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15 August 2023
Wilkinsburg Resident Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Violating Federal Firearm LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Gregory Brown, age 38, as the sole defendant.
According to the information presented to the Court, on September 27, 2021, Brown was found to be in possession of an Astra .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Due to a prior felony conviction, Brown is not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten (10) years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan sentenced Brown to a term of imprisonment of time served, or approximately four months.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case along with the Wilkinsburg Police Department.
Union County Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Target Asian Homeowners in Residential BurglariesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 50 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that targeted Asian and Asian-American homeowners for residential burglaries, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Randi Barr, 42, of Vauxhall, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. Judge Padin imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019, Barr and others participated in a conspiracy to burglarize the residences of certain Asian small business owners living in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware of large sums of money, valuable jewelry, and other items, and then transport the stolen goods in interstate commerce, including to Barr’s residences in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin ordered restitution and forfeiture of $127,661.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, South Plainfield, Hazlet Police Department, and Edison police departments, the New Jersey State Police, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of State, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bernards Township, Bethlehem Township, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Clark, Colonial Regional, Cranford, Delran, East Brunswick, East Hanover, Eatontown, Elizabeth, Evesham Township, Exeter Township, Fair Lawn, Forks Township, Fort Lee, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Gloucester Township, Hackensack, Haverstraw, Highland Park, Hillside, Hillsborough Township, Howell Township, Jackson, Kenilworth, Lawrence Township, Linden, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Marlboro Township, Maywood, Middletown, Montgomery County, Montville, Morris Township, Mount Laurel, Mountainside, New Castle County, New Providence, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Pocono Mountain Regional, Pocono Township, Raritan, Roselle Park, Sayreville, Somerville, South Brunswick, South River, South Whitehall Township, Spotswood, Town of Tuxedo, Tinton Falls, Toms River, Township of Ocean, Union, Upper Macungie Township, Wall Township, Warren, Washington Township, Watchung, Westfield, Whitehall Township, and Woodbridge Township police departments.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dong Joo Lee and Barry O’Connell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
Two sentenced for fatal smuggling event in MissionRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas - Two Mexican men have been ordered to prison for their roles in an alien smuggling conspiracy which resulted in death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Francisco Javier Quintanilla-Alcocer, 39, and Brandon Cibriano-Gonzalez, 22, pleaded guilty March 3 and Feb. 3, respectively.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now imposed a sentence of 74 months for Cibriano-Gonzalez. Quintanilla-Alcocer received 87 months for the alien smuggling conspiracy in addition to 24 months for illegally re-entering the United States. Judge Alvarez ordered the sentences in part consecutive for a cumulative 100-month term of imprisonment.
Both are expected to face removal proceedings following their imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court considered additional evidence including details of the life-altering and permanent injuries the survivors sustained in the accident. Judge Alvarez also considered Cibriano-Gonzalez’s prior apprehensions as a brush guide and that he attempted to lead another group of migrants into the county less than a month after the accident. In handing down the sentences, Judge Alvarez noted Quintanilla-Alcocer’s disregard for the well-being of the migrants, emphasizing the effects and harm their conduct has had on the victims and their families.
Orlando Andres Garcia, previously admitted his guilt in relation to the scheme and is set for sentencing before Judge Alvarez Nov. 14. He faces up to life in federal prison and will remain in custody pending the hearing.
“Two migrants died on the side of a dirt road in Mission, Texas, because of a smuggler’s reckless attempt to avoid arrest,” said Hamdani, “Human smugglers - they don’t care about anyone’s life but their own, and after leading authorities on a car chase, crashing and rolling a vehicle full of migrants, Quintanilla-Alcocer fled the scene, leaving those he transported for dead. Remember this: human smugglers - you are not welcome in the Southern District of Texas, and this office will continue its efforts to hold these criminals accountable with convictions and long sentences."
On Oct. 22, 2021, Cibriano-Gonzalez acted as a brush guide to smuggle a group of 10 non-U.S. citizens from Mexico into the United States. He guided them to a pick-up location in Palmview. There, Quintanilla-Alcocer and Garcia arrived and were driving a Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Malibu, respectively. The aliens and Cibriano-Gonzalez loaded into the vehicles and left the scene. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but both vehicles failed to yield and a high-speed chase ensued, reaching a speed of 130 miles per hour.
Quintanilla-Alcocer eventually turned onto a dirt road in Mission where the Chevrolet Impala rolled and crashed into a homeowner’s fence. Authorities located a total of seven individuals on scene. Three had been ejected, two of whom died at the scene.
Quintanilla-Alcocer was not located at that time. However, evidence in the vehicle led law enforcement to him. Phone records also indicated that Quintanilla-Alcocer and Garcia had been consistently communicating throughout the high-speed pursuit. During these conversations, Garcia instructed Quintanilla-Alcocer to go faster.
Three months following the crash, a third migrant succumbed to his injuries.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Palmview Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Devin Walker prosecuted the case.
Two Winner Residents Charged with Sex Trafficking of Children and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a man and woman from Winner, South Dakota, with two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Child. The man was also indicted for two counts of Production of Child Pornography.
Richard Alan Kucera, age 65, and Ivy Rose Heron, age 36, were indicted in August of 2023. Kucera appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 10, 2023, and Heron appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 4, 2023. Both pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $400 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that in 2020 and 2021, Kucera and Heron intentionally recruited and enticed two juvenile females to engage in commercial sex acts. Both Kucera and Heron financially benefited from their participation in the illegal venture.
The Indictment also alleges that Kucera persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the same two minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct.
The charges are merely accusations and Kucera and Heron are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Kucera was released on bond pending trial. Heron was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for October 3, 2023.
Tulsa County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brayden Zane Graham, age 18, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Henryetta Police Department.
The Indictment alleged that on December 29, 2022, Graham fired on a vehicle and its three passengers. An investigation revealed that Graham attempted to overtake three passengers in a truck. As the truck fled, Graham fired several rounds into the back of the vehicle.
The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Jackson, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Graham was remanded to custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Trucker hauling people and drugs headed to federal prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 50-year-old commercial truck driver has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of alien smuggling and possession with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Fabian Alvarado pleaded guilty Feb. 27.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered him to serve a 120-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing Alvarado’s extensive criminal history including prior federal convictions for drug trafficking and alien smuggling.
On Dec. 9, 2022, Alvarado drove a tractor-trailer into the inspection lane of the U.S. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint located near Falfurrias. There, authorities observed Alvarado acting suspiciously during routine inspection. A K-9 also alerted to the vehicle.
Law enforcement then referred him to the secondary inspection area where they discovered five aliens concealed in the sleeper portion of the tractor. They also found a bag in the passenger seat which contained 45 grams of meth and a firearm along with Alvarado’s wallet. In the glove compartment were cellular phones and identification documents taken from the aliens as they were loaded into the sleeper berth.
“Today’s prison sentence sends a resounding message to human smugglers and drug traffickers everywhere who believe they can circumvent our nation’s laws without detection or penalty,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Corpus Christi Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Hein. “Working in conjunction with our partners at Border Patrol, this individual was quickly identified at the southern border as a suspected drug trafficker and human smuggler, convicted of his crimes and will spend the next 10 years in federal prison.”
Alvarado will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted this investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr. prosecuted the case.
Temecula Man Charged with Multiple Narcotics Crimes, Including Distributing Fentanyl to Teenager Who Suffered Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man has been charged in a federal grand jury indictment alleging he sold a 17-year-old boy fentanyl in May, which resulted in the boy’s fatal overdose the following day, the Justice Department announced today.
Kyler Thomas Overby, 22, of Temecula, was arrested on Friday and was arraigned that day on the nine-count indictment, which a grand jury returned on August 9. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and a bond of $750,000 was set.
Overby is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl to a person under the age of 21 resulting in death, seven counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of knowingly possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
According to the indictment, on May 4, Overby knowingly an intentionally distributed fentanyl to the victim – identified in court documents as “L.B.” The following day, L.B., who was 17 years old, died after ingesting the fentanyl.
Overby allegedly also possessed with the intent to distribute multiple controlled substances, including 201 grams of fentanyl, nearly one kilogram of cocaine, MDMA and alprazolam (also known by its brand name, Xanax).
On June 5, Overby allegedly possessed multiple firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Specifically, he is charged with possessing three firearms lacking serial numbers, commonly referred to as “ghost guns” – a 9mm pistol and two .40-caliber pistols.
An October 2 trial date has been scheduled in United States District Court in Riverside.
If convicted of all charges, Overby would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Miles J. Robinson of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Second Marion Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
A man from Marion, Iowa, was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison for his involvement in selling cocaine.
Cheyenne Gonzales, age 48, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Gonzales and Kain Cortez worked together to sell cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area between April and June 2022. Law enforcement utilized a confidential source to conduct controlled buys of cocaine from Gonzales, and Cortez was present with Gonzales during some of the controlled buys. On June 1, 2022, investigators observed a meeting between Gonzales, Cortez, and two other individuals outside of Gonzales’s and Cortez’s shared residence. On that date, Gonzales and Cortez paid approximately $15,000 in cash for half a kilogram of cocaine and approximately 20 pounds of marijuana. Gonzales has a prior federal conviction from 2003 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Gonzales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gonzales was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. Gonzales must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 31, 2023, Cortez was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. Cortez must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
Gonzales is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-00054.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Readout from United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez’s Violent Crime Listening Session with Service Providers for the Unhoused CommunityRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, federal prosecutors, and other staff from the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) met with representatives from organizations that serve Albuquerque’s unhoused community on July 18 at the Barrett House to discuss violent crime. Cory Lee, Executive Director of the Barrett House, Hannah Albee, Deputy Director of the Barrett House, Arias Foster, Director of Programs for the Barrett House, Kennedy Haverland, a Clinician from the New Mexico Dream Center and Max Kauffman from Disability Rights New Mexico presented statements. This listening session focused on community-based solutions and the relationship between law enforcement and the unhoused community. This was the second of a series of listening sessions to be held throughout Albuquerque this summer.
