title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Eric Ross, age 36, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for attempting to entice and coerce a 12-year-old child into sexual activity and for distributing and possessing child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Ross admitted that between October 22, 2021, and November 6, 2021, he sent sexually explicit text messages to someone he believed was an adult offering the sexual services of a 12-year-old girl, and to someone he believed was the 12-year-old girl, in an attempt to entice the child into engaging in sexual acts with him. During the same period, Ross also admitted that he distributed child pornography via an internet-based messaging application. Ross admitted that on November 6, 2021, he traveled to a hotel in Colonie, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 12-year-old girl. Ross was arrested by law enforcement shortly after arriving at the location and was found in possession of child pornography at the time of his arrest. United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 25-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release, ordered Ross to pay $3,000 in restitution to a victim whose images he possessed, and ordered him to forfeit the device that contained the child pornography. Ross will be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison. This case was investigated by the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police and the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Nathaniel Larson, 26, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Larson pleaded guilty to this charge on February 8, 2024. On July 11, 2023, an Eau Claire police officer stopped a car Larson was driving for a traffic violation. Larson’s behavior during the stop was suspicious, so the officer asked him to exit the car. Larson then consented to a search and the officer found a small bag of heroin and fentanyl in his pants pocket. Larson was arrested and during a subsequent search of the car, the officer found a loaded Taurus 9 mm handgun and an extra loaded magazine. Larson is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of a prior felony conviction for second degree recklessly endangering safety. At the sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that Larson’s behavior has been out of control and that a long sentence was necessary to protect the community. Larson was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his prison term. The charge against Larson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Eau Claire Police Department, West Central Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Three Individuals Facing Federal Charges For Swatting Activities

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 which was unsealed earlier today, charging Owen Jarboe, age 18, of Hagerstown, Maryland, Evan Strauss, age 26, of Moneta, Virginia, and Brayden Grace, age 18, of Columbus, Ohio, with conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. According to the six-count superseding indictment, from approximately December 10, 2023 through at least January 18, 2024, Evan Strauss, Owen Jarboe, and Brayden Grace, along with other conspirators, knowingly and unlawfully conspired to place and caused to be placed swatting calls to multiple police and emergency departments across the United States. The superseding indictment alleges that the defendants were part of an online group known as “Purgatory” and that they used multiple online social media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan their swatting activities and to announce swats that they had conducted. The defendants and their conspirators often used shared scripts to obfuscate their phone numbers and identities. Among the swatting incidents alleged in the superseding indictment are: a threat to burn down a residential trailer park in Alabama; a shooting threat against a teacher and unnamed students at a high school in Delaware; a shooting and bomb threat to the Albany International Airport in New York; a shooting and bomb threat against a casino in Ohio; and a multiple homicide event and shooting threat against individuals in a residence in Eastman, Georgia. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy, cyberstalking and interstate threat and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on each charge to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosive. 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. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding work in the investigation and praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Columbus, Ohio Police Department, Newark, Delaware Police Department, Lenoir City, Tennessee Police Department, Albany, New York Police Department, Albany County, New York Sheriff’s Office , Fairburn City, Georgia Police Department, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Police Department, Giles County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department, Tarboro, North Carolina Police Department, Boston, Massachusetts Police Department, Dodge County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office, Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte and Cincinnati Field Offices for their valuable assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Robert I. Goldaris, who are prosecuting the 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 . # # #


title: Final “Calicartel” Defendant Pleads Guilty to Dark Web Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif . —Devin Shanahan, 29, of Winnetka, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine over the dark web, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Shanahan worked with his coconspirators to create narcotics vendor accounts on various dark web marketplaces in 2018 and 2019, including accounts known as “BuxomBrunette,” “CaliCartel,” and “Playground.” Shanahan used his computing expertise to set up, troubleshoot, and help his co-conspirators operate their technical infrastructure, including encryption and shipping tools as well as cryptocurrency wallets. These vendor accounts consummated over 2,000 sales of narcotics between October 2018 and May 2019, totaling approximately 1.7 kilograms of heroin, 2.9 kilograms of cocaine, and 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamine. This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond, and includes agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California prosecuted a number of other defendants and co-conspirators in cases related to Shanahan’s, including the following: United States v. Ian Hoffmann , No. 2:21-cr-00017-JAM, in which defendant Ian Hoffmann was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. United States v. Gabriel Alva , No. 2:21-cr-00178-JAM, in which defendant Gabriel Alva was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as well as for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States v. Catherine Stuckey , No. 2:20-cr-00044-JAM, in which defendant Catherine Stuckey was sentenced to two years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. United States v. George Franco , No. 2:21-cr-00244-JAM, in which defendant George Franco was sentenced to two years of probation for distributing cocaine. Shanahan is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge John A. Mendez on October 8, 2024. Shanahan faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Redding Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif . — Gabriel Joseph Detrant, 50, of Redding, was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Feb. 2, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Detrant was driving in Redding. Detrant stopped the vehicle, and he and a passenger fled on foot. The officers found a Baikal Makarov, Model IJ-70 9 mm handgun loaded with eight rounds by the driver’s seat. Officers later found Detrant hiding nearby in possession of a magazine loaded with eight 9 mm rounds. Detrant is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2018 conviction in Shasta County for being a felon in possession of a firearm. This case was the product of an investigation by the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office, the Redding Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case. 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.


