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Tuesday 14 May 2024
Buffalo man pleads guilty to lying during drug overdose investigationRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Roman Lapp, 49, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to obstruction of Justice, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2019, an individual known to law enforcement contacted Lapp, asking for narcotics. As a result, Lapp obtained heroin/fentanyl/acetyl fentanyl from his supplier, Steven Gonzalez, then delivered the narcotics to the individual’s residence. After using the heroin/fentanyl/acetyl fentanyl, the individual overdosed and died. Lapp was initially interviewed by the Buffalo Police Department, during which he identified the source of the narcotics as someone other than Steven Gonzalez. Lapp reiterated this information during a follow up interview with members of federal law enforcement. Later in the interview however, he admitted that he was not truthful about the identity of the source of the narcotics. Lapp then stated Steven Gonzalez was the actual source and that he lied to protect Gonzalez, among other reasons. Gonzalez was convicted and sentenced to serve 188 months in prison.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The plea of the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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Brookland Man Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that a man who owned and operated an information technology business that provided services to various governmental entities has pleaded guilty to tax evasion. Ronnie Lyn Drummond, 52, of Brookland, entered this guilty plea earlier today before United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
Judge Moody will sentence Drummond at a later date. Tax evasion is punishable by not more than five years’ imprisonment, not more than three years’ supervised release, and a fine of not more than $100,000.
The investigation revealed that Drummond failed to timely file tax returns for the tax years of 2008 – 2012. When Drummond eventually filed returns for these years, his calculations reflected tax obligations, which Drummond failed to pay. Between 2014 and 2017, the defendant received gross receipts of $1,044,043.05, to include labor and materials. In an attempt to conceal his gross receipts, including income, from the Internal Revenue Service, the defendant cashed the majority of the checks he received. The tax loss, excluding interest and penalties, is $177,357.98.
“Law-abiding U.S. citizens who responsibly file their tax returns each year and pay their taxes expect those who won’t, to be held accountable. Unlike the vast majority of his fellow citizens, Mr. Drummond chose to conceal income; to not file his tax returns for several years; and to fail to pay the amounts he knew were owed to the Internal Revenue Service,” said Ross. “As demonstrated by this case, failure to file taxes or evading paying the taxes you owe, can result in prosecution and a potential sentence in federal prison.”
“Every U.S. Citizen has the common duty of paying their fair share of taxes, which in turn helps provide for the general welfare and the common defense of this great Nation,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “The women and men of IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to bring people to justice who blatantly disregard their civic duty and willfully break the law by evading their taxes. Mr. Drummond willfully chose not to pay his taxes, and in some cases, he chose not to file his tax returns with the IRS. Now he faces the possibility of jail time and the payment of restitution for taxes owed, plus interest and penalties.”
Drummond was indicted on May 4, 2023, and charged with one count of tax evasion and one count of failure to file taxes. In exchange for his guilty plea to tax evasion, the remaining count was dismissed.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service with assistance from the Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Firearm Offenses
Jared Trent Dozier, 44, of Colorado, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 7, 2023, Dozier was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol after fleeing from a traffic stop on Interstate 25 in
Converse County, Wyoming. After a high-speed chase, Dozier’s vehicle was eventually stopped with the assistance of stop sticks and a tactical vehicle interception. During a search of the vehicle, troopers located narcotics, stolen mail, and a loaded Walther PK380 handgun in a holster next to the driver’s seat. Dozier pleaded guilty to the charge on Feb. 20 and U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on May 13. This crime was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer.
Drug Trafficking
Amanda Christine Gray, 35, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on Aug. 3, 2023, the Cheyenne Police Department witnessed Gray slumped over in the driver seat of her vehicle in a parking lot. Gray admitted to smoking fentanyl and was treated by medical professionals. A search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, 183 fentanyl pills, and $1,300 in cash. Gray pleaded guilty to the charges on Feb. 20 and Senior U.S. District Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on May 13. The crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T.J. Forwood.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
Monday 13 May 2024
Wheatland Man Pleads Guilty to Submitting False Claims Against the United States in Relation to COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Toland, 43, of Wheatland, pleaded guilty today to one count of submitting false claims against the United States related to COVID-19 pandemic tax credits, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Toland attempted to obtain more than $13.4 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief, including by filing multiple false tax returns with the IRS seeking refunds for the Employee Retention Credit and the COVID Sick and Family Leave Credit. Toland used shell companies that had no real employees and no actual business activity to seek over $11 million in such tax refunds to which he was not entitled. In addition, between 2020 and 2023, Toland used the shell companies to fraudulently obtain more than $1.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. All these tax credits and programs were intended to alleviate the economic harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on real businesses with real employees and operating expenses.
To pursue the funds, Toland submitted multiple: (1) Tax forms 941 and 941-X seeking Employee Retention Credit and COVID Sick and Family Leave Credit refunds from the IRS; (2) PPP loan applications to various banks; and (3) EIDL applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) – all on behalf of the phony shell companies. In one specific instance, on Nov. 18, 2022, Toland filed two false Forms 941 (which are Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns) to the IRS that resulted in improper refunds in the amount of $210,868 being paid out to Toland.
Of the over $13.4 million that he sought through false tax returns and fraudulent loan applications, Toland successfully obtained over $1.95 million. All the funds Toland received went to his own personal enrichment. As a part of his plea agreement, Toland has agreed to pay $1,952,504 in restitution, plus interest and fees, to the IRS and SBA.
“Tax credits are another face of pandemic fraud, and our COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force will continue to pursue those who abuse them,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The defendant’s false claims targeted credits meant for real businesses suffering real consequences of the pandemic. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who provide false information to seek these credits.”
“Mr. Toland’s plea reinforces a simple message. Crime does not pay,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Oakland Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. “Our highly trained agents are experts at investigating financial crimes and following the money directly to criminals pursing ill-gotten gains. Our agents are also motivated to protect the American people against fraudsters siphoning money from citizens in need.”
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Oakland Field Office in collaboration with the CI Nationally Coordinated Investigation Unit. IRS-CI received significant assistance from the SBA Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
Toland is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Oct. 8, 2024. Toland faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Violent Armed Robbery in Oklahoma City Leads to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Mississippi ManRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – CHARLES LAMAR SCOTT, 36, of Greenville, Mississippi, has been sentenced to serve 25 years in federal prison for robbing an Oklahoma City pharmacy, discharging a firearm during the robbery, and possessing a firearm that had been modified to operate as a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On May 3, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a five-count Indictment against Scott, charging him with interference with commerce by robbery, using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a machinegun during and in relation to a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a machinegun, and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the public record, on or about December 26, 2022, Scott committed an armed robbery at a CVS Pharmacy located in Oklahoma City. During the robbery, Scott violently assaulted a CVS employee and then forcibly took a handgun from a retired police officer, firing the stolen weapon at the building as he left the pharmacy. Scott also fired another handgun at law enforcement responding to the crime. The second firearm was modified with a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch”, which converted the semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic handgun.
On September 22, 2023, Scott pleaded guilty to Counts 1, 2, and 4 of the Indictment. As part of his plea, Scott admitted that he used force and violence in order to obtain money from CVS, that he discharged a firearm during and in relation to the robbery, and that he was aware that one of the firearms he possessed had been modified to become a machinegun.
At the sentencing hearing on May 10, 2024, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Scott to serve 25 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted the troubling circumstances of the offense and the need to promote respect for the rule of law.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stan J. West and David R. Nichols, Jr. 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. This case is also part of “Project Switch Off,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s local implementation of PSN. “Project Switch Off” targets illegal machinegun conversion devices to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Utah man sentenced to 21 months in prison for defrauding Montana employer, $700,000 restitution orderedRead the Press Release
HELENA — A Utah man who admitted embezzling approximately $700,000 from a Montana company was sentenced today to 21 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $700,000 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Thomas Lynn Syddall, 50, of American Fork, Utah, who worked for a company owned by Anderson ZurMuehlen & Co., pleaded guilty in October 2023 to wire fraud and to money laundering-concealment as charged in an indictment.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
“For more than a year, Syddall stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from his employer through a calculated scheme using fictitious purchasing orders and invoices. Syddall’s conduct violated the trust of his employer for his own personal enrichment, which now makes him a federal felon. Our office, working with our law enforcement partners, will remain committed to holding white collar criminals accountable,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) enforces the nation’s tax laws, but we also assist our federal law enforcement partners in these types of cases by following the money,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “Our special agent’s ability to unravel embezzlement and money laundering schemes is vital to these types of investigations, and we will continue to work with our partners to hold criminals accountable for their actions.”
In court documents, the government alleged that Syddall was a salesman for Information Technology Corporation, which was owned by Anderson ZurMuehlen & Co. From about March 2020 to about August 2021 in Helena, Syddall embezzled money through multiple means, including creating bogus purchase orders and invoices, stealing inventory and directing payments to fictitious companies and unauthorized vendors. Syddall then sold the inventory, none of which was authorized, on eBay and KSL Classifieds. When questioned by other employees about the discrepancies in orders and payments, Syddall sent lulling emails attempting to cover up and prolong the fraud. In addition, Syddall concealed financial transactions by laundering proceeds from the wire fraud into third-party accounts. Syddall then directed the transfer of the money into accounts over which he had control. The government identified approximately $700,000 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case. The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
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Union County Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Target Asian Small Business Owners in Residential BurglariesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that targeted residences belonging to Asian small business owners, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Kevin Jackson, 57, of Rahway, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. Judge Padin imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019, Jackson participated in a conspiracy to burglarize the residences of certain Asian small business owners living in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, stealing large sums of money, valuable jewelry, and other items and transporting the stolen goods in interstate commerce, including to residences in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Jackson to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $294,586.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the South Plainfield Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of State, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bernards Township, Bethlehem Township, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Clark, Colonial Regional, Cranford, Delaware State Police-Troop 2, Delran, Edison, East Brunswick, East Hanover, Eatontown, Elizabeth, Essex County Sheriff’s Office-Bureau of Narcotics, Evesham Township, Exeter Township, Fair Lawn, Forks Township, Fort Lee, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Gloucester Township, Hackensack, Haverstraw, Hazlet, Highland Park, Hillside, Hillsborough Township, Howell Township, Jackson, Kenilworth, Lawrence Township, Linden, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Marlboro Township, Maywood, Middletown, Montgomery County, Montville, Morris Township, Mount Laurel, Mountainside, New Castle County, New Providence, New York Police Department’s 105th Detective Squad, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Pocono Mountain Regional, Pocono Township, Raritan, Roselle Park, Sayreville, Somerville, South Brunswick, South River, South Whitehall Township, Spotswood, Town of Tuxedo, Tinton Falls, Toms River, Township of Ocean, Union, Upper Macungie Township, Wall Township, Warren, Washington Township, Watchung, Westfield, Whitehall Township, and Woodbridge Township police departments.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
U.S. Attorney's Office Observes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In observance of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement and pay tribute to the officers who have fallen in the line of duty. National Police Week is observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.
