator who claimed to be from the victim’s bank. During that interaction, the victim was told there were unauthorized transfers from his bank. The victim was instructed to go immediately to his bank and to withdraw all his money for safekeeping.
At the direction of the conspirators, the victim went to his bank and withdrew $28,000. The victim was then instructed by the conspirators that someone from the U.S. Marshals Service would come to his house to pick up the money. After the interaction, the victim became suspicious and contacted the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, which informed the victim to contact them if anyone showed up to pick up the money.
According to the complaint, on June 9, 2023, defendant Jiaci Liu arrived at the victim’s residence. The victim called the police, who arrived and found Liu outside the victim’s home. Liu’s cellphone was seized and later searched. Investigators located evidence indicating that in just one week in June 2023, Liu had picked up over $348,000 dollars from multiple victims located in Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona.
“Everyone with a computer is vulnerable to sophisticated scams like the one alleged in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “If you think you’ve been targeted, report it quickly. The faster the report comes in, the more likely we are to catch the scammers and recover any swindled money.”
“Individuals committing tech scams are getting more and more innovative with the methods they use to con innocent people,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners continually adapt our strategies so that we can stay ahead of those who scheme and collude to defraud the American public. We are committed to ensuring each of these individuals is brought to justice.”
A detention hearing is scheduled for May 24, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge David D. Leshner.
This case was investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force and its member agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department, San Diego Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24MJ1929-MSB
Jiaci Liu Age: 34 Monterey Park, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Criminal Forfeiture – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(2)(A), and Title 28, U.S.C., Section 2461(c)
Maximum Penalties: Thirty years in prison; $1 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego County Sheriff’s DepartmentSan Diego Police Department
San Diego Elder Justice Task Force
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lyons man going to prison for 15 years on child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that that Randall Seeley, Jr., 46, of Lyons, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that in July 2023, the New York State Police received a report that Seeley had been involved in sexually explicit online communications with a 13 to 14-year-old minor. During an investigation, Seeley admitted knowing the minor and engaging in sexual communications, during which he solicited and received explicit images and videos of the minor. A review of the minor’s social media accounts revealed the sexually explicit communications with Seeley, going back as far as July 2022. A search warrant was executed at Seeley’s residence, during which his electronic devices were seized. A preliminary forensic analysis of the devices uncovered hundreds of images and videos of child pornography depicting the known minor and other, unknown minors.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, Lyons, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
# # # #
Long Island Woman Indicted for $3.28 Million Paycheck Protection Program Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Donna Ingram with wire fraud, disaster relief fraud, and theft of public funds relating to her scheme to submit fraudulent applications for loans under the United States Small Business Administration’s (the “SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which Congress created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. Ingram was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI); Patrick J. Freaney, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Secret Service (USSS); Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent-in-Charge, Office of the Inspector General of the SBA, Eastern Region Office (SBA-OIG); Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Region (DOL-OIG), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, the defendant made a business out of defrauding the government by falsely claiming that she and others needed government loan benefits to pay their employees during the pandemic. This money was meant to help businesses weather the pandemic. In reality, the defendant was lining her own pockets,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will continue prosecuting those who took advantage of the COVID crisis and stole funds from vitally important government relief programs.”
“Donna Ingram is accused of spearheading a scheme that defrauded the United States government of over $3.2 million in relief funds meant for the well-meaning public during a time when their lives were in unparalleled crisis. The defendant’s alleged crimes were anything but victimless, and robbed small businesses — the backbone of this country — of critical resources. HSI New York stands at the forefront of investigating financial crimes, and will pursue justice on behalf of New Yorkers regardless of how much time has passed,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. “I commend our state and local law enforcement partners for their exceptional collaboration that resulted in today’s arrest.”
“Bilking a loan program that served as a lifeline to businesses experiencing distress during the pandemic is simply unconscionable," said Patrick J. Freaney, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Secret Service (USSS). "While our nation has moved past the pandemic, the United States Secret Service remains steadfast in its commitment to holding these alleged fraudsters accountable. I want to thank our many law enforcement partners for their seamless collaboration in this important and ongoing work.”
