District of Maine

Portland, Maine:  A Mapleton man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Christopher Myshrall, 35, to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Myshrall pleaded guilty on November 19, 2019.

According to court records, on November 1, 2018, Myshrall was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by the Maine State Police for a traffic violation. A narcotics detection dog alerted to the presence of illegal drugs in the vehicle. Troopers located over 700 glassine envelopes of fentanyl in hidden compartments in the vehicle’s engine area. Further investigation revealed that Myshrall and the vehicle’s operator had obtained the fentanyl in Massachusetts for distribution in Maine.

The Maine State Police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids.

Portland, Maine:  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division hosted an online roundtable today for community organizations to discuss the problem of sexual harassment in housing, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

The event included representatives from local law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, shelters and transitional housing providers, and other organizations that often work with vulnerable populations who are most likely to become victims of sexual harassment in housing.

“Sexual harassment in housing is often underreported, but it is an egregious violation of a person’s right to fair housing,” U.S. Attorney Frank said. “Landlords or superintendents using the power they have over tenants to extort sexual acts, or even commit assaults, is intolerable, particularly in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our office is dedicated to uncovering such violations where they exist and vigorously enforcing the law.”

The Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.

The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country. The goal of the Initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers, or other people who have control over housing.

Since the launch of the initiative in 2017, the Justice Department has filed 15 lawsuits alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and recovered millions of dollars in damages for harassment victims. The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years or decades. Some victims do not know that being sexually harassed by a person in control of their housing can violate federal law.

The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing fairhousing@usdoj.gov.

Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may also file a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office by emailing USAME.FairHousing@usdoj.gov or by calling (207) 780-3257 and asking for Civil Chief John G. Osborn or Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley E. Eiler.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank today announced that Abdikareem Hassan, 32, of Portland was charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer.

According to the criminal complaint, in the late evening hours of July 5, 2020, Hassan was arrested by the Portland Police Department and taken to the police station.  While there, he assaulted police officers and an FBI special agent who were working together on the joint investigation.

A charge in a criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank today advised the public that cards and other documents bearing the Department of Justice seal and claiming that individuals are exempt from face mask requirements are fraudulent.

There have been reports of individuals in Maine handing out cards claiming that the bearer is exempt from face mask requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Department of Justice also is aware of postings or flyers on the internet making the same claims. Many of these documents include the Department’s seal. The following is an example of a card that has been distributed in Maine:

These documents were not issued by the Department, and the Department does not endorse them. The Department also has not granted permission for the use of its seal for this purpose. Misuse of the Department seal is a federal crime.

The Department urges the public not to rely on the information contained in these documents and to visit https://www.ada.gov/ for ADA information issued by the Department.

For more information and technical assistance about the ADA, please contact the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) and 800-514-0383 (TTY).

PORTLAND, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank today announced that the Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has awarded $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil and prescription opioids. 

In the District of Maine, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) will receive $931,880 in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.

“Overdose deaths continue to plague Maine,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “Law enforcement plays a crucial role in combatting this epidemic by working to take drug dealers off the streets. The funding the COPS Office is providing to MDEA will help our state and local partners continue the fight against the distribution of these poisons in our cities and towns.”

“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”

Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.

The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces, including MDEA, through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.

Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.

The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work.  During the five-month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.

The complete list of AHTF award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award

The complete list of CAMP award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award

The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

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Portland, Maine:  U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank today joined the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice in announcing a new Civil Rights Reporting Portal. This new online tool will make it easier for the public to report a civil rights violation.

“The department is committed to upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all people in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Reporting Portal will make it easier for the public to connect with us, which in turn makes us more effective at upholding these important rights. I encourage the public to use this portal to report civil rights violations.”

“Any Mainer who believes that their civil rights have been violated can report the violation using the new Civil Rights Reporting Portal,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “The Portal will increase our awareness of such issues and improve our ability to vindicate violations of these fundamental rights.”

The Department, through the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, enforces a number of federal laws that protect people from discrimination in a variety of settings based on their race, color, national origin, disability status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, familial status and other characteristics.

The new Civil Rights Reporting Portal – located at www.civilrights.justice.gov – will consolidate over 30 unique reporting pathways. The portal will dramatically ease the burden on victims of civil rights violations to identify the proper reporting channel. The form is fully accessible to people with disabilities. It is also available in both English and Spanish, with more languages to be added over the next year.

If you believe that you or someone else has experienced unlawful discrimination, you can learn how to report a civil rights violation by visiting www.civilrights.justice.gov.

Federal law imposes criminal penalties for certain civil rights violations, including misconduct by law enforcement officers, hate crimes and human trafficking. If you believe that you are the victim of a criminal violation of your civil rights, please contact your local FBI office.

PORTLAND, Maine: Today, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined Attorney General William P. Barr and the entire Department of Justice in observing the 15th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The Department echoes voices around the world condemning elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for our country and the world, but among those most severely affected by the threat of the novel virus are our senior citizens. During this time when seniors are most vulnerable and isolated from their families and loved ones by social distancing and quarantine restrictions, bad actors have immediately exploited this international tragedy to prey on the elderly through a whole host of scam and fraud schemes. As the world takes this day to remember the elderly during these uncertain times, the Department of Justice remains relentlessly committed, through its department-wide Elder Justice Initiative, to prevent and prosecute fraud on America’s seniors.

The Department will aggressively prosecute fraudsters exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic and targeting seniors by offering them fake testing kits and fake help obtaining stimulus and Paycheck Protection Program Funds. On this day dedicated to recognizing our seniors, the Department of Justice sends a strong message that we continue the fight to keep seniors safe a top priority.

“Every society has an obligation to protect its most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “Defrauding senior citizens, particularly in the midst of a deadly pandemic, is outrageous and despicable. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who target Maine seniors.”

Earlier this year Attorney General Barr declared “Prevention and Disruption of Transnational Elder Fraud” to be an Agency Priority Goal, making it one of the Department’s four top priorities. Major strides have already been made to that end:

National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11

Earlier this year Attorney General Barr launched a National Elder Fraud Hotline. Staffed by experienced case managers who provide personalized support to callers, the hotline serves to assist elders and caretakers who believe they have been a victim of fraud by reporting and providing appropriate services.

Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force:

Established in June 2019 to combat foreign elder fraud schemes, the Strike Force is composed of the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and six U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along with FBI special agents, Postal Inspectors, and numerous other law enforcement personnel. Since its inception, prosecutors in Strike Force districts brought cases against more than 140 sweep defendants.

Annual Elder Justice Sweep:

In March of this year, the Attorney General announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in department history. The Department, together with every U.S. Attorney’s office, charged more than 400 defendants, causing over $1 billion in loss through fraud schemes that largely affected seniors.

Money Mule Initiative:

​​​​​​​Since October 2018, the Department and its law enforcement partners began a concentrated effort across the country and around the world to disrupt, investigate, and prosecute money mule activity used to facilitate fraud schemes, especially those victimizing senior citizens. In 2019, actions were taken to halt the conduct of more than 600 domestic money mules, exceeding a similar effort against approximately 400 mules in the previous year.

Holding foreign-based perpetrators and those that flee the United States accountable:

​​​​​​​Transnational criminal organizations are targeting our elder population in schemes including mass mailing fraud, grandparent scams, romance scams, lottery and sweepstakes scams, IRS and Social Security Administration imposter scams, and technical-support scams.

For more information on enforcement actions, training and resources, research, and victim services, please visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $58,008 to Cumberland County to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grants as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. Since the program’s launch in early April, OJP has awarded over $841 million to 1,773 state, local and tribal agencies and organizations. Eighteen Maine jurisdictions have received $4.4 million. 

“I am gratified that every Maine jurisdiction that was eligible to receive these much-needed funds has now done so,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “Going forward, the Department of Justice will continue to do all it can to support our state and local public safety professionals as they do their crucial work in the midst of this pandemic.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Grant recipients may also use funds to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information is at www.ojp.gov.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $56,996 to the City of Sanford and $41,186 to the City of Waterville to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grants as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. Since the program’s launch in early April, OJP has awarded over $825 million to 1,739 state, local and tribal agencies and organizations. Seventeen Maine jurisdictions have received a total of $4.3 million. 

“The coronavirus continues to affect the entire state of Maine,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “The Department of Justice is committed to supporting our law enforcement partners as they keep us safe during this unprecedented time.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Grant recipients may also use funds to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information is at www.ojp.gov.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank today announced that a Portland home healthcare company and its owner have agreed to pay $111,200.46 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act.

The civil settlement agreement with the United States and the State of Maine resolves allegations that Noble Home Health Care, Inc. (“Noble”) and its owner Mohamed A. Hassan (“Hassan”), submitted false claims to MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program) from May 2016 through September 2016. MaineCare is primarily funded by the United States, which pays approximately two-thirds of all reimbursed claims.

As alleged in a civil complaint filed today, Noble and Hassan submitted false claims for reimbursement to MaineCare for services provided to children with mental health diagnoses despite the fact that Noble did not hold the necessary mental health licensure to bill for such services. The United States and Maine contended that Maine Department of Health and Human Services (“Maine DHHS”) officials informed Hassan several times that Noble could neither provide nor bill for mental health services for its clients. Despite this, for nearly five months Noble and Hassan sought and received MaineCare funds for non-reimbursable, unlicensed services provided to 45 MaineCare members with mental health diagnoses. Hassan subsequently admitted to Maine DHHS that he had to pay MaineCare back for the services Noble had provided without a license.       

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; and the Office of the Maine Attorney General investigated the case. The civil action is docketed United States & State of Maine v. Noble Home Health Care, Inc. et al., 20-cv-00204-GZS (D. Me.). 

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $58,008 each to Androscoggin County and York County to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grants as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. Since the program’s launch in early April, OJP has awarded over $753 million to 1,367 state, local and tribal agencies and organizations. Fifteen Maine jurisdictions have received a total of $4.2 million.

“Androscoggin and York counties are among the areas in Maine most deeply affected by the coronavirus pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “I hope the funds the Department of Justice is able to provide through these grants assist the dedicated public safety professionals in those counties.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Grant recipients may also use funds to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information is at www.ojp.gov.

Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has awarded nearly $400 million to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards include over $2 million to 13 law enforcement agencies in Maine.

“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”

“It is immensely gratifying to be able to announce these awards to our partner police departments and sheriff’s offices,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “The awards will assist these agencies in making their communities safer through community policing initiatives.”

The following Maine law enforcement agencies received awards:

Law Enforcement Agency

Officers

Award Amt

Androscoggin County Sheriff's Department

2

$250,000

Biddeford Police Department

1

$125,000

Brewer, City of

1

$125,000

Eliot Police Department

1

$125,000

Fryeburg Police Department

1

$125,000

Mexico Police Department

1

$266,073

Old Orchard Beach Police Department

1

$125,000

Oxford Police Department

1

$125,000

Paris Police Department

1

$125,000

Rumford Police Department

1

$125,000

Washburn Police Department

1

$125,000

Windham Police Department

1

$125,000

York County Sheriff's Department

2

$250,000

 

The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.

CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty-three percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions. 

The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $34,565 to Lincoln County and $58,008 to Penobscot County to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grants as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. Since the program’s launch in early April, OJP has awarded almost $695 million to 1,109 state, local and tribal agencies and organizations. Thirteen Maine jurisdictions have received a total of $4.1 million. 

“Maine public safety professionals continue to rise to the challenge posed by the coronavirus outbreak," said U.S. Attorney Frank. “I am glad that the Department of Justice can provide resources to help our partners meet that challenge.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Grant recipients may also use funds to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information is at www.ojp.gov.

The Department of Justice today filed a statement of interest in a Maine federal court in support of a lawsuit filed by campgrounds in Maine—and New Hampshire residents who wish to enjoy them—challenging a measure by Governor Janet Mills in response to COVID‑19 that treats Maine residents more favorably than out-of-state residents when they seek to patronize campgrounds and RV parks within Maine. 

