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23 May 2024
법무부, 콜로라도 주 체리크릭 학군 내 가족을 위한 언어 장벽 해결을 위한 합의서 확보Read the Press Release
미국 법무부는 오늘 콜로라도 주에서 가장 큰 학군 중 하나인 체리크릭 교육구(CCSD)와 영어가 미숙한 학부모들을 위한 언어 접근 서비스를 크게 개선하기 위한 합의에 도달했다고 발표했습니다. 이 합의는 학군이 이러한 학부모와 이해할 수 있는 언어로 소통하지 않아 자녀 교육에 관한 중요한 정보를 제공하지 않았다는 불만을 해결합니다.
미국 법무부 민권 부서의 크리스틴 클라크 법무부 차관보는 "어떤 학부모도 자녀의 교육에 대해 어둠 속에 방치되어서는 안 됩니다." 라고 말합니다. "영어가 미숙한 학부모를 포함하여 학교와 학부모 간의 개방적이고 효과적인 의사소통은 학생들의 교육 기회에 대한 평등한 접근을 보호하는 데 필수적입니다. 미국 법무부는 학부모가 자녀 교육에 온전히 참여하지 못하게 하는 언어 장벽을 극복할 수 있도록 학군을 계속 지원할 것입니다."
콜로라도 지구 콜 피네건 연방검사는 "영어가 미숙한 학부모들은 공립학교가 어떻게 운영되는지 이해하는 데 어려움을 겪습니다." 라고 말했습니다. "이 합의는 체리크릭 학군이 학군내의 모든 학부모들이 자녀 교육에 의미 있게 참여할 수 있는 정책과 관행을 시행하도록 하기 위한 것입니다. 우리는 콜로라도 주의 모든 학군들이 영어가 미숙한 학부모들에게 언어 지원 서비스를 제공해야 하는 의무를 준수하고 있는지 확인하기 위해 관행을 검토할 것을 촉구합니다."
CCSD(체리크릭 학군)은 부모들이 150개 이상의 언어를 사용하는 약 53,000명의 학생들에게 서비스를 제공합니다. 콜로라도 지구 연방 검찰청은 학군이 적절하고 효과적인 언어 지원 서비스를 제공하지 않아 영어가 미숙한 학부모들이 중요한 학교 프로그램과 활동에 의미 있게 참여할 수 없었다는 여러 건의 불만을 접수했습니다. 예를 들어, 불만 사항에는 학군이 영어가 미숙한 학무모들이 자녀를 학군의 학교에 등록할 때 통역 및 번역 서비스를 제공하지 않았고 퇴학 청문회 및 기타 징계 절차 중에 그러한 서비스를 제공하지 않았다는 주장이 담겨 있습니다.
연방 검찰청은 법무부 민권 부서와 협력하여 1974년 교육 기회 균등법에 따라 불만 사항을 조사했습니다.
교육부의 조사를 해결하기 위해 학군은 다음과 같은 중요한 영역에서 의사소통을 개선하기로 합의했습니다:
- 등록: 교육구는 영어가 미숙한 자녀를 학군 내 학교에 등록시키려는 학부모들을 파악하여 선호하는 의사소통 언어를 문서화하고 등록 절차를 이해하는 데 도움이 되는 언어 지원 서비스를 제공할 것입니다.
- 학생 징계 절차: 학군은 정학 및 퇴학과 관련된 서신을 영어가 미숙한 학부모가 선호하는 언어로 번역하고 정학 또는 퇴학으로 이어질 수 있는 징계 절차 중에 언어 지원 서비스를 제공합니다.
- 영어가 미숙한 학부모와의 소통: 교육구에서는 영어가 미숙한 학부모의 의사소통 요구를 더 잘 이해하기 위해 12개 이상의 언어로 설문조사를 실시하고의견을 청취할 예정입니다.
1974년 제정된 교육 기회 균등법의 시행은 민권 부서의 최우선 과제입니다. 민권 부서에 대한 자세한 정보는 웹사이트 www.justice.gov/crt 에서 확인할 수 있으며, 교육 기회 부서의 업무에 대한 자세한 정보는 웹사이트 www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section 에서 확인할 수 있습니다.
민권 부서에 민권 침해 가능성을 신고하려면 www.civilrights.justice.gov/ 을 방문하세요. 미국 법무부의 민권 집행 프로그램에 대한 추가 정보는 https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/civil-rights-enforcement 에서 확인할 수 있습니다.
司法部达成协议，解决科罗拉多州樱桃溪学区家庭的语言障碍问题Read the Press Release
美国司法部今天宣布与科罗拉多州最大的学区之一樱桃溪学区（Cherry Creek School District，CCSD）达成和解协议，大幅改善为英语水平有限的家长提供的语言使用服务。该协议解决了关于学区未能用这些家长能听懂的语言与他们沟通，从而剥夺了他们获得子女教育重要信息的权利的指控。
司法部民权司助理司法部长克里斯汀·克拉克（Kristen Clarke）说：“任何家长都不应该被蒙在鼓里，不了解自己孩子的教育情况。学校与家长（包括英语水平有限的家长）之间开放而有效的沟通对于保障学生平等获得教育机会至关重要。”司法部将继续确保学区采取措施，帮助家长克服妨碍他们充分参与子女教育的语言障碍。”
科罗拉多州地区联邦检察官科尔·费根（Cole Finegan）说：“英语水平有限的家长在了解公立学校如何运作方面面临障碍。本协议旨在确保樱桃溪学区实施相关政策和措施，使学区的所有家长都能有意义地参与子女的教育。我们敦促科罗拉多州的所有学区审查其做法，以确保他们履行为英语能力有限的家长提供语言援助服务的义务。”
樱桃溪学区为大约 5.3 万名学生提供服务，这些学生的父母讲 150 多种语言。科罗拉多州地区联邦检察官办公室收到多起投诉，称英语水平有限的家长无法有意义地参与学校的重要项目和活动，因为校区没有为他们提供适当有效的语言援助服务。例如，投诉称学区没有为英语水平有限的家长在子女入学时提供口译和笔译服务，也没有在开除听证会和其他纪律处分程序中提供此类服务。
美国联邦检察官办公室与司法部民权司协调，根据 1974 年《平等教育机会法》对投诉进行了调查。
为解决该部门的调查问题，该学区已同意改进其在关键领域的沟通，包括:
- 入学：学区将识别英语水平有限且希望子女就读学区学校的家长，记录他们首选的交流语言，并为他们提供语言协助服务，帮助他们了解入学程序。
- 学生纪律处分程序：学区将把涉及停学和开除的信件翻译成英语水平有限的家长喜欢的语言，并在可能导致停学或开除的纪律处分程序中提供语言协助服务。
- 与英语水平有限的家长接触：学区将用十多种语言开展调查并举行倾听会，以更好地了解英语水平有限的家长的沟通需求。
执行 1974 年《平等教育机会法》是民权处的首要任务。有关民权处的更多信息，请访问其网站 www.justice.gov/crt ，有关教育机会科工作的更多信息，请访问 www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section。
要向民权处报告可能存在的侵犯民权行为，请访问 www.civilrights.justice.gov/。有关美国联邦检察官办公室民权执法计划的更多信息，请访问www.justice.gov/usao-co/civil-rights-enforcement。
የፍትህ መምሪያ በቼሪ ክሪክ፣ ኮሎራዶ፣ የትምህርት ወረዳ ውስጥ ላሉ ቤተሰቦች የቋንቋ እንቅፋቶችን ለመፍታት ስምምነትን አረጋግጧልRead the Press Release
የፍትህ መምሪያ በኮሎራዶ ውስጥ ካሉት ትልቁ የት/ቤት ዲስትሪክቶች አንዱ ከሆነው ከቼሪ ክሪክ ትምህርት ቤት ወረዳ (CCSD) ጋር የመቋቋሚያ ስምምነት ማግኘቱን ዛሬ አስታውቋል፣ ይህም ውስን የእንግሊዝኛ ችሎታ ላላቸው ወላጆች የቋንቋ ተደራሽነት አገልግሎትን በእጅጉ ለማሻሻል ነው። ስምምነቱ ዲስትሪክቱ ከእነዚህ ወላጆች ጋር ሊረዱት በሚችሉት ቋንቋ ግንኙነት ማድረግ አለመቻሉን፤ በዚህም የልጆቻቸውን ትምህርት ጠቃሚ መረጃ እንዳያገኙ አድርጓል የሚለውን ክስ የሚፈታ ነው።
የፍትህ መምሪያ የሲቪል መብቶች ክፍል ረዳት ዋና አቃቤ ህግ ክሪስቲን ክላርክ “ማንኛውም ወላጅ በልጃቸው ትምህርት እንዳያውቁ ተደርገው መተው የለበትም” ብለዋል። "በትምህርት ቤቶች እና በወላጆች መካከል ግልጽ እና ውጤታማ ግንኙነት፣ ውስን የእንግሊዝኛ ችሎታ ያላቸው ወላጆችን ጨምሮ፣ ይህም ለተማሪዎች የእኩል የትምህርት እድሎች ተጠቃሚነት አስፈላጊ ነው። የፍትህ መምሪያ ወላጆች በልጆቻቸው ትምህርት ሙሉ በሙሉ እንዳይሳተፉ የሚከለክሏቸውን የቋንቋ እንቅፋቶችን ለመፍታት የትምህርት ወረዳዎች እርምጃዎችን እንዲወስዱ ማረጋገጡን ይቀጥላል።’’
የዩ.ኤስ የኮሎራዶ ወረዳ ጠበቃ ኮሌ ፊንጋን “ውስን የእንግሊዝኛ ችሎታ ያላቸው ወላጆች የሕዝብ ትምህርት ቤቶች እንዴት እንደሚሠሩ ለመረዳት እንቅፋት ይገጥማቸዋል” ብለዋል። “ይህ ስምምነት በወረዳው ውስጥ ያሉ ሁሉም ወላጆች በልጆቻቸው ትምህርት በተገቢው መልኩ እንዲሳተፉ ለማድረግ የቼሪ ክሪክ ትምህርት ቤት ወረዳ ፖሊሲዎችን እና ልምዶችን መተግበሩን ለማረጋገጥ ያለመ ነው። በኮሎራዶ የሚገኙ ሁሉም የትምህርት ቤት ወረዳዎች የተገደበ የእንግሊዝኛ ችሎታ ላላቸው ወላጆች የቋንቋ እርዳታ አገልግሎቶችን የመስጠት ግዴታቸውን መወጣታቸውን ለማረጋገጥ ተግባሮቻቸውን እንዲገመግሙ እናሳስባለን።”
CCSD ወላጆቻቸው ከ150 በላይ ቋንቋዎች የሚናገሩ ወደ 53,000 ለሚሆኑ ተማሪዎች አገልግሎት ይሰጣል። የኮሎራዶ ወረዳ የዩ.ኤስ አቃቤ ህግ ቢሮ ብዙ ቅሬታዎችን የተቀበለ ሲሆን ይህም የእንግሊዝኛ ቋንቋ ችሎታቸው ውስን የሆኑ ወላጆች በአስፈላጊ የትምህርት ቤት ፕሮግራሞች እና እንቅስቃሴዎች ላይ ትርጉም ባለው መልኩ መሳተፍ አልቻሉም ምክንያቱም ወረዳው ተገቢ እና ውጤታማ የቋንቋ እርዳታ አገልግሎቶችን አልሰጠም። ቅሬታዎቹ፣ ለምሳሌ፣ ወረዳው የእንግሊዝኛ ቋንቋ ችሎታቸው ውስን ለሆኑ ወላጆች ልጆቻቸውን በወረዳው ትምህርት ቤቶች ሲያስመዘግቡ የአስተርጓሚ እና የትርጉም አገልግሎት እንደማይሰጡ እና በማባረር ችሎቶች እና በሌሎች የዲሲፕሊን ሂደቶች ላይ እንደዚህ ያሉ አገልግሎቶችን አልሰጡም የሚል ነው።
የዩ.ኤስ አቃቤ ህግ ቢሮ ከፍትህ መምሪያ የሲቪል መብቶች ክፍል ጋር በመተባበር በ1974 እኩል የትምህርት እድል ህግ ስር ያሉትን ቅሬታዎች መርምሯል።
የመምሪያውን ምርመራ ለመፍታት ወሳኝ በሆኑ ጉዳዮች ላይ ያለውን ግንኙነት ለማሻሻል ተስማምቷል ከነዚህም ውስጥ፡-
- ምዝገባ፡ ወረዳው የተገደበ የእንግሊዘኛ ችሎታ ያላቸውን እና ልጆቻቸውን በወረዳ ትምህርት ቤቶች ለማስመዝገብ የሚፈልጉ ወላጆችን ይለያል፣ የመረጡትን የመገናኛ ቋንቋ ይመዘግባል፣ እና የምዝገባ ሂደቱን እንዲረዱ የቋንቋ እገዛ አገልግሎቶችን ያቀርብላቸዋል።
- የተማሪ የዲሲፕሊን ሂደቶች፡ ወረዳው መታገድ እና መባረርን የሚያካትቱ ደብዳቤዎችን የተገደበ የእንግሊዘኛ ቋንቋ ችሎታ ላላቸው ወላጆች ወደ መረጡት ቋንቋዎች ይተረጉማል እና በዲሲፕሊን ሂደቶች ጊዜ ወደ መታገድ ወይም መባረር ሊያመራ የሚችል ጉዳይ ላይ የቋንቋ እገዛ አገልግሎት ይሰጣል።
- ውስን የእንግሊዝኛ ችሎታ ካላቸው ወላጆች ጋር መስተጋብር ማድረግ፡ ወረዳው ውስን የእንግሊዝኛ ችሎታ ያላቸው ወላጆችን የግንኙነት ፍላጎቶች የበለጠ ለመረዳት የዳሰሳ ጥናቶችን ያካሂዳል እና ከደርዘን በላይ በሆኑ ቋንቋዎች የማዳመጥ ክፍለ ጊዜዎችን ያካሂዳል።
የ1974 እኩል የትምህርት እድሎች ህግ አፈፃፀም የሲቪል መብቶች ክፍል ከፍተኛ ቅድሚያ የሚሰጠው ጉዳይ ነው። ስለ ሲቪል መብቶች ክፍል ተጨማሪ መረጃ በድረ-ገፁ በ www.justice.gov/crt ላይ ይገኛል፣ እና ስለ ትምህርታዊ እድሎች ክፍል ስራ ተጨማሪ መረጃ በ www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section ላይ ይገኛል።
የዜጎችን የመብት ጥሰት ለሲቪል መብቶች ክፍል ሪፖርት ለማድረግ፣ እባክዎ www.civilrights.justice.gov/ ን ይጎብኙ። ስለ የዩ.ኤስ አቃቤ ህግ ቢሮ የሲቪል መብቶች ማስፈጸሚያ ፕሮግራም ተጨማሪ መረጃ በ www.justice.gov/usao-co/civil-rights-enforcement ላይ ማግኘት ይቻላል።
وزارة العدل تتوصل لاتفاقية لمعالجة العوائق اللغوية للعائلات في منطقة تشيري كريك التعليمية في كولورادوRead the Press Release
أعلنت وزارة العدل اليوم أنها توصلت إلى اتفاقية تسوية مع منطقة تشيري كريك التعليمية، وهي إحدى أكبر المناطق التعليمية في كولورادو، لتحسين الخدمات اللغوية بشكل كبير لأولياء الأمور من ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية، تقدم الاتفاقية حلًا للادعاءات القائلة بأن المنطقة أخفقت في التواصل مع أولياء الأمور هؤلاء بلغة يمكنهم فهمها، مما يمنع حقهم في معرفة معلومات مهمة حول تعليم أطفالهم.