“Throughout National Police Week, we pay tribute to the courageous men and women in law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice in service. We will forever remember their valor, dedication, and selflessness in the face of danger,” said U.S. Attorney King. “We also stand in solidarity with our federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement partners, as we express our gratitude for their unwavering commitment to uphold justice and serve our communities with integrity and distinction.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
The names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will be read on Monday, May 13, 2024, at the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 p.m. EST. To view a livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan Recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 12, 2024, through Saturday, May 18, 2024.
“Every day, law enforcement officers selflessly risk their lives to help protect our families, friends, and neighbors, and all while facing unforeseen dangers,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We are grateful for the dedication and bravery of these men and women and their commitment to public safety.”
In 1962, U.S. President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. The National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund’s preliminary report indicates that 136 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2023.
During National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. Here in the Northern District of Georgia we also solemnly commemorate the five officers who tragically died in the line of duty within the past year:
- Sergeant Marc Andrew McIntyre, Spalding County Sheriff's Office, End of Watch: December 29, 2023
- Officer Kenya D. Galloway, Atlanta Police Department, End of Watch: January 4, 2024
- Deputy Sheriff Eric A. Minix, Coweta County Sheriff's Office, End of Watch: January 4, 2024
- Trooper Jimmy Cenescar, Georgia State Patrol, End of Watch: January 28, 2024
- Trooper First Class Chase Winston Redner, Georgia State Patrol, End of Watch: February 20, 2024
Each year, the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund in Washington, D.C. also hosts an Annual Candlelight Vigil to memorialize those who sacrificed their lives. The names of hundreds of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the Memorial and their names will be read aloud during the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil being held tonight, Monday, May 13, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Candlelight Vigil will be livestreamed on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, for the District of Montana, recognizes the public service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed from Sunday, May 12, through Saturday, May 18.
“This week, we pay special tribute to the men and women in law enforcement who selflessly risk their lives every day to protect us. Far too many have sacrificed their lives to make our communities safer, and we honor their legacies and bravery by reaffirming our commitment to every law enforcement officer making our communities safer. On behalf of all of us in the United States Attorney’s Office, I extend my heartfelt appreciation for all they do every day,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the names of 282 officers killed in the line of duty were added this year to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. These 282 officers include 118 officers who were killed during 2023. An additional 164 officers died in years prior to 2023. Many of their stories of sacrifice had been lost until now. Currently, there are 24,067 names, dating back to the first known death in 1786, engraved on the memorial.
The names of the fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Monday, May 13, during the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. Those who wish to view the vigil live online can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://youtu.be/_AJEOg_3npQ. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website at https://nleomf.org/
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U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans Recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS — In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Duane A. Evans recognizes the service and sacrifice given by federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. National Police Week is being observed from Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.
“This week our nation honors the noble contributions from our brave law enforcement professionals for their service to the public, especially in the Eastern District of Louisiana, said U.S. Attorney Evans. “We thank them for their invaluable dedication and sacrifice. We also praise them for their selfless choices to protect and serve, despite job dangers. Above all, we extend our condolences to the colleagues and loved ones of the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Know that you have our unwavering appreciation and support.”In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and will be read during a Candlelight Vigil at 8:00 p.m. EDT. To view a livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
Two Sacramento Men Sentenced to Years in Prison for Conspiracy, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft Tied to Postal TheftsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carlos Aranda, 41, and Daniel Hunt, 38, both of Sacramento, were sentenced today to 66 and 57 months in prison, respectively, for conspiracy, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft connected to postal thefts, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Aranda, Hunt, and others engaged in a conspiracy to steal postal locks, create postal keys, and steal mail, all in order to obtain stolen checks. The conspirators periodically gathered together at motel rooms and elsewhere to alter or “wash” stolen checks together. The conspirators then took the checks and attempted to negotiate, deposit, and/or cash them. In total, conspirators were responsible for nearly $250,000 in check fraud.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Elliot C. Wong prosecuted the case.
Tracy Resident Sentenced to Serve Home Confinement and Probation for Computer Attack on Discovery Bay Water Treatment FacilityRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Rambler Gallo was sentenced to serve six months of home confinement and 36 months of probation for intentionally causing damage to the computer network for the Discovery Bay Water Treatment Facility, located in the Town of Discovery Bay, Calif., and thereby threatening public health and safety. Specifically, Gallo intentionally uninstalled the main operational system for the water treatment plant that operates the automated monitoring system that protects the entire water treatment system, including monitoring and controlling the chemical levels and filtration of the water across all the Discovery Bay water service facilities. The sentence was handed down on Wednesday by Haywood S. Gilliam Jr., United States District Judge. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp.
Gallo, 53, of Tracy, Calif., was a full-time employee of a private Massachusetts-based company identified in the indictment as Company A, which contracted with Discovery Bay to operate the town’s wastewater treatment facility. The facility provides treatment for the water and wastewater systems for the town’s 15,000 residents. During his employment with Company A, from July of 2016 until December of 2020, Gallo was the company’s “Instrumentation and Control Tech,” with responsibility for maintaining the instrumentation and the computer systems used to control the electromechanical processes of the facility in Discovery Bay.
According to his plea agreement, while Gallo was employed with Company A, he installed software into his own personal computer and into Company A’s private internal network that allowed Gallo to gain remote access to Discovery Bay’s Water Treatment facility computer network. Gallo resigned from his employment with Company on November 25, 2020, giving two weeks’ notice. Approximately five weeks later, Gallo accessed the facility’s computer system remotely and transmitted a command to uninstall certain software which was designed to perform as the main hub of the facility’s computer network.
The software that Gallo accessed protected the entire water treatment system, including water pressure, filtration, and chemical levels. Documents filed by the government in connection with Gallo’s sentencing describe how Gallo’s actions took the monitoring software offline into the following day when it was discovered by employees. Employees thereafter took steps to rectify the situation and mitigate any potential damage to the water treatment system. The government argued that Gallo’s actions “were well thought out to be as disruptive as possible” and “caused a potential threat to the health and safety of the community’s water supply.”
A federal grand jury indicted Gallo on June 27, 2023, charging him with one felony count of transmitting a program, information, code, and command to cause damage to a protected computer, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1030(a)(5)(A) and (c)(4)(B)(i). Gallo pleaded guilty to the charge.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Gilliam ordered Gallo to forfeit his computer and to pay $44,250 restitution.
Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Frey is prosecuting this case with assistance from Kathy Tat and Kevin Costello. The case is being investigated by the FBI.
Three More Accused of Role in Scamming Elderly NationwideRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Three people from California have been federally indicted and accused of participating in a conspiracy that used Taiwanese passports, fraudulent immigration documents and bank accounts and “money mules” to scam elderly victims nationwide, joining four others also accused of a role.
On May 8, Bowen Chen, 21, of Monterey Park, Jiacheng Chen, 19, of East San Gabriel, and Vianne Chen, a.k.a. Tingting T. Chen, 41, were added to an indictment in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Four other Californians have already been indicted on charges including conspiracy to commit mail, bank and wire fraud: Liang Jin, 24, of Walnut, Tsz Yin Kan, 41, of Chino Hills, Kaiyu Wen, 25, of Irvine, and Yu-Chieh Huang, 22, of Chino Hills.
The expansion of the initial case in St. Louis was part of the Money Mule Initiative, an annual campaign to identify, disrupt, and criminally prosecute networks of individuals who transmit funds from fraud victims to international fraudsters. Fraudsters rely on money mules to aid a range of fraud schemes, including those that predominantly impact older Americans, such as lottery fraud, romance scams and grandparent scams as well as those that target businesses or government pandemic funds. This year, law enforcement took action to stop over 3,000 money mules. These actions ranged from criminal prosecutions to letters warning those who may have been unknowingly recruited by fraudsters. Agencies are also educating the public about how fraudsters use money mules and how to avoid unknowingly assisting fraud by receiving and transferring money.
The St. Louis indictment accuses Kan of setting up "USA You Yi Sheng Inc." as an education service business in California. Kan then produced fraudulent immigration paperwork known as the Form I-20, or "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status," the indictment says. Vianne Chen, a bank employee, as well as Kan and others opened student checking accounts using the fake I-20 forms and Taiwanese passports that had been shipped to Kan, the indictment says.
Other scammers targeted older Americans with tech support fraud, romance fraud, and imposter schemes and tricked their victims into collecting and delivering large amounts of cash to money mules like Huang, the indictment says. Using the fraudulently-opened bank accounts, couriers converted the cash they collected from fraud victims and others engaged in criminal activity into cashier’s checks that they deposited into a bank account that has received more than $7 million, the indictment says.
Bowen Chen was the largest depositor into that account, accounting for $1.3 million, the indictment says. Jiacheng Chen deposited approximately $615,000 and Kan deposited $440,000, it says.
Huang was the first to be charged in the case. In August, an elderly Missouri man was told via a pop-up ad that his computer was infected with a virus. He and his wife were then falsely told that someone had been accessing child pornography through the computer and they would have to pay $88,000 to avoid prosecution, according to charging documents. The Missouri couple gathered the money, but got suspicious and contacted police, who arrested Huang.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracy Berry and Kyle Bateman are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov to receive consumer complaints.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. The Justice Department provides information about a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which are available at www.ovc.gov.
Three Admit Half-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –The former owner, office manager, and business manager of a St. Louis County, Missouri-based home health care company pleaded guilty to a federal charge Monday and admitted involvement in a health care fraud conspiracy that fraudulently billed the Missouri Medicaid program more than $552,000.
Doriann Morgan, 58, of St. Louis County, Thalisa Walton, 46, of Hazelwood, and Barbara Jackson, 59, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in three separate hearings in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.
