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6 May 2024
Lincoln County Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded his sexual abuse of two young girls to 27 years in prison.
In addition to recording the abuse, Christopher C. Parker, 32, shared recordings and discussed his abuse of the victims with others online.
Parker’s uploading of the images of child sexual abuse triggered multiple tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which notified the FBI on March 21, 2023. Agents obtained a search warrant and searched Parker’s home in the village of Fountain N' Lakes in Lincoln County, Missouri, the next day. They found child sexual abuse material on electronic devices including a laptop and cell phones. Parker then admitted abusing the girls, his plea agreement says.
Parker pleaded guilty in January to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of distribution.
The FBI, the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice 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 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.
La Cañada Flintridge Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Murder-for-Hire Plots and Committing Arson to Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A San Gabriel Valley man was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison for hiring a hitman in an attempt to kill two men – his former lawyer and a long-time litigation opponent – and for hiring someone to burn a North Hollywood apartment complex he owned to force its low-income residents to leave.
Arthur Raffy Aslanian, 55, of La Cañada Flintridge, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, who also ordered Aslanian to pay $15,371 in restitution and fined him $200,000.
At the conclusion of a five-day trial, a jury in July 2023 found Aslanian guilty of one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, one count of conspiracy to commit arson, one count of attempted arson, and one count of arson of a building used in interstate commerce.
“This defendant thought he could get away with murder by financing a murder plot against two of his rivals,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “He will now serve a well-deserved lengthy prison sentence. This case should serve as a cautionary tale to those who would resort to violence to settle their disputes: You will be caught and the consequences will be severe.”
Aslanian conspired with Sesar Rivera, 41, of North Hollywood, to hire a hitman to murder two people – identified in court documents as “M.Y.” and “S.E.”
M.Y. was a lawyer who represented Aslanian in a bankruptcy proceeding in which Aslanian had prevailed but then refused to pay more than $261,000 in legal fees and expenses to M.Y.’s law firm. In April 2022, M.Y. sent a demand letter to Aslanian requesting to mediate the dispute and stating he was prepared to sue Aslanian if the mediation failed.
S.E. was a litigant who defeated Aslanian in court after Aslanian tried to take possession of the Brentwood home in which S.E.’s parents lived.
In April 2022, Rivera – Aslanian’s then-employee – met with an individual who was a gang member and convicted felon. Rivera told the individual that a real estate businessman named “Arthur” wanted to pay him to kill M.Y. and S.E.
In July 2022, Rivera again met with the individual and said “Arthur” wanted the killing done as soon as possible. Rivera showed the individual information about M.Y. The individual secretly recorded a portion of this July 2022 in-person meeting on his phone and provided a copy of the recording to law enforcement. Rivera also promised the individual that Aslanian would pay $20,000 for the murder once Rivera had photographic proof the murder had been committed.
On August 10, 2022, Rivera again met with the individual and told him to focus on murdering S.E. before killing M.Y. On August 19, 2022, Rivera used the Facebook Messenger application to send the individual a multimedia message with a screenshot of victim S.E.’s Facebook profile, including S.E.’s picture and business name, to assist the individual in locating and murdering S.E.
Law enforcement contacted and warned M.Y. and S.E. of the murder plots.
On September 7, 2022, law enforcement detained and questioned Rivera, who later agreed to cooperate with them.
Aslanian was arrested shortly after a September 15, 2022, meeting in which Rivera showed him a staged murder photograph of S.E.
“ATF saved the lives of two individuals in this case,” said Christopher Bombardiere, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Los Angeles Field Division. “We will continue to work tirelessly to seek out and build cases against these violent criminals who have no moral compass and instead are driven by greed.”
In a separate incident in March 2022, Aslanian, through Rivera, paid an individual a few hundred dollars for successfully setting fire to a rental property in North Hollywood he owned so the remaining low-income tenants would be forced to leave the property. A previous attempted arson of the building in February 2022 was unsuccessful.
Rivera pleaded guilty in March 2023 to one count of conspiracy and one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each count at his July 8 sentencing hearing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, Kevin B. Reidy of the Major Frauds Section, and Eli A. Alcaraz of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.
Justice Department Strengthens Efforts, Builds Partnerships to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Totten attends May 5th MMIP Awareness Day Event in Grand Rapids
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten and the Justice Department joins its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities, in recognizing May 5, 2024, as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day.
“Today is a day of reflection and commitment as we remember the all-too-many victims of violence in our Tribal communities and the families and friends who are affected,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The Justice Department’s work to address the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort that takes many forms to strengthening the federal response to missing or murdered indigenous people. In the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, we are committed to working with our federal, state, local, and Tribal partners to swiftly investigate these cases and secure justice.”
U.S. Attorney Totten today participated in the 2024 March for MMIP at Ah-Nab-Awen Park in downtown Grand Rapids to bring awareness and educate the public on missing and murdered indigenous persons. The event was hosted by three local Potawatomi Tribes: Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP), Pokagon and Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band and all Natives and non-Native allies and advocates against violence.
The U.S. Attorneys for the Western and Eastern Districts of Michigan respectively, appointed Joel Postma to serve as the MMIP Coordinator for the two districts (11 of the Tribes are in the Western District), conducting outreach with Tribal communities to understand the challenges revealed through past experience; coordinating with Tribal, federal, state, and local law enforcement in the development of protocols and procedures for responding to and addressing MMIP; providing training and assistance; and promoting improved data collection and analyses throughout the state.
In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities.
“There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.”
“The FBI remains unwavering in our pledge to work with our law enforcement partners to address the violence that has disproportionately harmed Tribal communities and families,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to prioritize our support of victims and will steadfastly pursue investigations into the crime impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”
“DEA’s top priority is protecting all communities from deadly drugs, like fentanyl, and drug related violent crime,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “We know that no community has been spared from these deadly threats and we are committed to keeping Tribal communities safe.”
Justice Department Prioritization of MMIP Cases
Last July, the Justice Department announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions.
The MMIP Regional Outreach Program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022.
Not Invisible Act Commission Response
The Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort. In March, the Departments of Justice and the Interior released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The NIAC response, announced by Attorney General Garland during a visit to the Crow Nation, recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States.
Addressing Violent Crime and the Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country
As noted in the joint response to the NIAC, research suggests that certain public safety challenges faced by many American Indian and Alaska Native communities—including disproportionate violence against women, families, and children; substance abuse; drug trafficking; and labor and sex trafficking—can influence the rates of missing AI/AN persons.
Further, fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths are the leading cause of opioid deaths throughout the United States, including Indian county, where drug-related overdose death rates for Native Americans exceeds the national rate.
Therefore, federal law enforcement components are ramping up efforts to forge stronger partnerships with federal and Tribal law enforcement partners to address violent crime and the fentanyl crisis, which exposes already vulnerable communities to greater harm.
Accessing Department of Justice Resources
Over the past year, the Department awarded $268 million in grants to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have also gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities.
For additional information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website.
Click here for more information about reporting or identifying missing persons.
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Justice Department Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary of Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy and Office of Environmental JusticeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today marked the second anniversary of its Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy (CEJES) and Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ). The Justice Department will be incorporating those efforts into developing an Environmental Justice Strategic Plan, as directed by the President’s Executive Order “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.” The new strategic plan will further address environmental justice and help develop and capture the Justice Department's vision, goals, priority actions and metrics to address and advance environmental justice. The Justice Department is organizing virtual and in-person listening sessions to obtain public input on draft goals and actions.
“The Justice Department is committed to securing relief for environmental justice communities,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We commemorate OEJ’s two-year anniversary and appreciate OEJ’s efforts to create a new strategic plan that ensures compliance with all applicable federal laws, particularly in areas where pollution and degradation have historically been most pronounced.”
“We’re proud of how, for two years, the Justice Department’s Office of Environmental Justice and comprehensive enforcement strategy have benefited overburdened and underserved communities throughout our nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Now, we’re taking another step to refine our efforts and create a new strategic plan.”
“It is an honor to lead this effort to develop an Environmental Justice Strategic Plan that builds upon the important work we have already done to implement the Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy,” said OEJ Director Cynthia Ferguson. “Our upcoming listening sessions give the public an opportunity to provide input to help shape the development and implementation of the new strategic plan.”
The draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan includes goals to prioritize cases, meaningfully engage with impacted communities, increase education and collaboration and assess and evaluate environmental justice in the Justice Department’s climate adaptation efforts. The strategic plan will be discussed at virtual and in-person listening sessions. The two virtual listening sessions will be held on:
- May 29 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET and
- May 30 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.
To attend one of the virtual sessions, please visit OEJ’s website and register by May 23 to receive a link. To find out if there will be an in-person listening session near your area, visit OEJ’s website where the dates and locations will be posted once they are confirmed. Listening sessions will start with an overview of the draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan goals and objectives followed by an opportunity for the public to provide feedback. Each virtual and in-person listening session will cover the same material. The public may also provide written comments on the draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan by emailing [email protected], completing the online survey on OEJ’s website or mailing the Office of Environmental Justice, U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, D.C. 20044-7611.
The Justice Department launched OEJ on May 5, 2022, along with the CEJES. Last year marked the first anniversary of OEJ and the first-ever CEJES annual report. Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in conjunction with five other federal agencies, released an interagency statement reaffirming their commitment to upholding civil rights laws including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and furthering environmental justice initiatives.
Draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan One-Pager (English Version).pdf Draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan One-Pager (Spanish Version).pdf Draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan Virtual Listening Sessions Flyer (English Version).pdf Draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan Virtual Listening Sessions Flyer (Spanish Version).pdfJury Returns Guilty Verdicts Against District Man Who Threatened to Shoot People at an Auto Repair ShopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rashaud Williams, 30, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm) and related charges following a trial before the Honorable Errol Arthur, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The jury also found Williams guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and threatening to injure or kidnap a person. The verdict was returned on May 3, 2024. Judge Arthur scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2024. Williams faces a five-year mandatory minimum term of incarceration for these crimes.
According to the government’s evidence, Williams brought his car into a Petworth area auto shop for repairs on August 1, 2023. Later in the day, the shop owner called the defendant’s mother to tell her that the car would not be ready until the next day, after they obtained a needed part. A short time later, Williams went to the auto shop and threatened to “shoot up” the entire establishment. The repairman’s girlfriend was there and tried to calm Williams down. Williams then turned the gun on her and threatened to shoot her, then pointed the gun at the owner before leaving.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Emmanuel Hampton, Erica Rudolf, and Kathryn Bartz.
Jamestown man arrested, charged with drug possessionRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Willie C. Graham, 43, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna M. Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in September 2023, Jamestown Police officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that had pulled out of a known drug house in Jamestown. A search of the vehicle recovered what appeared to be methamphetamine, along with numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Officers also recovered a glass bubble pipe from Graham’s waist area. Graham and the other two occupants were then taken to the Jamestown City Jail, at which time Graham indicated that he was experiencing chest pains and could not breathe. Before Graham was transported for medical attention, officers discovered suspected fentanyl on his person. On March 2, 2024, Graham was a passenger in a vehicle that fled from officers attempting to initiate a traffic stop. A search of the vehicle recovered 11.6 grams of suspected methamphetamine, other drug paraphernalia, and $1,134.00 cash. Graham and the other two occupants were taken to the Jamestown City Jail, where Graham informed officers that he had eaten “dope” prior to being arrested and was overdosing. He was given one dose of NARCAN and transported for medical attention.