The Statement of Interest is part of Attorney General William P. Barr’s April 27, 2020 initiative directing Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Matthew Schneider, to review state and local policies to ensure that civil liberties are protected during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The United States Constitution requires government to protect the privileges and immunities of all citizens in our nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division.  “These privileges and immunities include the right of Americans to travel freely anywhere in our country, and state governments cannot limit the right of out-of-state Americans to travel to their state unless doing so is substantially related to protecting the public safety.  The Department of Justice remains committed to defending the constitutional rights of all Americans no matter where they live. The department will continue to be especially vigilant of any infringement on the right to travel that unduly harms the ability of Americans to earn a living and support their families.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor of Maine has issued Executive Orders that have continued to inflict significant economic harm on campground businesses.  On April 3, 2020, the Governor required campground and RV parks to close and also compelled “any person, resident or non-resident, traveling into Maine” to “immediately self-quarantine for 14 days” unless that person was engaged in “essential services.”  On April 29, the Governor issued another Executive Order, which incorporates a “Restarting Plan.”  The Restarting Plan provides that the State’s “Campgrounds/RV parks” will be “[o]pen to Maine residents only on May 22” and “[o]pen to out-of-state residents who have completed quarantine guidelines on June 1.” 

Maine’s self-quarantine requirement has contributed to the significant economic harm being suffered by campground businesses that rely on out-of-state patrons each summer for their income.  For example, the yearly revenue for plaintiff Little Ossipee Campground, a small family business in Waterboro, Maine has fallen by over $90,000.  Similarly, plaintiff Bayley’s Campground has received over 700 reservation cancellations, refunded over $150,000 in reservation fees, and lost over $260,000 in revenue. 

These campgrounds, along with New Hampshire residents who wish to enjoy them, brought a constitutional challenge on May 15 against various aspects of the Governor’s Orders.  According to plaintiffs, requiring only out-of-state residents to self-quarantine before patronizing campgrounds in Maine violates the federal constitutional right to interstate travel. 

In its statement of interest, the United States explains that Maine’s quarantine requirement discriminates between Maine residents and out-of-state residents.  This discrimination appears to be inadequately tailored to further public safety and therefore does not comply with the Constitution.  Maine’s Executive Orders are imposing devastating economic costs on the plaintiff campgrounds with a requirement that is both overinclusive and underinclusive to meet its objective and for which Maine could use less restrictive means to advance its interest in protecting public safety.

The federal case is Bayley’s Campground, Inc, d/b/a Bayley’s Camping Resort, et al. v. Mills, Civil Action No.: 2:20-cv-00176-LEW

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $65,825 to the City of Bangor to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grant as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. Since the program’s launch in early April, OJP has awarded over $661 million to 963 state, local and tribal agencies and organizations. Eleven Maine jurisdictions have received a total of over $4 million. A list of all awards can be found here.

“My hope is that this grant will help Bangor combat the coronavirus that has so disrupted our lives,” U.S. Attorney Frank said in announcing the grant.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Funds may also be used to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

Today is the deadline for jurisdictions to apply for grants. OJP will fund successful applicants on a rolling basis as it receives applications. Grantees may apply the funds retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations. More information is at https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information is at www.ojp.gov.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and Maine Commissioner of Labor Laura Fortman warned that scammers are taking advantage of pandemic unemployment assistance programs to file fraudulent claims by using the personal information of other people, including Maine residents. They urged Mainers to notify the Maine Department of Labor if they believe that someone has used their identity to fraudulently apply for or obtain unemployment benefits. The online complaint form is at https://www.maine.gov/unemployment/idtheft/

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Maine Department of Labor, Maine Attorney General’s Office, Maine State Police, Maine State Treasurer, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI are working together to investigate and stop the fraudulent unemployment claims. In Maine, the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General are spearheading the federal investigative effort.

“Although perhaps not surprising, it is outrageous that criminals are capitalizing on the current emergency to file fraudulent unemployment claims using stolen identity information,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working closely with our state and federal partners to identify and halt this criminal behavior, and to bring to justice those who commit it. We ask anyone who believes they have been the victim of unemployment fraud to report it immediately.”

Maine Attorney General Frey added, “We will work with the Department of Labor to stop public funds from being released due to fraud, and we will coordinate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on the prosecution of those individuals who apply for or obtain public funds using stolen identities.”

“The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring the integrity of the unemployment insurance program. The CARES Act provides enhanced unemployment benefits during these unprecedented times. The Office of Inspector General will work closely with the U.S. Department of Justice, Maine Department of Labor, and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to exploit the unemployment benefits our nation is providing to our fellow citizens in their time of need,” stated Michael Mikulka, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

With the unprecedented increase in unemployment insurance claims over the past two months due to COVID-19, many states, including Maine, are seeing an increase in reports of identity theft in applications for unemployment benefits. Victims often discover that their personal information has been stolen only when they file an application for benefits and learn that claims have already been submitted using their name and personal information.

“The Maine Department of Labor takes its responsibility to uphold the integrity of the unemployment program very seriously,” Commissioner Laura Fortman said. “MDOL will continue to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to investigate and prevent fraud, while paying benefits to eligible Maine workers as quickly as possible.”

In addition to creating a state-federal task force to detect and prevent fraud, MDOL has taken the following additional steps:

•           Coordinating with financial institutions to identify suspicious accounts;

•           Reviewing system changes needed to increase fraud detection; and

•           Blocking web addresses linked to fraud here in Maine and in other states.

If you believe that someone else has used your information to file a fraudulent unemployment application, please notify the Maine Department of Labor immediately at https://www.maine.gov/unemployment/idtheft/. Suspected fraud can also be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form or (866) 720-5721.

If you think someone is using your personal information to open accounts, file taxes or make purchases, visit https://www.identitytheft.gov to report and recover from identity theft. Additional identity theft resources can be found at https://www.maine.gov/ag/privacy/identity_theft.shtml or https://www.ftc.gov/faq/consumer-protection/report-identity-theft.

PORTLAND, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $219,535 to the City of Portland, $96,714 to the City of Biddeford, and $38,979 to the City of Auburn to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grants as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. Since the program was launched in early April, OJP has awarded almost $596 million to state, local and tribal agencies and organizations. 

“The Department of Justice has to date awarded almost $4 million to Maine jurisdictions to assist public safety professionals who are keeping us safe during this pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “Our state, local and tribal partners continue to step up in this unprecedented time, and I’m glad the Department can assist them.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Funds may also be used to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

Jurisdictions that have not yet applied for funds may do so until May 29, 2020. OJP will fund successful applicants on a rolling basis as it receives applications. Grantees may apply the funds retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations. For more information, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components is located at www.ojp.gov.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $3,266,879 to the State of Maine, $47,070 to the City of Westbrook, $45,597 to the City of South Portland, and $36,405 to the City of Saco to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grants as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. Since the program was launched in early April, OJP has awarded more than $566 million to state, local and tribal agencies and organizations. A list of all awards can be found here.