صرحت مساعد المدعي العام كريستين كلارك من قسم الحقوق المدنية بوزارة العدل: "لا ينبغي أن يبقى أي ولي أمر جاهلًا بتفاصيل تعليم أبنائه، فالتواصل المفتوح والفعال بين المدارس وأولياء الأمور، بما في ذلك أولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية، يعد أمرًا ضروريًا لضمان حصول الطلاب على فرص تعليمية متساوية، وستواصل وزارة العدل التأكد من اتخاذ المناطق التعليمية خطوات عملية لمساعدة أولياء الأمور في التغلب على الحواجز اللغوية التي تمنعهم من المشاركة الكاملة في تعليم أبنائهم.
صرّح المدعي العام لمقاطعة كولورادو كول فينيجان: "يواجه أولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية تحديات في فهم الكيفية التي تعمل بها المدارس العامة، حيث تهدف هذه الاتفاقية إلى ضمان قيام منطقة تشيري كريك التعليمية بتنفيذ سياسات وممارسات تمكّن جميع أولياء الأمور في المنطقة من المشاركة بشكل هادف في تعليم أبنائهم. ونحن نحث جميع المناطق التعليمية في كولورادو على مراجعة ممارساتها للتأكد من امتثالها للالتزام بتقديم خدمات المساعدة اللغوية لأولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية."
تخدم منطقة تشيري كريك التعليمية حوالي 53 ألف طالب يتحدث أولياء أمورهم أكثر من 150 لغة، وقد تلقى مكتب المدعي العام الأمريكي عن مقاطعة كولورادو شكاوى متعددة تزعم أن أولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية لا يمكنهم المشاركة بشكل هادف في البرامج والأنشطة المدرسية المهمة لأن المنطقة لم توفر لهم خدمات المساعدة اللغوية المناسبة والفعالة؛ فقد زعمت الشكاوى، على سبيل المثال، أن المنطقة لم توفر مترجمين فوريين أو خدمات الترجمة لأولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية عندما قيامهم بتسجيل أبنائهم في مدارس المنطقة ولم تقدم مثل هذه الخدمات أثناء جلسات الطرد والإجراءات التأديبية الأخرى.
قام مكتب المدعي العام الأمريكي، بالتنسيق مع قسم الحقوق المدنية بوزارة العدل، بالتحقيق في الشكاوى بموجب قانون تكافؤ الفرص التعليمية لعام 1974.
لإنهاء التحقيق الذي تجريه وزارة العدل، وافقت المنطقة التعليمية على تحسين اتصالاتها في المجالات الهامة، بما في ذلك:
- التسجيل: ستحدد المنطقة التعليمية أولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية والذين يسعون إلى تسجيل أطفالهم في مدارس المنطقة، وتوثّق لغة التواصل المفضلة لهم، وتزوّدهم بخدمات المساعدة اللغوية لمساعدتهم على فهم عملية التسجيل.
- الإجراءات التأديبية للطلاب: ستقوم المنطقة بترجمة الرسائل التي تتضمن التعليق والطرد إلى اللغة المفضلة لأولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية وتوفير خدمات المساعدة اللغوية أثناء الإجراءات التأديبية التي قد تؤدي إلى الإيقاف أو الفصل.
- التعامل مع أولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية: ستقوم المنطقة بعمل استطلاعات رأي وعقد جلسات استماع بأكثر من اثنتي عشرة لغة لفهم احتياجات التواصل لأولياء الأمور ذوي الكفاءة المحدودة في اللغة الإنجليزية بشكل أفضل.
يعد تطبيق قانون تكافؤ الفرص التعليمية لعام 1974 أولوية قصوى لقسم الحقوق المدنية. تتوفر معلومات إضافية حول قسم الحقوق المدنية على موقعه على الإنترنت على العنوان التالي: www.justice.gov/crt، ومعلومات إضافية حول عمل قسم الفرص التعليمية متاحة على www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
للإبلاغ عن انتهاك محتمل للحقوق المدنية، يرجى زيارة الموقع www.civilrights.justice.gov/. يمكن العثور على معلومات إضافية حول برنامج إنفاذ الحقوق المدنية التابع لمكتب المدعي العام الأمريكي على الموقع www.justice.gov/usao-co/civil-rights-enforcement.
Министерство юстиции заключило соглашение об устранении языковых барьеров для семей в школьном округе Черри-Крик, штат КолорадоRead the Press Release
Сегодня Министерство юстиции объявило о заключении мирового соглашения со школьным округом Черри-Крик (CCSD), одним из крупнейших школьных округов штата Колорадо, с целью заметного улучшения услуг языковой поддержки для родителей с ограниченным знанием английского языка. Соглашение разрешает вопрос обвинений в том, что округ не мог общаться с отдельными родителями на понятном им языке, не донося им важную информацию об образовательном процессе их детей.
«Ни один родитель не должен испытывать трудности в понимании процесса получения своим ребенком образования», — отмечает помощница генерального прокурора в Отделе по гражданским правам Министерства юстиции Кристен Кларк. «Открытая и результативная коммуникация между школами и родителями — включая родителей с ограниченным знанием английского языка — крайне важна для обеспечения учащимся равного доступа к образовательным возможностям. Министерство юстиции продолжит следить за принятием соответствующих мер для того, чтобы школьные округа эффективно помогали родителям преодолеть языковые барьеры, мешающие им полноценно участвовать в образовательном процессе своих детей».
«Родители с ограниченным знанием английского языка сталкиваются с серьезными преградами в понимании принципов работы государственных школ», — добавляет прокурор округа Колорадо Коул Финеган. «Это соглашение гарантирует, что школьный округ Черри-Крик реализует политику и практику, позволяющую всем родителям в округе принимать значительное участие в образовании своих детей. Мы призываем все школьные округа Колорадо пересмотреть свои методы работы, чтобы достичь соблюдения своих обязательств по предоставлению языковой поддержки родителям с ограниченным знанием английского языка».
В CCSD учится около 53 000 детей и подростков, чьи родители говорят более чем на 150 языках. Прокуратура США по округу Колорадо получила несколько жалоб, где утверждалось, что родители с ограниченным знанием английского языка не могут полноценно участвовать в важных школьных программах и мероприятиях, поскольку округ не предоставил им соответствующих эффективных услуг языковой поддержки. Так, в жалобах утверждалось, что округ не предоставлял услуг устной и письменной помощи родителям с ограниченным знанием английского языка, когда они оформляли своих детей в школы округа, а также не предоставлял таких услуг во время посвященных исключению собраний и других дисциплинарных разбирательств.
Прокуратура США в сотрудничестве с Отделом по гражданским правам Министерства юстиции расследовала жалобы в соответствии с Законом о равных возможностях получения образования 1974 года.
Для разрешения вопросов, поднятых во время расследования департамента, округ планирует улучшить процесс коммуникации в особо важных направлениях, в том числе, в следующих.
- Оформление Округ будет выявлять родителей с ограниченным знанием английского языка, которые хотят оформить своих детей в школы округа, отмечать в документации предпочитаемый ими язык общения и предоставлять им услуги языковой помощи, чтобы они могли понять процесс зачисления.
- Дисциплинарные разбирательства в отношении учащихся Округ обязуется переводить письма, связанные с отстранением от занятий и исключением, на язык, предпочитаемый родителями с ограниченным знанием английского языка, а также предоставлять услуги языковой поддержки во время дисциплинарных разбирательств, которые могут привести к отстранению или исключению.
- Взаимодействие с родителями с ограниченным знанием английского языка Чтобы лучше понять коммуникационные потребности родителей с ограниченным знанием английского языка, округ обязуется проводить опросы и собрания на более чем 12 языках.
Обеспечение соблюдения Закона о равных возможностях получения образования 1974 года является основным приоритетом Отдела по гражданским правам. Дополнительная информация об Отделе по гражданским правам содержится на веб-сайте по адресу www.justice.gov/crt, а больше информации о работе Отдела образовательных возможностей изложено по адресу www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
Вы можете сообщить о случаях нарушении гражданских прав в Отдел по гражданским правам, посетив веб-сайтwww.civilrights.justice.gov/. Дополнительная информация о программе Прокуратуры США по обеспечению соблюдения гражданских прав изложена на веб-сайте по адресу www.justice.gov/usao-co/civil-rights-enforcement.
Youth Gymnastics Photographer Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DETROIT — David Eric Yellen, 59, of Royal Oak, Michigan pleaded guilty in federal district court to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Yellen’s involvement with child pornography came to light after the FBI discovered that he was distributing images of child pornography over the internet, using peer-to-peer file-sharing software. The FBI determined that Yellen had worked as a photographer and videographer at multiple youth female gymnastics events in the past several years. When the FBI searched Yellen’s house, they found that Yellen possessed hundreds of files of child pornography on his electronic devices, and that Yellen had taken at least 200 photographs of the bare feet of the children who attended the gyms and gymnastic events where Yellen worked.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Yellen will face a sentence of between five and 20 years in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. Yellen entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Sean F. Cox.
“Yellen’s child pornography conduct was aggravated because of his position of trust in the gymnastics community with youth gymnasts and their parents,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office will continue to make the prosecution of child pornography crimes a top priority in order to keep our community and our children safe.”
"Yellen, a well-known figure in the Michigan gymnastic community, was found to be distributing child sex abuse material and to have other questionable photos on his devices directly involving some of the gymnasts he worked alongside," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Adults who work with and around our children are entrusted with the highest level of trust, and Yellen's conduct demonstrated his disregard for their protection. The FBI will continue to dedicate our resources to removing these individuals who lurk in the shadows and bringing them to justice."
This investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne, Ann Nee, and Sarah Alsaden.
Wanblee Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Wanblee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on May 17, 2024.
Chad Doyle Jr., 22, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Doyle was indicted for two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in January of 2024. He pleaded guilty to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer on March 11, 2024.
The case stemmed from Doyle assaulting an Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety patrol officer in December of 2023. During the assault, Doyle kicked and attempted to punch the officer.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because officers employed with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety are federal law enforcement officers.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Doyle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Visalia Man Indicted for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Shawn Saesee, 20, of Visalia, charging him with unlawful transfer of firearms in violation of the National Firearms Act and dealing and manufacturing firearms without a license, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Saesee sold an undercover agent eight firearms, including five machine guns on four separate occasions. Saesee sold firearms despite being told by the undercover agent he could not legally possess firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Saesee faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Virginia Beach man pleads guilty to downloading massive amounts of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pled guilty today to receiving images and videos depicting sexual exploitation of children.
According to court documents, in March 2021, the FBI began an investigation of hundreds of requests between October 2020 and May 2021 for suspected images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) at a specific IP address in Virginia Beach. Investigators determined the IP address belonged to Kevin Javon Taylor, 51.
On June 6, 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Taylor’s residence. During the search, a preliminary review of Taylor’s electronic devices revealed indications of possible CSAM. Agents found file names and file paths with titles synonymous with CSAM. Agents also discovered three physical binders containing printed CSAM.
A review of the electronic devices seized from Taylor’s residence contained approximately 14,100 images of CSAM, 642 videos of CSAM, and over 90,000 images of child erotica. These files were stored across thirty-three different electronic devices as well as physical copies.
Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-36.
United States Reaches over $310 Million Settlement with Norfolk Southern to Address Harms Caused by East Palestine Train DerailmentRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement valued at over $310 million with Norfolk Southern Railway Company holding the company accountable to address and pay for the damage caused by the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. If the settlement is approved by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Norfolk Southern will be required to take measures to improve rail safety, pay for health monitoring and mental health services for the surrounding communities, fund long-term environmental monitoring, pay a $15 million civil penalty and take other actions to protect nearby waterways and drinking water resources.
Together with other response costs and rail safety enhancements, Norfolk Southern estimates that it will spend more than $1 billion to address the contamination and other harms caused by the East Palestine derailment and improve rail safety and operations.
In the hours following the derailment, EPA personnel arrived on site and they have remained there to ensure that the people of East Palestine are protected and have the most up-to-date information. In those early days, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan promised that Norfolk Southern would be held accountable for its actions. Since then, as EPA and the Justice Department pursued a strong enforcement action to deliver on that commitment, EPA has continued to stay engaged in the community, directing cleanup activities, collecting air, water and soil samples and participating in community meetings. The Administration has led a robust, multi-agency effort – including the Department of Transportation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services – to fulfill the President’s commitment to “supporting the people of East Palestine and all those affected in surrounding areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania every step of the way.”
“The President issued an executive order which promised to address the disaster’s long-term effects and to hold Norfolk Southern responsible for its train derailing and the burning of hazardous chemicals in East Palestine. This settlement helps fulfill that promise,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Importantly, those who will most directly benefit from this settlement are those who were most directly affected by the disaster. And the rail safety commitments will help prevent future catastrophic railway events.”
“No community should have to experience the trauma inflicted upon the residents of East Palestine,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “That’s why President Biden pledged from the beginning that his Administration would stand with the community every step of the way. Today’s enforcement action delivers on this commitment, ensures the cleanup is paid for by the company, and helps prevent another disaster like this from happening again. Because of this settlement, residents and first responders will have greater access to health services, trains will be safer, and waterways will be cleaner.”
“The human cost from the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster was high and continues today,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “That is why we worked to include funding in this agreement for a community health program. Notably, this settlement also secures significant resources to complete cleanup in and around East Palestine as well as measures to detect and address potential rail safety risks.”
