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16 January 2025
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kyle Joseph Kumpula, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Kumpula to 46 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kumpula’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.
In April and May of 2024, a confidential informant working with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force made two purchases of meth from Kumpula and two purchases of meth from a co-conspirator for a total of approximately 1 ½ ounces. Both purchases from Kumpula occurred at a Lincoln residence shared by Kumpula and his two co-conspirators.
On May 6, 2024, a search warrant was executed at that residence. During the search, investigators found a total of approximately 21 ¾ ounces of meth at various locations in the residence. After the search was completed, investigators saw Kumpula arrive and park near the house. He was found in possession of another ½ ounce of meth.
Kumpula agreed to talk to investigators. He told them he had been living at the searched residence for three to four months. He admitted he had meth on his person at the time of his arrest. He said he started selling meth about two months prior. He said he had about five customers and the meth he sold came from his co-conspirators.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Lee County Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Distributing MethRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine from his Leesburg, Georgia, residence.
Shaun Anthony Akins, 44, of Leesburg, was sentenced to serve 144 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on Jan. 14. Akins previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on April 24, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The armed distribution of methamphetamine and other deadly and addictive drugs are the types of cases that are being quickly elevated to the federal level for prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to support the efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement to make our communities safer and seek justice.”
“Shaun Akins valued the profit from his drug trade over the lives of his customers,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Wherever you operate, if you sell drugs, DEA will hold you accountable.”
“This sentencing underscores the ongoing commitment of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking networks and hold those accountable who poison our communities with dangerous substances like methamphetamine,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This case is a reminder that those who engage in the illegal drug trade will face significant consequences, and we will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to undermine the safety of our citizens.”
“Armed methamphetamine trafficking is very dangerous, and these kinds of deadly drugs are killing our citizens. This case shows that dealers who continue to push illegal drugs in Lee County will wind up spending a lot of time behind bars for their crimes,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals.
According to the plea agreement and other statements referenced in court, law enforcement had received information from multiple citizen complaints dating back to 2022 that Akins was selling methamphetamine out of his Leesburg residence. A confidential source (CS) working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) contacted Akins to purchase methamphetamine. Akins was recorded selling methamphetamine to the CS at his Leesburg residence on January 30, 2023, Feb. 6, 2023, and Feb. 24, 2023. On May 8, 2023, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) conducted surveillance on Akins and observed an individual quickly arrive and depart from Akins’ residence, which law enforcement determined was consistent with a drug customer. LCSO conducted a traffic stop on the individual and recovered approximately 33 grams of methamphetamine, baggies and a digital scale. The investigation revealed Akins had just sold the individual the methamphetamine. Soon after, LCSO conducted a lawful search of Akins’ residence and recovered 162 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine in his bedroom, additional quantities of methamphetamine throughout the house, as well as plastic baggies, digital scales, several rounds of ammunition, two semiautomatic pistols and a semiautomatic rifle. LCSO subsequently searched Akins’ cell phone and located several incriminating photographs depicting the same firearms recovered from the residence, as well as quantities of suspected methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the GBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Leaders of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle over 43,000 Kilograms of Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jorge Hernan Gonzalez-Ortiz (50, Colombia) and Carlos Andres Aldana-Gil (43, Colombia) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. Each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreements and other court documents, from 2016 until 2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz established and led a drug trafficking organization in Colombia responsible for transporting cocaine via commercial airplanes. Conspirators loaded the commercial aircraft with cocaine disguised in boxes of fruit at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali, Colombia and intended for Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport in San Andrés Island, Colombia. With the assistance of corrupt Colombian police officers, the conspirators unloaded the cocaine and then smuggled it by boat to either Nicaragua or Honduras, then to Mexico and the United States.
From 2016 until 2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz’s organization smuggled cocaine onto at least 27 commercial flights in Cali, totaling at least 43,000 kilograms.
From 2021 to 2023, Aldana-Gil worked on behalf of Gonzalez-Ortiz for all logistical aspects of the smuggling operation from Cali. He received truckloads of cocaine from other conspirators, transported the drugs to the airport, and paid an airport security supervisor to divert security cameras away from the airport’s external gates. He also hired and paid the conspirators responsible for altering the cargo manifests as well as the luggage cart drivers who loaded the drugs onto commercial aircraft. On July 29, 2023, one of the organization’s cocaine shipments was interdicted by the Colombian National Police after it was offloaded from a commercial aircraft in San Andrés Island.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Colombian National Police’s Dirreccion de Antinarcotics (DIRAN), and the Colombian Equipo de Trabajo Investigativo Control Aeronaves (ETICA). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.
Leader of Pharmacy Burglary Ring Across Multiple States Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Keith Brown, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 209 months, or nearly 17 ½ years, in federal prison for his lead role in a criminal organization that was responsible for dozens of pharmacy burglaries and stolen controlled substances worth millions of dollars. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on today by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller on Thursday.
A federal grand jury indicted Brown, along with 41 other defendants who were indicted in a superseding indictment on July 2, 2024, on November 8, 2023. He was charged in six counts related to the burglaries, including two conspiracy counts and four counts for pharmacy burglary. Brown was initially indicted on November 8, 2022, along with 17 co-conspirators. On September 4, 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
An investigation revealed that Brown, 35, of Humble, Texas, was involved in a drug trafficking organization that included documented gang members from the 5th Ward area in Houston, Texas. Investigators discovered more than 96,000 tablets of Schedule II controlled substances—including oxycodone, hydrocodone, Adderall, and others—were stolen were stolen from pharmacies throughout the United States, including pharmacies in the Eastern District of Arkansas. The street value of all controlled substances stolen by the organization in the Arkansas burglaries alone is close to $1.6 million. Investigators also seized six firearms, approximately $79,000 in U.S. currency, and custom jewelry retailing approximately $330,000.
Brown, who was the leader of the organization, was personally involved in the commission of at least 34 pharmacy burglaries between July 24, 2021, and November 13, 2022. These burglaries took place in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, and Florida. The quantity of Schedule II controlled substances stolen from pharmacies and distributed by Brown and his co-conspirators has a street value of more than $12,000,000. Brown previously has been convicted of aggravated robbery, burglary of a building with intent to commit theft, possession of codeine, burglary of a building (which was a pharmacy in Texas), and burglary – 2nd degree (which was a pharmacy in Oklahoma).
Judge Miller sentenced Brown to serve 209 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Miller also sentenced Brown to three years’ supervised release. At a later date, Brown will be ordered to pay restitution to the pharmacies affected and that is expected to exceed $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
Trial for the remaining defendants is currently scheduled for April 7, 2025.
Investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Little Rock District Office, worked in conjunction with the following law enforcement partners:
DEA New Orleans Division (Little Rock District Office, Fayetteville Resident Office, Shreveport Resident Office, Mobile Resident Office),
DEA Special Operations Division,
DEA Houston Division (Houston TDS Group, Galveston Resident Office),
DEA Omaha Division,
DEA Rocky Mountain Division (Salt Lake City District Office, Cheyenne Resident Office),
DEA Atlanta Division (Columbia District Office),
DEA Miami Division (Pensacola District Office),
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Little Rock Field Office,
FBI Cast Team,
U.S. Marshals Service,
Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics,
Harris County Sheriff’s Office,
League City Police Department (Dickinson, Texas),
Houston (Texas) Police Department Northeast Division Crime Suppression Team,
Houston (Texas) Police Department CID, and
Arkansas State Police
The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Fields.
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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Relief Fraud and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining and misusing COVID-19 relief funds and stealing Social Security benefits totaling over $200,000.
Randolph Dominguez, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2025.
In June 2020, Dominguez submitted a loan application on behalf of an interpreter business he owned and operated, Dominguez SP Interpreters, to the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which provided loans to small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dominguez fraudulently obtained $74,900 in EIDL funds from the SBA in July 2020 when he claimed falsely on his EIDL application that his gross business revenue was $600,000 the previous year, when it was only $16,989. Further, Dominguez improperly spent all of the EIDL funds received on non-business expenses.
Separately, from April 2001 through April 2023, Dominguez stole approximately $163,642 in Social Security benefits. Dominguez’s father was receiving Social Security benefits at the time of his death in March 2001. His death was never reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the agency continued to pay monthly benefits on his behalf. Dominguez used his deceased father’s debit card to withdraw the improperly paid benefits at ATMs and to make purchases more than 22 years after his death.The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Kissimmee Businessman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Millions of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Edwin Rivera today pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Rivera faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between October 2023 and July 2024, Rivera and his co-conspirators operated a scheme to steal government funds. As part of the scheme, Rivera stole the identity of large corporations and filed fraudulent tax returns with the IRS on behalf of those companies, causing the IRS to generate tax refunds and mail them to Rivera. Rivera then deposited the checks into bank accounts he and his co-conspirators controlled. As part of this scheme, Rivera obtained at least four fraudulent tax refunds for a total of $2,741,581.74.
This case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations . It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
Kidnapper Who Abducted 6-Year-Old to Peru Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Edwin Alonso Cuadros Bravo, 54, formerly residing in Sacramento, pleaded guilty to interstate and international kidnapping conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in November 2021, Cuadros Bravo and his wife and co‑defendant Yulisa Alexsandra Guevara Wintong abducted their six-year-old grandchild from Sacramento and took the victim to Peru. Despite pleading from the mother, Cuadros Bravo and Guevara Wintong did not return the victim to the United States. In December 2022, the victim was returned to Sacramento as a result of government intervention.
