District of Arizona

ARIZONA – In recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein met with the Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Katherine Sullivan and other senior Justice officials today to discuss the Violence Against Women Act’s (VAWA) essential focus on criminal justice responses to domestic violence.  Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein also announced new OVW funding for the department’s Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) program. 

     “There is no place in our society for domestic violence, and holding perpetrators accountable and providing services to victims is a critical part of the Department’s response,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “During this National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I encourage law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other criminal justice professionals to speak out about domestic violence and redouble efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.  I am especially pleased to announce new funding to support four new Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, whose collaboration across the tribal and federal jurisdictional landscape is a model for effective prosecution of violence against women.”

     OVW’s Tribal SAUSA Program is another Department initiative supporting innovative prosecutorial collaborations.  Tribal SAUSAs bring cases in both tribal and federal courts, and help ensure that tribal and federal authorities provide a seamless response in cases prosecuted under their jurisdiction.  In OVW’s pilot project, Tribal SAUSAs reported a wide range of successes, including prosecution of cases that otherwise may not have been brought.

     Today, OVW announced a new Tribal SAUSA Program award of $437,500 to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

     “We applaud Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community for the well-deserved recognition and funding for its new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney program,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange.  “Tribal SAUSAs play a crucial role in our office’s efforts to combat and prosecute violent crime.  Unfortunately, domestic violence is a prevalent problem, and this new position funded by DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women will allow us to expand our efforts to protect victims and bring their offenders to justice.  We look forward to strengthening our criminal justice response to domestic violence in the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community through its new SAUSA program.”

     Commemorated in the United States since 1987, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month educates the public, commemorates and honors victims and survivors, and connects service providers across the country.  President Trump has continued the tradition of issuing a presidential proclamation to recognize October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

     Strengthening criminal justice is the core component of VAWA, and Acting Director Sullivan pointed to the ICJR Program as the “backbone of VAWA.” ICJR helps communities investigate and prosecute these crimes and keep violent criminals off the street. Since 1997, OVW has made 1,655 ICJR grant awards totaling over $847 million. In fiscal year 2018, OVW made 54 ICJR awards totaling $32.6 million.

     This funding has supported justice responses including dedicated police and prosecution units, specialized courts, and offender monitoring in 538 communities.  ICJR also funds unique collaborative approaches, such as Family Justice Centers – “one stop shops” housing police, prosecution, and victim services in one place – and multidisciplinary teams that decrease domestic violence homicides.  Since 2012, OVW has awarded over $24 million in ICJR funding to reduce domestic violence homicide, including pilot sites, nationwide training, and research, including $3,299,977 for fiscal year 2018.

     Many victims also face substance abuse issues and struggle to access the justice system to receive the protection they need.  Today, OVW also announced an award of $450,000 to the Alliance for HOPE International to provide training to Family Justice Centers to address this complex challenge.  The Alliance for HOPE International will partner with the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health.

     VAWA was first authorized in 1994 and focused on strengthening the criminal justice response to domestic violence. VAWA was reauthorized in 2000, 2005, and 2013, and each reauthorization included expansions such as addressing elder abuse, combatting stalking, and serving victims of sex trafficking in Indian Country. More information about VAWA is available at www.justice.gov/ovw/legislation.

 

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-136_ Tribal_SAUSA18

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TUCSON, Ariz. – This week, the last of a total of 21 defendants was convicted in federal court of smuggling weapons into Mexico and related offenses. The convictions were the result of a joint investigation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), that began in 2015.  Nineteen adults and two juveniles received sentences that ranged from probation to five years’ prison for their roles in this large criminal organization.

     In October 2015, ATF received information that several assault rifles and large-capacity magazines were seized in Mexico, and determined that the weapons were purchased by individuals in Arizona.  Over the next five months, agents identified a total of 24 participants in a weapons-smuggling conspiracy that was responsible for the acquisition of at least 70 firearms and 75,000 rounds of ammunition intended to be unlawfully exported into Mexico.  Several of the conspirators purchased the weapons, while others provided money and vehicles, and others transported the weapons within Arizona and across the International Border into Mexico.  The leader of the organization, Edgar Vega-Barreras, 30, a Mexican citizen, was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States, and was sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to five years’ prison.  Judge Zipps, United States Senior District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson, and United States District Judge Steven P. Logan also sentenced other members of the conspiracy.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the ATF and HSI, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.  The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBERS:                 CR-16-0478-TUC-JGZ; CR-16-0482-TUC-JGZ; CR-16-0483-TUC-CKJ; CR-17-1155-PHX-SPL

RELEASE NUMBER:               2018-138_Vega-Barreras, et al

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Daniel George Luntraru, 33, of Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 84 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Luntraru had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.  Luntraru was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment on each of the five counts, with the sentences to be served concurrently.  

     On March 8, 2015, Luntraru sold heroin to a heroin user who resided at a men’s sober living home in Mesa, Ariz. That user had purchased the heroin for himself and another resident of the home. The other resident was found dead in his room the next morning, and an autopsy by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office found the cause of death to be acute heroin intoxication. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began an investigation after being made aware of the circumstances of the death in early 2017, and observed Luntraru conduct hand-to-hand sales of heroin near his apartment. In June 2017, agents executed a federal search warrant at Luntraru’s apartment and found additional sale quantities of heroin.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the DEA, Mesa Police Department, and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glenn McCormick and Don Pashayan, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:         17-0807-PHX-SPL           

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-137_ Luntraru

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PHOENIX – This week, Warren Adam Blake, 37, of Tuba City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 102 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Blake, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and armed robbery.  Blake also received a concurrent 13-month sentence for violations of supervised release in a prior federal case.

     In the summer of 2017, Blake was on supervised release for a prior federal felony conviction and had an active arrest warrant for violating his conditions of release.  On Aug. 2, 2017, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and criminal investigators with the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety attempted to arrest Blake on the warrant.  When law enforcement officers approached Blake in their vehicle, Blake hurried into a vehicle that had previously been reported stolen.  Blake then rammed the stolen vehicle into the officers’ vehicle and fled the scene.

     Blake evaded capture by law enforcement until Nov. 27, 2017.  That day, he entered a home in Tuba City without permission, pointed a gun at the homeowner, and demanded the keys to a vehicle.  Blake fled the scene in the stolen vehicle, leading police on a lengthy chase.  He was eventually captured on foot in a remote area of the Navajo Nation.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety, and Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services (Hopi Agency).  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-08239-PCT-DLR; CR-14-08096-PCT-DLR

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-135_Blake

 

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ARIZONA – First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange joined the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior in announcing a dramatic expansion of the federal government’s key program that provides tribes with access to national crime information databases, the Justice Department’s Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (TAP).  The expansion includes the following tribes in Arizona:

• Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
• Hopi Tribe
• Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation
•  

     By the end of 2019, the Justice Department will expand the number of tribes participating in TAP by more than 50 percent, from 47 tribes to 72.  Further, by 2021, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) will expand TAP to all 28 tribes where it delivers direct law enforcement services.  The BIA Division of Human Services will also add two tribal social service locations in New Mexico and Oklahoma in 2019.