“Norfolk Southern’s train derailment and massive chemical spill onto East Palestine’s grounds and into its waterways jeopardized the safety and health of residents, damaging their homes, their lives and the environment,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “That is why the Department of Justice diligently worked to hold Norfolk Southern responsible for this disaster by quickly filing suit and negotiating a resolution that protects residents’ interests. This settlement requires Norfolk Southern to fund a community health program that monitors and treats individual medical needs stemming from the disaster. It also requires the company to fund the clean-up efforts, to restore the region’s waterways and habitats, and to monitor the drinking water system to ensure it is safe. And it requires them to implement numerous additional safety measures throughout the United States in an effort to prevent another railway community from suffering losses like those East Palestine experienced. While these remedies cannot fully address the impact of this disaster, they are a positive step toward healing and recovery.”
Today’s settlement follows a complaint filed by the United States against Norfolk Southern in March 2023 for unlawful discharges of pollutants and hazardous substances caused by the train derailment. In February 2023, EPA issued a unilateral administrative order, holding Norfolk Southern accountable for the damage done to the community. The order required cleanup of spilled substances and impacted soils, as well as payment of all costs to the U.S. government. EPA also issued an order under the Clean Water Act to clean up oil spilled into the surrounding waterways. Since then, EPA has been directing and overseeing the extensive cleanup activities.
In total, Norfolk Southern estimates that it will spend more than $1 billion to address the contamination caused by the East Palestine derailment and improve rail safety and operations. The amount includes this settlement with the United States valued at over $310 million, as well as around $780 million in environmental response costs incurred by Norfolk Southern. Norfolk Southern has estimated its costs since the derailment will exceed $200 million in rail safety enhancements, including those required by this settlement.
To help ensure that no community goes through what East Palestine residents have faced, the settlement also requires Norfolk Southern to improve coordination with government officials and other stakeholders during emergency responses. Specifically, Norfolk Southern will create and adopt a procedure for coordinating with first responders and government officials, where appropriate, before restoring and reopening tracks for use after a derailment involving spilled hazardous material. Norfolk Southern will also create and adopt a procedure for coordinating with government officials and other stakeholders in advance of any vent and burn proposed by the company.
Under the settlement, Norfolk Southern has agreed to:
- Spend an estimated $235 million for all past and future cleanup costs, so that cleanup efforts can continue and the company, rather than taxpayers, covers the cost.
- Pay $25 million for a 20-year community health program that includes medical monitoring for qualified individuals, mental health services for individuals residing in affected counties as well as first responders who worked at the site and a community facilitation plan to assist community members in using the benefits of the program.
- Spend approximately $15 million to implement long-term monitoring of groundwater and surface water for a period of 10 years.
- Pay $15 million for a private drinking water monitoring fund that will continue the existing private drinking water well monitoring program for 10 years.
- Implement a “waterways remediation plan,” with an estimated budget of $6 million, for projects in Leslie Run and Sulphur Run that will prioritize addressing historical pollution, reducing non-point source pollution through infrastructure upgrades and stormwater management projects and restoring aquatic and riparian habitat.
- Pay a $15 million civil penalty to resolve the alleged violations of the Clean Water Act
- Pay $175,000 for natural resource damages, to be used by the United States to restore, rehabilitate, replace or acquire the equivalent of the natural resources injured as a result of the derailment.
In addition, the consent decree requires Norfolk Southern to undertake projects to improve the safety of transporting hazardous materials by rail, which will include installation of additional devices to detect overheated wheel bearings early enough to prevent derailments like the one that happened in East Palestine. All told, Norfolk Southern has estimated its costs dating from the derailment will exceed $200 million in rail safety enhancements.
The proposed settlement was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio by the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. It is subject to a minimum 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The details of today’s settlement are available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Additional Background
EPA is committed to protecting the health and safety of East Palestine and surrounding communities. EPA personnel have been on site since the initial hours of the train derailment, and the agency continues to provide residents the most up-to-date information via the website, welcome center, community meetings, newsletters and more.
Immediately following the train derailment, EPA established a 24/7 air monitoring and sampling network. EPA also began coordinating with state and local officials to monitor environmental impacts on the community. Over the course of the response, EPA has collected over 115 million air monitoring data points and over 45,000 air, water and soil samples, giving the agency confidence in the safety of air, water and soil in the community. Since the evacuation was lifted, no sustained chemicals of concern have been found in the air.
To date, more than 177,000 tons of contaminated soil and more than 69 million gallons of wastewater have been removed from the community and work continues to remove contamination from area creeks and soil sampling at the derailment site to ensure all contamination has been remediated.
United States Reaches over $310 Million Settlement with Norfolk Southern to Address Harms Caused by East Palestine Train DerailmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement valued at over $310 million with Norfolk Southern Railway Company holding the company accountable to address and pay for the damage caused by the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. If the settlement is approved by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Norfolk Southern will be required to take measures to improve rail safety, pay for health monitoring and mental health services for the surrounding communities, fund long-term environmental monitoring, pay a $15 million civil penalty and take other actions to protect nearby waterways and drinking water resources.
Together with other response costs and rail safety enhancements, Norfolk Southern estimates that it will spend more than $1 billion to address the contamination and other harms caused by the East Palestine derailment and improve rail safety and operations.
In the hours following the derailment, EPA personnel arrived on site and they have remained there to ensure that the people of East Palestine are protected and have the most up-to-date information. In those early days, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan promised that Norfolk Southern would be held accountable for its actions. Since then, as EPA and the Justice Department pursued a strong enforcement action to deliver on that commitment, EPA has continued to stay engaged in the community, directing cleanup activities, collecting air, water and soil samples and participating in community meetings. The Administration has led a robust, multi-agency effort – including the Department of Transportation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services – to fulfill the President’s commitment to “supporting the people of East Palestine and all those affected in surrounding areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania every step of the way.”
“The President issued an executive order which promised to address the disaster’s long-term effects and to hold Norfolk Southern responsible for its train derailing and the burning of hazardous chemicals in East Palestine. This settlement helps fulfill that promise,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Importantly, those who will most directly benefit from this settlement are those who were most directly affected by the disaster. And the rail safety commitments will help prevent future catastrophic railway events.”
“No community should have to experience the trauma inflicted upon the residents of East Palestine,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “That’s why President Biden pledged from the beginning that his Administration would stand with the community every step of the way. Today’s enforcement action delivers on this commitment, ensures the cleanup is paid for by the company, and helps prevent another disaster like this from happening again. Because of this settlement, residents and first responders will have greater access to health services, trains will be safer, and waterways will be cleaner.”
“The human cost from the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster was high and continues today,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “That is why we worked to include funding in this agreement for a community health program. Notably, this settlement also secures significant resources to complete cleanup in and around East Palestine as well as measures to detect and address potential rail safety risks.”
“Norfolk Southern’s train derailment and massive chemical spill onto East Palestine’s grounds and into its waterways jeopardized the safety and health of residents, damaging their homes, their lives, and the environment,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “That is why the Department of Justice diligently worked to hold Norfolk Southern responsible for this disaster by quickly filing suit and negotiating a resolution that protects residents’ interests. This settlement requires Norfolk Southern to fund a community health program that monitors and treats individual medical needs stemming from the disaster. It also requires the company to fund the clean-up efforts, to restore the region’s waterways and habitats, and to monitor the drinking water system to ensure it is safe. And it requires them to implement numerous additional safety measures throughout the United States in an effort to prevent another railway community from suffering losses like those East Palestine experienced. While these remedies cannot fully address the impact of this disaster, they are a positive step toward healing and recovery.”
Today’s settlement follows a complaint filed by the United States against Norfolk Southern in March 2023 for unlawful discharges of pollutants and hazardous substances caused by the train derailment. In February 2023, EPA issued a unilateral administrative order, holding Norfolk Southern accountable for the damage done to the community. The order required cleanup of spilled substances and impacted soils, as well as payment of all costs to the U.S. government. EPA also issued an order under the Clean Water Act to clean up oil spilled into the surrounding waterways. Since then, EPA has been directing and overseeing the extensive cleanup activities.
In total, Norfolk Southern estimates that it will spend more than $1 billion to address the contamination caused by the East Palestine derailment and improve rail safety and operations. The amount includes this settlement with the United States valued at over $310 million, as well as around $780 million in environmental response costs incurred by Norfolk Southern. Norfolk Southern has estimated its costs since the derailment will exceed $200 million in rail safety enhancements, including those required by this settlement.
To help ensure that no community goes through what East Palestine residents have faced, the settlement also requires Norfolk Southern to improve coordination with government officials and other stakeholders during emergency responses. Specifically, Norfolk Southern will create and adopt a procedure for coordinating with first responders and government officials, where appropriate, before restoring and reopening tracks for use after a derailment involving spilled hazardous material. Norfolk Southern will also create and adopt a procedure for coordinating with government officials and other stakeholders in advance of any vent and burn proposed by the company.
Under the settlement, Norfolk Southern has agreed to:
- Spend an estimated $235 million for all past and future cleanup costs, so that cleanup efforts can continue and the company, rather than taxpayers, covers the cost.
- Pay $25 million for a 20-year community health program that includes medical monitoring for qualified individuals, mental health services for individuals residing in affected counties as well as first responders who worked at the site, and a community facilitation plan to assist community members in using the benefits of the program.
- Spend approximately $15 million to implement long-term monitoring of groundwater and surface water for a period of 10 years.
- Pay $15 million for a private drinking water monitoring fund that will continue the existing private drinking water well monitoring program for 10 years.
- Implement a “waterways remediation plan,” with an estimated budget of $6 million, for projects in Leslie Run and Sulphur Run that will prioritize addressing historical pollution, reducing non-point source pollution through infrastructure upgrades and stormwater management projects and restoring aquatic and riparian habitat.
- Pay a $15 million civil penalty to resolve the alleged violations of the Clean Water Act
- Pay $175,000 for natural resource damages, to be used by the United States to restore, rehabilitate, replace or acquire the equivalent of the natural resources injured as a result of the derailment.
In addition, the consent decree requires Norfolk Southern to undertake projects to improve the safety of transporting hazardous materials by rail, which will include installation of additional devices to detect overheated wheel bearings early enough to prevent derailments like the one that happened in East Palestine. All told, Norfolk Southern has estimated its costs dating from the derailment will exceed $200 million in rail safety enhancements.
The proposed settlement was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio by the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. It is subject to a minimum 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The details of today’s settlement are available on the Justice Department’s website: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Additional Background
EPA is committed to protecting the health and safety of East Palestine and surrounding communities. EPA personnel have been on site since the initial hours of the train derailment, and the agency continues to provide residents the most up-to-date information via the website, welcome center, community meetings, newsletters and more.
Immediately following the train derailment, EPA established a 24/7 air monitoring and sampling network. EPA also began coordinating with state and local officials to monitor environmental impacts on the community. Over the course of the response, EPA has collected over 115 million air monitoring data points and over 45,000 air, water and soil samples, giving the agency confidence in the safety of air, water and soil in the community. Since the evacuation was lifted, no sustained chemicals of concern have been found in the air.
To date, more than 177,000 tons of contaminated soil and more than 69 million gallons of wastewater have been removed from the community and work continues to remove contamination from area creeks and soil sampling at the derailment site to ensure all contamination has been remediated.
Ukrainian National Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charge Stemming from Attempt to Export Dual-Use High Precision Jig Grinder to RussiaRead the Press Release
STANISLAV ROMANYUK, 39, a citizen of Ukraine last residing in Estonia, pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to a money laundering charge stemming from his role in a scheme to violate United States export laws and regulations by attempting to smuggle a dual-use export-controlled item to Russia.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Michael Khoo Directors of Task Force KleptoCapture; Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England; Acting Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Boston Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the FBI New Haven Division; and Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, made the announcement.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in 2018, Romanyuk, who operated Estonia-based BY Trade OÜ, conspired with Vadims Ananics and Eriks Mamonovs, both citizens of Latvia who operated CNC Weld, a Latvia-based corporation, and with individuals in Russia and a Russian company, to violate U.S. export laws and regulations to smuggle a 500 Series CPWZ Precision Jig Grinder that was manufactured in Connecticut to Russia.
A jig grinder is a high-precision grinding machine system that does not require a license to export to European Union countries, but does require a license for export and reexport to Russia because of its potential application in nuclear proliferation and defense programs. Romanyuk and his co-conspirators knew that the jig grinder could not be exported from the U.S. to Russia or any country outside the European Union, and they did not apply for, receive, or possess a license of authorization from the U.S. Department of Commerce to export or reexport the jig grinder to Russia, as required by the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 and the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”), which restrict the export of items that could make a significant contribution to the military potential of other nations or that could be detrimental to U.S. foreign policy and national security.
In April 2019, Romanyuk brokered the sale of the jig grinder from By Trade OÜ to a Russian company using funds wired to it from the Russian company to purchase the jig grinder from Sapphire Universal, LLP, a company in Latvia. Sapphire Universal, which Romanyuk knew was in the business of obtaining dual use items from the U.S. for sale in Russia, used CNC Weld as the claimed recipient and end-user of the jig grinder because no license was required to export the jig grinder to Latvia from the U.S. In August 2019, to finalize the purchase of the jig grinder, Ananics and others traveled to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where Ananics informed the sellers that the jig grinder was being purchased for the benefit of CNC Weld. In September 2021, Romanyuk provided a false statement to Estonian authorities about the jig grinder transaction in order to cover up his involvement in this scheme.
U.S. authorities, working with Latvian authorities, intercepted the jig grinder in Riga, Latvia, before it was to be shipped to Russia. Approximately $826,000 in funds involved in the purchase of the jig grinder were subsequently forfeited, and a substantial portion of the forfeited funds were transferred to Estonia to provide aid to Ukraine.
Romanyuk was arrested on June 13, 2022, in Latvia. He has been detained since his arrest.
Romanyuk pleaded guilty to international money laundering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Ananics and Mamonovs pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by HSI field offices in New Haven and the Hague, Netherlands; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement in Boston and Portland, Oregon; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Prosecutor-General’s Office of the Republic of Latvia, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Estonia, Latvian Tax and Customs Police, Estonian Tax and Customs Board, and the Latvian State Police have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Konstantin Lantsman, and Stephanie Levick of the District of Connecticut, and Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs has provided valuable assistance.
The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
This case is being prosecuted through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program and is being supported by OCDETF’s International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2). OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
USPS Mail Carrier Arrested for Targeting Victims on Mail Route in Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Matthew Modafferi, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”), announced today that TAMEKA BABULAL, a/k/a “Tameka Williams,” a/k/a “Sharniece Williams,” a/k/a “Meek Williams,” a United States Postal Service (“USPS”) mail carrier in Mount Vernon, New York, was arrested for stealing credit cards, checks, and identities from the mail in order to carry out a scheme and conspiracy to fraudulently steal money from individuals and financial institutions. TAMEKA BABULAL, along with her husband JOEL BABULAL, a/k/a “Joel Nical Babulal,” were arrested this morning in Hempstead, New York, this morning and appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The charges against the defendants reflect this Office’s continued commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the U.S. mail system. As alleged, Tameka Babulal abused her position as a mail carrier, targeted victims on her mail route, and stole their identities to carry out an extensive and calculated scheme to line her and her co-conspirators’ pockets. When those entrusted to deliver mail abuse their position to corrupt our mail system from within, this Office will hold them responsible for their conduct.”
