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16 September 2024
Modesto Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Five MinorsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Daniel Vincent Salazar Jr., 28, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between December 2018 and January 2020, Salazar used Instagram and Snapchat accounts to contact minor females and coerce them into creating and sending to him images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If victims refused to cooperate with Salazar’s demands, he threatened to send explicit images that he had already received to classmates and family members of victims.
Salazar is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Salazar faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum of-30 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 and a possible lifetime of supervised release. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to victims. 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.
This case is the product of an investigation by Patterson Police Services, the Los Banos and San Jose Police Departments, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Adult Parole Operations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.
This case was 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Five TimesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Pedro Salazar-Trejo, age 37, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Coralville, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for an aggravated felony.
At the guilty plea, Salazar-Trejo admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Salazar-Trejo has prior convictions in Texas for forgery of government documents, a social security card and driver’s license, in 2005 and fleeing the scene of an accident in 2008. He was first deported in March 2008. Salazar-Trejo was deported a second time in May 2014 following a conviction in the Southern District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States. He was deported a third time in December 2017 following his arrest during a traffic stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by immigration officials. He was also deported a fourth time in September 2019 following a conviction in the Western District of Texas for Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, a felony.
Salazar-Trejo was convicted in January 2022 in the Northern District of Iowa of possession of a firearm by an alien, served 27 months’ imprisonment and placed on a three-year term of supervised release before being deported a fifth time in September 2023. On March 22, 2024, Salazar-Trejo was arrested in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for violating the terms of his supervised release by reentering the United States without permission.
Salazar-Trejo was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Salazar-Trejo was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Salazar-Trejo was also sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment to be served consecutively for violating the terms of his supervised release on his prior firearm conviction. There is no parole in the federal system.
Salazar-Trejo 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 Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 24-CR-27 and 21-CR-48.
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Mercer Island, Washington, man convicted of sexual assault of teen on aircraft flying to Sea-Tac from AtlantaRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 72-year-old Mercer Island, Washington man was convicted Friday in U.S. District Court in Seattle of Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction and Abusive Sexual Contact in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Munir Walji was convicted following a four-day jury trial. Jurors deliberated about 5 hours before reaching the guilty verdicts. U.S. District Judge Tana Lin scheduled sentencing for December 11, 2024.
According to records in the case and testimony at trial, on November 10, 2021, Walji was seated in the aisle seat next to the 15-year-old victim on a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Seattle. The victim’s mother was in the window seat. Initially the three engaged in small talk as they settled in for the flight. The mother and victim both closed their eyes to sleep.
As the flight neared arrival in Seattle the victim felt a hand on her leg, waking her. She moved away from Walji and tried to go back to sleep. But the touching became more aggressive with Walji rubbing her thigh, and then unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching inside the waistband of her pants and underwear. The victim said something at that point that caused Walji to stop, and she awakened her mother.
A flight attendant responded to the row when the mother pushed the call button. Eventually, flight attendants moved the mother and victim to a different row. Law enforcement was notified, and Walji was arrested upon arrival in Seattle.
In closing argument, Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon told jurors “Mr. Walji rubbed his DNA into the crotch of her pants and shoved his hand inside of her underwear.”
Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction is punishable up to 15 years in prison and Abusive Sexual Contact in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction is punishable by up to two years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Lin after considering sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon. Ms. Harmon is a Senior King County Deputy Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute sex crimes in federal court.
Massachusetts Man Indicted for Smuggling and Conspiracy to Commit Export Control Violations Involving the Russian Nuclear Energy IndustryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men, one from Massachusetts, have been charged with allegedly smuggling and conspiring to violate and evade export controls relating to the sale of laser equipment to the Russian nuclear energy industry.
Sam Bhambhani, 55, of North Attleboro, Mass., and Maxim Teslenko, 35, of Moscow, Russia, were each indicted on one count of smuggling and one count of conspiracy to violate and evade export controls, commit smuggling, and defraud the United States. Bhambhani was arrested on Sept. 9, 2024 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. Teslenko remains at large overseas.
“This case underscores our unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export laws and safeguarding national security,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a sophisticated scheme to evade export controls, deceiving the government about the true destination of sensitive technology and putting critical national interests at risk. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal partners to keep our country's most sensitive technologies out of the world's most dangerous hands.”
“These two men are accused of helping Russia illegally acquire cutting edge, American made laser welding machines in support of this hostile nation state's nuclear program. As part of their shameful efforts to evade our country’s export laws, we believe these men utilized shell companies, fictitious personas and falsified records,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This is yet another flagrant example of Russia using illicit procurement networks to advance their goals to the detriment of our country’s national security. Let this case serve as a warning to others that if you violate U.S. export controls or evade U.S. sanctions, the FBI and our partners will find you and ensure that you are brought to justice.”
“The Office of Export Enforcement is committed to vigorously investigating illegal exports to Russia and will hold all those who violate our export control laws accountable, whether those violations involve smuggling, illicit procurement, transshipment, or other illegal schemes,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Boston Field Office. “This multi-year investigation is a testament to the excellent cooperation between our law enforcement partners in countering Russia’s nuclear weapons program.”
“Bhambhani and Teslenko allegedly conspired to smuggle sensitive machinery into Russia to enhance Russian nuclear capabilities. They’re alleged to have willfully violated export controls specifically intended to protect the security of our nation and to keep dangerous technology out of the hands of adversarial regimes,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the sanctity of our most sensitive defense technologies.”
It is alleged that from in or around 2015 through at least 2021, Bhambhani and Teslenko conspired to export laser welding machines from Bhambhani’s employer in the United States to the Ural Electromechanical Plant (UEMZ) in Yekaterinburg, Russia, while falsifying the export documentation submitted to the U.S. government in order to conceal the fact that the UEMZ was the true end user of the machines. The UEMZ is a subsidiary of Rosatom, a Russian state corporation headquartered in Moscow, that oversaw Russia’s civilian and military nuclear program. According to the indictment, Teslenko knew that the laser welding machines were intended for the portion of the UEMZ involving the Russian nuclear weapons program.
The charge of smuggling provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen, DOC BIS OEE Acting SAC Tambrini and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy H. Kistner and Laura S. Kaplan of the Office’s National Security Unit are prosecuting the case with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
Mason City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Lance Kohler, age 46, from Mason City, Iowa, was sentenced September 13, 2024, to 6 years in federal prison after a May 6, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
At the guilty plea, Kohler admitted that on December 5, 2023, law enforcement responded to a rollover accident in Cerro Gordo County. Kohler was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Officers could see a firearm in plain view and a few hypodermic needles. Law enforcement eventually seized firearm and approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle. Kohler told the arresting officer he was “just” a user of methamphetamine, and initially denied owning the firearm. During a subsequent interview with another officer, Kohler admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and the firearm. Lab results later confirmed that defendant had methamphetamine and cocaine in his system at the time of the accident.
Kohler was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 72 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kohler is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3002.
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Lynn Man Sentenced to More than Two Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that manufactured and distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing narcotics.
Edward Ortiz, 34, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 17, 2024, Ortiz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Ortiz was among 23 individuals charged in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The defendants were subsequently indicted along with two additional alleged co-conspirators in December 2022. According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area.
During the investigation, investigators seized from Ortiz approximately 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that Ortiz had just obtained from one of the co-conspirators in this matter.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division and the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Louisiana Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Loaded Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Sammie Ray Sewell, Jr. (43, Alexandria, LA) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Sewell faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on February 2, 2024, Sewell was located at a hotel in Fort Myers by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s Fugitive Warrants Unit with two extraditable felony warrants out of Louisiana. When he was apprehended, deputies found Sewell in possession of a chamber loaded pistol with an extended magazine. There were multiple videos on Sewell’s social media account showing Sewell in possession of the pistol within days of his arrest. Sewell has been previously convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and aggravated robbery. As a convicted felon, Sewell is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Local 98 Member Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Seeking Money from Union Employer for Hours Not WorkedRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Gregory Fiocca, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl to count one of a superseding information charging him with unlawfully demanding money as a union representative from a union employer, arising from the defendant’s demand to be paid for hours he did not work, in an amount not exceeding $1,000.
Fiocca is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2025, and faces a statutory maximum sentence of one year imprisonment, one year of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, and a $25 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Costello and Jason Grenell.
Lame Deer woman admits to trafficking methRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer woman admitted today to selling methamphetamine on the Northern Cheyenne Indian reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Emma Jewell King, 62, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. King faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. King was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that between December 2020 and January 2021, law enforcement learned that King was selling meth on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. A source told law enforcement that he or she started purchasing meth from King in early 2019 and would purchase three to four grams per week from her. King’s source of meth was from a home in Lodge Grass and from Washington. In March 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of meth from King from King’s house. King told law enforcement in January 2024 that she was a drug dealer and had purchased one ounce of meth every week beginning in about July 2021 through March 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Lakeland Man Indicted for COVID FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jeanty Cherilus (54, Lakeland) with five counts of wire fraud. Cherilus faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Cherilus that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $370,000, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, Cherilus was an owner of Natransusa Corporation (NATRANS), a business that advertised to provide automobile salvage and transportation services. Cherilus, through NATRANS, submitted applications to obtain federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) to which Cherilus and NATRANS were not entitled. The loan applications had materially false and fraudulent representations, including an inflated number of employees and average payroll, and certifications that the loan proceeds would be used for business-related purposes. Cherilus also included fraudulent supporting documentation to induce the Small Business Administration and an approved lender to fund the loans. After receiving the PPP and EIDL funds, Cherilus used them for purposes other than what was approved by the terms of the loans and for his own person enrichment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Agency for International Development - Office of Inspector General and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
KC Man Convicted of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted in a federal bench trial today of illegally possessing a firearm.
Dale D. Mitchell, Jr., 46, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Kansas City, Mo., police officers contacted Mitchell on Feb. 12, 2023, while he was sitting in his Cadillac XTS in a parking lot at 8025 Hickman Mills Drive. Officers told Mitchell, who was in the driver’s seat, to put the vehicle in park and roll down the window. Instead, Mitchell opened the driver’s door. Officers saw an open bottle of alcohol in the driver’s door panel and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver laying on Mitchell’s right thigh. Officers seized the firearm and removed Mitchell from the vehicle.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Mitchell has two prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, three prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, a prior felony conviction for distribution/delivery of marijuana, a prior felony conviction for tampering, and a prior felony conviction for robbery.
At the conclusion of today’s bench trial, U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs ruled that Mitchell was guilty.
Under federal statutes, Mitchell is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years 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 is scheduled on Jan. 29, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Justice Department Expands Tribal Access Program to Improve the Exchange of Critical Data with Federally Recognized TribesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department has selected 17 federally recognized Tribes to participate in the continued expansion of the Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (TAP), a program that provides Tribal governments with means to access, enter, and exchange data with national crime information systems, including those maintained by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. This announcement follows Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s trips to Montana, New Mexico, and South Dakota during which he visited with numerous Tribal and federal law enforcement officials and Tribal leaders to discuss the public safety challenges faced by Tribal communities.
“Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “The Tribal Access Program provides Tribes with the crime information they need to investigate crimes, apprehend suspects, protect vulnerable persons, and ensure justice for victims. It reflects the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to working with our Tribal law enforcement partners to protect those living in Indian Country.”
With this expansion, TAP now supports 149 Tribes and more than 460 Tribal government agencies.
“The Tribal Access Program has enhanced our efforts in the administration of criminal justice within the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas reservation,” said Interim Tribal Police Director Epifanio Ruiz of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas. “During the performance of our duties, the Tribal police department has effectively apprehended subjects within the Tribal nation who have outstanding warrants in other jurisdictions thus enhancing the safety and wellbeing of the community.”
TAP provides training as well as software and biometric/biographic kiosk workstations to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI CJIS systems.
The Justice Department began TAP in 2015 in response to concerns raised by Tribal leaders about the need to have direct access to federal systems. Using TAP, Tribes have shared information about missing persons; registered convicted sex offenders; entered domestic violence orders of protection for nationwide enforcement; entered orders that prevent dangerous prohibited persons from obtaining firearms; run criminal histories; identified and arrested fugitives; entered bookings and convictions; and completed fingerprint-based record checks for non-criminal justice purposes such as screening employees or volunteers who work with children.
The following additional Tribes have been selected for participation in TAP:
- Catawba Indian Nation
- Crow Tribe
- Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
- Native Village of Gakona
- Northern Cheyenne Tribe
- Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council
- Quileute Tribe
- Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
- Village of Dot Lake
- Walker River Paiute Tribe
- Caddo Nation
- Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians
- Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians
- Karuk Tribe
- Shawnee Tribe
- Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony & Campbell Ranch
- Kiowa Indian Tribe
TAP is managed by the Justice Department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Office of Tribal Justice. It is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
For more information on TAP, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-tap.
Justice Department Awards over $3 Million in Community Project Grants to Strengthen Law Enforcement and Public Safety in the Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs has awarded three grants totaling more than $3 million for community projects that strengthen law enforcement and public safety in the Southern District of Mississippi, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee.
The University of Southern Mississippi received $3 million to implement a rural digital forensics initiative to address the digital forensics needs of rural communities, the provision of forensic services, and creation of social media educational tools to assist with line law enforcement officer training in digital forensic investigations.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center received $380,000 to enhance UMMC’s security infrastructure through comprehensive upgrades of its existing CCTV system.
Copiah-Lincoln Community College received $20,000 to fund training for new and existing law enforcement officers.
The grants are part of the 2024 Office of Justice Programs Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants. The Byrne Grants are named in honor of New York City Police Officer Edward R. Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty on February 26, 1988. Officer Byrne was just 22 years old.
Additional information about the Office of Justice Programs can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards over $15 Million in Grants to Louisiana Commission on Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and Office on Violence Against Women has awarded $15,454,563 to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (“LCLE”).
LCLE was awarded $2,362,000 to enhance State Victim Compensation payments to eligible crime victims to provide financial assistance to federal and state victims of crime; $10,662,795 to provide funds from the Crime Victims Fund to enhance crime victim services in the state; and $2,429,768 to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services, including community-based, culturally specific services, in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
LCLE is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
For more information about these awards, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or OJP.OCOM@ojp.usdoj.gov or the Office on Violence Against Women at 202-307-6026 and ask for the Policy, Communication, and Evaluation Division.
Justice Department Announces Five Cases Tied to Disruptive Technology Strike ForceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced criminal charges in five cases from four U.S. Attorney’s offices in connection with the multi-agency Disruptive Technology Strike Force (Strike Force).
The Strike Force is co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce to counter efforts by hostile nation states to illicitly acquire sensitive U.S. technology to advance their authoritarian regimes and facilitate human rights abuses. Launched in February 2023, the Strike Force’s work has led to the unsealing of charges against 34 defendants in 24 cases involving alleged export control violations, smuggling, theft of trade secrets, and other charges by actors connected to Russia, China, and Iran.
The cases announced today took place over the course of multiple weeks, culminating in the arrest today of a Russian national allegedly seeking to illegally export electronics for use in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to Russia. The other cases also cover spearfishing of U.S-based scientists by an employee of a state-owned Chinese defense company and the smuggling of laser welding machines used in nuclear munition production to Russia.
“The prosecutions of these cases under the Disruptive Technology Strike Force reflects the joint efforts of five agencies across the government focused on the shared goal of stopping the transfer of sensitive, cutting-edge technologies to Iran, China, and Russia,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division. “The Justice Department, through the work of the Strike Force, will continue to do all we can to prevent advanced technologies from falling into the hands of our adversaries and protect our national security.”
“We launched the Disruptive Technology Strike Force a year and half ago to advance the vital mission of safeguarding U.S. technology,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce. “As today’s announcements make clear, our efforts to protect sensitive U.S. technologies – which to date have yielded 24 publicly charged criminal cases, millions of dollars in administrative penalties, and multiple Entity List additions – remain relentless and unyielding.”
“It’s no secret that the threats we face today are more complex and severe than ever before,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “The best way – and the only way – we can stay ahead of current and emerging threats is by working together. With these indictments, the Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an excellent example of the power of partnerships in practice.”
“Those who facilitate the illegal proliferation of sensitive technologies and material to hostile nations and terrorist groups pose a serious threat to the safety and security of the United States,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “HSI is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks that aid and abed U.S. adversaries.”
“Disrupting the efforts of foreign nations, international criminal organizations, and other potentially hostile entities that seek to illegally obtain sensitive DoD technology and weapon systems that could potentially be used against our military forces remains a top priority of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the criminal investigative arm of Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General,” said Inspector General Robert P. Storch of DoD. “We will continue to work with the Justice Department and our strike force partners to thwart the efforts of criminal elements whose activities threaten the security of the United States.”
United States v. Postovoy (District of Columbia)
A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Denis Postovoy, a Russian citizen living in the United States, with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, commit smuggling, commit money laundering and defraud the United States. HSI arrested Postovoy this morning in Sarasota, Florida.
According to court documents, beginning in at least February 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Postovoy procured and illicitly exported from the United States to Russia microelectronic components with military applications. The exported microelectronics can be used in UAVs or drones. Through a web of companies that he owns or operates in Russia, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, Postovoy and individuals in his network purchased the microelectronics from U.S.-based distributors and exported them to Russia without the required licenses from the Department of Commerce.
As alleged, Postovoy’s companies included WowCube HK Limited, JST Group Hong Kong, Jove HK Limited, all based in Hong Kong, and the Vector Group in Russia. Postovoy repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the microelectronics by submitting false information on export-related documents. He transshipped items that were ultimately destined for Russia through intermediary destinations, including Hong Kong, Switzerland and elsewhere, and received payments in U.S. dollars from foreign bank accounts. His companies transferred funds for the purchase and shipment of the goods through bank accounts in Hong Kong, Russia, and elsewhere to bank accounts in the United States, including bank accounts maintained by the U.S. suppliers of microelectronics and other sensitive technologies.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Allen for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Song Wu (Northern District of Georgia)
Today, a federal court in Atlanta, unsealed an indictment charging Chinese national, Song Wu, 39, with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from his efforts to fraudulently obtain computer software and source code created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), research universities, and private companies. Song remains at large.
According to the indictment, Song allegedly engaged in a multi-year “spear phishing” email campaign in which he created email accounts to impersonate U.S.-based researchers and engineers and then used those imposter accounts to obtain specialized restricted or proprietary software used for aerospace engineering and computational fluid dynamics. This specialized software could be used for industrial and military applications, such as development of advanced tactical missiles and aerodynamic design and assessment of weapons.
In executing the scheme, Song allegedly sent spear phishing emails to individuals employed in positions with the U.S. government, including NASA, the Air Force, Navy, and Army, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Song also sent spear phishing emails to individuals employed in positions with major research universities in Georgia, Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio, and with private sector companies that work in the aerospace field. Song’s spear phishing emails appeared to the targeted victims as having been sent by a colleague, associate, friend, or other person in the research or engineering community. His emails requested that the targeted victim send or make available source code or software to which Song believed the targeted victim had access.
According to the indictment, while conducting this spear phishing campaign, Song was employed as an engineer at Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Beijing. AVIC manufactures civilian and military aircrafts and is one of the largest defense contractors in the world.
In total, Song is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Song faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. Song also faces a mandatory, two-year consecutive penalty in prison for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the NASA’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger of the National Security Division's Cyber Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
United States v. Teslenko (District of Massachusetts)
Massachusetts resident, Samer Bhambhani, 55, and Russian national, Maksim Teslenko, 35, have been charged with smuggling and one count of conspiracy to violate and evade export controls, commit smuggling, and defraud the United States. Bhambhani was arrested on Sept. 9 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. Teslenko remains at large overseas.
It is alleged that from in or around 2015 through at least 2021, Bhambhani and Teslenko conspired to export laser welding machines from Bhambhani’s employer in the United States to the Ural Electromechanical Plant (UEMZ) in Yekaterinburg, Russia, while falsifying the export documentation submitted to the U.S. government in order to conceal the fact that the UEMZ was the true end user of the machines. The UEMZ is a subsidiary of Rosatom, a Russian state corporation headquartered in Moscow, that oversaw Russia’s civilian and military nuclear program. According to the indictment, Teslenko knew that the laser welding machines were intended for the portion of the UEMZ involving the Russian nuclear weapons program.
The charge of smuggling provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy H. Kistner and Laura S. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Goodarzi (Southern District of Texas)
Gholam Reza Goodarzi, also known as Ron Goodarzi, 76, a dual U.S. and Iranian citizen who resides in Porter, Texas, was arrested at the George Bush International Airport on Aug. 30 based on a criminal complaint alleging he smuggled parts and components used in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as other manned aircraft, from the United States to Iran.
According to court documents, from December 1, 2020, through July 5, Goodarzi illegally exported aircraft-related parts, in addition to oil and drilling components, to Iran. As alleged, Goodarzi purchased U.S.-origin aircraft components from U.S.-based suppliers and then exported them to Iran – typically through Dubai, UAE. He also traveled to and from Iran multiple times per year and concealed aircraft parts and other items in his checked luggage. Goodarzi exchanged multiple emails with suppliers and customers, acknowledging that parts could not be shipped to Iran because of sanctions.
The complaint alleges that on several occasions, authorities searched Goodarzi’s luggage and found numerous aircraft parts and components hidden within articles of clothing. Some of the items had characteristics consistent with parts for the production of UAVs, as well as parts with electrical motor and generator applications. Goodarzi does not have the required licenses to export such items to sanctioned countries, including Iran, according to the complaint.