Cuadros Bravo was detained following his first appearance and he remains in custody. Guevara Wintong has not yet appeared to answer the charges against her. The charges are only allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case.
Cuadros Bravo is scheduled for sentencing on April 21, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Cuadros Bravo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to ‘Swatting’ Phone Call That Targeted IRS Employee, Led to LockdownRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to making a hoax telephone call that led to an IRS employee being detained and the IRS office on Pershing Road being locked down.
Anthony M. Alford, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of intentionally conveying false and misleading information.
By pleading guilty today, Alford admitted he placed a hoax telephone call to emergency services, falsely claiming that an individual was armed with a firearm and was threatening to shoot people in an IRS building.
Alford called 911 on Sept. 10, 2024, and reported that a person identified in court documents as “Victim One” had a gun and was threatening to shoot up the Internal Revenue Service building at 333 W. Pershing Road in Kansas City, Mo. Victim One is an employee of the IRS.
Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the building, where they contacted IRS security and Federal Protective Service officers. Victim One had been detained and searched for weapons based on the 911 call. Following the 911 call, the B-Wing of the IRS building was locked down. The IRS announced that there was an active shooter in the building and told those in the B-Wing to stay locked down.
Victim One, though, was unarmed and had no intent to harm anyone. Victim One told investigators she had been dating Alford for about a month and was trying to break up with him. Alford had never been violent, she said, but had exhibited controlling, possessive, and jealous behavior. Alford had repeatedly called and messaged her the previous night, she said, and earlier that morning sent her messages threatening to involve the police. Alford messaged Victim One saying he was “[o]n the phone with IRS police have fun when you get there” and later he said “… just wait until you get to work.”
Alford was arrested on Sept. 25, 2024. Alford told investigators that Victim One did not threaten to shoot up the IRS Building, as he had said in the 911 call. He said he had been drinking alcohol and was upset when he made the 911 call.
Under federal statutes, Alford is subject to a sentence of up to five in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Issues Report Highlighting Critical Enforcement Work over the Past Four YearsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division today issued its 2021-2024 Civil Rights Division Highlights Report, outlining various accomplishments of the division and its partners in enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws and the Constitution from 2021-2024.
The report reflects upon a portion of the critical civil rights work across the division’s 11 sections where the career staff and leadership worked to bring to justice those who harmed, threatened and/or intimidated people because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, English proficiency or disability status.
“Our Civil Rights Division has doggedly pursued justice for our nation’s most vulnerable through enforcement of our civil rights laws by combating hate and exploitation, promoting fairness and accountability in our criminal justice system, strengthening democracy, and expanding and ensuring opportunity and access for all. This report provides snapshots of some of that work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Over the past four years, I have had the privilege and honor of leading the Civil Rights Division and overseeing this crucial work. I am incredibly grateful for the tireless efforts of our career employees who have steadfastly abided by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s charge to uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights and keep our country and communities safe. And I am indebted to our communities and advocates who bravely asserted their rights and shared their stories in our common pursuit of justice and fairness.”
More information about the Civil Rights Division can be found at www.justice.gov/crt. To report a possible civil rights violation, please visit www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Issue Antitrust Guidelines on Business Practices that Impact WorkersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today jointly issued Antitrust Guidelines for Business Activities Affecting Workers. The guidelines, which replace the 2016 Antitrust Guidance for Human Resource Professionals, explain how the Justice Department and FTC identify and assess the antitrust risks of business practices affecting workers.
“For more than a century, the antitrust laws have protected workers from unlawful schemes, abuses of bargaining power, and restrictions on their mobility,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to work with its federal and state partners to ensure the economic freedom and opportunity of American workers and their families.”
The guidelines provide examples and cite cases to explain how the agencies analyze business practices that may violate the antitrust laws, such as information sharing, restrictions on worker mobility, abuses of bargaining power and other restrictive, exclusionary or predatory employment conditions. The guidelines also explain that certain types of agreements between employers, such as wage-fixing or no-poach agreements, may expose companies and executives to criminal liability under the antitrust laws.
The agencies encourage members of the public to report potential antitrust violations, and the guidelines provide information on how to submit these complaints.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Sangamon County, Illinois and County Agencies Resolving Race and Disability Discrimination InvestigationRead the Press Release
Note: The original headline was updated to fall within character count limitations
The Justice Department announced today an agreement with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the Sangamon County Central Dispatch System (SCCDS), and Sangamon County, Illinois, to resolve an investigation of race and disability discrimination in the provision of policing and dispatch services.
The department launched its investigation based on complaints and reports about an SCSO deputy’s fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman experiencing a mental health crisis, while responding to Ms. Massey’s 911 call for help.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division investigated the entities’ compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the nondiscrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act (Safe Streets Act), and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Title VI and the Safe Streets Act collectively prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion by recipients of federal financial assistance, such as SCSO. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities.
“The death of Sonya Massey was a terrible tragedy for a woman experiencing a mental health crisis, her family, and the entire Sangamon County community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement reflects Sangamon County’s commitment to instituting reform and taking action that will help improve public safety and restore trust with the community in the road ahead.”
In response to the investigation, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office worked cooperatively with the department to reach a resolution agreement to ensure that SCSO has the tools and training to conduct its policing activities in a nondiscriminatory manner and that the County and SCCDS provide dispatch services in a nondiscriminatory manner.
Under the agreement, the entities will review and update policies, rules, and procedures and provide training on a variety of topics, including non-discriminatory policing and interactions with individuals with behavioral health disabilities. The agreement requires the development and implementation of a mobile crisis team program, which will include trained behavioral health staff who timely respond to individuals needing urgent behavioral health assistance. The agreement also provides for the development of a Community Engagement Plan to ensure collaborative problem-solving and nondiscrimination in policing, as well as to increase transparency and community confidence. The agreement sets forth a framework for data collection and reporting for a two-year period of departmental monitoring, among other provisions. The agreement does not constitute any admission of liability by the entities, and the department has not reached a finding of discrimination.
Nondiscrimination under Title VI, the Safe Streets Act, and the ADA is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with San Luis Obispo County, California, to Resolve Claims that Conditions in the County Jail Violate Federal LawsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the department has reached an agreement with San Luis Obispo County, California, resolving the department’s findings that the conditions of confinement at the San Luis Obispo County Jail (the jail) violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement recognizes and outlines the significant strides the county has made in some areas since the findings were issued.
“We are encouraged by the improvements the San Luis Obispo County Jail has made since we announced our investigation, but there is still more that must be done to achieve constitutional compliance,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This agreement includes strong remedial provisions that, if fully implemented, should improve suicide prevention, reduce excessive force and reduce the use of unnecessary isolation.”
“Safeguarding civil rights is core to American values,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “We are pleased that — with the cooperation of San Luis Obispo County — we have achieved a comprehensive agreement that will protect the safety and civil rights of people incarcerated at the county’s jail. Under this agreement, the county must implement reforms in suicide prevention, restrictive housing, use of force and quality assurance. My office is committed to protecting the civil rights of everyone in our district.”
Under the agreement, the jail will, among other things:
- Take steps to protect incarcerated people at risk of suicide;
- Stop housing people with serious mental illness in isolation absent specific and significant protections;
- Require any use of force by staff comply with constitutional standards; and
- Implement a quality assurance program to identify and correct systemic deficiencies.
The agreement also requires the appointment of a lead expert to assess the county’s compliance with the agreement and provide technical assistance and recommendations to facilitate compliance. The lead expert will issue public reports every six months on the county’s compliance with the agreement.
The Justice Department initiated its investigation of the San Luis Obispo Jail in October 2018 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the ADA. The department provided San Luis Obispo County written notice in August 2021 of its findings, along with the supporting facts for its findings, and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the violations found.
The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee, California, South Carolina, and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky. The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons, Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities, the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, South Carolina, and the Georgia Department of Corrections. The division entered into agreements, including consent decrees, regarding the Fulton County, Georgia, Jail, the Cumberland County, New Jersey, Jail, the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey, the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina, the Manson Youth Institution in Connecticut, and the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The division is also litigating matters related to the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men and the incarceration of people beyond their release dates in Louisiana prisons.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Individuals in the seven counties of the Central District of California may file a complaint asserting civil rights violations with the Civil Rights Section, Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office by completing and submitting this form (English) (Spanish) by email to USACAC.CV-CivilRights@usdoj.gov.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with San Luis Obispo County to Resolve Claims that Jail Conditions Violate Federal LawsRead the Press Release
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department announced today that the department has reached an agreement with San Luis Obispo County, resolving the department’s findings that the conditions of confinement at the San Luis Obispo County Jail violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement recognizes and outlines the significant strides the county has made in some areas since the findings were issued.
“Safeguarding civil rights is core to American values,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “We are pleased that — with the cooperation of San Luis Obispo County — we have achieved a comprehensive agreement that will protect the safety and civil rights of people incarcerated at the county’s jail. Under this agreement, the county must implement reforms in suicide prevention, restrictive housing, use of force and quality assurance. My office is committed to protecting the civil rights of everyone in our district.”
“We are encouraged by the improvements the San Luis Obispo County Jail has made since we announced our investigation, but there is still more that must be done to achieve constitutional compliance,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This agreement includes strong remedial provisions that, if fully implemented, should improve suicide prevention, reduce excessive force, and reduce the use of unnecessary isolation.”