“Abusing the Paycheck Protection Program, which was established to support struggling small businesses during the pandemic, for personal gain is inexcusable,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite. “Our office is dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of SBA programs and ensuring that individuals who commit fraud are held accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
“This indictment underscores law enforcement’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that only people and businesses truly in need used public resources earmarked for relief programs during the pandemic,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “The NYPD will continue to assist our federal partners in any of their investigations related to that grave time, with the goal of protecting taxpayer funds and holding all alleged fraudsters accountable for their actions.”
“An important part of the mission of the U.S Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of pandemic-related fraud. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations,” stated Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
As set forth in court filings, between May 2020 and May 2021, Ingram submitted at least 27 PPP loan applications (the “Subject Applications”) on behalf of her own companies as well as at least 22 other businesses (the “Subject Businesses”). The Subject Applications contained false information about the Subject Businesses, including false claims about their revenue, number of employees, payroll costs, and intended use of the loan proceeds. For example, for one business, referred to in the Indictment as Subject Business-3, Ingram submitted two separate applications for loans, one which falsely claimed that the business had earned approximately $950,950 in 2019 and another which falsely claimed that the same business had earned approximately $820,000 in 2019. Subject Business-3 received two PPP loans for $150,000 each and its owner paid Ingram approximately $50,500 in kickbacks. In total, the Subject Businesses received loans in the amount of approximately $3.28 million and Ingram received kickbacks totaling at least $430,000 for her preparation and submission of the fraudulent Subject Applications.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Ingram faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Sherman is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DONNA INGRAM
Age: 50
Freeport, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-214 (HG)
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Austin Barrett, 29, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced May 23, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for distribution of fentanyl. Senior United State District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Barrett to 188 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Barrett is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On April 1, 2021, Lincoln Police Department (LPD) officers were dispatched to a residence in Lincoln following a call stating that a person was not breathing. At the residence, officers found a used syringe, a baggie with suspected heroin, and one spoon with suspected heroin residue, and the victim’s phone. Lincoln Fire & Rescue (LFR) administered Narcan, and the victim began responding and became alert. The victim admitted to taking an opioid but did not remember which one or how much he took. The baggie and spoon were sent to the lab for testing. The lab determined that the baggie and spoon contained fentanyl.
Later investigation revealed the victim coordinated with Barrett to purchase heroin from Barrett. Phone records revealed that on April 1, 2021, Barrett pulled into the victim’s residence after the two arranged the sale, and only 16 minutes later, the call to 911 was made.
On April 20, 2021, an LPD officer spoke with Barrett by phone and recorded it. Barrett admitted to selling heroin/fentanyl to the victim on April 1, 2021. Barrett also admitted to having texted with the victim on April 1, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.
KC Woman Pleads Guilty to $240,000 Email Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to laundering more than $240,000 she unlawfully obtained from a New York business as part of an email compromise scheme.
Brianna S. Graves, 30, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to a federal information that charges her with one count of money laundering.
By pleading guilty today, Graves admitted that she received a payment of $240,926 from ETS Contracting, Inc., located in Brooklyn, New York, as part of a business email compromise scheme.
According to today’s plea agreement, ETS Contracting was finalizing a contract with a vendor, who was communicating via email with the firm. On Dec. 12, 2022, ETS Contracting received a payment instruction email, which they believed originated from the owner of the vendor company, to wire $240,926 to a J.P. Morgan Chase Bank account. However, the instruction email actually came from a different email address that changed one letter in the domain name.
ETS Contracting authorized the payment on Dec. 18, 2022, and the funds were posted to the bank account the next day. The bank account, a business account in the name of Heavy Weight Maintenance LLC, actually belonged to Graves. Graves obtained a cashier’s check for the full amount of the wire fraud proceeds, which she then deposited into another bank account. Graves spent the money on car payments, vacations, cruises, airfare, and gambling.
On June 26, 2023, federal agents executed a warrant and seized $41,574 from Graves’s bank account.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Graves must pay $240,926 in restitution and must forfeit to the government $240,926, which represents the proceeds she obtained from her crime.
