Western District of Texas

Harry Cole (aka Akintomide Ayoola Bolu, aka John King, aka Big Bro, aka Egbon), a 50-year-old Nigerian citizen and a resident of Canada, was extradited today from Canada to face federal charges for his alleged role in a fraudulent “sweepstakes” scheme with an intended loss in excess of $300 million.

U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Acting Special Agent in Charge Roderick Benson, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Houston Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Antonio; and, Inspector in Charge Adrian Gonzalez, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Houston Division, announced the extradition.

“If you defraud Americans, it doesn’t matter where you are in the world. The United States government will work tirelessly to find you, extradite you, and hold you accountable for your crimes,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash. 

“Today’s extradition of Harry Cole demonstrates the power of the American judicial system,” IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Benton.  “Despite the fact that Cole was living in Canada, special agents were able to track him because of our strong relationships with our international law enforcement agencies and bring him to justice.”

“HSI is committed to using our broad authority and global presence to bring international fugitives to justice,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Folden. “Today’s extradition of Harry Cole demonstrates that HSI and our international law enforcement partners will be diligent in our efforts to locate and hold accountable those individuals who defraud U.S. citizens.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use, no matter where those crimes originate,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Gonzalez.  “This scheme targeted one of our country’s most vulnerable populations, the elderly.  Postal Inspectors will continue to work tirelessly with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate these crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

A federal grand jury indictment, returned in September 2018, charges Cole with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Sweepstakes) and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Each count upon conviction calls for up to 20 years in federal prison.  Cole, who remains in federal custody pending his Initial Appearance in Austin, Texas tomorrow afternoon, is one of eight defendants charged in connection with this scheme. 

The others include:  Akintola Akinmadeyemi; Austin residents Joel Calvin and Clarence Barefield (aka CJ); Mesquite, TX, resident Donna Lundy; Nigerian citizens and Canadian residents Emmanuel Olawale Ajayi (aka Wale, aka Walata), Tony Dada Akinbobola (aka Lawrence D Awoniyi, aka Boss Tony, aka Toyin) and Bolaji Akinwunmi Oyewole (aka BJ, aka Beejay). 

According to the indictment, the defendants carried out their sweepstakes scheme from 2012 to 2016.  Cole allegedly purchased lists from Lundy of elderly potential victims and their addresses.  He and other conspirators based in the Toronto, Ontario Canada metropolitan area sent packages containing fraudulent sweepstakes information to conspirators residing in the U.S.  The packages contained thousands of mailers, which U.S.-based conspirators sent to victims notifying them that they had won a sweepstakes.  Each mailer included a fraudulent check issued in the name of the victim, usually in the amount of $8,000, and a pre-addressed envelope.  Victims were instructed to deposit the check into their bank account, immediately withdraw between $5,000 and $7,000 dollars in cash or money orders and send the money to a “sweepstakes representative” to facilitate the victim collecting his or her prize. By the time the victim was notified by the bank that the deposited check was fraudulent, the cash or money order had been sent by the victim and received by the defendants or conspirators.  The intended loss from this scheme was over $300 million, with an actual loss of more than $900,000.

The indictment also alleges that from June 2015 through June 2016, Emmanuel Ajayi led a Stolen Identity Refund Fraud (SIRF) scheme in which over 1,200 fraudulent Income Tax Returns were filed using stolen Personal Identifying Information (PII) requesting $25 million in tax refunds.  Ajayi used bank accounts involved in the sweepstakes scheme to receive refunds and funnel the money to conspirators in the U.S.  An IRS analysis determined that this scheme resulted in the actual loss of approximately $3.4 million paid from the U.S. Treasury.

In order to acquire the money generated by the Sweepstakes and SIRF schemes, the conspirators operated a money laundering conspiracy in the U.S. That conspiracy employed knowing and unknowing participants to conduct financial transactions with the goals of moving the proceeds from both fraudulent schemes outside of the U.S. without detection by law enforcement.

Defendants Akinbobola, Ajayi and Oyewole are considered fugitives.  On March 9, 2020, Akinmadeyemi was sentenced to ten years in federal prison.  On May 27, 2020, Barefield was sentenced to eight years in federal prison. Both were ordered to pay, jointly and severally, $111,870.25 in restitution. Defendants Calvin and Lundy, who pleaded guilty to the money laundering conspiracy charge, are scheduled for sentencing in Austin on March 9, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel.

IRS-CI, HSI, and USPIS investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Galdo and Neeraj Gupta are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.  Attorneys with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition of Cole from Canada.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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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.

In Austin this week, an active duty soldier and a former federal government employee at Camp Mabry admitted to stealing and unlawfully selling more than $1 million worth of items from the military installation in Austin, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.   

Appearing today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane, 27-year-old Texas National Guardsman Cristal Avila of Fort Worth pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property.  On Tuesday, 35-year-old Joseph Mora of Schertz, TX, Avila’s co-defendant and former Program Analyst at the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office warehouse, pleaded guilty to the same charge.  By pleading guilty, Avila and Mora admitted to conducting a scheme to remove large quantities of sensitive military grade equipment, including rifle scopes, infrared laser aiming devices and thermal night vision goggles, from the facility without authorization.  Mora later sold many of the stolen items on eBay and by other means.

On September 24, 2019, federal agents executed a search warrant at Mora’s residence and recovered dozens of items believed to be stolen from Camp Mabry, to include pelican cases containing aiming lights, a pallet of night vision goggles and tripods.

Avila and Mora face up to ten years in federal prison and have agreed to pay restitution to the government for the stolen items as well as profits generated from the sale of those items. Both remain on bond pending sentencing which has yet to be scheduled. 

Agents with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command (Army CIC), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Texas Rangers are investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Galdo and Karthik Srinivasan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

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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.

In San Antonio today, Senior U.S. District Court Judge David A. Ezra granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) filed by federal authorities against Living Health Holistic Healing Center d/b/a Living Health New Braunfels (Living Health) and it’s owner, Leslie Tatum, to combat alleged fraudulent advertising and testing related to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Field Office.

The purpose of the civil injunction is to stop Tatum, through her business, from advertising, offering and performing COVID-19 testing.  According to a civil complaint filed in this case, Living Health and Tatum have misled the public into believing they are qualified to both administer COVID-19 diagnostic and serological tests and interpret the results of such tests. The defendants operate a website with the domain name “livinghealthnb.com”, a Facebook page, and use direct emails to induce customers into purchasing COVID-19 antibody testing for $85.  The complaint further states that the test used by Tatum is not authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine whether individuals have an active COVID-19 infection or whether they should take steps to quarantine or isolate themselves from others.  Moreover, according to the complaint, Tatum, a licensed massage therapist, is not qualified to perform nor evaluate the test results.

Today’s action will prevent Tatum from advertising COVID-19 testing through her business’s website and Facebook page immediately while this investigation continues.  It will also prevent her from performing COVID-19 diagnostic or serological tests, or providing services related to the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation, or management of symptoms of COVID-19.  By filing this action, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.  A hearing on the TRO is scheduled for 9:00am on August 25, 2020, before Judge Ezra.

Individuals who were tested for COVID-19 at this facility are asked to contact the FBI by calling (210) 225-6741, prompt #1, or online at www.tips.fbi.gov. Those individuals are also encouraged to contact their primary care physician, local health department, free standing ER, or nearby urgent care facility for re-testing.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites.  In addition, the public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or by e-mailing the NCDF at disaster@leo.gov. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx.  For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop COVID-19 fraud, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

This enforcement action is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin M. Van De Walle, Justin Chung and Michael C. Galdo of the Western District of Texas.  Special Agents with the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office are conducting the investigation.

The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.

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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.

Today, 47-year-old Deanna Bates Wehde of San Antonio admitted to stealing over $470,000 from the company she managed, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad, Wehde pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.  By pleading guilty, Wehde admitted that while employed by Stone Care of Texas between May 2016 and September 2018, she defrauded the company by using company credit cards issued in the names of former employees for business-related travel to make unauthorized purchases and cash withdrawals for her own personal use and benefit.

Wehde faces up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft as well as restitution to the company.  Wehde remains on bond pending sentencing scheduled for November 5, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Orlando Garcia in San Antonio. 

The FBI investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Harris is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

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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.

Today, federal authorities arrested 62–year-old Juan Benavidez of San Antonio and filed a federal criminal complaint charging him with distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.   

FBI agents executed a search warrant today at the defendant’s address and seized his cell phone.  A preliminary examination of the iPhone revealed the presence of multiple image files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit activity as well as the use of the mobile messaging application named Kik to receive and distribute files depicting child pornography between April and June of this year.

Benavidez remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing anticipated for next week.  Upon conviction, Benavidez faces between five and 20 years in federal prison.

The FBI’s San Antonio Crimes Against Children Task Force is investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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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.

In San Antonio, a federal judge sentenced 28-year-old Angelica Reyes-Vasquez to 70 months in federal prison for her role in smuggling black tar heroin into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Office Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden.

On October 26, 2019, Reyes-Vasquez, a citizen of Mexico, arrived at the San Antonio International Airport on a flight originating from Mexico City, Mexico.  While going through customs inspection, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers detained Reyes-Vasquez for providing conflicting information to the officers.  Reyes-Vasquez was referred to secondary inspection for further questioning.  A subsequent inspection of Reyes-Vasquez’ luggage revealed three plastic toys containing approximately 5.4 kilograms of black tar heroin.  

On January 21, 2020, Reyes-Vasquez pled guilty to one count of importation of heroin.  On July 21, 2020, U.S. District Judge Jason K. Pulliam sentenced Reyes-Vasquez to 70 months of federal imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Reyes-Vasquez has remained in federal custody since her arrest on October 26, 2019.

“While some may mistakenly view smuggling controlled substances as a path to a quick profit, the sentencing of Reyes-Vasquez demonstrates that serious consequences await those who engage in criminal activity,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Folden.  “HSI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities and bring drug smugglers to justice.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Office Director.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Nowinski prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

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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.

Today, U.S. Attorney John F. Bash joined fellow U.S. Attorneys in Texas—Ryan K. Patrick in the Southern District, Erin Nealy Cox in the Northern District and Stephen J. Cox in the Eastern District—and Attorney General Ken Paxton to inform the public about several fraudulent schemes involving masks, personal protection equipment (PPE), and other COVID-19 related equipment. They urge everyone to exercise increased due diligence and caution when dealing with new suppliers or vendors, especially when using a third-party broker.  