United States Attorney Uballez opened the session by explaining that the Attorney General directed United States Attorney’s Offices to focus on addressing violent crime through intervention and outreach efforts. Participants described the link between trauma and violence and the need for more access to resources and truly affordable housing. Others described some victims and witnesses inherent distrust of law enforcement and how that handicaps the prosecution process. All participants agreed that the Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) program recently implemented by the City of Albuquerque had improved the city’s approach to public safety.
Cory Lee described how the violence of taking away someone’s identification, existence and belongings can cause trauma and how it disproportionately effects someone living on the street, especially when they do not have a community to protect them.
Arias Foster agreed with Lee, adding “once they are housed… they are bringing a lot of the violence they were experiencing before when they were on the streets to their housing. They don’t know how to work through [it].” Foster described how law enforcement is often not supportive or engaging when they or their clients seek help and expressed that they would like to build a better relationship with law enforcement so that they could better support victims of and witnesses to violence.
Max Kauffman shared his observations about the link between violence and adverse childhood experiences, especially for children in the foster care system who do not receive services or special education, and how that contributes to violent behaviors. “Think about how we are going to long term help this community, not just now but looking forward. I do think it starts at the childhood level because those adverse experiences have a big influence on people.” Kauffman added, “I think if we can get them services through school, have behavior interventions is place, and provide them with the services they need to get a diploma and vocational training, that would have a huge impact in the long term.”
All participants stressed the importance of mandatory trauma-informed care training for both law enforcement and prosecutors to break down barriers in communication between them and victims and witnesses.
This was the second in a series of listening sessions USA Uballez will convene in the coming months as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. USA Uballez previously met with representatives from organizations that serve Albuquerque’s International District and plans to meet with community leaders from the Westgate community, social justice advocates, addiction and treatment service providers, and families impacted by violent crime. These sessions are an opportunity for the USA, federal prosecutors, and USAO staff to recognize the vital role that these leaders, providers and advocates play in our community.
PSN is an evidence-based program proven effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. In New Mexico, the United States Attorney’s Office pursues a community violence intervention approach. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based intervention, prevention, and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
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Queens Man Pleads Guilty to Midtown Manhattan ShootingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that STEFAN MELVILLE pled guilty today in connection with firing multiple rounds with a handgun at two individuals outside of a party at a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. MELVILLE pled guilty before United States District Judge Richard M. Berman and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 28, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On a summer night in Midtown Manhattan last July, Stefan Melville used a handgun to fire multiple rounds of ammunition at two individuals walking on the sidewalk near the corner of 42nd Street and Ninth Avenue. The shots sent innocent pedestrians frantically running for cover. Today’s plea sends an important message that we will continue to relentlessly investigate and prosecute gun violence in our city.”
According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings:
On or about July 3, 2022, MELVILLE fired multiple shots with a handgun in the direction of individuals walking on the sidewalk near the corner of 42nd Street and Ninth Avenue. The following images from surveillance footage show MELVILLE firing his handgun.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) recovered the upper assembly of a firearm, 3 shell casings and 1 unfired cartridge inside the barrel of the firearm assembly on the sidewalk where MELVILLE engaged in the shooting. The following images show the shell casings and firearm assembly recovered at the scene.
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MELVILLE, 30, of Queens, New York, pled guilty to one count of possession of ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Metro Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of agents and officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle is in charge of the prosecution.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 27 Months for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon.
Kenji Ingram, 45, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In May 2023, Ingram pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
In August 2020, Ingram was found in possession of a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug .44 special caliber revolver and five rounds of ammunition as he sat on a bench in the South Bay shopping mall area. At the time, Ingram was on probation in connection with a state felony assault conviction, as well as on pretrial release and electronic monitoring in connection with state drug and firearm charges. Due to his prior felony convictions, Ingram is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Hoefle and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Pojoaque Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Kyle Joseph Harney-Chee pled guilty in federal court to involuntary manslaughter. Chee, 30, of Pojoaque, and an enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, will remain in custody pending sentencing which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, on January 16, 2021, Chee was traveling down US Highway 84/285 after consuming marijuana and alcohol. While driving, Chee became distracted by his phone and looked away from the road. While he was looking down at his phone, Chee struck a motorcycle from the rear, killing the driver. Chee immediately stopped on the side of US Highway 84/285 and called 911. Chee informed responders that he had consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana prior to operating the vehicle.
At sentencing, Chee faces up to 8 years in prison followed by a term of supervised release up to 3 years.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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Philadelphia Resident Sentenced to 84 Months’ Imprisonment for Conviction of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 84 months’ imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of heroin, United States Attorney Eric O. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Carlos Regalado, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, in 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a heroin trafficking organization, of which Regalado was a member, that operated throughout the greater Pittsburgh area. Beginning in February of 2019 and continuing through September of 2019, the FBI received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Regalado supplied the organization with heroin that he personally transported from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for distribution by various members of the organization. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized heroin, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization. Judge Stickman referenced the seriousness of the offense as well as Regalado’s criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Office of the Attorney General, the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, the North Versailles Police Department, the Allegheny County Port Authority Police Department, the Munhall Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Regalado.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pharmacist, Physician, and Pharmacy Technician Charged in Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Three individuals, including a pharmacist, doctor, and pharmacy technician, were charged in an Indictment for their alleged roles in a more than $7 million health care fraud scheme involving the diversion of expensive “specialty” prescription drugs, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Joining in the announcement were Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Special Agent in Charge Orville Green, Drug Enforcement Administration.
Charged in the Indictment are:
• Samer N. Youssef, age 56, of Troy, Michigan and Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.
• Dr. Daoud Faraj, age 52, of Dearborn, Michigan; and
• Houda Bazzi, age 34, of Dearborn, Michigan and Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.
The charges against Youssef, Dr. Faraj, and Bazzi include one count of health care fraud conspiracy and 15 counts of health care fraud, aiding and abetting. Youssef is also charged with 12 counts of money laundering.
According to the Indictment, beginning in 2016, and continuing through 2021, Youssef, a licensed pharmacist, worked with other people to identify expensive “specialty” drugs that he could re-sell. “Specialty” drugs are prescription medications that treat less common conditions, or have other unique features, and prescriptions for the drugs are usually filled by specialty pharmacies, not regular retail pharmacies, via the mail or courier. Some of the specialty drugs identified in the indictment were meant to treat cystic fibrosis and relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.
Youssef worked with physicians in Southeast Michigan, including Dr. Faraj, to write medically unnecessary prescriptions for the specialty drugs Youssef wanted. Dr. Faraj wrote the medically unnecessary prescriptions in the names of “patients” who were individuals Youssef, Bazzi, or Dr. Faraj knew, including Medicare beneficiaries, and in the names of Youssef and Bazzi themselves, who were covered by Blue Care Network.
These defendants arranged for the medically unnecessary drugs to be shipped to addresses in southeast Michigan which were under their control. Youssef, Dr. Faraj, and Bazzi caused Medicare and Blue Care Network to be billed for the medically unnecessary specialty medications. Medicare and Blue Care Network then paid for the specialty medications, which Youssef, Bazzi, and others sold and shipped to domestic and foreign businesses at 100% profit.
“These licensed health care professionals are alleged to have defrauded Medicare and private insurers of millions of dollars and lined their own pockets with funds meant to provide essential services to seniors and disabled individuals ,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office is committed to prosecuting any medical professional who attempts to exploit taxpayer-funded programs or private insurers.”
“Medical professionals and others who submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, undermine the solvency of our valuable Federal health care programs,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed continuing to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those alleged of defrauding these programs are held accountable.”
“These defendants allegedly compromised the integrity of the healthcare systems by taking millions of dollars that should have gone to providing quality care to patients with true medical needs,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not relent in our efforts to investigate and bring to justice anyone who engages in this type of criminal behavior.”
“HSI is committed to working with our partners to identify and investigate criminal activity that defrauds the American taxpayer,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “This type of fraud hurts all members of our community but is especially dangerous to the elderly and those who rely on these programs for treatment of serious illnesses.”
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden is on the government to prove guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Lievense, and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan is handling related forfeiture matters. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI, HHS-OIG, HSI, and the DEA.
Owner of Home Health Care Company to Plead Guilty to Tax OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Certified Nurse Assistant who owns and operates a home health care company has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to underreporting his income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Patrick S. Kityo, 43, of Newtonville, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of aiding the preparation of a false tax return. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, Kityo owned and operated a home health care company named Every Step Home Care Inc. (Every Step). It is alleged that, during the years 2016 and 2017, Every Step’s total gross receipts were at least $2 million. Kityo, however, allegedly failed to report all of Every Step’s gross receipts to his tax preparer. Instead, it is alleged that Kityo only reported those gross receipts that Kityo deposited into Every Step’s business bank account and did not report those he received via checks written to Kityo personally. As a result, Kityo allegedly caused his tax preparer to underreport nearly $2 million in gross receipts and Kityo allegedly failed to pay at least $306,603 in personal income taxes.
The charge of aiding the preparation of a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Olathe Man Sentenced for Airport Disruption Following Police Chase on Downtown Airport RunwayRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Kansas, man who led police officers on a high-speed chase down a runway at the downtown airport was sentenced in federal court today for disrupting airport operations as well as illegally possessing a firearm.
Efren Torres-Rodriguez, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 78 months in federal prison without parole.
On March 8, 2023, Torres-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to damaging and disrupting an international airport and to being a felon and an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.
Kansas City, Mo., police officers were notified of a suspicious car, a Dodge Charger, parked near a gate at the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport on Feb. 1, 2022. When officers arrived, they found Torres-Rodriguez passed out in the driver’s seat of the running car. Officers turned off the car and opened the door, which woke up Torres-Rodriguez.