title: ST. CROIX MAN INDICTED ON FIREARM CHARGES

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Ambrose Daniel, 44, of St. Croix, made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Daniel with felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and with unlawful possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, on May 10, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed at Daniel’s residence in All for the Better, St. Croix. Federal agents recovered a Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol, 48 rounds of .45 caliber cartridges, and a machine gun device capable of converting a Glock pistol into a fully automatic firearm from Daniel’s residence. In 1997, Daniel was convicted of assault in the third degree in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. Said felony conviction prohibits Daniel from legally possessing a firearm. If convicted, Daniel faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virgin Islands Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn. United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely a charging document and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to $3.6M Covid-19 Relief Fraud

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, NC – BENNETT ABABIO of Maryland pled guilty today to one-count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States related to a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking approximately $3.6 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that the Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to court documents, between May 2020 and December 2021, ABABIO conspired to submit fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan and forgiveness applications for himself and others, including an individual located in Greensboro, North Carolina. ABABIO owned, or partially owned, five companies for which ABABIO submitted fraudulent PPP applications. In total, ABABIO received $2,581,833 in PPP loans for his companies. The PPP applications contained false statements about the payroll expenses of each company, which the SBA used to calculate the amount of PPP funds to which the applicant-companies would be entitled. Separately, ABABIO helped others prepare fraudulent PPP applications, resulting in over $1 million in additional PPP loans being disbursed to ABABIO’s clients. Sentencing is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina, courtroom number one, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. At sentencing, ABABIO faces a maximum sentence of five in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties. The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Waid. ###


title: Buffalo man charged with drug distribution following traffic stop

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Marlon G. Holt, Jr., 50, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, controlled substances. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that on May 7, 2024, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of Holt’s vehicle. According to the complaint, during the stop, Holt provided inconsistent and untruthful answers to the deputy’s questions, including stating he was returning from New York City after doing dry wall work. However, law enforcement knew that the time frame could not be correct, since Holt’s rental vehicle was recorded in Myrtle Springs, Texas on May 5, 2024, by a license plate reader. In addition, when law enforcement asked Holt if he had dry wall tools, he opened the rear of the vehicle and showed tools that were inconsistent with dry wall work. The tools appeared to be brand new and never used. During the execution of a search warrant on the vehicle, investigators recovered approximately nine-kilogram shaped bricks of suspected cocaine, approximately eight half-kilogram wrapped packages of suspected methamphetamine, $10,000 cash, and three cell phones. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Ontario County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff David Cirencione, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. Holt made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Lincoln Man Convicted for Possession of Ammunition by A Felon

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Leonard G. Pfarr, 33, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 9, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession of ammunition by a felon. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Pfarr to 16 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Pfarr’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Pfarr was arrested by officers with the Lincoln Police Department on active state arrest warrants. A pat search was conducted incident to arrest, and an object identified as a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson round was found in Pfarr’s pocket. Pfarr has been convicted on three different occasions of crimes punishable by more than one year of imprisonment. Markings on the recovered ammunition indicate it was manufactured outside of the United States and transported in interstate commerce to Nebraska. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to more than 11 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Charge