“Maine jurisdictions continue to receive needed funds to address the public safety challenges posted by this pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “I am pleased that the Department of Justice has been able to provide the state and local jurisdictions with resources they need to keep their personnel safe while they perform their crucial mission in this unprecedented time.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Funds may also be used to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

Jurisdictions that have not yet applied for funds may do so until May 29, 2020. OJP will fund successful applicants on a rolling basis as it receives applications. Grantees may apply the funds retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations. For more information, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components is located at www.ojp.gov.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Mexican citizen was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for entering the United States after removal, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

Following the acceptance of his guilty plea, U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Victor Rios-Merlin, 41, to time served (over two months).

According to court records, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Rios-Merlin in Caribou on March 3, 2020, after they stopped the vehicle in which he was a passenger. Immigration records showed that he had been removed from the U.S. in November 2016.

The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine: In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed Sunday, May 10, through Saturday, May 16, 2020.

“There is no more noble profession than serving as a police officer,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The men and women who protect our communities each day have not just devoted their lives to public service, they’ve taken an oath to give their lives in order to ensure our safety. And they do so not only in the face of hostility from those who reject our nation’s commitment to the rule of law, but also in the face of evolving adversity – such as an unprecedented global health pandemic. This week, I ask all Americans to join me in saying ‘thank you’ to our nation’s federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. Their devotion and sacrifice to our peace and security will not be taken for granted.”

“We owe a profound debt of gratitude to the men and women of law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney Frank said. “Law enforcement officers are in the community protecting all of us, day or night, even in the midst of this global pandemic. Here in Maine, we had many examples of heroic and selfless acts by police officers in 2019, including Waterville officer Timothy Hinton, who despite being shot in both arms by an assailant during a traffic stop last December, continued to pursue the shooter. And we will never forget Detective Benjamin Campbell of the Maine State Police, who died tragically in April of last year while assisting a motorist. The employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office are honored to work with our federal, state, local and tribal partners.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.  

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities they swore to serve.

Based on data collected and analyzed by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 89 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2019, including Detective Campbell, who died on April 3, 2019, while assisting a stopped motorist on Interstate 95.

Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing most of the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019.

The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial will be read on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. Because public events have been suspended as a result of COVID-19, the vigil will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 p.m. (EDT). The online event can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $77,591 to the City of Augusta and $58,008 to Kennebec County to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grants as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. OJP is moving quickly, aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving an application. OJP has also made statewide awards in addition to awards to local jurisdictions. A list of all awards is at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/cesf/awards.

“Public safety professionals in Maine are doing phenomenal work as they protect Mainers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “I hope these emergency grants to Augusta and Kennebec County will help keep our local partners safe on the job as they keep all of us safe.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Funds may also be used to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

Applications are due by May 29, 2020. OJP will fund successful applicants on a rolling basis as it receives applications. Grantees may apply the funds retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations. For more information, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components is located at www.ojp.gov.

Portland, Maine:  U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank is asking Mainers who have been the victim of housing-related sexual harassment resulting from the current COVID-19 crisis to report such practices to the Department of Justice.

“While the vast majority of landlords have been incredibly understanding and accommodating to their tenants during this crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Frank, “there have been reports of some landlords who have responded to requests to defer rent payments with demands for sexual favors and other unwelcome sexual conduct. This behavior is reprehensible and will not be tolerated. The Attorney General has asked all U.S. Attorneys to investigate reports of housing-related sexual harassment resulting from the current crisis, and my office and the Department of Justice are ready to do whatever we can to stop this predatory behavior.”

In October 2017, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice launched an initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. Since launching the initiative, the Department has filed 14 lawsuits alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing. Recently, for example, the Department settled a sexual harassment lawsuit against the owners and managers of Kansas rental properties alleging that one of the owners sexually harassed numerous tenants. The owners agreed to pay $160,000 in damages and civil penalties to resolve the lawsuit.

Individuals who believe they may have been victims of sexual harassment in housing can call the DOJ Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative at 1-844-380-6178, or send an email to fairhousing@usdoj.gov, describing your experience or the experience of someone you know.

PORTLAND, Maine: A New York man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for conspiring to transport stolen goods, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Bunny Hibbert, 37, to time served (approximately 14 months). In addition, Judge Levy ordered Hibbert to pay $115,666.63 in restitution to Home Depot. Hibbert pleaded guilty on February 18, 2020.   

According to court documents and information provided at sentencing, from October 2018 until February 2019, Hibbert and two other individuals stole numerous items from Home Depot stores in Maine and four other New England states. They transported the stolen goods to the New York City area and sold them through an online marketplace. They stole merchandise worth $115,666.63. Police arrested Hibbert and one other conspirator in Auburn, Maine on February 21, 2019, when they attempted to steal items from the Auburn Home Depot.

The U.S. Secret Service and the Auburn Police Department investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $85,314 to the City of Lewiston to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grant as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. OJP is moving quickly, aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving an application. OJP has also made statewide awards in addition to awards to local jurisdictions. A list of all awards is at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/cesf/awards.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Funds may also be used to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel.  In announcing the grant, U.S. Attorney Frank stated, “my hope is that this grant will help Lewiston combat the coronavirus that has so disrupted our lives.”

Applications are due by May 29, 2020. OJP will fund successful applicants on a rolling basis as it receives applications. Grantees may apply the funds retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations. For more information, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components is located at www.ojp.gov.

Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joins the Department of Justice and communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, celebrating victims’ rights, protections and services throughout the week. This year’s observance takes place April 19–25 and features the theme, “Seek Justice | Ensure Victims’ Rights | Inspire Hope.”

“Every year, millions of Americans suffer the shock and trauma of criminal victimization, affecting their well-being and sense of security and dignity,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “To these victims, we affirm our unwavering commitment to supporting them in their hour of need. We also commend the thousands of victim advocates and public safety professionals who labor tirelessly to secure victims’ rights and support survivors.”