They each admitted that from roughly January 2018 to August 2021, they conspired to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims to Missouri’s Medicaid program for personal care services that were never provided. They admitted receiving $552,659.
Jackson was business manager of A Mother’s Touch In-Home Care LLC, responsible for recruiting clients and assigning employees to provide care. Morgan owned the company and submitted Medicaid claims. Walton was office manager.
Morgan, Walton and Jackson are no longer affiliated in any way with A Mother’s Touch In-Home Care LLC, which continues to do business under new ownership.
The three submitted fraudulent claims for personal care services purportedly provided by Jackson for a woman who did not live in Missouri and received no services, their plea agreements say. They also submitted claims for providing services for clients at times when their own social media posts showed them doing something else.
In a separate civil settlement, Morgan, Walton and Jackson agreed to pay $910,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by billing Missouri Medicaid using false timesheets and payroll records for in home services that were never provided. The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Michele Bickley. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Ms. Bickley will receive $90,090 of the proceeds from the settlement.
“HHS-OIG is committed to protecting our communities and taxpayer funds from schemes targeting Missouri's Medicaid program, which provides necessary services to vulnerable populations,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working proudly with the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and our other law enforcement partners, our agency will continue to investigate those who threaten the integrity of federal and state health care programs and the people served by them.”
The three are scheduled to be sentenced August 26. The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanne Moore and Derek Wiseman are prosecuting the case.
Ten Individuals Charged with Theft of Federal Program Funds from Tuskegee UniversityRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that a grand jury has indicted ten individuals for theft of federal program funding from Tuskegee University. Tuskegee University, located in Macon County, Alabama, receives federal funding in excess of $10,000 per calendar year.
The individuals named in the indictment are: (1) Wanda Tyner Hairston, 51, from Auburn, Alabama; (2) Lora Regina Baker, 52, from Montgomery, Alabama; (3) Keyonn Dalarrion Cannon, 26, from Tuskegee, Alabama; (4) Lanequia Shanice Cooper, 29, also from Auburn; (5) Ledaryl Tremayne Johnson, 27, from Tuskegee, Alabama; (6) Jeanette Moss-Smith, 50, also from Auburn; (7) Cassandra Harris Parker, 61, also from Tuskegee; (8) Phyllis Vanessa Tyner, 57, also from Auburn; (9) Morris Gene Welch, another resident of Auburn; and (10) Abraham Torbert Wright, Jr., 23, also from Tuskegee. All ten are charged with conspiracy to commit federal program theft.
According to the indictment, Cassandra Harris Parker, Lora Regina Baker, Jeanette Moss-Smith, and Wanda Tyner Hairston were Tuskegee University employees during the time frame of the alleged conspiracy, which began at an unknown date and continued to the year 2020. As Purchasing Manager, Parker created purchase orders indicating money was owed to co-conspirators so that checks would be issued to them. Baker worked in the Accounts Payable Department and entered the check requests into the university’s accounting system, causing the checks to be issued. Moss-Smith signed the check request forms and Hairston assigned grant codes to the forms confirming sufficient funds existed to cover the checks. Once issued, Parker delivered the checks to the co-conspirators. The indictment alleges that Cannon, Cooper, Johnson, Tyner, Welch, and Wright, Jr., each cashed checks provided to them as part of the scheme. The indictment further alleges that the ten named individuals conspired to steal federal program funds through the wrongful issuance of these checks. In addition to the conspiracy charges, Parker, Baker, Moss-Smith, and Hairston are also charged with theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The conspiracy to commit federal program theft charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison. In addition, Parker, Baker, Moss-Smith, and Hairston, face sentences of up to ten years for the charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. Trials for each defendant is currently scheduled for August 12, 2024.
“The United States Attorney’s Office considers the theft of federal dollars to be a serious crime,” said United States Attorney Ross. “My office will continue to prosecute those who exploit federal programs and who exploit the institutions, like Tuskegee University, entrusted with using federal program funds for their intended purposes.”
“This constitutes a flagrant misuse of federal grant funds for personal use,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala Miles with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We remain committed to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to uphold the integrity of HHS programs.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Christopher P. Moore is prosecuting.
Supreme Court Denies Cert in UDF Case, Upholding Four ConvictionsRead the Press Release
The United States Supreme Court on Monday declined to review the United Development Funding (UDF) case, allowing a Fifth Circuit decision upholding the convictions of four company executives to stand, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
In January 2022, a federal jury convicted UDF CEO Hollis Morrison Greenlaw, UDF Partnership President Benjamin Lee Wissink, UDF CFO Cara Delin Obert, and UDF Asset Management Director Jeffrey Brandon Jester of ten counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and securities fraud. The UDF executives were sentenced in May 2022 to a combined 20 years in federal prison.
That same month, the UDF executives appealed their convictions to the Fifth Circuit. Following oral argument, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the UDF executives’ convictions and noted the government’s “avalanche of evidence” proving its case. After the Fifth Circuit denied rehearing en banc, the UDF executives asked the Supreme Court to review their case.
On Monday, the Supreme Court denied certiorari without comment.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Burch, Amy Mitchell, Elise Aldendifer, and Brian McKay handled the appeal in the Fifth Circuit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany H. Eggers, Rachael Jones, Elyse Lyons, and Errin Martin prosecuted the case in the district court.
State of Rhode Island Found to be in Violation of Federal Disability Laws for Over-Hospitalization of Children with Behavioral Disabilities in State CareRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI - An investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (HHS OCR) has found that the State of Rhode Island has violated federal civil rights laws by routinely and unnecessarily segregating children with mental health and/or developmental disabilities at Bradley Hospital, an acute-care psychiatric hospital, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and HHS OCR Director Melanie Fontes Rainer.
As detailed in a Letter of Findings transmitted to the Governor of Rhode Island and the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), the federal government’s comprehensive, multi-year investigation found that, rather than complying with its legal obligation to provide services in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of these children, the state has instead left them hospitalized at Bradley for far longer than is necessary.
While Bradley Hospital inpatient admissions are designed to last only one to two weeks, the federal investigation concluded that children with behavioral health disabilities in DCYF’s care were often forced to languish in the hospital for weeks, months, and, in some cases, for more than a year, despite being ready for discharge, and despite the fact that these children would be better served in a family home.
The investigation found that DCYF failed to ensure that children with disabilities were able to access the intensive in-home and community-based services they need, and failed to facilitate prompt discharges from Bradley Hospital to family homes, resulting in extended and unnecessary hospitalization, or risk of future hospitalization, all in violation of federal law, specifically Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
“It is nothing short of appalling that the state has chosen to warehouse children in a psychiatric institution, rather than stepping up to provide the community care, support, and services that these kids need, and that the law requires,” remarked U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. “I am hopeful that the findings we announce today will spur swift action by the state to meet its obligations under federal law, and far more importantly, to ensure that the civil rights of these children are upheld.”
“Children with disabilities should be able to come home to the love and support of their families and not be confined to an institution for months on end,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue our vigorous enforcement of the ADA to ensure that children with disabilities can receive the community-based services they need to live with their families and participate in their communities.”
“Today’s finding follows on the heels of the Office for Civil Rights’ efforts to strengthen access to care for people with disabilities like these children,” said HHS OCR Director Melanie Fontes Rainer. “We must do better by our children and the communities we serve, and States and others must follow federal civil rights laws to ensure every child can access care free from discrimination. As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Olmstead decision, today’s action also emphasizes our commitment to continue to protect the critical right of individuals to live in their own homes and communities.”
As detailed in the government’s Letter of Findings, from January 1, 2017, through September 30, 2022, a staggering 527 children either in DCYF care and custody, or receiving services voluntarily through DCYF, were admitted to Bradley Hospital. Of these 527, 116 were hospitalized in a single admission for more than 100 consecutive days; 42 were hospitalized for more than 180 days; and seven children were hospitalized for more than one year. Many of these children were subjected to these avoidable and unnecessarily lengthy hospitalizations at Bradley because DCYF failed to provide the community-based services they need. Keeping a child hospitalized for an extended period when their needs could be served in a less restrictive setting only serves to exacerbate the child’s acute needs. Indeed, the investigation found that extended hospitalization often traumatizes the children as well as their families.
According to the Letter of Findings, DCYF also does not plan for hospital discharges in a way that places children in the most integrated setting appropriate to meet their needs. DCYF’s failure to look for placements in a family home setting with services leads both to delayed discharges and to inappropriate placements post-discharge, which, in turn, often leads to subsequent hospitalizations
This joint investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office and HHS OCR was conducted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy R. Romero and Equal Opportunity Specialist Erin Walker of HHS.
The ADA, Section 504, and the Supreme Court’s ruling in Olmstead v. L.C., require state and local governments to make services available to people with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs, regardless of age or type of disability. Enforcement of Title II of the ADA, Section 504, and the integration mandate of the Olmstead decision, is a priority of the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). For more information on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and how it protects individuals with disabilities, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/index.html. For more information about OCR’s Olmstead activities, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/community-living-and-olmstead/index.html.
Individuals who believe their civil rights have been violated can file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights at: www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html. Anyone in Rhode Island may also report civil rights violations directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/civil-rights-enforcement or 401-709-5000.
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us_ada_and_section_504_violation_findings_letter_to_rhode_island_5.13.24_508.pdfSports Equipment Sales Professional Pleads Guilty to Long-Running Bid Rigging Schemes and Conspiracy to Defraud Public SchoolsRead the Press Release
A former sales employee of a manufacturer and distributor of football helmets and other sports equipment pleaded guilty today for his role in three separate conspiracies — two conspiracies to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act and one conspiracy to commit wire fraud — all related to sports equipment for schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere. At least 100 schools throughout Mississippi and elsewhere were victims of these conspiracies.
According to court documents, Charles Ferrell Trimm conspired with two unnamed sports equipment distributors and numerous individuals to rig bids from August 2020 through November 2022 and from May 2021 to February 2023, respectively. Trimm and his co-conspirators agreed to submit complementary bids to schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere in order to obtain procurements for school sports equipment and related services. Trimm also conspired with unnamed co-conspirators to commit wire fraud by submitting false bids to schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere from May 2016 to July 2023. As a part of this scheme, Trimm and others used an unidentified individual’s identity without authorization, including by forging the individual’s signature.