Officers ordered Torres-Rodriguez out of the car, but he refused. Instead, Torres-Rodriguez started the vehicle and drove away, crashing through the gate to the airfield. Torres-Rodriguez drove at speeds up to 100 miles per hour down the airport runway, with officers in pursuit. Torres-Rodriguez drove on a tarmac on the west side of the airfield. When he attempted to cross over the airstrip into a grassy area, his vehicle became inoperable. Officers removed Torres-Rodriguez from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. Officers found a clear plastic bag in his pants pocket that contained 4.6 grams of methamphetamine.
When officers searched Torres-Rodriguez’s vehicle, they found a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, which were both empty of ammunition, under the driver’s seat. They also found several rounds of ammunition and drug paraphernalia.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony or who is an illegal user of a controlled substance to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Torres-Rodriguez has prior felony convictions for possession of a firearm with a prior violent offense and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Torres-Rodriguez also admitted to using methamphetamine every other day and to smoking marijuana daily since he was 15 years old.
As a result of Torres-Rodriguez’s actions, the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport’s activities were significantly disrupted. For approximately 40 minutes, operations at the airport were closed and planes were not allowed to land or take off. Torres-Rodriguez interfered with the operations at the airport as two aircrafts had delayed departures, one aircraft had a delayed arrival and had to remain airborne for approximately 50 minutes, one aircraft had to cancel its flight and one aircraft did not depart. When Torres-Rodriguez crashed his vehicle through the Downtown Airport’s gate, he destroyed the gate and caused serious damage to the facility’s fence that is designed to keep both trespassers and animals away from the runways. At sentencing, the parties presented evidence that Torres-Rodriguez caused over $23,000 in damage to the airport. The insurance covering the vehicle driven by Torres-Rodriguez paid for all damages to the airport prior to sentencing. Torres-Rodriguez’s actions also served to endanger the safety of the persons utilizing the air navigation facility.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tevon O'Shea Vanhorn, also known as "Von," 28, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least June 2022 to on or about March 2023, Vanhorn obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl and distributed quantities of the controlled substances to several customers at multiple locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Vanhorn communicated with his customers by cell phone to arrange drug-related transactions, and knew that several of his customers redistributed the methamphetamine and fentanyl he sold them.
On February 21, 2022, Vanhorn attempted to mail a package containing approximately $74,835 from Charleston, West Virginia, to Detroit, Michigan, as part of the drug distribution conspiracy. Law enforcement officers intercepted and seized the package.
Vanhorn is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and J.C. MacCallum are prosecuting the case.
The case is a result of “Operation Into The Woods,” a 10-month investigation of drug trafficking in Kanawha and Boone counties. Vanhorn and several other individuals have been indicted including Toby Lee Graley, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl on August 1, 2023 and is awaiting sentencing. Law enforcement seized 120 grams of methamphetamine, four shotguns, and approximately $23,150 from Graley when he was arrested. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2-23-cr-44.
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North Tonawanda Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Angstenberger, 48, of North Tonawanda, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to receipt of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that Angstenberger created and used a Snapchat account with the username “catybug1234,” to communicate with, and obtain sexually explicit images from, minor girls. When doing so, he posed as a minor girl. Angstenberger communicated with minor victims in other states and countries. For example, Angstenberger communicated with a victim located in Kentucky (Victim 1), who was 12 years old. On December 5, 2021, Angstenberger asked Victim 1 to send him sexually explicit photos, which she did. Angstenberger communicated with a second victim located in Arkansas (Victim 2), who was approximately 11-12 years old. Victim 2 also sent sexually explicit photos as Angstenberger’s request.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 1, 2023, before Judge Arcara.
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New York Investment Firm CEO Guilty of Defrauding 50+ Investors in Multi-Million Dollar Pre-IPO ScamRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The CEO of a New York-based venture capital firm pleaded guilty in a wire fraud conspiracy case impacting more than 50 investors.
George Iakovou, 30, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Aug. 8 before U.S. District Judge Clay Land. If convicted, Iakovou faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19.
“George Iakovou defrauded more than 50 people from around the country of millions of dollars, using these stolen funds to buy luxury items and travel in private jets,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This jet-setting con artist will now be held accountable, thanks to the hard work of the Secret Service, working in conjunction with our office.”
“George Iakovou is another example of how fraudsters are getting more sophisticated with their schemes to steal money,” said Resident Agent in Charge Clint Bush with the U.S. Secret Service’s Albany, Georgia, Resident Office. “Iakovou created a fictious capital firm for the sole purpose of defrauding American citizens. Iakovou then utilized the stolen funds to live a lavish lifestyle, without regard to the victims. Iakovou’s greed will have an everlasting effect on the victims he defrauded. The United States Secret Service will continue to investigate, arrest and support the successful prosecution of the criminals who choose to commit this and other types of financial fraud in our community and around the nation. “
According to court documents, in July 2021, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) began investigating a pre-IPO (initial public offering) scheme orchestrated by Iakovou, the CEO of Vika Ventures LLC, a boutique venture capital firm headquartered in New York which purported to specialize in pre-IPO investments in various early and late-stage private companies.
Iakovou advertised that Vika had access to buy pre-IPO shares in private companies such as Palantir, Airbnb, SpaceX and Stripe. He claimed that once these private companies went public and the mandatory six-month lockout period expired, Vika would distribute the purchased shares to the investors. In fact, Iakovou had neither access to pre-IPO shares in the advertised companies nor owned the shares at the time of the solicitations. While Iakovou did take the victim-investors’ money, he did not purchase or acquire any of the promised shares. Iakovou established fake email domains, posed as representatives from private equity brokerage firms and created fake bank statements among other tricks to carry out his fraud scheme.
USSS identified more than 50 victim-investors from across the country who provided capital to Vika between Jan. 2020 and Dec. 2021, including two victims in the Middle District of Georgia. A review of bank records for Vika’s investor account showed that identified victim-investors paid Vika approximately $5,958,505 for the purchase of pre-IPO shares of select private companies, but none received their promised shares. Iakovou rerouted the money to several accounts, including personal bank accounts, and used the money for private jet charters, cars, home furnishings, artwork, luxury clothing and accessories. For example, Iakovou spent $135,528 on a 2021 Corvette Stingray and more than $500,000 on luxury watches, including $231,799 on a single Patek Philippe timepiece.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) brought a related civil action against Iakovou.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case.
NCDOC Officer Pleads Guilty in COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Sean Tracy Dillard, 55, pled guilty today pursuant to a criminal information to theft of government funds for fraudulently submitting North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (NC HOPE) loan applications for emergency rental assistance. As part of his fraud scheme, the defendant, a correctional officer with the North Carolina Department of Corrections (NCDOC), submitted fictitious tenant lease agreements for multiple properties in Hertford County as part of his NC HOPE loan applications. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
On March 27, 2020, Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of $5 billion in Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”) programs as flexible federal funding to states and localities earmarked to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) administers the Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”) program as a source of flexible federal funding for economic and community development, as well as to direct long-term recovery funding to states and localities in response to disasters and emergencies.
The State of North Carolina’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency (“NCORR”), a division of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, utilized federal funds made available in the CARES Act to assist North Carolina renters stay in their homes during COVID-19 by preventing evictions and the loss of utility services. The NC HOPE program, utilized an initial $51.5 million allocation of CDBG funds from the CARES Act to provide housing and utility assistance. The State of North Carolina also received CRF funds from the CARES Act, of which $66 million was allocated to pay administrative costs associated with the NC HOPE program.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert B. Jones, Jr. accepted the plea. Sentencing will occur before United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan later this year. The FBI is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER.
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Murdaugh Co-Conspirator Cory Fleming Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Cory H. Fleming, 54, of Beaufort, was sentenced to nearly 4 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal conspiracy.
Fleming admitted that from in or around March 2018 until at least October 2020, Fleming conspired with former personal injury attorney Richard Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh to defraud the estate of Murdaugh’s former housekeeper and to obtain money and property from the estate by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses.
In February 2018, Murdaugh’s housekeeper passed away after a fall at Murdaugh’s home. Murdaugh recommended that the housekeeper’s estate hire Fleming—then a personal injury and criminal defense attorney in Beaufort—to represent them and file a claim against Murdaugh to collect from his homeowner’s insurance policies. Murdaugh’s insurance companies settled the estate’s claim for $505,000 and $3,800,000.
Fleming further admitted that, as part of the scheme, Murdaugh and Fleming conspired to siphon settlement funds, disguised as “prosecution expenses,” for their own personal enrichment. Fleming directed the drafting of checks from the settlement funds held in his trust account to his personal bank account, fraudulently claiming that the funds were to pay for “expenses” related to the estate’s claim against Murdaugh. Fleming knew the funds belonged to the estate, and the payments were not for legitimate legal expenses.
In addition to the scheme Fleming admitted to in his guilty plea, Fleming was held responsible at sentencing for the theft of settlement funds from a client whose son passed away after being rendered a quadriplegic in a car accident. Specifically, Fleming used $8,528.46 of the estate’s funds to issue two checks to pay for a private plane to attend the College World Series, and he wrote a $4,560 check from the estate’s trust account directly to Murdaugh claiming the funds were legitimate expenses. Finally, Fleming used $89,133.44 remaining in the trust account to issue a check for Murdaugh’s benefit rather than properly disbursing the funds to the estate.
“Cory Fleming was trusted by clients who had suffered tragic losses, and he abused that trust for his own personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “His theft of their settlement funds undermines the public’s confidence in our legal system, and we appreciate the partnership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division in holding him accountable.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that fraudulent financial activities will not be tolerated, and those who attempt to exploit innocent victims to line their own pockets will face severe consequences,” Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office said. “The FBI remains dedicated to upholding the law and protecting the interests of those who rely on transparent and honest transactions.”