As demand for PPE increases, scammers may advertise equipment they do not actually have in attempts to make a quick profit. These PPE products may be counterfeit and mislabeled, and some may not exist at all. Some fraudsters reach out directly to consumers and government entities through email or social media to push their products. Red flags that a seller may be engaging in a scam include:  

• Unusual payment terms 
• Last-minute price changes 
• Last-minute excuses for delay in shipment 
• Unexplained source of a large quantity of material 
• Evidence of re-packaging or mislabeling 

There are ongoing federal and state prohibitions on charging exorbitant prices for PPE during this time of national emergency. Texans who believe they have encountered scams or price gouging should call the Office of the Attorney General’s toll-free complaint line at (800) 621-0508 or file a complaint online. For additional information on disaster scams, please visit our disaster scams website.  

More information on unapproved or counterfeit PPE can be found at cdc.gov/niosh. You can also find information on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website and the Environmental Protection Agency website. If you have information about PPE-related fraud, or about hoarding or price gouging of critical supplies, you can report it without leaving your home to the National Center for Disaster Fraud by calling the National Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting the NCDF Web Complaint Form. 

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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.

In Midland on Wednesday, a federal grand jury indicted 44-year-old Jeffrey Allen Smerud on one count of possession of a destructive device, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Division.

According to court documents, on March 10, 2020, Odessa police officers responded to reports of a suspicious person at a Lowe’s Home Improvement Center.  A Lowe’s employee observed the suspicious person (later identified as Jeffery Allen Smerud) placing an unknown object under a pallet of mulch and then leaving the area.  Shortly thereafter, the employee observed an explosion coming from the pallet.

Using the vehicle description and surveillance footage, law enforcement officers determined the suspect to be Jeffrey Allen Smerud.  On March 13, Smerud was arrested.  Smerud admitted to law enforcement officers to planting the explosive device at Lowe’s.  Smerud also admitted he manufactured the explosive device.

Smerud is scheduled for an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Ronald C. Griffen later this month.  If convicted, Smerud faces up to ten years imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine.  Smerud has remained in federal custody since his arrest on March 13.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with assistance from the Odessa Police Department, is investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Chriesman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. 

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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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.

In Del Rio today, a federal complaint was unsealed against 29-year-old Leeroy Felan for providing false information to federal agents and assisting arsonists in evading arrest, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and U.S. Marshal Susan Pamerleau.  Deputy U.S. Marshals arrested Felan in Carrizo Springs on July 21, 2020.

The complaint charges Felan with being an accessory after the fact.  According to court records, Felan provided false statements to federal law enforcement officers in order to impede the investigation and arrest of his brother, Jose Felan, Jr., and his brother’s wife, Mena Yousif.  Felan also assisted with the transportation of Jose Felan, Jr. and Mena Yousif in order to hinder and prevent both from being apprehended by law enforcement.

Jose Felan, Jr. and Mena Yousif are wanted in connection with a fire set at a Goodwill retail store in St. Paul, Minnesota, on May 28, 2020.  The store was set ablaze after demonstrations across Minnesota, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.  Surveillance cameras show two suspects alleged to be involved in setting the fire to the Goodwill store’s back room.  Those two suspects were later identified as Jose Felan, Jr. and Mena Yousif.  ATF is offering two rewards of up to $10,000 each for information that leads to the apprehension and conviction of Jose Felan and Mena Yousif.  Additional information regarding Jose Felan, Jr. and Mena Yousif can be found at this link: https://www.usmarshals.gov/news/chron/2020/062620.htm.

In 2015, Leeroy Felan was convicted of one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens; he was sentenced to 36 months of federal imprisonment.  Felan is currently on federal supervised release stemming from the 2015 conviction.  He is scheduled for a detention and preliminary hearing on this current case on July 31, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Collis White in Del Rio.  

The U.S. Marshals Service in Del Rio is investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody Gilzene is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jose Felan, Jr. or Mena Yousif can report the information at www.usmarshals.gov/tips. Tipsters can also call 877-WANTED-2 (877-926-8332).

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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.

An Irish national was sentenced in federal court in Waco, Texas, today to 12 months in prison for conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act in relation to illegal rhinoceros horn trafficking, announced Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice.

John Slattery, who was arrested on Aug. 1, 2019, in Ireland, was extradited to the United States for his role in trafficking horns from black rhinoceros.  Slattery pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic in horns from black rhinoceros on July 7, 2020.

On May 13, 2014, a federal grand jury sitting in Waco, Texas, returned an indictment that has since been unsealed, charging Slattery and a co-defendant, Patrick Sheridan, with conspiring to traffic in horns from black rhinoceros.  In addition to conspiracy, the indictment charges substantive violations of the Lacey Act for wildlife trafficking and making a false wildlife document. 

According to documents filed with the court, in September 2010, Slattery traveled with his brother, Michael Slattery Jr. and Patrick Sheridan to a taxidermy shop in Austin, Texas, to purchase rhinoceros horns. Upon their first visit to the shop, John Slattery and his co-conspirators were informed that the horns could only be sold to a resident of Texas.  The following day, Slattery enlisted the help of an individual (now deceased), a Texas resident who acted as a straw buyer, to enable the three co-conspirators to purchase the rhinoceros horns.

As part of the plea, Slattery admitted that through the straw buyer, he and his co-conspirators paid the taxidermist $18,000 for the horns.  They were given an “Endangered Species Bill of Sale,” which the group later modified and falsified.  Slattery further admitted that after they purchased the horns in Texas, Slattery traveled to New York, where he sold the horns to an individual for $50,000.  Slattery gave the purchaser the falsified “Endangered Species Bill of Sale,” which Slattery and his co-conspirators had modified to make it look as if the sale in Texas was legal, when in fact, it was not.  Slattery further admitted that he later offered the same individual 10 rhinoceros horns for sale.  That sale was not completed.

In September 2013, Slattery Jr. was arrested in New York and charged in the Eastern District of New York with conspiring with Slattery and Sheridan to traffic rhinoceros horns.  In January 2014, Slattery Jr. pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.  In September 2015, Sheridan was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom.  Sheridan was returned to the Western District of Texas where he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.  In addition to the conspiracy to traffic in rhinoceros horns, Slattery and Sheridan were charged with violating the Lacey Act’s trafficking provision and making a fictitious and fraudulent bill of sale in connection with the rhinoceros horns in an attempt to make their illegal purchase of the horns appear legal.

The transport of Slattery to the Western District of Texas to face these charges concluded the extradition process from Ireland, a process governed by an extradition treaty between the United States and Ireland.  Slattery was sentenced in federal court in Waco, by U.S. District Judge Alan Albright.

The case was investigated by agents from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff for the Western District of Texas.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support in securing and coordinating Slattery’s arrest and extradition. Assistance for Slattery’s extradition was provided by the Government of Ireland.

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.

In Austin today, the federal grand jury indicted 35-year-old Joshua Colin Honigberg for possessing an improvised explosive device, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

The indictment charges Honigberg with one count of unlawful possession of a destructive device.  According to court records, FBI agents and Austin Police officers executed a search warrant on May 29, 2020, at the defendant’s residence.  During the search, authorities recovered an explosive bomb capable of causing property damage and personal injuries and/or death to nearby persons upon detonation. 

Upon conviction, Honigberg faces up to ten years in federal prison. 

The FBI, together with the Austin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Sparks is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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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.

A federal grand jury in Waco, Texas, returned an indictment today charging a San Antonio tax preparer with aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney John F. Bash for the Western District of Texas.

According to the indictment, Telesa Hall operated Precision Efile Tax Services, a tax return preparation business located in San Antonio, Copperas Cove, and Killeen, Texas. From 2014 to 2017, Hall allegedly falsified clients’ tax returns by claiming business losses that her clients did not incur, in order to fraudulently increase their refunds. The indictment further alleges that from 2013 through 2016, Hall falsified her own tax returns by not reporting all of the income she earned from her tax preparation business.

If convicted, Hall faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison on each of the 23 counts in the indictment. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Bash commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Francesca Bartolomey and William Guappone of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.

In Waco today, a federal grand jury indicted 22-year-old Cecily Aguilar in connection with the disappearance of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command (USACID) Special Agent in Charge Vanessa Neff at Fort Hood.

The federal grand jury indictment charges Aguilar with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence and two substantive counts of tampering with evidence.  Aguilar faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count upon conviction.

According to court records, U.S. Army Specialist Aaron Robinson told Aguilar that he killed a female soldier by striking her in the head with a hammer while on Ft. Hood on April 22, 2020.  Robinson further admitted to Aguilar that he transferred the woman’s body off of Ft. Hood to a remote site in Bell County.  Subsequently, Robinson enlisted the help of Aguilar in disposing of the victim’s body.  At a later time Aguilar recognized the deceased, whom she helped Robinson mutilate and dispose of, as Vanessa Guillen.

The indictment alleges that from April 22, 2020, through July 1, 2020, Aguilar conspired with Robinson to corruptly alter, destroy, mutilate and conceal evidence, including the victim’s body in order to prevent Robinson from being charged with and prosecuted for any crime.  The indictment also alleges that on April 23, 2020, and on April 26, 2020, Aguilar tampered with evidence in this case, including the victim’s body, to impair its integrity and availability for use in an official proceeding.

During a previously scheduled court hearing in Waco today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske arraigned Aguilar on the indictment now pending against her.  A not-guilty plea was entered by Aguilar’s counsel.  Judge Manske also ordered that Aguilar remain in federal custody until further notice.  No further court dates have been scheduled.

Agents and investigators from USACID, FBI, Texas Rangers, Bell County Sheriff’s Office, Killeen Police Department, Belton Police Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Marshals Service are continuing to investigate this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Greg Gloff are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.  

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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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.

A Texas man pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Western District of Texas on charges of conspiring to traffic thousands of live reptiles, amphibians, and birds, valued in excess of $3.5 million.

Alejandro Carrillo of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge David Briones for the Western District of Texas.  Sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 16.  