“Although we cannot undo the trauma crime victims suffer,” U.S. Attorney Frank said, “we can do everything in our power to ensure that the criminal justice process helps victims to heal and recover. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is a time for all of us to reaffirm our support for victims and applaud those volunteers, victim service providers and criminal justice professionals who make it their mission to assist them.”

“While we have made tremendous progress driving down crime and violence across the country, far too many Americans continue to suffer the pain and loss of criminal victimization,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. “This week, we stand by these survivors and their families, and we pledge our ongoing support to the countless men and women who serve them with such extraordinary skill and compassion.”

Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims’ rights, needs, and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda. He also established the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims. President Trump and his administration have implemented historic levels of support for victim assistance and victim compensation.

Some 3.3 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory. Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is comprised of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.

During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local and tribal agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. This year, many communities are organizing virtual gatherings and online public awareness campaigns.

This year’s commemoration began yesterday, 25 years to the day when a truck bomb exploded in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, taking the lives of 168 people, including 19 children, as well as injuring hundreds of others. The mass murder remains the worst act of domestic terrorism in our nation’s history and led to the establishment of the Antiterrorism Emergency Reserve, which is administered by OVC, and has been used to provide direct services to hundreds of victims of mass violence and terrorism.

“Crime victims deserve to know that they have the encouragement and support of the American people,” said OVC Director Jessica E. Hart. “I hope that citizens throughout the nation will take the opportunity this week to remember all victims of crime and their heroic stories of survival. I encourage everyone to also find meaningful ways to express their appreciation to the many committed and compassionate service providers across the country who work tirelessly supporting these survivors.”

This year, the annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony will be postponed until a time when we can honor this year’s award recipients in person. During the ceremony, OVC will present awards recognizing individuals and organizations from across the nation for their outstanding service on behalf of crime victims. The awardees will be selected from public nominations in 11 categories, including federal service, special courage, public policy, and victim services. Visit www.ovc.gov/gallery to learn more about past recipients.

For more information on how to create your own public campaigns to raise awareness about crime victims’ rights online and at events throughout the year, please visit: https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw2020/overview.html.

Portland, Maine:  U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank sent a letter to the Maine Medical Association and Maine Hospital Association today, asking them to provide information to law enforcement about individuals and companies that may be acquiring or selling scarce medical supplies for the purpose of hoarding or price gouging.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is focused on investigating and prosecuting those who are trying to use the current pandemic to take advantage of Mainers,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “Law enforcement needs the assistance of medical professionals in identifying those who may have acquired crucial medical supplies in excess of what they could reasonably use, or for the purpose of charging exorbitant prices. These supplies should be in the hands of the brave healthcare workers who are putting themselves in harm’s way to protect others.”

U.S. Attorney Frank sent the letter as part of a coordinated, nationwide effort to combat coronavirus-related fraud. Under the leadership of Attorney General William Barr, U.S. Attorneys appointed Coronavirus Fraud Coordinators to work with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners to protect the public from scammers who are attempting to prey upon fears. The Department is also committed to preventing hoarding and price gouging for critical supplies during this crisis. To address this, Attorney General Barr created the COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force.

If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via email at disaster@leo.gov. Members of the public in Maine are also encouraged to email USAME.COVID19@usdoj.gov to reach the office’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Perry.

Read U.S. Attorney Frank’s letter below.

PORTLAND, Maine:  A Honduran national was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for being found in the United States after removal, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

Following the acceptance of his plea, U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Angel Isaula, 67, to time served (approximately three months).

According to court records, on January 7, 2020, U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a van in Turner, Maine. Isaula, who was inside the van, told the agents that he was in the U.S. illegally, after having been removed on two prior occasions. Immigration records showed that he had been removed from the U.S. in September 2013 and again in June 2014.

The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine:  A Presque Isle woman was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for passing counterfeit money, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Vicky LeClerc, 29, to a time-served sentence and two years of supervised release. LeClerc has been in federal custody since June 27, 2019.  She pleaded guilty on December 4, 2019.

According to court records, in December 2018, LeClerc contacted a person who was selling clothes on Facebook. She stated that she wished to purchase the clothes for $20 and the seller agreed. She later met with the seller and paid for the clothes with a $50 bill. The seller became suspicious that the $50 bill was counterfeit because it did not feel correct. She brought the bill to the Presque Isle Police Department, which confirmed the bill was counterfeit. At the time of the sale, LeClerc was aware that the $50 bill was counterfeit.

The Presque Isle Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine: A Ghanaian national pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for identity theft, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

Following the acceptance of his plea, Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced George Owusu-Ansah, 44, to a time-served sentence of 21 days.

On February 11, 2020, during a traffic stop, Owusu-Ansah presented a New Jersey driver’s license, issued in another person’s name, as his own to a Maine State Police trooper and U.S. Border Patrol agents. He later used the New Jersey driver’s license to travel out of state.

Border Patrol agents later learned Owusu-Ansah’s true identity. On February 16, 2020, agents detained him on immigration-related offenses, including an order of deportation. He was charged federally on March 13, 2020, and went into federal custody on that date.

The U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

Portland, Maine:  A Mexican national was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for being found in the United States after removal, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Josue Calvo-Burguet, 37, to time served (approximately three months). Calvo-Burguet pleaded guilty on February 18, 2020.

According to court records, on January 7, 2020, U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a van in Turner, Maine. Calvo-Burguet, who was inside the van, told the agents that he was in the United States illegally, after having been removed on two prior occasions. Immigration records showed that he had been removed from the United States in March 2018 and again in July 2018.

Because of the current COVID-19 pandemic, and for health and safety reasons, Calvo-Burguet participated by telephone from the Cumberland County Jail. Telephonic sentencings were recently permitted by the U.S. Congress as part of the CARES Act. Yesterday the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine entered a general order permitting such telephonic proceedings.

The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

Portland, Maine: The Department of Justice today announced that it is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump, will allow eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. The department is moving quickly to make awards, with the goal of having funds available for drawdown within days of the award.

“Our state and local partners are on the front lines of the battle against the coronavirus,” said U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank. “Through this new funding program, the Department of Justice is doing its part to ensure that our partners have the resources they need to continue protecting public safety in these challenging times.”

“This is an unprecedented moment in our nation’s history and an especially dangerous one for our front-line law enforcement officers, corrections officials, and public safety professionals,” said Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “We are grateful to the Congress for making these resources available and for the show of support this program represents.”