The FBI, with assistance from and Customs and Border Protection, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter for the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Nader (District of Columbia)
U.S.-Iranian national Jeffrey Chance Nader, 66, of Arcadia, California, was arrested on Aug. 13, 2024, based on an indictment charging him with crimes related to the procurement of U.S.-manufactured aircraft components, including components used on military aircraft, in violation of U.S. economic sanctions and other federal laws.
According to the indictment, beginning at least in 2023, Nader and others conspired to purchase and export – and attempted to export – from the United States to Iran four types of aircraft components, totaling nearly three dozen individual pieces. Some of these components are for use on military aircraft operated by Iran’s armed forces, including the F-4 fighter jet.
Nader, acting on purchase orders he received from customers in Iran, would coordinate the purchase of relevant aircraft components with business associates in Iran, by which they would reach out to U.S.-based suppliers of such components. In several instances, Nader identified himself and his company, California-based Pro Aero Capital, to these U.S.-based suppliers as the end-user of these items. Victim companies in this procurement scheme were located across the United States.
Once the aircraft components were obtained, Nader attempted to export the items on multiple separate occasions. The items were then transshipped to the ultimate customer in Iran. None of the transactions discussed in the indictment were successfully exported; they were detained on export by a Special Agent with the Department of Commerce.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Significant assistance was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
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Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. The Postovoy and Teslenko investigations were also coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
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Also today, the Department is announcing the unsealing of an indictment in Chicago, Illinois, charging Chinese national Jia Wei with unlawfully accessing the computer network of a U.S. communications company to steal proprietary information for the benefit of the China-based entities.
As alleged, Wei was a member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the military of the People’s Republic of China, and assigned to a PLA unit tasked with obtaining communications and information of third parties through computer hacking. In March 2017, Wei and his co-conspirators accessed the U.S. company’s network without authorization approximately two days after the U.S. company filed a civil action against a China-based competitor for theft of communication-device trade secrets. Through this unauthorized access, Wei and his co-conspirators stole U.S. company documents relating to, among other things, the company’s civilian and military communication devices, product development, testing plans, internal product evaluations and commercial information about competitors. These documents pertained to some of the same technology and information that the China-based competitor stole from the U.S. company, as alleged in the civil action. In addition, Wei and his co-conspirators stole documents from the U.S. company discussing the China-based competitor.
During his unauthorized access, Wei and his co-conspirators attempted to install malicious software designed to provide persistent unauthorized access to the U.S. company’s network. Wei’s unauthorized access continued until approximately late May 2017.
The six-count indictment, returned in March 2022, charges Wei with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, computer intrusions and aggravated identity theft. A warrant for his arrest has been issued. If convicted, Wei faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, five years in prison for each of the conspiracy and computer intrusion counts, and a mandatory, two-year consecutive penalty in prison for each aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Chicago Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells, Steven Dollear and Thomas Peabody for the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney Brett Reynolds of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case. Significant assistance was provided by the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section.
An indictment, complaint or criminal information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: This press release was updated on Sept. 16, 2024, to include two additional cases.
Judge Hands District Man Eight Year Prison Sentence for 2023 Armed Robbery in Northwest D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome Lewis Jackson, aka Damon Hudson, 20, of Washington D.C., was sentenced to eight years in prison for offenses committed against three victims, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Jackson pleaded guilty on December 11, 2023, to one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. On September 13, 2024, Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow sentenced Jackson to serve 96 months imprisonment for each offense, to be served concurrently, for a total of eight years, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, with which Jackson agreed, at around 3:24 a.m., on September 10, 2023, Jackson and an unknown suspect approached the three victims in the 2000 block of 12th Street NW, armed with a firearm. Jackson pointed the firearm at the first victim, ordered him not to move, and removed car keys from his pocket belonging to the second victim, who was also present. Jackson and his accomplice then entered the second victim’s vehicle, which was nearby, and ordered the third victim who was sitting in the car to get out, but not before taking a watch and U.S. currency from the third victim. Jackson then fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle while the unknown suspect followed in a second vehicle.
Approximately 15 minutes later, members of the Metropolitan Police Department observed the stolen vehicle and came into contact with Jackson, who was exiting the driver’s seat of the stolen vehicle. On Jackson’s person were the keys to the vehicle taken from the first victim, as well as the watch taken from the third victim.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Carlton, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Jamaican National Faces Federal Charge for an Alleged Lottery Scheme That Defrauded Victims of More Than $9.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Tavoy Farquharson, age 32, had an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on a criminal complaint filed in the District of Maryland, charging the defendant with conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a lottery scheme,
The criminal complaint was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Javan Wilson of the U.S. Treasury, Office of Inspector General (Treasury OIG); and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the complaint, from at least March 2023 through July 2023, Farquharson and his co-conspirators contacted the victims by mail or over the phone and convinced them that they had won millions of dollars in a lottery or sweepstakes but were required to send payment in advance for taxes and other fees before they could receive their winnings. Farquharson and his co-conspirators caused the victims to send payments for the purported taxes and other fees through wire transfer, by gift card, by sending cash or checks through the U.S. Mail, by other interstate commercial carrier, and by other payment methods. According to the complaint, the victims lost at least $9.5 million to the lottery scheme.
Wayne and Dwayne Henry of Landover Hills, Maryland and Jamaican national Nickoy Campbell were charged previously with conspiracy to commit mail fraud as part of the same lottery scheme.
If convicted, Farquharson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. A person charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, Treasury OIG, and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore County Police, the Anne Arundel County Police, the New York Police Department, and the Suffolk County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Christine Goo, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Irvine Man Pleads Guilty to Scheming to Steal and Resell High-End Violins and to Robbing Irvine Bank Branch Earlier This YearRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for orchestrating a scheme to steal high-value violins and robbing a bank in Irvine.
Mark Meng, 58, of Irvine, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank robbery.
According to his plea agreement, from August 2020 to April 2023, Meng schemed to steal valuable violins and keep or resell them for his personal gain. Meng – posing as a collector of musical instruments – contacted violin shops across the country to express interest in receiving the violins on loan for a trial period to determine if he wished to buy them. In some cases, he purchased violin bows before asking for the violins on a trial-period basis.
After receiving each violin, Meng negotiated a purchase price for it, kept the instrument beyond the trial period, then provided the violin shops with a check or set of checks for the violin, knowing the whole time the checks he wrote to the violin shops would be rejected due to insufficient funds.
When a violin shop representative contacted Meng to inform him that the shop’s bank had rejected his checks, he sent a new series of checks, which also later were rejected due to insufficient funds. Sometimes, Meng lied to the violin shops by falsely telling them he had mailed the violin back to them, but that they had been lost in the mail. Eventually, Meng stopped communicating with the violin shops.
After fraudulently obtaining the violins, Meng re-sold them to a buyer – often during the trial periods from the violin shops. For example, on February 1, 2023, a victim loaned Meng a Guilio Degani violin – valued at $175,000 – pursuant to a trial-period contract, which required Meng to return or purchase the violin by February 10, 2023. However, Meng sold this violin to a buyer – who was unaware of the violin’s stolen origin.
According to court documents, Meng also stole the following:
- one Lorenzo Ventapane violin, dated 1823, and valued at $175,000;
- one Guilio Degani violin, dated 1903, and valued at $55,000;
- one Caressa & Francais violin, dated 1913, and valued at $40,000;
- one Francais Lott violin bow, stamped “Lupot,” and valued at $7,500;
- one Gand & Bernardel violin, dated 1870, and valued at $60,000;
- one French, Charles J.B. Colin Mezin violin, valued at $6,500; and
- one German, E.H. Roth Guarneri violin, valued at $6,500.
Despite knowing that he did not own these violins and violin bows, Meng sold three of these stolen violins and a violin bow to a victim for a total of $44,700.
In January 2023, Meng emailed one violin shop in Alexandria, Virginia, to express an interest in obtaining the Ventapane violin and the Degani violin on a trial basis, all the while intending to fraudulently obtain then re-sell them.
On April 2, 2024, Meng entered a bank branch in Irvine, wearing a hat, sunglasses, a bandana covering his face, and blue latex gloves. Meng gave the bank teller a note stating “$18,000. - Withdraw. Please. Stay Cool. No harm. Thx.” When the teller told Meng she did not have access to the money he demanded, Meng responded, “Give me whatever you have.” The teller, fearing harm to herself and her coworkers, handed Meng $446.
United States District Judge David O. Carter scheduled a February 24, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Meng will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count. Meng has been in federal custody since May 9.
The FBI’s Art Crime Team investigated this matter, with assistance from the Irvine Police Department and the Glendale Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Laura A. Alexander and Mark A. Williams, both of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, are prosecuting this case.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Andrew Nicholas-Scott Titus, 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, Titus relocated from Michigan to Lavalette, West Virginia. In October 2023, Titus relocated from Lavalette to Huntington, where he lived in a residence with four minor children. Titus failed to register or update his registration as required by SORNA after each relocation.
Titus is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his prior convictions for gross indecency between a male and female on March 21, 2022, and for distributing obscene materials to a minor on August 6, 2015, both in Wexford County, Michigan, Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
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. 3:24-cr-26.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Javonte Dejuan Perry, also known as “Dre,” 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 30, 2023, Perry sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
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. 3:23-cr-114.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Dwayne Moore, also known as “B,” 47, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 4, 2024, law enforcement officers searched Moore’s Huntington apartment and seized approximately 32 grams of crack, 132 grams of fentanyl, and a Taurus model G3 9mm pistol. Moore admitted that he intended to sell the seized controlled substances. Moore further admitted that he possessed the seized firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
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. 3:24-cr-19.
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Hugo Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Lana Freeman, age 33, of Hugo, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Drug Conspiracy.
The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about June 16, 2023, and continuing until on or about July 17, 2024, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, Freeman willfully and knowingly conspired with other individuals to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more (actual) of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Durant Police Department.
The Honorable Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Jackson, sitting in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Freeman will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Honduran Man Charged with Kidnapping and Holding for Ransom Guatemalan National Who Entered the U.S. IllegallyRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Honduran national illegally living in New Mexico has been indicted for allegedly conspiring to kidnap a Guatemalan man who had illegally entered the United States and then demanded ransom from the victim’s family living in Southern California, the Justice Department announced today.
Darwin Jeovany Palma Pastrana, 30, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of kidnapping, one count of interstate communication containing a demand or request for ransom, and one count of making a threat by interstate communication.
Palma, whom federal authorities arrested in New Mexico on August 21, was arraigned Friday afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. He pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, and a November 5 trial date was scheduled. He remains jailed without bond.