“The charged criminal schemes harmed public schools by subverting their procurement processes and providing the false appearance of competition for precious taxpayer dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its partners will continue to protect taxpayers and students across the country by stopping bid rigging and fraud that targets government procurements wherever we find it, including at the state and local levels.”
“The conspirators took advantage of schools in Mississippi by rigging bids to affect the prices schools paid for sports equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting these types of anti-competitive practices and ensuring that schools and other buyers can obtain goods and services from a fair and open marketplace.”
“Charles Trimm and his co-conspirators’ actions fraudulently deprived public schools of valuable resources to support students,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to hold individuals like Trimm accountable for their actions.”
Trimm faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for the Sherman Act violation. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. Trimm faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a criminal fine and court-ordered restitution for the fraud charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the FBI investigated this case as part of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry.
Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Laura Butte, Marc Hedrich and Evan Binder of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division prosecuted the case.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Sports Equipment Sales Professional Pleads Guilty to Long-Running Bid Rigging Schemes and Conspiracy to Defraud Public SchoolsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - A former sales employee of a manufacturer and distributor of football helmets and other sports equipment pleaded guilty today for his role in three separate conspiracies — two conspiracies to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act and one conspiracy to commit wire fraud — all related to sports equipment for schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere. At least 100 schools throughout Mississippi and elsewhere were victims of these conspiracies.
According to court documents, Charles Ferrell Trimm conspired with two unnamed sports equipment distributors and numerous individuals to rig bids from August 2020 through November 2022 and from May 2021 to February 2023, respectively. Trimm and his co-conspirators agreed to submit complementary bids to schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere in order to obtain procurements for school sports equipment and related services. Trimm also conspired with unnamed co-conspirators to commit wire fraud by submitting false bids to schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere from May 2016 to July 2023. As a part of this scheme, Trimm and others used an unidentified individual’s identity without authorization, including by forging the individual’s signature.
“The charged criminal schemes harmed public schools by subverting their procurement processes and providing the false appearance of competition for precious taxpayer dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its partners will continue to protect taxpayers and students across the country by stopping bid rigging and fraud that targets government procurements wherever we find it, including at the state and local levels.”
“The conspirators took advantage of schools in Mississippi by rigging bids to affect the prices schools paid for sports equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting these types of anti-competitive practices and ensuring that schools and other buyers can obtain goods and services from a fair and open marketplace.”
“Charles Trimm and his co-conspirators’ actions fraudulently deprived public schools of valuable resources to support students,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to hold individuals like Trimm accountable for their actions.”
If convicted, for the Sherman Act violation, Trimm faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. If convicted of the fraud charge, Trimm faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a criminal fine and court-ordered restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the FBI investigated this case as part of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry.
Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Laura Butte, Marc Hedrich and Evan Binder of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division prosecuted the case.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Slidell Man Indicted for Manufacturing Explosive Materials Without a License and Unlawful Storage of Explosive MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DEVIN JUNEAU (JUNEAU), age 38, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana was charged on May 9, 2024 by a federal grand jury in a four-count indictment announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Counts 1, 2, and 3 charges him with engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 842(a)(1) and 844(a)(1). Count 4 charges him with improper storage of explosive materials, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 842(j) and 844(b), and Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 555.201, et seq.
If convicted, JUNEAU faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Counts 1, 2, and 3, and up to 1 year of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 4. JUNEAU also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all 4 counts.
According to court documents, on February 6, 2024, March 6, 2024, and May 1, 2024, JUNEAU manufactured and sold explosive materials without a license, and did not store the explosive materials as required by law.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
Six Members of Violent Transnational Gang Convicted in Connection with Two Killings and Racketeering ActivityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Six members of “18th Street,” a violent international street gang, were found guilty in U.S. District Court on an array of charges that included racketeering, kidnapping, and murder.
The convictions were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, ICE Deputy Director Russ Hott of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
A federal jury in Washington D.C. deliberated for three days before delivering the verdicts to U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The Court published the verdicts on Friday and today. Judge McFadden scheduled sentencings for September 20; September 27; October 4; and October 11, 2024.
The 18th Street organization engages in a variety of criminal activities throughout the United States, including in the District, Virginia, and Maryland Its activities have included acts of murder, kidnapping, assault, robbery, witness intimidation, and firearms and narcotics trafficking to fuel the gang’s violent operations. The gang is active throughout Central and South America -- particularly in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras -- and has established a presence in Europe. It uses violence to maintain control over specific geographical areas.
This investigation began in 2019 and looked into the full breadth of criminal activity 18th Street was involved in within the greater D.C. metropolitan area. As the investigation into 18th Street’s racketeering activities progressed, it began to center on a series of murders, attempted murders, and kidnappings of suspected rivals and members suspected of disloyalty.
One such act was the attempted murder of C.H. on May 21, 2021. With respect to that offense, the evidence at trial showed that Jexon Madrid-Flores and another 18th Street member brandished a firearm at C.H. as the latter stopped at a convenience store in Columbia Heights that afternoon during the middle of an afternoon bike ride. Defendant Madrid-Flores and the other gang member then followed C.H. and pulled up their vehicle alongside the victim, who was riding his bike in the bike lane. From their vehicle, the other 18th Street member discharged multiple rounds at C.H. in broad daylight, striking C.H. in the leg. The evidence showed that Madrid-Flores believed the victim to be a member of a rival gang and had hoped for a promotion within 18th Street for attempting to murder a potential rival.
The investigation also entailed the July 14, 2021, murder of Carlos Ramos Martinez in a wooded area near Elkton, MD. Martinez, aka “FIRE,” was a member of a rival faction of 18th Street called the Revolucionarios and was believed to be recruiting members away from the LCB clique. According to the seven-count superseding indictment, Jose Santos Alvarado-Velasquez and Gerlin Neptali Diaz-Lopez killed Ramos Martinez. Carlos Rolando Martinez-Mora and Jose Anselmo Ibarra-Cristales participated in planning and facilitating the slaying, respectively. Alvarado-Velasquez, Diaz-Lopez, and Ibarra-Cristales were in the U.S. illegally at the time.
The investigation also involved a second murder committed in Rockville, MD, on December 19, 2021. According to the superseding indictment, Rolando Martinez-Mora planned and ordered the killing of a suspected member of MS13, Danis Alcides Salgado Mata. As a result, Mata was shot and killed on the heels of his mother’s wedding celebration. Mata’s mother and stepfather were also shot but survived their injuries.
A dozen members of 18th Street were arrested and charged in the conspiracy. The first trial against six of the defendants commenced on April 10, 2024, and concluded last week. A second group of 18th Street gang members will be tried in July 2024.
According to the indictment, members of 18th Street are required to commit acts of violence to further the interests of the gang. These violent acts are often directed against rival gang members, 18th Street members who violate gang rules or otherwise disrespect the gang, and persons who are suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. Additionally, 18th Street members sell and transport narcotics, weapons, and other contraband to generate money to support the gang and its criminal activities. Some of the proceeds of this criminal activity are wired to members of the gang’s leadership in other countries. 18th Street members control geographical areas and use violence to maintain their control.
18th Street – a gang founded in Los Angeles that now includes up to 50,000 members – is organized into “cliques,” or smaller groups operating within specific cities or regions that all operate under the umbrella rules of 18th Street to include the following: the Tiny Locos Sureños (TLS), Los Crazy Brothers (LCB), and the Revolucionarios.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement Removal Operations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department. The District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and the Montgomery County, Maryland State’s Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Korba, Will Hart, and Sitara Witanachchi. Valuable assistance was provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gilead Light and Christopher Marin.
18th STREET DEFENDANTS
NAME
AGE
AKA
CLIQUE
CONVICTED OF
Jose Santos Alvarado-Velasquez,
Takoma Park, MD
22
“Vago”
Los Crazy Brothers
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) -Conspiracy; Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR)- Murder;
Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death; Kidnapping Resulting in Death; Discharge of a Firearm – Crime of Violence; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Illegal AlienGerlin Neptali Diaz-Lopez
Washington, D.C.
22
“Sicario”
Tiny Locos Sureños
RICO-Conspiracy; VICAR-Murder; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death; Kidnapping Resulting in Death; Discharge of Firearm – Crime of Violence; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Illegal Alien
Jose Anselmo Ibarra-Cristales
Beltsville, MD
23
“Chemo”
Los Crazy Brothers
RICO-Conspiracy, VICAR-Murder; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death;
Carlos Rolando Martinez-Mora
Hyattsville, MD
24
“Crosty”
Los Crazy Brothers
RICO-Conspiracy; VICAR-Murder x2; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death; Kidnapping Resulting in Death
Bradley Andree Martinez-Mora
Hyattsville, MD
21
“Joker”
Los Crazy Brothers
RICO-Conspiracy; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death
Jexon Madrid-Flores
Boston, MA
22
“Spooky”
Tiny Locos Sureños
RICO-Conspiracy; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death
VICAR-Attempted Murder;
VICAR-ADW; Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence; Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence; Aggravated Assault while Armed
Rochester man pleads guilty for his role in illegal sports betting ringRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Louis P. Ferrari, II, 42, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to transmit wagering information in interstate commerce and conduct an illegal gambling business, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan K. McGuire and Melissa M. Marangola, who are handling the case, stated that between April 25, 2019, and April 17, 2021, Ferrari conspired with Dominic Sprague, Anthony Amato, Tomasso Sessa, Joseph Lombardo, Jeffrey Boscarino, James Civiletti, and others, to finance, manage, and own all or part of an illegal bookmaking business, which had a gross daily revenue of approximately $2,000.00. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Ferrari, and co-defendant Amato, created accounts for Sprague, Boscarino, and Lombardo on “sport700.com”, a website for placing and tracking bets on sports events. Sprague, Boscarino, and Lombardo would call and text Ferrari to place, edit, and remove bets on sporting events for individual bettors on sport700.com. Ferrari also called and texted messages to Amato asking him to create accounts, change passwords, and place, edit, and remove bets for Sprague, Boscarino, Lombardo, and individual bettors on sport700.com.
Ferrari, Sprague, and Lombardo collected money owed by individual bettors and money owed to individual bettors in cash and through online payment applications, including CashApp, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle. After Sprague and Lombardo collected from individual bettors, they kept a portion and paid the remainder to Ferrari. Sessa and Civiletti also collected from individual bettors in cash and through online payment applications, and then paid Sprague and Ferrari.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 7, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Registered Sex Offender Indicted for Federal Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee recently returned a multi-count indictment charging a registered sex offender, Markettus Lorenzo Broyld, 47, of Jackson, Tennessee, with new federal child exploitation offenses. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the return of the indictment today.