Graham made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is detained pending a detention hearing on May 7, at 11:30 a.m.
The complaint is a result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tyson Davis II, 28, of Huntington, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2021, Davis sold approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant inside a vehicle on the 1600 block of Doulton Avenue in Huntington. Davis admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant on November 3, 2021, in Huntington.
On November 9, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a search of Davis’ vehicle and Fourth Street West residence in Huntington and seized approximately 399 grams of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 9mm pistol. Davis admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-241.
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Harris County resident charged in scheme to steal $1M worth of Jeeps and other vehiclesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 29-year-old Houston man is charged with orchestrating a scheme to steal more than 25 vehicles worth over $1 million, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Kenneth Dwayne Westbrook is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Christina Bryan at 2 p.m.
According to the charges, Westbrook recruited individuals through Instagram by promising to pay them money to rent vehicles for him. Instead of returning the vehicles, he allegedly picked up the vehicles, had them driven to Mexico and ignored renters’ calls and messages imploring him to return them. The charges allege Westbrook repeated this scheme with more than 25 vehicles causing a loss of over $1 million.
If convicted, Westbrook faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each count in the indictment.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler White and Michael Chu are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Gore Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kelly Don Girty, Jr., age 30, of Gore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count violation of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The Indictment alleged that on January 7, 2024, Girty, having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and knowing of that conviction, possessed a .22 caliber, bolt action rifle which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Girty will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Forum provides best practices and resources to prevent and respond to hate crimes that target religious institutionsRead the Press Release
In an effort to prevent hate crimes that target religious institutions, and to prepare faith-based leaders and congregation members with strategies for responding when faced with such security issues, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relation Services (“CRS”) Midwest Regional Office, and the Cleveland Field Office of the FBI is facilitating a free event, “Protecting Places of Worship,” held on Wednesday, May 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, 3290 E. 126th St., Cleveland, OH 44120. Registration is open to the public by calling the Public Affairs Officer of the United States Attorney’s Office at 216-622-3807.
“Protecting Places of Worship” is a half-day forum that will provide information about religion-focused hate crimes; how to best report such incidents; federal and state hate crimes laws; law enforcement threat assessments; ways to protect places of worship from potential hate crimes and other threats of violence; and other strategies for combatting hate and extremism. This program brings together federal and local law enforcement, federal and local prosecuting attorneys, civil rights organizations, and community organizations to discuss these issues. The forum’s goal is to share strategies and other information to help communities of faith effectively address and respond to bias incidents and hate crimes that affect their places of worship.
Discussion topics include:
- Existing federal and state hate crime statutes, and increasing public awareness of hate crimes reporting procedures and prosecutions.
- Analysis of hate crime data and trends, including recent examples of hate crimes targeting places of worship.
- Strategies for responding to active-shooter incidents.
- Best practices for assessing the physical security of places of worship and identifying potential security concerns, along with competitive grant opportunities and other strategies to address those concerns.
- Interfaith panel discussion to foster dialogue and collaboration among diverse religious communities, and to share strategies these organizations have used to address bias incidents.
All sessions will be followed by Q & A.
Featured speakers include those from the following organizations: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio; FBI, Cleveland Field Office; Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office; Anti-Defamation League Cleveland; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Panelists include leaders from Cleveland’s Islamic, Sikh, and Hindu communities, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. The Mount Pleasant Ministerial Alliance is hosting this event.
This event is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative. For questions or more details about the event, contact Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Feran at 216-622-3709 or [email protected].
About CRS
Established by Title X of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, CRS’ expanded its services under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. As a component of the United States Department of Justice, CRS serves as “America’s Peacemaker,” offering support to communities experiencing tension or conflict due to differences of race, color, natural origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and disability. Through its services, CRS enhances the ability of community members to independently and collaboratively prevent and resolve future conflicts by fostering knowledge, understanding and communication.CRS Programs
The primary objectives of all CRS programs are to assist parties in conflict by fostering understanding of various perspectives, facilitating the exchange of information regarding resources and best practices, and aiding communities as they identify and implement solutions. CRS conciliation specialists maintain impartiality and refrain from taking sides among disputing parties. Instead, they facilitate the process, empowering those involved to develop their own mutually agreeable solutions.Fort Myers Man Sentenced to 45 Years’ Imprisonment in Murder-For-Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Marvin Harris, Jr., aka “Mesh,” (25, Fort Myers) to 45 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire. Harris, Jr.’s co-defendant, Latrel Jackson, aka “Kobe,” (26, Chicago, Illinois), is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2024, and faces a mandatory term of life imprisonment.
According to court documents, in November 2019, Harris, Jr. hired two individuals, Latrel Jackson and unindicted co-conspirator D.S. (deceased), to travel from the Chicago-area to Fort Myers to commit murder in exchange for $10,000. Harris, Jr.’s motive was to retaliate against individuals he believed had robbed a Fort Myers residence from which he and others associated with him sold drugs. The individuals Harris, Jr. suspected of committing the robbery belonged to a Fort Myers gang known to law enforcement as “Bucktown.”
With the agreement to retaliate against Bucktown in place, Jackson and D.S. traveled to Fort Myers from Chicago aboard a commercial airline on October 28, 2019. Upon their arrival, Harris, Jr. picked Jackson and D.S. up from the Southwest Florida International Airport and provided them with partial payment for the planned murder, as well as firearms to accomplish their task. Initially, Jackson and D.S. stayed at Harris, Jr.’s “trap house” (a residence used primarily to distribute drugs from) in Fort Myers but later moved to a local motel on Palm Beach Boulevard. During that time, Jackson, D.S., and others attempted to find members of Bucktown to murder in the retaliatory scheme.
On November 2, 2019, Harris, Jr. obtained a vehicle for Jackson and D.S. to use during the commission of a murder. Jackson and D.S. proceeded to a known Bucktown hangout in Fort Myers and observed the victim, K.U., standing in front of the residence near the curb of the street. Jackson and D.S. quickly circled the block and, at close range, opened fire on K.U., killing him in front of the residence via a gunshot wound of the head.
After the shooting, Harris, Jr. paid Jackson and D.S. the remaining sum of money owed for completing the murder-for-hire scheme. Jackson and D.S. were also left in possession of the firearms used to commit the murder. Jackson and D.S. then returned to the Chicago area via commercial bus on November 3, 2019.
During a search of Jackson’s Chicago-area home on November 21, 2019, law enforcement recovered two firearms from an attic space in Jackson’s room. Expert testing and examination of the firearms by ATF confirmed that both matched shell casings recovered from the murder scene and the murder vehicle, and that one of the firearms had fired the bullet which had been recovered from K.U.’s head during his autopsy.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Myers Police Department, with the assistance of the Joliet (Illinois) Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
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.
Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Jonnetric Devonte Ivey (30, Fort Myers) to 21 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Ivey to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed during the offense. Ivey pleaded guilty on January 23, 2024.
According to court documents, on March 22, 2023, Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a traffic stop on a scooter being driven by Ivey. Prior to complying with the deputies’ demand to stop the scooter, Ivey made a throwing motion. In the same area where the throwing motion was made, deputies located a loaded Taurus pistol. DNA evidence later linked Ivey to the loaded pistol.
Ivey is a convicted felon; therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Tennessee Corrections Officer Sentenced for Using Excessive Force Against Inmate and Writing False Report to Cover It UpRead the Press Release
A former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) tactical officer, Javian Griffin, 38, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for using excessive force against an inmate and writing a false report to cover it up.
Griffin pleaded guilty to the offense on Oct. 11, 2023. His co-defendant, another former TDOC tactical officer, Sebron Hollands, pleaded guilty on Oct. 2, 2023, to writing a false report.
“The defendant pledged to protect and serve but instead he abused his authority as a corrections officer, violently punching a man in the head and breaking his jaw,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant made matters worse by trying to cover up his tracks with a false report. This sentence sends a clear message that the Justice Department will hold accountable any official inside our jails and prisons who violates an inmate’s civil rights.”
“No correctional officer is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The defendant assaulted an inmate and then tried to cover it up. This office’s National Security and Civil Rights Unit will continue to prioritize the prosecution of public employees who violate the civil rights of others.”
“When correctional officers abuse their authority, it not only violates our civil rights laws, it undermines the criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “The FBI makes it a priority to bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect.”
According to court documents entered in connection with the guilty plea, Griffin, without justification, punched an inmate in the head, breaking the inmate’s jaw. The inmate did not resist or pose a threat justifying the defendant’s use of force. After the incident, Griffin wrote a false report to cover-up the assault. Griffin’s co-defendant, Hollands, assisted with the cover up by providing false information in his official use of force report to obstruct the investigation of the incident.
The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Matthew Tannenbaum and Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Updated May 6, 2024
Topic
CIVIL RIGHTS
Components
Civil Rights Division
Civil Rights - Criminal Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
USAO - Tennessee, Western
Press Release Number: 24-576
Former Tennessee Corrections Officer Sentenced for Using Excessive Force Against Inmate and Writing False Report to Cover It UpRead the Press Release
A former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) tactical officer, Javian Griffin, 38, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for using excessive force against an inmate and writing a false report to cover it up.
Griffin pleaded guilty to the offense on Oct. 11, 2023. His co-defendant, another former TDOC tactical officer, Sebron Hollands, pleaded guilty on Oct. 2, 2023, to writing a false report.
“The defendant pledged to protect and serve but instead he abused his authority as a corrections officer, violently punching a man in the head and breaking his jaw,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant made matters worse by trying to cover up his tracks with a false report. This sentence sends a clear message that the Justice Department will hold accountable any official inside our jails and prisons who violates an inmate’s civil rights.”
“No correctional officer is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The defendant assaulted an inmate and then tried to cover it up. This office’s National Security and Civil Rights Unit will continue to prioritize the prosecution of public employees who violate the civil rights of others.”
“When correctional officers abuse their authority, it not only violates our civil rights laws, it undermines the criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “The FBI makes it a priority to bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect.”
According to court documents entered in connection with the guilty plea, Griffin, without justification, punched an inmate in the head, breaking the inmate’s jaw. The inmate did not resist or pose a threat justifying the defendant’s use of force. After the incident, Griffin wrote a false report to cover-up the assault. Griffin’s co-defendant, Hollands, assisted with the cover up by providing false information in his official use of force report to obstruct the investigation of the incident.
The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Matthew Tannenbaum and Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Korean Air Lines Guam Office Manager Sentenced to 41 Months Imprisonment for Bank Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Sung Peel Hwang a.k.a. Don Sung Peel Hwang, age 39, from the Republic of Korea and naturalized citizen of the United States, was sentenced to serve 41 months imprisonment. He was charged with Bank Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(1) and Money Laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. The Court also ordered 5 years of supervised release, restitution of $615, 271.51 and a mandatory $200 special assessment fee.