According to an indictment that a federal grand jury returned on September 4, Palma and co-defendant Eduar Isrrael Sauceda Nuñez, 25, another Honduran national illegally living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, conspired with others to kidnap and hold for ransom migrants illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Once the migrants were in the U.S., they were driven to stash houses in Phoenix, El Paso, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Once at these locations, the migrants’ cellphones were seized and were not returned to them. At one stash house in Albuquerque, 57 migrants were located.
Palma and his accomplices lived near the stash houses and kept large sums of cash and firearms available. Sauceda and other co-conspirators drove migrants to various locations, including Los Angeles, to reunite them with their family and friends.
Specifically, on April 1, Palma told Sauceda that one victim, a Guatemalan national who had entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico, that he had to pay $1,500 before being released to his family. Sauceda then ordered the victim to contact a family member to meeting a Jack in the Box restaurant parking lot in Norwalk. At this parking lot meeting, Sauceda locked the victim inside the car and demanded a $1,500 ransom payment from the victim’s relative before driving away with the victim inside the car.
Later that day, Palma contacted the victim’s relative and said unless $1,500 was paid, the victim would be returned to Mexico and Palma suggested the victim would be killed there. Sauceda then returned to the Jack in the Box parking lot, believing the victim’s relative would pay the ransom. Instead, law enforcement was nearby and later pulled over and arrested Sauceda. As he was being pulled over, Sauceda placed approximately $9,290 in cash, as well as receipts memorializing money transfers to individuals outside of the United States, in the center console of his car before he was arrested. On April 2, Palma sent messages via WhatsApp to the victim’s relative, threatening to kill her.
In April and May of 2024, Palma’s cellphone was present near the Albuquerque stash house, where he drove a yellow school bus with a non-resident permit issued to him to and from the location.
On May 20, when law enforcement approached the Albuquerque stash house to investigate a kidnapping complaint, one co-conspirator drove up to the house and appeared to point at officers while another conspirator fired multiple gunshots in the vicinity of the home.
On May 21, a yellow school bus registered to Palma was parked at the Albuquerque house when law enforcement found 57 undocumented migrants being detained there.
Sauceda, who is a fugitive, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of kidnapping, one count of one count of interstate communication containing a demand or request for ransom, and one count of transportation of aliens within the United States for private financial gain.
“These defendants allegedly helped to smuggle migrants and then take advantage of them by demanding ransom from the victims’ families to secure their release,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “We will use our powerful tools to hold accountable those who use violence to profit off of vulnerable victims.”
“Everyone in this country who is a victim of a serious crime is protected by U.S. law and this case is no exception,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The exploitation of vulnerable individuals and their families will be fully investigated by the FBI and its law enforcement partners. Eduar Isrrael Sauceda Nuñez is still wanted for this crime, and we ask that anyone with information as to his whereabouts to contact the FBI or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Palma and Sauceda would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force (SGVSSTF), which is comprised of agents and officers with the FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – Major Crimes Bureau/Prison Gang Unit and Custody Investigative Services/Operation Safe Jails, the Pomona Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The Pomona Police Department is the sponsoring agency of the SGVSSTF and has been the headquarters for the task force since its inception in 2008.
Assistant United States Attorney Sara B. Vargas of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to More Than 7 Years for Unlawfully Possessing Loaded FirearmsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Mark Anthony Taylor, Jr. (27, Fort Myers) to seven years and three months in federal prison in connection with two cases involving him unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Taylor to forfeit the firearms and ammunition possessed during the offenses. Taylor pled guilty to the offenses in these cases on March 7, 2024, and May 28, 2024, respectively.
According to court documents, shortly after midnight on April 6, 2023, Taylor was found by Cape Coral Police Department (CCPD) officers sleeping in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle which was stopped at an intersection in Cape Coral. After Taylor exited the vehicle as part of a DUI investigation, officers located and seized a loaded handgun from the driver’s floorboard inches away from where Taylor had been sitting.
About four months later, on August 17, 2023, Taylor was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) officers as part of an investigation into a drive-by shooting. During the traffic stop, Taylor was in possession of a loaded handgun which was later forensically linked to the drive-by shooting.
As a convicted felon who has previously served prison time, Taylor is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Cape Coral Police Department, the Fort Myers Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
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.
Former Office Manager of the Dartmouth Student Newspaper Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing over $223,000 from the NewspaperRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Springfield, Vermont woman was sentenced today in federal court in Concord for stealing $223,372.51 from The Dartmouth (“The D”), which is the student newspaper at Dartmouth College, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Nicole Chambers, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 15 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On April 30, 2024, Chambers pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
“The Dartmouth, a non-profit student newspaper, entrusted the defendant with their finances, and she betrayed that trust by embezzling more than $223,000 over the course of four-and-a-half years,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “This was a crime motivated by the defendant’s greed, plain and simple. The defendant stole to fund her high lifestyle, including trips across the United States and Caribbean and purchasing luxury items. The consequence of crimes like this is federal prison.”
“Fraud is never the ticket to lasting financial gain, as Nicole Chambers has now discovered,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Over the course of four years, Ms. Chambers stole and squandered almost a quarter-million dollars from the non-profit newspaper she worked for so she could live well above her means. Justice demands that financial fraudsters like her be held accountable for their crimes and today’s sentencing ensures that.”
The D is the lead student newspaper at Dartmouth College and is a nonprofit run by student volunteers. Between 2012 and 2021, Chambers was the office manager for The D. In her role, Chambers had full access to The D’s finances, including its bank account, PayPal and Venmo accounts, and debit card. Between April 2017 and September 2021, Chambers stole money from The D. She primarily used her access to The D’s PayPal accounts to make unauthorized transfers to accounts she controlled. She also made unauthorized transfers from The D’s Venmo account and made unauthorized purchases on the newspaper’s debit card.
In total, Chambers stole $223,372.51 from The D. She misused the funds on personal expenses, including plane tickets, hotels, and lodging across the United States and Caribbean as well as on items such as a 12-inch green tea memory foam mattress and bedframe. She also used The D’s funds to pay $1900 in fees associated with her husband’s court case in Newport (Rhode Island) County Superior Court.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The Hanover Police Department and Grafton County Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
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Former Lafayette and Vermilion Parish Educator Sentenced to Federal Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced Jacob Conrad De La Paz, 34, has been sentenced for attempted receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced De La Paz to 84 months (7 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
De La Paz, a former teacher and coach at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette and a math teacher at North Vermilion High School in Maurice, was convicted by a jury in Lafayette on May 22, 2024. He was convicted of one count of attempted receipt of child pornography. Evidence at the trial revealed that De La Paz began communicating in January 2023 through social media with a former minor female student from North Vermilion High School who had reached out to him seeking his help as a math tutor. On January 12, 2023, De La Paz sent a video through the Facebook social media platform to the minor female student, who was 17 years old at the time, asking her to send him a video of her pleasuring herself. He then sent a second video to the minor victim of himself masturbating to ejaculation. Further testimony in court revealed that De La Paz instructed the minor victim to delete the video and all of their conversations from Facebook.
“Parents expect educators and tutors of their minor children to simply teach those children and not influence or attempt to manipulate them sexually,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “Children are a vulnerable segment of our society and when educators engage in this type of conduct with them, the DOJ’s mission requires us to prosecute them and that is what the public expects us to do. Today, justice has been served.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren L. Gardner and J. Luke Walker.
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Former CEO of Kubient, Inc. Charged and Pleads Guilty in Connection with Accounting Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Daniel B. Brubaker, the Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today the filing of an Information charging PAUL ROBERTS, the founder, former Chief Executive Officer, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kubient, Inc, a digital advertising technology company, with securities fraud. The charge results from ROBERTS’s execution of a scheme to defraud investors and auditors of Kubient, during which he caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements at the time of Kubient’s initial public offering and made material misrepresentations about the efficacy of Kubient’s proprietary fraud detection tool, Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”). ROBERTS plead guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Paul Roberts, the founder and former CEO of Kubient, inflated his company’s revenue and lied about the performance of one of its signature products, an AI-powered tool that was supposed to detect ad fraud in the digital advertising industry. To carry out his scheme, Roberts had fake documents created to mislead the independent certified public accountants engaged to audit Kubient’s financial statements. Today’s charge and guilty plea sends a message that this Office is committed to holding corporate executives accountable when they resort to fraud.”
USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “Mr. Roberts was caught lying about Kubient’s AI fraud detection tool. And in this case, the only thing that was detected as fraudulent was what Mr. Roberts told investors to improperly bolster his company’s revenue during Kubient’s IPO. This is our promise to the American public: Postal Inspectors along with our law enforcement partners will continue to protect investors from falling victim to greedy individuals.”
As alleged in the Information:
In or about May 2017, ROBERTS founded Kubient, Inc. (“Kubient”), a digital advertising technology company headquartered in New York, New York. From in or about August 2020 to in or about November 2023, Kubient’s shares were publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker “KBNT.” At various times relevant to the Information, ROBERTS was Kubient’s Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Interim Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chief Strategy Officer.
From at least in or about October 2019 through at least in or about March 2021, ROBERTS executed an accounting fraud scheme at Kubient. During that time, ROBERTS caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements (the “Fraudulent Revenue”). The Fraudulent Revenue was over 94% of Kubient’s reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its initial public offering (“IPO”) in or about August 2020, over 74% of its reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its secondary public offering in or about December 2020, and approximately 45% of Kubient’s reported revenue for all of 2020, as reported in Kubient’s 2020 annual financial statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on SEC Form 10-K in or about March 2021. With his scheme, ROBERTS misled Kubient’s auditors and deceived the investing public about Kubient’s financial condition.
At the core of the accounting fraud scheme by ROBERTS was a fraudulent $1.3 million transaction that ROBERTS arranged between Kubient and another digital advertising technology company (“Company-1”) and one of Company-1’s affiliates (the “Company-1 Affiliate”). In a set of three contracts negotiated and executed together in or about October 2019, Kubient and Company-1 agreed to provide certain services to the other for nearly identical fees. Under the terms of two contracts, Kubient agreed to use its proprietary fraud detection tool Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”) to scan data provided by Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate for instances of digital ad fraud and then deliver the results of KAI’s findings to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate (the “KAI Agreements” of the “KAI Transactions”). At the same time, pursuant to a Data Services Agreement, Company-1 agreed to sell Kubient other data and provide certain data-related services.
From in or about January 2020 through in or about November 2020, Kubient paid Company-1 $1,300,336 and Company-1 paid Kubient $1,300,338.03 (which Kubient fraudulently recognized as revenue), but neither company ever provided any of the services they agreed to provide to the other company under the contracts. For example, with respect to the KAI Transactions, Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate never sent Kubient any data to be scanned by KAI, Kubient never scanned any Company-1 or Company-1 Affiliate data with KAI, and Kubient never delivered any results or reports to Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate with any findings by KAI.