     TAP provides federally-recognized tribes the ability to access and exchange data with national crime information databases for both civil and criminal purposes.  This allows tribes to more effectively serve and protect their communities by ensuring the exchange of critical data.  TAP is currently deployed to 47 tribes nationwide with over 220 tribal criminal justice and civil agencies participating.  The program provides integrated workstations and/or software as well as enhanced training and assistance to enable tribes to access and contribute to national crime information databases.

     “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is deeply committed to strengthening public safety in Indian Country,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange.  “Through the expansion of the TAP program, participating tribes can use the shared database information to make their communities safer by protecting victims of domestic violence, registering sex offenders, keeping guns out of the hands of known criminals, and helping to locate missing persons.  In addition, law enforcement officers beyond the tribes’ borders -- throughout Arizona -- will benefit from the ability to access information entered by our tribal partners.  We hope that all of our federally-recognized tribes will be able to participate in TAP in the near future as the program continues to expand.”

     “The Fort McDowell Nation is pleased to be a part of the Tribal Access Program (TAP),” said Fort McDowell Nation Vice President Paul Russell. “TAP will allow Fort McDowell to protect and to better serve the public safety needs of our Nation. It will provide the Nation’s Police Department, Prosecutor’s Office, Tribal Courts (Pretrial Services and Probation) and Family Services (CPS and Foster Families) the ability to retrieve appropriate criminal justice information in a timely manner. For instance, with TAP, our Nation’s Police Department will be able to directly enter sex offender information into the National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR). In addition, the Nation’s Tribal Court can now enter its own orders of protection and dispositions into the national database which furthers public safety for victims, the Nation and the general population off the Nation.”

     "The Hopi Tribe is grateful for the opportunity to connect with law enforcement resources through the 2019 Tribal Access Program," said Hopi Tribe Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma.  "TAP will enhance safety for our Hopi People and will increase necessary coordination and communication among law enforcement jurisdictions."  

     “We are pleased to be selected as a recipient for the 2019 Tribal Access Program (TAP),” said Salt River President Delbert W. Ray, Sr.  “The TAP program will allow the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to effectively serve and protect our Community by allowing the exchange of critical data across Criminal Justice Information systems and other national crime information systems. This will be a great resource that will enhance the Salt River Law Enforcement agency.”

     “Access to information is vital to effective law enforcement,” said Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues.  “The Tribal Access Program will enhance and improve the ability of tribal law enforcement officers to serve their communities. The Native American Issues Subcommittee is proud to support the continued expansion of this tool throughout Indian Country.”

     The Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS) is comprised of United States Attorneys with Indian Country in their federal districts; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Strange is an active member of the NAIS.  They advise the Attorney General regarding the development and implementation of policies pertaining to justice in Indian Country. The NAIS identified ‘increased law enforcement resources’ as one of four priority areas to improve justice services in Indian Country. Support for and increased dissemination of the TAP was unanimously supported by the U.S. Attorneys at a recent NAIS meeting in Indian Country in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

     TAP enhances tribal efforts to register sex offenders pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA); have orders of protection enforced nationwide; protect children; keep firearms away from persons who are disqualified from receiving them; improve the safety of public housing, and allow tribes to enter their arrests and convictions into national databases.

     TAP supports tribes in analyzing their needs for national crime information and includes appropriate solutions, including a-state-of-the-art biometric/biographic kiosk workstation with capabilities to process finger and palm prints, take mugshots and submit records to national databases.  This includes the ability to access several national databases through the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) network, including the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Next Generation Identification (NGI), National Data Exchange (N-DEx), National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) as well as other national systems such as the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets).

     TAP, which is managed by the Justice Department’s Chief Information Officer with assistance from the Office of Tribal Justice, provides specialized training and assistance for participating tribes, including computer-based training and on-site instruction, as well as a 24x7 Help Desk.  Participating tribes in TAP-FULL receive a kiosk workstation that provide access to national systems as well as training to support whole-of-government needs. Participating tribes in TAP-LIGHT receive software for criminal agencies that include police departments, prosecutors, criminal courts, jails, and probation departments.

 

The following tribes have been selected for the next phase of TAP FULL:

Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma

Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana

Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation (Washington)

Cheyenne and Arapahoe Tribes, Oklahoma

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota

Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming

Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona

Hopi Tribe of Arizona

Lower Elwha Tribal Community (Washington)

Northern Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming

Penobscot Nation (Maine)

Quinault Indian Nation (Washington)

Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan

The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma

Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (Washington)

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota

 

The following tribes have been selected for the next phase of TAP LIGHT:

Bishop Paiute Tribe (California)

La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians, California

Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (Massachusetts)

Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California

Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe (Washington)

San Pasqual Band of the Diegueno Mission Indians of California

 

For the tribes selected by the Department of Justice, TAP is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC).  For the tribes selected by the Department of Interior, TAP is funded by BIA-OJS and BIA Division of Human Services. 

 

For more information on TAP, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-tap

 

For more information about the Justice Department’s work on tribal justice and public safety issues, visit:  www.justice.gov/tribal

RELEASE NUMBER:              2018-132_ Tribal Access Program (TAP)

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

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PHOENIX – Yesterday, Sarah Melissa Cox, 41, of Cottonwood, Ariz., was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 262 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervised release.  Cox had been convicted of three counts of receipt of child pornography, one count of noticing or advertising child pornography, and one count of distribution of child pornography at a jury trial in May.

     Evidence at trial showed that Cox engaged in a conversation with Richard Hennis of Colorado from August 2015 until January 2016, using the Kik social media application.  Cox and Hennis described in detail kidnapping, molesting, and assaulting children.  Hennis sent numerous images of child pornography to Cox, including three images of an infant being sexually assaulted that Hennis had conspired to produce with a different woman.  Cox provided Hennis with a link to additional child pornography.

     “Cox not only viewed, described, and exchanged pictures and videos of horrendous acts against infants and young children, she also suggested kidnapping and sexually assaulting other children,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange.  “Cox’s conduct is shocking and deserving of the lengthy prison sentence.”

     “The lengthy sentence handed down in this case is instrumental in pursuing justice for the victims of this child predator’s heinous crimes,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge of HSI Phoenix. “HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to abuse our most vulnerable population and continue our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s office to ensure sexual predators are apprehended and prosecuted.”

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Brooks and Christina Covault, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-16-08202-PCT-ROS

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-134_Cox

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Calvert Baker, 36, of Whippoorwill, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 30 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release.  Baker, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor.

     In 2014, when Baker was 31 years old, he engaged in multiple sexual acts with a juvenile female victim.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-16-08186-PCT-ROS

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-133_Baker

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Ronnie Haycock, 42, of Kayenta, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to six years’ imprisonment, to be followed by fifteen years of supervised release.  Haycock, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor.