USPS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi said: “U.S. Postal Service employees who betray the American Public’s trust by using their position for personal gain will be thoroughly investigated by the Special Agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. The dedicated work of Postal Service employees should never be overshadowed by those who compromise their integrity. Our agency values all of our relationships in the law enforcement community, and we would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York for their continued support.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
TAMEKA BABULAL is a mail carrier who delivers mail to and from residents and businesses with mail going through the USPS Processing and Distribution Center in Mount Vernon, New York. She, however, did not perform the role entrusted to her and, instead, used her position to steal mail in furtherance of a fraud and identity theft scheme aimed at illicitly benefitting herself and her co-conspirators, including JOEL BABULAL.
TAMEKA BABULAL’s alleged actions include stealing checks mailed from victims, stealing credit cards mailed to victims and then attempting to use those cards for personal gain, depositing altered checks that were stolen from victims throughout the U.S. into personal financial accounts, and coordinating with co-conspirators to obtain the personal identifying information of victims she targeted on her mail route so that she and her co-conspirators could open fraudulent accounts in the victims’ names. As detailed in the Complaint, the evidence obtained during the course of law enforcement’s investigation includes photographs from TAMEKA BABULAL’s cloud storage account connected to her phone, emails and telephone calls she made to financial institutions, fraudulent credit card applications, and messages between her and her co-conspirators in furtherance of their fraud scheme and conspiracy. JOEL BABULAL is alleged to have participated in the conspiracy.
When law enforcement conducted a search of TAMEKA BABULAL and JOEL BABULAL’s residence this morning, officers recovered, among other things, dozens of credit cards and checks in other people’s names, including “washed” checks; several bundles of undelivered mail, including from financial institutions, destined for addresses on TAMEKA BABULAL’s mail route in Mount Vernon, New York; several social security cards and tax documents in other people’s names; and 17 phones, including phones alleged to have been used in the fraud scheme and conspiracy.
As a result of these allegations, TAMEKA BABULAL’s employment with USPS will be suspended indefinitely pending resolution of these charges.
* * *
TAMEKA BABULAL, 36, of Hempstead, New York, is charged with one count of theft of mail by a postal worker, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count each of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison.
JOEL BABULAL, 36, of Hempstead, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Northeast Area Field Office of the USPS-OIG. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for its continued involvement in this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reyhan Watson is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah Commends the Release of Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah commends the announcement of the Department of Justice’s new resource for prosecutors, “Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims.”
The announcement was made Monday in Dallas, TX at the Conference on Crimes Against Women by Rosemarie Hidalgo, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The guide, written by prosecutors for prosecutors, sets out five principles that, if implemented, will lead to better outcomes for victims, safer communities, and greater accountability for perpetrators of sexual assault and domestic violence.
“The framework announced today reaffirms our commitment to expanding access to justice for all survivors, who deserve respect and the right to be heard,” said the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Director Rosie Hidalgo. “Enhancing the prosecution response to sexual assault and domestic violence in a trauma-informed manner is a key piece in ending gender-based violence, as part of a broader coordinated community response that includes services and support for survivors, and can have a real, immediate impact on the safety of survivors and entire communities.”
Declinations of meritorious allegations may result from misconceptions about how crimes involving sexual assault and domestic violence are committed and reported, how victims give their accounts, and the evidence required to prove their accounts. This guide equips prosecutors to build provable cases by: (1) relying on the evidentiary value of the victim’s account to frame the investigation; (2) meeting with victims and working with investigators and victim specialists to do so; (3) using the law and evidentiary rules effectively; (4) being thoughtful about what justice and accountability look like; and (5) sustaining a productive, healthy, and committed workforce by redefining success– all of which are rooted in a prosecutor’s primary obligation to seek the truth and uphold the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.
More than 120 state, Tribal, military, and federal prosecutors, as well as advocates, academics, and investigators from an array of jurisdictions were consulted in developing this guide. This guide is designed to encourage prosecutors with all levels of experience to implement its principles when evaluating, investigating, and prosecuting allegations involving sexual assault and domestic violence. In conjunction with this guide, OVW launched a new webpage with resources designed to assist prosecutors in implementing the guide and its principles. This guide further serves as a complement to the Justice Department’s 2022 updated guidance on Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW funds national training and technical assistance and undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska Commends the Release of Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr commends the announcement of the Department of Justice’s new resource for prosecutors, “Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims,”
The announcement was made today in Dallas, TX at the Conference on Crimes Against Women by Rosemarie Hidalgo, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The guide, written by prosecutors for prosecutors, sets out five principles that, if implemented, will lead to better outcomes for victims, safer communities, and greater accountability for perpetrators of sexual assault and domestic violence.
“The framework announced today reaffirms our commitment to expanding access to justice for all survivors, who deserve respect and the right to be heard,” said the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Director Rosie Hidalgo. “Enhancing the prosecution response to sexual assault and domestic violence in a trauma-informed manner is a key piece in ending gender-based violence, as part of a broader coordinated community response that includes services and support for survivors, and can have a real, immediate impact on the safety of survivors and entire communities.”
The District of Nebraska routinely prosecutes sexual assault and domestic violence offenses occurring on the Omaha Nation, Winnebago, and Santee Sioux Nation Reservations in the District of Nebraska. “We are committed and dedicated to pursuing justice in those cases, partnering with law enforcement, victim specialists, and the Tribes to ensure a trauma-informed approach is used in that pursuit,” said U.S. Attorney Lehr.
Declinations of meritorious allegations may result from misconceptions about how crimes involving sexual assault and domestic violence are committed and reported, how victims give their accounts, and the evidence required to prove their accounts. This guide equips prosecutors to build provable cases by: (1) relying on the evidentiary value of the victim’s account to frame the investigation; (2) meeting with victims and working with investigators and victim specialists to do so; (3) using the law and evidentiary rules effectively; (4) being thoughtful about what justice and accountability look like; and (5) sustaining a productive, healthy, and committed workforce by redefining success– all of which are rooted in a prosecutor’s primary obligation to seek the truth and uphold the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.
“The District of Nebraska will continue to prioritize public safety on the Reservations and this guide is a great step in helping all of the stakeholders recognize the unique challenges in prosecuting such cases and that those challenges should not be a barrier to ensuring offenders are held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Lehr. She went on to say, “The victims in those cases are some of the District’s most vulnerable, underserved people and we welcome this step in continuing to secure their safety and well-being.”
More than 120 state, Tribal, military, and federal prosecutors, as well as advocates, academics, and investigators from an array of jurisdictions were consulted in developing this guide. This guide is designed to encourage prosecutors with all levels of experience to implement its principles when evaluating, investigating, and prosecuting allegations involving sexual assault and domestic violence. In conjunction with this guide, OVW launched a new webpage with resources designed to assist prosecutors in implementing the guide and its principles. This guide further serves as a complement to the Justice Department’s 2022 updated guidance on Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Commends the Release of Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam of the Middle District of Pennsylvania commends the announcement of the Department of Justice’s new resource for prosecutors, “Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims.”
The announcement was made on May 20, 2024, in Dallas, TX, at the Conference on Crimes Against Women by Rosemarie Hidalgo, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The guide, written by prosecutors for prosecutors, sets out five principles that, if implemented, will lead to better outcomes for victims, safer communities, and greater accountability for perpetrators of sexual assault and domestic violence.
“Our office remains steadfast in strengthening our commitment to support victims and pursue criminals who commit crimes of sexual assault and domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “The new framework released yesterday will allow our prosecutors and victim specialists to take a more trauma-informed approach and thoroughly investigate and prosecute such heinous crimes.”
“The framework reaffirms our commitment to expanding access to justice for all survivors, who deserve respect and the right to be heard,” said the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Director Rosie Hidalgo. “Enhancing the prosecution response to sexual assault and domestic violence in a trauma-informed manner is a key piece in ending gender-based violence, as part of a broader coordinated community response that includes services and support for survivors, and can have a real, immediate impact on the safety of survivors and entire communities.”
Declinations of meritorious allegations may result from misconceptions about how crimes involving sexual assault and domestic violence are committed and reported, how victims give their accounts, and the evidence required to prove their accounts. This guide equips prosecutors to build provable cases by: (1) relying on the evidentiary value of the victim’s account to frame the investigation; (2) meeting with victims and working with investigators and victim specialists to do so; (3) using the law and evidentiary rules effectively; (4) being thoughtful about what justice and accountability look like; and (5) sustaining a productive, healthy, and committed workforce by redefining success– all of which are rooted in a prosecutor’s primary obligation to seek the truth and uphold the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.
More than 120 state, Tribal, military, and federal prosecutors, as well as advocates, academics, and investigators from an array of jurisdictions were consulted in developing this guide. This guide is designed to encourage prosecutors with all levels of experience to implement its principles when evaluating, investigating, and prosecuting allegations involving sexual assault and domestic violence. In conjunction with the release of the new framework, OVW launched a new webpage with resources designed to assist prosecutors in implementing its principles. The framework further serves as a complement to the Justice Department’s 2022 updated guidance on Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias.
# # #
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW funds national training and technical assistance and undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
U.S. Attorney, Federal and Local Laws Enforcement Partners Announce Multiple Arrests of Alleged Fentanyl Traffickers in Ongoing D.C. Violence Reduction EffortsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Multi-agency law enforcement actions, targeting armed drug trafficking networks in the District, resulted in 23 arrests in the past nine days, plus an additional person already in custody. This morning, law enforcement arrested nine defendants in connection with a Trinidad-based drug trafficking investigation. Three of the arrestees are alleged crew members who were charged in a 13-count indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, and heroin, and firearms offenses. Two additional defendants were arrested this morning in connection with a separate 13-count indictment on fentanyl distribution and firearms charges. These arrests follow another law enforcement action, a week ago, in which 15 people were arrested, 10 of whom are named in a 17-count indictment as alleged members of a drug trafficking crew operating near 21st Street and Maryland Avenue, NE, and who are charged with participation in a fentanyl and cocaine distribution conspiracy and additional firearms counts. Today’s action follows a surge in additional law enforcement tools and resources announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to fight violent crime in Washington, D.C.
The indictments were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Troy Springer of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
“In January, the Justice Department surged law enforcement resources to the District of Columbia to further our efforts to target the individuals and organizations driving violent crime in the nation’s capital,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Over the past nine days, as a result of a multi-agency investigation, we have arrested 24 individuals we allege have fueled drug trafficking and community violence in Washington, D.C. The Department will continue to leverage our partnerships, our resources, and our investigative and prosecutorial tools to reduce violent crime and keep communities safe.”
“The data tells us that a relatively small group of people in our community are the primary drivers of gun violence and that the bulk of the gun violence is clustered in a relatively few blocks of our city,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “For years, we and our law enforcement partners have been focused on developing effective strategies for how we can best build cases against these relatively few people driving violence because we know that proactively removing these people from our streets is the most significant thing we can do as prosecutors to impact violent crime trends.”
Today’s arrests grew out of an investigation into an open-air drug market around the 1100 block of Raum Street, NE, in the Trinidad neighborhood that was commenced in summer 2023 in response to 59 violent crime incidents and 119 bursts of gunfire occurring in the area from January to July 2023. Agents conducted numerous controlled buys of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, cocaine base, and firearms in connection with this investigation.
Law enforcement executed 14 residential search warrants today in connection with the Trinidad investigation in the District and Maryland and seized approximately 15 firearms, approximately $126,000 in cash currency, and significant quantities of drugs, including suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and xylazine. At least three of the defendants arrested today have been indicted on firearms charges.
“Many Washingtonians have raised concerns about local drug trafficking crews that have been taking over their neighborhoods through violence and the distribution of fentanyl and other illegal drugs,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Forget. “Drug trafficking and violence are undeniably connected, and we are addressing this issue directly by taking a strong stance and implementing strict measures to combat the illegal manufacture and distribution of drugs, as well as removing firearms from the streets. Whether it's through increased law enforcement efforts, educational programs, or providing support for those struggling with substance misuse, we are confronting this problem head-on to restore the communities to the residents.”
“Through relentless collaboration, the FBI and our federal and local partners dismantled two violent drug trafficking organizations that were based less than a mile from each other,” Scott said. “We vow to continue to work together to protect communities from crews who peddle drugs and wield illegal firearms.”
“The success of these operations would not have been possible without the collaboration, dedication, and support of the officers, investigators, and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department, our federal partners at the FBI and DEA, and the United States Attorney's Office. The unwavering commitment to upholding the law and protecting our communities is truly commendable,” said MPD Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll. “To those who continue to engage in violent crimes, drug sales and the illegal possession and use of firearms: let this serve as a clear message. Your actions bring tremendous harm to our communities, and they will not be tolerated. Operations like these will continue, our investigations are ongoing, and our resolve is steadfast.”
Last week’s arrests of crew members whose drug operations were based near 21st Street and Maryland Avenue NE in the Carver Langston area included search warrants for 21 residences, nine vehicles, and 14 individuals in the District and Maryland. In the course of executing the arrests, law enforcement seized approximately 20 firearms, additional ammunition feeding devices, more than 150 cartridges of ammunition, over $23,000, and significant quantities of suspected fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and liquid PCP.
During the course of these investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with federal and local law enforcement, identified the members of these networks, developed evidence of the illegal conduct, and obtained indictments charging the defendants. The investigations remain ongoing.
In January, the Attorney General directed additional resources to the District of Columbia to help combat violent crime. As part of that direction, the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section within the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice joined the Trinidad drug trafficking investigation. Their participation helped to complete this investigation faster, and they will be full partners on these now-charged cases.
While the U.S. Attorney’s Office has conducted a number of investigations targeting corners or blocks that crime data showed to be magnets for gun violence (including Lincoln-Westmoreland, MLK- Mellon, 7th & O Sts., and Kennedy St.), these indictments represent the first time that the Office has simultaneously targeted multiple alleged crews in this fashion. Crews in these two areas, which are separated by less than a mile, have historically feuded with one another. This year, alone, we have seen mass shootings and homicides in the areas in which crews from these neighborhoods have historically operated.
Both cases mentioned today are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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.
The Trinidad fentanyl trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Narcotics Enforcement Unit of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section, and Trial Attorney Gerald Collins of the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Valuable assistance was provided by Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Christina Taylor and Gaelin Bernstein.