To conceal his fraudulent scheme, ROBERTS directed Kubient employees to generate fake KAI reports and misled them about how he intended to use such reports. Rather than receive data from Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate to be scanned by KAI, ROBERTS had Kubient employees create “sample” KAI reports based, at first, on Kubient’s own data and then eventually based on made-up metrics and no underlying data at all. ROBERTS told Kubient employees he needed these “samples” to demonstrate for bankers and potential investors the kind of reporting of which KAI was capable. In fact, ROBERTS needed the “sample” KAI reports to mislead Kubient’s independent certified public accountants (the “Audit Firm”) into believing that Kubient had performed its contractual obligations to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate under the KAI Agreements when, in fact, Kubient had not, so that Kubient could recognize the associated revenue in its financial statements.
ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings and in management representation letters submitted to the Audit Firm relating to Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition. Contrary to representations ROBERTS made in these filings and letters, Kubient did not perform its obligations to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate under the KAI Agreements and, consequently, none of the Fraudulent Revenue should have been recognized as revenue in Kubient’s financial statements.
In addition, ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings about the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud, including in connection with Kubient’s initial and secondary public offerings when Kubient was touting KAI as one of the company’s premier products that would differentiate it from its competitors. For example, ROBERTS personally added language to Kubient’s SEC Form S-1 registration statements that ROBERTS signed and that Kubient filed in or about July, August, and December 2020, stating that, in 2020, KAI provided “two large enterprise clients” [i.e., Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate] “the ability to prevent the purchase of non-human or fraudulent advertising traffic” and that “KAI was identifying and preventing approximately 300% more digital ad fraud then [sic] the client’s current partners.” ROBERTS made these statements knowing that they were false. More specifically, ROBERTS knew that Kubient never received any data from Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate to scan with KAI pursuant to the KAI Agreements, that Kubient never scanned any of Company-1’s or the Company-1 Affiliate’s data with KAI, and that Kubient never delivered any results or reports to Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate with any findings by KAI, let alone that KAI was not “identifying and preventing approximately 300% more digital ad fraud” than Company-1’s and the Company-1 Affiliate’s “current partners.”
Fueled by the misrepresentations about Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition and the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud that ROBERTS made in Kubient’s SEC filings and elsewhere, Kubient raised more than $12.5 million in its IPO in or about August 2020, resulting in its shares being publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange, and more than $20 million in its secondary public offering in or about December 2020. Kubient’s IPO and its secondary public offering would not have been possible without ROBERTS’s fraudulent misrepresentations about KAI and the KAI Transactions.
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ROBERTS, 48, of Melville, NY, is charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the USPIS. Mr. Williams also thanked the SEC, which filed a civil action against ROBERTS after he pleaded guilty, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin V. Rodriguez and Alex Rossmiller are in charge of the prosecution.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 70 Months for Role in Street Crew’s Drug Conspiracy in Northwest D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daevon Narce, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for his role in a violent trafficking conspiracy that distributed significant amounts of crack cocaine and fentanyl near the corner of 7th and O Streets, NW.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Narce, aka “Black Jesus,” was one of nearly two dozen defendants charged in connection with a wide-ranging drug trafficking investigation centered on the area of 7th and O Streets. He pleaded guilty on May 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Narce has six prior convictions, two of which were for escapes. In addition to the 70-month prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Narce to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in mid-2021, the FBI and officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) launched a probe into violent crime and drug activities around 7th and O Streets in Northwest. Investigators discovered a group that included Narce selling controlled substances. The group used several residences in the neighborhood as stash houses where they processed and packaged drugs for resale. Law enforcement installed covert cameras in the stash houses and witnessed dozens of hand-to-hand sales transactions both inside the homes and on the adjacent sidewalks. Police and agents also executed controlled purchases of crack and fentanyl.
The following co-defendants and defendants in related cases have pleaded guilty and received sentences in relation to this case:
DEFENDANT
GUILTY PLEA
SENTENCE
Bryan Rice
aka “Ice”
Pleaded January 5, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl, and felon in possession of a firearm.
Sentenced April 23, 2024, to 120 months in prison.
Elliot Johnson
aka “Nadir” and “Hundo”
Pleaded May 5, 2023, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense
Sentenced August 17, 2023, to 120 months in prison.
Jeremy Young
aka “G-Code”
Pleaded March 1, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sentenced June 7, 2023, to 70 months.
William Proctor
aka “Billy”
Pleaded November 7, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Sentenced February 24, 2023, to 60 months.
Andre William
aka “Sin”
Pleaded March 22, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Sentenced August 18, 2023, to 63 months.
Ako Handy
aka “K.O.”
Pleaded December 15, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Sentenced April 11, 2023, to 60 months.
Keith Gliss
aka “K.D.,” “Flea”
Pleaded May 4, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Sentenced August 4, 2023, to 84 months.
Stanley Hood
aka “Slim”
Pleaded January 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced May 23, 2023, to five years of probation.
Thomas Shelton
aka “T”
Pleaded January 10, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Sentenced April 10, 2023, to 24 months.
Tyrone Wade
aka “Fats”
Pleaded April 10, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base.
Sentenced July 26, 2023, to 24 months.
Harold Augostus Stone aka “Bankroll”
Pleaded June 23, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.
Sentenced October 12, 2023, to 60 months.
Christion Cooper
aka “Soulja”
Pleaded February 23, 2023, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Sentenced February 3, 2023, to 60 months.
Kenneth Watts
aka “Wop”
Pleaded December 22, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced April 6, 2023, to 24 months.
Marquette Hunter
aka “Q”
Pleaded September 14, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced January 3, 2024, to time served.
Brandon Benson
aka “Jet”
Pleaded January 11, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced May 15, 2023, to 51 months.
Burnell Smith
aka “Drip”
Pleaded December 2, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced March 21, 2023, to five years' probation.
Kelfa Kamara
Pleaded December 9, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced March 29, 2023, to 46 months.
Samuel Hall
Pleaded February 1, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sentenced on June 2, 2023, to five years of probation.
Wesley Hilliard
aka “God”
Pleaded January 25, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.
Sentenced May 7, 2024, to 37 months.
Tyrone Robinson
aka “Dog”
Pleaded January 10, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sentenced May 31, 2024, to 37 months.
Daevon Narce
aka “Black Jesus”
Pleaded May 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sentenced September 19, 2024, to 70 months.
This case stems from a collaborative investigation by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force, and the Washington Division of the DEA. The Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force targets the most egregious and violent street crews operating in the District of Columbia.
The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg, Steven Wasserman, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaunik Panse.
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El Cajon Man Who Sold “Ghost Guns” While Serving as a U.S. Marine Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 16, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Christian Ferrari of El Cajon was sentenced in federal court today to 37 months in prison following his admission that he sold 22 “ghost guns” to undercover agents without a license. At the time of the sales, Ferrari was an active-duty U.S. Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton.
Privately made firearms, commonly referred to as ghost guns, are made by individuals, like Ferrari, who buy parts and then use various specialized tools to construct and assemble the parts into a functional firearm. Unlike firearms made by licensed firearm manufacturers, ghost guns do not have a serial number, making them virtually untraceable.
Ferrari’s arrest was part of the Privately Made Firearm Crime Reduction Project, which ran from February to May of 2023. The Project was initiated to address gun violence and the proliferation of ghost guns in San Diego. Using data analytics to identify trends in areas with heightened gun violence and the recovery of guns used in crimes, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) employed an intelligence-led policing effort to place resources where they would have the greatest impact. The Project resulted in the seizure of 165 ghost guns and the prosecution of 33 people, including Ferrari.
Between March 13 and May 9, 2023, Ferrari sold 22 ghost guns to ATF agents in exchange for $23,000 over four separate transactions. During one of the transactions, undercover agents told Ferrari those guns were going to be taken to Mexico. Ferrari responded, “alright, perfect,” and agreed to sell the agents 10 more ghost guns for $10,000. After the final transaction was completed, Ferrari was arrested. Pictured below are the 22 ghost guns Ferrari manufactured and sold to undercover ATF agents:
Following Ferrari’s arrest, agents discovered evidence that Ferrari was manufacturing firearms at a family member’s residence in Lakeside, California. Agents later found a drill press covered in metal shavings consistent with material used to manufacture of firearms.
A forensic analysis of Ferrari’s phone revealed numerous other conversations related to manufacturing and selling firearms and parts, which included AR-15 style rifles, silencers for firearms, and “full auto sears,” which convert AR-15s to fire automatically.
U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant told the defendant at today’s hearing: “What you did was an enormous danger to the public.”
“By design, ghost guns are made to avoid regulation and slip past law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “But with intelligence-based efforts like the program used to take these 22 illegal weapons off the street we are prioritizing public safety.”
“Dealing firearms without a license oftentimes results in individuals who are prohibited from owning firearms — such as felons, domestic abusers, or individuals with certain mental health conditions — to bypass background checks and obtain weapons,” said Christopher Bombardiere, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge of Los Angeles Field Division. “These firearms end up in the hands of criminals and are used in violent crimes, including homicides, robberies, and gang-related activities. ATF will continue to work with local and state law enforcement agencies to investigate the criminal possession and other criminal misuse of privately made firearms in the same manner as any other federal firearm offense.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shital H. Thakkar.
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 23-cr-01091-BAS
Christian Ferrari Age: 23 El Cajon, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Dealing in Firearms Without a License – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(a)(1)(A)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine per count
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
San Diego Police Department
Dayton men sentenced to life in prison for murder of DEA task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Two Dayton men were sentenced in federal court here today to life in prison for their roles in the narcotics case that caused the 2019 death of Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio.
While attempting to prevent federal agents from seizing approximately half-a-million dollars in fentanyl and other drugs, Nathan Goddard, 44, murdered Det. DelRio. Goddard was sentenced today to life plus 10 years in prison.
Goddard was convicted of murder following a jury trial in March 2024. He and Cahke Cortner, 44, were also convicted of multiple narcotics and firearms charges. Cortner was sentenced today to life plus five years in prison.
“Every day DEA Special Agents and Task Force Officers put their lives on the line to protect their communities against dangerous and violent drug traffickers who threaten the safety of the American people. On November 7, 2019, DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the city of Dayton,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Today’s sentences mean these two defendants will never walk free or hurt an innocent person again. DEA is as committed as ever to continuing this fight against violent drug traffickers. We do it in honor of TFO DelRio and all the other narcotics officers who have given their lives for the pursuit of justice.”
“We stand with the DelRio family and our law enforcement partners, and we recognize that DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio sacrificed his life to protect this community. As was stated by Deputy Criminal Chief Tabacchi at today’s sentencing, Task Force Officer DelRio ‘was a son of the Dayton community – serving with dignity and selflessness.’ We will never forget his ultimate sacrifice,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This case is a reminder that, as public servants, law enforcement officers do a dangerous job every day. Today’s sentences should also serve as a reminder to perpetrators of violent crime that we see these matters through to the end and we will hold you accountable.”