Under the agreement, the Jail will, among other things:
- Take steps to protect incarcerated people at risk of suicide;
- Stop housing people with serious mental illness in isolation absent specific and significant protections;
- Require any use of force by staff comply with constitutional standards; and
- Implement a quality assurance program to identify and correct systemic deficiencies.
The agreement also requires the appointment of a lead expert to assess the county’s compliance with the agreement and provide technical assistance and recommendations to facilitate compliance. The lead expert will issue public reports every six months on the county’s compliance with the agreement.
The Justice Department initiated its investigation of the San Luis Obispo Jail in October 2018 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the ADA. The department provided San Luis Obispo County written notice in August 2021 of its findings, along with the supporting facts for its findings, and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the violations found.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Barragan of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section conducted this investigation in coordination with the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee, California, South Carolina, and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky. The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons, Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities, and the Georgia Department of Corrections. The division entered into agreements, including consent decrees, regarding the Fulton County, Georgia, Jail, the Cumberland County, New Jersey, Jail, the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey, the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina, the Manson Youth Institution in Connecticut, and the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The division is also litigating matters related to the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men and the incarceration of people beyond their release dates in Louisiana prisons.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Individuals in the seven counties of the Central District of California may file a complaint asserting civil rights violations with the Civil Rights Section, Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office by completing and submitting this form (English) (Spanish) by email to USACAC.CV-CivilRights@usdoj.gov.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld to Resolve Allegations of Discriminatory Policy Against Hosting ArabsRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with AWH Orlando Property LLC, the owner of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld in Florida (DoubleTree), to resolve allegations that the DoubleTree discriminated against people of Arab descent in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title II). Title II prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, including hotels.
The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida alleges that the DoubleTree adopted and implemented a discriminatory policy against hosting guests of Arab descent by unilaterally canceling a conference that was to be held by the Arab America Foundation, a non-profit educational and cultural organization, in November 2023, a week before the conference was scheduled to begin.
“No one may be denied the right to use hotel facilities because of their national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the rights of all people to be free from discrimination in hotels and other public accommodations around the country.”
“The right to enjoy and have equal access to places of public accommodation is essential in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District will continue to hold places of public accommodation accountable to ensure that the civil rights of all people are protected.”
The lawsuit alleges that the DoubleTree’s decision to cancel the Arab America Foundation’s conference was not predicated on any legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons. Although the hotel claimed that the cancelation was because of security concerns, the hotel faced no security threats or risks associated with the conference. Indeed, as alleged in the department’s complaint, contrary to representations that the DoubleTree made to the Arab America Foundation, the DoubleTree had not received any calls or other communications raising a safety or security threat to the conference or to the hotel. Rather, the decision to cancel was based on the national origin of the Arab America Foundation’s members and the conference attendees. The complaint therefore alleges that the DoubleTree discriminated on the basis of national origin and denied people of Arab descent the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations, and privileges at the hotel.
The settlement, in the form of a consent decree that must still be approved by the court, requires the DoubleTree to:
- Issue a statement to the Arab America Foundation that all guests and groups are welcome to the hotel, including Arab and Arab American guests and groups;
- Retain a qualified compliance officer to oversee compliance with the consent decree for two years;
- Notify employees and executives of the DoubleTree’s obligations under Title II and the consent decree, including DoubleTree’s commitment to ensuring equal access to the hotel, regardless of race, color, religion or national origin;
- Establish a written anti-discrimination policy, which includes a system of accepting, investigating and responding to guest complaints of discrimination;
- Conduct outreach to Arab or Arab American groups to share promotional materials about the hotel and indicate that it is open to all members of the public;
- Provide training to employees and executives on Title II and the DoubleTree’s obligations under the consent decree; and
- Make regular reports to the department to demonstrate its compliance with the consent decree.
Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld to Resolve Allegations of Discriminatory Policy Against Hosting ArabsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with AWH Orlando Property LLC, the owner of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld in Florida (DoubleTree), to resolve allegations that the DoubleTree discriminated against people of Arab descent in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title II). Title II prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, including hotels.
The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida alleges that the DoubleTree adopted and implemented a discriminatory policy against hosting guests of Arab descent by unilaterally canceling a conference that was to be held by the Arab America Foundation, a non-profit educational and cultural organization, in November 2023, a week before the conference was scheduled to begin.
“No one may be denied the right to use hotel facilities because of their national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the rights of all people to be free from discrimination in hotels and other public accommodations around the country.”
“The right to enjoy and have equal access to places of public accommodation is essential in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District will continue to hold places of public accommodation accountable to ensure that the civil rights of all people are protected.”
The lawsuit alleges that the DoubleTree’s decision to cancel the Arab America Foundation’s conference was not predicated on any legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons. Although the hotel claimed that the cancelation was because of security concerns, the hotel faced no security threats or risks associated with the conference. Indeed, as alleged in the department’s complaint, contrary to representations that the DoubleTree made to the Arab America Foundation, the DoubleTree had not received any calls or other communications raising a safety or security threat to the conference or to the hotel. Rather, the decision to cancel was based on the national origin of the Arab America Foundation’s members and the conference attendees. The complaint therefore alleges that the DoubleTree discriminated on the basis of national origin and denied people of Arab descent the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations, and privileges at the hotel.
The settlement, in the form of a consent decree that must still be approved by the court, requires the DoubleTree to:
- Issue a statement to the Arab America Foundation that all guests and groups are welcome to the hotel, including Arab and Arab American guests and groups;
- Retain a qualified compliance officer to oversee compliance with the consent decree for two years;
- Notify employees and executives of the DoubleTree’s obligations under Title II and the consent decree, including DoubleTree’s commitment to ensuring equal access to the hotel, regardless of race, color, religion or national origin;
- Establish a written anti-discrimination policy, which includes a system of accepting, investigating and responding to guest complaints of discrimination;
- Conduct outreach to Arab or Arab American groups to share promotional materials about the hotel and indicate that it is open to all members of the public;
- Provide training to employees and executives on Title II and the DoubleTree’s obligations under the consent decree; and
- Make regular reports to the department to demonstrate its compliance with the consent decree.
Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
Justice Department Issues Findings Report Regarding Louisiana State PoliceRead the Press Release
Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department announced today its findings that the Louisiana State Police (LSP) engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, the Justice Department finds that LSP uses excessive force, including unjustified uses of Tasers, escalation of minor incidents and use of force on people who did not pose a threat.
The report acknowledges LSP’s ongoing reforms. Among other improvements, LSP has revised its use-of-force policy, created a Force Investigation Unit for serious uses of force and updated training. More is needed to remedy the violations the report identifies. The department is committed to working collaboratively with the state and LSP to continue to fortify these reforms.
The Justice Department opened this investigation on June 9, 2022, under 34 U.S.C. § 12601.
Information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Finds that Idaho Violates Federal Civil Rights Law by Unnecessarily Segregating People with Physical DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today its finding that Idaho unnecessarily segregates adults with physical disabilities in nursing facilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. The department’s findings, detailed in a letter to Idaho Governor Brad Little, follow a thorough investigation into the state’s service system for people with physical disabilities.
“People with disabilities in Idaho have the right to choose services to remain independent in their own homes instead of being segregated in institutions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities can access the services they need to live at home and be full participants in their communities.”
“Older Idahoans and Idahoans with disabilities have the right to remain in their homes as their support needs increase,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho. “I trust that Idaho will work to remedy the violations identified by the Justice Department so that individuals with disabilities can remain in their communities and not isolated in institutions.”
The ADA and the Olmstead decision require state and local governments to ensure the services they provide to people with disabilities are available in the most integrated setting appropriate to individuals’ needs. Community-based services can include assistance with daily activities, like showering or transferring from bed to wheelchair. Without community-based services, Idahoans with physical disabilities have little choice but to enter nursing facilities. Many will remain in those nursing facilities for years or decades, when they would prefer to live in the community. And each year of nursing facility care costs Idaho, on average per person, much more than what Idaho spends serving adults with physical disabilities at home.
The department’s investigation found that most Idaho Medicaid-funded nursing facility residents could live successfully at home with services Idaho offers. But Idaho limits access to services to transition out of nursing facilities and to live in the community. As a result, very few Idahoans with physical disabilities can access Idaho’s services to leave nursing facilities and remain at home.
The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.
For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov/topics/community-integration/.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Files Voting Rights Suit Against Houston County, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Houston County, Georgia, to challenge the county’s at-large method of electing the Houston County Board of Commissioners.
The lawsuit alleges that the county’s current at-large method of electing county commissioners results in Black citizens having less opportunity than other members of the electorate to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of choice, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Black residents make up more than 31% of the county’s voting-age population. In recent years, Black-preferred candidates have run for the Board of Commissioners and have routinely lost, despite the county’s sizeable and growing Black population.
“The Voting Rights Act guarantees that all eligible citizens have an equal opportunity to participate in the democratic process and to elect representatives of their choice, regardless of race or ethnicity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department has a solemn duty to protect the right to vote by enforcing the Voting Rights Act and ensuring that all communities have a fair and equal chance to participate. We look forward to working with Houston County officials to bring the county into compliance with the Voting Rights Act.”
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, alleges that changing how commissioners are elected can create opportunities for Black voters to elect candidates of their choice to the five-member Board of Commissioners. For example, by electing commissioners from fairly drawn single-member districts rather than countywide, Black voters would have an equal opportunity to elect a representative of their choice to the Board. The lawsuit seeks a federal court order implementing a new method of electing the Houston County Board of Commissioners.