The Carver-Langston fentanyl trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Violent Crime Investigations Team of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross-Border Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Recognizes Public Servants and Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld honored 22 public servants and law enforcement officials today for their exceptional work. The annual United States Attorney Awards were held today in Wheeling to recognize outstanding criminal investigations and community service work in the Northern District of West Virginia. Through their service and dedication, the recipients have made a transformational impact in the communities they serve.
Those recognized and honored were as follows:
Distinguished Law Enforcement Lifetime Achievement Awards
Scott Smith, Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney, Wheeling, WV,
George Swartwood, Chief (retired), Martinsburg, Police Department, Martinsburg, WV,
Dean Olack, Sergeant (retired), West Virginia State Police, Martinsburg, WV,
U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement Leadership
Clayton Amsler, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent, FBI, Clarksburg, WV,
U.S. Attorney’s Champion of Children Award
Wesley Frederick, Deputy U.S. Marshal, United States Marshals Service, Clarksburg, WV,
Outstanding Community Volunteer
Jody Miller, Wheeling WV,
Outstanding Investigative Effort
Ellen Duffy, Special Agent, FBI, Martinsburg, WV,
Outstanding Drug Investigations
Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, Wheeling WV,
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Adkins, Canonsburg, PA,
Marshall County Drug Task Force, Moundsville, WV,
Jeffrey H. Cisar, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent, FBI, Martinsburg, WV,
U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Firearms Trafficking Investigations
Seth Cox, Special Agent, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Martinsburg, WV,
Outstanding Identity Theft Investigation
Dale Forrester, Assistant Inspector, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Washington, D.C.,
Salman Farooqui, Special Agent, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles, CA,
Victor Vanacore, Special Agent, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles, CA,
Outstanding Hate Crime Investigation
Matthew Messich, Special Agent, FBI, Wheeling, WV,
Grant Polson, Special Agent, FBI, Pittsburgh, PA,
Madisyn Moore, Special Agent, FBI, Pittsburgh, PA,
Stephanie Sikinger, Intelligence Analyst, FBI, Pittsburgh, PA,
Outstanding Elder Fraud Investigation
Dontuwee Boykin, Supervisory Special Agent, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Bridgeport, WV,
J.W. Smith, Corporal (retired), West Virginia State Police, Clarksburg, WV,
Loretta Phillips, Des Moines, WA.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, Law Enforcement Partners Announce Safe Summer 2024 Program to Curb Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
Effort will focus on federal firearms offenders with crime guns
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced Safe Summer 2024, a program to address the rise in gun violence that often accompanies the warmer summer months. Under this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will federally prosecute all firearms offenders who possess crime guns – namely, guns previously fired in the commission of a crime.
“Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for youth in America and has inflicted immense trauma on communities across Michigan,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “While we will never prosecute our way out of the gun violence epidemic, Safe Summer 2024 is a part of the solution and is focused on deterring and holding accountable those few individuals driving violence.” He continued: “Safety is a civil right. Your zip code should not determine whether you can walk down the street without fear of gun fire. My team and our partners will not rest until every person, in every neighborhood, in every community is safe from violence.”
WATCH:
- Video message from U.S. Attorney Totten announcing Safe Summer 2024
- Regional press conferences will be held today in Benton Harbor (9 a.m.), Kalamazoo (11 a.m.), Lansing (1:30 p.m.), and Grand Rapids (3:30 p.m.). Each can be viewed on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan’s Facebook Page.
U.S. Attorney Totten was joined by local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to announce Safe Summer 2024 in a series of four press conferences across the District, with stops in Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. The program will run from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Under this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute all cases that satisfy two criteria. First, the case must involve a federal firearms offense. The two most common offenses are felon in possession, which prohibits previously convicted felons from possessing a gun, and possession of a machine gun, which generally prohibits persons from possessing fully automatic guns. Second, the case must involve a crime gun, which is any gun previously fired in the commission of a crime. These criteria will focus federal efforts on the few individuals driving gun violence in their communities.
For example, under Safe Summer 2023 the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Anthony Clarence Pratt, age 24, from Kalamazoo, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and with possessing a machine gun. On August 10, 2023, law enforcement attempted to arrest Pratt on several outstanding warrants as he was walking down the street. Pratt fled but was quickly apprehended. Law enforcement recovered a firearm that Pratt tossed when he ran. The gun was a loaded, .40 caliber, Glock pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device – sometimes called a “switch” – that allowed the gun to fire fully automatic. The gun had an extended magazine with 17 rounds. Investigators later determined the gun was stolen and was a crime gun, used in one or more previous crimes. On April 30, 2024, a federal judge sentenced Pratt to 7 years in prison. The government’s sentencing memorandum is attached to this release. This case was the first case from last summer’s program to reach sentencing; the remaining cases continue to work through the criminal justice system.
“Gun violence affects us all. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is resolute and unwavering in its commitment to aggressively pursue, identify, and prosecute violent criminals, specifically those involved in gun crimes and gang violence,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “ATF’s unique Crime Gun Intelligence and National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) capabilities in conjunction with our well-established mutual partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal, state, and local law enforcement, are fundamental to the success of making our communities safe.”
“Working with our local, county and federal law enforcement partners to address gun crimes is a key component in maintaining public safety,” said Col. James F. Grady II, Director of the Michigan State Police (MSP). “With warmer days and longer evenings upon us, spikes in the use of unlawful firearms and violent criminal activity usually follows. I’m grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for bringing this program back for a second year in recognition of the value and impact federal gun crime penalties have in deterring violence and bringing justice to crime victims.”
“The Michigan State Police is committed to supporting our local partners in reducing violence in West Michigan. This announcement from U.S. Attorney Mark Totten is a clear message to the few people in our communities who would illegally use a firearm,” said Capt. Jason Nemecek, Commander of MSP’s Sixth District. “Gun violence will not be tolerated in West Michigan, and prosecution will be swift.”
“Protecting our residents from the dangers of violent crime is a top priority for the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety (BHDPS),” said BHDPS Director Daniel McGinnis. “We are pleased to partner with our law enforcement partners for the second year of the Safe Summer 2024 Initiative. This program is yet another resource for us as we continue our work to take illegal guns off our streets and hold accountable those driving the crime in our neighborhoods. We appreciate the partnerships that help provide a safer community for our residents."
“As chief, my top priority is keeping our community safe,” said Benton Charter Township Police Department Chief Greg Abrams. “I am a first-hand witness that the U.S. Attorney’s Safe Summer Initiative is a vital cog in the wheels of justice when it comes to relentless prosecution of major gun crime offenders.” Chief Abrams added, “I’m especially proud of the multi-jurisdictional investigation, led by the Benton Charter Township Police Department, that resulted in the indictment of two men who stole over 120 handguns and kidnapped the manager of Dunham’s Sports at gunpoint. The suspects were apprehended in less than 24 hours and all the handguns recovered. The department and our citizens are grateful for all the partnerships that help keep our community safe.”
“Keeping our community safe is our top priority at the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety,” said KDPS Chief David Boysen. “Safe Summer 2024 will send a clear message to offenders that if you choose to be a shooter in our community, we will be working closely with our federal law enforcement partners to make sure you are held accountable. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for making this initiative possible. We are excited to work with our federal partners to keep Kalamazoo safe.”
“The Battle Creek Police Department’s primary focus is the safety of our community,” said BCPD Chief Shannon Bagley. “We will continue our collaboration with local, state, and federal partners to address gun violence. The Safe Summer Initiative is a powerful tool that we hope will deter gun violence and keep our residents safe.”
“The Lansing Police Department is eager to once again partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Safe Summer 2024 project,” said LPD Chief Ellery Sosebee. “Gun violence continues to affect our community at tragic levels. Partnerships like this are crucial to stop violent crime trends and we are thankful to be a part of it.”
“I’ve long said that Lansing has a three-pronged approach to handling gun violence - Prevention, Intervention, and Justice,” said City of Lansing Mayor Andy Schor. “This also must be a multi-level approach with local, state, and federal officials collaborating to combat this issue. By working together, we can ensure that those who commit gun crimes are prosecuted and taken off our streets.”
“We rely on our community's help to look out for their children and neighbors; in order to know what happens, who’s involved, and not tolerate violent crime in their home or neighborhood,” said Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young. “We pledge to continue to prioritize the resolution of violent crime in our community.”
“We are very appreciative of U.S. Attorney Mark Totten’s willingness to review cases of gun violence in our community to see if federal charges could be pursued,” said Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) Chief Eric Winstrom. “On average, GRPD takes one illegally possessed gun off the streets every day. I am grateful for this partnership to help keep our community safe.”
Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. In 2021, for the first time ever, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death for American children, ages birth to 19, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (see also here). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have declined since 2021, they remain high.
Moreover, while gun violence has the potential to impact everyone, recent studies show that gun violence has a disparate impact on people of color. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that the disparity in shooting injuries among children before and after the pandemic in four major cities approximately tripled as between white children and children of color (Black, Hispanic, Asian).
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U.S. Attorney Announces $10.1 Million Settlement with Managed Long-Term Care Plan for Improper Receipt of Medicaid PaymentsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today a settlement of a civil fraud lawsuit against RIVERSPRING LIVING HOLDING CORP. and ELDERSERVE HEALTH, INC., d/b/a RiverSpring at Home (“RIVERSPRING”), New York not-for-profit corporations that, among other things, administer a Managed Long Term Care Plan (the “RiverSpring MLTCP”) for Medicaid beneficiaries. In connection with the RiverSpring MLTCP, RIVERSPRING arranges for health and long-term care services and is reimbursed by Medicaid through per-member payments on a monthly basis (“Capitation Payments”).
The settlement resolves allegations that RIVERSPRING submitted false claims to Medicaid for months during which RIVERSPRING failed to provide, or failed to adequately document, certain long-term care services to RiverSpring MLTCP members as obligated by the applicable contract between RIVERSPRING and the New York State Department of Health (“DOH”).
Under the terms of the settlement approved today by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, RIVERSPRING must pay a total sum of $10,159,130.95, with $4,063,652.38 paid to the United States and the remaining amount paid to the State of New York. As part of the settlement, RIVERSPRING admits that it either did not provide RiverSpring MLTCP members with qualifying services as required by the applicable contract with DOH or did not adequately maintain documentation of the provision of such services during some or all of their enrollment in the RiverSpring MLTCP. As a result, RIVERSPRING obtained Medicaid payments to which it was not entitled.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “RiverSpring collected millions of dollars in Medicaid payments to provide long-term care services as part of its managed care plan, but in many cases either failed to deliver these services or failed to maintain adequate documentation showing that it did so. This Office is committed to holding recipients of government health care funds accountable when they fail to provide the care and services the government pays them to provide.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “As a part of this settlement, the defendants acknowledged that they obtained funds from the Medicaid program to which they were not entitled. Individuals and entities that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds and the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
RIVERSPRING administers a managed long-term care plan for Medicaid beneficiaries pursuant to applicable contracts with DOH (the “Contract”). To be eligible for enrollment into a managed long-term care plan, a Medicaid beneficiary must, among other things, be assessed as needing at least one of the community-based long-term care services listed in the Contract (“Qualifying Services”) for more than 120 days from the effective date of enrollment. These services include nursing services in the home, therapies in the home, home health aide services, personal care services in the home, and adult day health care. In order to receive Capitation Payments from Medicaid for members of the RiverSpring MLTCP, RIVERSPRING was required to ensure that RiverSpring MLTCP members received Qualifying Services during their enrollment or otherwise remained appropriately enrolled in the RiverSpring MLTCP consistent with the Contract and DOH disenrollment practices. In exchange for arranging and providing these services, RIVERSPRING received Capitation Payments averaging between $4,000 and $4,500 for each member.
As part of the settlement, RIVERSPRING admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following conduct:
- In many instances, RIVERSPRING either did not provide RiverSpring MLTCP members with Qualifying Services or did not adequately maintain documentation of the provision of such Qualifying Services during some or all of their enrollment in the RiverSpring MLTCP. Nonetheless, RIVERSPRING received Capitation Payments to which it was not entitled for these RiverSpring MLTCP members for the months in question.
- In many of these instances, RIVERSPRING collected Capitation Payments for RiverSpring MLTCP members despite the fact that RIVERSPRING either did not provide or did not maintain documentation reflecting the provision of Qualifying Services to these members for three or more consecutive months during their enrollment in the RiverSpring MLTCP.
- In other instances, RIVERSPRING collected Capitation Payments for RiverSpring MLTCP members despite the fact that RIVERSPRING either did not provide or did not maintain documentation reflecting the provision of Qualifying Services to these members during the entirety of their enrollment in the RiverSpring MLTCP.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
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Mr. Williams thanked HHS-OIG for its assistance. Mr. Williams also thanked the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the New York State Attorney General’s Office for its investigative efforts and work on the case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Dolinger and Jacob M. Bergman are in charge of the case.
Three New Haven Men Charged with Trafficking Pills Containing Meth and Fentanyl, Fentanyl Powder Mixed with XylazineRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a seven-count indictment charging MARKEYSE KELLY, also known as “Curry” and “Keyse,” 45, of West Haven; JAQUAN PRICE, also known as “Sub,” 33, of New Haven; and ROBERT COVINGTON, 32, of New Haven, with offenses stemming from the distribution of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, and fentanyl powder laced with xylazine.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2023, FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization led by Kelly. The investigation, which included controlled purchases of narcotics in February and March 2024, revealed that Kelly, Price, and Covington, sold various controlled substances, including multi-colored pills pressed to look like ecstasy that actually contained methamphetamine, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and powder fentanyl laced with xylazine.
Kelly, Price, and Covington were arrested on federal criminal complaints on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized numerous fentanyl and methamphetamine pills; additional quantities of fentanyl powder, meth powder, and cocaine; three handguns, two loaded gun magazines, and ammunition.
On May 21, 2024, the New Haven grand jury returned an indictment charging Kelly, Price, and Covington each with one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine and fentanyl. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of narcotics attributed to each defendant, Kelly faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, Prices faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and Covington faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
The indictment also charges Kelly, Price, Covington each with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and/or fentanyl; Kelly with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon; and Price with unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon.
It is alleged that Price has a prior federal conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Kelly and Price are detained, and Covington is released on a $100,000 bond.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the New Haven Police Department, the West Haven Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Task Force includes personnel from the East Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, Wallingford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and Connecticut Department of Correction.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Texas Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Eliuth Montero-Barrera, 24, a Mexican citizen living in Dallas, Texas, was sentenced May 22, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Montero-Barrera to 108 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Montero-Barrera’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On August 2, 2023, Montero-Barrera arrived at an AutoZone parking lot in Omaha with a co-defendant to drop off meth to two Omaha men. In a post-arrest interview after he was advised of his rights, Montero-Barrera admitted that he had picked up approximately 22.75 kilograms of meth in Houston and had agreed to transport it to Omaha. During the trip to Omaha from Texas, Montero-Barrera placed the meth inside a speaker box in the vehicle. Montero-Barrera also told investigators he had made two previous meth deliveries to Omaha.