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted Fleming’s guilty plea and imposed a 46-month sentence, followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. As part of the sentence, Fleming agreed to pay $102,221.90 in restitution. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse, Kathleen Stoughton, and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.
The case against Fleming is No. 9:22-cr-394 (D.S.C.). The case against Murdaugh is No. 9:23-cr-396 (D.S.C.).
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Missouri Woman Admits $237,000 in Pandemic FraudsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Peters, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining a total of $237,000 from two pandemic assistance programs.
Regina Brand, 52, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk to one felony wire fraud charge. She admitted submitting at least 12 fraudulent applications for rental assistance under the Missouri State Assistance for Housing Relief Program to the Missouri Housing Development Commission between Sept. 1, 2021 and at least June 30, 2022. The program was intended to provide emergency assistance to landlords and renters to prevent a wave of evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brand admitted fraudulently listing “Angels Voices” or “Brand Construction” as the landlords and submitting fraudulent lease agreements to support the applications. Brand received $96,825.
Brand also admitted submitting four fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications between April 1, 2020 and at least August 25, 2021, again in the name of Angels Voices or Brand Construction. Brand made false representations on the applications, including when listing the average monthly payroll and number of employees employed by the companies. Based on the misrepresentations on the loan applications, PPP lenders wired a total of $140,261 to Brand’s bank accounts.
Brand is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15. The wire fraud charges carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. She will also be ordered to repay the money.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for East Texas Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas - A Mexican national has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for trafficking drugs through the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Eduardo Fernando Martinez-Gonzalez, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant. Martinez-Gonzalez was also sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for conspiracy to launder money. The sentences will run concurrently.
According to information presented in court, in July 2019, federal agents investigating the trafficking of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin in the Dallas, Lewisville, McKinney, Carrollton, Fort Worth, and Plano, Texas, areas, determined that the drugs were sourced by an individual in Mexico with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel and that the drugs were shipped from Mexico to California and eventually to the greater Dallas area. During the investigation, Eduardo Fernando Martinez-Gonzalez, a/k/a Eduardo Torres-Hernandez, Eduardo Del Valle, Eduardo Del Valle Torres, and Lalo (Martinez-Gonzalez), was identified as a money launderer and illicit drug distributor for the drug trafficking organization in Dallas.
Martinez-Gonzalez was responsible for receiving, counting, and packaging the drug proceeds along with recruiting others and paying their rent to conduct drug trafficking activities at their residences. In one instance, in June 2020, federal agents observed a single axle trailer arrive at a stash house on South Waterview Street in Richardson, where Martinez-Gonzalez was seen unloading the trailer. Past observations indicated trailers would arrive at that location loaded with cocaine and heroin, be off-loaded, and then reloaded with U.S. currency and a “cover load” for delivery to Mexico. The trailers would leave that location and arrive at a location on Townsend Drive in Dallas, where an additional “cover load” was added before leaving for Mexico the following day. Agents followed the driver of the trailer to the Townsend location where it was seized. A search of the trailer revealed two large televisions, a hot water heater, a Louis Vuitton bag, and four boxes of ceramic tile. The bottom of the water heater had been cut out, and seven bundles were taped inside. The bundles contained $774,910 in U.S. currency and approximately 58 grams of an orange, oval, pill.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez.
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Member of Multi-State Gun Trafficking Scheme Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Shyheim Williams of Williamston, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. Williams, 27, pled guilty to the charges on April 11, 2023. Williams is the last of four codefendants to be sentenced in a gun trafficking scheme in which the organizer, Jacintre Holley, bought over 100 firearms from straw purchasers in North Carolina.
“Gun laws restricting the purchase of firearms by felons are put in place to protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Easley. “If you illegally purchase a gun for a felon, you will be held accountable. The criminal conduct in this case put guns bought in Eastern North Carolina in the hands of a killer in Connecticut – within 6 days. We and the ATF are relentlessly pursuing violent felons and the gunrunners and straw purchasers who arm them.”
According to documents and other information presented in court, the gun trafficking investigation began when the Middletown, Connecticut, Police Department recovered a Taurus 9mm pistol used in a murder. A trace of the gun’s serial number showed that the firearm had been purchased by codefendant Keshwan Squire at the Smokin' Barrel Gun and Ammo in Raleigh, North Carolina. Surveillance records from the store showed Squire made a phone call from the parking lot after purchasing the firearm. Call records revealed that he called a Connecticut phone number later linked to Jacintre Holley. Records also revealed that Squire and Holley had as a mutual contact a phone number associated with defendant Shyheim Williams and his girlfriend and codefendant Jasnika Craig.
Trace records for Craig showed that she made over 20 firearm purchases in North Carolina since 2020. Craig agreed to a recorded interview and admitted to selling firearms for a premium over market price. She admitted that almost all firearms went to Holley, who she estimated had come from Connecticut every two weeks since December 2020 to buy around seven firearms each time. Williams identified the guns she should purchase and set up the deals with Holley, which took place in Craig’s car in their driveway. In total, Craig estimated that she had sold around 100 firearms to Holley. Holley was arrested on July 31, 2021 and in an interview following his arrest, he confirmed that he bought firearms from Williams and Squire multiple times over the previous several months and sold those firearms in Connecticut.
On February 14, 2023, Craig received a 24-month sentence, and Squire received an 18-month sentence. Each had pled guilty to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. On February 24, 2023, the court sentenced Jacintre Holley to a 127-month term of imprisonment after he pled guilty to engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and the Williamston and Greenville Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-0019-FL.
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Man Sentenced for Conning Summer Food Service Program Out of $2.3 MillionRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who scammed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program out of more than $2.3 million was sentenced yesterday to a year and a half in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Michael Anthony Munson, the 47-year-old founder of the Heloise Munson Foundation, was indicted in August 2018 and pleaded guilty in July 2022 to summer food service program fraud. He was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown, who is expected to order restitution later this week.
Mr. Munson was charged, convicted, and sentenced under 42 U.S.C. § 1761(o)(1), a statute Congress enacted in 1977 to address fraud in the Summer Food Service Program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative that provides free meals to children in low-income areas when school is not in session.
According to plea papers, Mr. Munson admitted that over the course of seven years, from 2008 to 2014, he knowingly inflated meal counts for summer food sites his foundation serviced and even provided false meal counts for sites it did not actually service.
He further admitted that in response to an inquiry into the legitimacy of these claims, he paid an individual $75,000 who fabricated invoices from a fictitious company, Janus Wholesale Food, Inc., indicating that the foundation had purchased enough food, milk, and juice to provide the number of meals it claimed to have provided.
In October 2013, he testified under oath at an administrative hearing that the Heloise Munson Foundation had purchased food from Janus. He also submitted a fabricated affidavit from the purported Director of Sales for Janus, falsely stating that Janus sold food, milk, and juice to the foundation.
According to court documents, Mr. Munson claimed to have provided more than 2.4 million meals to needy children. In reality, he provided fewer than 1 million meals, pocketing fraudulently-obtained reimbursements for more than 1.4 million meals that were never provided.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher prosecuted the case.
Man Claiming to be with U.S. Army Delta Force Charged with FraudRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment today charging a Manor man with wire fraud.
According to court documents, Saint Jovite Youngblood, aka Kota Youngblood, 51, allegedly committed wire fraud against his victims by claiming Mexican drug cartel members were planning to commit violence against them. Youngblood falsely claimed to be part of the elite U.S. Army’s Delta Force and offered protection to his victims from the cartels in exchange for money. Youngblood also represented that funds obtained from his victim “investors” would be paid back with a significant return on the money. Instead, Youngblood allegedly used most of the money on junkets to Las Vegas to gamble in casinos.
Youngblood is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property. He was arrested on a sealed complaint on July 31, and had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Youngblood has remained in custody since his arrest.
If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison on each of the wire fraud charges and up to 10 years in prison on the monetary transaction charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel D. Guess and Matt Harding are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Man Accused of Role in Scam Targeting Elderly Couple in St. Louis AreaRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday to face a federal criminal complaint accusing him of a role in a scam that tried to steal $88,000 from an elderly Missouri couple with false child pornography claims.
Yu-Chieh Huang, 22, was charged by complaint August 11 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with a felony charge of wire fraud. Charging documents say that a 78-year-old man trying to access his personal computer on August 9 was greeted with a pop-up message claiming that his computer was infected with a virus. The message instructed him to call a specified telephone number.
When the man and his 76-year-old wife called the number, they were told that their banking information had been compromised because someone had been accessing child pornography on the computer, and that they would have to pay $88,000 to avoid prosecution, the complaint says.
The couple was told to withdraw the money in multiple transactions from multiple branches of their financial institution, then photograph and package the money and await a visitor.
The couple became suspicious after completing the withdrawals, and when Huang arrived at their house on August 10 to collect the money, they refused to pay, the complaint says. After Huang left, the couple called police and met with an officer at their home. They called police again when Huang returned and officers found him at the home and arrested him, the complaint says.
Investigators believe Huang was a courier paid from $500 to $1,000 to pick up cash from scam victims, use a fraudulent Taiwanese passport to deposit cash into a bank account and then transfer the money to others via cashier’s checks, the complaint says. Huang picked up $40,000 from an elderly individual in Colorado and $40,000 from an elderly person in Oregon before traveling to St. Louis, the complaint says.
Court documents say Huang is from Taiwan.
“Criminals who take advantage of elderly individuals, whose income is often fixed, are absolutely appalling,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Taekuk Cho. “These offenders are very organized and utilize a multitude of fear tactics to extort vulnerable people and oftentimes cause undue financial hardship.”
The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both prison and a fine.
Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Murfreesboro Man Convicted for July 2020 Violent Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Defendant Joshua Hallmon, 27, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was convicted today by a federal jury on all 12 counts he faced for a string of violent crimes he committed in Murfreesboro and Franklin, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Hallmon and two co-defendants, Charles Melvin Walker and Walter Lee Williams, were charged by a federal grand jury in May 2021 with multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Additionally, Hallmon was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Prior to trial, Walker and Williams both pleaded guilty to all charges against them.
The charges in this case related to a crime spree that spanned from July 6 to July 27, 2020, involving the armed robberies of Twice Daily and Mapco gas stations in Murfreesboro on July 6 and July 23, 2020. Then, on the night of July 26-27, 2020, Hallmon and his co-defendants committed an armed carjacking and kidnapping in Murfreesboro, attempted to commit a second armed carjacking in Franklin, and committed a third armed carjacking and kidnapping in Murfreesboro in which Williams shot the victim in the face.
“As a result of today’s convictions, this violent criminal will be spending over three decades in federal prison,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “I commend the outstanding work done in this case by our prosecutors and our state and federal law enforcement partners to protect our community from violent crime.”
Joshua Hallmon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 34 years, and up to life, in federal prison. Hallmon and his co-defendants will be sentenced by United States District Judge Eli Richardson later this year.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Murfreesboro Police Department; the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office; the Smyrna Police Department; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the Franklin Police Department; and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Suedekum and Rachel Stephens are prosecuting the case.
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Los Angeles Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Robert Culberson, 45, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Culberson to 120 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 180 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On June 14, 2021, Omaha Police Department (OPD) Officers were conducting surveillance of co-defendant Kashaun Lockett’s residence located on Curtis Avenue in Omaha. OPD Officers arranged a controlled buy from Lockett for methamphetamine. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Lockett, he fled from police. Simultaneous to Lockett’s flight, Culberson was seen at Lockett’s Curtis Avenue residence. Officers conducting surveillance observed Culberson leave the residence and toss unknown items into the tree line at the back of the property. Lockett’s residence was searched, and officers found approximately 121 grams of methamphetamine.
Culberson and co-defendant Gary Lockett, who was also present outside the Curtis Avenue residence, were detained while officers went to the tree line to investigate. Officers recovered approximately 197 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock pistol from the tree line near where Culberson was seen tossing the items.
Kashaun and Gary Lockett are scheduled for trial on October 2, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Lodi Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kenneth O’Neil, 49, of Lodi, was sentenced today to six years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between June 7, 2018, and June 28, 2018, O’Neil sold at least 563 grams of heroin to a co-conspirator, who then sold those drugs to an undercover agent.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond and David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Children While Visiting Metro-DetroitRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Las Vegas man who sex trafficked children in metro-Detroit while visiting the area in December 2020 was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Devin J. Kowalski, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.
Jquon Wroten, 31, pled guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor in April 2023. Wroten was sentenced today by United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman.
Law enforcement first began investigating Wroten while attempting to locate two minor females who had run away from the Lansing area in late 2020. A relative of one of the minors contacted law enforcement with information and expressed fears that the minors were being trafficked in the Detroit area. Law enforcement recovered the minors from a motel room in Southfield, Michigan in December 2020 and learned that Wroten had recruited the minors to work for him after meeting them in a local motel while he was in town. Wroten and an adult female associate took the minors to a local beauty supply store and bought items in an effort to make them look older. Wroten then set up a commercial sex date for the minors at a residence in metro-Detroit and drove the minors to the date, where they engaged in commercial sex with multiple men. Wroten took proceeds from the sex trafficking for his own use.
“The sex trafficking of children is a hideous crime that preys on some of our district’s most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “The court’s sentence today is a just punishment and will prevent the defendant from further victimizing children here or anywhere else.”
“Protecting young people from dangerous predators is a top priority for the FBI in Michigan and across the country,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Mr. Wroten in an example of how manipulative these criminals can be. I commend the work of the special agents, deputies, police officers, and prosecutors who worked to make our children safer by ensuring he remains behind bars for a significant period of time.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Division, FBI Las Vegas Division, FBI San Francisco Division, SEMTEC (Southwest Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes), and State of Michigan Children’s Protective Services.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Sweeney Bean and Eaton Brown.
Luzerne County Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Aiding & Assisting in the Filing of False Tax Returns Claiming over Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars of False Education CreditsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Leidi M. Paulino, age 46, owner of LP Multiservices, a tax preparation business located in Freeland, PA, pleaded guilty on Monday, August 14, 2023, before United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, to aiding and assisting clients in the preparation and filing of false tax returns.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal Information to which Paulino pleaded guilty alleges that during 2019 and 2020, Paulino assisted clients in preparing and filing tax returns that were materially false in that they sought certain education tax credits, including the American Opportunity Tax Credit, to which the clients – the vast majority of whom were not even college students – were not entitled.
Pursuant to the terms of her plea agreement with the United States, Paulino acknowledged that the monetary loss attributable to her conduct was between $550,000 and $1.5 million dollars, and she agreed to make restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $888,377.
These charges stem from an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is three years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Billy Eggleston, 50, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production of child pornography. Eggleston must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 26, 2020, Eggleston engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a prepubescent female for the purpose of photographing such conduct. Eggleston admitted to using his cell phone to take a series of 62 photos of him engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the prepubescent female while she was sleeping. The sexually explicit photos were taken by Eggleston in his bedroom.
Eggleston transferred the images to his desktop computer. Eggleston admitted to possessing nearly 5,000 videos and images of child pornography on his desktop computer and a memory card on October 21, 2022. Eggleston further admitted that one of these images was of an adult male sexually assaulting a minor female between four and seven years old, and another image was of a minor female between two and four years old subjected to sexually explicit conduct by an adult male.
“To prey upon this child, Billy Eggleston gained the trust of her and her family and then betrayed that trust in a most abhorrent manner to fulfill his depraved fantasies,” United States Attorney Will Thompson said. “I commend the investigative work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) and the St. Albans Police Department, and the assistance provided by the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) Children’s Advocacy Center.”
“Through his vile actions, Mr. Eggleston has proven to be a threat to the law-abiding residents of his community,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “The severity of his sentence displays the degree of danger that he presented. We cannot tolerate such a menace to prey upon the good people of our West Virginia neighborhoods. HSI Washington, D.C., along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to detect, disrupt, and apprehend anyone who means to cause harm to the people that we have sworn to protect.”
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-3.
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Justice Department Releases Language Access Plan to Expand Access to Department Resources and ProgramsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today released an updated Department-wide Language Access Plan to help ensure that all individuals, regardless of language used, have access to and are able to fully participate in the Department’s programs, activities, and services. The Language Access Plan provides guidance to Department offices to help them bolster language access planning, which includes understanding the needs of communities with limited English proficiency, improving translation and interpretation services, promoting quality assurance of those services, and expanding the range of tools available to serve the public.
“Language barriers should not stand in the way of access to government services,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This updated Language Access Plan is an important step toward ensuring that everyone can report crimes, access important resources, and seek help from the Justice Department when they need it.”
“Expansive language access furthers the Justice Department’s mission to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “I am proud of the work the Department is doing to modernize, streamline, and improve our language resources and policies to better serve all Americans, including individuals who face language barriers.”
“Every person in this country deserves meaningful access to government services and programs,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “These updated policies reflect the Justice Department’s commitment to removing the language barriers that prevent many communities from understanding their rights, reporting crimes, or otherwise having full and equal access to the Department’s resources.”
The updated Language Access Plan is issued pursuant to Attorney General Garland’s November 2022 Memorandum for Heads of Federal Agencies, Heads of Civil Rights Offices, and General Counsels Regarding Strengthening the Federal Government’s Commitment to Language Access, which directed the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to work with federal agencies to improve efforts to ensure meaningful language access and to revise and update their language access plans and policies accordingly. It also marks the 23rd anniversary of Executive Order 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency (Aug. 16, 2000), which requires federal agencies to develop and implement systems enabling people with limited English proficiency to meaningfully access their services.
The Office for Access to Justice led development of the Department’s updated plan, working with the Department’s Language Access Working Group and the Civil Rights Division. This work is part of the Office of Access to Justice (ATJ) and the Working Group’s broader leadership of Department efforts to expand language access resources, improve awareness of language access issues, and provide training and technical assistance to other offices within DOJ and across the federal government.
“Access to justice means language access,” said ATJ Director Rachel Rossi. “Through the updated policies in this Language Access Plan, we recommit to expanded language access as a central component of all Department programs and activities.”
The Civil Rights Division, in accordance with Attorney General Garland’s memorandum and its responsibility to ensure consistent and coordinated government-wide compliance with Executive Order 13166 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, also provided in-depth technical assistance and engaged with external stakeholders to assist the Department and other federal agencies update and revise their language access plans. The division brought over 35 federal agencies together for sessions that engaged experts and federal staff to identify effective use of qualified bilingual employees, how to build multilingual digital content, and the unique language access needs of people who speak Indigenous languages or have a disability. Today, the division also adds a new guide to support agency efforts to collect language data and post multilingual content to its catalogue of language access resources on www.LEP.gov.
“This revised Language Access Plan underscores the Department’s continued commitment to language access in our own programs and activities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We look forward to publishing all revised agency language access plans on www.LEP.gov to help ensure that all stakeholders know how to obtain meaningful language access when engaging with the federal government.”
The updated plan will be translated into a number of languages and will be available on the Department’s website using the Department’s recently launched language selector tool.
Remote video URLJury convicts Columbus man of committing six robberiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted a Columbus man for committing six robberies in Columbus in September and October 2020.