The Justice Department looks forward to continued discussions with Houston County toward resolution of this matter.
More information about voting and elections is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Justice Department Files Voting Rights Suit Against Fayette County, TennesseeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Fayette County, Tennessee, alleging that the Board of County Commissioners violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act when it adopted a redistricting plan that denies the city’s Black voters an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, alleges that during the 2021 redistricting cycle, the County Commission deliberately rejected multiple districting plans that would have combined Black communities in districts that would allow Black voters to elect representatives of their choice. In doing so, the Commission disregarded the guidelines and recommendations of its own redistricting committee and the advice of the attorney it hired specifically to guide it through the redistricting process.
“The right to vote is sacred and is the foundation for our ability to exercise all other civil rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Black voters should have the equal opportunity to elect their candidates of choice, but the redistricting map adopted by Fayette County did not provide that opportunity. The Justice Department is committed to enforcement of the Voting Rights Act and ensuring all eligible citizens have an equal opportunity to choose their elected officials. Our democracy works best when all communities have a fair and equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.”
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, and Black voters in Fayette County deserve the same opportunity as anyone else to elect leaders who represent their voices,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee. “Our office is committed to ensuring fairness and equality in the electoral process.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Acts and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
More information about voting and elections is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
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If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.
Jasper County man sentenced for possessing stolen law enforcement machine gunRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Jasper man has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Bradley Joseph LeBlanc, 25, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm and was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on January 16, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on November 15, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at LeBlanc’s residence in Jasper, where they discovered a fully automatic machine gun which had previously been reported stolen from a Waller County law enforcement officer’s vehicle. Further investigation revealed there were no firearms records for LeBlanc with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Records (NFRTR).
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Jasper Police Department, FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Hopi Law Enforcement Services Officer Recognized for Exceptional Valor in the Line of DutyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Hopi Law Enforcement Services (HLES) Officer Tony Pawasiema was honored on Monday at the U.S. Attorney’s Law Enforcement Awards ceremony for his exceptional valor.
Officer Pawasiema was recognized for rendering life-saving aid to a man who shot him. In 2023, Officer Pawasiema was investigating a burglary call in Sichomovi Village on the Hopi Reservation when he was shot in the chest. Officer Pawasiema returned fire, striking his assailant. He then rendered life-saving aid to the shooter until additional help arrived. Fortunately, Officer Pawasiema was not seriously injured.
Officer Pawasiema was celebrated by members of his family, HLES, and tribal leadership.
As one of only a few HLES officers serving a large geographic area, Officer Pawasiema faces a number of challenges. Despite being fired upon more than once in his six-year career, Officer Pawasiema continues to serve the Hopi community with distinction.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-006_HLES Officer Pawasiema Valor Award
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Honduran National Charged with Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that EVIN ENRIQUE FUNEZ CRUZ (FUNEZ CRUZ”), age 22, a native of Honduras, was charged in a bill of information on January 15, 2025, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(1).
According to court documents, FUNEZ CRUZ, a Honduran national, was apprehended in St. Tammany Parish on or around January 6, 2025. He had been previously deported to Honduras on June 21, 2024.
If convicted, FUNEZ CRUZ faces a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
Fresno County Men Indicted for Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A six-count indictment was unsealed today, charging Fresno resident Austin Lloyd Kerns, 53, and Clovis resident Lakota Tehya Wakley, 21, with conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Kerns is also charged with fentanyl distribution and illegally possessing ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, from November 2024 until his arrest in December 2024, Kerns conspired with Wakley and others to sell fentanyl pills to customers in Fresno County. On Nov. 23 and 24, 2024, Kerns personally and repeatedly sold fentanyl to a victim that Wakley referred to Kerns for a fee. This victim died soon after of a fentanyl overdose. Upon arresting Kerns at his residence on Dec. 9, 2024, law enforcement seized around 1,000 fentanyl pills, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and handgun parts.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), a multi-agency team composed of Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Fresno and Clovis Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Kerns and Wakley face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Four Members of Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced for Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Four men from Mexico and California have been convicted for their role in trafficking multiple kilograms of cocaine between California and the Western District of Tennessee. On January 14, 2025, Senior U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced the fourth defendant. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney, announced the sentencings today.
According to information presented in court, in September 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI") Border Enforcement Task Force investigators learned of a drug trafficking organization operating in West Tennessee. They determined that José Iban-Arcos, 52, and Edwin Mayorga, 42, were obtaining kilogram quantities of cocaine. Both Iban-Arcos and Mayorga had previously been convicted for narcotics trafficking in the Western District of Tennessee. Investigators also found that José Hernandez-Gonzalez, 29, was distributing cocaine on behalf of the organization and that Jesús Serrano-Mayorquin, 43, transported cocaine from California to the Western District of Tennessee. Agents seized over 25 kilograms of cocaine and several firearms during the investigation; this included more than 45 pounds of cocaine which was seized during a traffic stop.
The defendants were indicted in June 2023. Each defendant subsequently pled guilty and was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. or U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Parker.
- José Iban-Arcos of Aguascalientes, Mexico, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and illegal re-entry into the United States. He was sentenced to 144 months of incarceration to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
- Edwin Mayorga of Long Beach, California, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. He was sentenced to 66 months of incarceration to be followed by 4 years of supervised release.
- Jesús Serrano-Mayorquin, of Los Angeles, California, pled guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He was sentenced to 24 months of incarceration to be followed by 3 years supervised release.
- José Hernandez-Gonzalez, of Tamaulipas, Mexico, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 18 months of home detention to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
This investigation was conducted as 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.
“This investigation and the resulting sentences highlight the exceptional work of HSI Nashville and the vital law enforcement partnerships that are essential to protecting our communities,” said HSI Nashville Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Colin Jackson. “We remain dedicated to dismantling drug trafficking networks that endanger lives through the illegal distribution of narcotics, ensuring those responsible face the full force of the law.”
“This case is a perfect example of the impact and effectiveness of law enforcement working together at the local, state, and federal levels to combat drug trafficking and the violent offenders engaged in this activity,” said Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. “Countless lives have been saved as result of these outstanding efforts!”
This case was investigated by HSI, in collaboration with the Bartlett Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service, the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, and K-9 Officer Athena.
Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory D. Allen and Bryce H. Phillips, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Prison for Firearm and Drug Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida –U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced James Wallace Mathis, Jr. (44, Fort Myers) to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and distributing controlled substances. Mathis entered a guilty plea on October 30, 2024.
According to court records, on multiple occasions in July and August 2024, Mathis sold drugs—including fentanyl and cocaine—to a law enforcement informant and an undercover ATF agent. Additionally, on one occasion in July 2024, Mathis sold a loaded Ruger handgun to a law enforcement informant. As a multi-time convicted felon, Mathis is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
Fort Myers Career Criminal Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Carl Samuel Thompson, Jr. (60, Fort Myers) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Because of Thompson’s extensive criminal history—which includes at least three convictions for violent felonies—he qualified for enhanced sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act. Thompson entered a guilty plea on October 30, 2024.
According to court records, on April 7, 2024, a vehicle being driven by Thompson was pulled over in North Fort Myers by deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic infraction. During the traffic stop, deputies discovered that Thompson’s front seat passenger was concealing a loaded firearm, which was secured by the deputies during the traffic stop. A subsequent investigation revealed that Thompson, who had an active warrant for his arrest, had provided the firearm to his passenger to conceal after realizing he was being pulled over. As a career criminal with more than 10 prior felony convictions, Thompson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
Former Williamson Memorial Hospital CEO Sentenced for Federal Theft CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charles Hatfield, 62, of Williamson, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $34,872.62 in restitution and a $20,000 fine for theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Hatfield admitted that while chief executive officer of Williamson Memorial Hospital, he stole $34,872.62 in hospital funds for personal use and without authorization.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hatfield became the hospital’s interim CEO in September 2018. As CEO, Hatfield had control over the hospital’s finances and bank accounts, directed payments of the hospital’s funds, and had custody and control of the hospital’s checkbook. Hatfield was the permanent CEO when he was relieved of those duties in September 2019. Around that time, on Oct. 21, 2019, the rural, 76-bed hospital filed for bankruptcy.
On May 16, 2019, Hatfield directed that $9,197.62 in hospital funds be used to purchase a cashier’s check made payable to an individual at Venice Sands Apartments-Argus Management of Venice in Florida. Hatfield admitted that he used the hospital funded-check to settle a personal lawsuit demanding the payment of delinquent real estate taxes and homeowners’ fees he owed for personal condominium property he owned in Venice.
On September 25, 2019, Hatfield directed the transfer of $25,675 in hospital funds to Mid Mountain Properties, a real estate company owned and operated by Hatfield. The transaction occurred just days prior to Hatfield being relieved as CEO, and shortly before the hospital filed for bankruptcy. Hatfield admitted that he was aware that the hospital could not appropriately fund its employee benefits programs, including retirement and healthcare plans at the time he directed the transfer. Hatfield further admitted to telling his business partners that he used the transferred funds to pay a personal obligation.
Hatfield also admitted that he never requested or received authorization from the hospital’s board of directors or anyone else at the hospital to direct the payments from the hospital to himself.
Hatfield was mayor of Williamson from July 1, 2017, until he resigned on May 3, 2024, due to this offense.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the United States Secret Service, the U.S. Department of Labor- Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA).
“I also commend Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman for the prosecution of this case, and Litigation Financial Analyst Steve Rowley in this office for his investigative work,” Thompson said. “Today’s sentence provides a general deterrence for abusing a position of trust to steal and embezzle funds from a federally funded hospital.”