Co-defendants Gregorio Mina-Falcon, 36, of Omaha and Alexis Rodriguez, 22, of Dallas have pleaded guilty to the same charge and are scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2024, and June 26, 2024, respectively. Co-defendant Jose Luis Garcia-Perez, 35, of Omaha was sentenced to the same sentence as Montero-Barrera on March 27, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Stalker Arrested for Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats to University of Arizona StudentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Caleb Alfred Tifft, 29, of Tucson, was arrested on May 8, 2024, on a federal indictment warrant by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force on charges of Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats, for stalking and threatening a student at the University of Arizona.
On February 7, 2024, Tifft is alleged to have transmitted a threat in interstate commerce when he sent a message via Facebook Messenger to the victim, stating “Think I’ll just go rape and kill a girl at this point. I give up. I’m the bad guy.” The next day, Tifft was served with an Injunction Against Harassment, which prohibited contact with the victim. Tifft was also served with a 12-month Exclusionary Order from all University of Arizona properties.
Tifft continued to cyberstalk the victim when on March 1, 2024, he made an anonymous 911 call to the Pima County Sherriff’s Department (PCSD), stating that his friend had sent him a message that the friend was going to commit a mass shooting and that the friend was at the “[specific University of Arizona] building.” The call to PCSD was disconnected before it was able to be transferred to the University of Arizona Police Department (UAPD). However, PCSD provided the phone number to UAPD and UAPD recognized that the phone number belonged to Tifft.
Later that day, UAPD received a call from a Tucson Police Department dispatcher who transferred a 911 caller. A male caller, later identified as Tifft, told the UAPD dispatcher he was calling because a friend of his “sent some threatening messages about wanting to commit a mass shooting.” Tifft said the friend was “[the victim]” and confirmed the victim was at the “[specific University of Arizona] building.” The call was then disconnected. A UAPD officer familiar with Tifft from having interacted with him previously listened to the recorded call and determined the voice matched Tifft’s. The telephone number associated with the call was the same number used to contact the PCSD. Tifft turned himself in to the FBI on an indictment warrant.
A conviction for Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats each carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a maximum term of three years of supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Arizona Police Department, as part of the FBI’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-02373-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-067_Tifft# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.South Bend Woman Sentenced to 168 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Danisha Lane, 46 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of attempted robbery affecting commerce, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Lane was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in May 2021, Lane robbed and attempted to rob multiple stores/businesses that are engaged in interstate commerce in the South Bend area. She also used and brandished a firearm during one of the robberies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the South Bend Police Department, the Mishawaka Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Jerome W. McKeever.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results
South African man indicted for stabbing on cruise ship en route to AlaskaRead the Press Release
JUNEAU, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a South African man with assaulting three people with medical scissors while aboard a cruise ship.
According to court documents, on May 6, 2024, Ntando Sogoni, 35, was allegedly discovered trying to deploy a lifeboat and was taken to the ship’s medical area for an evaluation.
During his evaluation, he began struggling with a nurse and security guard and fled to another examination room, where he assaulted a female victim, who is a U.S. citizen. He stabbed her with trauma scissors multiple times in the chest, arms and head, causing serious bodily harm. He proceeded to attack two security guards, stabbing one guard, a national of the Philippines, in the head, and stabbing the other guard, a national of Nepal, in the spine.
He was detained and held in the ship’s jail until arriving in Juneau on May 7, where he was charged by complaint and arrested by the FBI.
At the time of the assault, the ship was on the high seas and within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the U.S., and on a voyage with a scheduled departure from or arrival in the U.S.
Sogoni is charged with one count assault with intent to murder in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(1), three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(3), and three counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(6), The defendant made his initial court appearance on May 9 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the one count of assault with intent to murder and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the other five assault counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day with the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Supervisory Special Agent Brett Durham of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Resident Agency Juneau and Resident Unit Anchorage made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FBI Juneau Resident Agency, and the CGIS Resident Agency Juneau are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Six Chilean Nationals Charged in Connection with Residential Burglaries in Multiple StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Six Chilean nationals have been charged for conspiring to target homeowners across multiple states in residential burglaries, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Flavio Bladimir Astete Castillo, Dareyen Mauricio Cortes-Canete, Luis Esteban Castillo Vivar, Max Vidal Navarrete, Jordán Estefano Contreras Vilches, and Juan Jose Ramirez Nilo, all of Chile, are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to sell and receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Six Chilean nationals have been charged with conspiring to target homeowners in residential burglaries across multiple states from New York to Maryland. The Complaint alleges that they conspired to receive and sell stolen pearl, gold and diamond jewelry, rare coins and other property that was stolen in those burglaries. Residential burglaries affect people in a very serious and personal way, and our office will continue to pursue criminals who are alleged to have violated the sanctity of our homes.”
“Thieves are victimizing more and more homeowners in New Jersey and beyond, traveling up from South American nations,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “They hit multiple victims in one community, quickly move on to the next and then flee back to their native country. This isn't your traditional crime spree; it is an actual industry of organized criminals who invade and shatter people's private sanctuaries and steal valuable possessions. These theft groups may believe they can circumvent our laws, but the charges today and other similar outstanding investigations prove we are stopping these offenders and bringing them to justice.”
“These arrests of a group of foreign-born individuals that engaged in interstate crime demonstrates how critical the cooperation between various law enforcement agencies continues to be,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris said. “ERO will continue to leverage our unique authorities in support of community safety.”
“The collaboration among law enforcement agencies was essential in apprehending these individuals who targeted homes across multiple states,” Clinton Township Police Department Chief Thomas A. DeRosa said. “This case exemplifies our commitment to working together and utilizing advanced technology, as well as investing in new technologies, to combat interstate crime and protect our communities. Our collective efforts ensured that these stolen valuables were recovered and those responsible were brought to justice.”
Five of the defendants appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court and were detained. Ramirez Nilo had his initial appearance on May 22, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Christensen in Los Angeles federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants are part of a burglary ring that committed multiple residential burglaries in March and April 2024 in multiple states, including Maryland and New York. The defendants conspired to possess large amounts of jewelry, collectibles, and other valuable goods, among other items. On April 19, 2024, they moved a heavy security safe stolen from a residence, while attempting to conceal the stolen item from detection by covering security cameras.
Law enforcement officers searched a vehicle the defendants were using to transport the stolen goods and recovered multiple pieces of jewelry, collectible coins and cufflinks, and other valuable items, alongside tools commonly used to burglarize residences, such as gloves, balaclavas, and window punches.
The charge of conspiracy to sell or receive stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison; and the charge of receipt of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris; the Clinton Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas A. DeRosa; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Edward T. Cetnar, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the FBI Los Angeles Major Theft Task Force and Customs and Border Protection, as well as the Amtrak Police Department, Baltimore County Police Burglary Unit, Jersey City Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, New Jersey State Police, New York State Police, the Westchester County Police and the NJ Transit Police.
Anyone who believes they may be a victim, or has information about the theft groups or burglaries, is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit the information online at tips.fbi.gov, or call a local field office.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
castilloetal.complaint.pdfRiverside Elementary School Employee Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - On May 22, 2024, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned a three-count indictment charging Dallas Michael Shuler with one count of Production of Child Pornography, one count of Distribution of Child Pornography, and one count of Receipt of Child Pornography.
If convicted, Shuler faces 30 years in prison on the charge of Production of Child Pornography, 20 years in prison for the count of Distribution of Child Pornography, and 20 years in prison for the count of Receipt of Child Pornography. Shuler would also have to register as a sex offender.
According to a complaint filed on May 13, the FBI and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office contacted Shuler, who worked at Riverside Elementary School, about a snapchat video that depicted minors engaged in sexual conduct. Shuler recognized the video and admitted he contacted the minors online and offered explicit images in exchange for their participation in the video.
The complaint alleges Shuler told investigators he enjoyed looking at sexually explicit images of children as young as ten. Shuler also allegedly admitted to conversing with more than two dozen minors regarding sexual content, including sharing and trading sexually explicit pictures and videos.
Shuler allegedly had sexual contact with two juveniles at two separate times. According to the complaint, in both cases, Shuler recorded the sex acts and distributed the videos online. Shuler allegedly admitted he made multiple attempts to solicit other youth to meet him and engage in sex acts.
“My office and our law enforcement partners stand ready to respond with thorough investigations, aggressive prosecutions, and determined advocacy in pursuing those who seek to abuse children, whether it occurs behind a keyboard or closed doors,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is being investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Perez.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Richmond Man Indicted for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Julian Ignacio Ramirez, 18, of Richmond, charging him with distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other charges, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Ramirez distributed 1 pound of methamphetamine in July 2023 and 3 pounds of methamphetamine in October 2023. In November 2023, Ramirez distributed approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills. During the same month, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Ramirez was the front seat passenger. The officers searched the vehicle and seized approximately 4 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 11,000 suspected fentanyl pills.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ramirez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Chief District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on May 16, 2024.
T Jay Joseph Sullivan, 29, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Sullivan will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Sullivan was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography and Transportation of Obscene Matters by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on February 14, 2024.
The investigation originated from a CyberTip which reported child pornography associated with Sullivan’s Facebook account. Investigators learned Sullivan messaged a thirteen-year-old girl over Facebook, sent the girl images of his penis, and requested the girl send him images of some of her specific body parts. The thirteen-year-old girl sent Sullivan images that constituted child pornography. During the investigation, detectives learned Sullivan also requested nude images from a different thirteen-year-old girl by using Facebook Messenger and sent that girl images of his penis. All the messages and images were located in Sullivan’s Facebook account.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Sullivan was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 17, 2024.
Vance Hayes, 34, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hayes was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024.
Hayes was arrested in March of 2023 after being pulled over in Rapid City for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, officers learned Hayes was in possession of a stolen firearm. Hayes is a convicted felon and was on federal supervised release at the time. Hayes was aware of his status as a convicted felon and was also aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Hayes was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Quinton man sentenced for receiving child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Quinton man was sentenced today to five years in prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in July 2021, the FBI identified an IP address used to seek CSAM. Law enforcement then identified that the IP address was assigned to the residence of Vincent Hopson, 66. On Nov. 29, 2021, agents executed a search warrant for the residence and seized several electronic devices, which were forensically examined. Hopson was in possession of 283 images and 95 videos of CSAM.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-5.
Porcupine Man Sentenced to Forty Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Porcupine, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on May 16, 2024.
Wilbur Morrison, age 36, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on each count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor, and 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for the charge of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. He was also ordered to pay a total of $300 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for the three convictions. The prison sentences and periods of supervision shall be served concurrently.
Morrison was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, in February of 2024.
On the evening of January 12, 2023, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety was dispatched to Morrison’s residence for a report of a physical assault between Morrison and his adult brother. Law enforcement learned from a neighbor that Morrison was intoxicated and sexually abusing the victim in the living room of the home. The victim, including other children in the home, ran to the neighbor’s house where the incident was reported to law enforcement. All children were forensically interviewed by the Child Advocacy Center in Rapid City. The victim disclosed sexual abuse occurring on the evening of January 12, 2023, and on at least one other occasion.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Morrison was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pinellas Man Sentenced to 18 Years’ Imprisonment for Selling Fentanyl Linked to Two Fatal OverdosesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Corey Gaddy (31, St. Petersburg) to 18 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances including fentanyl and two counts of distribution of fentanyl. Gaddy was found guilty following a trial on November 3, 2023. A co-conspirator in the case, Shawn Rodriguez, was sentenced on February 7, 2024, to 12 years and 7 months’ imprisonment.
According to testimony, evidence presented at trial, and court records Gaddy was a supplier of opioids in Pinellas County since 2017. One of his dealers, Shawn Rodriguez, was at various times during the conspiracy a distributor of opioids in the Madeira Beach area. In February 2019, the Largo Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Gaddy and discovered heroin concealed in his pants. While on bond for that offense, Gaddy distributed fentanyl to Rodriguez on November 6, 2019, who then supplied the same to K.E. In the early morning hours of the next day, K.E. died of fentanyl toxicity. Gaddy learned that K.E. had died but continued distributing opioids. In April 2020, while still on bond for his pending state case, Gaddy again distributed opioids to J.P. and another person. Two days later, J.P. was found dead on a fishing boat.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Largo Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Lauren Stoia.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on May 15, 2024.
Justin Bradford, 46, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person charge. He was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for the Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance charge. He was also ordered to pay a total of $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The prison sentences and periods of supervision are to be served concurrently.
Bradford was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 10, 2024.
In September of 2022, law enforcement searched Bradford’s residence in connection with a homicide that occurred. Bradford was not involved in the death of the individual, but the shooter intended on purchasing methamphetamine from Bradford when the shooting took place. During the search, law enforcement seized three firearms and several different kinds of ammunition. Bradford was a convicted felon and was not lawfully allowed to possess firearms or ammunition. Bradford was also charged with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine from 2019 through 2022. Bradford managed and organized at least three individuals involved in the conspiracy.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Bradford was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 36 months in Prison for Robbing a Postal Carrier, Mail Theft, and Check-Washing SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Sam Wolo, 23, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond to 36 months for his role in a scheme to steal checks from the United States mail, and to then fraudulently alter and deposit the stolen checks.
Co-conspirator Gransae Manue, 22 of Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 2 to 33 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and restitution of $42,184.
Co-conspirator Bruno Nyanue, 22, of Philadelphia, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12.
All three men admitted to their roles in the conspiracy, with Nyanue pleading guilty on November 8, 2023, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and robbery of a postal carrier. Wolo pleaded guilty on December 5, 2023, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and robbery of a postal carrier, and Manue pleaded guilty on January 10, 2024, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and robbery of a postal carrier.
On December 22, 2021, the co-conspirators had forcibly robbed a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier of his Arrow Key, used by letter carriers to access blue USPS collection boxes along their routes. The Arrow Key stolen by the defendants opened collection boxes in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and the three used it repeatedly to steal mail from boxes in that area.
Between December 2021 and February 2022, the co-conspirators “washed” and altered checks they stole from the mail that belonged to victims who had mailed checks in Drexel Hill. The defendants altered the stolen checks to make them payable to third parties, often in amounts greater than the checks’ original value, without the victims’ knowledge or consent. As part of the scheme, the defendants deposited the fraudulently washed and altered checks into those third-party accounts, and in at least some instances, withdrew some of the fraudulently deposited funds. Approximately 370 stolen checks and nine stolen money orders were recovered from defendant Wolo’s apartment. The Arrow Key stolen by the defendants from the USPS letter carrier in Drexel Hill, as well as two stolen checks and two money orders, were also recovered from defendant Wolo’s vehicle. Altogether, the value of stolen checks and money orders recovered from defendant Wolo’s apartment and car totaled more than $171,000.