Broyld is charged with production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt and possession of child pornography, and commission of a felony offense involving a minor as a registered sex offender. These charges are related to Broyld’s interactions with a minor in the Jackson area in and around December 2022.
According to the indictment, Broyld engaged in electronic communications with a minor. During these communications, Broyld allegedly asked the minor to take and send sexually explicit photographs and videos, and the minor complied with that request. Also according to the indictment, Broyld engaged in the possession of child pornographic photographs and videos on his cell phone. Broyld is a convicted sex offender and was required to register under the sex offender registry in the state of Tennessee when these alleged offenses occurred.
If convicted on all counts, Broyld is facing a sentence of up to life in prison. This case is pending before United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson in Jackson, Tennessee with a trial date of October 15, 2024. If Broyld is convicted of the charges, Judge Anderson will determine the sentence to impose on the defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force and the Jackson Police Department. Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to contact FBI Task Force Officer Aubrey Richardson.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Justin L. Saunders, 33, of Mabscott, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 30, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Saunders on a felony warrant. During the arrest, officers found a Ruger model EC9s 9mm handgun on Saunders.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Saunders knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery and malicious wounder in Raleigh County Circuit Court on June 5, 2012.
Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Andrew D. Isabell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-185.
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Providence Man Sentenced for Robbery and Assault of U.S. Postal CarrierRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal judge on Monday sentenced a Providence man in connection with the robbery and assault of a U.S, Postal Service carrier and the trafficking of more than 500 grams of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
United States District Judge William E. Smith sentenced Juan Bautista Rosario-Sandoval, 31, to 40 months in federal prison following convictions for conspiracy to assault and rob a U.S. mail carrier, and conspiracy to possess more than 500 grams of cocaine. Rosario-Sandoval plead guilty to the charges on December 23, 2023.
According to court records, Rosario-Sandoval admitted that, on September 18, 2021, he and another person approached a U.S. mail carrier and conspired to forcibly take a Priority Mail Express Parcel addressed for delivery to a Providence address. When the postal carrier refused to hand over the package, Rosario-Sandoval and the second person opened the doors to the carrier’s Postal Service vehicle, began to pull at and punch the carrier, and then stole and fled with the package. The mail carrier suffered several injuries.
Rosario-Sandoval further admitted to receiving multiple packages of cocaine delivered through the U.S. Mail to addresses in Providence, with gross weights in excess of 500 grams of cocaine.
Rosario-Sandoval is a citizen of the Dominican Republic and will face immigration proceedings upon completion of his sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly Chin.
The matter was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service agents, with the assistance of Providence Police and the Rhode Island State Police.
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Postal Service Supervisor Admits Misappropriation of Postal FundsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cape May County, New Jersey, man today admitted misappropriating postal funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Austin T. Mahan, 44, of Cape May Court House, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with misappropriating over $1,000 in postal funds.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
For approximately six months in 2022 and 2023, Mahan, who worked as a United States Postal Service (USPS) supervisor at the Sea Isle and Somers Point Post Offices at various times, misused USPS credit cards to make personal purchases at various retail stores operating in and around New Jersey. These purchases included thousands of dollars’ worth of gift cards as well as various home décor items, home renovation materials, power and handheld tools, tool storage equipment, and other personal items. The unauthorized expenses totaled $54,356.
The charge to which Mahan pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential fine of $250,000, or a sum equal to the amount of value of the money or property misappropriated from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 25, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited agents of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, with the investigation leading to the complaint.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the Special Prosecutions Division in Camden.
mahan.information.pdfPittsburgh Man Previously Convicted of Drug and Firearm Felonies Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm and Large Quantity of CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to five years of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of federal supervised release, on his convictions for possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States Senior District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Allen Gregory Edmonds, 36.
According to information presented to the Court, on December 19, 2023, law enforcement executed federal search warrants upon Edmonds, his vehicle, and properties associated with him. In the living room of his Pittsburgh residence, investigators found a backpack containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The closet within Edmonds’ bedroom contained a loaded handgun, a search of the serial number of which revealed that it had been reported stolen. Edmonds previously had been convicted in the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County of both a felony drug trafficking offense and a felony firearm offense. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Edmonds.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Disabling Emissions Controls on Diesel TrucksRead the Press Release
A Hamilton County, Ohio, man was sentenced to prison today for violating the Clean Air Act through an aftermarket scheme to disable the emissions control systems of diesel trucks.
Davis Owens, 34, of Cleves, was sentenced to serve 30 days in prison, seven months of home confinement and one year of supervised release. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the tampering of a monitoring device required under the Clean Air Act.
According to court documents, Owens was the co-owner of Holderdown Performance and owner of Cincy Diesel Performance. In 2020, Owens entered a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding allegations that he and Holderdown had knowingly worked to bypass or “defeat” components that controlled emissions on heavy duty diesel truck engines. Research has shown that bypassing a vehicle’s emissions components can increase particulate matter 40 times, nitrogen oxides 310 times, carbon monoxide 120 times and non-methane hydrocarbons 1,100 times.
Owens paid a $7,500 civil penalty as part of the CAFO and agreed that neither he nor Cincy Diesel Performance would manufacture, sell or install defeat devices. Investigation revealed that Owens and Cincy Diesel Performance continued to sell and install defeat devices as well as emissions deleting computer software until February 2022.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Creating and Distributing Videos Depicting Monkey Torture and MutilationRead the Press Release
A plea agreement was unsealed today in which an Ohio man pleaded guilty to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute so-called “animal crush” videos. According to court documents, Bedra conspired with others to create and distribute the videos which depicted acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys, including having digits and limbs severed and being forcibly sodomized with a heated screwdriver.
The conspirators used encrypted chat apps to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. Bedra also mailed a thumb drive containing 64 videos of monkey torture to a co-conspirator in Wisconsin.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –DANTE FRAZIER, age 33, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to an emergency call and found FRAZIER passed out in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. After becoming aware of NOPD’s presence, FRAZIER drove into the neutral ground on Saint Claude Avenue, struck a median, and then drove into a gas station parking lot and fled on foot. While fleeing from NOPD, FRAZIER fired five shots from a firearm and then hid underneath a nearby house. NOPD officers located FRAZIER shortly after the pursuit. Inside his vehicle NOPD found over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 14 grams of cocaine, which FRAZIER intended to distribute. Before his instant arrest, FRAZIER had been convicted of three counts of armed robbery and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Related to his narcotics charges, FRAZIER faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years of supervised release, and up to a $5,000,000 fine. As for his firearm charge, he faces up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Mexico Man Indicted for Possessing - with Intent to Distribute - 47 Pounds of FentanylRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Luis Angel Pulido, 22, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury last week on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The indictment alleges that, on or about April 7, 2024, Pulido knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Pulido was stopped on Interstate 40, on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, in Sanders, Arizona, after committing civil traffic violations. During the traffic stop, a drug‑sniffing canine alerted on Pulido’s vehicle. Bureau of Indian Affairs officers searched the vehicle and discovered approximately 47 pounds of fentanyl pills hidden in the trunk.
Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and up to lifetime supervised release.
Bureau of Indian Affairs is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Genevieve Ozark, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08044-PCT-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-061_Pulido# # #
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.New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Manchester, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, from at least March 2019 through March 2022, Dominic Barbosa (aka, Christopher Barnhart), 29, obtained the identifications of individuals without their knowledge or consent. Barbosa stole mail in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, including bank account statements, tax returns, and other documents containing others’ means of identification. He kept records of that information to use in the scheme. As part of the scheme, Barbosa would apply for duplicate licenses for others, often changing the address, and then use the stolen identification information and duplicate driver’s licenses to open bank accounts, credit card accounts and lines of credit in others’ names. He also used the stolen identifications to make purchases or enter into contracts. When questioned by a United States Postal Inspector, Barbosa stated he had a cloud database with stolen identities, and investigators in Massachusetts found bins of mail and photocopies of identifying information in a storage unit Barbosa rented.
Barbosa faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss on one count of wire fraud. He faces a minimum of two years, to be served consecutively to any other sentenced imposed, and a fine up to $250,000 on the aggravated identity theft charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, South Berwick Police Department, Litchfield Police Department (NH), North Reading Police Department (MA), Salem Police Department (NH), United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
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Edited 05/13/24: Headline corrected to reflect current residence for defendant
Naugatuck Man Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that TRAVIS TILLEY, 40, of Naugatuck, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, Tilley was convicted in state court of risk of injury to a child, which involved sexual intercourse with a person under 13, and possession of child pornography. In August 2022, he was released from state custody and began serving a 15-year term of probation. On March 9, 2023, state probation officers seized Tilley’s laptop and a flash drive. Analysis of the seized items revealed that Tilley had utilized prohibited software and had accessed sites that provide sexually explicit material; that he was using encrypted email and messenger services; that he had used an operating system that is configured to leave no digital footprint; and that he was a member of internet chat rooms that focused on child pornography and AI-generated child pornography. The analysis also revealed two videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children, approximately 60 images of AI-generated child pornography, and sexually explicit chat room messages sent by the laptop user.
The complaint charges Tilley with receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and with possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced because of Tilley’s prior state convictions.
Tilley has been detained in state custody March 2023. He made his initial appearance today in New Haven federal court.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Connecticut Court Support Services Division – Adult Probation Services and the Westport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Missouri Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempted Attack on the White House with a Rented TruckRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Sai Varshith Kandula, 20, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty today in an attempted attack on the White House, on May 22, 2023, that included driving a U-Haul truck into the fence surrounding the building. Kandula pleaded guilty to a charge of willful injury or depredation of property of the United States.
The plea agreement was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stohler of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division, Chief Jessica M. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled sentencing for August 23, 2024.. Kandula is an Indian national who was born in Chandanagar, India. At the time of the incident, he was a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. with a green card.