Beginning in September 2015 and continuing until December of 2018, Defendant Hwang engaged in a scheme to defraud his employer and to embezzle over $600,000.00. Hwang was an administrator in the Korean Air Lines (KAL) Guam office at the Guam International Airport. KAL operated commercial passenger flights between Guam and South Korea. All airlines operating out of GIAA are required to report the number of passengers on their flights and to pay a corresponding Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) to GIAA. As an administrator at the Guam KAL office, Hwang’s duties included reporting the number of passengers and paying the corresponding PFC, procuring, and paying for other office supplies and services, and acting as one of two co-signatories on KAL Guam’s business checking account at the Bank of Guam. As one part of his scheme, Defendant Hwang underreported the PFC owed to GIAA and kept the difference between the actual PFC owed and the PFC paid for himself. Over the course of the three-year scheme Defendant Hwang deposited over $3.5 million in KAL funds into his personal bank account and diverted over $600,000.00 in KAL funds to his own personal use.
“Hwang cheated his employer and GIAA out of a substantial sum of money,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Fortunately, GIAA’s auditing procedures eventually revealed this scheme. The sentence imposed by the Court is a strong message of accountability and deterrence. I applaud our federal law enforcement partners for their hard work in bringing Hwang to justice.”
“The FBI is focused on addressing financial crimes that have an impact on our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “This sentence should give pause to others who consider engaging in similar criminal conduct.”
“Mr. Hwang’s greed may have netted him a temporary windfall, but at great cost to those he stole from and to the detriment of his community,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes. “Today’s sentencing shows that CI is committed to fighting financial crime, and making sure that fraudsters pay the just cost for those crimes.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Guam Resident Agency and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. This case was prosecuted by Benjamin K. Petersburg, Assistant United States Attorney, District of Guam.
Former Felon Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison Following Shooting of a Lenoir County Deputy and Carjacking Victim and Multi-Day Man HuntRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Kinston man was sentenced today to 720 months in prison after shooting a Lenoir County Sheriff’s Deputy and leading law enforcement on a multi-day man hunt before shooting a neighbor and being apprehended with a loaded semi-automatic weapon with the safety set to fire. On October 16, 2023, Robert Lee Strother pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, carjacking, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence
“Robert Strother was one-man crime spree – shooting a Lenoir County deputy in the neck with an assault rifle, leading law enforcement on a multi-day manhunt, and carjacking a neighbor at gunpoint before shooting him,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “I personally met with the victims in this case and know the toll it has taken on them and their families. They are remarkable people who are lucky to be alive. We won’t tolerate violent carjacking or attacks on law enforcement in Eastern North Carolina. These cases will always be among our highest priorities – our cops and our communities deserve no less.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Strother, 34, was standing in the driveway of a residence in La Grange when Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call of a woman being held against her will during the evening hours of November 19, 2020. As Deputy Steven Key exited his patrol vehicle and approached the residence, Strother, who was wearing a tactical vest, reached into a parked vehicle, retrieved an AR-style rifle, and fired a round at Deputy Key, striking him in the neck. The bullet then traveled through the deputy and into a residence through a bedroom where a child was sleeping, through the living room and into a pantry. Strother then fled on foot and a multi-day, multi-agency manhunt followed.
The next morning, deputies searching for Strother heard multiple gunshots fired in the same residential area, and Lenoir County dispatchers received a 911 call notifying them that a man had been shot outside his residence and that his truck had been stolen. The victim would later describe to investigators that Strother rushed out of the woods with a high-powered rifle, demanded his truck, and shot him multiple times in the abdomen and hand as he was surrendering control of the vehicle. Following the shooting, deputies found a tactical vest similar to what Strother had been seen wearing when he shot Deputy Key. The vest contained Strother’s identification card from the Case Turkey Plant and three AR-style thirty round magazines loaded with ammunition.
The following day, dispatchers received another 911 call reporting that Strother had been seen with a firearm in the yard of a Kinston residence. Law enforcement responded to the residence and observed Strother attempt to flee the area while carrying an AR-style rifle. Strother turned and raised the rifle towards law enforcement vehicles and personnel. Officers fired multiple rounds, striking Strother, and causing him to drop the rifle. Strother was taken into custody and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel reported that Strother tried to head butt one of the EMS personnel as they tried to treat him. Officers processed the scene where Strother was arrested and collected his prison ID card and a DPMS, caliber 7.62X39MM, model A-15 semiautomatic rifle with a round loaded in the chamber, a loaded magazine with 14 rounds and the safety switch set to fire. Ballistics testing by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation later confirmed that the shell casings from the shootings of Deputy Key and Mr. Goff matched Strother’s rifle. At the time of these shootings, Strother was on post-release supervision in the state of North Carolina for a 2014 conviction for felony assault on a law enforcement officer.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charity Wilson and Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-CR-119-D.
Former Bridgeport City Councilman Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charge Related to Primaries and Election in 2017 and 2018Read 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, announced that MICHAEL DeFILIPPO, 37, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a civil rights offense related to DeFilippo’s run for Bridgeport City Council in 2017 and 2018.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from June 2018 until July 2021, DeFilippo was a member of the Bridgeport City Council representing the 133rd District, which is near the Sacred Heart University campus. DeFilippo also owned several rental properties that he leased to students at Sacred Heart University. Although Bridgeport’s City Council elections are typically held in odd-numbered years, because of repeated absentee ballot irregularities in the Democratic primary for the 133rd District, the September 2017 primary was re-run in November 2017, and re-run again in April 2018, and the general election took place in June 2018. On April 10, 2018, DeFilippo was selected as one of the two Democratic nominees for the 133rd District and, on June 26, 2018, he was elected to the Bridgeport City Council.
In the 2017 and 2018 primaries and the 2018 general election, DeFilippo stole and falsified Voter Registration Applications (“VRAs”) and absentee balloting documents, forged signatures, and submitted fraudulent election documents to election officials in the name of some of his tenants who resided in the 133rd District. DeFilippo’s conduct caused Bridgeport and Connecticut election officials acting under color of law to deprive DeFilippo’s tenants of their right to vote (by counting stolen ballots), and to deprive all 133rd District voters of their right to have their votes fully counted (by diluting election results with fraudulent registrations and ballots).
DeFilippo pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of one year and a fine of up to $100,000. DeFilippo is released on bond pending sentencing.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and Heather L. Cherry.
Florida Hospital System Agrees to Pay $1.5 Million to Resolve Liability Relating to Self-Disclosure of Improper DiscountsRead the Press Release
Baptist Health System Inc. (Baptist Health), located in Florida, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing its subsidiaries to offer discounts to patients to induce them to purchase or refer Baptist Health services reimbursed by federal health care programs. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Baptist Health took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government’s investigation.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits parties who participate in federal healthcare programs from knowingly and willfully paying or receiving any remuneration in return for referring an individual to, or arranging for the furnishing of, any item or services for which payment is made by the federal healthcare programs. The United States alleged that Baptist Health subsidiaries provided discounts of up to 50% or more on patient cost sharing obligation balances for certain categories of Medicare beneficiaries, chosen by Baptist Health, without regard to any financial need consideration, during the period from Jan. 1, 2016, through Aug. 15, 2022. The United States contends that Baptist Health subsidiaries provided these discounts in exchange for the beneficiaries’ purchase or referral of services by certain categories of Medicare beneficiaries from Baptist Health subsidiaries.
Baptist Health voluntarily self-disclosed this conduct to the United States. In addition, Baptist Health cooperated with the government’s investigation and took remedial measures, including discontinuing its discount policy, conducting an internal compliance review and providing the United States with a detailed disclosure statement and other supplemental information to assist the United States in its investigation.
“The department will continue to rely on the False Claims Act to address the use of prohibited remuneration to induce federal healthcare business,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We encourage providers to mitigate the consequences of prior improper conduct by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with our investigations and adopting enhanced compliance procedures.”
“This settlement is a great example of our office’s commitment to protecting and preserving taxpayer-funded healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Self-disclosures like this not only help crucial federal healthcare programs to recoup funds, but are also in the best interests of healthcare providers themselves.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorney Michael Hoffman of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Tapie for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
SettlementFlorida Hospital System Agrees to Pay $1.5 Million to Resolve Liability Relating to Self-Disclosure of Improper DiscountsRead the Press Release
Note: View the settlement here.
Tampa, FL – Baptist Health System Inc. (Baptist Health), located in Florida, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing its subsidiaries to offer discounts to patients to induce them to purchase or refer Baptist Health services reimbursed by federal health care programs. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Baptist Health took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government’s investigation.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits parties who participate in federal healthcare programs from knowingly and willfully paying or receiving any remuneration in return for referring an individual to, or arranging for the furnishing of, any item or services for which payment is made by the federal healthcare programs. The United States alleged that Baptist Health subsidiaries provided discounts of up to 50% or more on patient cost sharing obligation balances for certain categories of Medicare beneficiaries, chosen by Baptist Health, without regard to any financial need consideration, during the period from Jan. 1, 2016, through Aug. 15, 2022. The United States contends that Baptist Health subsidiaries provided these discounts in exchange for the beneficiaries’ purchase or referral of services by certain categories of Medicare beneficiaries from Baptist Health subsidiaries.
Baptist Health voluntarily self-disclosed this conduct to the United States. In addition, Baptist Health cooperated with the government’s investigation and took remedial measures, including discontinuing its discount policy, conducting an internal compliance review and providing the United States with a detailed disclosure statement and other supplemental information to assist the United States in its investigation.
“The department will continue to rely on the False Claims Act to address the use of prohibited remuneration to induce federal healthcare business,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We encourage providers to mitigate the consequences of prior improper conduct by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with our investigations and adopting enhanced compliance procedures.”
“This settlement is a great example of our office’s commitment to protecting and preserving taxpayer-funded healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Self-disclosures like this not only help crucial federal healthcare programs to recoup funds, but are also in the best interests of healthcare providers themselves.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorney Michael Hoffman of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Tapie for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Five Federal Departments Join Justice Department in Reaffirming Shared Commitment to Uphold Civil Rights Laws and Advance Environmental JusticeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and officials from the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights; Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Departmental Office of Civil Rights; Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of External Civil Rights Compliance; Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; and Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity jointly reaffirmed today their shared commitment to uphold civil rights laws and advance environmental justice in communities across the United States.
“The Justice Department is committed to fully enforcing federal civil rights laws to address our nation’s legacy of environmental racism and underinvestment in communities of color,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Since 2021, we have stepped up our efforts to coordinate these critical enforcement efforts across the federal government and will continue to do so as recipients utilize billions of dollars in new infrastructure grants. We will continue to drive a whole-of-government approach in the ongoing struggle for environmental justice in our country.”
“The Environmental Protection Agency continues to center our mission on the integration of justice, equity and civil rights for communities across the country that have not received the full benefits from EPA’s decades of progress. We are committed to the enforcement of civil rights to address environmental injustice,” said Deputy Assistant Administrator for Program Implementation Marianne Engelman-Lado of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. “From integrating civil rights into the fabric of our Strategic Plan and daily operations, to increased funding and staffing for this critical work, EPA will continue to strengthen our civil rights enforcement program.”
“Environmental justice is a public health issue, and our civil rights laws should ensure that all communities—no matter your race or zip code—are safe and free from environmental hazards,” said Director Melanie Fontes Rainer of the HHS Office for Civil Rights. “Unfortunately, communities of color have historically been subject to environmental injustice and deserve the full attention of the federal government through the enforcement of our laws to be free from discrimination.”