"The United States Postal Service is vital to American life, delivering essential items such as income, bills, and expenses," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "Today's sentence reflects the serious consequences that await those who compromise the security of our mail system. We ask everyone to help support this critical service and maintain the integrity of our mail system by reporting any suspicious activity as we work together to keep our mail safe and secure."
“Sam Wolo, Gransae Manue, and Bruno Nyanue are being held accountable for their roles in robbing a Postal Service carrier of postal keys, stealing checks out of the U.S. mail, and fraudulently trying to pass those checks through the financial system,” said Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division for the Postal Inspection Service. “Along with our law enforcement partners, Inspectors will work relentlessly to hold accountable individuals who bring violence and theft onto the Postal Service and its customers. I want to thank the investigators from the Philadelphia Police Department and the Upper Darby Police Department, along with the Inspectors from the Philadelphia Division, for identifying and apprehending these suspects. I also want to acknowledge the efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office for prosecuting these three individuals.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Upper Darby Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.
Patient Coordinator for O.C. Sober Living Home Arrested for Alleged Kickback Payments to ‘Body Brokers’ and Referred PatientsRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A patient intake coordinator for an addiction treatment facility in Orange County was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he conspired to pay $37,000 in illegal kickbacks to so-called “body brokers” in exchange for finding him new patients.
Luis Guerrero, 53, of Santa Ana, was arrested this morning. He is scheduled for arraignment this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana. Guerrero is charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of offering or paying illegal remunerations for referrals to the clinical treatment facility that employed him.
According to the indictment that a grand jury returned on May 22, Guerrero sought the services of two body brokers in referring patients to his employer’s Orange County-based addiction treatment facility, which treated patient populations that received health care benefits through health insurers.
Guerrero allegedly then negotiated kickback payments to the body brokers on behalf of the facility and arranged for the body brokers to receive thousands of dollars per patient in illegal kickbacks. The indictment alleges that these kickbacks were intended as compensation to the brokers for referring patients and to induce them to continue referring patients so Guerrero could meet a monthly patient intake quota – a condition of his employment with the facility.
Guerrero also assisted the body brokers in paying thousands of dollars directly to the patients, as a further kickback to compensate the patients for allowing the facility to bill their insurance providers for treatment, the indictment alleges. For example, during a call with a body broker over an encrypted messaging service, Guerrero arranged for a patient to receive a $5,000 electronic payment and agreed to assure the patient that “we’ll do something to put money in her hands before she leaves or before she arrives [home],” according to the indictment.
In October 2020, Guerrero allegedly negotiated payment of $37,000 in kickbacks to the body brokers in exchange for their referral of five patients over the previous two months, leading to a $30,000 partial payment to the body brokers later that month.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, Guerrero faces a statutory maximum sentence of 35 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin R. Barron and Nandor Kiss of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case.
Pasco Man Found Guilty of Witness Tampering, Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Obstructing Justice Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Javier Monserrate Vazquez (47, Wesley Chapel) to 27 years in federal prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy against the United States, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, suborning perjury, and contempt of court. Monserrate Vazquez was also ordered to forfeit $250,000. A federal jury found Monserrate Vazquez guilty on October 16, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Monserrate Vazquez was a supplier of cocaine in Pasco County. The drugs were received through the mail from Puerto Rico. Co-conspirators received the packages for further distribution. In October 2018, agents discovered a package containing two kilograms of cocaine addressed to one of Monserrate Vazquez’s co-conspirators. In a controlled delivery, a third co-conspirator retrieved the package. A search of his cellphone showed that Monserrate Vazquez had coordinated the pickup. Monserrate also delivered more than $171,000 in cash to an undercover agent in June 2018 for the purpose of laundering the funds to Colombia through the Black-Market Peso Exchange.
In the summer of 2018, agents obtained evidence of Monserrate Vazquez threatening to kill an associate over an unpaid drug debt. The threats included claims that he would burn the associate alive, cut off his head, and chop off his hands. In the spring of 2020, Monserrate Vazquez induced two people – including the person he threatened to kill – to sign affidavits claiming that Monserrate Vazquez had no involvement in drug trafficking. In court filings seeking to exclude evidence, Monserrate Vazquez relied on one of the affidavits to accuse the federal agents investigating him of misconduct and to potentially end their careers. Monserrate Vazquez kept in contact with potential witnesses against him through an encrypted phone application and a contraband prison cellphone, as well as aided a witness in leaving Tampa while trial was pending to avoid a subpoena to testify. He also paid as much as $10,000 for his co-defendant’s attorney in exchange for his co-defendant’s silence.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Largo Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Diego Novaes.
Orange County Man and Convicted Sex Offender Arrested for Alleged Attempts to Solicit Sexual Activity from Minors on RedditRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A convicted sex offender faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison after his arrest today on a five-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he attempted use the Reddit internet platform to solicit sex with someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl, but instead was undercover law enforcement.
Shaw Warrington, 34, of San Juan Capistrano, is charged with one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, one count of attempted production of child pornography, one count of commission of a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Warrington was arraigned today in United States District Court in Santa Ana and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. A trial date of July 16 has been scheduled in this case. A federal magistrate judge ordered Warrington jailed without bond.
According to the indictment returned on Wednesday and unsealed today, in January and February of 2023, Warrington used the Reddit website to attempt to solicit sex from minors in Orange County. An undercover law enforcement official responded to Warrington’s requests and eventually scheduled a meeting at a Newport Beach shopping center, where Warrington believed he would engage in criminal sexual activity, the indictment alleges. Instead, Warrington was arrested after appearing at the meeting location.
A search of Warrington’s cellphone allegedly returned two images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Law enforcement also seized a firearm and more than 350 rounds of ammunition from Warrington’s residence. Warrington is not permitted to possess them because of his 2013 felony conviction in Orange County Superior Court for meeting a minor with the intent to engage in lewd conduct. As a result of that conviction, Warrington is required to register as a sex offender.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Warrington would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison – 15 years for the attempted production of child pornography count and a 10-year mandatory consecutive sentence for commission of a felony involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. Warrington, if convicted, would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI and the Newport Beach Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin J. Campbell of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Operators of Nationwide Sports and Pokémon Trading Card Fraud ArrestedRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANTHONY CURCIO, a/k/a “Brendan Wooley,” and IOSIF BONDARCHUK, a/k/a “Joe Bondarchuk,” with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. The charges arise from the defendants’ fraudulent scheme to defraud buyers and marketplaces to purchase sports and Pokémon trading cards at false and inflated prices by misrepresenting that low-to-mid grade cards had received high-grade ratings from a reputable card authentication company (“Company-1”), thereby causing victims to pay more money for the cards than they otherwise would have. CURCIO and BONDARCHUK were arrested this morning and are expected to be presented today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Washington. This case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk carried out a brazen, nationwide fraud scheme involving valuable sports and Pokémon trading cards to deceive buyers and marketplaces, ultimately amassing over $2 million in fraudulent and attempted sales. Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly sold and tried to sell at inflated prices cards of various professional athletes, including, among others, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Nolan Ryan, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson, as well as various valuable Pokémon cards. Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the dedicated prosecutors of this Office, and the many victims who came forward, this alleged fraud has had its last dance. Our message today is clear: no matter what product you’re selling, if you try to deceive the public to make money, you will be brought to justice.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “For over two years, Anthony Curcio and Joe Bondarchuk allegedly manipulated common-level trading cards to fraudulently inflate the retail price from its true market value by assigning false validity grades, resulting in more than $2 million in victim losses. This alleged scheme not only damages the reputation of a respectable authentication company, but the defendants’ alleged actions also betray the trust and wallets of avid collectors. The FBI will continue to investigate all fraudulent behavior, especially those who seek to exploit the good faith of companies and consumers.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment:[1]
From at least 2022 to May 2024, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK sold and attempted to sell fraudulent sports and Pokémon trading cards to victims across the country. In total, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK attempted to deprive victims of over $2 million through their sales and attempted sales by misrepresenting the grade of numerous trading cards.
Sports and Pokémon trading cards containing the images of professional athletes and Pokémon can have considerable resale value depending on, among other things, their condition and authenticity. Company-1 is a prominent card authenticator and grader. For a fee, it verifies a card’s authenticity, assesses its condition, and assigns it a numerical grade from one to 10, with one being the lowest grade and 10 being the highest grade. The grade assigned is reflective of the card’s comparative market value. After grading a card, Company-1 seals the card in a distinctive, tamper-resistant plastic case that encloses the card to preserve its condition and indicates its grade on an affixed label.
The card grade assigned by Company-1 significantly impacts the market value of the card. As an example, among the cards that CURCIO and BONDARCHUK sold in connection with the scheme was a misrepresented 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan #57 rookie card (the “1986 MJ Card”). The 1986 MJ Card graded as an 8 has an estimated market value of between $6,000 and $7,000. But this same card, when graded as a 10 by Company-1, has had an estimated market value of between approximately $185,000 and $203,000. In short, representations about Company-1’s grade of the card go directly to the value of the card itself and the price at which the card can be bought and sold. In May 2022, CURCIO advertised one version of the 1986 MJ Card on an online marketplace based in Manhattan (the “Manhattan Marketplace”) for sale for the amount of $171,700, as pictured below:
As is depicted above, CURCIO advertised the 1986 MJ Card as having a purported grade of 10 assigned by Company-1. In truth and in fact, CURCIO knew that Company-1 had not assigned this grade to the card. To further make it appear that the 1986 MJ Card had received a rating of 10 from Company-1, CURCIO caused a purported Company-1 label to be included in the plastic case, along with a fraudulent bar code and certification number.
Through the Manhattan Marketplace, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK sold various cards at inflated prices by falsely claiming the cards had been assigned higher ratings by Company-1 than was true.
CURCIO and BONDARCHUK also sold and attempted to sell fraudulent cards at in-person card shops, auctions, and card shows. CURCIO further sold and attempted to sell fraudulent cards through other online platforms using third-party sellers.
When victims demanded refunds and confronted CURCIO and BONDARCHUK, including by showing them confirmations from Company-1 that they had misrepresented the grade of the cards they were selling, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK feigned ignorance and often refunded the victims. Yet, after being put on notice that the cards’ grades and labels were fraudulent, CURCIO and BONDARCHUK repeatedly attempted to, and did, sell these very same cards to subsequent victims, again with fraudulent labels showing an inflated grade from Company-1.
Among the fraudulent cards that CURCIO, BONDARCHUK, and others sold and attempted to sell are a 1999 Pokémon Venusaur card and a 1999 Pokémon Charizard card, pictured below.
In July 2023, as part of a law enforcement undercover purchase of the above fraudulently misrepresented 1999 Pokémon Venusaur card for $10,500—a card which BONDARCHUK had previously attempted to sell on an online marketplace—CURCIO mailed the card to the undercover law enforcement purchaser in Manhattan after the undercover purchaser wired the money to a CURCIO-controlled bank account.
CURCIO and BONDARCHUK repeatedly used fake names and identities in order to conceal their involvement in the fraudulent scheme. For example: after a victim complained to BONDARCHUK about his sales of fraudulent cards, including a Tom Brady rookie card, a John Elway rookie card, and various Michael Jordan cards, BONDARCHUK gave the victim CURCIO’s phone number but falsely told the victim that the phone number belonged to another individual who, in reality, was a leader of the Hells Angels motorcycle ring. After another victim complained to BONDARCHUK about his sales of fraudulent cards, including a 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan/Jerry Koosman rookie card, BONDARCHUK gave the victim CURCIO’s phone number but this time falsely told the victim that the phone number belonged to someone named, “John Steel.”
Last month, in April 2024, at a card show in New Jersey, CURCIO gave a business card to a potential victim buyer, falsely claiming to be “Brendan Wooley” and listing, among other identifiers, a phone number and LinkedIn page purportedly belonging to “Brendan Wooley.” In truth and in fact, CURCIO—and not “Brendan Wooley”—created and operated the LinkedIn page and controlled the phone number.
In furtherance of the fraud, CURCIO ordered from an online marketplace various items needed to create forged card cases and labels. The items included various card grading cases, thermal transfer barcode labels, a magnifier loupe optical glass, a handheld inkjet printer, a lock-cutting kit, an electric grinding pen, an abrasive buffer and polishing wheel, an abrasive and bristle brushes, and drill bits designed for engraving.
* * *
CURCIO, 43, of Redmond, Washington, and BONDARCHUK, 37, of Lake Stevens, Washington, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David R. Felton and Kingdar Prussien are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
One Detroit Partnership Announces the 3rd Annual Unified Summer Enforcement, Prevention, and Reentry Strategy Targeting Designated High Crime Areas in DetroitRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Today, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison, along with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Kym Worthy, and Detroit Police Chief James E. White, announced the third annual Summer Surge, a targeted strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit. The Surge, which is a product of the continuing collaboration of the One Detroit partnership, will focus on Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts—the precincts with the highest rates of violence in the city. And this year, the One Detroit partners will also concentrate on Detroit’s public spaces to ensure they are safe. One Detroit is an ongoing coalition of community and law enforcement partners working together to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime through enforcement, prevention, and reentry.
Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Special Agent in Charge James Deir, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division, Beverly Smith, Assistant Deputy Director, Operations Office, Michigan Department of Corrections, Bishop Edgar Vann, II, Second Ebenezer Church, Alvin Stokes, President, Citywide Citizens Police Community Relations, Quincy Smith, Ceasefire Detroit and Kenyatta Stephens, CEO Black Family Development.
As temperatures rise, so too does violent crime. With summer approaching, the One Detroit Partnership will again strategically focus resources on some of the most dangerous areas of the city. These neighborhoods in the 8th and 9th Precincts are among the highest in the city in fatal and non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings. And because our parks should be safe to enjoy by all, One Detroit will incorporate them into our Summer Surge.
One part of the Summer Surge is an enforcement strategy designed to prosecute the most violent individuals and crimes in federal court when that is possible. Under the strategy, violent felons arrested for illegally possessing firearms and those arrested with fully automatic firearms and firearms with obliterated serial numbers in Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts, or in Detroit’s parks, will be subject to immediate federal prosecution. In addition, any individual who commits an armed carjacking or robbery of a business in the targeted areas will be prosecuted federally. Finally, any individual with a meaningful connection to the targeted areas, who commits this type of crime elsewhere in the city, will be prosecuted federally. The “hot spot” strategy for federal enforcement will begin on Memorial Day and will last until Labor Day in September.