According to court documents, Kandula flew on a commercial flight from St. Louis, Missouri, to Washington D.C. in the afternoon of May 22, 2023, connecting through another airport on a one-way airline ticket. Kandula arrived at Dulles International Airport about 5:20 p.m., and rented a truck at 6:30 p.m. He stopped for food and gas, and then drove to Washington, D.C., where he crashed into the barriers protecting White House and President’s Park at 9:35 p.m. at the intersection of H Street, Northwest and 16th Street, Northwest. Kandula drove onto the sidewalk, sending pedestrians running from the scene. After striking the barriers, the truck backed up in reverse, then lurched forward, striking the metal barriers a second time. The second impact disabled the truck which began smoking from the engine compartment and leaking fluids.
Kandula next exited the vehicle and went to the back of the truck. From a backpack he removed a flag, a three-by-five foot red-and-white banner with a Nazi Swastika in the center, and brandished it. U.S. Park Police and the U.S. Secret Service officers arrested Kandula at the scene and took him into custody.
According to the plea agreement, at the time Kandula crashed the truck into the White House perimeter, he was attempting to gain access to the White House to seize political power. Kandula’s intent was to replace the democratically elected government with a dictatorship fueled by ideology of Nazi Germany and for himself to be put in charge of the United States. Kandula admitted to investigators that he would have arranged for the killing of the U.S. President and others if necessary to achieve his objective. His actions were calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government by intimidation or coercion.
Kandula’s actions caused $4,322 in damage to the National Park Service and over $50,000 in damage to U-Haul International. This amount included costs for repairing the metal bollard barriers to their original condition and ensuring structural soundness, oil and chemical removal, spill cleanup, and disposal of fluids from the crashed U-Haul, and the cost of the destroyed U-Haul truck.
Kandula planned the attack for several weeks. Prior to renting the truck and crashing it on White House grounds, he made several attempts to gain access to vehicles or armed security guards. For example, on April 22, 2023, Kandula requested 25 armed guards and an armored convoy from a security company located in Virginia. On May 4, 2023, Kandula attempted to contact several other companies in an attempt to rent a large commercial tractor-trailer truck, a dump truck, or another large truck. Kandula was unsuccessful in arraigning for security guards or a tractor-trailer truck or dump truck. Kandula had attempted to arrange for the services of these security guards and the use of large vehicles in order to carry out his offense against the U.S. Government.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, the U.S. Park Police, and the MPD. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Schneider.
Mississippi Man Indicted for Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JARVIS WILSON (WILSON), age 39, a resident of Jackson, Mississippi was charged on May 9, 2024 by a federal grand jury in a six-count indictment announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Counts 1 and 2 charges him with distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A). Count 3 charges him with 50 grams or more of distribution of methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). Count 4 charges him with being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 5 charges him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count 6 charges him with maintaining a drug involved premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 856(a)(1).
If convicted, WILSON faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life of imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release for Counts 1 and 2, a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to 40 years of imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release for Count 3, up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 4, a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release for Count 5, and up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 6. WILSON also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all 6 counts.
According to court documents, on March 26, 2024, April 8, 2024, and May 2, 2024, WILSON knowingly and intentionally sold methamphetamine and maintained a drug involved premise to for the purpose of distributing the methamphetamine. WILSON was also a felon in possession of a Ruger Model LCR, .22 caliber revolver and Smith and Wesson Model 1000 Super, 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition in the furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
Middlesex County Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced to 24 months in prison for conspiring to illegally obtain over $400,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Yanira Abreu, 42, of Keasbey, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentence on May 9, 2024, in Trenton federal court.
Abreu’s conspirator, Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 30, 2024, to 30 months in prison. A third conspirator, Jose Tavares of New York, is charged by indictment and his case remains pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 through February 2021, Abreu, Valerio, and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent. Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Abreu and her conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,728, which they used for personal gain.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Abreu to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution and forfeiture, each in the amount of $444,728.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against Tavares are merely accusations, and Taveras is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Michigan Resident and Heavy-Duty Diesel Parts Supplier Indicted for Conspiracy to Violate the Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Offringa, age 33, of Caledonia, Michigan, and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC (“HHP”), a heavy-duty diesel parts supplier headquartered in Coleman, Michigan, were recently indicted by a grand jury in the Northern District of New York for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (“CAA”) United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”)’s Criminal Investigations Division (“CID”), Northeast Area Branch, made the announcement.
According to the indictment, between at least June 5, 2017 and March 27, 2019, HHP and Offringa conspired with a diesel truck operator in Fultonville, New York, and others, to remove, delete and tamper with monitoring devices on heavy-duty diesel trucks required to be maintained by the CAA and EPA regulations.
Pursuant to the CAA, the EPA enacted regulations that require heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers to limit emissions on those engines. To comply with these regulations, manufacturers install hardware components, including filters, exhaust recirculation systems and exhaust aftertreatment systems. Heavy-duty diesel trucks are also required under the CAA to maintain an onboard-diagnostic system (“OBD”), which monitors the functionality of the hardware emissions control components. If the OBD detects that an emissions control component is not working, or has been removed, it will ultimately put the truck into what is known as “limp mode,” which limits the top speed to as low as 5 miles per hour. This is designed to incentivize truck operators to repair any faulty components.
As alleged in the indictment, truck operators deleted the emissions control hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks, which significantly increased pollution emitted by those trucks but allowed them to run at higher horsepower, with greater fuel efficiency, and with reduced maintenance cost. To help truck operators who had deleted emissions hardware, HHP charged its customers a fee for the services of Offringa, who reprogrammed the OBDs on vehicles so they would not detect that the components had been tampered with. HHP was paid between $1,250 and $1,750 for each truck reprogrammed by Offringa – who then received a substantial portion of that payment from HHP.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HHP was arraigned Friday in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel. Offringa is scheduled to be arraigned May 15.
Two alleged coconspirators, Patrick Oare and DAIM Logistics, Inc. of Fultonville, previously pled guilty to violating the CAA and are scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany on June 21, 2024.
The charge filed against Offringa carries a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The charge filed against HHP carries a fine of up to $500,000 and a term of probation of up to 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
EPA CID is investigating the case, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican man pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Ramon Alfaro-Orona, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 5, 2024. In September 2023, Alfaro-Orona was charged by criminal complaint.
Alfaro-Orona was deported from the United States on eight prior occasions, with the most recent being Sept. 30, 2014. Sometime after his September 2014 removal, Alfaro-Orona unlawfully reentered the United States. On Aug. 23, 2023, Alfaro-Orona was taken into custody by immigration authorities following his arraignment in Leominster District Court for three counts of larceny by check over $1,200.
Alfaro-Orona was convicted for unlawful reentry on two prior occasions in November 2013 and March 2014.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Mercer County Man Charged with Communicating Threats to Attack White PeopleRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was arrested Friday night for transmitting via the internet a post containing threats to kill white people, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Joshua Cobb, 23, of Trenton, New Jersey, was arrested and charged by complaint with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah Singh in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 17, 2022, Cobb used a social media application to post a message, stating:
- I want to cause mayhem on the white community. The reason i specifically want to target white people is because as a black male, they will NEVER understand my struggles. Same way I will never understand their struggles, but I don’t care to. I want to erase them. All of them really, but in this case as many as I possibly can. As of today I have officially began planning my attack. It is going to take place in 2023 in the state of New Jersey, I have not chosen a exact date but I am going to be sure it is close to an important holiday to their race. I have a location in mind already which I have frequented for the past year and I am certain nobody there is armed to be able to stop me from spraying them to the ground. I have already acquired 2 of the 4 firearms I plan to use for my attack, and I also know my entry and exit points already after the mayhem.
Following this post, in April and May 2023, Cobb made several additional posts on another social media application, in which he discussed his hopes of progressing into a serial killer, stating:
- Imagine the rush you’d feel while shooting some sh*t up. Probably could get literally high off the adrenaline alone. I’d probably OD on my own adrenaline after the 10th body goes down.
- 100% someday. Just not yet thought. I want to continue training and buying more ammunition.
- Tbh I hope I do progress into a serial killer because I f*cking hate life man... But one day everyone will suffer. I promise I will make everyone feel my f*ucking pain. My deep, sincere, raw, & sharp pain.
- There is no way out for me. The only way out is bloodshed.
- Just wait man. Remember [my username]. [I] will leave clues when im done.
- I’m just leaving evidence for whoever investigates my case.
Cobb joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2023 and began basic training in June 2023. Cobb was stationed in California until his recent discharge.
In statements to law enforcement, Cobb admitted to writing the above-described posts and provided detailed information on locations he had considered as possible targets for his attack, including a Jersey Strong gym and an Aldi grocery store in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Cobb also discussed his access to guns and idolized other mass shooters.
A lawful search of Cobb’s cell phone revealed additional notes from April and May 2023 expressing Cobb’s homicidal ideations, stating:
- It’s all a f*cking game and you all are going to die. I currently lack the means necessary to kill as many as I intend to but one day I will have the available resources (finance) to purchase the appropriate weaponry for my killing(s).
- All my life I have been doubyed… Ive been taken as the joke… ive been f*cked around with… well now its my turn. I am going to kill one of you mother*ckers I f*cking hate humanity. All of you f*cking duck and I don’t give a single f*ck about any of you though I may appear I do.
- Im ready to grt to the good part of my story where I start taking you mother f*ckers out and killing you all… My rampage will soon happen… I plan to now continue accumulating the necessary equipment needed to execute. Once all equipment is in, time will then tell. You will all die.
- I hate all of this sh*t and I feel like my only way out of the pain and suffering is by exploding. So I await… I await that moment so I can make those moments final. For whomever… myself or a victim.
Cobb’s phone also contained notes on how to bring guns into New Jersey.
The charge of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the arrest. He also thanked the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, under the direction of U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada, agents of the FBI Field Office in Los Angeles, California, under the direction of Acting Assistant Director in Charge Mehtab Syed; the Hamilton Police Division, under the direction of Chief Kenneth R. DeBoskey; the Robbinsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael K. Polaski; and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
cobb.complaint.pdfLincoln Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Joseph D. Maciarz, Jr., 63, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 13, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for receipt of child pornography. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Maciarz to 84 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Maciarz’s release from prison, he will begin a 12-year term of supervised release. Maciarz was further ordered to pay a total of $5,100 in special assessments, and $24,000 in restitution.