“Beyond moving people and goods, transportation plays a key role in our personal and environmental health,” said Director Irene Marion of the DOT Departmental Office of Civil Rights. “Although our nation’s transportation infrastructure is a shared asset, historically not all communities have enjoyed its full advantages and benefits. DOT is committed to correcting this course by leveraging its authority and resources to ensure transportation systems that are safe, efficient and accessible for all.”
“Advancing environmental justice can occur through education, technical assistance and robust enforcement of long-standing civil rights laws,” said Officer Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia of the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. “We are committed to working with recipients and communities toward achieving environmental justice.”
“The Department of Housing and Urban Development is committed to enforcing fair housing and civil rights laws that advance environmental justice so all neighborhoods and communities are healthy, safe and resilient places where residents can thrive,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Demetria McCain of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “Protected classes must not bear the disproportionate burden of environmental hazards, though they have for too long.”
In the statement, the agencies reaffirmed their commitment to vigorously using all applicable civil rights laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to advance environmental justice and to actively work with state, territorial and local governments and all other entities that receive federal funding to ensure compliance with these important laws. The joint statement also reminds recipients that civil rights obligations are separate and distinct from recipients’ other obligations, including obligations to comply with federal, state, territorial and local environmental laws. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect civil rights is available online at justice.gov/crt. Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov.
Felon Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Possession of A Privately Manufactured FirearmRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 44 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a privately manufactured firearm (PMF), sometimes referred to as a “ghost gun,” after previous felony convictions.
Justin Edward Brown (37) pleaded guilty in February 2024 to one-count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents and admissions made by Brown in court, on June 14, 2022, he possessed a privately manufactured 9x19mm semiautomatic pistol incorporating a Polymer80 lower receiver and ammunition. Brown had previously been convicted of possession of a firearm by ex-felon in May 2014; assault with a deadly weapon in February 2013; and prohibited person in possession of a firearm in May 2018, all in Clark County, Nev. Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his prior felony convictions.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.
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Felon in Possession of a Firearm Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Castleberry, Alabama, man was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 70 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense.
According to court documents, Matthew John Cobb, 39, was arrested in possession of a .38 caliber revolver when he fled Conecuh County deputies working a traffic detail in Castleberry. Cobb was driving a white Dodge when he accelerated away from the deputies, eventually abandoning his vehicle and fleeing into the woods on foot. The Alabama Department of Corrections responded to the scene with tracking dogs. The dogs located Cobb in the woods lying face down on top of the gun. Ammunition matching the caliber of the gun was found in Cobb’s vehicle. Cobb had several prior felony convictions, including a previous conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm from August of 2020 in the District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. In fact, Cobb was on supervised release from that prior federal conviction at the time this offense occurred.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed the 70-month sentence and ordered a three-year term of supervised release to follow. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Cobb pay $100 in special mandatory assessments and forfeit the firearm to the United States. Judge Moorer also found that Cobb had violated the terms and conditions of his prior supervised release term, and imposed a 14-month sentence for that violation, which will run consecutive to the 70-month sentence on the new case.
The Conecuh County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Dover Man Sentenced to Two Decades in Federal Prison in Connection with “Catfishing” Scheme Targeting Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Dover man was sentenced today in federal court for child exploitation offenses, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Evan Gadarowski, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Samantha Elliott to 240 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. On October 23, 2023, Gadarowski pleaded guilty to one count each of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, or CSAM.
“The defendant caused numerous minor survivors unimaginable trauma and pain. He manipulated high-school aged girls into thinking he was someone he was not and used this fictitious persona to gain their trust to obtain explicit images and videos from them. In some instances, when these survivors resisted his demands for more images, he threatened to disseminate the compromising images already in his possession to others,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The defendant’s criminal conduct was calculated and horrifically cruel. He preyed on the survivors’ deepest fears, causing them prolonged anguish. While the sentenced imposed today will never restore what the defendant stole from the survivors, it is a step in their healing process and will also ensure the public is safe from the defendant for the next two decades.”
“NH ICAC is honored and privileged to work with so many dedicated law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys. Cases in which child victims fall prey to the actions of sexual predators who choose to take advantage of their innocence and threaten their physical and emotional well-being have risen at an alarming rate,” said Lt. Eric Kinsman, Commander of the NH ICAC Task Force. “NH ICAC will continue to remain vigilant when it comes to protecting the children of NH and preserving the happiness they deserve. Resources for parents and children can be found at https://icactaskforce.org.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gadarowski solicited, received, and disseminated sexually explicit images and videos depicting numerous minor victims between 2018 and 2021. Gadarowski “catfished” his victims by posing as a teenage girl using sexually explicit images and videos of one minor victim and adopting them as part of a fictious online persona. Using this fictious persona, Gadarowski posed as a bisexual female and pursued online relationships with high-school aged girls. Gadarowski sent sexually explicit images and videos depicting one minor victim to others and induced unsuspecting minor victims to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves in return. The investigation also revealed that Gadarowski sold sexually explicit images depicting some of his minor victims to others online.
Homeland Security Investigations led the federal investigation. The Nashua Police Department and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task force provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
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Diamond Bar Man Sentenced to One Year in Federal Prison for Driving His Car Through Demonstrators at ‘Stop Asian Hate’ RallyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Diamond Bar man was sentenced today to 12 months in federal prison for disrupting a “Stop Asian Hate” rally in March 2021 by running a red light and driving through a crowded crosswalk of peaceful demonstrators while shouting racial slurs and epithets.
Steve Lee Dominguez, 58, was sentenced by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II.
Dominguez pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of bias-motivated interference with federally protected activities.
“This defendant’s hateful attack was designed to curtail the rights of peaceful demonstrators,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “While differences of opinion are part of a healthy democracy, we cannot allow people to commit acts of violence against those with whom they disagree. My office will continue to safeguard civil rights for all members of our community.”
“Mr. Dominguez attacked innocent civilians who were simply standing up for a righteous cause – to protect Asian members of our society from hateful attacks,” said Mehtab Syed, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Today’s sentence represents the FBI’s commitment to ensuring that Constitutionally-protected rights are not violated and those who deny them will be held accountable.”
“We are deeply committed to protecting everyone’s constitutional rights including freedom of speech, and when actions turn violent and cross the line into criminal misconduct they will not be tolerated,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. “The Sheriff’s Department will continue to work with our justice partners to ensure our diverse communities within Los Angeles County are protected for exercising their civil rights without fear of being attacked or harassed.”
A “Stop Asian Hate” rally occurred on March 21, 2021, in Diamond Bar. The rally was to raise awareness about the increase in hate crimes and hate incidents against members of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community both locally and nationally – including the murders of six Asian American women five days earlier in Atlanta.
A group of rally participants assembled at the intersection of Diamond Bar Boulevard and Grand Avenue, carrying American flags and large signs in support of their cause. The demonstrators peacefully gathered and lawfully crossed the streets using the marked pedestrian crosswalk when they had the right of way.
During the rally, Dominguez was driving a black Honda Civic sedan and was stopped at a red light at the intersection. Dominguez yelled, “Go back to China!” and other racial slurs and profanities at the demonstrators. He then deliberately drove his car through the intersection’s crosswalk at the red light, made an illegal U-turn into oncoming traffic, and cut off the route of several rally participants lawfully crossing the street, primarily women and a young child.
One of the victims was an Asian woman carrying a sign that read, “Stop Asian Hate.” Another victim was a minor Black female rally participant who carried a sign that read, “End the Violence Against Asians.” Another person who was cut off in the crosswalk was a 9-year-old child, and Dominguez’s car narrowly missed her and other victims. No injuries were reported.
Dominguez then pulled his car over, got out of the car and continued to yell racial epithets – including the n-word – and threats at the demonstrators. He then called the police, identified himself as “John Doe” and falsely reported to police that the rally participants were blocking the street and he had to run a red light “because they were about to trample my car,” according to evidence presented at trial. He also requested that police “get some control out” at the intersection.
The FBI investigated this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department initially responded to the scene and assisted in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Suria M. Bahadue of the Criminal Appeals Section prosecuted this case.
Any member of the public who has information related to hate crimes is encouraged to call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565 or report tips online at https://tips.fbi.gov.
Dealer heads to prison for possessing over 5,000 grams of pure methRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jesus Alfredo Palacios pleaded guilty Jan. 30.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen has now ordered Palacios to serve 150 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
The investigation began in January 2020 when law enforcement learned Palacios was selling kilogram quantities of meth in the Houston area.
On March 30, 2021, authorities observed Palacios leaving his apartment carrying a beige colored backpack and a large box. He then placed the box in the back seat of a gray 2011 Nissan Sentra. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and immediately noticed a strong odor of marijuana emitting from his vehicle.
Upon searching the Nissan, authorities also observed two boxes in the back seat with three plastic containers that contained a crystalized substance. Laboratory analysis revealed it was 5,768 grams of meth and had a purity level of 88%.
Palacios will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Precinct 3 Harris County Constable’s office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart A. Burns prosecuted the case.
Court Permanently Bars Missouri CPA from Promoting Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
On May 3, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri permanently barred Aric Elliot Schreiner and his company, Columbia CPA Group LLC, from organizing, promoting, selling or marketing tax schemes involving the use of charitable remainder annuity trusts (CRATs). In addition, the court ordered Schreiner to disgorge ill-gotten gains from the scheme totaling $400,000. Schreiner and Columbia CPA Group agreed to the court orders.
In February 2022, the United States sued Schreiner, Columbia CPA Group and five other defendants to stop them from promoting the CRAT scheme. The court previously entered permanent injunctions against the other five defendants by their consent.
According to the United States’ amended complaint, Schreiner and Columbia CPA Group allegedly promoted the CRAT scheme in concert with other defendants. The government alleges that Schreiner falsely claimed to customers following the CRAT scheme that they could avoid reporting to the IRS and paying federal income tax on the sale of property by: (1) transferring it to a CRAT; (2) unlawfully inflating (stepping-up) the cost basis in the property on tax documents; (3) selling the property and using the sale proceeds to purchase an annuity; and (4) receiving payments from the annuity, but failing to report the annuity payments as income on tax forms. According to the amended complaint, Schreiner also prepared tax forms to implement the CRAT scheme.
Charitable remainder trusts are irrevocable trusts that let you donate assets to charity and draw annual income for life or a specific period. When all applicable laws, regulations and rules are followed, charitable remainder trusts can offer many benefits, but they must not be misused to evade taxes or illegally benefit their beneficiaries. The Justice Department is committed to supporting the IRS as appropriate in its efforts examine charitable remainder trusts to ensure they correctly report trust income and distributions to beneficiaries, file all required tax documents and follow all applicable tax laws and rules.
In addition to being enjoined from promoting their CRAT scheme, Schreiner and Columbia CPA Group agreed to be barred from organizing, promoting, marking or selling other tax schemes including conservation easements and monetized installment sales.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Abusive arrangements using CRATs and monetized installment sales, as well as syndicated conservation easements, remain a concern of the IRS, which recently warned taxpayers about them as part of the IRS’s 2024 Dirty Dozen series. The IRS has more information on charitable remainder trusts available on its website.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of tax return preparer and tax fraud promoters. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Injunction Order and Judgment - Schreiner.pdfConnecticut Dentists Pay $498K to Settle False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
Vanessa United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General, today announced that BOHUN CHOI, DDS and MICHONG SON, DDS, and their businesses, C&S FAMILY DENTAL NEW BRITAIN, LLC, and C&S FAMILY DENTAL WATERBURY, LLC, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and will pay more than $498,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts.