“The Dayton Police Department is pleased to see the sentences imposed against Nathan Goddard and Cahke Cortner in the tragic shooting of Detective Jorge DelRio,” said Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal. “They mark a significant step of closure for Detective DelRio's loved ones, our department, and our community. We extend our gratitude to the U.S. Attorney's Office for their diligent efforts throughout this case. It is imperative that those who inflict harm in our community are held accountable.”
“Every day, members of law enforcement put their lives on the line to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the public. Mr. Goddard’s actions resulted in the tragic loss of Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio. While this verdict does not bring him back, we hope his family and our community as a whole can find comfort in knowing that Mr. Goddard will spend the rest of his life in a federal prison,” said DEA Detroit Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene.
“While the FBI is pleased that Goddard and his accomplice will be held accountable for this murder, nothing can make up for the loss of Detective DelRio,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners continue to mourn his death and honor his legacy of service and sacrifice.”
“These individuals are responsible for the death of Detective Jorge DelRio, who was working to keep our community safe from dangerous drug traffickers,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “As a Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer, Det. DelRio was a selfless hero who gave his all, and ultimately his life, to protect the citizens of this nation. ATF is honored to have played a role in holding to account those responsible for Det. DelRio’s sacrifice. I hope these sentences bring some measure of closure to the family of Det. DelRio and send a message to criminals that law enforcement will be relentless in our pursuit of justice.”
According to court documents and trial testimony, on Nov. 4, 2019, Goddard murdered Det. DelRio while Det. DelRio and others were executing a federal search warrant at 1454 Ruskin Road in Dayton.
During the execution of the search warrant, Det. DelRio and other officials announced themselves and entered the home at approximately 6:50pm. Det. DelRio descended the stairway to the basement of the residence, immediately came under gunfire from the basement, and was struck and killed.
As the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial, from 2018 until November 2019, Goddard and Cortner participated in a narcotics conspiracy involving kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana.
The defendants kept firearms – including handguns fitted with laser sights – to protect the illegal drugs and their illicit proceeds. Goddard and Cortner acquired handguns on the black market referred to as “cop killers” because the firearms discharge bullets that can penetrate body armor. The defendants fitted these guns with high-capacity magazines.
In the residence they used, officials discovered 10 kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, 50 to 60 pounds of marijuana, and more than $55,000 in cash. As the government’s sentencing memorandum notes, the amount of fentanyl recovered from the basement represented millions of potential street sales of fentanyl – enough poison to cause the overdose of almost every person in the Miami Valley.
Goddard and Cortner were originally charged in this case on Nov. 6, 2019, and were charged by superseding indictment in July 2022.
Their co-defendant Lionel Combs III, 45, pleaded guilty just before the start of trial to maintaining a drug premises, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck, Jr. announced the sentences imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. U.S. Attorney Parker recognized the critical assistance of the Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma (CITCO).
Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi, Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Christina E. Mahy, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claypoole from the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office are representing the United States in this case.
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Dallas man charged with federal drug trafficking violation resulting in death in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been charged with a federal drug trafficking violation related to the death of two women in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Durran Allistair Walker, 46, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on August 15, 2024, in the Eastern District of Texas. The indictment charges Walker with the distribution of nitazene, a synthetic opioid, resulting in death. Walker made his initial appearance on September 16, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bill Davis.
According to the indictment, in January of 2024, Walker is alleged to have sold pills to two young women from The Colony, Texas, who overdosed and died from the drugs. Nitazenes are a new type of synthetic opioid which can be up to 40 times stronger than fentanyl. These deaths are the first known nitazene overdoses in this area. A search of Walker’s residence at the time of his arrest led to the seizure of additional pills.
If convicted, Walker faces up to life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the The Colony Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Brooks.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Meth and Marijuana ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Dereck Meyer, 34, from Council Bluffs, IA, was sentenced on September 13, 2024, to 144 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Meyer pled guilty April 19, 2024, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. In 2011, Meyer was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa for possession with intent to distribute more than 5 grams of methamphetamine within a protected location.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on November 19, 2022, law enforcement officers in Denison, Iowa stopped a vehicle driven by Meyer. Meyer admitted to being in possession of marijuana, failed to follow officer’s commands and drove off at a high rate of speed initiating a pursuit through Denison, Iowa. Meyer ultimately drove into the alley and was taken into custody. During a search of the vehicle officers located 55.46 grams of methamphetamine in the rear seat next to Meyer’s wallet. Officers also seized four plastic bags, each containing approximately one ounce (about 28 grams) of marijuana, a clear plastic bag containing 4.4 grams of marijuana, and a clear plastic bag containing 3 grams of suspected cocaine. Meyer intended to distribute some or all of the drugs to another person or persons.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Meyer was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and must serve an eight-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Meyer remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Denison Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4013. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cleveland Woman Sentenced to 2½ years in Prison for Forging Power of Attorney to Steal More than $46k from Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Tanya Alahmad, 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced by U.S. Judge David A. Ruiz to 30 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $46,064.30 in restitution. Alahmad pleaded guilty in March 2024 to one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for forging a power of attorney to steal more than $46,000 from an elderly victim.
According to court documents, from November 2019, through February 2022, Alahmad befriended the victim and stayed at their residence a few days week. Alahmad assisted the victim by cleaning the house and running errands. Alahmad also created a fraudulent Power of Attorney (POA) that named her as POA by forging the victim’s signature and then used the POA to obtain credit and debit cards in the victim’s name. Alahmad used the fraudulently obtained credit and debit cards to conduct unauthorized purchases and withdrawals. At times, the victim was hospitalized and in a rehabilitation facility while Alahmad continued to write checks from the victim’s bank account without lawful authority. As a result of Alahmad’s conduct, the victim and the bank lost more than $46,000.
This investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio would like to acknowledge and thank the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and the Cleveland Police Department for their cooperation with this matter.
The investigation and prosecution of this case is in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The mission of the EAPPA and Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target the nation’s elderly population.
If you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.
Cincinnati man sentenced to 10 years in prison for fentanyl crime, money launderingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in U.S. District today to 120 months in prison for crimes related to trafficking fentanyl and laundering the proceeds.
Nathaniel Williams, 45, possessed with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and committed money laundering.
According to court documents, in August 2023, Williams told an undercover agent that he had bulk amounts of cash from trafficking fentanyl and was looking for ways to transfer the money into the banking system.
Williams provided cash from his narcotics sales to the undercover agent, who then wired $15,120 of the funds into Williams’s bank account via a wire transfer. Williams withdrew $10,000 of the funds in cash a few days later.
On Oct. 18, 2023, agents discovered more than $44,000 in cash at Williams’s residence while executing a search warrant. Officials also recovered approximately 527 grams of fentanyl and fentanyl mixtures in a secret furniture compartment.
Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023 and pleaded guilty in March 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office; and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case, which was investigated by IRS-CI and the Cincinnati Police Department Narcotics Unit.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Chinese National Charged for Multi-Year “Spear-Phishing” CampaignRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Song Wu, a Chinese national, has been indicted on charges for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from his efforts to fraudulently obtain computer software and source code created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (“NASA”), research universities, and private companies.
“Efforts to obtain our nation’s valuable research software pose a grave threat to our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “However, this indictment demonstrates that borders are not barriers to prosecuting bad actors who threaten our national security.”
“Once again, the FBI and our partners have demonstrated that cyber criminals around the world who are seeking to steal our companies’ most sensitive and valuable information can and will be exposed and held accountable,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “As this indictment shows, the FBI is committed to pursuing the arrest and prosecution of anyone who engages in illegal and deceptive practices to steal protected information.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Song allegedly engaged in a multi-year “spear phishing” email campaign in which he created email accounts to impersonate U.S.-based researchers and engineers and then used those imposter accounts to obtain specialized restricted or proprietary software used for aerospace engineering and computational fluid dynamics. This specialized software could be used for industrial and military applications, such as development of advanced tactical missiles and aerodynamic design and assessment of weapons.
In executing the scheme, Song allegedly sent spear phishing emails to individuals employed in positions with the United States government, including NASA, the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Army, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Song also sent spear phishing emails to individuals employed in positions with major research universities in Georgia, Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio, and with private sector companies that work in the aerospace field. Song’s spear phishing emails appeared to the targeted victims as having been sent by a colleague, associate, friend, or other person in the research or engineering community. His emails requested that the targeted victim send or make available source code or software to which Song believed the targeted victim had access.
According to the indictment, while conducting this spear phishing campaign, Song was employed as an engineer at Aviation Industry Corporation of China (“AVIC”), a Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Beijing, China. AVIC manufactures civilian and military aircrafts and is one of the largest defense contractors in the world.
Song Wu, 39, of China is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. Song faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. Song faces a mandatory, two-year consecutive sentence in prison if convicted of aggravated identity theft.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the NASA – Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal is prosecuting the case. Within the National Security Division, this matter is being handled by Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger of the National Security Cyber Section with assistance from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
This case is being coordinated by the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. Government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
A man who escaped from custody in the Gerald R. Hinzman Center was sentenced September 13, 2024, to 24 months in federal prison.
Casey Duhme, age 35, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after an April 16, 2024, guilty plea to one count of escape from federal custody. At the plea hearing, Duhme admitted that he was in custody at the Hinzman Center under a federal court order pursuant to his prior conviction for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. Duhme admitted that, between June 12, 2023, and August 31, 2023, he left custody without authorization by failing to return to the Hinzman Center as required.
Duhme was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Duhme was sentenced to 24 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.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 24-20.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Costa Rican Man Sentenced in Cocaine Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Mainor Salazar Montero, 35, of Costa Rica, was sentenced to 63 months incarceration by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
According to court records, on November 26, 2020, the United States Coast Guard intercepted a vessel in international waters approximately 115 nautical miles from Isla Malpelo, Colombia. The vessel had no flag flown nor registration documents and was therefore determined to be a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. On board the vessel were multiple fuel canisters and 333 kilograms of cocaine. Also on board were Salazar-Montero, Eleuterio Murillo Gomez and Randar Vasquez Munoz. Murillo Gomez and Vasquez Munoz also pleaded guilty to cocaine conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on October 11, 2024.
The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Billings woman sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking meth directly from Mexico to MontanaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS —A Billings woman convicted at trial by a federal jury of trafficking methamphetamine by using her U.S. passport to bring the drug across the Mexico border and into California for mailing to Montana for distribution was sentenced on Sept. 13 to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Dawn Marie Guevara, 44, who was living in Tijuana, Mexico, was found guilty in a March trial of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Waters presided.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that Guevara conspired with others to distribute pounds of meth in the Billings community from about July 2018 to December 2018. Law enforcement learned that Guevara, who was living in Mexico, was selling meth to an individual through social media orders and arranging to have another person in Billings receive the meth and complete the transaction. While living in Mexico, Guevara recruited her niece, Ashley Chesmore, to deliver the drugs. Chesmore was prosecuted in 2019 and sentenced to four years in federal prison for her role in the case.