Ronald Lee Jacobs, 46, was convicted of six counts of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The verdict was announced Monday afternoon following a trial that began on Aug. 7 before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Jacobs committed 6 robberies, including:
- Hampton Inn on South Hamilton Road on Sept. 5, 2020,
- Wing Snob on North High Street on Sept. 12, 2020,
- United Dairy Farmers on North High Street on Sept. 24, 2020,
- Shell Gas Station on South Hamilton Road on Sept. 30, 2020,
- Wing Snob on North High Street on Oct. 8, 2020, and
- Walgreens on East Livingston Avenue on Oct. 12, 2020.
During the robberies, Jacobs typically wore either an inside-out gray sweatshirt or a dark sweatshirt, dark pants and used a blue bandana. Jacobs was employed at a glue factory and, during multiple robberies, had visible glue splatters on his clothing. He called off work for one robbery and left during his shift to commit another one of the robberies.
In jail calls, Jacobs discussed the firearms he used and said he committed the robberies because he was “broke” and needed to pay child support.
Jacobs was charged by criminal complaint and arrested in November 2020. In March 2021, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Jacobs and that indictment was superseded in September 2021.
Jacobs’ six robbery counts carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence is punishable by at least seven years in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced today’s verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
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Individual Pleads Guilty to False Identity CrimeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An individual pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with fraudulently using the identity of a U.S. citizen.
Alexander Villalona Diaz, 37, previously of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Senior District Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2023. In December 2020, Villalona Diaz was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Villalona Diaz fraudulently used a Social Security number that was not his when applying for a renewal of a driver’s license with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in 2016.
The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, in New England; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Illinois Man Sentenced for Setting Fire to Reproductive Health Services FacilityRead the Press Release
An Illinois man was sentenced today for the arson of the Planned Parenthood Peoria Health Center in Peoria, Illinois.
Tyler W. Massengill, 33, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $1.45 million in restitution. He previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 16 to malicious use of fire and an explosive to damage, and attempt to damage, the Peoria Health Center.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Massengill maliciously set fire to the Peoria Health Center on Jan. 15 because he believed his ex-partner had received an abortion there, and he was angry about it. Massengill believed that, if his actions caused a little delay in a person receiving services at the Peoria Health Center, his conduct may have been worth it. The fire resulted in significant damage to the Peoria Health Center.
“This defendant’s violent conduct severely damaged the Peoria Health Center and obstructed patients’ access to reproductive health services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute such unlawful, destructive acts, and to protect the clinics that provide reproductive health services, as well as their patients and staff.”
“The defendant’s destructive actions in setting fire to the Peoria Health Clinic were reprehensible and limited the ability of women in our community to access important reproductive health services,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris for the Central District of Illinois. “We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their excellent work on this investigation.”
“Massengill’s actions represent the very real threat posed by extremists in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Nanz of the FBI Springfield Field Office. “Protecting the American people from such extremists remains a top priority for the FBI and our team remains laser-focused on identifying, investigating and disrupting individuals who cross the line from expressing protected speech to violating federal law.”
“Any violent act like this is unacceptable. Worse here, is that this defendant used violence to target health care providers and their patients,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) . “I want to commend the ATF investigators, the prosecutors and our partners for taking action to protect the victims of this violent and potentially lethal arson.”
The FBI Springfield Field Office, Peoria Police Department and the ATF investigated the case, with assistance from the Peoria Fire Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna for the Central District of Illinois prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services, or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s related enforcement efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
Idaho Falls Man Indicted for Possession with the Intent to Distribute over 70,000 Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Jason Scott Hurley, 44, of Idaho Falls, was indicted on July 25, 2023, by a federal grand jury sitting in Pocatello on three counts of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
The indictment alleges that on three separate occasions in June of 2023, Hurley knowingly and intentionally possessed four-hundred grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. According to court records, it is alleged that investigators seized over 70,000 pills from Hurley and storage units he controlled.
On August 2, 2023, Hurley appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy W. Dale and entered a not guilty plea. A jury trial is scheduled for October 10, 2023, before Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the Pocatello courthouse.
The charge of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl in the amount of four‑hundred grams or more is punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison, a maximum fine of $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release.
This case is being investigated by the Idaho Falls Police Department, with assistance from the Bonneville County Sherriff’s Office, the Idaho State Police (District 5), the Chubbuck Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Hillsdale County Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Tye Stiger, 35, from Jonesville, Michigan, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for sexually exploiting four girls between approximately 2007 and 2022. After being caught, Stiger fled to the Philippines before being arrested and returned to the United States to face criminal prosecution. When Stiger is released from prison, he will spend 10 years on supervised release.
“The sexual exploitation of our children will not be tolerated by my office,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “While we can never erase the trauma these young girls experienced at the hands of Mr. Stiger, today’s sentence shows that we are committed to protecting our most vulnerable and holding offenders accountable.”
In February 2022, after two women reported that Stiger groomed and molested them years earlier, police executed a search warrant at Stiger’s home and seized his cell phones and computers. Investigators found voluminous child pornography on the electronics. There was a series of videos from between 2007 and 2009, in which Stiger set up a hidden video camera in a bathroom to record young girls changing their clothes. There were also nude pictures of young girls that Stiger took in 2022. After the search, Stiger flew to Asia with no return trip scheduled. In August 2022, investigators found and arrested Stiger in the Philippines, where he was working at a children’s ministry.
“I commend the victims in this case for their bravery in coming forward to expose the crimes committed by this now convicted felon,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “HSI will continue to work with our partners across the country and around the world to ensure that justice is served for those who would prey on children in our communities.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
This case was investigated by the Michigan State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gerso Ortega-Corado, 26, of Guatemala, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for his participation in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Ortega-Corado to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a two-year term of supervised release. Ortega-Corado also agreed to the forfeiture of $169,283 that was seized as part of the investigation.
On April 11, 2022, an undercover (UC) Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration communicated with a Mexican-based source of supply about purchasing four ounces of methamphetamine that could be delivered to the UC in Omaha. Arrangements were made, and later that day Ortega-Corado arrived and exchanged $1,000 for four ounces of methamphetamine.
On June 16, 2022, the DEA executed a number of search warrants on stash houses and storage sheds that had been identified as being utilized by the Mexican-based source of supply. At one of the stash houses, Ortega-Corado was observed leaving the location and was detained. A search of this location resulted in 26.3 kilograms of pure methamphetamine being seized. The apartment manager confirmed that Ortega-Corado resided at the residence. Additional evidence seized from that location included Ortega-Corado’s driver’s license, immigration paperwork, and $160,000. In total, $169,283 was seized from the different locations.
This case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, and the Omaha Police Department.
Grand Prairie Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Donut Shop RobberiesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A second man has been sentenced to federal prison in connection with a string of violent home invasion type robberies in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Kendrick Donnell Jones, Jr., 24, of Grand Prairie, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery; aiding and abetting; conspiracy to kidnap; using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Jones was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. Last month, Tony Sullivan was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his role in the robberies.
According to information presented in court, the FBI began an investigation into a series of home invasion type robbery incidents between April 2019 and December 2019 that targeted owners and operators of donut stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area. The robberies occurred late in the evening or very early in the morning before the shopkeepers departed for work. The assailants would force their way into the home and assault the home’s occupants. Victims were often beat with baseball bats and bound with duct tape while being held at gunpoint. At least nine robberies have been attributed to this crime spree. Due to the times of the robberies coinciding with the times the victims would have been leaving their residences to open their businesses, agents concluded the suspects had to have conducted physical surveillance to determine where the victims lived and when the victims would have been leaving their residences. On the evening of July 8, 2019, officers in Euless, Texas, received a call from a witness reporting an individual stumbling down his street with his hands bound by tape. The victim had a bleeding head wound and was transported to a hospital. The victim advised he returned home from his donut shop in Dallas to find two suspects in his residence. He was bound and beat with a baseball bat and ordered to open a safe. The assailants left with the victim’s car keys, cellular phone, approximately $9,500 from the safe, and approximately $900 from his wallet. Law enforcement agents utilized footage from surveillance videos, cell phone site data, and data extracted from cellular phones to determine Jones participated in the attack.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Dallas Police Department, the Garland Police Department, the Grand Prairie Police Department, the Richardson Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Other investigating agencies who assisted in the investigation are the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Carrollton Police Department, the Coppell Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Dalworthington Gardens Police Department, the Euless Police Department, and the Flower Mound Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez.
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Founder of Artificial Intelligence Start-Up Charged with FraudRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging MICHAEL BRACKETT with lying to investors about the financial condition of Centricity Inc., a technology company that BRACKETT founded in 2019. As alleged in the Indictment, BRACKETT — who also served as Centricity’s CEO — persuaded a victim to invest $500,000 in the company by sending a falsified customer list that included grossly inflated revenue numbers. Days later, BRACKETT resigned from Centricity, which ceased operations soon afterward.
BRACKETT was arrested earlier today in the District of Maine, where he will be presented before making an initial appearance in the Southern District of New York. The case is assigned to United States District Judge John G. Koeltl in the Southern District of New York.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Although the industry is cutting edge, the crime was strictly analog: as alleged, Brackett fabricated documents and revenue numbers to persuade victims to invest in his start-up company. As in any other industry, investors in AI deserve transparency and fair dealing when considering if and where to invest in new technologies.”
According to the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Centricity was a New York City-based technology company that sought to give retailers, especially grocery stores, better insight into consumers’ preferences. According to public statements, Centricity used artificial intelligence algorithms that could analyze some 2.5 billion data points’ worth of internet traffic a day to predict demand for products, so that retailers could stock their shelves accordingly.
While serving as CEO of Centricity, BRACKETT repeatedly misrepresented the company’s financial condition. In spring 2021, BRACKETT sent prospective short-term lenders a bank statement that BRACKETT had manipulated to reflect that Centricity had more funds in its account than it actually did. In June 2021, BRACKETT sent a potential investor (“Victim‑1”) a spreadsheet that purportedly reflected Centricity’s current customers and monthly revenue. In fact, the majority of the 13 companies listed on the spreadsheet were not Centricity’s customers, and Centricity’s revenue was only a fraction of the amount listed on the spreadsheet.