     During the summer of 2017, Haycock worked as a tour guide in the Monument Valley area of the Navajo Nation.  On the night of July 5, 2017, Haycock led an overnight camping tour in the area.  While camped out that night, Haycock sexually abused a juvenile female who was on the tour.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-17-08238-PCT-DLR

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-131_Haycock

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Jack Witt Voris, 47, of Cottonwood, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 1,750 months’ imprisonment.  Voris was found guilty of six counts of assault on a federal officer and weapons offenses by a federal jury in Tucson on Feb. 15, 2018.

     “As a society governed by laws, we cannot tolerate assaults on our law enforcement officers,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Our office is committed to prosecuting these cases, and we thank all of the agencies that assisted in this important investigation.”

     The evidence at trial showed that on Oct. 28, 2016, law enforcement agents arrived at a Tucson hotel to serve an arrest warrant on Voris, who was armed with a handgun.  Voris shot at the officers, but missed. After a five-hour standoff with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Voris eventually surrendered to law enforcement.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pima County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Tucson Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Matthew C. Cassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:                   CR-16-2267-TUC-JGZ-DTF

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-130_ Voris

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Fany Madrigal-Lopez, 46, of Peoria, Ariz., was sentenced by the Honorable Douglas L. Rayes, United States District Judge for the District of Arizona, to concurrent 12-year terms of imprisonment. Madrigal-Lopez had previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in death, and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.  As part of her sentence, Madrigal-Lopez’s residence in Peoria, Ariz., was forfeited to the United States.

     Madrigal-Lopez’s sentencing followed other hearings in which Judge Rayes imposed sentences of probation and supervised release for three of Madrigal-Lopez’s adult children who participated in some of her crimes.  Previously, Paulina Madrigal-Macias, 26, of Hawaii, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.  Adolfo Macias-Madrigal, 27, of Peoria, Ariz., and Luis Angel Macias, 21, of Phoenix, Ariz., both pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a communications facility as part of a drug conspiracy.   

     According to publicly-filed court documents, between the fall of 2015 and August 2017, Madrigal-Lopez obtained quantities of oxycodone and blue “M-30” pills that looked like oxycodone but contained fentanyl, cocaine, and alprazolam from others in Arizona.  The four defendants then sold these substances to customers.  On Nov. 16, 2016, Fany Madrigal-Lopez sold blue “M-30” pills to a customer who later died after consuming them.  Despite learning of this death, Madrigal-Lopez continued to distribute various controlled substances to customers in the Phoenix area

     Despite learning of this death, Madrigal-Lopez continued to distribute various controlled substances to customers in the Phoenix area.  On Aug. 18, 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at her residence in Peoria, Ariz., and recovered quantities of oxycodone; cocaine; blue “M-30” pills that contained fentanyl; and alprazolam. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, who were assisted by the Peoria Police Department and the Arizona National Guard.  The prosecution was handled by Carolina Escalante Konti, D.J. Pashayan, and Jeffrey Borup, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-2:17-1110-PHX-DLR

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-128_Madrigal-Lopez

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Garrison Sloan, 44, of Fort Defiance, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 6 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime probation with sex offender conditions and registration.  Sloan had previously pleaded guilty to ten counts of Voyeurism, an Arizona state law assimilated for federal prosecution.

     During parts of 2016 and 2017, Sloan, then an IT specialist at the Tséhootsooí Medical Center in Fort Defiance, Ariz., placed hidden cameras in several bathrooms at the medical center, which he used to surreptitiously view many of his coworkers.  The matter was ultimately referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which promptly began an investigation, seized all of Sloan’s computer equipment, and was able to identify dozens of his victims.  Sloan and many of his victims are members of the Navajo Nation, and his crimes occurred within the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR 18-08057-DLR         

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-129_Sloan

 

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ARIZONA – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security.  These grants will help to educate and train students and faculty, as well as support law enforcement officers and first responders on the scene of a school violence incident.  The recipients of these grants in Arizona are:

1.             Humbolt Unified School District - $250,000

2.             Salt River Pima-Maricopa Community Schools - $95,000

3.             Gilbert Unified School District 41- $96,614

4.             Kyrene Elementary School District 28 - $230,000

5.             Pinal County School Office Education Service Agency - $159,738

     These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update school curriculums to better support training programs. Together, these grants will help protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the thoroughness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems which, in turn, will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.

     “President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”

     “Every child in Arizona should be able to attend school without the threat or fear of violence,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “We want our students and educators to feel safe in their schools every day, and these recent grants will further support and enhance our mission of protecting our communities, and particularly our schools, against targeted violent attacks.”  

     The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.

• BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
• The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
• The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.

     The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.

     The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the thoroughness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program.  These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system.  This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.

     The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.  

     For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.

NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program

 

RELEASE NUMBER:              2018-127_ STOP School Violence

 

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PHOENIX – Today, Tomacita Nez, 41, of Tuba City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 72 months’ prison followed by three years’ supervised release.  Nez had previously pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter. 

     Nez admitted to stabbing the victim during a domestic disagreement outside her home on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.  The victim died as a result of his injuries.  Judge Humetewa denied the defense attorney’s request for a lower sentence, describing the offense as “incredibly violent” and finding Nez was a danger to the community.  Both Nez and the victim were members of the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-18-08314-PCT-DJH

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-126_Nez

 

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ARIZONA - One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy.  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.

     Throughout the past year, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

     “Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said.  “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs.  I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face.  Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”  

     “Our goal is to make every community in Arizona a safer place to live and work,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange.  “From experience, we have learned that sustained success in combatting violent crime requires a comprehensive approach.  Our Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a collaborative partnership with federal, tribal, and local law enforcement focused on reducing gun violence and committed to sustaining the success we have seen over the past year.”

     As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:

 

Enforcement Actions

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona (USAAZ) has developed partnerships with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal law enforcement, and State prosecutors, to ensure our efforts are focused against the most violent offenders.

• A partnership of Federal and local law enforcement agencies in the Phoenix metropolitan area reduced gun violence during the past year through the formation of the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) and expanded reach of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).  The CGIC was created through a partnership between the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). USAAZ also partnered with ATF to expand the reach of NIBIN. The CGIC helps gather ballistic evidence from firearms crime scenes and enter shell casings into NIBIN within 72 hours of obtaining the evidence. The CGIC then provides investigative leads to detectives to help reduce violent crimes based on NIBIN matches. 

 

• The CGIC program’s value in coordinating seemingly unrelated investigations by multiple agencies was dramatically demonstrated in the Dwight Jones serial shooter investigation, which involved extensive cooperation between local police and their Federal partners.  Between May 31, 2018 and June 3, 2018, Dwight Jones killed six people in the greater Phoenix area. As soon as law enforcement realized the shootings were related, PPD, ATF, Scottsdale Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) worked together round-the-clock to determine the identity of the shooter. Through the collaborative use of CGIC, NIBIN, and DNA evidence, law enforcement officers were able to identify Jones as the primary suspect.  On June 4, 2018, as police moved in to arrest Jones, he shot and killed himself.  CGIC was instrumental in connecting and solving six murders, and prevented Dwight Jones from inflicting more violence on the community.  