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
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. 2:24-cr-74.
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Former University IT Director Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison, Ordered to Repay $3.9 MillionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced the former IT director of a St. Louis-area university to 46 months in prison and ordered him to repay $3.9 million to his employer and an IT equipment supplier that he had defrauded.
Ronald Simpson, of St. Peters, Missouri, was responsible for repairing and replacing defective IT equipment used at the university’s multiple locations. Beginning about Nov. 29, 2018, Simpson sold hundreds of items of IT equipment to a third party. The items had been approved for purchase after Simpson falsely claimed they would be used or installed at university locations.
He also fraudulently obtained items from the university’s IT supplier by falsely claiming that the equipment they originally supplied was defective. Simpson sold both the original equipment and the replacement gear.
Judge Autrey ordered Simpson to pay $3.19 million to the university and $780,233 to the IT supplier.
In a victim impact letter, a university official said Simpson’s crime “struck a serious blow to our financial stability,” forcing the university “to redirect money away from essential programs and resources that directly benefit our students.” Simpson also harmed the university’s reputation, betrayed the trust of coworkers and damaged their morale.
The IT supplier said in their own letter that Simpson took advantage of the company’s practice of providing replacement products on an expedited basis to customers to repair critical IT infrastructure, before the defective product is returned.
“In addition to bringing perpetrators to justice, the FBI has a dedicated process to try to make victims whole by seizing assets gained from a fraud or theft,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “In this case, there were no substantial assets to seize because Ronald Simpson frivolously blew away millions of dollars on himself without any regard to how his crimes would damage the university, its employees and its students.”
Simpson, 54, pleaded guilty in June U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Both Simpson’s former employer and the IT supplier worked extensively with law enforcement during this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.
Former Postal Service Employee Sentenced for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former employee for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for stealing packages he was responsible for delivering.
William J. Paige, 35, of Duxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to two years’ probation. Paige was also ordered to pay $5,119 in restitution to the victims. In September 2024, Paige pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of mail matter by a Postal Service employee.
Paige worked as a mail carrier with USPS in Whitinsville. Between January and February 2022, Paige stole collector’s coins and other items from packages he was entrusted to deliver, collectively valued at over $5,000.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Former Gary Mayor Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Jerome Prince, age 60, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon following his plea of guilty to an Information charging wire fraud announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
According to documents in the case, Prince, who served from 2020 to 2023 as Mayor of Gary, Indiana, illegally used approximately $26,750 of his campaign committee funds for a non-campaign purpose of financing the purchase of his personal residence.
“By entering into a plea agreement to the criminal Information, former Mayor Prince demonstrated that he accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “It is in the best interests of our society, the citizens of the Northern District of Indiana, and criminal defendants themselves, when individuals swiftly and completely accept responsibility for their crimes, as Mr. Prince did here. I want to thank the FBI for the thorough investigation which supported this prosecution.”
“Serving the public as mayor is a privilege, not an opportunity to exploit the position for personal gain. This sentence should send a clear message that public officials who betray the trust of their communities will be held accountable for their actions,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI is committed to investigating and uncovering corruption at all levels of government and will continue to work diligently to ensure those who engage in illegal conduct face responsibility for their decisions.”
The United States Attorney continues to urge the public to come forward and contact the United States Attorney’s Office (usainn.pctips@usdoj.gov) or the FBI in Merrillville, Indiana 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) if they have information related to public corruption within the Northern District of Indiana.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. Wolff and Philip C. Benson.
Former Fresno County Resident Charged with Managing a $10 Million Nationwide Real Estate Fraud Scheme from PrisonRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Seth Adam Depiano, 43, formerly of Clovis, made an initial appearance for an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Depiano was sentenced in 2018 to more than 12 years in prison for running a $24 million fraud scheme in the Eastern District of California (Case No. 1:17-cr-172 DAD). In 2021 and 2022, while serving that sentence in federal prisons in the states of Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Florida, Depiano managed a complex real estate fraud scheme utilizing a group of co-conspirators located across the United States.
Using contraband phones and computers and acting under the fictitious identities “Marcus Lazaro” and “Steven Baron Sr.,” Depiano posed as a real estate broker who represented clients who wanted to sell property. In reality, Depiano was not a real estate broker, did not have clients, and instead marketed and sold properties he did not own and did not have the authority to sell.
Depiano utilized co-conspirators to meet with potential investors, to conduct financial transactions, and conduct other activities on his behalf. In total, Depiano and his co-conspirators obtained approximately $10 million from victims in California, Nevada and elsewhere. Once Depiano and his co-conspirators had received the victim funds, they laundered the money through Las Vegas casinos and other businesses. They also formed shell companies to purchase and hold real estate using victim funds, and wired victim funds overseas.
Once Depiano and his co-conspirators had received the victim funds, they laundered the money through Las Vegas casinos, using international wire transfers and shell companies, purchased properties, and invested in legitimate businesses.
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Bakersfield Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.
Depiano is in custody. His next court date is July 16, 2025, at 1:00 pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila K. Oberto. Co-Defendants Zahria Barber, 28, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Paola Quintero Beltran were also charged in the scheme. Barber and Beltran’s next court dates are July 16, 2025, before Judge Oberto.
If convicted, Depiano faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison wire fraud and mail fraud. Depiano faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years consecutive for aggravated identity theft. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Construction Company Employee Indicted for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 17-count indictment today against Kami Elois Power, 54, of Gardnerville, Nevada, charging her with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, from November 2019 to May 2023, Power worked as an office assistant at a family-owned construction company in South Lake Tahoe. During her employment, Power embezzled more than $1.4 million dollars from the company. She disguised more than $700,000 of these fraudulent transfers as payments made to vendors that the company worked with — under fake profiles she created in the names of real companies, as well as fake companies that resembled her own initials, such as “KEP Inc. Sale” and KPI.” She disguised additional fraudulent transfers as payments for payroll or reimbursements. Power also used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized personal purchases and paid down the balance of her own personal credit cards with the company’s money. Power used the stolen money to purchase property, luxury cars, ATVs, and a horse.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot C. Wong and Whitnee Goins are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Power faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud, 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each count of bank fraud, and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Army Officer and JAG Attorney Sentenced for Destruction of U.S. Army Property and Lying to Federal InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A former Army officer and attorney assigned to the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School (JAG School) in Charlottesville, Virginia, was sentenced today to 54 months in federal prison on multiple federal charges related to his destruction of U.S. Army property and subsequent false statements to federal investigators.
Manfredo Martin-Michael Madrigal, 38, formerly of Charlottesville, Va., pled guilty in July 2024 to one count of destruction of U.S. Army materials and three counts of making a false statement.
According to court documents, in February 2022, Madrigal was assigned to a staff position at the JAG School in the Training Developments Directorate, whose mission was to design and develop training products for the JAG Corps and the Army. Madrigal possessed an active security clearance and previously served overseas on sensitive operations.
In early 2022, Madrigal was under investigation by the U.S. Army and the JAG School for failing to report a previous arrest for driving under the influence (DUI). While his Army investigation was pending, Madrigal deleted, without authorization, online JAG training materials and filmed himself doing so while graphically describing his ill-will towards the Army. The FBI’s investigation also revealed that Madrigal made a phone call to the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C. the same night that he deleted the training materials and then texted a witness that Russia wanted to know what he knew.
On February 22, 2022, Madrigal was discharged from the JAG School and claimed in his exit paperwork that he had no unreported contact with a foreign national. In April and May 2022, Madrigal was interviewed by the FBI about his actions. In these interviews, Madrigal made multiple false statements regarding his actions, including denying any involvement in the deletion of materials and that he only learned of the deletion from a coworker, as well as falsely denying his contact with a foreign national at the Embassy.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee of the Western District of Virginia and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Attorneys Katie Burroughs Medearis, Vito A. Iaia, Sean M. Welsh, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Joyce are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Five People Charged with Gun-Point Home Invasion Robbery That Involved Zip Tying Two Victims in Front of Their ChildrenRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging BHUPINDERJIT SINGH, ELIJAIH ROMAN, COREY HALL, ERIK SUAREZ, and DIVYA KUMARI with perpetrating a gun-point home invasion robbery of the home of a small business owner in Orange County, New York. The defendants were arrested today, and will be presented in White Plains federal court before the Hon. Victoria Reznik, United States Magistrate Judge.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Bhupinderjit Singh and his co-defendants allegedly planned and executed a violent robbery, during which four children watched as their parents were zip tied and held at gunpoint while four men ransacked their home looking for money and valuables. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office, the defendants will now face charges stemming from this brazen robbery.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “These five defendants participated in a robbery in which a firearm was brandished to gain unauthorized entry into a family’s home and steal valuable jewelry and thousands of dollars. This alleged forceful intrusion violated the privacy and security expected inside one’s home, and terrorized four young children left to helplessly beg for the safety of their restrained parents. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who utilizes weapons to intimidate victims to fulfill their criminal agenda.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed on January 15, 2025, in White Plains federal court and unsealed today:
On or about December 1, 2024, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, SUAREZ, and KUMARI perpetrated a gun-point home invasion robbery in the vicinity of the Town of Wallkill, New York. When they arrived at the house, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ forced the homeowner (“Victim-1”) and Victim-1’s daughter, who is approximately 10 years old, into the house at gunpoint. When SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ entered the home, Victim-1’s wife was sitting with the couple’s other three children, who ranged from approximately two to nine years old. SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ then zip tied the hands and legs of both Victim-1 and his wife and placed the couple on the couch next to their children. Three of the four robbers then began to search throughout the house, while the fourth robber remained with Victim-1 and his family, armed with what appeared to be a small black pistol. At one point, Victim-1’s daughter begged the robbers to not hurt her parents and indicated that she would tell them where the family stored their valuables. Certain of the robbers then took Victim-1’s daughter to the house’s master bedroom where there was a safe, but Victim-1’s daughter was unable to get the safe open. The robbers then took Victim-1’s daughter back to her parents and forced Victim-1’s wife to come with them instead. Once in the bedroom, Victim-1’s wife opened the safe and watched as the robbers removed from it, among other items, numerous pieces of jewelry and approximately $10,000 in U.S. currency. While the robbery was ongoing, KUMARI was waiting in the vicinity of Victim-1’s house to act as a lookout. Eventually, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ left Victitm-1’s house with various stolen items, including the jewelry and U.S. currency stolen from the safe.