The solicitation, posted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will remain open for at least 60 days and be extended as necessary. OJP will fund successful applicants as a top priority on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to Jan. 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations is at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.

For more information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553. For more information about OJP, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/.

PORTLAND, Maine:  U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (also known as the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disaster@leo.gov.

In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes. Some examples of these schemes include:

• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
• Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
• Fraudulently seeking donations for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
• Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.      

In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities.   U.S. Attorney Frank has named Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Perry as the district’s COVID‑19 Fraud Coordinator.

The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes. The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.

To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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Portland, Maine:  Nearly $60 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address public safety by supporting successful reentry of adult and juvenile offenders into their communities, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today.

“Our nation is facing difficult public safety challenges that demand strong and immediate action. The high rate of recidivism poses a dire threat to community safety and is being met with a robust response by this Administration,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this persistent challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including adult and juvenile reentry initiatives and research projects designed to improve our knowledge of what works in reentry programming. 

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future. 

 

Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17104

Total Available $7.2 million                                       Deadline 4/27/2020

 

Improving Community Supervision Outcomes through Swift, Certain and Fair Responses

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17096

Total Available $3 million                                          Deadline 4/28/2020

 

Improving Reentry for People with Substance Use Disorders Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/SCASUD20

Total Available $13.2 million                                     Deadline 4/27/2020    

 

Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17281

Total Available $4 million                                          Deadline 5/4/2020

 

Research and Evaluation on Promising Reentry Initiatives           

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17295

Total Available $6 million                                         Deadline 5/5/2020      

 

Review and Validation of the First Step Act Risk Assessment Tool            

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-fsa

Total Available: Determined after selection               Deadline 4/10/2020

 

Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17110

Total Available $13.5 million                                     Deadline 5/4/2020

 

Second Chance Act Evaluation Participation Support

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17680

Total Available $4 million                                         Deadline 4/28/2020

 

Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/media/document/ojjdp-2020-17350.pdf

Total Available $7 million                                          Deadline 4/28/2020

 

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

Portland, Maine:  More than $83 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities improve school security and protect students, teachers and faculty from threats of violence, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today.

“School violence is no longer an abstract threat but has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities. Moving to meet this challenge is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to tighten school security and improve the reporting of threats. 

A number of funding opportunities for school safety are currently open, with another opening in the near future: 

Research and Evaluation on School Safety

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308

Total Available $5 million                                         Deadline 4/13/2020    

STOP Act School Violence Program (FY20)

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308

Total Available $71.4 million                                     Deadline 4/13/2020

Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence  

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17926

Total Available $7 million                                         Deadline 4/27/2020

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.

Portland, Maine:  More than $65 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today.

“Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight against this insidious crime. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors. 

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future. 

 

Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351

Total Available $1.8 million                                      Deadline 4/6/2020 (Extended)

 

Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking

Total Available $22 million                                       Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Preventing Trafficking of Girls

Total Available $1.7 million                                       Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons   https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324

Total Available $2.5 million                                      Deadline 4/20/2020    

 

Services for Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $16.5 million                                     Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $2 million                                     Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program

Total Available $5 million                                          Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking                          

Total Available $6 million                                          Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking

Total Available $8 million                                          Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

Portland, Maine:  More than $163 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address America’s addiction crisis, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today.

“Our nation is facing the difficult challenge of curbing substance addiction, which threatens public safety and is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to prevent overdose deaths and break the cycle of addiction and crime. 

A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open: 

 

Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17098

Total Available $1.75 million                                     Deadline 5/14/2020    

 

Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20

Total Available $27 million                                        Deadline 5/21/2020

 

Enhancing Community Responses to America's Addiction Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims

https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-enhancing-community-responses-to-drug-crisis.pdf

Total Available: $19 million                                       Deadline: 5/4/2020

 

Family Drug Court Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090

Total Available $18.2 million                                     Deadline 4/8/2020 (Extended)

 

Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754

Total Available $28.1                                                 Deadline 5/5/2020

 

Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051

Total Available $7.2 million                                       Deadline 4/13/2020 (Extended)

 

Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930

Total Available $48 million                                        Deadline 4/13/2020  

 

Opioid Affected Youth Initiative

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352

Total Available $9 million                                          Deadline 4/20/2020

 

Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime          

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275

Total Available $1 million                                          Deadline 4/20/2020                            

 

Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners

https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20

Total Available $4.5 million                                       Deadline 4/6/2020

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

PORTLAND, Maine:  U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank today announced that he has appointed an experienced Assistant U.S. Attorney to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of crimes related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Perry, a senior prosecutor in the Portland office, will serve as the COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator, overseeing federal prosecutions of virus scammers.

Attorney General William Barr has directed all U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the detection, investigation and prosecution of criminal conduct related to the current pandemic. “The pandemic is dangerous enough,” the Attorney General said, “without wrongdoers seeking to profit from public panic and this sort of conduct cannot be tolerated.”

“Criminals are already taking advantage of the anxiety caused by the coronavirus outbreak to peddle fake cures, send phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and install malware on apps designed to track the virus,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “This type of fraudulent activity is appalling. AUSA Perry, one of the most talented and experienced prosecutors in my office, will lead our efforts to stop these fraudsters.”

Individuals who believe they may have been the target of a coronavirus-related fraud scheme can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. More information about coronavirus scams is also available from the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/coronavirus.

Following a three-day jury trial, Maurice Diggins, 36, of Biddeford, Maine, was convicted today of conspiring to commit hate crimes and of actually committing hate crimes by engaging in a series of racially motivated attacks against black men in Maine, announced the Department of Justice. 

“Today’s conviction demonstrates that the Department of Justice will not tolerate horrific racially-motivated attacks,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The jury’s verdict reflects the sad fact that racism and violence remain linked more than 150 years after our nation abolished slavery.  The Department of Justice will continue forcefully to prosecute race-based violations of our federal civil rights laws.”

“Today, a jury found Maurice Diggins guilty of committing three hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank of the District of Maine. “At trial, the government proved that Diggins conspired with his nephew, Dusty Leo, to brutally assault two men because they were black. In both cases, the men’s jaws required surgery to repair extensive damage. Diggins’ and Leo’s behavior was despicable. It violated America’s and Maine’s core values that all men are created equal, that they are entitled to pursue their lives without racial discrimination, and entitled to be safe from being assaulted because of the color of their skin. I am grateful to the jurors for their service, to the trial team for ably presenting the case, and to the federal defender for providing Mr. Diggins with the type of vigorous defense that our system provides to all defendants.”