 

Community Partnerships

• USAAZ is part of the Governor’s Recidivism Reduction coalition, which is responsible for creating a statewide recidivism reduction plan.  The Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) received over $1 million in Department of Justice grants to implement a statewide recidivism reduction plan, and USAAZ is working with several ADC representatives to support the implementation of this statewide plan.

 

• USAAZ has partnered with various local, state, tribal, federal and non-government agencies to support statewide prevention, outreach, and reentry initiatives.  USAAZ has facilitated several reentry simulations, which provide an opportunity for participants to assume the role of an ex-offender recently released from prison.  The simulation suggests that, ultimately, the ability to navigate "the system" may be a primary factor in the relationship between resiliency and recidivism. 

 

• USAAZ has worked with federal law enforcement to coordinate panels for local high schools and coordinated federal courthouse tours for the local law enforcement Explorers Program.  The panels and tours educate students about federal law enforcement careers and the federal court system.

 

Improvements to Community Safety

• The FBI’s official crime data for 2017 reflects that after two consecutive years of historic increases in violent crime, the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline in the first year of the Trump Administration.  The nationwide violent crime rate decreased by approximately one percent in 2017, while the nationwide homicide rate decreased by nearly one and a half percent.

 

• The preliminary information we have for 2018 gives us reason for optimism that our efforts are continuing to pay off.  Public data from 60 major cities show that violent crime was down by nearly five percent in those cities in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period a year ago.

 

These enforcement actions and partnerships are 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.

 

                RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-125_PSN

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Dennis Dickey, 37, of Tucson, Ariz., pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of U.S. Forest Service regulations for igniting the Sawmill Fire, which caused more than $8 million worth of damage in April 2017.  The Court scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 9, 2018.

     On April 23, 2017, near Green Valley, Ariz., U.S. Border Patrol Agent Dickey, who was off-duty at the time, ignited a fire that spread to Coronado National Forest, federal land administered by the U.S. Forest Service. This fire was referred to as the “Sawmill Fire.”  Dickey started the fire by shooting a rifle at a target.  Dickey had placed Tannerite, a highly explosive substance, inside the target, intending for it to detonate when shot by a high-velocity firearm bullet.  Dickey fired shots at the Tannerite target, ultimately causing an explosion that started a fire that spread and resulted in damage to more than 45,000 acres of land managed by the State of Arizona, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and various private landholders.  Dickey immediately reported the fire to law enforcement, cooperated, and admitted that he started the fire. The total losses attributable to the fire, including suppression costs and damage to land and landholdings, totaled more than $8 million.

    In his plea agreement, Dickey agreed to a sentence of five years’ probation, and to make a public service announcement with the U.S. Forest Service concerning the cause of the Sawmill fire.  Dickey agreed to pay restitution totaling $8,188,069.  Dickey also agreed to make an initial payment of $100,000 toward the restitution judgment and monthly payments thereafter.       

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Forest Service. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:                18-MJ-03295-DTF

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-123_Dickey

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. – On Sept. 25, 2018, Ramon Antonio Monreal-Rodriguez, 37, of Vail, Ariz., a U.S. Border Patrol agent assigned to the Three Points, Ariz. station, was arrested for conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms and aiding and abetting the commission of such offenses.

     The indictment alleges that Monreal conspired to unlawfully acquire firearms on behalf of other individuals. As part of the conspiracy, Monreal and another co-defendant provided cash and instructions to a third co-defendant to buy firearms from licensed firearms dealers. The purchasing defendant would then make false statements and representations to the firearms dealers.  Monreal has been employed as a U.S. Border Patrol agent for approximately ten years, and resigned upon his arrest.

     The investigation in this case is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  The prosecution is being handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:                   CR-18-01905-001-TUC-JAS

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-124_Monreal-Rodriguez

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Luis Enrique Beltran-Beltran, 41, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to 120 months’ imprisonment.  Beltran had previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to unlawfully export and aiding and abetting the unlawful possession of machine guns, grenades, and grenade launchers. Beltran had been extradited from Mexico to the United States in 2017.

     Agents received information in 2011 that Beltran was trafficking military-grade weapons from the U.S. into Mexico.  The investigation revealed that Beltran sought to buy and smuggle up to 10 machine guns with attached grenade launchers and 50 grenades each week. Beltran, who orchestrated his criminal activity from Mexico, also directed several other co-conspirators to smuggle over 50,000 rounds of ammunition and hundreds of high-capacity ammunition magazines.  In sentencing him to the maximum sentence allowed by law, Judge Jorgenson cited the severity of Beltran’s crimes and his role as a leader of an extensive weapons-trafficking conspiracy.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.  The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:                   CR-11-01470-TUC-CKJ

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-122_Beltran

 

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PHOENIX – On Sept. 22, 2018, James Jeffrey Hinkeldey, 66, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 30 years and five months in federal prison.  Earlier this year, a federal jury convicted Hinkeldey of conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft charges stemming from his role as one of the leaders in an $18 million investment fraud affecting 225 victims.    

     “Through fraud, this defendant stole the life savings from members of our community, many of whom were close to retirement; his lengthy prison sentence is well-deserved,” stated Elizabeth A. Strange, First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. “Our office will continue to work closely with the FBI to prosecute financial predators like Hinkeldey.”

     “Considering there were hundreds of victims and millions of dollars lost, it is fitting that James Hinkeldey‘s sentence is one of the highest federal white collar sentences in the District of Arizona,” said Michael DeLeon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Division. “We are pleased that the defendants in this case are being held accountable for their crimes and that Hinkeldey and his co-conspirator were ordered to pay restitution to the victims. The FBI would like to thank the Arizona U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on this case. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who commit complex financial crimes.”

     From 2006 to 2012, Hinkeldey and several others solicited millions of dollars from victims for purported investment in a variety of projects and companies, including land development in Mexico, recycling companies in Las Vegas and Chicago, and distressed real estate in Phoenix.  Hinkeldey and his co-conspirators promoted their fraudulent investment schemes in seminars, magazine articles, radio broadcasts, and private offering documents to give the fraudulent investments the appearance of legitimacy. 

     In reality, the solicitations and offering documents were riddled with false statements, including the education and experience of Hinkeldey and his co-conspirators, the true ownership of property involved in the projects, and the feasibility of the so-called guaranteed returns.  Ultimately, Hinkeldey and his co-conspirators used investor funds not only to line their own pockets, but also to make Ponzi payments to create the facade of a successful business. 

     Late last year, Hinkeldey’s partner in the conspiracy, Jason Mogler, formerly of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced to 24 years and 4 months in federal prison for his role in the fraud.  Hinkeldey and Mogler were also ordered to pay restitution to the victims for losses they incurred.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Phoenix Division of the FBI.  The prosecution was handled by Monica Klapper and Peter Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-15-01118-PHX-SPL

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-121_Hinkeldey

 

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ARIZONA – The District of Arizona’s First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $113 million in grant awards to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women, and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.  The tribes in Arizona receiving grants that were announced today are Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Hualapai Tribe, Navajo Nation, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Havasupai Tribe, White Mountain Apache Tribe, and Yavapai-Apache Nation.  The link below shows estimated award amounts.