Under federal statutes, Graves is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI and the New York City Police Department.
Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Seek Information on Serial Acquisitions, Roll-Up Strategies Across U.S. EconomyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) jointly launched a public inquiry to identify serial acquisitions and roll-up strategies throughout the U.S. economy that have led to consolidation and harmed competition.
Serial acquisitions and roll-ups are a form of corporate consolidation where a company becomes larger — and potentially dominant — by buying several smaller firms in the same or related sectors or industries. In a joint Request for Information (RFI), the agencies are seeking information from across the public, including consumers, workers, businesses, advocacy organizations, professional and trade associations, local, state and federal elected officials, academics and others to understand how these strategies can stifle competition.
Corporate actors, including private equity firms, engage in these types of acquisitions across a wide array of markets and industries. These transactions often fall below minimum filing thresholds for mergers and therefore are not reported to the federal antitrust agencies, allowing the acquiring companies to amass significant control over key products, services or labor markets without government scrutiny. These serial acquisitions can reduce competition across an entire industry or business sector, which harms consumers, workers and innovation.
“When companies use serial acquisitions and other roll-up strategies to consolidate industries while evading antitrust scrutiny, they deprive the American people of the benefits of competition,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Public input about where these acquisitions have occurred and how they have impacted competition will help us identify and pursue harmful conduct.”
“Firms can use serial acquisitions to roll up markets, consolidate power and undermine fair competition, all while jacking up prices and degrading quality,” said Chair Lina M. Khan of the FTC. “As the FTC scrutinizes these stealth consolidation schemes, we invite the public to submit information about where serial acquisitions have occurred and their effects.”
The agencies seek information from the public on serial acquisitions in all sectors and industries in the U.S. economy, including but not limited to housing, defense, cybersecurity, distribution businesses, agriculture, construction, aftermarket/repair and professional services markets. Comments submitted in response to this RFI will inform the agencies’ enforcement priorities and future actions.
This RFI complements a parallel government inquiry that seeks to understand how certain health care market transactions by private equity firms and other companies may increase consolidation and generate profits while threatening patients’ health, workers’ safety, quality of care and affordable health care for patients and taxpayers.
The Justice Department and FTC’s latest RFI builds on the agencies’ efforts to ensure federal antitrust enforcement tools keep pace with changes in how companies do business. The agencies have proposed amending the premerger notification forms to require merging companies to each disclose more information about their prior acquisition history. In addition, the department and FTC’s 2023 Merger Guidelines recognize that serial acquisitions may violate the antitrust laws.
The public will have 60 days to submit comments at Regulations.gov, no later than July 22. Once submitted, comments will be posted to Regulations.gov.
Justice Department and Department of Labor Secure Agreements with Tech Company to Resolve Discriminatory “Whites Only” Job PostingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the Department of Labor announced today separate agreements with Arthur Grand Technologies Inc. (Arthur Grand), an information technology services firm based in Virginia. The Justice Department’s agreement resolves the department’s determination that Arthur Grand violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by posting a discriminatory job advertisement in March 2023 that restricted eligible candidates to “only US Born Citizens [white] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don’t share with candidates].” (brackets in original). The Labor Department’s agreement resolves its determination that Arthur Grand violated Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.
“It is shameful that in the 21st century, we continue to see employers using ‘whites only’ and ‘only US born’ job postings to lock out otherwise eligible job candidates of color. I share the public’s outrage at Arthur Grand’s appalling and discriminatory ban on job candidates based on citizenship status, national origin, color and race,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department, working with other government agencies, will continue to hold employers accountable when they violate our nation’s federal civil rights laws.”
“Over the past 58 years, OFCCP has protected workers and job seekers from workplace discrimination. We are committed to holding federal contractors accountable for outrageous discriminatory practices like this advertisement,” said Acting Director Michele Hodge of the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). “Companies like Arthur Grand, that accept federal contracts cannot have a ‘whites only’ hiring process.”