* * *
SINGH, 26, of South Ozone Park, New York; ROMAN, 22, of Far Rockaway, New York; HALL, 45, of Saint Albans, New York; SUAREZ, 24, of Elmhurst, New York; and KUMARI, 26, of Massapequa, New York, are all charged with one count of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ are additionally charged with one count of using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, as well as the assistance of the Town of Wallkill Police Department and the New York State Police.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S Attorney David A. Markewitz is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Five Members of the Hoover Criminal Gang Sentenced for Racketeering and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN - A leader in the Hoover Criminal Gang was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for ordering fellow gang members to murder a suspected rival gang member.
Markell Young, 33, was the last of five defendants, all from Gibson County, to be sentenced in this case. Young, Octavius Ferguson, 27, and Jordan Powell, 25, were convicted after trial, while Bakari Lenon, 25, and Monterio Ross, 29, pleaded guilty.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, all defendants were members of the Hoover Criminal Gang subset known as the 83rd or Eight Tray. The gang was engaged in racketeering activities including murder, robberies, and trafficking of marijuana, cocaine, and cocaine base.
“These defendants were members of the violent Hoover Criminal Gang who were responsible for murdering a suspected rival gang member to further the aims of the gang,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gang violence traumatizes communities and makes our streets less safe. The Criminal Division is committed to vigorously prosecuting those who engage in gun violence and other violent criminal activity.”
“This case serves as notice to all that engage in organized criminal activity that we will use every available resource to bring you to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee. “The citizens of this district deserve a safe and secure community, one not riddled with gun violence, and this is a great example of the diligent and collaborative work of law enforcement to protect those rights to safety.”
“This case is an outstanding example of what federal, state, and local law enforcement can accomplish when we dismantle gang networks that spread violence and fear,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The sentences imposed demonstrate the commitment of the FBI and our partners to thwarting gang violence and reinforcing the severe consequences awaiting those who threaten the safety of our communities.”
“The individuals who wreak havoc in the communities that we serve are a huge concern,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “The ATF works collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, day and night, to swiftly remove individuals who traffic narcotics, participate in organized crime and show total disregard for human life from the streets. The ATF’s primary mission is to combat violent crime in our communities, and we will work tirelessly to keep the communities that we serve, safe.”
The evidence showed that, on Jan. 31, 2017, the defendants murdered a suspected member of the rival Gangster Disciples gang in Humboldt. On that date, Young ordered Ferguson, Powell, Lenon, and Ross to commit the murder, which they carried out by going to the victim’s home and indiscriminately shooting several firearms through the open front door, killing the victim. Based on their participation on this killing, all of the shooters were promoted to higher ranks within the Hoover Criminal Gang.
In addition to Young’s conviction at trial for aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during and in relation to murder in aid of racketeering, Ferguson and Powell were convicted at trial of murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm during and in relation to murder, and causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Both Ferguson and Powell were sentenced to life in prison. Lenon and Ross pleaded guilty to causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to murder in aid of racketeering and were both sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The FBI and ATF investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by state and local law enforcement partners.
Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Parham for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Topic
VIOLENT CRIME
Components
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Criminal Division
Criminal - Violent Crime and Racketeering Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
USAO - Tennessee, Western
Five Members of the Hoover Criminal Gang Sentenced for Racketeering and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
A leader in the Hoover Criminal Gang was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for ordering fellow gang members to murder a suspected rival gang member.
Markell Young, 33, was the last of five defendants, all from Gibson County, to be sentenced in this case. Young, Octavius Ferguson, 27, and Jordan Powell, 25, were convicted after trial, while Bakari Lenon, 25, and Monterio Ross, 29, pleaded guilty.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, all defendants were members of the Hoover Criminal Gang subset known as the 83rd or Eight Tray. The gang was engaged in racketeering activities including murder, robberies, and trafficking of marijuana, cocaine, and cocaine base.
“These defendants were members of the violent Hoover Criminal Gang who were responsible for murdering a suspected rival gang member to further the aims of the gang,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gang violence traumatizes communities and makes our streets less safe. The Criminal Division is committed to vigorously prosecuting those who engage in gun violence and other violent criminal activity.”
“This case serves as notice to all that engage in organized criminal activity that we will use every available resource to bring you to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee. “The citizens of this district deserve a safe and secure community, one not riddled with gun violence, and this is a great example of the diligent and collaborative work of law enforcement to protect those rights to safety.”
“This case is an outstanding example of what federal, state, and local law enforcement can accomplish when we dismantle gang networks that spread violence and fear,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The sentences imposed demonstrate the commitment of the FBI and our partners to thwarting gang violence and reinforcing the severe consequences awaiting those who threaten the safety of our communities.”
“The individuals who wreak havoc in the communities that we serve are a huge concern,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “The ATF works collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, day and night, to swiftly remove individuals who traffic narcotics, participate in organized crime and show total disregard for human life from the streets. The ATF’s primary mission is to combat violent crime in our communities, and we will work tirelessly to keep the communities that we serve, safe.”
The evidence showed that, on Jan. 31, 2017, the defendants murdered a suspected member of the rival Gangster Disciples gang in Humboldt. On that date, Young ordered Ferguson, Powell, Lenon, and Ross to commit the murder, which they carried out by going to the victim’s home and indiscriminately shooting several firearms through the open front door, killing the victim. Based on their participation on this killing, all of the shooters were promoted to higher ranks within the Hoover Criminal Gang.
In addition to Young’s conviction at trial for aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during and in relation to murder in aid of racketeering, Ferguson and Powell were convicted at trial of murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm during and in relation to murder, and causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Both Ferguson and Powell were sentenced to life in prison. Lenon and Ross pleaded guilty to causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to murder in aid of racketeering and were both sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The FBI and ATF investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by state and local law enforcement partners.
Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Parham for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Georgia Man of Transporting A Minor with Intent to Engage in Sexual Activity and Possessing A Firearm After A Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Vincent Joseph Robusto (41, Georgia) guilty of transporting a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity and possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. Robusto faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2025. Robusto was indicted on December 1, 2021.
According to evidence presented at trial, beginning in at least February 2021 Robusto discussed sexual activity with a minor via chat on a social media application. In July 2021, Robusto purchased an airline ticket for the minor. He provided the airline with the minor’s name and date of birth, confirming that Robusto knew the child’s age. On July 17, 2021, Robusto caused the minor to travel from Texas to the Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. Surveillance video from the airport captured Robusto picking up the minor.
Within a few days, the parent of the minor contacted the Dilley (Texas) Police Department to report the minor missing and shared the locations of the minor’s cellphone using a locator application. The Dilley Police Department reached out to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in locating the minor and provided the residential address of a home in Port Charlotte that the locator application indicated.
On July 23, 2021, at approximately 3:00 a.m., deputies from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the Port Charlotte residence and found Robusto at the residence with the minor. During the execution of a search warrant at the residence, law enforcement located a firearm and ammunition contained in Robusto’s backpack located on a kitchen table. Robusto, a previously convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
Subsequently, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted DNA analysis on evidence obtained in this case. The Crime Laboratory Analyst from the Biology Section found Robusto’s DNA on the rough surfaces of the firearm and in the analysis of the sexual assault kit that had been collected from the minor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by the Dilley Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Lee County Port Authority. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Yolande G. Viacava and Benjamin S. Winter.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Fayat Group to Pay $11M for Violations of the Clean Air Act for Sale of Nonroad Equipment Containing Noncompliant Diesel EnginesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement agreement with Fayat S.A.S. and nine of its subsidiaries — BOMAG GmbH, Bomag Americas Inc., BOMAG (China) Construction Machinery Co. Ltd., MARINI S.p.A., RAVO B.V., Charlatte of America Inc., PTC S.A.S., Secmair S.A.S. and MATHIEU S.A. — for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act’s mobile source emission standards regulations.
The complaint alleges that, between 2014 and 2018, Fayat and its subsidiaries illegally imported and sold hundreds of pavers, rollers and other nonroad equipment containing diesel engines that failed to meet Clean Air Act emission requirements. The complaint also alleges that Fayat failed to comply with Clean Air Act labeling and reporting requirements. The agreement requires Fayat to pay a civil penalty of $11 million and requires the company to complete a project to reduce the harm caused by excess nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions.