     “These awards to nine Arizona tribes demonstrate our continued support and commitment to improving public safety in Indian Country,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange.  “These resources will help our tribal partners to combat violent crimes and domestic abuse, which predominantly target women and children, as well as to provide expanded services for the victims of these crimes.”

     Nationwide, grants were awarded to 133 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CSTAS), a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $113 million, just over $53 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, more than $35 million from the Office on Violence Against Women, and more than $24.7 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

     In addition, the Department is in the process of allocating up to $133 million in a first-ever set aside program to serve victims of crime in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.  The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims of crime by providing funding, programming and technical assistance.  Recipients will be announced in the near future. 

     “With these awards, we are doubling the amount of grant funding devoted to public safety programs and serving victims of crime in Native American communities,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio, who made the announcement during his remarks at the 26th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  “There is an unacceptable level of violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.  This increase in resources, together with our aggressive investigation and prosecution of crimes, shows how seriously Attorney General Sessions and the entire Department of Justice take these issues.  We are committed to reducing violent crime and improving public safety.”

     The Four Corners Conference is facilitated annually by U.S. Attorneys from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah to provide a forum for discussion of justice-related topics with a large number of populous and diverse tribal nations located in the region.

     CTAS awards cover nine purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; and tribal youth programs.   CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs.

     Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

 

     A specific listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: www.justice.gov/tribal/page/file/1095161/download.

           

RELEASE NUMBER:             2018-122_ Public Safety Awards (IC)

 

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The Department of Justice today announced more than $113 million in grant awards to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women, and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.  Grants were awarded to 133 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $113 million, just over $53 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, more than $35 million from the Office on Violence Against Women, and more than $24.7 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

In addition, the Department is in the process of allocating up to $133 million in a first-ever set aside program to serve victims of crime in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.  The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims of crime by providing funding, programming and technical assistance.  Recipients will be announced in the near future.  

“With these awards, we are doubling the amount of grant funding devoted to public safety programs and serving victims of crime in Native American communities,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio, who made the announcement during his remarks at the 26th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  “There is an unacceptable level of violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.  This increase in resources, together with our aggressive investigation and prosecution of crimes, shows how seriously Attorney General Sessions and the entire Department of Justice take these issues.  We are committed to reducing violent crime and improving public safety.”

The Four Corners Conference is facilitated annually by U.S. Attorneys from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah to provide a forum for discussion of justice-related topics with a large number of populous and diverse tribal nations located in the region.

CTAS awards cover nine purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; and tribal youth programs.   CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs.

Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: www.justice.gov/tribal/page/file/1095161/download. 

PHOENIX – On Sept. 7, 2018, a federal jury convicted Levian D. Pacheco, 25, of Phoenix, Ariz., of seven counts of abusive sexual contact with a ward and three counts of sexual abuse of a ward.  U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan presided over the seven-day trial.  Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 3, 2018.

     "Ensuring the safety of all individuals held in federal custody is of utmost importance to this office," stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange.  "This verdict demonstrates our commitment to securing justice for the teenage boys the defendant abused and sends a message to others in positions of trust that these crimes will not be tolerated."

     “We are committed to protecting the health and safety of children and holding accountable those who would sexually abuse these innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “When individuals violate their positions of trust and harm children, we will ensure these criminals are brought to justice for their actions.”

     Between August 2016 and July 2017, Pacheco sexually abused multiple minors at the Casa Kokopelli Southwest Key Facility in Mesa, Ariz.  The minors were being held in official detention pending possible deportation.  Pacheco was employed as a youth care worker at the facility and was in charge of supervising the minors.  The jury convicted Pacheco of abusing seven teenage boys, some on more than one occasion. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, as well as the Mesa Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Dimitra H. Sampson and Tracy Van Buskirk, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-1152-PHX-SPL

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-119_Pacheco

 

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PHOENIX – Today, Andrew Emerson Beno, 31, of Chinle, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.  Beno had previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. 

     Beno admitted to using a shotgun to shoot at the victim, which resulted in pellets becoming embedded in the victim’s leg.  The incident occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, and both Beno and the victim are members of that tribe. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-18-08041-PCT-DJH

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-120_Beno

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Raymond Wilson Jr., 25, of Tuba City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Wilson, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer.

     On Nov. 21, 2017, a Navajo Nation police officer was dispatched to Wilson’s residence after receiving reports that Wilson was intoxicated and acting disorderly. When the officer attempted to place Wilson under arrest, he resisted, swung his fist at the officer, and wrestled the officer to the ground.  After being handcuffed, Wilson pushed, kicked, and head-butted the officer.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-18-08064-PCT-SPL

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-117_Wilson

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Warren Miles, 26, of Sells, Ariz., was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a federal jury in Tucson on Sept. 5, 2018.  The case was tried before U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins from Aug. 29, 2018 through Sept. 5, 2018.  Miles, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, is being held after trial. Sentencing is set before Judge Collins on Nov. 28, 2018.

     The evidence at trial showed that on the day before Thanksgiving, on Nov. 22, 2017, in the early morning hours, a truck full of street-gang members accosted the victim and four other individuals, all of whom were also members of the Tohono O’odham Nation. They were in a wash area alongside a dirt road when the truck stopped and its occupants jumped out, brandishing firearms and yelling derogatory gang-related comments toward the group. A 12-gauge shotgun was used to fire two gunshots at close range, striking the victim in the face, neck, and chest area, which caused her death. The truck, with Miles as an occupant, fled the area and was later found at a residence east of Sells.  Eyewitnesses identified Miles as the assailant.  The incident occurred within the bounds of the Tohono O’odham Reservation.

     A conviction for involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of eight years, a $250,000 fine, or both.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Jesse J. Figueroa and Raquel Arellano, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:                CR-18-300-TUC-RCC (BPV)

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-118_Miles

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Jacqueline Scroggins, 53, of Avondale, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 37 months’ imprisonment, followed by 100 hours of community service. Scroggins had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and mail fraud.  Co-defendants Amethyst Nicole Henderson, 30, of Phoenix, Ariz., previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and financial aid fraud and was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment and 50 hours community service, and Jamar Britt, 36, of Phoenix, Ariz., also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and 50 hours community service.  Restitution of $1,669,166 was ordered jointly as to all defendants.