In May 2023, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) opened an investigation and determined that Arthur Grand discriminated based on citizenship status and national origin after a recruiter working for Arthur Grand’s subsidiary in India posted the advertisement on the job website Indeed. The advertisement was widely circulated on social media and generated several news articles. Arthur Grand’s actions harmed individuals with permission to work in the U.S., including U.S. citizens born outside the United States and certain non-U.S. citizens, by unlawfully deterring them from applying to the job advertisement.
An investigation by OFCCP determined that, in April 2023, Arthur Grand Technologies advertised an opening for a business analyst position with its sales and insurance claims team in Dallas on a public online hiring website. The advertisement includes a bolded note that read “Only Born US Citizens [White] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don’t share with candidates].” The position, the announcement stated, would serve two clients, HTC Global an information technology company based in Troy, Michigan, and Berkshire Hathaway, the multinational holding company based in Omaha, Nebraska.
As part of the Justice Department settlement, Arthur Grand will pay a civil penalty to the United States. The agreement also requires Arthur Grand to train its personnel on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring.
Under the Labor Department conciliation agreement, Arthur Grand will pay compensation to individuals who filed complaints with its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). In addition, Arthur Grand has committed to providing workplace specific training for all company employees involved in recruiting, selecting candidates or tracking expressions of interest for open positions.
IER is responsible for enforcing the INA’s anti-discrimination provision. This law prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination in recruitment and hiring on IER’s website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify), or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a live webinar; watch an on-demand presentation or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.
The Labor Department’s OFCCP enforces Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. Learn more about OFCCP here.
Justice Department Sues Live Nation-Ticketmaster for Monopolizing Markets Across the Live Concert IndustryRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, along with 30 state and district attorneys general, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ticketmaster LLC (Live Nation-Ticketmaster) for monopolization and other unlawful conduct that thwarts competition in markets across the live entertainment industry. The lawsuit, which includes a request for structural relief, seeks to restore competition in the live concert industry, provide better choices at lower prices for fans, and open venue doors for working musicians and other performance artists.
The complaint, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster unlawfully exercises its monopoly power in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. As a result of its conduct, music fans in the United States are deprived of ticketing innovation and forced to use outdated technology while paying more for tickets than fans in other countries. At the same time, Live Nation-Ticketmaster exercises its power over performers, venues, and independent promoters in ways that harm competition. Live Nation-Ticketmaster also imposes barriers to competition that limit the entry and expansion of its rivals.
“We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters, and venue operators,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster.”
“Today’s announcement reflects the latest efforts by the Justice Department to combat corporate misconduct,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Our fight against corporate wrongdoing includes an intense focus on anticompetitive conduct — which disadvantages consumers, workers, and businesses of all kinds. Today’s complaint alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster have engaged in anticompetitive conduct to cement their dominance of the live concert market and act as the gatekeeper for an entire industry. Today’s action is a step forward in making this era of live music more accessible for the fans, the artists, and the industry that supports them.”
“The Department is committed to competition throughout the economy, including in live music,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “As our complaint alleges, Live Nation-Ticketmaster monopolizes the markets for concerts and other live events at the expense of fans, venues, and artists across the country. The Department is proud to bring this case to restore competition to this industry.”
“The live music industry in America is broken because Live Nation-Ticketmaster has an illegal monopoly,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Our antitrust lawsuit seeks to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s monopoly and restore competition for the benefit of fans and artists.”
According to the complaint, Live Nation-Ticketmaster has unlawfully maintained monopolies in several concert promotions and primary ticketing markets and engaged in other exclusionary conduct affecting live concert venues, including arenas and amphitheaters. The complaint further alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s exclusionary practices fortify and protect what it refers to as its “flywheel.” The flywheel is Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s self-reinforcing business model that captures fees and revenue from concert fans and sponsorship, uses that revenue to lock up artists to exclusive promotion deals, and then uses its powerful cache of live content to sign venues into long term exclusive ticketing deals, thereby starting the cycle all over again. Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s anticompetitive conduct creates even more barriers for rivals to compete on the merits. Specifically, Live Nation-Ticketmaster engaged in a variety of tactics to eliminate competition and monopolize markets:
- Relationship with Oak View Group: Live Nation-Ticketmaster exploits its longtime relationship with Oak View Group, a potential competitor-turned-partner that has described itself as a “hammer” and “protect[or]” for Live Nation. In recent years, Oak View Group has avoided bidding against Live Nation for artist talent and influenced venues to sign exclusive agreements with Ticketmaster. For example, Live Nation has scolded Oak View Group multiple times for trying to compete. In one instance, Live Nation asked, “who would be so stupid to . . . play into [an artist agent’s] arms,” and on another occasion, Live Nation stated, “let’s make sure we don’t let [the artist agency] now start playing us off.”