“Carrillo’s arrest and his removal from the trafficking network demonstrates that the Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce laws designed to protect wildlife,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “This is a continuing investigation and reflects the seriousness with which we regard these activities and our commitment to hold accountable those who break the law.”

“This investigation has exposed a highly coordinated wildlife trafficking ring responsible for the smuggling of wild caught reptiles destined to collectors and the commercial trade across the U.S. and globe,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director for Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).  “The number of animals suspected of being smuggled is in the tens of thousands.  Reptiles, amphibians and other protected wildlife already face enough environmental stressors worldwide. This case goes a long way to slow the impacts of wildlife trafficking on species that are under protection of the Endangered Species Act and CITES.”

According to documents filed with the court, beginning in 2016, the FWS undertook Operation Bale Out, an investigation of a network of individuals involved in the trafficking of wildlife between the United States and Mexico. “Bale” means a group of turtles, and much of the wildlife trafficked by this network involved rare turtles.

According to information in the public record, Carrillo functioned as a middle-man for the network, transporting live animals – many of which were protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) – from Mexico into the United States. Carrillo pleaded guilty to two counts of an indictment charging him with conspiring to traffic wildlife into the United States, and smuggling wildlife into the United States. As part of the plea, Carrillo admitted to being paid more than $92,000 to transport thousands of animals from Mexico into the United States, valued at more than $3,500,000. After transporting the animals into the United States, Carrillo then arranged for them to be delivered to domestic customers, who had purchased the animals from the Mexico-based suppliers.

This case is part of an ongoing effort by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, in coordination with the Department of Justice, to prosecute those involved in the illegal taking and trafficking in protected species. This prosecution is being handled by the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. The government is represented by Environmental Crimes Trial Attorneys Mary Dee Carraway and Gary N. Donner.

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.

In San Antonio, a federal judge sentenced 33-year-old Trorice Crawford of San Diego, California, to 46 months in federal prison for his role in an identity-theft and fraud scheme that victimized thousands of U.S. servicemembers and veterans, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Director Gustav Eyler of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch.

In addition to the prison term, Chief U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia ordered that Crawford pay $103,700 in restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.

“The Department of Justice will not tolerate fraud on America’s warfighters and veterans,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Ethan P. Davis of the Department’s Civil Division.   “Working with our partners and using all tools available, we are committed to protecting those who protect us.”

On December 5, 2019, Crawford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.  By pleading guilty, Crawford admitted that from May 2017 to July 2019, he conspired with Robert Wayne Boling, Jr. (a U.S. citizen), and others to steal money belonging to U.S. Servicemembers and veterans.  By pleading guilty, Crawford admitted to recruiting at least 30 individuals (aka “money mules”) who provided their bank account information to receive funds stolen from military affiliated individuals.  On average, each unauthorized transfer from a victim’s accounts ranged from between $8,000 to $13,000.  Crawford kept a percentage of the withdrawn funds for himself and oversaw the transmission of the remaining amounts by means of international money remittance services to Boling and others in the Philippines.

In October, co-defendant Frederick Brown, age 38 of Las Vegas, NV, pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with this scheme.  Brown, a former civilian medical records administrator for the U.S. Army at the 65th Medical Brigade, Yongsan Garrison, South Korea, admitted that while logged into the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application, he illegally captured on his cell phone personal identifying information (PII) of thousands of military members, including names, social security numbers, DOD ID numbers, dates of birth, and contact information.  Brown further admitted that he subsequently provided that stolen data to Boling so that Boling and others could exploit the information in various ways to access Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs benefits sites and steal millions of dollars. 

As asserted in the federal grand jury indictment, Boling, together with his Philippines-based co-defendants Allan Albert Kerr (Australian citizen) and Jongmin Seok (South Korean citizen), specifically used the stolen information to compromise a Department of Defense portal designed to enable military members to access benefits information online. Once through the portal, the defendants are alleged to have accessed benefits information.  Access to these detailed records enabled the defendants to steal or attempt to steal millions of dollars from military members’ bank accounts. The defendants also stole veterans’ benefits payments. Evidence of the defendants’ scheme was detected earlier this year, advancing the investigation that led to the indictment.

The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are coordinating with the Department of Justice to notify and provide resources to the thousands of identified victims.

Boling, Kerr and Seok are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.  Boling, Kerr and Seok remain in the Philippines.  Measures are being taken to effect their transfer to the Western District of Texas.  Brown remains in federal custody awaiting sentencing scheduled for 10:30am on September 17, 2020, before Judge Garcia in San Antonio. 

It is important to note that an indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The United States is represented by Trial Attorneys Ehren Reynolds and Yolanda McCray Jones of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Blackwell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. The matter was investigated by agents of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and counsel Matthew Freund, along with substantial investigative support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, and the Veterans Benefits Administration’s Benefits Protection and Remediation Division. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Philippine law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Nevada, the Southern District of California, and the Eastern District of Virginia also provided assistance. Resources from the Department of Justice’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative and its Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force aided in the matter’s investigation and prosecution.

Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. In particular, in March 2020, the Department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history, charging more than 400 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep.  The Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.  

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice; information on the Servicemember and Veterans Initiative is at https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers.

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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.

In El Paso today, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment against Patrick Wood Crusius, 21, with new hate crime and firearm charges stemming from the death of a hospitalized shooting victim, announced Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Eric D. Dreiband and U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.   

On August 3, 2019, Crusius allegedly opened fire with an assault rifle and shot multiple individuals in and around the Walmart Supercenter in El Paso, leading to the death of 23 individuals and injuring many more.  On   February 6, 2020, the federal grand jury returned an indictment against Crusius.  On April 25, 2020, a victim who had been shot during the incident died as a result of the injuries he sustained.

Today’s federal grand jury superseding indictment includes 23 counts of hate crimes resulting in death (counts 1-23), 23 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence (counts 24-46), 22 counts of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill (counts 47-68), and 22 counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (counts 69-90). 

The superseding indictment alleges that in June 2019, Crusius used the internet to purchase a GP WASR-10 semi-automatic rifle and 1,000 rounds of hollow point ammunition.  On August 3, 2019, after substantial planning and premeditation, Crusius took the assault rifle and ammunition and drove from his residence in Allen, TX, to the Walmart Supercenter store located on Gateway West Blvd. where he conducted his attack.  The superseding indictment further alleges that just prior to the mass shooting, Crusius uploaded to the internet a document he had drafted entitled “The Inconvenient Truth.”  The document opened by stating, “This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas. They are the instigators, not me.  I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by the invasion.”  Among other things, the superseding indictment charges Crusius with willfully causing bodily injury to the victims because of the actual and perceived national origin of any person.

The charges in the superseding indictment carry a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.    The Attorney General will decide whether to seek the death penalty at a later time. 

The case (WTDX case # EP20cr389) has been assigned to U.S. District Judge David C. Guaderrama.  There is no trial date at this time.  This case is scheduled for a docket call at 2:00pm on October 7, 2020. 

The FBI, with the support of the El Paso Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner, Allen Police Department and Dallas Police Department, conducted this investigation. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian Hanna and Greg McDonald of the Western District of Texas, and U.S. Department of Justice Trial Attorneys Tim Visser and Michael Warbel. 

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

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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.

Today, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint against 22-year-old Cecily Aguilar in connection with the disappearance of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command (USACID) Special Agent in Charge Vanessa Neff at Fort Hood, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

The criminal complaint charges Aguilar with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. According to the complaint, 20-year-old U.S. Army Specialist Aaron Robinson told Aguilar that he killed a female soldier by striking her in the head with a hammer while on Ft. Hood on April 22, 2020.  Robinson further admitted to Aguilar that he transferred the woman’s body off of Ft. Hood to a remote site in Bell County.  Subsequently, Robinson enlisted the help of Aguilar in disposing of the dead female’s body.  The complaint further alleges that at a later time Aguilar recognized the deceased, whom she helped Robinson mutilate and dispose of, as Vanessa Guillen. The remains found in Bell County have yet to be formally identified by authorities.

The complaint further states that earlier this week, Robinson shot and killed himself when confronted by police.

Upon conviction, Aguilar faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.  She remains in custody at this time awaiting her Initial Appearance in federal court in Waco. The hearing is expected to take place early next week. 

Agents and investigators from USACID, FBI, Texas Rangers, Bell County Sheriff’s Office, Killeen Police Department, Belton Police Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Marshals Service are continuing to investigate this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Greg Gloff are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. 

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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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.

In San Antonio today, Richard Medina, Sr., admitted to the preparation of false U.S. Income Tax Returns which contained fraudulent deductions and making a false statement in U.S. bankruptcy proceedings, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Goss, Houston Field Office.

According to public records, the defendant operated an unnamed and unregistered tax preparation business out of his residence from 2013-2016.  He assisted clients in preparing their federal income tax returns.  On the tax returns he prepared and submitted to the IRS, Medina admittedly included false credits and itemized deductions.  Specifically, on a client’s 2015 Individual Income Tax Return, Medina provided fraudulent figures—$6,245 in Residential Energy Credits and itemized deductions totaling $60,451—to which the tax preparer was not entitled.  Medina further admitted that he produced over 30 fraudulent tax returns for others and four personal tax returns for a total loss to the U.S. government of $273,372. 

Prior to 2013, Medina and his wife filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 13.  By pleading guilty, Medina admitted that he failed to report to the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee income derived from his tax preparation business since 2013. Medina also admitted that he made false statements to the Social Security Administration omitting his income derived from his tax return preparation business in order to obtain Social Security disability benefits he would not have otherwise received.

Medina faces up to three years in federal prison and restitution to the IRS for the false tax return charge and up to five years in federal prison for making a false statement in U.S. bankruptcy proceedings.  Medina remains on bond pending sentencing scheduled for September 16, 2020, before U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez.

Agents with the IRS—Criminal Investigation conducted this investigation.   Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Harris is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

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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.

In Austin today, federal authorities arrested Michael George McQuarn, 51 of Austin, for allegedly defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program of more than $2 million.

U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) Central Region Special Agent in Charge Donald Abram; Acting IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton, Houston Field Office; Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Office of Investigations (TIGTA) Special Agent in Charge Gary L. Smith, Mid-States Field Division; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Laurie L. Younger, Dallas; and, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made today’s announcement.