On November 5, 2022, an investigator with the Nebraska State Patrol was able to download a few files containing child pornography from a peer-to-peer file sharing network. The investigator was then able to obtain the IP address of the computer sharing the files. The IP address traced back to Maciarz’s residence. Police obtained a search warrant for the residence, which was executed on January 19, 2023. Numerous electronic devices were seized. Maciarz was home at the time and interviewed by police. He admitted that he had been downloading and uploading child pornography off and on for the past twenty years. The electronic devices were later examined and found to contain more than 4,000 files depicting child pornography. In some of the files, the victims ranged in age from infant to 9 years old.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Licking County man pleads guilty to conspiracy crime involving videos of monkey torture & mutilationRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A plea agreement was unsealed today in which a Licking County man pleaded guilty to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute “animal crush” videos.
According to court documents, Bedra conspired with others to create and distribute the videos that depicted acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys, including having digits and limbs severed and being forcibly sodomized with a heated screwdriver.
The conspirators used encrypted chat apps to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. Bedra also mailed a thumb drive containing 64 videos of monkey torture to a co-conspirator in Wisconsin.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made today’s announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
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Klamath Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Klamath Falls, Oregon man with multiple previous drug- and firearm-related convictions was sentenced to federal prison today after he was caught by local law enforcement with methamphetamine and a handgun.
Andrew Miles Devos, 42, was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in January 2020, law enforcement learned that Devos, who at the time had eight prior felony convictions for drug and firearm offenses, was actively selling methamphetamine in Klamath Falls. After further investigation, on January 8, 2020, Devos was arrested when he arrived to complete a drug transaction. Law enforcement officers searched Devos’ vehicle and located 80 grams of methamphetamine, a 9mm firearm, 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a digital scale, and drug packaging materials concealed inside a backpack.
On June 3, 2020, Devos was charged by criminal complaint with illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Later, on September 17, 2020, a federal grand jury in Medford indicted Devos on the same charges.
Prior to being sentenced today, Devos pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Basin Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (BINET) with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF). It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
BINET is a Klamath Falls area narcotics task force comprised of Oregon State Police, the Klamath Falls Police Department, and Oregon National Guard.
Kingdom City Business Owner Sentenced for $673,000 CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Kingdom City, Mo., business owner was sentenced in federal court today for fraudulently receiving more than $673,000 in loans for several businesses under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Scott Allen Maples, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 18 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Maples to pay $684,034 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.
On Feb. 7, 2023, Maples pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Maples admitted that he fraudulently applied for and received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for several businesses. When Maples applied for PPP loans, he reported exaggerated and inaccurate payroll expenses and submitted fabricated and altered bank statements and tax forms. Under the CARES Act, both the principal and interest on those loans were eligible for forgiveness if the loan money was spent for permissible expenses (such as payroll, mortgage interest, rent and utilities) and a requisite portion of the loan went towards payroll expenses.
After submitting five fraudulent loan applications, Maples received a total of $673,127.04 in loan proceeds.
Maples admitted that he submitted a loan application to Square, Inc., a company authorized to issue PPP loans, on May 6, 2020, on behalf of Area 23, LLC, claiming 21 employees and an average monthly payroll of $69,548. Maples submitted fabricated documents to support the loan application. He received a $173,872 loan. Maples also submitted a loan application to US Bank on May 15, 2020, for the same business, Area 23, making the same claims of employees and payroll and again including fabricated documents to support the loan application. Maples again received a $173,872 loan.
Maples also received a $51,750 PPP loan for Maples Enterprises through Square. In the loan application, Maples indicated that there were six employees earning a total of $20,700 per month on average. In reality, Department of Labor records reflected that there was only one employee earning $182.50 in the first quarter of 2019. Another business, Clearance Depot, received a $270,632 PPP loan. Maples submitted statements in support of this loan that were later found to be altered and incorrect.
Maples also submitted an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan seeking $30,000. This loan also contained suspected misrepresentations that overstated the prior year’s revenues. Maples received a $3,000 advance on this loan, but the loan that he sought was not issued.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Kabbage Inc. Agrees to Resolve Allegations That the Company Defrauded the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that now-bankrupt financial technology company Kabbage Inc., doing business as KServicing, has agreed to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting thousands of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees, and processing fees to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with its participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Kabbage is now winding down its operations as KServicing Wind Down Corp. after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware in October 2022. As part of the resolution announced today, the United States will receive a general unsecured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide federally guaranteed loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP is administered by the SBA. The CARES Act authorized private lenders to approve PPP loans for eligible borrowers who could later seek forgiveness of the loans so long as they used loan funds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. Among other things, participating PPP lenders were required to confirm borrowers’ average monthly payroll costs by reviewing the payroll documentation submitted with the borrower’s application. Lenders were also required to follow applicable Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) requirements. Any unforgiven or defaulted PPP loans were guaranteed by the SBA so long as the lender adhered to PPP requirements. Lenders who originated PPP loans were paid a fixed fee calculated as a percentage of the loan amount by the SBA.
“The PPP was intended to provide critical assistance to businesses to alleviate the economic challenges imposed by the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable lenders that knowingly contributed to the misuse of such funds by approving PPP loans for ineligible borrowers or otherwise failing to comply with applicable program requirements.”
“When the nation was facing a pandemic-induced crisis, Kabbage received tens of millions of dollars through the PPP to help lend taxpayer funds to businesses in need. Instead of safeguarding those funds, Kabbage doled out inflated and fraudulent loans, in an effort to maximize its profits,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “Then, Kabbage sold its assets and left the remaining company so low on cash that it ultimately went bankrupt, leaving taxpayers to take the loss for Kabbage’s conduct. This office will continue pursuing any company or individual, like Kabbage, that took advantage of the PPP.”
“Lenders who participated in PPP were trusted on their word that they would comply with PPP requirements and do their part in safeguarding taxpayer funds from fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “PPP lenders and lender service providers who broke that trust should be held accountable, as they ignored signs of fraud, and chose profit at the expense of taxpayers and struggling small businesses badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This settlement with Kabbage demonstrates our office’s firm commitment to pursuing all parties who played a part in committing PPP fraud.”
“The PPP Program provided those small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with forgivable loans for eligible payroll and non-payroll costs,” said General Counsel Therese R. Meers of the SBA. “SBA has made it a top priority to pursue participants in the PPP Program who committed fraud or otherwise abused the program.”
“Today we are sending a clear message that compliance with program rules is non-negotiable, especially when supporting the nation’s small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shafee Carnegie of the SBA Office of Inspector General. “This settlement highlights our dedication to preserving the integrity of the PPP and holding entities accountable for misusing taxpayer-funded programs. I want to thank the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners for their support and commitment to pursuing justice in this case."
“It is imperative that entities like Kabbage, which cause harm to federal programs for their own profit, face the consequences of their actions,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch. “The FBI and our partners will continue to relentlessly pursue companies that are unwilling to comply with requirements in accordance with the law.”
The resolution announced today addresses two different violations allegedly committed by Kabbage that resulted in the submission and payment of false claims. First, the United States alleged that Kabbage systemically inflated tens of thousands of PPP loans, causing the SBA to guarantee and forgive loans in amounts that exceeded what borrowers were eligible to receive under program rules. As part of the settlement, KServicing Wind Down Corp. admitted and acknowledged that Kabbage: (1) double-counted state and local taxes paid by employees in the calculation of gross wages; (2) failed to exclude annual compensation in excess of $100,000 per employee and (3) improperly calculated payments made by employers for leave and severance. The United States alleged that Kabbage was aware of these errors as early as April 2020, yet Kabbage failed to remedy all incorrect loans that had already been disbursed and continued to approve additional loans with miscalculations.
Second, United States alleged that Kabbage knowingly failed to implement appropriate fraud controls to comply with its PPP and BSA/AML obligations. In particular, the United States alleged that Kabbage removed underwriting steps from its pre-PPP procedures to process a greater number of PPP loan applications and maximize processing fees. The government further alleged that Kabbage knowingly set substandard fraud check thresholds despite knowledge of SBA’s concerns that fraudulent borrowers might seek to benefit from the PPP, relied on automated tools that were inadequate in identifying fraud, devoted insufficient personnel to conduct fraud reviews, discouraged its fraud reviewers from requesting information from borrowers to substantiate their loan requests and submitted to the SBA thousands of PPP loan applications that were fraudulent or highly suspicious for fraud.
As part of the government’s resolution of these claims, the government will receive a total allowed, unsubordinated, general unsecured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding of up to $120 million. The amount the government will recover on this claim will depend on the ultimate amount of assets available to the bankruptcy estate for distribution to unsecured creditors. The resolution also provides for Kabbage Inc. to receive a $12.5 million credit for payments previously returned to the SBA during the department’s investigation of the alleged misconduct.
The claims resolved by the resolution announced today include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act in two actions: one by an accountant who submitted PPP loan applications to Kabbage and other lenders and the other by a former analyst in Kabbage’s collections department. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned U.S. ex rel. Berteletti v. Kabbage, Inc., et al., No. 1:20-cv-12114 (D. Mass.), and U.S. ex rel. Pietschner v. Kabbage, Inc., et al., No. 4:21-cv-110-SDJ (E.D. Tex.).
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The government’s investigation of Kabbage was a coordinated effort among the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI; Federal Reserve Board, Office of Inspector General; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General and SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. The United States is represented in the bankruptcy proceeding by the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Corporate/ Financial Litigation Section
Fraud Section Trial Attorney Sarah E. Loucks; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. LaMacchia and Diane Seol for the District of Massachusetts and Assistant U.S. Attorney Betty Young for the Eastern District of Texas handled the matter. Corporate/ Financial Litigation Section Trial Attorneys Alastair Gesmundo, Stanton McManus and Shane Huang represent the United States in the bankruptcy proceeding.
The claims asserted in the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
DMA Settlement EDTX SettlementKabbage Agrees to Pay up to $120 Million to Resolve Allegations that it Defrauded the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Bankrupt lender Kabbage, Inc. d/b/a KServicing, has agreed to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted thousands of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees, and processing fees to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA).
Kabbage is now winding down its operations as KServicing Wind Down Corp. after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware in October 2022. The resolution consists of two separate settlements with KServicing Wind Down Corp., that together provide the United States with an allowed, unsubordinated, general unsecured bankruptcy claim for recovery of up to $120 million. The amount the government will recover on this claim will depend on the ultimate amount of assets available to the bankruptcy estate for distribution to unsecured creditors.