Choi and Son are both licensed to practice dentistry in Connecticut. Choi, Son, C&S Family Dental New Britain (“C&S New Britain”) and C&S Family Dental Waterbury (“C&S Waterbury”) are enrolled as dental providers in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (“CTMAP”), which includes the state’s Medicaid program.
It is alleged that, in violation of their CTMAP provider agreements and the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, C&S New Britain, C&S Waterbury, Choi, and Son submitted claims to the CTMAP related to dental services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred to C&S New Britain and C&S Waterbury by a third-party “patient recruiting” company. Specifically, the federal and state governments alleged that C&S New Britain, C&S Waterbury, Choi, or Son paid a patient recruiter $110 for each Connecticut Medicaid patient the recruiter referred to them whenever the patient received services over and above routine preventative care, such as dental cleanings and exams, and submitted claims for dental services rendered to those patients. With each submitted claim, they impliedly certified that the conditions of receiving payment were met, including, but not limited to, that they did not pay kickbacks or violate any terms or provisions of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (“CTDHP”) provider manual concerning the submitted claim.
The CTDHP provider manual, which is an addendum to both the CTMAP provider agreement and the CTMAP provider manual, expressly prohibits per-patient compensation for individuals referred to CMAP providers.
To resolve the allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, C&S New Britain, C&S Waterbury, Choi, and Son agreed to pay $498,310 to reimburse the Medicaid program for conduct occurring from April 1, 2018, through January 12, 2020.
Under the False Claims Act, the government can recover up to three times its actual damages, plus penalties of $13,946 to $27,894 for each false claim.
This case stems from a larger investigation into fraudulent activity by health care providers who submit kickback-tainted claims to the CTMAP for services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred by third-party patient recruiting companies.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office; and the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Thidemann, and Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Cinco departamentos federales se unen al Departamento de Justicia para reafirmar el compromiso compartido de defender las leyes de derechos civiles y promover la justicia medioambientalRead the Press Release
La División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia y funcionarios de la Oficina de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (HHS, por sus siglas en inglés); la Oficina Departamental de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Transporte (DOT, por sus siglas en inglés); la Oficina de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles Externos de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés); la Oficina de Derechos Civiles y Libertades Civiles del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés) y la Oficina de Vivienda Justa e Igualdad de Oportunidades del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD, por sus siglas en inglés) reafirmaron conjuntamente hoy su compromiso compartido de defender las leyes de derechos civiles y promover la justicia medioambiental en comunidades por todo Estados Unidos.
«El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a hacer cumplir plenamente las leyes federales de derechos civiles para abordar el legado de racismo ambiental de nuestra nación y la infrainversión en comunidades de color», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Desde el año 2021, hemos intensificado nuestros esfuerzos para coordinar estos esfuerzos críticos de aplicación de la ley en todo el gobierno federal y continuaremos haciéndolo a medida que los destinatarios utilicen miles de millones de dólares en subvenciones para nuevas infraestructuras. Seguiremos impulsando un enfoque que involucre al gobierno entero en la lucha continua por la justicia medioambiental en nuestro país».
«La Agencia de Protección Ambiental continúa centrando nuestra misión en la integración de la justicia, la equidad y los derechos civiles para comunidades por todo el país que no se han beneficiado plenamente de las décadas de progreso de la EPA. Estamos comprometidos con la aplicación de los derechos civiles para abordar la injusticia medioambiental», afirmó la Administradora Auxiliar Adjunta de Implementación de Programas, Marianne Engelman-Lado, de la Oficina de Justicia Medioambiental y Derechos Civiles Externos de la EPA. «Desde la integración de los derechos civiles en la estructura de nuestro plan estratégico y las operaciones diarias hasta el aumento de la financiación y la dotación de personal para este trabajo tan crítico, la EPA continuará fortaleciendo nuestro programa de cumplimiento de derechos civiles».
«La justicia medioambiental es un asunto de salud pública, y nuestras leyes de derechos civiles deben garantizar que todas las comunidades, independientemente de su raza o código postal, estén seguras y libres de peligros medioambientales», dijo Melanie Fontes Rainer, la Directora de la Oficina de Derechos Civiles del HHS. «Desafortunadamente, a nivel histórico, las comunidades de color han sometido a injusticia medioambiental y merecen la atención completa del gobierno federal a través de la aplicación de nuestras leyes para estar libres de discriminación».
«Más allá de trasladar a personas y bienes, el transporte desempeña un papel clave en nuestra salud personal y medioambiental», comentó Irene Marion, la Directora de la Oficina Departamental de Derechos Civiles del DOT. «Aunque la infraestructura de transporte de nuestra nación es un bien compartido, históricamente, no todas las comunidades han disfrutado de todos sus beneficios y ventajas. El DOT se compromete a corregir este curso aprovechando su autoridad y recursos para garantizar sistemas de transporte seguros, eficientes y accesibles para todos».
«El fomento de la justicia medioambiental puede producirse a través de la educación, la asistencia técnica o la aplicación firme de las leyes de derechos civiles de larga duración», declaró la Oficial Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, de la Oficina para Derechos Civiles y Libertades Civiles, que pertenece al DHS. «Estamos comprometidos a trabajar con beneficiarios y comunidades para lograr la justicia medioambiental».
«El Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano se compromete a hacer cumplir leyes de vivienda justa y derechos civiles que promuevan la justicia medioambiental para que todos los barrios y comunidades sean lugares saludables, seguros y resilientes donde los residentes puedan prosperar», dijo Demetria McCain, la Secretaria Auxiliar Adjunta Principal de la Oficina de Vivienda Justa e Igualdad de Oportunidades del HUD. «Las clases protegidas no deben soportar la carga desproporcionada de los peligros ambientales, aunque lo han hecho durante demasiado tiempo».
En su declaración, las agencias reafirmaron su compromiso de utilizar decididamente todas las leyes de derechos civiles aplicables, incluido el Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, para promover la justicia medioambiental y trabajar activamente con los gobiernos estatales, territoriales y locales y todas las demás entidades que reciben fondos federales para garantizar el cumplimiento de estas importantes leyes. La declaración conjunta también recuerda a los destinatarios que las obligaciones de derechos civiles son independientes y distintas de las demás obligaciones de los destinatarios, incluidas las obligaciones de cumplir con las leyes medioambientales federales, estatales, territoriales y locales. Puede encontrar información adicional sobre el trabajo de la División de Derechos Civiles para defender y proteger los derechos civiles en línea en justice.gov/crt. Las quejas sobre prácticas discriminatorias pueden notificarse a la División de Derechos Civiles a través de su portal de notificación en Internet en civilrights.justice.gov.
Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeren Danielle Canterbury, 34, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2023, Canterbury sold approximately 27.84 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $230 in Nitro. Canterbury admitted to that transaction and to selling approximately 111.46 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant for $800 in Charleston on March 15, 2023.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-138.
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Champaign Woman Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on May 3, 2024, against Malaia A. Turner, 35, of the 2600th block of West Springfield Avenue, Champaign, Illinois, for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Sentencing for Turner has been scheduled on September 23, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
Over four days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Turner had conspired with several others to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine ice from suppliers in Illinois and California and transport those drugs to the Central District of Illinois. Members of the conspiracy, including Turner, then distributed the methamphetamine ice they had obtained to others for a profit in Illinois, including to customers in Champaign, Coles, and Edgar Counties.
Turner has been in the custody of the United States Marshal Service since her arrest in August 2022. At sentencing, Turner faces statutory penalties of ten years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $10 million, and not less than a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from custody.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Illinois State Police’s East Central Illinois Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel E. Ritzer and Timothy J. Sullivan represented the government at trial.
This case is 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.
Cedar Falls Office Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
A Cedar Falls office manager who stole approximately $250,000 in a two-year period was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to over two years in federal prison. Teresa Mae Chiappone, formerly known as Teresa Mae Combs, Teresa Mae Hughes, and Teresa Mae King, age 57, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 19, 2023 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
At the guilty plea and sentencing hearings, Chiappone admitted she had worked as the office manager for a Cedar Falls small business since 2014. Between September 2020 and September 2022, Chiappone embezzled approximately $250,000 from the small business. Chiappone abused her position of trust at the small business to write over $160,000 in unauthorized checks drawn on the small business’s bank account for her own benefit. Chiappone also intercepted at least $50,000 in cash deposits, and she made no less than $3,000 in unauthorized credit card charges. Chiappone gambled away thousands of the small business’s moneys at Iowa casinos. As a result of the fraud, the small business had to take out a loan to cover its losses, contract with a local accounting firm to conduct a forensic audit, and max out its line of credit at a local bank.
Chiappone was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Chiappone was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment and fined $1,000. She was ordered to make $255,639.16 in restitution to the victim and its insurance company. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Chiappone was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Cedar Falls Police Department assisted in the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-2047.
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Camp Administrators Reminded to Comply with the Disabilities Act This SummerRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - To help ensure that children with disabilities receive the opportunity to attend summer camp, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio recently notified numerous summer camps in the region to remind them of their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). The U.S. Attorney’s Office serves the 40 northern counties of Ohio from offices located in Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, and Youngstown.
Under the ADA, summer camps, both private and those run by municipalities, must make reasonable modifications to enable campers with disabilities to participate fully in all camp programs and activities. This means that children with disabilities are entitled to attend and participate in any camp or activity that non-disabled children attend, that camps must evaluate each child on an individual basis, and that camps must train their staff to ensure that they understand the ADA’s requirements. Camps are also obligated to pay for the cost of any reasonable modifications necessary for disabled children to participate in camp activities. Parents should not be charged any additional fee beyond standard camp enrollment costs.
“Summer camps are a wonderful way to allow children to explore their interests, discover their strengths, build confidence in their abilities, and become part of a community,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Camp administrators in our district must afford these opportunities equally to all children, regardless of whether they have a disability, and must take the steps necessary to accommodate a disability-based need when that can be reasonably accomplished. Our district is committed to the fair and just enforcement of the ADA, and we are proud to play a pivotal role in ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access and opportunities to participate fully in our community.”
Additional information about the ADA is available at www.ada.gov, or by contacting the ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY). You may contact the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio regarding ADA issues at 216-622-3600 or [email protected].
Boston Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Unlawful Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.
Tyreek Hall, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2023, Hall pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
In or around June 2022, Hall posed on social media with a gun. At the time of the social media post, Hall had been on parole for one week, after early release for a state conviction of assault with a dangerous weapon (a firearm). Hall is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction. On June 9, 2022, Hall was found in possession of a 9x19mm caliber privately made Glock-style semi-automatic pistol, bearing no manufacturer serial number (commonly known as a “ghost gun”), and eight rounds of ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Dawley and Fred Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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.
Berkeley County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Derrick Dwayne Myers, age 46, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 150 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Myers was selling controlled substances from a motel in Martinsburg. Investigators searched several rooms at the motel and Myers's vehicle. During the searches they located and seized fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, eutylone, and cash.
Myers will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Theft CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jennifer Douglas, 48, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to theft from federal programs.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, Douglas was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Citizens Conservation Corp (CCC), a non-profit organization, when it obtained $111,221.09 from the United States Department of Interior National Park Service (NPS). As part of a cooperative agreement with NPS, CCC was supposed to use the funds it obtained to recruit, hire, place, and pay two interns who would perform work at the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation for 13 months.