Investigators determined that Guevara would obtain meth in Mexico, cross into the United States using her U.S. passport and mail the meth from a post office in San Ysidro. Money collected from sales was wired to Guevara in Mexico. Border crossing information determined that Guevara entered the United States through the San Ysidro Port of Entry approximately 20 times between July 7, 2018 and Oct. 18, 2018. After her indictment in 2019, Guevara did not cross the border a single time between 2019 and 2023. Guevara was arrested in 2023 in the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Postal Service conducted the investigation.
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.
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Assault on two women on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation sends Fort Belknap man to prison for more than four yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Fort Belknap man who admitted to firing a pistol at two women in a housing area on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Gilbert Raymond Martinez, 33, of Fort Belknap and Parshall, North Dakota, pleaded guilty in May to assault with a dangerous weapon.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that on May 17, 2021, Martinez fired a 9mm pistol at two women in the Newtown Housing area of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. The second woman told the responding officer that if she had not moved out of the way, the bullet would have hit her. After Martinez threw one woman to the ground, kicked her in the ribs and discharged a firearm at her, he discharged the firearm at a second woman, who was attempting to help the first assault victim.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Belknap Police Department and Blaine County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Armenian National Sentenced for Assaulting an Immigration Detention OfficerRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Arsen Tonoyan, 48, an Armenian national formerly residing in Los Angeles, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution for assaulting a federal officer or employee that inflicted bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2022, Tonoyan assaulted a detention officer at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Golden State Annex detention center in Kern County. Tonoyan walked up to the detention officer and hit the officer multiple times. He punched the officer, put the officer into a chokehold, and took the officer down to the ground. The officer suffered bodily injuries as a result of the attack, including a concussion, back injuries, and other injuries requiring immediate medical attention.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple prosecuted the case.
14 September 2024
New Whistleblower Pilot Program encourages early voluntary self-disclosure of criminal conductRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) has created the EDVA Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Pilot Program (Whistleblower Program), designed to encourage early voluntary self-disclosure of criminal conduct by participants in certain non-violent offenses.
“Our new Whistleblower Program emphasizes our continued focus on fraud and public corruption cases,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber. “We encourage people to come forward, report these crimes, and cooperate with us. In exchange for this information and ongoing cooperation, we promise that eligible whistleblowers will not be prosecuted. And if you choose not to come forward, someone else might.”
In exchange for such self-disclosure and cooperation, EDVA will enter into a non-prosecution agreement where certain specified conditions are met, including that the criminal conduct was neither previously made public nor known to the government. Eligible disclosure must relate to the actions of individuals who are equally or more culpable than the whistleblower, cannot be made in response to an inquiry or investigation, and must be complete. Non-prosecution agreements under the program are not available to elected federal or foreign officials, officials or agents of federal law enforcement agencies, or officers who exercise primary control over the operations of the public or private organization where the misconduct occurred. By providing clarity on the requirements and the benefits of such self-disclosure, this published policy – and others across the Department of Justice – incentivize individuals and their counsel to provide timely, actionable information. That, in turn, will help bring more misconduct to light and better protect communities within EDVA.
Reporting individuals must also forfeit any benefit or profit they received through their participation in the criminal conduct and make restitution commensurate with their role in the offense.
The EDVA Whistleblower Program is different and separate from the Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program (Whistleblower Awards Program) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. EDVA’s pilot program is for individuals who participated in criminal activity and face criminal liability. The Whistleblower Awards Program is for those who did not meaningfully participate in criminal activity that falls within specific subject areas.
Information for the Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Pilot Program is available on the EDVA website, including links for the full policy and access to our intake form for voluntary self-disclosure. Completed forms may be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at USAVAE-WBP@usdoj.gov.
13 September 2024
Walgreens Agrees to Pay $106.8M to Resolve Allegations It Billed the Government for Prescriptions Never DispensedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and Walgreen Co. (together, Walgreens) have agreed to pay $106.8 million to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act and state statutes for billing government health care programs for prescriptions never dispensed. Walgreens, headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, operates one of the largest retail pharmacy chains in the country.
The government alleges that, between 2009 and 2020, Walgreens submitted false claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs for prescriptions that it processed but that were never picked up by beneficiaries. Walgreens instead restocked and resold the same prescription to someone else without reversing the claim submitted to the government, collecting payment twice on these prescriptions. As a result, Walgreens received tens of millions of dollars for prescriptions that it never actually provided to health care beneficiaries.
As part of the resolution, Walgreens received credit under the department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases. Among other actions, Walgreens implemented enhancements to its electronic pharmacy management system to prevent this from occurring in the future and self-reported certain conduct. Because Walgreens previously refunded $66,314,790 pertaining to the settled claims, Walgreens will receive a credit for this amount.
“Federal health care programs provide critical health care services to millions of Americans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable those who abuse these programs by knowingly billing for goods or services they did not provide.”
“Millions of Americans rely on the promise of federal healthcare through programs like Medicare and Medicaid,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “Fraudulently billing for prescriptions which are never dispensed endangers the integrity of these critical programs. We are committed to guarding the public’s investment in our health from private corporations.”
“Adopting new technology and systems can be beneficial for providers, beneficiaries, and federal payors, including Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “However, we will not allow companies to hide behind their implementation of ill-conceived technology and systems that result in billing federal health care programs for goods and services never provided to beneficiaries. In those situations, we will pursue the companies and ensure that the taxpayer is made whole.”
“This settlement marks another major achievement in our ongoing commitment to combat healthcare fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “It is essential to hold pharmacies accountable when they knowingly fail to abide by the rules and requirements of our national health care programs.”
“Medicare enrollees, and consumers at-large, rely on pharmacies for critical medications that sustain their quality of life, and providers who prey upon public health care programs to increase profit margins must be held accountable,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is unwavering in its commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded healthcare programs and ensuring those that threaten their integrity are held liable for their actions.”
The federal share of the recovery is $91,881,530, and a total of $14,933,259 will be returned to individual states, which jointly fund state Medicaid programs, through separate settlement agreements with the Medicaid participating states.
The federal government’s settlement with Walgreens resolves three cases pending in the District of New Mexico, Eastern District of Texas and Middle District of Florida under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. Steven Turck, a former Walgreens pharmacy manager, filed the qui tam suit in the Eastern District of Texas related to billing Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs, and will receive $14,918,675. Andrew Bustos, a former Walgreens district pharmacy supervisor, filed the qui tam suit in the District of New Mexico related to billing Medicare Part B and will receive $1,620,000.
Trial Attorney Seth Greene of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth Keegan and Sean Cunniff and Auditor Julie Chappell for the District of New Mexico; Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Adrian Garcia for the Eastern District of Texas; and Senior Litigation Counsel Lindsay Griffin for the Middle District of Florida handled the matters. HHS-OIG and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units assisted in the investigations.
The investigation and resolution of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The civil settlements with Walgreens resolved the following captioned cases: United States ex rel. Bustos v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., et al., No. 1:15-cv-781 (DNM); United States ex rel. Turck, et al. v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., et al., No. 4:19-cv-315 (EDTX); and United States, et al. ex rel. Jacob v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., No. 8:20-cv-858-T-60TGW (MDFL).
Note: View the Bustos Settlement here and the Turck-Jacob Settlement here.
Walgreens Agrees to Pay $106.8M to Resolve Allegations It Billed the Government for Prescriptions Never DispensedRead the Press Release
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and Walgreen Co. (together, Walgreens) have agreed to pay $106.8 million to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act and state statutes for billing government health care programs for prescriptions never dispensed. Walgreens, headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, operates one of the largest retail pharmacy chains in the country.
The government alleges that, between 2009 and 2020, Walgreens submitted false claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs for prescriptions that it processed but that were never picked up by beneficiaries. As a result, Walgreens received tens of millions of dollars for prescriptions that it never actually provided to health care beneficiaries.
As part of the resolution, Walgreens received credit under the department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases. Among other actions, Walgreens implemented enhancements to its electronic pharmacy management system to prevent this from occurring in the future and self-reported certain conduct. Because Walgreens previously refunded $66,314,790 pertaining to the settled claims, Walgreens will receive a credit for this amount.
“Federal health care programs provide critical health care services to millions of Americans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable those who abuse these programs by knowingly billing for goods or services they did not provide.”
“Millions of Americans rely on the promise of federal healthcare through programs like Medicare and Medicaid,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “Fraudulently billing for prescriptions which are never dispensed endangers the integrity of these critical programs. We are committed to guarding the public’s investment in our health from private corporations.”
“Adopting new technology and systems can be beneficial for providers, beneficiaries, and federal payors, including Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “However, we will not allow companies to hide behind their implementation of ill-conceived technology and systems that result in billing federal health care programs for goods and services never provided to beneficiaries. In those situations, we will pursue the companies and ensure that the taxpayer is made whole.”
“This settlement marks another major achievement in our ongoing commitment to combat healthcare fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “It is essential to hold pharmacies accountable when they knowingly fail to abide by the rules and requirements of our national health care programs.”
“Medicare enrollees, and consumers at-large, rely on pharmacies for critical medications that sustain their quality of life, and providers who prey upon public health care programs to increase profit margins must be held accountable,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is unwavering in its commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded healthcare programs and ensuring those that threaten their integrity are held liable for their actions.”
The federal share of the recovery is $91,881,530, and a total of $14,933,259 will be returned to individual states, which jointly fund state Medicaid programs, through separate settlement agreements with the Medicaid participating states.
The federal government’s settlement with Walgreens resolves three cases pending in the District of New Mexico, Eastern District of Texas and Middle District of Florida under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. Steven Turck, a former Walgreens pharmacy manager, filed the qui tam suit in the Eastern District of Texas related to billing Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs, and will receive $14,918,675. Andrew Bustos, a former Walgreens district pharmacy supervisor, filed the qui tam suit in the District of New Mexico related to billing Medicare Part B and will receive $1,620,000.
Trial Attorney Seth Greene of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth Keegan and Sean Cunniff and Auditor Julie Chappell for the District of New Mexico; Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Adrian Garcia for the Eastern District of Texas; and Senior Litigation Counsel Lindsay Griffin for the Middle District of Florida handled the matters. HHS-OIG and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units assisted in the investigations.
The investigation and resolution of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The civil settlements with Walgreens resolved the following captioned cases: United States ex rel. Bustos v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., et al., No. 1:15-cv-781 (DNM); United States ex rel. Turck, et al. v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., et al., No. 4:19-cv-315 (EDTX); and United States, et al. ex rel. Jacob v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., No. 8:20-cv-858-T-60TGW (MDFL).