     All defendants admitted to conspiring to commit mail and financial aid fraud to further a scheme to attempt to obtain approximately $5,295,116 in federally-insured student aid from the United States Department of Education and colleges within the Maricopa County Community College District.  As part of the scheme, they applied for aid in the names of approximately 483 people who did not plan to attend college and caused the payment of approximately $1,669,166 in student aid to the College District and the conspirators.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Education – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Frederick A. Battista, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-16-1461-PHX-DGC   

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-116_ Scroggins etal

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. – On Aug. 29, 2018, Fernando Romero-Salgado, 38, of Rio Rico, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 82 months’ imprisonment.  Romero-Salgado had been previously found guilty following trial of smuggling goods from the United States and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

     On Dec. 8, 2016, Romero-Salgado and co-defendant Alberto De La Cruz-Cano purchased 12,000 rounds of ammunition from an ammunition store in Phoenix, intending to unlawfully export the ammunition to Mexico.  They loaded the ammunition into Romero-Salgado’s vehicle and Romero-Salgado drove to Rio Rico, where he was found with the ammunition at his home.  Romero-Salgado had been previously convicted of four felony offenses and was therefore prohibited from possessing ammunition by federal law.  He and De La Cruz-Cano had also smuggled ammunition into Mexico on several prior occasions.  De La Cruz-Cano was previously sentenced in this case to 41 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to his smuggling offenses.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:                  CR-16-00131-TUC-RCC

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-115_ Romero-Salgado

 

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PHOENIX – Yesterday, Joseph Alexander Dashee, 26, of Tempe, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 17 years’ imprisonment to be followed by lifetime supervised release for distribution of child pornography and abusive sexual contact.  Dashee previously pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography and abusive sexual contact.  Dashee will also be required to register as a sex offender. 

     In the summer of 2015, FBI agents discovered Dashee was downloading and distributing child pornography through bit torrent file sharing.  A search of Dashee’s residence resulted in the seizure of 90 images and seven videos containing child pornography.  During questioning, Dashee also admitted sexually abusing two minor victims under the age of 12.  

     This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Salt River Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gayle L. Helart and Brandon M. Brown.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-1001-PHX-DGC

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-114_ Dashee

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PHOENIX – On August 20, 2018, Christopher Cortines, 26, of Santa Fe, N.M. and a member of the San Idelfonso Pueblo Tribe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  Cortines had previously pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter.

     Cortines, who was driving his vehicle within the confines of the Navajo Nation near Dennehotso, Ariz., with a BAC level of between .118 and .151, caused his vehicle to crash, killing his sole passenger, his friend and a member of the Navajo Nation.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Navajo Nation Department of Law Enforcement, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.  The prosecution was handled by Sharon K. Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-8316-PCT-JJT

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-112_ Cortines

 

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PHOENIX – Yesterday, Georgina Warren, 34, of Dennehotso, Ariz., and a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 84 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  Warren had previously pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

     The case involved Warren firing a .22 caliber rifle at her brother, who was about 40 yards away. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Law Enforcement.  The prosecution was handled by Sharon K. Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-8315-PCT-SPL

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-113_Warren

 

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PHOENIX– Yesterday, Irwin Carl Foster, 38, of Ft. Defiance, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 41 months’ imprisonment. Foster had previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.  

     In August 2017, Foster intentionally stabbed the victim, a member of the Navajo Nation, with a knife resulting in a laceration to his chest and a punctured lung. Foster is also a member of the Navajo Nation.

     Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. The prosecution was handled by Kiyoko Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-8287-PCT-JJT     

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-111_Foster

 

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PHOENIX – On Aug. 20, 2018, Mary Alice Reed, 48, of Sacaton, Ariz., a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to seven years in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release. Reed had previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.   Reed had been previously convicted of the same offense in 2010.  

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-18-310-PHX-DJH    

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-110_Reed

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. – On Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, David Allen Markillie, 67, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 60 months’ imprisonment.  Markillie had previously pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and one count of false information and hoax.  

     On Aug. 10, 2017, Markillie entered the Compass Bank located at 7645 N. La Cholla and robbed the bank by the threatened use of a bomb.  He stole approximately $2,300 and fled to the Foothills Mall where he was taken into custody after a stand-off with Pima County Sheriff’s deputies.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Beverly K. Anderson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-17-1472-TUC-JAS   

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-109_Markillie

 

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ARIZONA - The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average of ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.

     On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced  that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability to consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.

     In setting the aggregate production quota (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.

     The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:

     See attached Aggregate Production Quota for Opioids (Table).

     Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.

     "The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse.”

     “We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”

     “The OPIOID Task Force -- led by our office in close partnership with federal, local, state, and tribal law enforcement -- has made great strides in prosecuting opioid-related offenses,” stated Elizabeth A. Strange, First Assistant United States Attorney.  “We applaud the proposal to further restrict manufacturing and, for our part, we will continue to focus our Task Force on combatting this epidemic throughout Arizona.”

     Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.

     When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.

     The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.

     In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.

     Please note:  This is the text of the 2019 Aggregate Production Quota Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) as signed by the Acting DEA Administrator, but the official version of the NPRM will be published in the Federal Register.

     To view the 2019 Aggregate Production Quota NPRM click here.

 

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-107_ Opioid (AZ)

 

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PHOENIX – Today, Shaun Hurley, 39, of Inscription House, Ariz., was convicted by a jury on all charges, including conspiracy, carjacking, robbery, and assault with a dangerous weapon.  The jury also found Hurley guilty of three counts of using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence.  Hurley will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes on Oct. 29, 2018.

     In July of 2017, Hurley participated in a conspiracy to steal a truck from the victim.  Hurley and his co-conspirator, who previously pleaded guilty in the case, assaulted the victim with a shotgun and stole his truck.  All involved are members of the Navajo Nation, and the crimes occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William G. Voit and Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:         CR-17-08211-DLR

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-108_Hurley

 

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PHOENIX – Today, Shaun Hurley, 39, of Inscription House, Ariz., was convicted by a jury on all charges, including conspiracy, carjacking, robbery, and assault with a dangerous weapon.  The jury also found Hurley guilty of three counts of using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence.  Hurley will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes on Oct. 29, 2018.

 

In July of 2017, Hurley participated in a conspiracy to steal a truck from the victim.  Hurley and his co-conspirator, who previously pleaded guilty in the case, assaulted the victim with a shotgun and stole his truck.  All involved are members of the Navajo Nation, and the crimes occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.

 

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William G. Voit and Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-17-08211-DLR

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-108_Hurley

 

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     PHOENIX – Today, Colin Lee Juan, 33, of Laveen, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.  Juan had previously pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation of an intimate partner. 

     Juan admitted to strangling the victim, his then-girlfriend, impeding her airflow.  The incident occurred on the Gila River Indian Community, and both Juan and the victim are members of that tribe. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-18-1134-PHX-DJH

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-106_Juan

 

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PHOENIX – On Aug. 10, 2018, Cory Ryan Williams, 40, of Gilbert, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to seven years in prison.  A restitution hearing has been scheduled for September, where Williams will be ordered to pay restitution up to $13.5 million.  Williams had previously pleaded guilty to one count of transactional money laundering.

     For over two years, Williams lied to his family, friends, and fellow church members about the profitability of his investment scheme.  He solicited and obtained more than $13 million from over 50 victims.  To entice potential victims, Williams told them he consistently earned a five percent return each week and all investments were safe and would not lose money.  In reality, he lost more than $8 million by attempting to trade stock market futures.  He also concealed his fraudulent scheme by making Ponzi payments to investors - Williams paid earlier investors by using new capital from later investors.  He also diverted more than $800,000 of the victims’ funds to his own personal use.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Andrew C. Stone and Peter Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:                   CR-17-01279-PHX-DLR

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-105_ Williams

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. - On August 8, 2018, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an eleven-count indictment against Mohamed Abdirahman Osman, 28, and Zeinab Abdirahman Mohamed, 25, both living in Tucson, Ariz., for violations of false swearing in an immigration matter and false statements to a government agency. 