Douglas admitted that CCC did not hire or place an intern under the task agreement for which it received the federal funds, most of which was to be used for intern wages. Douglas instead directed an accountant to draw down $108,752.60 of the obligated federal funds and intentionally misapplied those funds, by fraudulently converting them to CCC’s use. Douglas admitted that she directed that the federal funds be used for unallowable operating expenses for CCC. Douglas further admitted that she did so with the approval of and at the direction of CCC Chief Executive Officer Robert Martin.
Douglas ran CCC’s day-to-day operations as COO and was responsible for managing its various departments. All department heads reported to Douglas, and she reported only to Martin. CCC’s primary source of income from in or around 1998 until in or around the summer of 2018 had been a multimillion-dollar contract with the State of West Virginia to operate the Courtesy Patrol roadside assistance service. CCC lost the Courtesy Patrol contract in the summer of 2018.
Douglas admitted that she was aware that CCC was extremely financially unstable after CCC lost the Courtesy Patrol contract. Douglas further admitted that her position as COO gave her, in conjunction with and at the direction of Martin, the ability to fraudulently convert and intentionally misapply the federal funds for CCC’s use. Douglas also admitted that, at Martin’s direction, she drew down approximately $59,978.13 from other incomplete task agreements under the cooperative agreement with NPS and intentionally misapplied and/or fraudulently converted those funds as well.
Douglas is scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Douglas also owes $168,729.13 in restitution.
Martin, 67, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on January 12, 2024, to fraudulent receipt of property from a debtor. Martin admitted to paying himself without authorization while CEO of CCC after it filed for bankruptcy on April 3, 2019. Martin further admitted that CCC knowingly misspent the $108,752.60 received from NPS under the cooperative agreement. Martin awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Interior-Office of Inspector General (DOI-OIG).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Andrew D. Isabell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-141.
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Bangor Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Toman Caudill, 31, to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Caudill pleaded guilty January 17, 2024.
According to court records, in September 2023, officers with the Bangor Police Department responded to a report that a male had fired a handgun in a residential area. A bystander directed officers to Caudill, and he was taken into custody when officers found a box of 9mm ammunition in his backpack. Further investigation revealed that Caudill had discharged a Ruger 9mm pistol and then handed the firearm to his fiancée as officers approached. Caudill stated that he had fired the gun due to an altercation with another male. The Ruger 9mm pistol was recovered and seized, as was the ammunition from Caudill’s backpack.
Caudill is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions.
The Bangor Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
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Attorney General Merrick Garland Visits the Western District of North CarolinaRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King was honored to host U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for a visit to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina (WDNC). AG Garland was accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
Earlier today, AG Garland delivered remarks at the memorial service for slain Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas M. “Tommy” Weeks Jr., who was fatally shot by a wanted fugitive on April 29.
During their visit to WDNC, AG Garland and Deputy AG Monaco met with U.S. Attorney King, her leadership team, as well as prosecutors and professional staff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In his remarks to the Office, AG Garland discussed Department of Justice priorities, and thanked everyone for their service, dedication and hard work to uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights, and enhance public safety. AG Garland and Deputy AG Monaco fielded questions from the Office about efforts to support Assistant U.S. Attorneys and personnel to pursue significant cases for prosecution and address public safety challenges
“I was incredibly honored to host AG Garland and Deputy AG Monaco,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The last few days have been incredibly difficult for our Office and we all welcomed AG Garland’s words of support and encouragement. As public servants, we remain steadfast in our mission to protect those we serve and advance the cause of justice for communities across the Western District of North Carolina.”
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and important programs and initiatives please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc.
Associate of Violent Gang Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the violent Boston gang Cameron Street was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking.
Michael Lopes, a/k/a “Meech,” 35, of Pawtucket, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 57 months in prison followed by three years supervised release. In February 2024, Lopes pleaded guilty to a one-count Superseding Information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base and methamphetamine.
During a two-year long investigation into Cameron Street, it was determined that Lopes allegedly conspired with his cousin Anthony Centeio – the alleged leader of Cameron Street – and others to distribute cocaine, cocaine base and methamphetamine. Lopes and, allegedly, Centeio made several sales of cocaine and cocaine base to a cooperating witness in Boston, Braintree and Pawtucket, R.I. A search of Lopes’ Rhode Island residence in April 2022 resulted in the recovery of approximately 174 grams of cocaine base, 215 grams of cocaine and 180 grams of methamphetamine, packaging materials and $2,342 in cash.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Antrim Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Faking a Disability to Illegally Obtain over $660,000 in Veterans BenefitsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Antrim man was sentenced today in federal court for faking a mobility impairment to obtain $662,871.77 in veteran’s disability benefits that he was not entitled to, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Christopher Stultz, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante to 18 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Stultz was also ordered to pay $662,871.77 in restitution. On January 25, 2024, Stultz pleaded guilty to making false statements.
“This is one of the most egregious benefits fraud cases ever prosecuted in this state,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “The defendant lied to the VA for 20 years to obtain disability benefits he was not entitled to. He stole not only from taxpayers, but also his fellow veterans who were entitled to the benefits. Today’s sentence shows that the consequence of stealing from programs that support our veterans is federal prison.”
“Today’s sentencing holds this defendant accountable for faking injuries that resulted in him receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in VA disability compensation that he did not deserve,” said Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG is committed to investigating anyone who exploits these critical programs for financial gain.”
Stultz joined the U.S. Navy in 1995 and was injured the following year after falling off a horse. He performed light duties afterward and was discharged in 1999. He was initially rated as partly disabled by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), but in 2003 began falsely claiming that he could no longer use both his feet. Based on that claim, the VA rated the defendant as 100% disabled, increasing his monthly benefits. In addition, because the VA believed Stultz was unable to use his feet, he was also awarded almost $190,000 in funding through the VA’s Automobile Adaptive Equipment program to purchase special cars and vehicle adaptations designed to help mobility-impaired veterans. Stultz never used the special cars and instead sold them for cash.
After a concerned citizen reported potential fraud, Stultz was surveilled on multiple occasions and recorded walking without impairment. For example, on October 28, 2021, Stultz went to the VA Medical Center in Jamaica Plain in Boston. He used a wheelchair while inside the VA facility. After leaving the VA, he stood up, lifted the wheelchair into his car, and drove off to a shopping mall. There, Stultz walked without impairment through multiple stores. Similarly, on October 3, 2022, Stultz went to the VA Medical Center in Manchester. Again, he used a wheelchair while inside the VA facility. After leaving the VA facility, Stultz drove to the Mall of New Hampshire and was recorded walking without impairment through multiple stores. In addition, multiple witnesses reported that they had never known Stultz to use a wheelchair or other ambulatory devices as far back as the early 2000s.
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
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5개 연방 부처가 법무부에 합류하여 시민권법 수호 및 환경 정의 증진을 위한 공동의 약속을 재확인합니다Read the Press Release
법무부 시민권 부서와 보건복지부(HHS) 민권국, 교통부(DOT) 민권국, 환경보호청(EPA) 대외시민권준수국, 국토안보부(DHS) 시민권 및 시민자유국, 주택도시개발부(HUD) 공정주택 및 기회균등국은 오늘 미국 전역 공동체에서 시민권법을 준수하고 환경 정의를 증진하기 위한 공동의 의지를 재확인했습니다.
법무부 시민권국의 크리스틴 클라크(Kristen Clarke) 법무부 차관보가 전하는 말입니다. "법무부는 미국의 환경 인종차별과 유색인종 공동체에 대한 투자 부족 같은 과거의 행동을 해결하고자 연방 시민권법의 온전한 집행에 최선을 다하고 있습니다." "2021년부터 우리는 연방 정부 전반에 걸쳐 이러한 중요한 집행 노력을 조정하기 위해 더욱 노력해 왔으며, 수혜자들이 수십억 달러의 새로운 인프라 보조금을 활용할 수 있게 된 것과 같이 앞으로도 계속 노력을 기울일 것입니다. 우리는 우리나라의 환경 정의를 위한 지속적인 투쟁에서 범정부적인 접근 방식을 계속 추진할 것입니다."
"환경 보호국은 수십 년 동안 EPA의 발전으로 인한 혜택을 충분히 받지 못한 전국의 공동체를 위해 정의, 형평성, 시민권을 통합하는 데 사명을 집중하고 있습니다. EPA의 환경 정의 및 외부 시민권 사무소의 프로그램 이행 담당 부차관보 마리안 엥겔만-라도(Marianne Engelman-Lado)가 전하는 말입니다. "우리는 환경 불의를 해결하기 위해 시민권을 집행하는 데 전념하고 있습니다." "시민권을 전략 계획과 일상 업무의 구조에 통합하는 것부터, 이 중요한 업무를 위한 자금과 인력을 늘리는 것까지, EPA는 계속해서 시민권 집행 프로그램을 강화할 것입니다."
HHS 민권국의 멜라니 폰테스 레이너(Melanie Fontes Rainer) 국장이 전하는 말입니다. "환경 정의는 공중 보건 문제이며, 우리의 민권법은 인종이나 사는 곳과 관계없이 모든 공동체의 환경 위험으로부터의 안전 및 자유를 보장해야 합니다." "안타깝게도 유색인종 커뮤니티는 역사적으로 환경적 불의의 대상이 되어 왔으며, 차별이 없도록 법을 집행하는 연방 정부의 전폭적인 관심을 받을 자격이 있습니다."
교통부 민권국의 아이린 매리언(Irene Marion) 국장이 전하는 말입니다. "교통은 사람과 물품을 이동하는 것 외에도 개인 및 환경 보건에 중요한 역할을 합니다." "우리나라의 교통 인프라는 공유 자산이지만, 역사적으로 모든 공동체가 그 장점과 혜택을 충분히 누리지 못했습니다. 교통부는 안전하고 효율적이며 모두가 이용할 수 있는 교통 시스템을 보장하기 위해 권한과 자원을 활용하여 이 과정을 바로잡기 위해 최선을 다하고 있습니다."
DHS 민권 및 시민 자유 사무소의 쇼바 시바프라사드 와디아(Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia) 담당관이 전하는 말입니다. "환경 정의의 진전은 교육, 기술 지원, 오랜 민권법의 강력한 집행을 통해 이루어질 수 있습니다." "우리는 환경 정의를 실현하기 위해 수혜자 및 공동체와 협력하기 위해 최선을 다하고 있습니다."
HUD의 공정 주택 및 기회 균등 사무국의 수석 차관보 데메트리아 맥케인(Demetria McCain)이 전하는 말입니다. "주택도시개발부는 환경 정의를 증진하는 공정 주택 및 민권법을 시행하여 모든 이웃과 공동체가 건강하고 안전하며 주민들이 번영할 수 있는 회복력이 좋은 곳이 되도록 최선을 다하고 있습니다." "보호받는 계층이 불균형적으로 환경적 위험 부담을 너무 오랫동안 짊어져서는 안 됩니다."