- Retaliating Against Potential Entrants: Live Nation-Ticketmaster successfully threatened financial retaliation against a firm unless it stopped one of its subsidiaries from competing to gain a foothold in the U.S. concert promotions market.
- Threatening and Retaliating Against Venues that Work with Rivals: Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s power in concert promotions means that every live concert venue knows choosing another promoter or ticketer comes with a risk of drawing an adverse reaction from Live Nation-Ticketmaster that would result in losing concerts, revenue, and fans.
- Locking Out Competition with Exclusionary Contracts: Live Nation-Ticketmaster locks concert venues into long-term exclusive contracts so that venues cannot consider or choose rival ticketers or switch to better or more cost-effective ticketing technology. These contracts allow Live Nation-Ticketmaster to reduce competitive pressure to improve its own ticketing technology and customer service.
- Blocking Venues from Using Multiple Ticketers: Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s conduct and exclusive contracts prevent new and different promotions and ticketing competitors and business models from emerging. They block venues from being able to use multiple ticketers, who would compete by offering the best mix of prices, fees, quality, and innovation to fans.
- Restricting Artists’ Access to Venues: Live Nation-Ticketmaster has increasingly gained control of key venues, including amphitheaters, through acquisitions, partnerships, and agreements. Live Nation-Ticketmaster restricts artists’ use of those venues unless those artists also agree to use their promotion services.
- Acquiring Competitors and Competitive Threats: Live Nation-Ticketmaster strategically acquired a number of smaller and regional promoters that it had internally identified as threats. This has undermined competition and impacted artist compensation.
Live Nation Entertainment Inc. is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. It describes itself as the “largest live entertainment company in the world,” the “largest producer of live music concerts in the world,” and “the world’s leading live entertainment ticketing sales and marketing company.” Live Nation also owns or controls more than 265 concert venues in North America, including more than 60 of the top 100 amphitheaters in the United States. It generates over $22 billion globally in annual revenue from three business segments: concerts (e.g., promotions, venue management, and music festival production), ticketing (e.g., Ticketmaster business), and sponsorship and advertising.
Ticketmaster LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Live Nation. It is a Virginia limited liability company with headquarters in Beverly Hills. Ticketmaster sells concert tickets to fans when those tickets first go on sale and operates resale platforms that enable purchasers to resell those tickets at a later time. Ticketmaster is by far the largest concert ticketing company in the United States, multiple times the size of its closest competitor.
View the complaint.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to Resolve Voting Rights LawsuitRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement with the City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and city elections officials to resolve allegations that Pawtucket failed to provide Spanish-language assistance for voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act and did not allow qualified voters to cast provisional ballots in violation of the Help America Vote Act.
The proposed consent decree was filed in conjunction with the lawsuit brought by the Justice Department. The department’s lawsuit alleges that Pawtucket failed to provide election assistance and materials in Spanish for Spanish-speaking voters with limited English proficiency, in violation of Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act. Section 203 requires that certain jurisdictions, including Pawtucket, provide election materials and assistance in other languages, in addition to English. The lawsuit also alleges that Pawtucket and city elections officials refused to allow individuals who were qualified to cast a provisional ballot to do so and failed to train and instruct poll workers accurately and adequately regarding the requirements for provisional ballots, all in violation of Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act. If individuals are not listed on the official registration list, HAVA requires an election official to notify individuals that they may cast a provisional ballot if they declare that they are a registered voter in the jurisdiction and eligible to vote in the election.