This year, Congress has authorized over $600 billion in emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  A portion of those funds included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses (payroll, rent, utilities, mortgage payments, etc.) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  In order to receive funding, businesses must submit an application along with supporting documentation which must be approved by the SBA.

A criminal complaint unsealed this morning charges McQuarn with wire fraud and making false statements to the SBA.  The complaint alleges that beginning in April 2020, McQuarn implemented a scheme whereby he submitted fraudulent applications and supporting paperwork of two fictitious companies he created—Vantastic Voyages, LLC and Happy Days Movers, LLC—to secure SBA-backed PPP loans.  McQuarn claimed the funds were for legitimate business purposes when, in fact, the money was used for his own personal use, including purchasing a 26’ Pavati Wake Boat and a Rolls Royce.  The complaint further alleges that McQuarn fraudulently received in excess of $2 million in PPP funds.   

“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to help Americans struggling with financial hardship during the pandemic. Our office will be aggressive in targeting anyone who defrauds this critical program,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash. 

“The defendant egregiously sought personal gain from a program intended to assist hardworking Americans in this challenging time,” said SBA OIG Central Region Special Agent in Charge Abram.  “SBA OIG and its law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue allegations of wrongdoing to maintain the integrity of SBA’s programs.  I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

“We are pleased to join our law enforcement partners in pursuit of those individuals using the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to defraud the nation’s financial institutions and government relief programs,” stated FDIC-OIG Special Agent in Charge Younger.

Upon conviction, McQuarn faces terms of imprisonment up to 20 years for wire fraud and up to five years for making false statements to the SBA. 

SBA OIG, IRS-CI, FDIC-OIG, TIGTA and the Texas Attorney General’s Office are conducting this ongoing investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Devlin, Michael Galdo and Robert Almonte are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

If anyone believes that they or their family are the victims of a scam or attempted fraud involving stimulus payments related to COVID-19 fraud, they can report it without leaving their home.  Please contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or by email at disaster@leo.gov.  If it is a cyber scam, they may also submit a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

It is important to note that a criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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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.

In Waco today, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright handed down lengthy federal prison sentences to multiple defendants in four separate cases, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Combs, San Antonio Field Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Steve Whipple, Houston Division.   

• Judge Albright sentenced 31-year-old Michael James Wier of Jacksonville, FL, to 30 years imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release.  Judge Albright also ordered Wier to pay a $10,000 fine.  On December 19, 2019, Wier pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.  Wier admitted to sexually assaulting two minors, both of whom were under the age of 12, while residing on Fort Hood between May 2008 and January 2011.  The FBI, U.S Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Mary Kucera prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
   
• Judge Albright sentenced 32-year-old Devito Dembinsky of McGregor, TX, to 413 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.  On June 11, 2019, Dembinsky pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, one count of retaliating against a witness and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine.  Dembinsky admitted that in January 2019, while incarcerated awaiting trial on the meth charge, he punched a co-conspirator multiple times in the face.  The co-conspirator suffered multiple broken bones in his nose and a large lip contusion.  During subsequent recorded telephone conversations from inside the detention facility, Dembinsky bragged to two different individuals that he had assaulted the “snitch” and “rat” because he believed the individual agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and be a witness against Dembinsky.  “The lengthy sentence handed down today sends a clear message to those who poison our communities with dangerous drugs, and then attempt to avoid accountability for their criminal conduct by threatening or harming witnesses,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs. “Obstruction of Justice strikes at the foundation of our criminal justice system and will not be tolerated.”  The FBI and the Temple Police Department investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
   
• Judge Albright sentenced a pair of defendants, 36-year-old Jeremy King of Temple, and 42-year-old Joe Aaron Holmesley of Austin, TX, to 365 months and 300 months imprisonment, respectively, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Waco area from September 2018 to April 2019.  Judge Albright ordered that each defendant pay a $1,000 fine and be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing their prison terms.  Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charge.  The Temple Police Department, FBI and the DEA investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
   
• Judge Albright sentenced 55-year-old Delida Mindieta of Temple, to 87 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.  Judge Albright also ordered that Mindieta pay a $100 fine and $8,121 in total restitution to three separate banks.  On November 5, 2019, Mindieta pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery.  Mindieta admitted robbing: the BBVA Compass Bank located on East Central Avenue in Belton, TX, on April 22, 2019; the Wells Fargo Bank located on University Oaks Boulevard in Round Rock, TX, on April 22, 2019; and, the Texas Champion Bank located on West Oaklawn Road in Pleasanton, TX, on April 25, 2019.  She also admitted to robbing the Wells Fargo Bank in Edna, TX, on April 30, 2019.  On each occasion, Mindieta entered the financial institution and demanded cash from bank tellers.  The FBI, Belton Police Department, Round Rock Police Department and the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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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.

Manuel Flores, age 42 of El Paso, faces a federal charge of posting a threatening communication over the Internet, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Division.

On Monday, FBI agents arrested Flores in Dallas based on a federal criminal complaint filed in El Paso.  According to the criminal complaint, Flores recorded and uploaded a video to YouTube entitled “[N*****] Lives Matter” in which he made threatening comments to Black Lives Matter protestors.  During the video, the defendant is seated visible only from the knees down with what appears to be an AR-15 style rifle resting on the defendant’s feet.  Flores stated that he would be travelling on I-20 Eastbound through Dallas on Monday while daring individuals representing Black Lives Matter to “stop him.”  Flores further stated that “my dream is at least take out at least 200 [N******].”

On Monday, FBI agents located and arrested Flores in the Dallas area without incident.  He had his initial appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate in Dallas.

Flores is charged with one count of transmitting threatening communications.  Upon conviction, he faces up to five years in federal prison.  He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at this time awaiting transfer to El Paso.  His preliminary hearing before a U.S. Magistrate in El Paso has yet to be scheduled. 

The FBI is investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Hanna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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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.

In Waco, a federal judge sentenced 43–year-old James Stevens to 200 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio Division.   

During sentencing on June 10, 2020, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright also ordered that Stevens pay $5,000 in restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of ten years after completing his prison term.

“I am thankful that we were able to put another predator behind bars. The sexual exploitation of children is one of the most critical problems facing our country, and it doesn’t get remotely enough attention,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

On February 11, 2020, Stevens pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.  According to court records, information concerning child sexual exploitation material provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the South Australian Police led HSI investigators to the defendant.  In June 2019, authorities executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Temple and seized his cellular telephone. Stevens was arrested based on outstanding state warrants, but later bonded out of jail.

During a subsequent forensics review of the defendant’s cell phone, authorities discovered numerous images of child pornography as well as images of the defendant pant-less, lying down on a bed next to a minor victim.  Information obtained from the images led investigators to a residence in Rockdale, TX, where the minor victim lived with his biological father.  Inside the residence, investigators saw the defendant lying on a bed with the minor victim sitting next to him.  During an interview, the biological father stated that the four-year-old victim is non-verbal, suffered from a cognitive disability and lacked specific skills that would be normally associated with a child of that age.  The biological father also admitted that he and the defendant were in a relationship and that they used methamphetamine which was found in the residence.  State authorities arrested both men for the methamphetamine and notified Child Protective Services.

During this investigation, agents discovered approximately 121 images and 24 videos of child pornography on the defendant’s cell phone, computer and online accounts. 

“The significant sentence imposed on James Stevens sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those who exploit children.  Stevens will serve almost 17 years in federal prison for his incomprehensible acts,” stated HSI Special Agent in Charge Folden. “HSI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who victimize the most vulnerable members of our society, our children.”

HSI investigated this case with assistance from the Bell County Sheriff’s Office and the Milam County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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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.

A federal judge today unsealed a criminal complaint charging 48–year-old San Antonio resident Shannon Kuchler with driving to Boston to pick up a minor he met on the “Dark Web” and transport her to San Antonio in order to engage in sexual relations, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.   

The criminal complaint charges Kuchler with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.  According to the criminal complaint, the defendant met his 16-year-old victim on the “Dark Web” in 2019.  In December 2019, Kuchler traveled to Boston, picked up his victim and transported her to San Antonio.  On several occasions during the trip to Texas, Kuchler engaged in sexual intercourse with his victim.  After arriving in San Antonio, the complaint alleges that Kuchler sexually assaulted the victim on two occasions and forced her to engage in oral sex.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Kuchler at his residence yesterday.  Kuchler remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing at 9:30am on June 23, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad in San Antonio.

The FBI’s San Antonio Crimes Against Children Task Force, San Antonio Police Department, Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Bettina Richardson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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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.

Today United States Attorney John F. Bash joined Attorney General William P. Barr and the entire Department of Justice in observing the 15th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. On the day dedicated to recognizing our seniors, the Department of Justice sends a strong message that the fight to keep seniors safe continues to be a top priority.  The Department echoes voices around the world condemning elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

“There are many fraudsters and other criminals who seek to take advantage of the elderly.  I am exceptionally proud of the work that our office has done to bring them to justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

Every day our seniors are targeted with fraudulent robocalls, spam emails, and other unsolicited messages seeking to exploit seniors and to steal their hard-earned life savings.  Fraud schemes include: 

• Lottery phone scams where callers convince seniors that a fee or tax must be paid in order to receive lottery winnings;
• Grandparent scams where callers convince seniors that their grandchildren have been arrested and need bail money;
• Romance scams where victims are lulled into believing that their romantic interest needs funds for a visit to the United States or for some other purpose;
• Government employee imposter scams where callers pose as an IRS agent or other government representative claiming that the victim owes back taxes or that there is an issue with the victim’s government benefits; 
• Money Mules who receive scam proceeds from victims and then quickly transfer the money into bank accounts controlled by fraudsters; and,
• Tech Support scams where scammers offer assistance with computer viruses or malware they claim were detected on the victim’s computer.

The Western District of Texas has prosecuted multiple defendants for elder fraud-related offenses in the past several years. In the past calendar year alone, the District has brought and sentenced elder fraud-related charges in San Antonio and Austin. Those cases include:

• Olumide Bankole Morakinyo (A19-CR-200): The Defendant hired others to launder funds from various fraud schemes using stolen personally identifiable information (PII).  The fraud schemes included stealing from the Texas Employee Retirement System and redirecting money from retired Texas employees.  It also included a multimillion-dollar tax refund fraud scheme.  Morakinyo is currently awaiting sentencing.