이 성명서에서 기관들은 1964년 시민권법 제6조를 포함한 모든 관련 시민권법을 적극적으로 활용하여 환경 정의를 증진하고 주, 영토, 지방 정부 및 연방 기금을 받는 기타 모든 기관과 적극적으로 협력하여 이러한 중요한 법률을 준수하겠다는 약속을 재확인했습니다. 또한 공동 성명서는 시민권 의무가 연방, 주, 자치지역 및 지역 환경법 준수 의무를 포함하여 수혜자의 다른 의무와는 별도이며 분명하게 구분되는 의무라는 점을 상기시킵니다. 시민권을 유지하고 보호하기 위한 시민권 부서의 업무에 대한 자세한 정보는 다음 링크에서 확인할 수 있습니다: justice.gov/crt. 차별적 관행에 대한 불만은 다음 인터넷 신고 포털을 통해 시민권 부서에 신고할 수 있습니다: civilrights.justice.gov.
2 defendants sentenced to prison for aiding & abetting armed robberies of mail carriersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Columbus men were sentenced in U.S. District Court for their roles in aiding the armed robberies of postal carriers.
Cody N. Beasley, 23, also known as “Drose,” was sentenced in federal court today to 76 months in prison. Kenan M. Lay, 21, also known as “Swerv,” was sentenced on April 19 to 66 months in prison.
“These sentences illustrate that we will continue to take seriously offenses committed against postal carriers. Even if you are not the person holding the gun or directly committing the robbery, we will hold you accountable for your role in the crime and work to ensure that you face time in federal prison like Beasley and Lay. Trust me, serving any amount of time in prison is just not worth it.” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
According to Lay’s court documents, on May 11, 2023, Lay provided the 9mm handgun used in the armed robbery of an elderly female postal worker at a post office on West Broad Street. Coconspirators paid Lay $100 for the use of his gun and kept Lay updated on the progress of the crime. Lay’s gun was used to pistol-whip the female postal worker in the head.
According to Beasley’s court documents, on April 4 at 3:20pm, two coconspirators robbed at gunpoint a USPS letter carrier who was sitting in his work vehicle on Sawmill Road in Dublin. Beasley directed the April 4 armed robbery and paid the coconspirators $500 for committing the robbery as planned.
Beasley also admitted to stealing a postal key in March 2023 in the Cleveland area. He and a coconspirator were stopped for a traffic violation in Parma Heights and fled from law enforcement. Officers eventually detained the men and searched the vehicle they had been using, discovering a black trash bag with numerous pieces of mail that had not yet been postmarked. A cell phone search also revealed pictures of stolen checks and research about 38 Post Offices and blue USPS collection boxes in Cleveland. While Beasley and the coconspirator were detained in jail together for the crimes in the Northern District of Ohio, Beasley began planning for the new postal robbery in Dublin.
Beasley and Lay are two of seven total defendants charged in their cases. More than a dozen other defendants have been charged in the Southern District of Ohio in the past two years with crimes related to postal robberies.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; announced the sentences imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley and U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Noah R. Litton and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in Beasley’s case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Litton is also prosecuting Lay’s case.
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5 May 2024
Justice Department Strengthens Efforts, Builds Partnerships to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – The Justice Department joins its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities, in recognizing May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day.
In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities.
“There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.”
“For too long, our Missing and Murdered Indigenous victims were unseen by policymakers and law enforcement, but our office is committed to doing better to ensure that the lives of these victims and their families remain visible as we work to improve the federal response to these cases, “said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “We are steadfast in our commitment to holding accountable those who are perpetrating violence in our Tribal communities.”
“The FBI remains unwavering in our pledge to work with our law enforcement partners to address the violence that has disproportionately harmed Tribal communities and families,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to prioritize our support of victims and will steadfastly pursue investigations into the crime impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”
“DEA’s top priority is protecting all communities from deadly drugs, like fentanyl, and drug related violent crime,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “We know that no community has been spared from these deadly threats and we are committed to keeping Tribal communities safe.”
Justice Department Prioritization of MMIP Cases
Last July, the Justice Department announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions.
The MMIP Regional Outreach Program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022.
Not Invisible Act Commission Response
The Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort. In March, the Departments of Justice and the Interior released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The NIAC response, announced by Attorney General Garland during a visit to the Crow Nation, recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States.
Addressing Violent Crime and the Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country
As noted in the joint response to the NIAC, research suggests that certain public safety challenges faced by many American Indian and Alaska Native communities—including disproportionate violence against women, families, and children; substance abuse; drug trafficking; and labor and sex trafficking—can influence the rates of missing AI/AN persons.
Further, fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths are the leading cause of opioid deaths throughout the United States, including Indian county, where drug-related overdose death rates for Native Americans exceeds the national rate.
Therefore, federal law enforcement components are ramping up efforts to forge stronger partnerships with federal and Tribal law enforcement partners to address violent crime and the fentanyl crisis, which exposes already vulnerable communities to greater harm.
Accessing Department of Justice Resources
Over the past year, the Department awarded $268 million in grants to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have also gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities.
For additional information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website.
If you or someone you know has information about missing or murdered Indigenous persons in Michigan, please contact the FBI Detroit Field Office by calling (313) 965-2323, or click here for more information about reporting or identifying missing persons.
If you have questions about the MMIP program, please contact the Great Lakes Regional MMIP program coordinator Joel Postma by calling 616-808-2113
4 May 2024
United States Attorney’s Office Joins in Recognizing Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness DayRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced today that she will join with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal leaders in recognizing May 5, 2024, as Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. In doing so, U.S. Attorney Waldref called on all citizens and residents in Eastern Washington to support Tribal governments and Tribal communities’ efforts to increase awareness of missing or murdered Indigenous people.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington fully supports efforts to reduce violence and bring awareness to this important issue. As part of our efforts in this important cause, the Eastern District recently welcomed Bree R. Blackhorse as an Assistant United States Attorney dedicated to prosecuting cases involving Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), in connection with the Justice Department’s MMIP regional program. AUSA Black Horse will work out of our Yakima Office, but she will serve throughout the Northwest Region – including in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and California.
In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities.
“There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.”
“Today is set aside to recognize and increase awareness of missing or murdered Indigenous people. To address this crisis, every day we are committed to reducing violence on Native American reservations, achieving justice on behalf of victims, and supporting members of our Tribal communities overcome centuries of generational trauma, impacted by violence and displacement,
,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. Consistent with this increased focus, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern Washington continues to work diligently to support Native American communities and address the root causes of the MMIP crisis.
In July of 2023, for example, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref–alongside co-hosts from the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), the Office of Environmental Justice, and the Office of Tribal Justice – hosted Tribes from across the Northwest Region of the United States at a joint federal and Tribal Summit in Spokane, Washington focused on defending and strengthening Tribal homelands, climate adaptation, resilience and environmental justice. The purpose of the summit was to work with Tribal governments and other federal agencies to find “ways to address and incorporate Tribal concerns into the Department’s enforcement work.”
In October 2023, First Assistant Richard Baker met with the representatives of the Colville Trial Court, Prosecutor, Public Defender, Probation and Public Health Departments to discuss the MMIP Regional Program and public safety on the Colville Reservation.
In November 2023, U.S. Attorney Waldref and her First Assistant, Richard Barker, joined Federal, State, and Tribal law enforcement, community leaders, other stakeholders, and victims at the Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force’s Second Annual Summit. During the Summit, U.S. Attorney Waldref addressed the group and provided an update on federal efforts to address the MMIP crisis.
U.S. Attorney Waldref testified in December 2023 before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about the growing fentanyl crisis in Native Communities, which is an underlying cause of the MMIP crisis. When asked during the hearing about examples of success in combating the fentanyl crisis in Native communities, U.S. Attorney Waldref highlighted a case where more than 100 pounds of illegal drugs, including 161,000 fentanyl-laced pills were seized. A significant portion of the drugs seized were believed to be destined for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, as well as for other Native American communities and surrounding areas in Washington and Montana.
Also in December 2023, U.S. Attorney Waldref, First Assistant Barker, Branch Manager Tom Hanlon, and AUSA Black Horse attended the ribbon cutting for a new Multi-Purpose Justice Center on the Yakama Nation. The center is the result of an incredible vision by the Yakama Nation for a consolidated facility that combines all the criminal justice programs at a single location. In 2019, The Department of Justice contributed funds to help make the vision a reality.
In January 2024, U.S. Attorney Waldref, alongside members of her office, and members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, met with Spokane Tribal communities regarding the dangers of Fentanyl.
In March 2024, U.S. Attorney Waldref and First Assistant Barker met with representatives and students at Whitman College for a round table discussion regarding MMIP and Fentanyl Awareness.
“I am grateful for the strong partnerships we have with the incredible leaders and community stakeholders from the tribes in the Eastern District of Washington. My office will continue to address the root causes underlying the MMIP crisis: fentanyl, domestic violence, child abuse, illegal possession and use of firearms, illegal narcotics, and human trafficking,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “The appointment of an Assistant United States Attorney dedicated to prosecuting MMIP cases in the Northwest Region, demonstrates the DOJ’s commitment to bring justice for the victims of this crisis and ensuring the safety and security of all indigenous people in the Northwest.”
“FBI Seattle is not only committed to building relationships with the 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington state, but also with our other law enforcement and community partners,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “When the FBI is called to investigate an MMIP case, we want to ensure trust with the community is already established so people feel comfortable providing us the information we need to bring justice for the victims. While every case is different, the one characteristic is always true: every victim leaves a space in that community which cannot be filled. They have friends and family who want them to come home safely, and their community wants accountability. We recognize the process can be lengthy and frustrating, but we assure everyone we serve the FBI and our partners are doing everything we can, and we will never stop pursuing justice for victims, no matter how long it takes.”
Representative examples of MMIP cases prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office include the following:
- October 2018 homicide of Yakama Tribal member Rosenda Strong. 5 defendants were charged with crimes ranging from accessory after the fact, murder, and kidnapping resulting in death.
- October 2022 double murder on the Colville Indian Reservation involving enrolled members of the Coville and Kalispel tribe. Following the murder, the suspected attempted to kill a federal officer.
- October 2022 indictment of Steven Zacherle for a murder of a member of the Colville Tribe. Zacherle also allegedly harassed, threatened and assaulted his domestic partner before and after the murder.
- June 29, 2023 sentencing of Andre Pierre Picard to 5 years in prison for selling drugs linked to an overdose death of a woman on the Colville Indian Reservation
- September 2023 sentencing of Dylan Swan for kidnapping, robbery and shooting of multiple Tribal members on the Colville Indian Reservation and in Spokane, Washington.
- March 27, 2024 sentencing of Sundron Larsell Miller and Paula Eulojia Cantu-Lopez to decades in federal prison for violent carjacking and assault on the Yakama Nation.
- April 2, 2024 sentencing of Silaz Elijah James to 20 years in Federal Prison for a murder and assault in Toppenish, Washington.
- April 9, 2024 guilty verdict of 40-year-old Marvin Samson Butterfly. Butterfly was found guilty of assaulting and suffocating his partner, as well as Attempted Witness Tampering.
If you or someone you know has information about a missing or murdered Indigenous person, please contact the FBI Seattle Field Office by calling (206) 622-0460 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat the MMIP crisis, click here.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
3 May 2024
Yvette Wang Pleads Guilty to over $1 Billion Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Yvette Wang played a leadership role in a broad and complex scheme to defraud thousands. Through false promises and lies, this scheme collected more than $1 billion from innocent victims located throughout the country and the world. Wang inflicted pain and loss on so many, and she will now be held to account for the harm she and others caused. I want to thank our partners in the FBI and the career prosecutors of this Office for their persistent work investigating and prosecuting this pernicious scheme.”