According to evidence presented at trial, on April 15, 2018, defendant Diggins and his nephew, Dusty Leo (who previously pled guilty in connection with this case), committed two separate racially motivated assaults, one in Portland and one in Biddeford. In the Portland assault, which occurred just before 1:00 a.m., Diggins attacked a black Sudanese male without provocation, breaking the victim’s jaw. During that same incident, Diggins and Leo assaulted another black man who was standing nearby. Witnesses heard Diggins and Leo using racial epithets during the incidents.

In the second incident, which occurred approximately an hour later and approximately 20 miles away in Biddeford, defendant Diggins and Leo drove in Leo’s truck into the parking lot of a convenience store, where Diggins got out of the truck and approached a black man who was walking toward the store’s entrance. Diggins directed a racial slur at the man and distracted him while Leo got out of the truck and sucker-punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. The unprovoked attack broke the victim’s jaw in several places.

Leo pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, admitting that he conspired to commit hate crimes and that he committed the hate crime against the victim in Biddeford.

Diggins faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the two hate crime charges, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. Leo faces the same penalties for the hate crime charge and conspiracy charge to which he pleaded guilty. They will be sentenced after the preparation of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Sawyer and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Timothy Visser.

For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.

Portland, Maine: Following a three-day jury trial, Maurice Diggins, of Biddeford, Maine, was convicted today of conspiring to commit hate crimes and of actually committing hate crimes by engaging in a series of racially motivated attacks against black men in Maine, announced Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank of the District of Maine.

“Today’s conviction demonstrates that the Department of Justice will not tolerate horrific racially-motivated attacks,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The jury’s verdict reflects the sad fact that racism and violence remain linked more than 150 years after our nation abolished slavery.  The Department of Justice will continue forcefully to prosecute race-based violations of our federal civil rights laws.”

“Today, a jury found Maurice Diggins guilty of committing three hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank of the District of Maine. “At trial, the government proved that Diggins conspired with his nephew, Dusty Leo, to brutally assault two men because they were black. In both cases, the men’s jaws required surgery to repair extensive damage. Diggins’ and Leo’s behavior was despicable. It violated America’s and Maine’s core values that all men are created equal, that they are entitled to pursue their lives without racial discrimination, and entitled to be safe from being assaulted because of the color of their skin. I am grateful to the jurors for their service, to the trial team for ably presenting the case, and to the federal defender for providing Mr. Diggins with the type of vigorous defense that our system provides to all defendants.”

According to evidence presented at trial, on April 15, 2018, defendant Diggins and his nephew, Dusty Leo (who previously pled guilty in connection with this case), committed two separate racially motivated assaults, one in Portland and one in Biddeford. In the Portland assault, which occurred just before 1:00 a.m., Diggins attacked a black Sudanese male without provocation, breaking the victim’s jaw. During that same incident, Diggins and Leo assaulted another black man who was standing nearby. Witnesses heard Diggins and Leo using racial epithets during the incidents.

In the second incident, which occurred approximately an hour later and approximately 20 miles away in Biddeford, defendant Diggins and Leo drove in Leo’s truck into the parking lot of a convenience store, where Diggins got out of the truck and approached a black man who was walking toward the store’s entrance. Diggins directed a racial slur at the man and distracted him while Leo got out of the truck and sucker-punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. The unprovoked attack broke the victim’s jaw in several places.

Leo pleaded guilty on February 25, admitting that he conspired to commit hate crimes and that he committed the hate crime against the victim in Biddeford.

Diggins faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the two hate crime charges, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. Leo faces the same penalties for the hate crime charge and conspiracy charge to which he pleaded guilty. They will be sentenced after the preparation of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Sawyer and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Timothy Visser.

For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals. 

Portland, Maine: Assistant U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in the country, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

The induction ceremony at which McElwee became a Fellow took place on March 7 in Tucson, Arizona.

McElwee’s induction with three other new inductees from Maine brings the total membership of Maine lawyers in the College to just 27. She is the fourth female attorney in Maine to be selected for membership in the College, and she is the first Maine prosecutor to be selected.

Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the U.S. and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only, and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. Membership in the College is limited to one percent of the lawyers in an individual state.

McElwee has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2002. She is a member of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and a past president of the Cumberland Bar Association. She has served on the adjunct faculty of the University of Maine School of Law and at the Maine Trial Lawyers College of Advocacy. She primarily prosecutes violent crime cases such as sex trafficking, interstate domestic violence and child sexual exploitation, as well as firearms and arson cases.

McElwee is a native of Caribou and a graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of Maine School of Law.

Bangor, Maine:  A Brewer man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Bangor to being a felon in possession of two firearms, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, on May 17, 2019, Brewer police officers found Jamey Brigley, 32, in possession of brass knuckles. He later physically resisted and struggled with an officer, and two additional officers had to assist in securing him. When officers searched his backpack following his arrest, they found two pistols, one of which had an obliterated, unreadable serial number. Brigley admitted that he knew he could not legally buy or own a firearm. He was prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions, including convictions for Unlawful Possession of Oxycodone and Unlawful Trafficking in Scheduled Drugs in 2015. 

Brigley faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Brewer Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about PSN, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psn.

Bangor, Maine:  A Surry man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Bangor for holding for sale counterfeit drugs, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Adam Fitzherbert, 55, to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Fitzherbert pleaded guilty on September 3, 2019.

According to court records, on February 6, 2018, Fitzherbert was arrested at his residence in Surry while agents were executing a search warrant there. While executing the warrant, agents from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recovered 91 counterfeit Oxycodone HCL pills from Fitzherbert’s bedroom that were later found to contain carfentanil. Fitzherbert admitted purchasing the pills through a “dark web” marketplace.

“The opioid epidemic that has resulted in overdoses and deaths is a national public health crisis. Those who contribute to that crisis by illicitly distributing opioids, whether online or through conventional drug distribution methods, will be brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ New York Field Office. “The FDA is fully committed to disrupting and dismantling networks engaged in the manufacturing and sale of illicit opioids and counterfeit prescription drugs. We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who threaten the health and safety of Americans by distributing dangerous products.”

FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and the Ellsworth Police Department investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Bangor, Maine:  A Manchester, Maine man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to threatening a federal agent, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

Cody Lyon, 24, pleaded guilty to three counts of transmitting threatening interstate communications.

According to court records, in May and June 2019, agents with the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were investigating shipments of illicit goods to a residence in Maine. Lyon’s name came up during the investigation as a person of interest. After learning of the investigation, on June 15, 2019, Lyon left a series of threatening voicemail messages on the cellular phone of one of the FDA agents involved in the investigation.   

Lyon faces a maximum penalty on each charge of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

“As FDA’s criminal law enforcement arm, the Office of Criminal Investigations protects the American public by investigating illegal activities involving FDA-regulated products,” said Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ New York Field office. “Threatening any individual involved in the criminal investigation process will not be tolerated. We commend the efforts of the Department of Justice and our fellow federal and state law enforcement agencies for vigorously pursuing the prosecution of this matter.”

HSI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Maine State Police.

Portland, Maine: An Auburn man was convicted yesterday following a two-day jury trial of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in June 2010, Willie Richard Minor, 59, was convicted of Assault in Maine Superior Court. The victim of the assault was his wife at the time. As a result of that conviction, Minor was prohibited from possessing firearms. In November 2016, Minor admitted to having a gun in an interview with the Auburn Police Department. The police subsequently recovered the gun he had described.

Minor was originally convicted and sentenced on the federal charge after a trial in December 2017. While the case was pending on appeal, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision, Rehaif v. United States, that changed what the government is required to prove in certain federal firearm possession cases. As a result, the parties agreed to have the original conviction vacated, and the case was remanded for a new trial. At the second trial, the government was required to prove not only that Minor had been convicted of assaulting his wife, but also that he knew he had been so convicted and was aware of certain details of the conviction.

Minor faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Auburn Police Department, the Mechanic Falls Police Department, the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory and the FBI investigated the case.

Portland, Maine: A Westbrook man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to distributing images of child exploitation, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, in July 2018, Tyler Garnett, 22, used the social media application Kik Messenger to chat over the internet with another Kik user. During the chat, Garnett sent several images that depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Later in 2018, the Westbrook Police Department investigated a CyberTip provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child pornography that had been uploaded to another social networking service. The IP address used to upload the child pornography was assigned to Garnett’s residence in Westbrook. Detectives interviewed Garnett in December 2018. He admitted uploading the images that were the subject of the CyberTip and using Kik Messenger to find child pornography. He consented to a search of his mobile telephone, which contained numerous images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The phone also contained evidence of Kik chats in which Garnett distributed child pornography images. 

Garnett faces a sentence of no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison. He also faces a $250,000 fine and from five years to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Westbrook Police Department, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the FBI investigated this case. The 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. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Portland, Maine:  A Portland tax return preparer was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Portland for preparing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Ashraf Eldeknawey, 46, to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. Judge Hornby also ordered Eldeknawey to pay $97,191 in restitution to the IRS. Eldeknawey pleaded guilty on August 14, 2019.

According to court documents and information presented in court, Eldeknawey operated a tax return preparation business located inside the Ahram Halal Market in Portland from 2015 to 2018. He prepared fraudulent tax returns for clients on which he reported self-employment income that they did not earn. As a result, the clients received tax refunds to which they were not entitled. Eldeknawey also filed a 2014 tax return for himself on which he overstated the expenses associated with a painting business he operated. 

The IRS Criminal Investigation Division; the FBI; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit, investigated the case. Attorneys from the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

Portland, Maine:  A Dominican national residing in Massachusetts was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Enyel Mejia-Pimental, a/k/a “Gregori Velez-Sosa,” 28, to 40 months imprisonment. Mejia-Pimental pleaded guilty on March 29, 2019.

According to court records, Mejia-Pimentel was a primary drug courier for a drug trafficking organization based out of the Lawrence, Massachusetts area. The organization was responsible for distributing kilogram quantities of fentanyl to customers from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts between approximately April 2016 and March 2018. 

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sanford Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.

Portland, Maine:  A Buckfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Joshua Morin, 33, to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Morin pleaded guilty on June 24, 2019.

According to court records, on January 2, 2019, after a police pursuit, Morin crashed his car and then continued to flee officers on foot. After officers apprehended him, they recovered a large amount of cocaine from his person and from just outside the car he had been driving. Police also recovered $20,000 cash at the scene of the crash. The cocaine weighed approximately 1.6 kilograms, or about 3.5 pounds. Morin told the police that he distributed the cocaine in ounce and half-ounce quantities.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police, the Lewiston Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.

Portland, Maine: Two Maine men were sentenced today in federal court in Portland for fentanyl trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Kevin Camp, 42, of Auburn, and Frank Lynch, 34, of Leeds, to six years and five years in prison, respectively. Judge Singal sentenced both men to three years of supervised release following their prison terms. Camp pleaded guilty on October 17, 2019, and Lynch pleaded guilty on October 28, 2019.

According to court records and the evidence introduced at the sentencing hearing, on January 26, 2019, Lynch obtained fentanyl from Camp and distributed it to another person. The recipient of the fentanyl ingested it and died. On January 27, 2019, law enforcement officers seized additional fentanyl intended for distribution from Camp’s person and from his residence.  

The Auburn Police Department investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine:  Rochester, New York man was sentenced today in Bangor for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin and conspiracy to violate federal firearms laws, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr sentenced Rashaad McKinney, a/k/a “Dawson,” a/k/a “D,” 28, to 77 months in prison and a three years of supervised release on the drug charge and a concurrent five year term in prison and three years of supervised release on the gun charge. 

According to court records, between November 2016 and September 2017, McKinney conspired with others from Rochester and Central Maine to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack and heroin.  The drugs were acquired in Rochester and sold in Central Maine.  In addition, some of the people to whom McKinney sold drugs conspired with him to illegally obtain firearms from Augusta area firearms dealers.  McKinney recruited straw-purchasers, gave them instructions on which firearms to purchase, and then paid them in cash or drugs to make the purchases using money that he provided.  The firearms were then taken back to Rochester.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.  The case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.