• Akinbobola Akinmadeyemi and Clarence Barefield (A18-CR-333): Two Defendants from an eight-defendant indictment schemed to steal over $250 million from elderly Americans via a sweepstakes scam.  The defendants then laundered the proceeds from that offense as well as the proceeds from a multimillion-dollar tax refund scheme. Akinmadeyemi was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment. Barefield was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment. The remaining defendants await sentencing or extradition from other countries.
• Paola Gallego (A18-CR-272): The Defendant was a banker in Austin, Texas who stole millions from an elderly married couple who were her clients at the bank by deceiving them into transferring funds into accounts she controlled. Gallego was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution.
• Robert Wayne Boling, Jr., et al. (SA19-CR-524):  Defendants, based in the U. S. and in the Philippines, carried out an identity theft and fraud scheme that targeted thousands of older U. S. Military service members and veterans.  The defendants gained access to a Department of Defense Portal and stole millions of dollars from military members’ bank accounts.

In addition, the U. S. Attorney’s Office helped coordinate interviews of money mules by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Money mules are often unknowing victims of criminals.  The money mules fall victim to romance or work-from-home schemes and then are tricked into receiving funds from other victims and sending those funds to criminals perpetuating the scheme.  By identifying and personally interceding with the money mules, law enforcement diminishes the ability of the fraudsters to profit from their scams.

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. The Justice Department and its law enforcement partners have undertaken a series of steps to identify and hold accountable those who take advantage of the elderly to include:

• Establishment of a National Elder Fraud Hotline (833-FRAUD-11) so victims can report fraud activity and receive information about available services to help them;
• Formation of the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force to combat foreign elder fraud schemes;
• The Annual Elder Justice Sweep was conducted in March of this year.  It was the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in department history;
• Money Mule Initiative that involves law enforcement concentrating efforts around the world to disrupt, investigate, and prosecute those who facilitate financial fraud schemes on senior citizens; and
• Focusing on foreign-based perpetrators as in the Boling case mentioned above.

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

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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.

In San Antonio today, a federal judge sentenced 22-year-old Juan Pablo Hoyos Avila, a Mexican national residing in San Antonio, to five years in federal prison for attempting to smuggle more than $879,000 in alleged drug proceeds to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio Division.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery also ordered that Hoyos Avila be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term. Judge Biery previously ordered the forfeiture of seized funds to the government.

On March 17, 2020, Hoyos Avila pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  According to court records, on July 16, 2018, Hoyos Avila and Rafael Gabriel Martinez Leal, a 22-year-old citizen of Mexico, were on a private plane at San Antonio International Airport bound for Mexico with $879,695 in undeclared U.S. Currency.  Inside the plane, authorities located the money inside a suitcase and inside cardboard packaging for an 18” box fan.  Authorities arrested Hoyos Avila and Martinez Leal.  Both defendants have remained in federal custody since their arrest. 

On May 7, 2020, Judge Biery sentenced Martinez Leal to 70 months in federal prison.  Martinez Leal pleaded guilty on August 24, 2019, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  By pleading guilty, Martinez Leal admitted that beginning in 2017, he coordinated the movement of money throughout the U.S. to San Antonio.  On several occasions in 2018, Martinez Leal collected cash from Hoyos Avila before flying it back to Mexico using private aircraft.

“This sentence represents the seriousness of these crimes and serves as an appropriate punishment for Juan Pablo Hoyos Avila. The smuggling of bulk cash often contributes to the cartel violence that damages communities on both sides of the border.  HSI will continue to utilize its broad investigative authorities to dismantle transnational criminal organizations who blatantly ignore the laws of this nation,” stated HSI Special Agent in Charge Folden.

Agents from HSI and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian Rosales, Antonio Franco, Jr. and Mary Nelda Valadez prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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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.

In Midland today, a federal judge sentenced 32-year-old Christopher Ernest Martinez to a statutory-maximum 80 years in federal prison for producing and distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge David Counts ordered that Martinez be placed on supervised release for a period of ten years after completing his prison term. On December 19, 2019, Martinez pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. 

On March 4, 2020, Judge Counts sentenced co-defendant, 23-year-old Kelsey Renee Hubbard of Midland, to 40 years in federal prison followed by ten years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of aiding and abetting production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.

According to court records, a local business contacted the Midland Police Department (MPD) on September 30, 2019, about a computer sold to them by Hubbard.  The computer contained several images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  The business contacted MPD when Hubbard appeared the next day attempting to sell jewelry.  Officers arrived on the scene and detained Hubbard.  Hubbard admitted to investigators that she attempted to clear the computer’s memory before selling it.  She also consented to allow MPD to search her cell phone.  A forensics exam of her phone revealed several text messages in September 2019 in which Hubbard and Martinez exchanged approximately 60 images of child pornography, most of them produced by Hubbard at the request of Martinez.

“Today a child predator is off the streets for good.  The 80-year sentence sends a powerful signal about our seriousness in fighting the scourge of child abuse,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash. 

The Midland Police Department investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Berry prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

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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.

In Pecos today, 47-year-old Harry George Bock, II, pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme to illegally sell protected living rock cactus plants, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Phillip Land, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Office of Law Enforcement of the Southwest Region; and, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Erik P. Breitzke, El Paso Division.

Appearing before U.S Magistrate Judge David Fannin, Bock pleaded guilty to one count of mislabeled exports.  According to court records, from May 2017 to August 2018, Bock conspired with others in a scheme whereby they submitted false identification of actual living rock cacti (Ariocarpus fissuratus), a protected species, with the intent to export and sell the plants for financial gain.  On May 14, 2018, 41 living rock cacti shipped by Bock were seized by authorities at the International Mail Facility in Chicago, IL.

In 2012, Texas-based FWS Special Agents uncovered a substantial trafficking organization smuggling thousands of protected living rock cactus from the Big Bend region of Western Texas.  Cooperative investigative work led to the execution of six residential search warrants served mostly in remote areas of far southwest Texas where the living rock cacti naturally occur.  The living rock cacti were advertised through internet sales and mostly consummated with end purchasers from Europe and Asia.  Several parcels containing the live cacti were intercepted at international mail facilities and were found to be falsely labeled which substantiated felony charges to the sellers.

“When you mess with protected Texas cacti, you’re messing with Texas. My office will continue to work with our law-enforcement partners to protect our State’s natural heritage,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

The living rock cacti are afforded protection through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and listed as Appendix I protected plant species that prohibit foreign commerce.  The CITES Appendix I listing categories the species as threatened with extinction and limits international movements to scientific research and zoological display. 

Bock remains on bond pending formal sentencing.  No sentencing date has been scheduled. Five other individuals have been prosecuted and sentenced in relation to this scheme.

“Breaking up international and domestic smuggling rings that target imperiled plants and animals is an important part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s work,” said FWS Special Agent in Charge Land.  “This case demonstrates how cooperation between enforcement agencies can achieve strong results. We thank our partners at the National Park Service, Department of Homeland Security, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the U.S. Postal Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for their help with this case.”

“Individuals who deal in protected native plants are not only doing damage to the environment, but they are stealing from the American people,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Breitzke. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these criminals to ensure the protection of these West Texas natural treasures.”

Thousands of live cacti seized by law enforcement during this investigation were cared for and donated to non-profit entities through assistance from the Sul Ross State University.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Miller, Jr., is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

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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.

Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas filed a federal criminal complaint against 25-year-old Cyril Laurence Lartigue of Cedar Park, TX, for constructing and possessing a Molotov cocktail during a protest last week in Austin, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski, Houston Division.

The criminal complaint charges Lartigue with one count of possessing an unregistered destructive device.  According to the criminal complaint, on the evening of May 30, 2020, video cameras captured the defendant manufacturing a destructive device while in a parking lot directly adjacent to the Austin Municipal Court entrance.  While making the device, the defendant was interrupted by the oncoming presence of Austin Police Department officers heading in his direction.  Lartigue fled the area, leaving the device behind.  Within minutes, Lartigue returned to retrieve the destructive device he had manufactured. Subsequently, APD officers arrested Lartigue located inside a nearby portable toilet where he had changed clothes.  Inside his backpack, officers recovered materials used to manufacture an explosive device including a bottle containing lighter fluid, cloth rags, a butane lighter and the clothes he was previously wearing. 

Upon conviction, Lartigue faces up to ten years in federal prison.  He remains in federal custody at this time.

“The constitutional line is clear.  Speech and peaceful assembly are protected; violence is not.  If you bring a Molotov cocktail onto the streets of Austin, you can expect to go to federal prison,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

“Destructive devices are volatile and inherently dangerous; ATF is proud to work with the Austin Police Department to keep our city safe,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Milanowski.

The ATF, Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Henneke and Grant Sparks are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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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.

In Waco today, 33-year-old Temple, Texas, resident Lydia Brynn Christensen, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; and, Temple Police Chief Shawn Reynolds.

Appearing before U.S Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske, Christensen pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.  According to court records,

On August 30, 2019, authorities executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence based on information they had received concerning the contents of her cellular telephone.  During the search, authorities seized the phone.  A subsequent search of the phone revealed the presence of numerous images and videos depicting child pornography.  Also, authorities discovered numerous communications on the phone whereby Christensen had transmitted and received child pornography.

Christensen, who has remained in custody since her arrest on November 7, 2019, faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each charge.  Sentencing, before U.S. District Judge Alan Albright in Waco, is scheduled for October 7, 2020.   

The FBI and the Temple Police Department Special Crimes Unit conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

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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.

The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP).  The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.  The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.  

“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.”

The COPS Hiring Program 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.

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.

Today, federal authorities served a civil injunction against 73-year-old Fort Davis resident Marc “White Eagle” Travalino in an effort to combat alleged fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, announced Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division; U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Field Office; and, Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office.

The purpose of the civil injunction is to stop Travalino’s sale of fraudulent COVID-19 cures through his business and his website, “whiteeaglenativeherbs.net.”  Court records state that after guaranteeing an undercover special agent that his hospitalized grandmother would not die from COVID-19 if given the medicine, Travalino allegedly sold the agent a treatment for COVID-19 on May 5, 2020.  On May 14, 2020, the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent Travalino a warning letter requiring him to cease and desist sales of unapproved and unproven products related to COVID-19 cures and treatments.  But almost a week after he was warned to stop, Travalino again sold his fraudulent COVID-19 treatments to another undercover agent. 