“Language barriers should never prevent an eligible voter from being able to fully participate in the democratic process,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Providing bilingual materials and language assistance for those who are limited English proficient will ensure that these citizens have a meaningful opportunity to participate in our democracy. We will continue to confront any barriers that stand between voters and the ability to cast their vote.”
“The right to vote is the right on which all others depend,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for the District of Rhode Island. “This office will remain vigilant in enforcing our civil rights laws to ensure that illegal barriers to access do not keep Americans from casting their ballots. I am grateful for our continued partnership with the Civil Rights Division on this case and commend the City of Pawtucket for taking action to ensure that these issues are addressed.”
The proposed consent decree, which must be approved by the court, requires the implementation of a comprehensive Spanish-language elections program under Section 203. The City of Pawtucket will provide all election-related information in both English and Spanish, including information in the polling places and online. The City of Pawtucket also will ensure that in-person language assistance is available at all early voting sites and at each election precinct on Election Day. In addition, the consent decree provides that all voters who are registered to vote have a right to cast a provisional ballot if their name is not found on the registration list. The consent decree also provides that federal observers may monitor election day activities in polling places in the City of Pawtucket.
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. Individuals can also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island either by emailing [email protected] or by calling (401)-709-5010.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with CEFCU to Ensure Access for People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced today it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Citizens Equity First Credit Union (“CEFCU”) to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The agreement requires the credit union to adopt an ADA policy, train its staff, and provide services to the complainant.
The settlement resolves an ADA complaint alleging that CEFCU refused, on multiple occasions, to serve an individual with a hearing disability over the phone because the individual was using an interpreter to communicate on the calls. According to the complaint, when the individual called CEFCU using an interpreter, CEFCU refused to speak with the individual through the interpreter and said it could not proceed with a third-party present on the call.
The complaint prompted an investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like banks or credit unions provide equal access to their services and respond to telephone calls from individuals using sign language interpreters in the same manner they respond to other telephone calls.
“Many people with disabilities communicate through interpreters and the law protects their right to equal access through such services,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant for the Central District of Illinois. “We appreciate CEFCU’s cooperation and commitment to ensuring access to its services for all of its customers. We encourage all business and places of public accommodation in the Central District of Illinois to review their policies and training, so they are prepared to facilitate or provide interpretive services when needed.”
Under the agreement, the credit union will create an ADA policy and provide training to its staff about the ADA’s requirements to ensure equal access to its services for customers with disabilities. Without admitting violating the ADA, CEFCU also agreed to a monetary payment to the complainant to fully resolve the matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant represented the government during the investigation and settlement process. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like banks offer people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services, programs, and activities. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint.
Justice Department Secures Agreement to Address Language Barriers for Families in the Cherry Creek, Colorado, School DistrictRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with the Cherry Creek School District (CCSD), one of the largest school districts in Colorado, to significantly improve language access services for parents with limited English proficiency. The agreement resolves allegations that the district failed to communicate with these parents in a language they could understand, denying them important information about their children’s education.
“No parent should be left in the dark about their child’s education,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Open and effective communication between schools and parents, including parents with limited English proficiency, is essential to safeguarding students’ equal access to educational opportunities. The Justice Department will continue to ensure school districts take steps to help parents overcome language barriers that prevent them from participating fully in their children’s education.”
“Parents with limited English proficiency face barriers to understanding how public schools work,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado. “This agreement is intended to ensure that the Cherry Creek School District implements policies and practices to enable all parents in the district to participate meaningfully in their children’s education. We urge all school districts in Colorado to review their practices to ensure that they are complying with their obligations to provide language assistance services to parents with limited English proficiency.”
The CCSD serves about 53,000 students whose parents speak more than 150 languages. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado received multiple complaints alleging that parents with limited English proficiency could not meaningfully participate in important school programs and activities because the district did not provide them with appropriate and effective language assistance services. The complaints alleged, for example, that the district did not provide interpreters and translation services to parents with limited English proficiency when they enrolled their children in the district’s schools and did not provide such services during expulsion hearings and other disciplinary proceedings.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, investigated the complaints under the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974.