Relying on BRACKETT’s misrepresentations, Victim-1 signed a convertible promissory note and directed an associate to wire $500,000 to Centricity. Within days, however, Victim-1 learned the truth about Centricity’s financial condition and attempted, unsuccessfully, to reverse the wire. Days later, BRACKETT resigned from Centricity, and, soon afterward, Centricity ceased operations. Victim-1 ultimately was unable to recover any of the $500,000 investment.
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BRACKETT, 36, a U.S. citizen residing in Switzerland, is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick R. Moroney is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. v. Brackett Indictment
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Special Agent in Charge of the New York FBI Counterintelligence Division Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate U.S. Sanctions on RussiaRead the Press Release
Former Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the FBI Counterintelligence Division in New York, Charles McGonigal, 54, of New York City, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit money laundering in connection with his 2021 agreement to provide services to Oleg Deripaska, a sanctioned Russian oligarch.
According to court documents, on April 6, 2018, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska for having acted or purported to act on behalf of a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation and for operating in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia affirmed the sanctions against Deripaska, finding, among other things, that OFAC’s determination that Deripaska had acted as an agent of Russian President Vladimir Putin was supported by the evidence.
“Charles McGonigal, by his own admission, betrayed his oath and actively concealed his illicit work at the bidding of a sanctioned Russian oligarch,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s plea shows the Department of Justice’s resolve to pursue and dismantle the illegal networks that Russian oligarchs use to try to escape the reach of our sanctions and evade our laws.”
“After his tenure as a high-level FBI official who supervised and participated in investigations of Russian oligarchs, Charles McGonigal has now admitted that he agreed to evade U.S. sanctions by providing services to one of those oligarchs, Oleg Deripaska,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “This office will continue to hold to account those who violate U.S. sanctions for their own financial benefit.”
“Charles McGonigal broke his oath to defend the Constitution and turned his back on his duty to protect the American people in favor of his own greed by working for a sanctioned Russian oligarch,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Every day, the men and women of the FBI protect the American people and uphold the Constitution. No matter the perpetrator, even if it’s one of our own, the FBI will go to great lengths to investigate individuals who put their own interests above U.S. national security.”
As an FBI official, McGonigal had helped investigate Deripaska and other Russian oligarchs. In 2018, while serving as SAC, McGonigal received a then-classified list of Russian oligarchs with close ties to the Kremlin who would be considered for sanctions. In 2021, McGonigal conspired to provide services to Deripaska, in violation of the U.S. sanctions imposed on Deripaska in April 2018. Specifically, following his negotiations with an agent of Deripaska, McGonigal agreed to and did investigate a rival Russian oligarch in return for concealed payments from Deripaska. As part of their negotiations with Deripaska’s agent, McGonigal and the agent attempted to conceal Deripaska’s involvement by, among other means, not directly naming Deripaska in electronic communications, using shell companies as counterparties in the contract that outlined the services to be performed, using a forged signature on that contract, and using the same shell companies to send and receive payment from Deripaska.
McGonigal faces up to five years in prison for each count and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI New York Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the New York City Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hagan Scotten, Rebecca T. Dell, and Derek Wikstrom for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
McGonigal Plea AgreementFormer Special Agent in Charge of the New York FBI Counterintelligence Division Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate U.S. Sanctions on RussiaRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that CHARLES MCGONIGAL, a former Special Agent in Charge (“SAC”) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) Counterintelligence Division in New York, pled guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) and to commit money laundering in connection with his 2021 agreement to provide services to Oleg Deripaska, a sanctioned Russian oligarch. MCGONIGAL pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “After his tenure as a high-level FBI official who supervised and participated in investigations of Russian oligarchs, Charles McGonigal has now admitted that he agreed to evade U.S. sanctions by providing services to one of those oligarchs, Oleg Deripaska. This Office will continue to hold to account those who violate U.S. sanctions for their own financial benefit.”
Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Matthew G. Olsen said: “Charles McGonigal, by his own admission, betrayed his oath and actively concealed his illicit work at the bidding of a sanctioned Russian oligarch. Today’s plea shows the Department of Justice’s resolve to pursue and dismantle the illegal networks that Russian oligarchs use to try to escape the reach of our sanctions and evade our laws.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Economic sanctions are a critical component of our national security policy. They must be fully and fairly applied to effectively limit the resources of those who threaten to harm the United States and our global allies. Sanctions evasion by fraudulent means is a serious criminal offense. By entering a guilty plea today, former FBI official Charles McGonigal has accepted responsibility for his actions. The FBI is committed to rigorously investigating reported sanctions violations and relentlessly pursue anyone engaged in such activity.”
According to publicly filed court documents and statements made in court proceedings:
In 2014, the President issued Executive Order 13660, which declared a national emergency with respect to the situation in Ukraine. To address this national emergency, the President blocked all property of individuals determined by the U.S. Treasury to be responsible for or complicit in actions or policies that threatened the security, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, or who materially assist, sponsor, or provide support to individuals or entities engaging in such activities. Executive Order 13660 and regulations issued pursuant to it prohibit making or receiving any funds, goods, or services by, to, from, or for the benefit of any person designated by the U.S. Treasury.
On April 6, 2018, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated Oleg Deripaska as a Specially Designated National in connection with its finding that the actions of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to Ukraine constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy. According to the U.S. Treasury, Deripaska was sanctioned for having acted or purported to act on behalf of, directly or indirectly, a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation and for operating in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia affirmed the sanctions against Deripaska. It found, among other things, that OFAC’s determination that Deripaska acted as an agent of Russian President Vladimir Putin was supported by the evidence.
As an FBI official, MCGONIGAL had helped investigate Deripaska and other Russian oligarchs. In 2018, while serving as SAC, MCGONIGAL received a then-classified list of Russian oligarchs with close ties to the Kremlin who would be considered for sanctions. In 2021, MCGONIGAL conspired to provide services to Deripaska, in violation of U.S. sanctions imposed on Deripaska in 2018. Specifically, following his negotiations with an agent of Deripaska, MCGONIGAL agreed to and did investigate a rival Russian oligarch in return for concealed payments from Deripaska. As part of their negotiations with Deripaska’s agent, MCGONIGAL and the agent attempted to conceal Deripaska’s involvement by, among other means, not directly naming Deripaska in electronic communications, using shell companies as counterparties in the contract that outlined the services to be performed, using a forged signature on that contract, and using the same shell companies to send and receive payment from Deripaska.
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MCGONIGAL, 55, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to violate the IEEPA and to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. MCGONIGAL is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Rearden on December 14, 2023.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI New York Field Office’s Counterintelligence Division and the valuable assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as the New York City Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hagan Scotten, Rebecca T. Dell, and Derek Wikstrom are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Paralegal Specialist Christopher de Grandpre.
U.S. vs McGonigal InformationFormer San Jose State University Director of Sports Medicine Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violations for Unlawful Sexual Touching of Female Student-AthletesRead the Press Release
A former San Jose State University (SJSU) director of sports medicine pleaded guilty today in the Northern District of California for unlawfully touching female student-athletes under the guise of providing medical treatment.
As part of the plea agreement, Scott Shaw admitted that, between 2017 and 2020, he violated the civil rights of four students who played on women’s athletics teams by touching their breasts and buttocks without their consent and without a legitimate medical purpose.
According to documents filed in connection with the plea agreement, from 2008 until August 2020, Shaw served as the director of sports medicine and head athletic trainer at SJSU, a public university that is part of the California State University system and was an employee of the State of California. His duties included treating injuries sustained by student-athletes at SJSU.
During the fall semester of 2017, Shaw treated I.S., a member of the women’s water polo team. On one occasion while treating I.S., Shaw began massaging the back of her shoulder and neck, and then he moved his hands down and touched her breast.
During the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic years, Shaw treated J.M., a member of the women’s water polo team. While doing so on one occasion, Shaw applied pressure to both sides of her neck and worked his hands down to her chest, and then he touched her breast, including her areola, under her clothing with his bare hand. On another occasion while treating J.M.’s back, Shaw touched her buttocks under her clothing with his bare hand.
During the spring semester of 2019, Shaw treated A.L., a member of the women’s water polo team. Shaw treated A.L. to address an injury to her shoulder, and while treating A.L.’s injury, he touched her breast under her clothing with his bare hand.
During the 2019-2020 academic year, Shaw treated K.B., a member of the women’s soccer team, on two occasions. On one occasion, K.B. sought treatment for back pain, and, while examining her spine, Shaw touched her breasts, and then he touched her buttocks. On another occasion, K.B. sought assistance in applying electrotherapy patches known as “stim pads” to treat her back pain, and Shaw touched her buttocks under her clothing with his bare hands while placing the stim pads.
According to documents filed in connection with the plea agreement, Shaw admitted that he engaged in all of the conduct described above on SJSU’s campus in San Jose, California, and in his capacity as a SJSU athletic trainer, and the student-athletes only allowed him to have physical contact with them because of his status as a SJSU Athletic Trainer. Shaw also admitted that he touched each of the student-athletes as described above without any legitimate diagnostic or treatment purpose, and without seeking or securing their consent in advance. Shaw further admitted that his conduct was not the result of mistake, carelessness, or accident.
“Scott Shaw abused his position of trust and authority as a public university official to sexually assault female student-athletes who entrusted him with their medical care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No student-athlete should ever be subject to sexual harassment at the hands of their sports medicine director, coach or any other official at a college or university. This egregious conduct violates federal law, and the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute individuals who exploit their positions of authority to sexually abuse our community members. We stand with the survivors and thank them for their courage and willingness to support the government’s prosecution of this defendant.”