Today’s action will shutter Travalino’s website immediately while this investigation continues.  In so doing, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.

“I am pleased that the district court entered the temporary restraining order.  Peddling bogus COVID-19 cures to fellow citizens is illegal and immoral.  Our office will continue to shut down these scams,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

“The sale of false cures will be vigorously investigated by the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Quesada.  “The FBI is using a variety of tools to identify anyone who exploits the current crisis with fraudulent scams or a variety of cyber schemes – and is proactively warning the public about products claiming to save lives, before losing their money or creating false hope.  Scammers seeking to profit by exploiting fear and uncertainty during this COVID-19 pandemic will be brought to justice.”

The Department of Justice recommends that Americans to take the following precautionary measures to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related to COVID-19:

• Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.
• Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19.  Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating.  For example, they might use “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
• Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes.  Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.
• Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources.  Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
• Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.
• Ignore offers for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment.  Remember, if a vaccine becomes available, you won’t hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch.
• Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies.  Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.
• Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation.  Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like “CDC” or “government” in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials.  For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.
• Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail.  Don’t send money through any of these channels.
• Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services can help stop the virus.  If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand.  For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites.  In addition, the public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or by e-mailing the NCDF at disaster@leo.gov.

The enforcement action taken today is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Cannizzaro, Eddie Castillo and Michael C. Galdo of the Western District of Texas, and Senior Litigation Counsel Ross S. Goldstein of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.  Special Agents with the FDA and the FBI’s El Paso Field Office are conducting the investigation.

The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx.  For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop COVID-19 fraud, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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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.

Today, federal authorities served a temporary restraining order upon Fort Davis, Texas, resident Marc “White Eagle” Travalino in an effort to combat alleged fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  The restraining order was issued on Monday, June 1, 2020, by United States District Judge David Counts of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and was unsealed today.

The government filed the civil action in order to stop Travalino from committing mail and wire fraud by peddling fraudulent remedies for a host of diseases and medical conditions, including COVID-19, through his business and his website, “whiteeaglenativeherbs.net.”  According to court records, Travalino sells product that he claims “are proven to work and destroy” coronavirus. In fact, there are no drugs or other therapeutics that have been demonstrated to cure or prevent COVID-19.

“When sellers falsely promise cures for serious diseases, they put the public health at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “The Department of Justice is committed to preventing fraudsters from exploiting this pandemic.”

After guaranteeing an undercover special agent that his hospitalized grandmother would not die from COVID-19 if given the medicine, Travalino allegedly sold the agent a treatment for COVID-19 on May 5, 2020.  On May 14, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent Travalino a warning letter requiring him to cease and desist sales of unapproved and unproven products related to COVID-19 cures and treatments.  But almost a week after he was warned to stop, Travalino again sold his fraudulent COVID-19 treatments to another undercover agent. 

Today’s action will shutter Travalino’s business and website immediately while this investigation continues.  In so doing, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.

The Department of Justice recommends that Americans to take the following precautionary measures to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related to COVID-19:

• Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.
• Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19.  Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating.  For example, they might use “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
• Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes.  Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.
• Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources.  Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
• Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.
• Ignore offers from suspicious sources for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment.  Remember, if a vaccine becomes available, you won’t hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch.
• Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies.  Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.
• Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation.  Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like “CDC” or “government” in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials.  For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.
• Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail.  Don’t send money through any of these channels.
• Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services can help stop the virus.  If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand.  For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites.  The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.      

The enforcement action taken today is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Cannizzaro, Eddie Castillo and Michael C. Galdo of the Western District of Texas, and Senior Litigation Counsel Ross S. Goldstein of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.  The FBI’s El Paso Field Office and the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations are conducting the investigation.

The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx.  For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop COVID-19 fraud, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

U.S. Attorney John F. Bash is asking that anyone who has witnessed or is a victim of sexual harassment at the hands of an owner, property manager, maintenance worker or any other individual who has control over housing to report that conduct to the Department of Justice.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas will work closely with state and local partners to identify incidents of sexual harassment in housing. 

“I am proud that the Department of Justice has prioritized the fight against sexual harassment in housing.  My office will act aggressively against such violations of federal law and fundamental decency,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the ability of many people to pay their rent on time and has increased the lack of home security. The Justice Department has received reports that housing providers are trying to take advantage of the crisis to sexually harass tenants. Sexual harassment in housing is illegal and the Department of Justice is prepared to investigate such allegations and pursue, where appropriate, law enforcement measures.

The Department of Justice's Home Sexual Harassment Initiative is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Civil Rights Division, in collaboration with federal prosecutors across the country. The Initiative aims to address sexual harassment by homeowners, property managers, maintenance workers, lenders, or others who control housing.

Since its launch in 2017, the Initiative has filed lawsuits across the country, alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and has recovered millions of dollars in damages for victims of harassment. Justice Department investigations often reveal cases of sexual harassment that have persisted for years. Many individuals do not know that being harassed by a housing provider may be a violation of federal laws or that the Department of Justice could help.

Through the Civil Rights Division and Federal Prosecutors' Offices, the Department of Justice enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, skin color, religion, sex, family status, national origin, or disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that the Act prohibits.  The Department encourages anyone who has been sexually harassed in the home or who knows someone who has been sexually harassed to contact the Civil Rights Division by telephone at (844) 380-6178 or by email to fairhousing@usdoj.gov.

Individuals who believe they have been victims of discrimination may also contact the nearest U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas by calling:  San Antonio—(210) 384-7100; Austin—(512) 916-5858; El Paso—(915) 534-6884; Midland—(432) 686-4110; Del Rio—(830) 703-2025; Alpine—(432) 837-7332; or Waco—(254) 750-1580.  A complaint alleging sexual harassment or housing discrimination may also be filed with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the HUD website (https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint) or by calling (800) 669-9777.

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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.

In San Antonio this morning, a federal judge sentenced 53–year-old Elton Vallare of San Antonio to 20 years in federal prison for distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered Vallare to pay a total of $29,000 in restitution to seven identified victims and to be placed on supervised release for a period of ten years after completing his prison term.

“For the second day in a row, our office obtained a significant sentence in a child-pornography case. I’m grateful for the amazing work the FBI’s San Antonio field office in this case and so many others.  We will stop at nothing to protect kids,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

On January 30, 2020, jurors convicted Vallare of two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography.  On June 14, 2017, FBI agents arrested Vallare following the execution of a search warrant at his residence.  During the search warrant, investigators recovered two laptop computers and various computer related equipment.  A forensics review of the seized items revealed the presence of numerous video and image files depicting child pornography which the defendant downloaded and distributed via the internet.

“Today's sentencing sends a strong message that there are serious consequences for those who would harm children by distributing and trading images of child pornography,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs. “It is impossible to measure the suffering these victims have endured. In this case, the defendant will have to pay restitution to the victims - and hopefully this will help them on their long road to recovery. The FBI is committed to finding perpetrators of this terrible crime and seeking justice for all who have been victimized.”

The FBI’s San Antonio Child Exploitation Task Force investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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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.

In San Antonio today, a federal judge sentenced 43-year-old Jason Lee Sarabia to 285 months in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered that Sarabia be placed on supervised release for a period of 20 years after completing his prison term.

On February 26, 2020, jurors convicted Sarabia on two counts of receipt of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography. 

Evidence presented at trial revealed that the FBI downloaded thousands of child pornography files from Sarabia between August and November of 2017.  On November 30, 2017, FBI agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and seized two cell phones.  A forensic search of the seized phones revealed a file sharing application and the presence of more than 1,000 images depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit activity. 

“I am grateful for the incredible work of the San Antonio FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force on this case.  People who acquire and distribute child pornography create the incentive for others to abuse children in horrific ways.  We will prosecute them aggressively,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash. 

“While life has changed a great deal for all of us during the past several weeks, one disturbing and horrifying constant is that children in our community, and around the world, continue to suffer every day at the hands of sexual predators.  The FBI’s San Antonio Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation by holding both producers and consumers of child pornography accountable,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs.  “I am extremely proud of the Task Force and the FBI’s Computer Analysis Recovery Team, which overcame extraordinary investigative challenges to recover critical evidence in this investigation.  Their hard work and dedication not only resulted in a successful prosecution, but the identification of additional victims.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

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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.

An Irish national who was arrested on Aug. 1, 2019, in Ireland pursuant to an extradition request by the United States, was extradited on May 22 for his role in trafficking horns from black rhinoceros, announced Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.

On May 13, 2014, a federal grand jury sitting in Waco, Texas, returned an indictment that has since been unsealed, charging John Slattery and a co-defendant, Patrick Sheridan, with conspiring to traffic in horns from black rhinoceros.  In addition to conspiracy, the indictment charges substantive violations of the Lacey Act for wildlife trafficking and making a false wildlife document.  

According to the indictment, Slattery, along with Sheridan and Michael Slattery Jr., used a “straw buyer” to purchase two black rhinoceros horns from a taxidermist in Texas, which the group then transported to New York, where they sold the horns.  In January 2014, Slattery Jr. pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.  In September 2015, Sheridan was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom.  Sheridan was returned to the Western District of Texas where he pleaded guilty and was also sentenced to 14 months in prison.  In addition to the trafficking, the indictment charges Slattery and Sheridan with making a fictitious and fraudulent bill of sale in connection with the rhinoceros horns, in an attempt to make their illegal purchase of the horns appear legal.

The transport of Slattery to the Western District of Texas to face these charges concluded the extradition process from Ireland, a process governed by an extradition treaty between the United States and Ireland.  Slattery made his initial appearance today in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

The case was investigated by agents from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff for the Western District of Texas. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support in securing and coordinating Slattery’s arrest and extradition. The Justice Department extends its gratitude to the government of Ireland for its cooperation and assistance.

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.

In El Paso today, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint against 25–year-old Vanessa Tarrango for communicating a threat online, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Division.

The criminal complaint alleges that on May 13, 2020, Tarrango posted the following on Facebook:

“For the past years or so theres been Walmart shootin that jst keep getting funnuer n funnier immab the nxt one to shoot up Walmart n hopefully one of these x or even my bd will be there Cruel yes but idc more”.