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Emeterio Sepulveda-Moreno, age 43, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Sepulveda-Moreno to 135 months’ imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment Sepulveda-Moreno will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen. On June 22, 2021, a cooperating defendant was arrested after a search warrant executed on his Omaha residence revealed 28 one-pound packages of crystal meth, and $18,754 in narcotics proceeds. In a post-arrest interview, the cooperator admitted to his involvement in distributing meth and identified Sepulveda-Moreno as an individual responsible for delivering hundreds of pounds of meth to Omaha, including the 28 pounds found in the cooperator’s possession. The cooperator described a June 19, 2021, delivery of drug proceeds to Sepulveda-Moreno at an Omaha gas station in exchange for the meth he was caught with 2 days earlier. Agents retrieved video surveillance from the gas station showing the cooperator giving Sepulveda-Moreno a black suitcase containing drug proceeds. A short time later at a different location, Sepulveda-Moreno delivered the meth to the cooperator. The $18,754 seized on June 22, 2021, was previously forfeited to the United States as proceeds from narcotics trafficking, and the cooperator was previously sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment. This case was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office to Co-Sponsor “United Against Hate” Summit with The College of Idaho

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit along with The College of Idaho, and the Community Center, are convening a United Against Hate summit on May 13 at The College of Idaho in Caldwell. The event is free and is open to the public. The registration link can be found here: www.eventbrite.com/UAH-Caldwell . United Against Hate is an initiative launched by the Department of Justice focused on improving efforts to combat hate crimes and hate incidents through relationship building at the local level. Through this endeavor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to create and strengthen trust and partnerships among law enforcement, community leaders, and residents. Well‑attended summits have already been held in Coeur d’Alene, Caldwell, Boise, Ketchum, Pocatello, and Sandpoint. This is the second United Against Hate summit hosted at The College of Idaho. “The United Against Hate initiative continues to resonate and be a priority for our office because Idaho has continued to experience troubling hate incidents,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We are committed to empowering Idahoans to recognize and report hate crimes so that we can enforce the law and work toward communities where everyone can enjoy the protections of our Constitution without fear of being targeted by bigotry and hate.” The May 13 event will include remarks from local leaders, presentations from prosecutors about hate crimes laws and reporting mechanisms, and speakers who will share their courageous experiences responding to hate, including the response to a recently-prosecuted hate crime targeting the LGBTQ+ community. “We are thrilled once again to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our community to host the United Against Hate summit,” said Latonia Haney Keith, Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice President of High Impact Practices at The College of Idaho. “Last year’s event was an outstanding success, drawing an engaged audience willing to combat hate and encourage understanding. Events like this provide a critical educational platform to empower our community to take action against bigotry and intolerance, ultimately fostering a safer and more inclusive environment for everyone.” “I look forward to meeting community members and hearing different perspectives on how we can work together to unite our community in standing up to unlawful hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And I am deeply honored to join with The College of Idaho and our other partners to prioritize this critical mission.” ###


title: Honduran cartel boat captain sentenced for trafficking tons of cocaine to the United States

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran national was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in prison for moving prodigious amounts of cocaine bound for the United States. Erasmo Avila Palacios, aka Nelsi Erasmo Avila or “Monstruo,” 49, was a prominent boat captain and long-time trusted associate of the Montes Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) based in Colón, Honduras, which distributed multi-metric-ton quantities of Colombian cocaine through Central America bound for the United States. Avila used go-fast vessels to move workers as well as cocaine for the DTO, and even received cocaine loads via airplane. From 2010 to 2014, under the leadership of Noe Montes-Bobadilla, Avila averaged at least two go-fast-vessel shipments of cocaine per month, with each shipment consisting of approximately 500 to 900 kilograms of cocaine. Avila then curried shipments of millions of dollars in cash in the opposite direction. After Noe Montes-Bobadilla’s arrest in 2017, the Montes DTO continued under new leadership. From 2017 to 2022, Avila became a trusted advisor for the DTO’s new leadership, providing maritime advice and helping to coordinate maritime cocaine shipments for the Montes DTO and consulting for other DTOs as well. Avila directed and advised several individuals on operating maritime vessels, plotting maritime coordinates to receive cocaine shipments to avoid detection and seizure, bribery of Honduran officials, and acts of violence towards suspected rival narcotraffickers in Honduras and elsewhere. During this time, Avila also managed a team of trusted workers who performed the hands-on jobs in the distribution of cocaine shipments. Honduran authorities intercepted three shipments of cocaine during this time, ranging from 1,500 to 2000 kilograms of cocaine, that Avila was involved in transporting. After his October 2023 extradition from Honduras to the United States, Avila pled guilty on Feb. 6 to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin S. Starr prosecuted the case. Assistance in the investigation and prosecution was provided by the DEA’s Washington Division in coordination with the Honduran National Police and the Tegucigalpa Country Office. Local assistance was provided by the Virginia State Police, and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Avila’s arrest and extradition. 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 . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-16.