*This release has been updated to remove an allegation that is not in the settlement agreement.
Turck Jacob Settlement Bustos SettlementUnited States Files Suit for Unpaid Duties and Penalties for Alleged Transshipment of Chinese Aluminum WireRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a civil lawsuit against Repwire LLC, a Florida Corporation that imports wire and cables. The lawsuit alleges that Repwire made false statements to customs officials in importing aluminum wire into the United States. The lawsuit also names as defendants Repwire’s manager, Jose Pigna, and insurer, American Alternative Insurance Corporation.
The United States’ complaint contends that Repwire, through gross negligence or negligence, misrepresented to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the imported wire’s classification code and country of origin. Repwire allegedly falsely classified the imported wire from China as aluminum wire with connectors instead of wire without connectors, and after import duties on the former were subsequently raised, Repwire allegedly then falsely identified the country of origin for various entries of its merchandise as Singapore or Korea. Both of these alleged misrepresentations resulted in Repwire failing to pay the appropriate amount of duties owed on its merchandise.
“The Justice Department is committed to pursuing individuals and companies who evade customs duties or otherwise engage in unfair trade practices that harm U.S. manufacturers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to employ all of our tools to ensure that U.S. manufacturers are competing on a level playing field.”
“CBP takes its trade mission of protecting the U.S. economy very seriously as we strive to maintain fair trade and preserve American jobs from predatory practices,” said Executive Director Susan Thomas of Cargo and Conveyance Security, Office of Field Operations, CBP. “These civil penalties should serve as a warning to those who attempt to do harm to our economy and American businesses.”
The complaint alleges that Repwire, acting through Pigna, avoided various duties owed on the imported wire, including Section 301 duties, which are owed on certain Chinese merchandise, including aluminum wires without connectors, and anti-dumping and countervailing duties associated with Chinese aluminum wire. Antidumping and countervailing duties are trade remedies that help protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices by foreign businesses and countries, such as government subsidies or below market sales.
The complaint seeks the recovery of over $11 million in import duties and up to $62 million in civil penalties.
CBP’s Electronics Center of Excellence and Expertise and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami investigated the case. CBP and HSI are the agencies responsible for enforcing U.S. laws related to the importation of merchandise into the United States, including the collection of duties and assessment of penalties.
Trial Counsel Daniel Hoffman of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, National Courts Section, handled the case.
The case, which is filed in the Court of International Trade, is captioned United States v. Repwire LLC, and Jose Pigna, and American Alternative Insurance Corporation, No. 24-00173.
To combat trade fraud, including avoidance of import duties, the Justice Department created a Trade Fraud Task Force. The Task Force partners with CBP and other law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with United States trade laws.
The claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
ComplaintU.S. Attorney’s Office to work with local partners to reduce domestic violenceRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Ga.: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
The Justice Department – through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions – will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.
“We work in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to prevent violence, particularly gun violence and domestic violence,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “A key part of this effort includes keeping firearms out of the hands of those who are legally prohibited from possessing them, including those with records of domestic abuse.”
Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
Augusta has been designated as a community partner in the Southern District of Georgia.
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
Complete List of Jurisdictions as of Sept. 13, 2024:
- Montgomery County, Alabama
- Jefferson County, Alabama
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Washington County, Arkansas
- Fresno, California
- San Diego, California
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Ward 7, District of Columbia
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Alachua County, Florida
- Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida
- Macon-Bibb County, Georgia
- DeKalb County, Georgia
- Augusta, Georgia
- City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii
- Ada County, Idaho
- Danville, Illinois
- Rockford, Illinois
- Madison County, Illinois
- Gary, Indiana
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Linn County, Iowa
- Garden City, Kansas
- Fayette County, Kentucky
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Orleans Parish, Louisiana
- Rapides Parish, Louisiana
- Western Maine Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine
- Baltimore City, Maryland
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Saginaw, Michigan
- Lansing, Michigan
- Greenville, Mississippi
- Jackson, Mississippi
- Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
- Greene County, Missouri
- Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana
- Northeast Omaha, Nebraska
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Strafford County, New Hampshire
- Bernalillo County, New Mexico
- Borough of Brooklyn, New York
- Onondaga County, New York
- Borough and County of the Bronx, New York
- Monroe County, New York
- Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina
- Forsyth County, North Carolina
- Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina
- Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Toledo, Ohio
- Muskogee County, Oklahoma
- Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma
- Portland, Oregon
- Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
- Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- Greenville County, South Carol
- Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota
- City of Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee
- Gregg County, Texas
- Amarillo, Texas
- Houston, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- Salt Lake County, Utah
- South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia
- Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Chittenden County, Vermont
- Spokane County, Washington
- King County, Washington
- Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia
- Kanawha County, West Virginia
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Dane County, Wisconsin
- Fremont County, Wyoming
U.S. Attorney’s Office to work with local partners to reduce domestic violenceRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
In the Eastern District of Virginia, the South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach) jurisdiction has been designated.
The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.
Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to work with local partners to reduce domestic violenceRead the Press Release
Seattle – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.
“Our federal prosecutors will team with the King County Prosecutors Office to review all firearms cases arising from domestic violence incidents to determine if federal prosecution is appropriate,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This partnership with King County recognizes that it takes all of us to reduce gun violence in our community.”
“Public safety is my top priority, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is committed to tackling gender-based and domestic violence,” said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion. “We are proud of the work the Regional Domestic Violence Firearm Enforcement Unit, a partnership with the City of Seattle, has done over the last several years to address gun violence in domestic violence relationships. We look forward to partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on strategies and solutions. It is more important than ever that my office and our law enforcement partners collaborate on our shared goal of keeping our communities safe, decreasing recidivism, and having clear accountability for criminal acts.”
“We’re continuing our efforts to ensure that intimate partner firearm violence is addressed in a proactive manner, and we continue to work to deter domestic violence offenders from possessing firearms, investigating those who choose to do so illegally,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Each of our field offices has a Violence Against Woman Act coordinator, as maintaining the safety of our families and communities is the cornerstone of ATF’s mission in partnership with our U.S. Attorney offices.”
Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
In Washington State Spokane County and King County are the two jurisdictions currently designated to prioritize prosecuting intimate partner firearm violence.
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to Work with Local Partners to Reduce Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.
Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
In the District of Columbia, the following jurisdictions have been designated:
Ward 7, District of Columbia
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
Complete List of Jurisdictions as of September 11, 2024:
Montgomery County, Alabama
Jefferson County, Alabama
Little Rock, Arkansas
Washington County, Arkansas
Fresno, California
San Diego, California
Hartford, Connecticut
Ward 7, District of Columbia
Jacksonville, Florida
Alachua County, Florida
Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida
Macon-Bibb County, Georgia
DeKalb County, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii
Ada County, Idaho
Danville, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Madison County, Illinois
Gary, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Des Moines, Iowa
Linn County, Iowa
Garden City, Kansas
Fayette County, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Rapides Parish, Louisiana
Western Main Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine
Baltimore City, Maryland
Boston, Massachusetts
Saginaw, Michigan
Lansing, Michigan
Greenville, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Greene County, Missouri
Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana
Northeast Omaha, Nebraska
Las Vegas, Nevada
Strafford County, New Hampshire
Bernalillo County, New Mexico
Borough of Brooklyn, New York
Onondaga County, New York
Borough and County of the Bronx, New York
Monroe County, New York
Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina
Forsyth County, North Carolina
Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Toledo, Ohio
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma
Portland, Oregon
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Greenville County, South Carolina
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota
City of Chattanooga, Tennessee
Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee
Gregg County, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Houston, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Salt Lake County, Utah
South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia
Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Chittenden County, Vermont
Spokane County, Washington
King County, Washington
Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia
Kanawha County, West Virginia
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Dane County, Wisconsin
Fremont County, Wyoming
U.S. Attorney’s Office to Work with Local Partners to Reduce Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.“Stopping gender-based violence is a priority in the District of Utah and it is critical that we work together,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins. “Through our robust partnerships with state, local, federal, and tribal law enforcement, and community organizations, we remain committed to addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking through prosecution and providing access to justice for victims and survivors.”
“Domestic abuse was once considered a private matter to be suffered alone in the shadows”, said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. VAWA has steadily shone a light on this issue, resulting in significant decreases in domestic violence over the past few decades. We recognize firearms are often used by abusers to carry out acts of domestic violence. To combat this, we encourage our law enforcement partners to seek all available federal funds so we may continue to disrupt this violence, and strengthen our support of all victims.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah has always prioritized cases involving firearms and domestic violence offenders. Part of our office’s current strategic plan is to expand relationships with groups focusing on domestic violence prevention, such as victim advocacy groups, shelters, and resource centers. We also continue to organize training with our law enforcement partners to specifically address prosecutions involving persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence and offenders subject to a protective order.
Additionally, this month in the District of Utah, a man who was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend while within Indian Country will be sentenced to federal prison. Last month, a Utah woman who attempted to commit a murder for hire to kill her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. These successful outcomes would not be possible without the tireless work of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in the pursuit of justice.
Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
In the District of Utah, the following jurisdictions have been designated: Salt Lake County.
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to Work with Greene County Partners to Reduce Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore announced today that Greene County, Mo., has been designated by the U.S. Department of Justice to receive additional resources to focus on combating domestic gun violence.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives field divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited from owning firearms.
In Greene County, the department is providing additional resources to combat firearm violence against intimate partners and children. Two assistant prosecutors in the Greene County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will be cross-designated as special assistant U.S. attorneys to prosecute firearms cases in federal court. “We appreciate the involvement of Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson, Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott, Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams and other local agencies in our coordinated effort to protect victims of domestic violence” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore.
“Working alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Greene County authorities, we are developing strategies and prioritizing prosecutions for offenders who illegally possess a gun and engage in intimate partner violence” said U.S. Attorney Moore.
Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson said, “I am excited to have the United States Attorney’s Office partner with our Domestic Violence Unit, the Springfield Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and the Greene County Family Justice Center in the fight to reduce domestic violence in our community. Enforcing existing federal gun laws to prosecute domestic violence offenders will help ensure that those who threaten the safety of their family and household members and our community are held accountable, preventing future harm, and protecting survivors from escalating violence.”
“In April, ATF hosted the first Inaugural Gun Violence Survivors’ Summit to honor those who have fallen to domestic violence and today’s announcement is an example of how ATF will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities every day,” stated Bernard G. Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Kansas City Field Division. “ATF’s mission is as critical as it has ever been; we will not stop working to prevent gun violence and will do everything we can to stop the cycle of domestic abuse.”
Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as U.S. Attorney’s Offices continue coordination with their local stakeholders. All U.S. Attorney’s Offices, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.