The complaint further alleges that Tarrango responded to posted comments by stating:

“lmao bitch they act like imam take time out of my day too shoot these dumb ppl idc or heard of im not gunna get a charge for ppl idk”. “Or maybe only time will tell fukk it”.

According to the complaint, Tarrango then followed up by tagging a Facebook user in a post stating:

“Hoe got scared n reported it shell be the first one I shoot.”

She also responded to another Facebook user’s response with:

“Idc dude fr they can kiss my ass in jail n ill send them letters sayin there nxt”.

The complaint also alleges that Tarrango posted the threats in response to the arrest this week of a friend.  On Monday, Alex Barron was arrested on federal firearms charges in connection with an investigation into the alleged posting on a social media application of a photograph of an AR-15 style rifle with a caption stating “…#watchoutwalmartimcoming #droplikeflys…”.

Upon conviction, Tarrango faces up to five years in federal prison.  She remains in custody at this time.  Her initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge is expected to occur next week.

“Once again our community stepped up in order to protect itself. It takes the help of the entire community and the resources from law enforcement to keep our fellow citizens safe from harm. We thank you,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis Quesada. “A threat will be taken seriously. It is not a joke; it is a federal crime. Think before you post on social media.”

The FBI, El Paso Police Department and the Socorro Police Department are investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Hanna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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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.

In Austin today, three defendants made their initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge on charges related to an armed Austin jewelry store robbery last week, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and Austin Police Chief Brian Manley.

A criminal complaint filed on Monday charges 21–year-old Darius Limar Sonnier, 20-year-old Wallace Diaveon Charles and 18-year-old Tye Joseph-Phillip Gobert with one count of Interfering with Commerce by Robbery; one count of Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery; one count of Using, Carrying, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and, one count of Conspiracy to Use/Carry a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. 

The complaint alleges that the defendants, along with other suspects, entered the Korman Fine Jewelry store located on Burnet Road in Austin on May 7, 2020, and stole multiple Rolex watches and other items valued at over $200,000.  During the robbery, Sonnier allegedly assaulted and shot a security guard. The security guard required surgery and is recovering from his gunshot wound to the abdomen and blunt force trauma to the head.  A female employee was also allegedly struck in the back of the head with a gun.  The complaint also alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators caused substantial damage to the jewelry store estimated at up to $150,000.

Austin Police officers arrested Sonnier, Charles and Gobert in the vicinity of the jewelry store shortly after the robbery.  Authorities are still looking for the other robbery suspects. 

Upon conviction of the charges, the defendants face up to life in federal prison.  All three remain in custody at this time.

The FBI and the Austin Police Department are investigating this case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  Anyone who has information about this robbery or the other two suspects in this case is asked to contact the FBI at (210) 225-6741 or the Austin Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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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.

In San Antonio today, a federal judge sentenced 50–year-old Gregory Parris to 30 years in federal prison for distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.   

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ordered that Parris pay $20,000 in restitution to four victims whose images he distributed and be placed on supervised release for a period of 15 years after completing his prison term.

“Today’s 30-year sentence represents some measure of justice for the child victims of the defendant.  I have no higher priority than protecting children from sexual exploitation,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

On July 31, 2019, Parris pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.  According to court records, on May 8, 2019, FBI agents executed an arrest warrant for Parris at his residence.  At that time, agents seized the defendant’s cell phone and personal computer.  A subsequent forensics review of the seized computer revealed the presence of numerous images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children as well as a social media link to a cloud service which Parris shared with others that contained numerous files associated with child pornography. 

Parris has remained in federal custody since his arrest.

The FBI’s San Antonio Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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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.

In Midland today, a federal judge sentenced former Monahans police officer Marshal Lacy Hobbs to 87 months in federal prison on a child pornography charge, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw.   

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge David Counts ordered that Hobbs, age 36 of Andrews, TX, pay a $30,000 fine; a $5,000 assessment under the Amy and Vicky Child Pornography Victim Restitution Improvement Act; and, a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.  Judge Counts also ordered that Hobbs be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing his prison term.  Hobbs, who had been on bond during this litigation, was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following today’s hearing in order to begin serving his prison term.

On December 19, 2019, Hobbs pleaded guilty to one count receipt of child pornography.  Court records reveal that in November 2019, Hobbs knowingly engaged in social media communications on his cell phone with a female he knew to be under 18 and that he received multiple videos and images of that minor female engaged in sexually explicit activity.

“When an officer who has sworn to protect his community instead decides to target a child for exploitation, we will be relentless in seeking justice. I am pleased with the sentence imposed today,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

The Texas Rangers investigated this case along with the Andrews Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane A. Chriesman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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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.

In El Paso today, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint against 29–year-old Alex R. Barron for federal firearms charges, including a charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and a charge involving the prohibited possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Division.

On May 8, 2020, federal authorities executed a series of search warrants, including a search warrant for the defendant’s residence, in connection with an investigation into the alleged posting on a social media application of a photograph of an AR-15 style rifle with a caption stating “…#watchoutwalmartimcoming #droplikeflys…”  After recovering multiple firearms, including at least one fully automatic firearm equipped with a suppressor, and ammunition, authorities arrested Barron.

Barron’s criminal history reveals a 2012 felony conviction for a drug-related offense in El Paso County.

Upon conviction, Barron faces up to ten years in federal prison for each of the firearms charges.  He remains in custody at this time. 

The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, El Paso Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Hanna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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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.

In Del Rio today, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint against 51–year-old Miguel Diaz-Calderon for attempting to smuggle numerous firearms, ammunition, gun magazines and other gun parts into the Republic of Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio Division; and, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Eagle Pass Port Director Paul Del Rincon.

According to the complaint, CBP officers arrested the Union Gap, WA, resident yesterday afternoon at the Eagle Pass International Bridge #2 while trying to export 27 handguns, 12 rifles, over 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 70 gun magazines and an assortment of other gun parts concealed inside his truck.  Authorities also seized $5,000 in U.S. Currency.  The complaint further alleges that Diaz told investigators that he was expecting to be paid another $5,000 upon delivery of the contraband.

Upon conviction, Diaz faces up to ten years in federal prison.  He remains in custody at this time.

HSI is investigating this case.  The Eagle Pass Police Department’s Auto Theft Unit and the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office assisted CBP during the outbound inspection.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kennedy is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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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.

U.S. Attorney John F. Bash of the Western District of Texas announced today that Blue Furniture Solutions, LLC, its successor XMillenium, LLC, and two of the companies’ former executives—CEO Yingqing Zeng and CFO Alex Cheng—have agreed to pay more than $5.2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by evading customs duties and fees on furniture imported from China.

In July 2015, University Loft Company filed a False Claims Act qui tam action in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, alleging that Blue Furniture and others were importing wooden bedroom furniture into the U.S. without paying the required anti-dumping duties and other customs fees.  After investigating University Loft’s allegations, the United States elected to intervene in the action.

In its complaint, the government alleged that Blue Furniture, XMillenium, Zeng, and Cheng conspired to evade millions of dollars in anti-dumping duties and customs fees by falsely describing wooden bedroom furniture imported from China as “metal” or “non-bedroom” furniture on documents submitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  The defendants manipulated images of their products in packing lists and invoices, and directed their Chinese manufacturers to ship furniture in mislabeled boxes and to falsify invoices to help the defendants avoid detection by authorities in the United States.

To resolve the government’s allegations, Blue Furniture and XMillenium consented to entry of a final judgment holding them jointly and severally liable to the U.S. in the amount of $4,679,987.19.  Zeng and Cheng separately agreed to pay $460,000 and $90,000, respectively, to resolve their personal liability.  In addition, Zeng and Cheng each pleaded guilty last year in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina to criminal charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 542. [United States v. Zeng et al., No. 2:19-CR-64-DCN (D.S.C.)].

“Companies that import goods from China or other foreign countries without paying the required duties and fees threaten the livelihood of American manufacturers and their workers, who are put at an unfair disadvantage relative to their foreign counterparts.  My office will not hesitate to use every tool available—both criminal and civil—to make sure that these companies and their executives are held accountable,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

U.S. Attorney Bash commended the efforts of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations for their investigation of this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Parnham and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Strawn represented the government in the civil lawsuit.  The case is United States ex rel. University Loft Company v. Blue Furniture Solutions, LLC et al., Civil Action No. 1:15-CV-588-LY (W.D. Tex.).

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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.

In San Antonio today, U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski, Houston Division, announced that federal authorities have filed a criminal complaint against 41 year-old Joshua Faleide for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.

According to the complaint, the Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office placed a “Be On The Lookout” alert on file for Faleide concerning two explosives-related state arrest warrants that were obtained on Tuesday.  Yesterday, officers with the Universal City Police Department located a vehicle registered to the defendant at a local motel.  Authorities executed the warrants and arrested Faleide.  Investigators discovered three loaded firearms—a 7.62 caliber rifle that was on a bi-pod on a small table pointed at the door, a .45 caliber pistol, a 9mm pistol, and a suspected explosive device inside his motel room.

As for his felon status, Faleide was convicted of assault on a public servant in Bexar County, Texas, in 2008, for which he received a five-year prison sentence.

Upon conviction, Faleide faces up to ten years in federal prison for the felon-in-possession charge.  He remains in custody at this time.

The ATF and the Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating this case.  The Universal City Police Department assisted with the arrest.  Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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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.

U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton of the IRS–Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office today cautioned taxpayers of the opportunity for criminals to steal economic impact payments through various means of deception.

COVID-19 economic impact payments will be on their way from the IRS in a matter of weeks. For most Americans, this will be a direct deposit into your bank account. For the unbanked, elderly or other groups who have traditionally received tax refunds via paper check, they will receive their economic impact payment in this manner as well.  Everyone receiving a COVID-19 related economic impact payment from the government is at risk.  Criminals have already begun deceiving taxpayers through unsolicited phone calls, emails, text messages or other communications purporting to be from the IRS in attempts to steal these payments.

“My office will be aggressive in targeting anyone who attempts to steal from the American people during this time of national emergency,” said U.S. Attorney Bash. “I urge members of the public to report scams and other illegal activity to law-enforcement authorities.”