     The indictment alleges that Osman and Mohamed, while living in China, applied for and were granted refugee status in 2014.  The husband and wife entered the United States and have been living in Tucson since the time of their entry. In June 2015, Osman and Mohamed submitted applications for Legal Permanent Residence Status to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.  The indictment further alleges that material submitted in support of their refugee applications and their applications for Legal Permanent Residence Status contained false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements.  The alleged fraudulent statements included Osman’s true name and nationality and denial of his association with members of a designated terrorist organization. Both defendants were arrested on Aug. 10, 2018.

     An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

     The investigation in this case was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security through the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

     The prosecution is being handled by Beverly K. Anderson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR 17-01145-TUC-RCC (DTF)  

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-102_ Osman_ Mohamed

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Jesus Gabriel Alvarez, 30, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 37 months in prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Alvarez had previously pleaded guilty to domestic assault by a habitual offender.

     The evidence showed that on New Year’s Day, 2017, Alvarez choked and strangled the victim during a domestic dispute. At the time of the assault, Alvarez had been convicted of at least two prior domestic assault offenses in Pascua Yaqui Tribal Court. Both he and the victim are enrolled members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Pascua Yaqui Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Rui Wang, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson, and Alicia R. Robertson, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Prosecutor with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

 

CASE NUMBER:                   CR-17-0638-TUC-RCC-LAB

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-104_Alvarez

 

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PHOENIX – On Aug. 8, 2018, Ethan Barlow, 27, of Kayenta, Ariz., and a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.  Barlow had previously pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter.

     The case involved Barlow driving his vehicle with a BAC level of over .134 (three hours post-crash).  Barlow admitted that he had been drinking rum and smoking marijuana.  As a result, Barlow caused his vehicle to roll over and crash, killing his sole passenger. The crash occurred within the Navajo Reservation.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Navajo Nation Department of Law Enforcement, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.  The prosecution was handled by Sharon K. Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-17-8318-PCT-DGC

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-103_ Barlow

 

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TUCSON, Ariz. - Yesterday, Mitchell Ray Finley, 50, of Fresno, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 70 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release.  Finley had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.

     On May 28, 2016, Finley and three other persons entered a Tiffany & Co. jewelry store in Tucson, Ariz., and stole a diamond solitaire ring and assaulted a security guard before getting away.  Later that day, Finley and the three men entered the Nordstrom department store in Scottsdale, Ariz., and stole several designer handbags after verbally threatening a store manager.  On the same day, Finley and the three men entered a Helzberg Diamond Outlet store in Glendale, Ariz., and stole several high-end watches after pepper-spraying the store employees.  The watches were pawned by Finley’s co-defendant, Dwight Bivens, who previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment.  The victims’ financial losses totaled more than $130,000.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, the Scottsdale Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Lauren G. LaBuff, Fred A. Cocio, and Rui Wang, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:                   CR 17-01145-TUC-RCC (DTF)

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-101_ Finley

 

 

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Eric Lorenzo Sanchez, 25, of Second Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Sanchez, an enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered weapon made from a shotgun.

     On June 11, 2016, Sanchez was involved in a car accident on the Hopi Reservation.  When law enforcement responded to the scene, they found a firearm near Sanchez’s car.  Sanchez, a previously convicted felon, admitted that the firearm was his.  The firearm was a 12-gauge shotgun, which had been modified to shorten the barrel and was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as is required for so-called “short-barreled” shotguns.  The firearm’s serial number had also been obliterated in violation of the law.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services (Hopi Agency).  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-17-08114-PCT-DJH

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-100_Sanchez

 

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PHOENIX – This week, Kaleb June, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 33 months of imprisonment.  June, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to robbery.

     On Sept. 10, 2016, June and two others burglarized a Hopi tribal administration building.  After leaving the building, they went to a nearby convenience store and robbed it at gunpoint.  Each of these crimes occurred in Moenkopi, Ariz., on the Hopi Indian     Reservation. 

     Earlier this year, June’s co-conspirators were likewise sentenced to prison for their roles in the same crimes.  Jonathan Phillips, 20, was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to robbery.  Morgan Black, 20, was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to burglary.  Both Phillips and Black are enrolled members of the Hopi Tribe.  June, Phillips, and Black were all living in the Moenkopi-Tuba City area at the time of the crimes.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services (Hopi Agency).  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-16-8256-PCT-DGC; CR-17-8116-PCT-GMS

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-099_June etal

 

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PHOENIX – On Aug. 1, 2018, Jason Allen Martinez, 37, of Parker, Ariz., and a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 77 months in prison, followed by a term of three years of supervised release.  Martinez had previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.  Martinez was also sentenced to four months’ imprisonment in a 2010 supervised release matter, to run consecutive to the sentence imposed in the 2017 case.  Martinez had previously admitted to violating his supervised release. 

     On Aug. 21, 2017, Martinez assaulted the victim, a former partner of his, by chasing her down in the vehicle he was driving and crashing into the rear end of the victim’s vehicle.  Martinez continued to chase the victim after crashing into her vehicle and tried to force her off the road several times.  The victim is a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes and the assault occurred on the Colorado River Indian Tribes Indian Reservation.  

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-2017-01509-PHX-DGC and CR-2010-00131-PHX-DGC    

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-098_Martinez

 

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PHOENIX - On July 30, 2018, Fu Sheng Yang, 39, of Taipei City, Taiwan, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 33 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Yang had previously pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to smuggle goods from the United States.

     On June 20, 2017, Yang legally entered the United States.  During the next two days, he purchased 10,000 rounds of ammunition and took possession of 40 upper receivers with the intention of illegally exporting these items from the United States to Taiwan.  He also attempted to arrange for the purchase of an additional 100 firearms.  On June 22, 2017, Yang was stopped by the Arizona Department of Public Safety for speeding and was found in possession of the aforementioned ammunition and upper receivers. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the Phoenix Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Lisa E. Jennis and Kristen Brook, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR 17-00981-PHX-GMS 

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-097_ Yang

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PHOENIX - On July 30, 2018, Omar Heriberto Robles-Hernandez, 24, of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven Paul Logan to 48 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Robles-Hernandez had previously pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death.

     On approximately May 13, 2017, Robles-Hernandez guided eight males (two of whom were juveniles) across the desert from Mexico into Arizona in order to enter the United States illegally.  The males were citizens of Mexico and Honduras and were forced to carry backpacks of marijuana, weighing approximately 50 pounds each, during the trip.  On May 23, 2017, after ten days of walking in the desert, Robles-Hernandez and the people he was guiding were located by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  Three of them were taken to the hospital where a 16 year old boy died from heat exposure and dehydration caused by the arduous trip through the desert.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  The prosecution was handled by Lisa E. Jennis and Todd M. Allison, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR 17-00980-PHX-SPL   

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-096_ Robles-Hernandez

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, after a two-day trial, the Honorable Cindy K. Jorgenson found Daniel Courville, 42, of Tucson, Ariz., guilty of knowing access with intent to view child pornography depicting pre-pubescent minors.  Courville faces a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release, with stringent sex offender conditions, including the condition that he register as a sex offender. 