To resolve the department’s investigation, the district has agreed to improve its communications in critical areas, including:
- Enrollment: The district will identify parents with limited English proficiency and who are seeking to enroll their children in district schools, document their preferred language of communication and provide them with language assistance services to help them understand the enrollment process.
- Student disciplinary proceedings: The district will translate letters that involve suspension and expulsion into the preferred language of parents with limited English proficiency and provide language assistance services during disciplinary proceedings that could lead to suspension or expulsion.
- Engagement with parents with limited English proficiency: The district will administer surveys and hold listening sessions in over a dozen languages to better understand the communications needs of parents with limited English proficiency.
The enforcement of the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
To report a possible civil rights violation to the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.civilrights.justice.gov/. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s civil rights enforcement program can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-co/civil-rights-enforcement.
Justice Department Secures Agreement to Address Language Barriers for Families in the Cherry Creek School DistrictRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with the Cherry Creek School District (CCSD), one of the largest school districts in Colorado, to significantly improve language access services for parents with limited English proficiency. The agreement resolves allegations that the district failed to communicate with these parents in a language they could understand, denying them important information about their children’s education.
“No parent should be left in the dark about their child’s education,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Open and effective communication between schools and parents, including parents with limited English proficiency, is essential to safeguarding students’ equal access to educational opportunities. The Justice Department will continue to ensure school districts take steps to help parents overcome language barriers that prevent them from participating fully in their children’s education.”
“Parents with limited English proficiency face barriers to understanding how public schools work,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Cole Finegan. “This agreement is intended to ensure that the Cherry Creek School District implements policies and practices to enable all parents in the district to participate meaningfully in their children’s education. We urge all school districts in Colorado to review their practices to ensure that they are complying with their obligations to provide language assistance services to parents with limited English proficiency.”
The CCSD serves about 53,000 students whose parents speak more than 150 languages. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado received multiple complaints alleging that parents with limited English proficiency could not meaningfully participate in important school programs and activities because the district did not provide them with appropriate and effective language assistance services. The complaints alleged, for example, that the district did not provide interpreters and translation services to parents with limited English proficiency when they enrolled their children in the district’s schools and did not provide such services during expulsion hearings and other disciplinary proceedings.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, investigated the complaints under the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974.
To resolve the department’s investigation, the district has agreed to improve its communications in critical areas, including:
- Enrollment: The district will identify parents with limited English proficiency and who are seeking to enroll their children in district schools, document their preferred language of communication, and provide them with language assistance services to help them understand the enrollment process.
- Student disciplinary proceedings: The district will translate letters that involve suspension and expulsion into the preferred language of parents with limited English proficiency and provide language assistance services during disciplinary proceedings that could lead to suspension or expulsion.
- Engagement with parents with limited English proficiency: The district will administer surveys and hold listening sessions in over a dozen languages to better understand the communications needs of parents with limited English proficiency.
The enforcement of the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
To report a possible civil rights violation to the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.civilrights.justice.gov/. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s civil rights enforcement program can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-co/civil-rights-enforcement.
Press Release Translations
Министерство юстиции заключило соглашение об устранении языковых барьеров для семей в школьном округе Черри-Крик, штат Колорадо
El Departamento de Justicia logra un acuerdo para abordar las barreras idiomáticas de las familias del distrito escolar de Cherry Creek, Colorado
وزارة العدل تتوصل لاتفاقية لمعالجة العوائق اللغوية للعائلات في منطقة تشيري كريك التعليمية في كولورادو
司法部达成协议，解决科罗拉多州樱桃溪学区家庭的语言障碍问题
Bộ Tư pháp đạt thỏa thuận giải quyết rào cản ngôn ngữ cho các gia đình học khu Cherry Creek, tiểu bang Colorado
법무부, 콜로라도 주 체리크릭 학군 내 가족을 위한 언어 장벽 해결을 위한 합의서 확보
የፍትህ መምሪያ በቼሪ ክሪክ፣ ኮሎራዶ፣ የትምህርት ወረዳ ውስጥ ላሉ ቤተሰቦች የቋንቋ እንቅፋቶችን ለመፍታት ስምምነትን አረጋግጧል
Read the agreement at the link below:
Agreement