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WANG, 45, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which together carry a maximum term of 10 years in prison. As part of her guilty plea, WANG agreed to pay restitution of $1,400,000,000 and to forfeit $1,400,000,000 to the United States.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. WANG will be sentenced on September 10, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Micah F. Fergenson, Ryan B. Finkel, Justin Horton, and Juliana N. Murray are in charge of the prosecution.
West Virginia Ambulance Services Business Owner Convicted of Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Beckley, West Virginia, convicted a man yesterday for failing to pay the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated and for obstructing the IRS.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through part of 2017, Christopher Jason Smyth operated Stat EMS LLC, an ambulance service located in Pineville, West Virginia. Smyth created Stat EMS after a previous ambulance business Smyth operated accrued millions of dollars of employment tax liabilities and filed for bankruptcy. Smyth caused Stat EMS to be founded in the name of a nominee owner but continued operating the business in the same manner as before.
At Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them to the IRS. For two quarters in 2016, Smyth, however, did not fully pay the taxes to the IRS. Instead, he paid various personal expenses and transferred funds to businesses held by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accrued approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.
Eventually, the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect those from him. When interviewed by an IRS revenue officer attempting to collect Smyth’s unpaid tax debts, Smyth stated that he had no personal bank accounts and denied that he used anyone else’s. In reality, however, he regularly deposited his paychecks into an account in a relative’s name. He also attempted to mislead the revenue officer by representing that he had nothing to do with several other businesses, even though he had signature authority over their bank accounts.
The jury found Smyth guilty of two counts of failing to pay over taxes for two quarters in 2016 and one count of obstructing the IRS related to its efforts to collect the unpaid taxes from Smyth. It found Smyth not guilty on the failure to pay over taxes counts related to two quarters in 2017. Smyth is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4 and faces up to up to five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count and three years in prison for obstructing the IRS. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson, Trial Attorneys Kavitha Bondada and Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Goes for the Southern District of West Virginia, prosecuted the case.
West Virginia Ambulance Services Business Owner Convicted of Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Christopher Jason Smyth, 48, of Pineville, on Thursday, May 2, 2024, for failing to pay the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated and for obstructing the IRS.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through part of 2017, Smyth operated Stat EMS, LLC, an ambulance service located in Pineville, West Virginia. Smyth created Stat EMS after a previous ambulance business Smyth operated accrued millions of dollars of employment tax liabilities and filed for bankruptcy. Smyth caused Stat EMS to be founded in the name of a nominee owner but continued operating the business in the same manner as before.
At Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them to the IRS. For two quarters in 2016, Smyth, however, did not fully pay the taxes to the IRS. Instead, he paid various personal expenses and transferred funds to businesses held by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accrued approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.
Eventually, the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect those from him. When interviewed by an IRS revenue officer attempting to collect Smyth’s unpaid tax debts, Smyth stated that he had no personal bank accounts and denied that he used anyone else’s. In reality, however, he regularly deposited his paychecks into an account in a relative’s name. He also attempted to mislead the revenue officer by representing that he had nothing to do with several other businesses, even though he had signature authority over their bank accounts.
The jury found Smyth guilty of two counts of failing to pay over taxes for two quarters in 2016 and one count of obstructing the IRS related to its efforts to collect the unpaid taxes from Smyth. It found Smyth not guilty on the failure to pay over taxes counts related to two quarters in 2017. Smyth is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4 and faces up to up to five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count and three years in prison for obstructing the IRS. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson, and Trial Attorneys Kavitha Bondada and Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Goes of the Southern District of West Virginia, prosecuted the case.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-182.
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West Virginia Ambulance Services Business Owner Convicted of Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Christopher Jason Smyth, 48, of Pineville, on Thursday, May 2, 2024, for failing to pay the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated and for obstructing the IRS.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through part of 2017, Smyth operated Stat EMS, LLC, an ambulance service located in Pineville, West Virginia. Smyth created Stat EMS after a previous ambulance business Smyth operated accrued millions of dollars of employment tax liabilities and filed for bankruptcy. Smyth caused Stat EMS to be founded in the name of a nominee owner but continued operating the business in the same manner as before.
At Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them to the IRS. For two quarters in 2016, Smyth, however, did not fully pay the taxes to the IRS. Instead, he paid various personal expenses and transferred funds to businesses held by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accrued approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.
Eventually, the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect those from him. When interviewed by an IRS revenue officer attempting to collect Smyth’s unpaid tax debts, Smyth stated that he had no personal bank accounts and denied that he used anyone else’s. In reality, however, he regularly deposited his paychecks into an account in a relative’s name. He also attempted to mislead the revenue officer by representing that he had nothing to do with several other businesses, even though he had signature authority over their bank accounts.
The jury found Smyth guilty of two counts of failing to pay over taxes for two quarters in 2016 and one count of obstructing the IRS related to its efforts to collect the unpaid taxes from Smyth. It found Smyth not guilty on the failure to pay over taxes counts related to two quarters in 2017. Smyth is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4 and faces up to up to five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count and three years in prison for obstructing the IRS. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson, and Trial Attorneys Kavitha Bondada and Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Goes of the Southern District of West Virginia, prosecuted the case.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-182.
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Violent criminals sentenced to federal prison for 2020 crime spreeRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – Three men were sentenced yesterday by Judge Jeremy Kernodle to federal prison for violent crimes committed in Grayson and Tarrant Counties, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
According to information presented in court, on Oct. 3, 2020, Brian Deboris Black, 33, Jason Von Brown, 44, and Kenneth Holt, 44, robbed a Dollar General store in Tom Bean, Texas. During the robbery, Black brandished a firearm and threatened to kill the three employees in the store if they did not comply with his demands. As Black exited the store, he pointed the firearm at individuals standing outside the door of the convenience store, threatening to shoot them as well.
On Oct. 13, 2020, Black and Brown committed a home invasion robbery in Mansfield, Texas. They entered the home at gunpoint, kidnapped three family members and restrained them with zip ties, and demanded money while threatening to kill them if they did not comply. Black shot the homeowners’ son in the stomach and his right arm after he was able to free himself from the zip ties. The victim, who testified at trial, survived the shooting but sustained permanent injuries. During the investigation, it was determined that Brandol Abram, 42, orchestrated the entire home invasion based on his belief that the family was in possession of $10 million at their residence.
Black proceeded to trial on May 16, 2023. Co-defendant testimony, DNA, home security video, and cell phone analysis were instrumental in securing Black’s conviction for robbery, carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and kidnapping. Black was sentenced to 489 months.
Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and aiding and abetting and was sentenced to 180 months.
Abram pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and aiding and abetting and was sentenced to 200 months.
Holt pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to rob the Dollar General and was sentenced to 96 months on October 25, 2022.
Restitution was ordered to be paid to the victims of the offenses.
“The commission of violent crimes such as these—threatening, shooting, and injuring innocent people will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Diggs. “The sentences that these defendants received demonstrates that justice for the victims was served and our communities will be safer as a result. Black, who was the most violent member of the crew, effectively received a life sentence and ensures that he will no longer be a threat to society.”
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Sherman Resident Agency, Tom Bean Police Department, Whitewright Police Department, Sherman Police Department, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey M. Batson and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez.
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U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar Charged with Bribery and Acting as a Foreign AgentRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas charging U.S. Congressman Enrique Roberto “Henry” Cuellar, 68, and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, 67, both of Laredo, Texas, with participating in two schemes involving bribery, unlawful foreign influence, and money laundering. Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar made their initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo in Houston.
According to court documents, beginning in at least December 2014 and continuing through at least November 2021, Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar allegedly accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: an oil and gas company wholly owned and controlled by the Government of Azerbaijan, and a bank headquartered in Mexico City. The bribe payments were allegedly laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, who performed little to no legitimate work under the contracts. In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan. In exchange for the bribes paid by the Mexican bank, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence legislative activity and to advise and pressure high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials regarding measures beneficial to the bank.
Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar are each charged with the following offenses, and if convicted, face maximum penalties as indicated: two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal official and to have a public official act as an agent of a foreign principal required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), five years imprisonment on each count; two counts of bribery of a federal official, 15 years imprisonment on each count; two counts of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, 20 years imprisonment on each count; two counts of violating the ban on public officials acting as agents of a foreign principal required to register under FARA, two years imprisonment on each count; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, 20 years imprisonment; and five counts of money laundering, 20 years imprisonment on each count.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Deputy Assistant Inspector General Jason Loeffler and Special Agent in Charge Chris Hileman of the Department of State Office of Inspector General (DOS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and DOS-OIG investigated the case.
Acting Deputy Chief Marco A. Palmieri, Acting Deputy Chief Rosaleen O’Gara, and Trial Attorney Celia Choy of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Collection and Enforcement Efforts Exceed $65 Million in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – United States Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV announced today that, in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky collected more than $42 million for crime victims and taxpayers, and obtained civil settlements totaling more than $23 million through its affirmative civil enforcement efforts.
“Our office remains dedicated to pursuing restitution for victims of crime, recovering illegally obtained funds, and protecting taxpayer dollars from fraud, waste, and abuse,” said United States Attorney Shier. “These collection and enforcement numbers demonstrate that commitment. I want to commend the dedicated personnel in our Office, for their persistent efforts to protect our citizens and safeguard the public fisc.”
In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collected $29,691,324 through its Financial Litigation Program. This Program is responsible for collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States, and criminal restitution debts owed to federal crime victims who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While criminal restitution is paid to victims, criminal fines and assessments are paid to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, due to successful asset forfeitures in fiscal year 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office secured $10,755,308 for federal law enforcement efforts, shared $2,140,829 with state and local law enforcement agencies, and restored $1,129,515 to crime victims. In asset forfeiture actions, the United States seizes money and property that were proceeds of crime or used in furtherance of a crime. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund are used for a variety of law enforcement purposes. Funds shared with state and local agencies reflect the degree of their participation in law enforcement efforts resulting in forfeiture. When money or property is forfeited by a defendant who also owes restitution, the Office can ask that the value of the forfeited property be paid to the victim to make him or her whole.
The Office’s Civil Division also protects the interests of the United States in cases involving property on which the government holds a lien. In fiscal year 2023, the Office collected $1,185,624 on behalf of taxpayers in such cases.
Finally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement program obtained civil settlements valued at $23,460,815. Over $4.4 million of this amount represents civil penalties paid by healthcare providers who violated the Controlled Substances Act, a federal law that aims to protect the public’s health and safety from dangers posed by highly addictive or dangerous controlled substances that are diverted into the illicit market. The remainder of these settlements – exceeding $19 million – were obtained through enforcement of the False Claims Act, which is a federal law that imposes treble damages and penalties on those who knowingly and falsely claim money from the United States. The False Claims Act thus serves to safeguard government programs that provide health insurance, support American businesses and workers, offer disaster and other emergency relief, and provide many other critical services and benefits. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s False Claims Act recoveries contributed to a record-breaking year for the Department of Justice, which had its highest number of False Claims Act settlements and judgments in a single year, exceeding $2.68 billion.
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