“Fayat failed to ensure that the equipment it introduced into the United States market complied with Clean Air Act requirements designed to protect the public’s health from harmful emissions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We will not tolerate violations of Clean Air Act standards. The settlement requires both a substantial civil penalty and a project that will reduce emissions in the Mobile, Alabama, area and contribute to improved public health.”
“Fayat’s import of nonroad vehicles with outdated diesel engines violates the Clean Air Act standards for emissions from mobile sources and threatened exposure to harmful diesel air emissions,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Cecil Rodrigues for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that EPA will hold accountable companies that put outdated equipment into commerce that pollutes the air and risks exposing communities to toxic air pollutants.”
In addition to paying a civil penalty, Fayat will, as part of the agreement, undertake a project to reduce the harm from the emissions. The company will retrofit a tugboat currently in service in Mobile, Alabama. Retrofitting the tugboat includes removing and destroying two engines and two auxiliary generators and replacing them with two new engines and two new generators that meet current emission controls.
More information regarding this settlement is available from the Fayat Clean Air Act Violations Settlement Summary.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comment and access to the settlement agreement is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
EPA investigated the case.
Attorneys with the ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case.
Falmouth Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Embezzling more than $1.3 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former bookkeeper for a Falmouth flooring company was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for embezzling more than $1.3 million from her employer.
Susan Figuerido, 73, of Falmouth, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Figuerido was also ordered to pay $1,714,921.01 in restitution. In October 2025, Figuerido pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
Between June 2015 and February 2023, Figuerido embezzled more than $1.3 million from her employer by writing checks to herself drawn on her employer’s bank account. To conceal her scheme, Figuerido did not record the checks that she wrote to herself in her employer’s accounting system. Figuerido did not report or include the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $353,000.
U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Falmouth Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Eleven Time Felon Found Guilty of Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
An eleven‑time felon who fired a pistol during an argument was convicted by a jury on January 15, 2025, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Kenneth Moore, age 50, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned following less than three hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that on August 4, 2023, around 4:00 a.m., Moore got into an argument with an individual on the porch of a residence in Dubuque. During the argument, two individuals attempted to push Moore away from the argument and de‑escalate the situation. As they were pushing Moore away, Moore fired a pistol towards the residence. The bullet nearly hit two people, went through the front wall of the residence, and lodged in the back living room wall. Moore then fled the scene. Twelve days later, on August 16, 2023, officers arrested Moore and searched the car he was driving, where they recovered the pistol Moore fired on August 4. Moore was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously been convicted of eleven felony convictions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Moore remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Moore faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24‑CR‑01009‑CJW.
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El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con el Condado de Sangamon, Illinois y agencias del condado para resolver una investigación de discriminación por motivos de discapacidad y razaRead the Press Release
Nota: El titular original fue actualizado para cumplir con el limite de caracteres
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy un acuerdo con la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Sangamon (SCSO), el Sistema Central de Despacho del Condado de Sangamon (SCCDS) y el Condado de Sangamon, Illinois, para resolver una investigación de discriminación por motivos de raza y discapacidad en la prestación de servicios de policía y despacho.
El Departamento inició su investigación con base en quejas e informes sobre un incidente en el que Sonya Massey, una mujer negra que estaba experimentando una crisis de salud mental, fue disparada mortalmente por un adjunto de la SCSO mientras respondía a la llamada de 911 de auxilio de la Sra. Massey. La División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia investigó el cumplimiento por parte de las entidades con el Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI), las disposiciones antidiscriminatorias de la ley General de Control de Delitos y Calles Seguras (ley de Calles Seguras) y el Título II de la ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA, por sus siglas en inglés). El Título VI y la ley de Calles Seguras prohíben, en su conjunto, la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel, origen nacional, sexo o religión por parte de entidades que reciben apoyo financiero federal, tal como la SCSO. El Título II de la ADA prohíbe que las entidades públicas discriminen por motivos de discapacidad.
«La muerte de Sonya Massey fue una terrible tragedia para una mujer que estaba en medio de una crisis de salud mental, para su familia y para toda la comunidad del Condado de Sangamon», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Este acuerdo refleja el compromiso del Condado de Sangamon de instituir reformas y tomar medidas que ayudarán a mejorar la seguridad pública y restaurar la confianza de la comunidad en el camino futuro».
En respuesta a la investigación, la Oficina del Fiscal Estatal para el Condado de Sangamon trabajó en cooperación con el Departamento para alcanzar un acuerdo conciliatorio para garantizar que la SCSO tenga las herramientas y la formación para llevar a cabo sus actividades de vigilancia policial de forma no discriminatoria y que el Condado y el SCCDS proporcionen servicios de despacho de forma no discriminatoria.
En virtud del acuerdo, las entidades revisarán y actualizarán los procedimientos, políticas y reglas y proporcionarán capacitaciones sobre una variedad de temas, incluida la vigilancia policial no discriminatoria y las interacciones con personas con discapacidades de salud del comportamiento. El acuerdo requiere el desarrollo y la implementación de un programa de equipo de crisis móvil, que incluirá personal capacitado en la salud del comportamiento que responda oportunamente a las personas que necesitan asistencia urgente en lo que se refiere a su salud del comportamiento. El acuerdo también prevé el desarrollo de un plan de compromiso con la comunidad para garantizar la resolución colaborativa de problemas y la ausencia de discriminación en la vigilancia policial, así como para aumentar la transparencia y la confianza de la comunidad. El acuerdo establece un marco para la recopilación de datos y la presentación de informes durante un período de dos años de supervisión departamental, entre otras disposiciones. El acuerdo no constituye ninguna admisión de responsabilidad por parte de las entidades, y el Departamento no ha llegado a un hallazgo de discriminación.
La no discriminación en virtud del Título VI, la ley de Calles Seguras y la ADA es una de las principales prioridades de la División de Derechos Civiles. Hay más información disponible sobre la División de Derechos Civiles en www.justice.gov/crt.
Los miembros del público pueden denunciar posibles infracciones de los derechos civiles en civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Dubuque Man Who Distributed Fentanyl Resulting in an Overdose Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed and sold fentanyl pills was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.
Anthony Frank Ernst, age 39, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 9, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, in April 2023, Ernst distributed pills that contained fentanyl to an individual who, in turn, distributed pills to another person. That person took the pills, which caused the person to suffer an overdose. A few days later, officers stopped a car that Ernst was a passenger in. Ernst was in possession of more than 240 fentanyl pills. On June 7, 2023, Ernst sold marijuana and fentanyl to a confidential informant who was working with law enforcement, and, in the early morning on June 9, 2023, officers again stopped a car that Ernst was a passenger in. Ernst was in possession of controlled substances, including fentanyl.
Ernst was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Ernst was sentenced to 94 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ernst is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was also investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Lacrosse, Wisconsin, Drug Task Force, and the Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-1019.
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Dublin Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Damaging Former Employer’s ComputersRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Dublin resident Vamsikrishna Naganathanahalli was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for damaging computers belonging to his former employer. The Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge, handed down the sentence.
Naganathanahalli, 49, pleaded guilty on Aug. 15, 2024, to three counts of knowingly causing the transmission of a program, information, code, or command, and as a result of such conduct, intentionally causing damage without authorization, to a protected computer. According to his plea agreement, defendant worked for MedAmerica, Inc., part of the Vituity group of companies, from October 2018 to June 2022. Vituity, based in Emeryville, Calif., included physician partners and other healthcare professional employees who worked as contractors in hospital emergency rooms, outpatient clinics, telehealth providers, and other clinical settings. The company also employed non-clinical healthcare personnel who worked with healthcare providers in various facilities. Vituity used the Oracle Human Capital Management (“HCM”) platform to organize core human resources data for its approximately 7,000 employees. The HCM platform contained records for current and past Vituity employees, including their Social Security numbers, salaries, and addresses. Naganathanahalli worked for Vituity as a Senior HCM Architect.
Defendant admitted that, on May 28, 2022, the day after being told that his employment at Vituity was being terminated, he used his access to a privileged HCM service account to change the password for another employee’s privileged Vituity HCM account without authorization. On or about Sept. 6, 2022, after his employment had ended, he used that privileged HCM account to change the HCM password for a Vituity contractor. That same day, he used the contractor’s account to load files containing “dummy” or “masked” data, which replaced real data, to the Vituity HCM live production environment. As Naganathanahalli admitted, the generic masked data overwrote the real data for approximately 90 percent of Vituity employees, current and former. Defendant’s conduct caused a loss to Vituity of at least $400,930.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Gonzalez Rogers also ordered Naganathanahalli to pay $400,930 in restitution and a $300 special assessment and sentenced him to a three-year period of supervised release. The defendant will begin serving his sentence on July 20, 2025.
United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle J. Kane and Nikhil Bhagat are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kathy Tat. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Drug Dealer Receives 235 Months After Picking up a Package with 4 Pounds of Methamphetamine InsideRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Mitchell Bostic, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Brian C. Buescher sentenced Bostic to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Bostic’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On December 5, 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package that contained nearly 4 pounds of meth in Nebraska. On December 6, 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the package whereby Bostic and Stephanie Cummings picked up the package at a residence in Omaha and law enforcement surveilled Bostic and Cummings as they drove away in Bostic’s vehicle. Believing law enforcement was following them, Bostic instructed Cummings to throw the package containing meth out of the car window. Law enforcement located the package and subsequently conducted a traffic stop of Bostic’s vehicle and both Bostic and Cummings were arrested. Cummings is awaiting sentencing in federal court.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Doctor Jailed for HIPAA ViolationsRead the Press Release
An Iowa emergency room doctor and medical resident, who violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) by viewing the medical records of multiple women who were not his patients, was sentenced today to a month in jail. Dr. Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Roman, age 31, from Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, received the term of incarceration after a June 28, 2024, guilty plea to one count of wrongfully obtaining individually identifiable health information relating to an individual under false pretenses.