“When the nation was facing a pandemic-induced crisis, Kabbage received tens of millions of dollars through the PPP to help lend taxpayer funds to businesses in need. Instead of safeguarding those funds, Kabbage doled out inflated and fraudulent loans, in an effort to maximize its profits,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “Then, Kabbage sold its assets and left the remaining company so low on cash that it ultimately went bankrupt, leaving taxpayers exposed to the risk of loss caused by Kabbage’s conduct. This office will continue pursuing any company or individual, like Kabbage, that took advantage of the PPP.”
“The PPP was intended to provide critical assistance to businesses to alleviate the economic challenges imposed by the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable lenders that knowingly contributed to the misuse of such funds by approving PPP loans for ineligible borrowers or otherwise failing to comply with applicable program requirements.”
“Lenders who participated in PPP were trusted on their word that they would comply with PPP requirements and do their part in safeguarding taxpayer funds from fraudsters,” said United States Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “PPP lenders who broke that trust should be held accountable, as they ignored signs of fraud, and chose profit at the expense of taxpayers and struggling small businesses badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This settlement with Kabbage demonstrates our office’s firm commitment to pursuing all parties who played a part in committing PPP fraud.”
“The PPP Program provided those small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with forgivable loans for eligible payroll and non-payroll costs,” said SBA General Counsel Therese R. Meers. “SBA has made it a top priority to pursue participants in the PPP Program who committed fraud or otherwise abused the program.”
“Today we are sending a clear message that compliance with program rules is non-negotiable, especially when supporting the nation’s small businesses during the pandemic,” said SBA OIG’s Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shafee Carnegie. “This settlement highlights our dedication to preserving the integrity of the Paycheck Protection Program and holding entities accountable for misusing taxpayer-funded programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their support and commitment to pursuing justice in this case.”
“Today’s settlement resolves allegations that this financial services company sought to cash in on a public health crisis by inflating the loan applications of small business owners as well as intentionally profiting off of fraudulent loan applications,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Anyone who tries to defraud the government and taxpayers like this will be held accountable by the FBI and our partners because every dollar diverted for fraudulent reasons is a dollar not available for legitimate applicants in need.”
The first settlement, which provides the United States with a claim for recovery of up to $63.2 million, resolves allegations that Kabbage systemically inflated tens of thousands of PPP loans, causing the SBA to guarantee and forgive loans in amounts that exceeded what borrowers were eligible to receive under program rules. As part of the settlement, KServicing Wind Down Corp. admitted and acknowledged that Kabbage double-counted state and local taxes paid by employees in the calculation of gross wages; failed to exclude annual compensation in excess of $100,000 per employee; and improperly calculated payments made by employers for leave and severance. The United States alleged that Kabbage was aware of its errors as early as April 2020, yet Kabbage failed to remedy all incorrect loans that had already been disbursed and continued to approve additional loans with miscalculations. The resolution also provides for Kabbage to receive a $12.5 million credit for payments it previously returned to the SBA during the Department’s investigation of this alleged misconduct.
The second settlement, which provides the United States with a claim for recovery of up to $56.7 million, resolves allegations that Kabbage knowingly failed to implement appropriate fraud controls to comply with its PPP and BSA/AML obligations. In particular, the United States allege that Kabbage removed underwriting steps from its pre-PPP procedures in order to process a greater number of PPP loan applications and maximize processing fees. The government further alleged that Kabbage knowingly set substandard fraud check thresholds despite knowledge of SBA’s concerns that fraudulent borrowers might seek to benefit from the PPP; relied on automated tools that were inadequate in identifying fraud; devoted insufficient personnel to conduct fraud reviews; discouraged its fraud reviewers from requesting information from borrowers to substantiate their loan requests; and submitted to the SBA thousands of PPP loan applications that were fraudulent or highly suspicious for fraud.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act in two actions, one by an accountant who submitted PPP loan applications to Kabbage and other lenders; and the other by a former legal analyst in Kabbage’s collections department. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. Berteletti v. Kabbage, Inc., et al., No. 1:20-cv-12114-GAO (D. Mass.) and United States ex rel. Pietschner v. Kabbage, Inc., et al., No. 4:21-cv-110-SDJ (E.D. Tex.).
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide federally guaranteed loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA administers the PPP. The CARES Act authorized private lenders to approve PPP loans for eligible borrowers who could later seek forgiveness of the loans, so long as they used loan funds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. Among other things, the Cares Act/SBA required participating PPP lenders to confirm borrowers’ average monthly payroll costs by reviewing the payroll documentation submitted with the borrower’s application. The Cares Act/SBA also required lenders to follow applicable Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) requirements. So long as the lender adhered to PPP requirements, the SBA guaranteed any unforgiven or defaulted PPP loans. The SBA paid a fixed fee calculated as a percentage of the loan to lenders who originated PPP loans.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; Principal Deputy AAG Boynton; U.S. Attorney Featherston; GC Meers; Assistant IG Carnegie and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Reserve Board, Office of Inspector General; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General; and SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Seol for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts; Fraud Section Trial Attorney Sarah E. Loucks; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Betty Young for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas. Corporate/ Financial Litigation Section Trial Attorneys Alastair Gesmundo, Stanton McManus and Shane Huang represented the United States in the bankruptcy proceeding.
Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in Partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in MarylandRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor elections on May 14 in Prince George’s County, Maryland, to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws.
The department’s Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland work in partnership to enforce the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot. These Department of Justice components regularly deploy their staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. In addition, the Civil Rights Division also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Act and Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
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.
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Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in MarylandRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor elections on May 14 in Prince George’s County, Maryland, to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws.
The department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland work in partnership to enforce the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. In addition, the Civil Rights Division also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Act and Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
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.
Justice Department and City of Albuquerque Seek Partial Termination of Consent Decree for Albuquerque Police Department After Consistent Policing Reform ProgressRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, filed a joint motion today seeking court approval to terminate certain portions of the consent decree covering the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). The joint motion comes on the heels of the independent monitor’s 19th report, also filed today, which concluded that the city and APD have reached full compliance with 96% of the consent decree’s terms, the highest level of compliance APD has achieved to date.
The joint motion asks the court to terminate 93 provisions of the consent decree with which APD has been in full compliance for at least two years. The provisions cover a range of topics, including use of firearms, crowd control and incident management, use of force reporting and training, behavioral health training, reporting misconduct, on-body recording devices and community and problem-oriented policing.
“Our joint motion to terminate parts of this consent decree demonstrates that the Justice Department’s ultimate goal of ensuring constitutional and effective policing is closer to becoming a reality,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Albuquerque Police Department has shown that real progress is possible through consistent improvements in its policing over the last eight years, while also fulfilling its obligation to protect public safety. The Justice Department will continue working with police and city leaders and the community as they work to achieve full compliance with the remaining provisions of the consent decree. We will continue pushing for fair and constitutional policing in Albuquerque because residents deserve nothing less.”
“Meaningful change is always gradual,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “Partial termination is the natural next step after years of hard work from the City of Albuquerque and the brave men and women of the Albuquerque Police Department who chose service every single day. The goal of training wheels is to figure out how to ride without them, not how to install them permanently. My congratulations on this milestone; together, we will build the department that we deserve.”
APD has made substantial changes in reaching compliance with provisions of the consent decree the parties seek to terminate, including:
- APD has ensured that all officers are properly trained on using firearms and APD tracks all critical firearm discharges;
- Use of force is properly reported within APD and officers are required to record all use of force incidents;
- APD’s use of force training is based on constitutional principles and officers and supervisors receive necessary training on an annual basis;
- APD provides behavioral health and crisis intervention training to all new officers, as well as behavioral health training to all new telecommunicators, and ensures that existing officers and telecommunicators receive biannual behavioral health-related in-service training;
- APD and the Civilian Police Oversight Agency have ensured that there is an effective and efficient system in place to accept, classify and track civilian complaints of police misconduct;
- All new APD supervisors receive 40 hours of supervisory, management, leadership and command accountability training before assuming supervisory responsibility, followed by a minimum of 24 hours of annual management training;
- APD has fulfilled all requirements regarding on-body recording devices (OBRD), including implementing approved policy and training on OBRD, requiring that officers operate OBRDs according to policy and holding supervisors accountable for ensuring that officers use OBRDs as required by APD policy;
- APD has integrated community and problem-oriented policing principles into its operations, including its staffing allocations and deployment; and
- The city has established Community Policing Councils that facilitate communication and cooperation between APD and local community leaders to enable collaboration on addressing crime and safety issues.
The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on the Special Litigation Section Cases and Matters website. Additional information about the implementation of the consent decree is also available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico’s website. If you believe your civil rights have been violated, please submit a complaint through our online portal.
Justice Department Moves to Intervene as Plaintiff-Intervenor in Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s Lawsuit Against Tulsa Alleging the City Has Unlawfully Asserted Criminal Jurisdiction Against Tribal MembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, on behalf of the Department of the Interior, filed a motion to intervene today in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s lawsuit against the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and its mayor, chief of police and city attorney in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. The Justice Department also filed a proposed complaint against Tulsa, alleging that it has unlawfully asserted criminal jurisdiction against tribal members within the Muscogee (Creek) Reservation.
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation filed its complaint against Tulsa on Nov. 11, 2023, after Tulsa continued to prosecute tribal members within the reservation for alleged violations of Tulsa’s traffic ordinances. The city has used those court prosecutions to argue it has criminal jurisdiction over Indians in Indian country.
The Justice Department’s motion to intervene and proposed complaint argue that Tulsa’s assertion of jurisdiction violates fundamental principles of federal Indian law that are rooted in the Constitution and were reaffirmed in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma. The filings say that these principles bar states and their political subdivisions from exercising criminal jurisdiction over Indians in Indian country unless Congress expressly authorizes it, which it has not done in this instance, leaving the United States and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation with exclusive criminal jurisdiction over Indians in Indian country.
The motion to intervene and proposed complaint outline the United States’ governmental interest, in this and similar cases, in supporting the inherent sovereign power of all federally recognized tribes to exercise criminal jurisdiction over Indians for conduct occurring on their reservations, and in defending Congress’ plenary and exclusive authority over Indian affairs. The filings also cite the 1832 Treaty with the Creeks that no “State or Territory [shall] ever have a right to pass laws for the government of such Indians, but they shall be allowed to govern themselves.”
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division made the announcement.
The Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Indian Resources Section is handling the case.