The One Detroit partnership is also engaged in preventing crime in the targeted areas. In an effort to deter violence and illegal gun possession, last week, letters were sent to 351 individuals on probation, parole, or supervised release in the targeted areas, warning them of the enforcement strategy. But the letter—which was signed by the entire executive team of One Detroit—did more than warn. The letter asked the recipient to be a part of the solution and to help make their neighborhood a safer place. And it invited the recipient to participate in a Peacenic in their neighborhood. Peacenics are community events where residents can come for fun, engage with law enforcement, and obtain resources to improve the quality of their lives. This year’s Peacenics will take place on June 15, 2024, at Heilman Park (rain date June 23), and Saturday, June 29, 2024, at O’Hair Park (rain date June 30) from 3 PM to 7 PM. The events will feature vendors offering a variety of resources, including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial, career development programs, and more. And back by popular demand is the Peacenic Clothing Boutique where residents can shop for gently used clothing. Several law enforcement agencies will also be present to engage with the community and recruit to fill vacancies in their organizations.
Finally, the One Detroit partners will invite returning citizens who live in the “hot spot” areas to participate in Community Roundtables with justice-impacted citizens who have successfully transitioned back into society along with service providers to help directly address any barriers that are preventing them from fully reintegrating in society.
As part of our unified strategy, we encourage residents to join the partnership by taking a pledge to put down the guns and be an agent of change in their community. The pledge can be found by going to the U.S. Attorney’s Office web page at www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/one-detroit-peace-pledge. The web page will be a resource residents can go to learn of upcoming events related to One Detroit.
“Two years ago, members of our community, government, and law enforcement, formed the One Detroit partnership with one goal: to reduce violent crime in the city. Since then, we have created direct partnerships in Detroit’s precincts, commenced reviews of non-fatal shootings, worked with returning citizens to transition peacefully back to the community, prevented violence through focused deterrence, and created a youth advisory team to learn directly from our teens what risks they face. And violent crime has dropped dramatically,” United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison said. “But let me be clear: we are not done. Detroiters—like everyone—deserve to be safe. They deserve to enjoy their public spaces. They deserve to spend their summer without fear. The Summer Surge is designed to make that a reality. We will work tirelessly to prevent violence from occurring. And when it does occur, we will hold accountable those few responsible.”
“One Detroit isn’t just about partnerships to fight crime or increase enforcement, it’s about building relationships with the neighborhoods we serve,” said Detroit Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison. “Our Peacenics have been very successful in helping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and our community, letting residents know we care and we’re all in this together.”
“Partnership is a powerful component of One Detroit. We have shown that by working collectively we can make an impact in violent crime. This summer we will continue our important mission,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
“The Detroit Police Department looks forward to another successful One Detroit partnership to reduce violence in our neighborhoods most impacted by violent crime,” said Detroit Police Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes. “Thanks to the leadership and vision of U.S. Attorney Ison, Mayor Duggan, Chief White and all partners involved, we’re able to collaborate effectively to bring safety and resources to our community.”
Omaha Man Sentenced for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Taliaferro D. Thompson, age 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 22, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a bank robbery. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Thompson to a total sentence of 270 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Thompson’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Thompson was also ordered to pay $269,822 in restitution.
In pronouncing the sentence Judge Buescher agreed that with the characterization that this robbery was unusually heinous, cruel, brutal, and degrading and stated, “What happened here was unbelievably sickening.”
On January 26, 2023, Thompson and co-defendant Andrew Kincaid while armed with handguns entered the First National Bank of Omaha location at 2625 S. 175th Streets in Omaha. Upon entering the bank, Thompson and Kincaid brandished the handguns, pointing them at the employees and customers. Kincaid shoved a customer to the ground. During the robbery, Thompson pistol whipped a bank employee in the head and then forced that bank employee to open the vault while holding a gun to his head. Thompson also drug a pregnant bank employee across the floor by her hair before forcing her to open the teller drawer while putting a gun to her head. Thompson and Kincaid stole $348,920 from the bank which they placed in a trash bag before fleeing.
Thompson was identified as a potential suspect based on a facial recognition match from the surveillance video. Law enforcement learned of a possible residence that Thompson and Kincaid were located at. Thompson was stopped leaving that residence and found to be in possession of approximately $76,000 in currency and a handgun; a second handgun was also located in the vehicle. Kincaid was located by law enforcement in the residence and had apparent red dye on his face and head. A dumpster nearby included burnt money with red dye on it that would have been consistent with the stolen money from the bank robbery that contained a hidden red dye pack within it. Officers searched the residence and found a white belt and black mask that were consistent with items worn by Thompson during the robbery.
Kincaid has pled guilty to bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a bank robbery, and is scheduled for sentencing on September 4, 2024 at 10:00 AM.
This case was investigated by officers with the Omaha Police Department’s Robbery Unit and Gang Unit as part of the FBI’s of Great Plains Violent Crimes Task Force.
Ocala Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Justin Lewis (41, Ocala) to 10 years and 7 months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material. This sentence must be served after another 5 and a half-year federal sentence Lewis is currently serving for wire fraud. A jury had previously found Lewis guilty of the child sexual abuse material offense on June 27, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, federal agents executed a search warrant at Lewis’s Ocala residence on February 7, 2018, looking for evidence in the wire fraud investigation. During the search, agents found two external hard drives on Lewis’s desk that contained video files depicting child sexual abuse material. The same hard drives also contained numerous files and documents attributed to Lewis, including his personal photographs, a copy of his high school diploma, emails, text messages, and assorted business records. One of the hard drives was also encrypted with the same password that Lewis used for many of his personal accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
North Hollywood Man Charged in Federal Complaint Alleging Armed Robbery Spree of a Dozen Southern California BusinessesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with the attempted armed robbery of a Downey business – an attack in which a store employee pulled out a firearm and opened fire – as part of a series of armed robberies of other businesses in Los Angeles and Orange counties during a two-week crime spree earlier this year, the Justice Department announced today.
Antonio Bland, 34, of North Hollywood, is charged in a criminal complaint with one count of attempted interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). Bland, who was in state custody until earlier this week, made his initial appearance on Wednesday in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles and was ordered jailed without bond. His arraignment is scheduled for June 10.
Complaints have also been filed against two other suspected accomplices, who also face attempted Hobbs Act robbery charges:
- Ronnie Tucker, 22, of Long Beach, who is expected to be transferred to federal custody in the coming weeks.
- Abigail Luckey, 49, of North Hollywood, who was the alleged getaway driver in the February 14 robbery of the Downey donut shop. She was ordered released on bond in state court but has since failed to appear in court and is considered a fugitive.
According to an affidavit filed May 13 with the complaints, from January 29 to February 14, Bland and his accomplices are suspects in armed robberies of 11 other businesses: one smoke shop in Tustin, nine 7-Eleven stores in North Hollywood, Burbank, Torrance, Van Nuys, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, and one donut shop in Los Angeles.
“We’ve seen too much violent gun crime in our community and it has to stop,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Our Operation Safe Cities initiative is intended to do just that. Violent criminals should take heed that federal and local partners are collaborating more than ever to ensure that there are consequences for those who engage in gun crime.”
“Mr. Bland and others went on a mission to violently rob employees of small businesses in and around Los Angeles,” said Krysti Hawkins, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is dedicated to working with our local partners to pursue the most violent criminals wreaking havoc on our communities. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of fugitive Abigail Luckey is urged to contact the FBI.”
“We appreciate the ongoing partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office, which will go a long way in holding these individuals accountable for their alleged violent actions on our community,” said Burbank Police Chief Michael Albanese.
These commercial robberies typically occurred late at night and usually involved two men who entered each business wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks. In several of the robberies, a getaway driver waited outside for the subjects to complete the robbery and fled the scene in a white four-door sedan when the subjects returned to the vehicle.
The spree ended after Bland, along with two other individuals, committed an attempted armed robbery of a donut shop in Downey during the early morning hours of February 14, the affidavit states.
Once the subjects entered the donut shop, one yelled, “Open the cash register!” The employee noticed that one of the subjects, believed to be Bland, had what appeared to be a handgun tucked into his front waistband with the handle visible. Fearing that the subjects were going to harm him, the employee ran toward the rear kitchen area from behind the main sales counter. The subjects jumped the counter in pursuit of him. The employee retrieved his own firearm to defend himself. To deter the suspects from attacking him, he fired at least one shot, hitting a wall of the building.
After the employee fired, the subjects ran out of the store.
Law enforcement witnessed the attempted robbery and, shortly afterward, pulled over a car containing Bland and two other individuals, and later retrieved a firearm from the vehicle.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Bland and the other defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments.
The FBI and the Burbank Police Department are investigating with assistance from the Tustin, Torrance, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and Downey police departments.
Assistant United States Attorneys J’me K. Forrest of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Diane Roldán of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
North Dakota Man Sentenced for Possession of Nine Pounds of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute it in Northern South DakotaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Fargo, North Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2024.
Travis Leanell Henley, 28, was sentenced to 14 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Henley was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 10, 2023.
On April 5, 2022, Henley was pulled over for a traffic violation in Roberts County, South Dakota. The Roberts County Deputy noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was searched. The deputy located marijuana in the ash tray, approximately $3,000 in cash in the center console, a loaded firearm in the backseat, and over nine pounds of methamphetamine in the back hatch of the vehicle. Upon the deputy locating the methamphetamine, Henley fled the scene on foot. After a short chase, Henley was captured and arrested for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Roberts County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cass County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
Henley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Newport News man sentenced after being stopped with gun, drugs, and unrestrained child in vehicleRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for federal drug and firearms offenses.
According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2022, two Newport News Police Department (NNPD) officers observed Daquan Montreal Lane, 29, driving a vehicle with a seven-year-old child in the back seat who was not properly restrained. The officers conducted a traffic stop and spotted a knotted, plastic “corner bag” of suspected narcotics protruding from the pocket of Lane's hoodie. As the officers began to investigate, they spotted and seized a firearm in the driver door of the vehicle.
Lane refused to exit the vehicle. As officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle, several more bags containing narcotics fell from his hoodie pocket. NNPD recovered bags containing 8.37 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, 4.69 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, 8.19 grams of methamphetamine, 4.71 grams of cocaine, and a flip phone. NNPD also conducted a search of the vehicle, finding a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, two digital scales containing narcotics residue, a cell phone, and approximately 140 grams of marijuana in 12 separate bags.
In 2013, Lane was convicted of shooting at an occupied building, attempted malicious wounding, two counts of use/display a firearm during commission of a felony, and reckless handling of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Lane could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition at the time of the traffic stop.
On Oct. 30, 2023, Lane pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-50.
New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft and False Use of a PassportRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New York woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and false use of a passport.
According to court records, in May 2023, Lisa Campos, 57, attempted to withdraw funds from the joint credit union account of two victims, presenting a fake United States passport card as identification. She was successful in withdrawing $8000 from one credit union branch in two separate transactions. She made two additional unsuccessful attempts at other branch locations. Shortly after leaving the third branch, Campos was located by Freeport Police Department officers and provided them with the purported passport card and a debit card, both in one of the victims’ names.
Campos faces up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million followed by up to five years of supervised release on the bank fraud charge. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 followed by up to three years of supervised release on the false use of a passport charge. She faces up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 followed by up to a year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft charge. Any sentence on the aggravated identity theft charge would be served consecutively with any other sentence. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service investigated the case with assistance from the Sanford, Topsham, and Freeport police departments.
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New Canaan Man Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that VISHAL DHAR, 55, of New Canaan, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dhar formed and operated various entities, including Grey Brown, Inc. (a holding company for several restaurants operating under the name “Oaxaca Taqueria”), West Partners, Inc., and NY Cloud Kitchens, LLC. From approximately October 2013 through August 2023, Dhar willfully failed to disclose to the Internal Revenue Service significant income from his business and gifts from family members. Instead of paying his outstanding tax liabilities, Dhar paid off personal and business debts, invested in a new business venture, and paid various personal expenses. In evading his payment of taxes owed, Dhar used financial accounts in the names of entities and other individuals rather than in his own name, paid personal expenses with corporate funds, and omitted significant assets on IRS forms.
In addition, in the bankruptcy case In re Grey Brown Inc., filed in the Southern District of New York, Dhar failed to disclose the receipt of an Employee Retention Credit check in amount of $254,203.01 made payable to Oaxaca Atlantic Avenue, LLC. The Employee Retention Credit is a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the 2011 through 2020 tax years, Dhar owes $272,390.07 in back taxes, penalties, and interest. As part of the plea agreement, Dhar has agreed to pay that full amount in restitution.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for August 15, at which time Dhar faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Dhar is released pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
Monroe City, Missouri Woman Sentenced to 120 Months for Distributing Methamphetamine in Quincy, IllinoisRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Monroe City, Missouri, woman, Amanda Carroll, 35, was sentenced on May 23, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to 120 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Carroll was indicted in April of 2023 and pleaded guilty in August 2023. She has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since being arrested.
At sentencing, the government showed that on March 13, 2023, Carroll was travelling from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois with approximately one-half of pound of almost pure methamphetamine when her vehicle was stopped and searched after a K9 alert. When she was taken to jail, more methamphetamine was found on Carroll’s person. All total, she was held responsible for 223.8 grams of methamphetamine.
The statutory penalties for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine are up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the West Central Illinois Task Force, Illinois State Police, Quincy Police Department, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Carroll is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mobridge Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Mobridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2024.
Charles Evyn Russell, age 36, was sentenced to nine years and one month in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon his release from federal prison, Russell will be required to register as a sex offender.
Russell was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023.
The conviction stems from incidents between July 31, 2021, and April 1, 2022, when Russell possessed over 600 images of child pornography on various computer and electronic devices at his residence in Mobridge. Russell used the application KIK to obtain child pornography from other users.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Mobridge Police Department, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Russell was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Jeremy Kinsey, a Baldwin County, Alabama man, has been sentenced to 360 months (30 years) in federal prison for production of child pornography. Kinsey pled guilty to five counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in January 2024. The sentence was imposed by Senior United States District Judge Callie V. S. Granade.
According to court documents, in April and May of 2023, Kinsey produced recordings of WhatsApp video chats where he was communicating with adult women who were sexually abusing minor children, including a toddler-aged child, The victims in this case were located in the Philippines. Evidence recovered from Kinsey’s cellular device showed that he was sending money to the women in exchange for the video chats where the women sexually assaulted their children at his direction while he watched and recorded. Kinsey was also convicted of possession of child pornography.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Granade imposed a 360-month sentence of incarceration as to the production counts and a 240-month sentence as to the possession of child pornography count. The sentences will run concurrently and will be followed by a 15-year term of supervised release upon Kinsey’s discharge from prison. Kinsey will be required to undergo mental health evaluation, sex offender treatment, and will be required to register as a sex offender upon release.
This case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorneys Beth Stepan and Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.