     Courville, who formerly worked as computer programmer and specialist for Pima County Justice Court, was indicted by a federal grand jury after an investigation revealed that Courville had searched for, downloaded, and accessed child pornography images and videos over the internet.  Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 23, 2018.

     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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by agents from Homeland Security Investigations in Tucson.  The prosecution was handled by Carin C. Duryee and Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-482-TUC-CKJ    

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-095_Courville

 

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PHOENIX – On July 30, 2018, Thomas Mario Costanzo, a.k.a. Morpheus Titania, 54, of Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 41 months’ imprisonment, with credit for time served since his arrest in April 2017. Costanzo was found guilty by a federal jury on March 28, 2018, of money laundering.

     The evidence at trial showed that federal agents initiated an investigation of Costanzo in 2014, after identifying an advertisement he posted on a peer-to-peer bitcoin exchange website.  In the advertisement, Costanzo advertised that he was willing to engage in cash transactions up to $50,000.  When undercover federal agents approached Costanzo and told him that they were drug dealers, Costanzo provided them with bitcoin and told them it was a great way to limit their exposure to law enforcement.  The jury found that over a two-year period, Costanzo took $164,700 in cash-including a final $107,000 transaction in April 2017-from the agents (whom he believed to be heroin and cocaine traffickers) and exchanged it for bitcoin in order to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the drug proceeds.  The evidence at trial also showed that Costanzo used bitcoin to purchase drugs from others and that he provided bitcoin to individuals who were buying drugs via the internet.

     At the sentencing hearing Judge Snow also ruled on the forfeiture of the 80.94512167 bitcoins provided by Costanzo to the undercover agent as part of the final $107,000 money laundering transaction.  The current value of the forfeited bitcoins is more than $600,000.  Costanzo had previously claimed an interest in 49.99363132 of the seized bitcoins, and his interest was forfeited at the sentencing hearing.  Separately, the government has also reached a resolution with a third party to the forfeiture proceedings who had supplied Costanzo with the remaining bitcoins and who had been under investigation for engaging in an unlicensed bitcoin trading business.  In particular, Dr. Peter Steinmetz has agreed to forfeit the remaining 30.95149035 bitcoins, and to also forfeit an additional $54,000 in U.S. currency; the government has agreed not to prosecute Dr. Steinmetz for his prior bitcoin trading activity; and Dr. Steinmetz agrees that going forward, and for the next two years, he will only purchase or sell virtual currency on exchanges registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, and the Scottsdale Police Department, with assistance from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

     The prosecution was handled by Matthew Binford, Carolina Escalante, and Gary Restaino, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-585-PHX-GMS  

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-094_Costanzo

 

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PHOENIX – Today, Angel Xavier Catha, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 97 months in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release.  Catha had previously pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and will be required to register as a sex offender. 

     Catha admitted to pursuing a sexual relationship with the 13-year-old victim while living on the Gila River Indian Community.  Both the victim and Catha are enrolled members of the Gila River Indian Community.  Over that period, Catha repeatedly requested that the victim provide him with child pornography.  Catha ultimately received one image of child pornography, which was sent via Facebook.  Judge Snow increased Catha’s sentence to account for his subsequent sexual abuse of the victim. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-18-501-PHX-GMS

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-093_Catha

 

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

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PHOENIX – A former government contractor was found guilty today for his role in a scheme to unlawfully convert U.S. government property from the U.S military base at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, shipping items to his home in Arizona for resale. 

     First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange of the District of Arizona, Inspector General Steve A. Linick of the U.S. Department of State, and Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John F. Sopko made the announcement.

     After a three day trial, Michael Dale Gilbert, 38, of Young, Ariz., was convicted of three counts of theft and unauthorized sale of government property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.  Gilbert’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9, 2018 before U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow of the District of Arizona, who presided over the trial.

     According to the evidence admitted at trial, Gilbert worked at PAE Government Services, a government contractor that provides logistics and other support to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and the U.S. Department of Defense around the globe, including Afghanistan.  From 2012 to 2015, Gilbert was deployed to Kandahar Airfield (KAF), where he assisted DOS with the Foreign Excess Personal Property (FEPP) program.  Once equipment, including computer equipment, heavy construction items and work tools, was requested through the FEPP program at KAF, Gilbert was assigned to arrange for its transfer for use or for its destruction, to prevent the items from falling into the hands of insurgents.  While in that role, in or around April and December of 2014, instead of facilitating the transportation or destruction of U.S government property, Gilbert shipped FEPP to the United States and transported the items to his residence in Arizona.  Gilbert stole FEP items worth at least $48,900, including items recovered from his residence in Arizona valued at approximately $16,700, approximately $3,700 in sales through eBay, and goods valued at approximately $28,500 that Gilbert sold through other means, the evidence showed.  

     This case was investigated by the DOS of the Inspector General and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Restaino of the District of Arizona and Trial Attorney Jessee Alexander-Hoeppner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

 

CASE NUMBER:         CR-17-670-PHX-GMS

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-090_Gilbert

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

 

 

A former government contractor was found guilty today for his role in a scheme to unlawfully convert U.S. government property from the U.S military base at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, shipping items to his home in Arizona for resale. 

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange of the District of Arizona, Inspector General Steve A. Linick of the U.S. Department of State, and Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John F. Sopko made the announcement.

After a three day trial, Michael Dale Gilbert, 38, of Young, Arizona, was convicted of three counts of theft and unauthorized sale of government property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.  Gilbert’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9 before U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow of the District of Arizona, who presided over the trial.

According to the evidence admitted at trial, Gilbert worked at PAE Government Services, a government contractor that provides logistics and other support to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and the U.S. Department of Defense around the globe, including Afghanistan.  From 2012 to 2015, Gilbert was deployed to Kandahar Airfield (KAF), where he assisted DOS with the Foreign Excess Personal Property (FEPP) program.  Once equipment, including computer equipment, heavy construction items and work tools, was requested through the FEPP program at KAF, Gilbert was assigned to arrange for its transfer for use or for its destruction, to prevent the items from falling into the hands of insurgents.  While in that role, in or around April and December of 2014, instead of facilitating the transportation or destruction of U.S government property, Gilbert shipped FEPP to the United States and transported the items to his residence in Arizona.  Gilbert stole FEP items worth at least $48,900, including items recovered from his residence in Arizona valued at approximately $16,700, approximately $3,700 in sales through eBay, and goods valued at approximately $28,500 that Gilbert sold through other means, the evidence showed.   

This case was investigated by the DOS Office of the Inspector General and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.  This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jessee Alexander-Hoeppner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant United States Attorney Gary Restaino of the District of Arizona.