If anyone believes that they or their family are the victims of a scam or attempted fraud involving these stimulus payments, they can report it without leaving their home.  Please contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or by email at disaster@leo.gov.  If it is a cyber scam, they may also submit a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

“While the Nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, criminals see an opportunity to enrich themselves through fraudulent schemes,” warned Acting Special Agent in Charge Benton.  “With the public’s awareness, we can combat these scammers and cease their exploitation of the American taxpayer during these trying times.”

IRS – Criminal Investigation has provided the following guidance to identify potential scams.

• The IRS will deposit your check into the direct deposit account you previously provided on your tax return (or, in the alternative, send you a paper check).
• The IRS will not call and ask you to verify your payment details. Do not give out your bank account, debit account, or PayPal account information – even if someone claims it’s necessary to get your check. It’s a scam.
• If you receive a call, don’t engage with scammers or thieves, even if you want to tell them that you know it’s a scam, or you think that you can beat them. Just hang up.
• If you receive texts or emails claiming that you can get your money faster by sending personal information or clicking on links, delete them. Don’t click on any links in those emails or texts.
• Reports are also swirling about bogus checks. If you receive a “check” in the mail now, it’s a fraud – it will take the Treasury a few weeks to mail those out. If you receive a “check” for an odd amount (especially one with cents), or a check that requires that you verify the check online or by calling a number, it’s a fraud.

For more information, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov/coronavirus.

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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.

In San Antonio, 39-year-old Christopher Charles Perez is charged with allegedly perpetrating a COVID-19-related hoax, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

A federal criminal complaint unsealed today charges Perez with one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1038, which criminalizes false information and hoaxes related to weapons of mass destruction.  According to the complaint, Perez allegedly posted a threat on Facebook in which he claimed to have paid someone to spread coronavirus at grocery stores in the San Antonio area because he was trying to deter people from visiting the stores, purportedly in order to prevent the spread of the virus.  A screenshot of that posted threat was sent by an online tip to the Southwest Texas Fusion Center (SWTFC) on Sunday.  The SWTFC contacted the FBI office in San Antonio for further investigation.  To be clear, the alleged threat was false; no one spread coronavirus at grocery stores, according to investigators.

Perez, whom FBI agents arrested late yesterday afternoon without incident, faces up to five years in federal prison upon conviction. He remains in federal custody at this time.    

The FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Squad and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

It is important to note that a criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

If you think that you or your family are the victims of a scam or attempted fraud involving coronavirus, you can report it without leaving your home.  Please contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or by email at disaster@leo.gov.  If it’s a cyber scam, you may also submit your complaint at www.ic3.gov.

Learn more about coronavirus-related frauds, as well as combatting and reporting the hoarding and price gouging of critical supplies, from the Department of Justice: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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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.

In Midland today, a federal judge sentenced former Andrews Middle School Choir Director Gary Lynn Ragland to 97 months in federal prison on a child pornography charge, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.   

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge David Counts ordered that Ragland, age 59, pay a $20,000 fine; a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA); and, $35,000 in restitution.  Judge Counts also ordered that Ragland be placed on supervised release for a period of ten years after completing his prison term.  Ragland has remained in custody since his arrest on October 1, 2019.

On November 21, 2019, Ragland pleaded guilty to one count of attempted receipt of child pornography.  According to court records, on September 27, 2019, the school web filter flagged that pornography was being searched for off campus by a school-issued MacBook assigned to Ragland.  Ragland admitted to accessing child pornography on a daily basis and using that MacBook to view and/or possess more than 5,000 images depicting child pornography.

Court records further reveal that Ragland has also admitted to inappropriate touching of at least four identified adolescent victims’ breasts and buttocks as well as a previous incident he was accused of inappropriate touching a 12-year-old student.  It was deemed unfounded and he previously denied committing the act, but he now admits that what the child alleged actually happened.

“Even amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are still achieving justice for our most vulnerable victims.  This middle school choir director admitted to inappropriately touching multiple children and to using his school-issued computer to download massive amounts of child pornography.  He will now spend 97 months in federal prison,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

The Andrews Police Department investigated this case along with the Texas Rangers.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Berry prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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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.

WASHINGTON — The United States Department of Justice announced today that it has taken its first action in federal court to combat fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  The enforcement action filed today in Austin against operators of a fraudulent website follows Attorney General William Barr’s recent direction for the department to prioritize the detection, investigation, and prosecution of illegal conduct related to the pandemic.

As detailed in the civil complaint and accompanying court papers filed on Saturday, March 21, 2020, the operators of the website “coronavirusmedicalkit.com” are engaging in a wire fraud scheme seeking to profit from the confusion and widespread fear surrounding COVID-19.  Information published on the website claimed to offer consumers access to World Health Organization (WHO) vaccine kits in exchange for a shipping charge of $4.95, which consumers would pay by entering their credit card information on the website.  In fact, there are currently no legitimate COVID-19 vaccines and the WHO is not distributing any such vaccine.  In response to the department’s request, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman issued a temporary restraining order requiring that the registrar of the fraudulent website immediately take action to block public access to it.

“The Department of Justice will not tolerate criminal exploitation of this national emergency for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.  “We will use every resource at the government’s disposal to act quickly to shut down these most despicable of scammers, whether they are defrauding consumers, committing identity theft, or delivering malware.”

“Attorney General Barr has directed the department to prioritize fraud schemes arising out of the coronavirus emergency,” said U.S. Attorney John F. Bash of the Western District of Texas.  “We therefore moved very quickly to shut down this scam.  We hope in the future that responsible web domain registrars will quickly and effectively shut down websites designed to facilitate these scams.  My office will continue to be aggressive in targeting these sorts of despicable frauds for the duration of this emergency.”

“At a time when we face such unprecedented challenges with the COVID-19 crisis, Americans are understandably desperate to find solutions to keep their families safe and healthy,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office.  “Fraudsters who seek to profit from their fear and uncertainty, by selling bogus vaccines or cures, not only steal limited resources from our communities, they pose an even greater danger by spreading misinformation and creating confusion.  During this difficult time, protecting our communities from these reprehensible fraud schemes will remain one of the FBI’s highest priorities."

The United States filed today’s announced action to shutter the website immediately while an investigation of the website and its operators continues.  In so doing, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.

The Department of Justice recommends that Americans to take the following precautionary measures to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related to COVID-19:

• Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.
• Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19.  Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating.  For example, they might use “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
• Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes.  Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.
• Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources.  Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
• Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.
• Ignore offers for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment.  Remember, if a vaccine becomes available, you won’t hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch.
• Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies.  Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.
• Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation.  Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like “CDC” or “government” in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials.  For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.
• Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail.  Don’t send money through any of these channels.
• Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services can help stop the virus.  If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand.  For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites.

In addition, the public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or by e-mailing the NCDF at disaster@leo.gov.

The enforcement action taken today is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas A. Parnham, Jr. and Michael C. Galdo of the Western District of Texas, and Senior Litigation Counsel Ross S. Goldstein of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.  The FBI’s San Antonio Field Office is conducting the investigation.

The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx.  For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop COVID-19 fraud, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

The Department of Justice announced today that it has taken its first action in federal court to combat fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  The enforcement action filed today in Austin against operators of a fraudulent website follows Attorney General William Barr’s recent direction for the department to prioritize the detection, investigation, and prosecution of illegal conduct related to the pandemic.

As detailed in the civil complaint and accompanying court papers filed on Saturday, March 21, 2020, the operators of the website “coronavirusmedicalkit.com” are engaging in a wire fraud scheme seeking to profit from the confusion and widespread fear surrounding COVID-19.  Information published on the website claimed to offer consumers access to World Health Organization (WHO) vaccine kits in exchange for a shipping charge of $4.95, which consumers would pay by entering their credit card information on the website.  In fact, there are currently no legitimate COVID-19 vaccines and the WHO is not distributing any such vaccine.  In response to the department’s request, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman issued a temporary restraining order requiring that the registrar of the fraudulent website immediately take action to block public access to it.

“The Department of Justice will not tolerate criminal exploitation of this national emergency for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.  “We will use every resource at the government’s disposal to act quickly to shut down these most despicable of scammers, whether they are defrauding consumers, committing identity theft, or delivering malware.”

“Attorney General Barr has directed the department to prioritize fraud schemes arising out of the coronavirus emergency,” said U.S. Attorney John F. Bash of the Western District of Texas.  “We therefore moved very quickly to shut down this scam.  We hope in the future that responsible web domain registrars will quickly and effectively shut down websites designed to facilitate these scams.  My office will continue to be aggressive in targeting these sorts of despicable frauds for the duration of this emergency.”

“At a time when we face such unprecedented challenges with the COVID-19 crisis, Americans are understandably desperate to find solutions to keep their families safe and healthy,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office.  “Fraudsters who seek to profit from their fear and uncertainty, by selling bogus vaccines or cures, not only steal limited resources from our communities, they pose an even greater danger by spreading misinformation and creating confusion.  During this difficult time, protecting our communities from these reprehensible fraud schemes will remain one of the FBI’s highest priorities."

The United States filed today’s announced action to shutter the website immediately while an investigation of the website and its operators continues.  In so doing, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.

The Department of Justice recommends that Americans to take the following precautionary measures to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related to COVID-19:

• Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.
• Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19. Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating.  For example, they might use “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
• Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes. Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.
• Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources. Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
• Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.
• Ignore offers for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment. Remember, if a vaccine becomes available, you won’t hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch.
• Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies. Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.
• Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation. Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like “CDC” or “government” in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials.  For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.
• Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail. Don’t send money through any of these channels.
• Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services can help stop the virus. If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand.  For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites.    

In addition, the public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or by e-mailing the NCDF at disaster@leo.gov.

The enforcement action taken today is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas A. Parnham, Jr. and Michael C. Galdo of the Western District of Texas, and Senior Litigation Counsel Ross S. Goldstein of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.  The FBI’s San Antonio Field Office is conducting the investigation.

The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.

For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop COVID-19 fraud, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.  Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx.

U.S. Attorney John F. Bash today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) 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 fraudulent 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.
• Seeking donations fraudulently 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.  

“Today I have appointed Mike Galdo, an exceptionally skilled and experienced prosecutor, to work with our partner law-enforcement agencies to pursue anyone who uses the current emergency to swindle innocent victims.  No scam is too small.  If you use this emergency to defraud people, we are coming for you,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

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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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.