“Shaw now has acknowledged his guilt and has admitted the conduct that resulted in the charges that were filed against him,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins for the Northern District of California. “We hope his guilty plea and conviction bring some level of solace to his victims, and we now look to sentencing which will be a major step toward bringing this matter to a conclusion.”
“The defendant in this case used his position as an athletic trainer to commit acts of abuse against multiple female athletes who came to him for care,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s guilty plea shows that the FBI will not tolerate violations of civil rights under the guise of legitimate medical treatment.”
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14. Shaw faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count, a maximum of one year of supervised release for each count and a fine of up to $100,000 on each count.
The FBI San Francisco Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Pitman for the Northern District of California, and Trial Attorney MarLa Duncan and Attorney Advisor Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Fargo Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder and Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Shilo Aaron Oldrock, 30, and an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, pled guilty in federal court to second degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. Oldrock will remain in custody pending sentencing which has not been scheduled.
According to court documents, on January 29, 2021, Oldrock and John Doe 1 attacked and killed John Doe 2. Later, on October 10, 2021, Oldrock attacked and killed John Doe 1 before decapitating his head with an axe and throwing it in a woodstove inside John Doe 1’s residence. Oldrock did so because he believed John Doe would harm him in order to cover up John Doe 2’s murder. Oldrock also believed that John Doe 1 had killed Oldrock’s grandmother.
At sentencing, Oldrock faces up to 35 years in prison.
John Doe 2’s family reported him missing and he was added to the FBI’s List of Native Americans Verified as Missing Throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. The List is the first of its kind in the nation and was created in an effort to improve the reporting of missing persons throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. Partners involved in the project include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, New Mexico’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) Task Force, New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, New Mexico Department of Public Safety, New Mexico Department of Indian Affairs, Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, and the City of Albuquerque Office of Equity and Inclusion. The FBI also receives information and support from the Navajo Nation, Native American pueblos, and local law enforcement.
The list is updated monthly and can be found at fbi.gov/mmip.
The FBI is seeking public assistance and information on the cases. If you have information concerning any of the cases, please contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the Gallup Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Erwin Man Sentenced to 262 Months Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On August 14, 2023, Joshua Dwayne Mabery, 47, of Erwin, Tennessee, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison, by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
Following a three-day trial, ending on March 30, 2023, Mabery was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C.§§ 846 and 841(a)(1); and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C.§ 841(a)(1). Upon his release from prison, Mabery will be on supervised release for 10 years.
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Mabery, who had recently been released from prison related to a federal conviction in 2012 for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, began distributing methamphetamine in the fall of 2020 in northeast Tennessee. In February 2021, he and a co-conspirator were arrested in Washington County, Tennessee, as they returned from Knoxville with over a half-kilogram of crystal methamphetamine they had just purchased from another co-conspirator.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of a joint investigation by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson City Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorneys J. Gregory Bowman and B. Todd Martin represented the United States.
This case was a result of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
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El Departamento de Justicia lanza un Plan de Acceso al Lenguaje para ampliar el acceso a los recursos y programas del DepartamentoRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia lanzó hoy un Plan de Acceso al Lenguaje actualizado para todo el Departamento que ayuda a garantizar que todas las personas, independientemente del idioma que hablen, tengan acceso y puedan participar plenamente en los programas, actividades y servicios del Departamento. El Plan de Acceso al Lenguaje brinda orientación a las oficinas del Departamento para ayudarlas a reforzar la planificación del acceso al lenguaje, lo que incluye comprender las necesidades de las comunidades con dominio limitado del inglés, mejorar los servicios de traducción e interpretación, promover el control de calidad de esos servicios y ampliar la variedad de herramientas disponibles para servir al público.
“Las barreras del lenguaje no deben obstaculizar el acceso a los servicios del gobierno”, expresó el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland. “Este Plan de Acceso al Lenguaje actualizado es un paso importante para garantizar que todas las personas puedan denunciar delitos, acceder a recursos importantes y buscar ayuda del Departamento de Justicia cuando la necesiten”.
“El acceso expansivo al lenguaje promueve la misión del Departamento de Justicia de defender el estado de derecho, mantener a nuestro país seguro y proteger los derechos civiles”, señaló la Fiscal General Adjunta Lisa O. Mónaco. “Me siento orgullosa del trabajo que está haciendo el Departamento para modernizar, optimizar y mejorar nuestras políticas y recursos lingüísticos para servir mejor a todos los estadounidenses, incluidas las personas que enfrentan barreras por el lenguaje”.
“Cada persona en este país merece un acceso significativo a los servicios y programas gubernamentales”, dijo la Fiscal General Adjunta Vanita Gupta. “Estas políticas actualizadas reflejan el compromiso del Departamento de Justicia para eliminar las barreras del lenguaje que impiden que muchas comunidades comprendan sus derechos, denuncien delitos o tengan acceso total y equitativo a los recursos del Departamento”.
El Plan de Acceso al Lenguaje actualizado se emite de conformidad con el Memorándum para líderes de agencias federales, directores de oficinas de derechos civiles y consejeros generales sobre el fortalecimiento del compromiso del gobierno federal con el acceso lingüístico de noviembre de 2022 del Fiscal General Garland, el cual ordenó a la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia que trabaje con las agencias federales para mejorar los esfuerzos para garantizar un acceso lingüístico significativo y revisar y actualizar en consecuencia sus planes y políticas de acceso al lenguaje. También marca el 23o aniversario de la Orden Ejecutiva 13166, Mejorar el acceso a los servicios para personas con dominio limitado del inglés (16 de agosto de 2000), que requiere que las agencias federales desarrollen e implementen sistemas que permitan a las personas con dominio limitado del inglés acceder de manera significativa a sus servicios.
La Oficina de Acceso a la Justicia dirigió el desarrollo del Plan actualizado del Departamento, en colaboración con el Grupo de Trabajo de Acceso al Lenguaje del Departamento y la División de Derechos Civiles. Este trabajo es parte del liderazgo más amplio de la Oficina de Acceso a la Justicia (ATJ por sus siglas en inglés) y del Grupo de Trabajo de los esfuerzos del Departamento para ampliar los recursos de acceso al lenguaje, mejorar la concienciación sobre los problemas de acceso al lenguaje y brindar capacitación y asistencia técnica a otras oficinas dentro del DOJ y en todo el gobierno federal.
“El acceso a la justicia significa acceso al lenguaje”, dijo la directora de la ATJ, Rachel Rossi. “A través de las políticas actualizadas en este Plan de Acceso al Lenguaje, volvemos a comprometernos a expandir el acceso al lenguaje como un componente central de todos los programas y actividades del Departamento”.
La División de Derechos Civiles, de conformidad con el memorándum del Fiscal General Garland y su responsabilidad de garantizar el cumplimiento constante y coordinado de todo el gobierno con la Orden Ejecutiva 13166 y el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, también brindó asistencia técnica exhaustiva y se comprometió con partes interesadas externas para ayudar al Departamento y otras agencias federales a actualizar y revisar sus planes de acceso lingüístico. La división reunió a más de 35 agencias federales en sesiones que involucraron a expertos y personal federal para identificar el uso efectivo de empleados bilingües calificados, cómo crear contenido digital multilingüe y las necesidades únicas de acceso al idioma de las personas que hablan idiomas indígenas o tienen una discapacidad. Hoy, la división también agrega una nueva guía para apoyar los esfuerzos de la agencia para recopilar datos de idiomas y publicar contenido multilingüe en su catálogo de recursos de acceso lingüístico en www.LEP.gov.
“Este Plan de Acceso al Lenguaje revisado subraya el compromiso continuo del Departamento con el acceso lingüístico en nuestros propios programas y actividades”, señaló la Fiscal General Auxiliar Kristen Clarke de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Esperamos publicar todos los planes revisados de acceso al lenguaje de la agencia en www.LEP.gov para ayudar a garantizar que todas las partes interesadas sepan cómo obtener un acceso significativo al idioma cuando interactúan con el gobierno federal”.
El Plan actualizado se traducirá a varios idiomas y estará disponible en el sitio web del Departamento utilizando la herramienta de selección de idioma lanzada recientemente por el Departamento.
Corinna Counselor Pleads Guilty to Defrauding MaineCare Using Falsified Treatment RecordsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Corinna woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to false statements involving a health care benefit program.
According to court records, between April and December 2020, April McKinney, known professionally as April Taylor, 46, falsified appointment details and session notes in therapy service records. McKinney used the falsified records to bill and receive funds from MaineCare. MaineCare is funded primarily by the federal government which pays approximately two-thirds of all reimbursed claims. The deceitful act of submitting falsified information led to the misuse of taxpayer dollars through reimbursements higher than warranted by any actual patient care given.
McKinney faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced on Federal Gun Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced an East St. Louis man to five years in federal prison after he admitted to possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
Devonte T. Franklin, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the prison sentence, he will serve three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $100 fine and $100 in special assessments.
“This case serves as proof of police officers working courageously to deter the prevalence of gun violence and remove those offenders from St. Clair County,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
“The Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group continues to get illegal guns off the streets and out of the hands of criminals who repeatedly break the law,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The collaborative effort between ISP, local law enforcement agencies, the public, and the justice system is helping create safer communities.”
According to court documents, during the early hours of June 8, 2022, Franklin was riding in a car wanted in relation to a robbery when it was stopped by officers with the Washington Park Police Department. When asked to exit the vehicle, Franklin grabbed the waistband of his pants and pulled away from law enforcement. After a brief struggle, Franklin was taken into custody for resisting arrest, and officers located two loaded firearms in his waistband. One of Franklin’s guns had a handle wrapped in electrical tape. A third gun was also located inside the vehicle.
Franklin was charged for possessing a loaded .38 revolver and a loaded .380 semi-automatic firearm. At the time of his arrest, the defendant was on parole for a firearm and had spent time in both state and federal prison for convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm.
The Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) and the Washington Park Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns prosecuted the case.