At his plea and sentencing hearings, Dr. Hernandez-Roman admitted that, between 2020 and 2022, he knowingly and without authorization obtained the protected health information of multiple women at hospitals in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Dr. Hernandez-Roman was working as a resident doctor in Iowa emergency rooms at the time, including at “Hospital-1” in Cedar Rapids and “Hospital-2” in Iowa City.
In January 2022, Dr. Hernandez-Roman viewed the medical records of “K.F.” at Hospital-1 in Cedar Rapids without her knowledge or consent. K.F. was never Dr. Hernandez Roman’s patient and was not a patient in Hospital-1’s emergency department at the time. When K.F. discovered what Dr. Hernandez-Roman had done, Dr. Hernandez-Roman asked K.F. to tell Hospital-1, falsely, that K.F. had given Dr. Hernandez-Roman permission to look at her medical records.
Dr. Hernandez Roman also admitted to accessing K.F.’s medical records at Hospital-2 in March 2021, as well as the medical records of “M.C.” at Hospital-2 in October 2020. After receiving an anonymous complaint about Dr. Hernandez-Roman being romantically involved with patients, accessing their medical records, and threatening them, Hospital-2 discovered that Dr. Hernandez-Roman had illegally accessed K.F. and M.C.’s records. The records included M.C.’s health records when she was a minor and her adult psychological records.
Dr. Hernandez Roman also admitted that, in January 2022, he sent a photograph of one of Hospital-1’s patients in Cedar Rapids to another individual via SnapChat. The photograph showed the patient in a hospital setting, wearing a gown, with the patient’s rectum clearly hanging out of the body. Dr. Hernandez Roman had no legitimate medical purpose for taking this photograph or, further, for sending it via SnapChat to the individual.
Finally, Dr. Hernandez Roman admitted that, in June 2023, he mailed a letter to the Iowa Board of Medicine in which he admitted accessing the confidential medical records of K.F. and M.C. and also to sharing the photograph of the prolapsed rectum. In his plea agreement, Dr. Hernandez Roman admitted he falsely wrote in the letter that he had sent the photograph of the prolapsed rectum to his mother to remind her of the importance of fiber intake.
Dr. Hernandez-Roman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dr. Hernandez Roman was sentenced to a month of imprisonment and fined $1,000. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Dr. Hernandez-Roman is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-34.
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Des Moines Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 17 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that led to the overdose death of a one-year child.
According to public court documents, Kenneth Leroy Quinn, 23, also known as “Coach K,” distributed several pills containing fentanyl on April 29, 2023. Quinn’s customer used some of the pills and brought the remaining pills home. The customer’s one-year-old son ingested the fentanyl mixture and died of acute fentanyl toxicity. Law enforcement began an investigation into Quinn and purchased marijuana from Quinn six times. In November 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Quinn’s Des Moines residence and located four firearms, more than five pounds of marijuana, nearly an ounce of methamphetamine, and three-quarters of an ounce of cocaine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Quinn will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Quinn was also ordered to pay $1847 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Des Moines Police Department.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Fentanyl deaths for youth ages 15 to 24 more than doubled between 2018 and 2022. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about the dangers of fentanyl and the One Pill Can Kill program.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, Richard Dean Putnam, 62, was found in possession of more than 85 grams of methamphetamine and 200 grams of marijuana at his Council Bluffs residence in March 2024. Putnam also possessed nearly $10,000, two pellet guns, and two rounds of ammunition. Putnam had previously been convicted of felony drug offenses and domestic abuse assault charges in the Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County, both which prohibit him from possessing firearms and ammunition.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Putnam will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Conway Man and Woman Sentenced to More Than 30 Years Combined for Online Enticement of MinorsRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE - On January 15, 2025, Benjamin Coney, age 30, and Emily Grace Brinley, age 26, both of Conway, Arkansas, were sentenced to a combined 378 months in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of Online Enticement of a Minor in violation of federal law. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in November of 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, began an undercover investigation targeting online predators seeking minors for sexual activity. Between November 19, 2023, to November 27, 2023, a male and female couple, later identified as Coney and Brinley, messaged an undercover FBI officer posing as the mother of two young girls. In messages sent by the couple, they detailed their intended abuse of the two young girls and arranged to drive from Conway to Bentonville to engage in the sexual acts. When the couple arrived at the pre-arranged meeting location, they were met by law enforcement officers and immediately taken into custody. Among the items located in their vehicle were sexual aides and lubricant.
Coney and Brinley were indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in May of 2024. Benjamin Coney entered a plea of guilty in September of 2023 and was sentenced to 210 months imprisonment to be followed by 25 years of supervision. Emily Grace Brinley entered a plea of guilty in July of 2023 and was sentenced to 168 months to be followed by 15 years of supervision.
U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Benton County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Williams prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted 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.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Columbus Woman Convicted of Trafficking in Counterfeit GoodsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christine L. Parry, age 62, of Columbus, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for trafficking in counterfeit goods. United States District Court Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Parry to time already served and a $12,000 fine. Parry was also ordered to pay an additional $1,935 in restitution to two victims.
On July 26, 2021, Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) agents at a FedEx facility in Anchorage, Alaska, inspected goods arriving from China. The CBP agents discovered a package addressed to Parry in Columbus. The package contained counterfeit goods, including imitation Birkenstock sandals, Ray Ban sunglasses, Chanel earrings, Louis Vuitton bags, and Louis Vuitton shoes. Records obtained from shipping companies, such as FedEx and DHL, showed numerous deliveries of packages from China and Taiwan to Parry.
Information obtained from Facebook revealed that Parry had been operating an online store named “Bugaboo Boutique,” at least since April 2019, and continuing to August 2022, which sold numerous counterfeit goods just like the counterfeit goods seized by CBP on July 26, 2021.
HSI agents obtained search warrants for Facebook accounts associated with Parry and the Bugaboo Boutique online store. The records revealed that Parry knowingly sold counterfeit goods through their online store. The counterfeit goods were described using words such as “inspired by” name brand goods. The counterfeit goods were described as virtually identical to the name brand goods but sold at a more affordable price because they were sourced through a different manufacturer. The counterfeit goods included items such as clothing, footwear, purses, bags, wallets, tumblers, headphones, and sports apparel which had counterfeit marks identical to, or substantially indistinguishable from, marks used by many name brand companies which were in use and registered for goods on the principal register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A search warrant was obtained for the Parry’s residence and executed on August 10, 2022. HSI agents seized counterfeit goods, various records associated the purchase and sale of such counterfeit goods, and electronic devices which were used to help facilitate the sale of counterfeit goods through the online store “Bugaboo Boutique.”
At Parry’s sentencing hearing, Judge Bazis remarked about how businesses who work hard to develop a reputation for making quality products are substantially harmed when counterfeit goods are sold. The counterfeit goods are far inferior in quality. And even when the initial purchaser of the counterfeit goods are told that the goods are counterfeit, often times those purchasers turn around and sell them to other unsuspecting customers who do not realize they are being sold counterfeit goods.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
City of Española Agrees to Pay $3.9M to Resolve Allegations It Trespassed on Santa Clara Pueblo Land for DecadesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The United States of America, the City of Española and the Pueblo of Santa Clara have entered into a comprehensive Settlement Agreement to resolve longstanding disputes regarding Española water and sewer lines, streets, and other utility facilities in trespass on Pueblo lands. The City of Española has agreed to pay $3.9 million to resolve claims related to water and sewer lines, streets, and other utility facilities maintained on Pueblo lands without proper easements.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by the United States in 2016, alleging that Española’s water and sewer lines were trespassing on Santa Clara's lands following the expiration of previously granted rights-of-way. Santa Clara intervened in the lawsuit, asserting additional claims for trespassing streets and utility facilities.
Under the terms of the agreement, Española will pay $2.5 million to Santa Clara as compensation for new 25-year easements, subject to certain credits. Additionally, Española will pay $1.4 million over 20 years as compensation for past use of Santa Clara lands through July 1, 2022.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the sovereignty of tribal communities as well as building the partnerships between neighbors that are necessary to navigate our complex and interconnected world,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “This settlement not only rights historic intrusions, but commits the parties to future accord, beginning with a public apology. This is a meaningful first step towards reconciliation between the City of Española and the Pueblo of Santa Clara, allowing us to unite for a future built on mutual respect and cooperation.”
The agreement requires Española to obtain the new easements for its facilities on Santa Clara lands, subject to approval by the Secretary of the Interior. The Bureau of Indian Affairs will provide technical assistance in developing the right-of-way applications.
As part of the settlement, Española agreed to publish a public apology for the delay in resolving the dispute. That apology appeared in the Legal Notices section of the Rio Grande SUN in its Thursday, January 9, 2025, edition. Española will also work cooperatively with the Pueblo and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to complete the necessary right-of-way applications and environmental reviews.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Santa Clara Pueblo Governor James Naranjo made the announcement today.
The government’s investigations were led by DOJ ENRD Trial Attorney Samuel D. Gollis, Assistant United States Attorney Cassandra C. Currie, and DOI Senior Indian Law Attorney Stephanie P. Kiger.
Settlement Agreement - Executed.pdfThe claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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