title: Former Navy Sailor Sentenced to 10 Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - Guam & Northern Mariana Islands

body_text: Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Michael Yan Tajan, age 33, from San Jose, California, was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for the crime of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a). The Court also ordered five years of supervised release following imprisonment and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. Tajan was ordered to register with the Sex Offender Registry anywhere he resides, is employed, or is in school. On April 3, 2019, Michael Yan Tajan, then a Navy Gunner Mate 3 rd Class Petty Officer, was convicted of Uniformed Code of Military Justice Article 120c offenses - Indecent Recording, in violation of 10 U.S.C. § 920(c), involving adult victims. At a Special Court Martial in Guam, Tajan pled guilty to disobeying a superior commissioned officer, indecent recording, and indecent viewing. A military judge sentenced Tajan to a reduction in rank, confinement for 90 days, and discharge from the U.S. Navy. From June 2019 to October 2023, law enforcement confirmed that Tajan resided in Guam after his release, traveled off island, and returned to Guam. Tajan never registered with the Guam Sex Offender Registry, nor did he provide the registry with his intent to engage in international travel. “The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) facilitates the monitoring and tracking of sex offenders following criminal conviction,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “It applies throughout all states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The Department of Justice aggressively enforces SORNA violations in an effort to keep our communities safe. Registration information can be found at nsopw.gov.” “Mr. Tajan failed to register as a sex offender as required by law after he was convicted of multiple sex-related offenses, thereby posing a threat to those with whom he comes into regular contact near his home, at work, and in school,” said Special Agent in Charge Darren Hatalosky of the NCIS Southeast Asia Field Office. “NCIS and the Department of Justice are committed to ensuring convicted sex offenders are held to account for their crimes.” The investigation was conducted by Naval Criminal Investigative Service and prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.


title: Defendant Sentenced for Impersonating a Federal Agent

body_text: GREENSBORO – A Greensboro man convicted of posing as a federal law enforcement agent has been sentenced, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina. KHRIY SHERROD SIMON, age 33, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison. SIMON was found guilty at trial on January 24, 2024, of impersonating a special agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Evidence presented at trial showed that on March 29, 2023, in a parking lot on Bridford Parkway in Greensboro, SIMON parked behind and blocked a car occupied by the driver and a passenger. Wearing a black tactical vest and a black balaclava, and armed with a weapon, SIMON aggressively approached the driver’s side of the car. He yelled at the occupants, demanding that they put their hands where he could see them, ordering them not to move, and announcing himself as the DEA. SIMON told the women that they resembled two people suspected of murder and drug crimes. He ordered them out of the car, claiming he needed to search it for evidence of those crimes. Even after he searched the car, he continued to detain the women and only released them after conferring with the driver of another car, an associate of SIMON’s, who arrived on scene. Throughout the ordeal, SIMON repeated to the women that he was with the DEA. SIMON is not and has never been a special agent of the DEA or a member of any federal or state law enforcement agency. “By impersonating a law enforcement officer, the defendant endangered the lives of both victims and other citizens in the surrounding area,” said United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “The investigation and prosecution of this case, and the sentence imposed today, send a clear message that such reprehensible conduct will not be tolerated.” SIMON was sentenced by the Honorable William L. Osteen, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. At the conclusion of his active term of imprisonment, SIMON will be subject to supervised release for one year. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greensboro Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Jeanne Dildine and Nicole R. DuPré. ###


title: Executive Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Monopolize, Rig Bids and Allocate Territories for Wildfire Services

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The former owner of contractor companies that provided fuel truck services to the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire fighters pleaded guilty today to conspiring to monopolize, rigging bids and allocating territories in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The plea follows a judicially authorized wiretap investigation that led to the indictment of two executives in December 2023. According to a plea agreement and superseding information filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, Ike Tomlinson, 60, conspired with co-defendant Kris Bird, 61, and others in at least two conspiracies. First, from at least as early as March 2015 until about March 2023, Tomlinson conspired to rig bids — and allocate territories — in the market for wildfire-fighting fuel truck services for certain dispatch centers of the U.S. Forest Service’s Great Basin wildfire dispatch region. Then, from at least as early as February 2020 until about March 2023, Ike Tomlinson and Kris Bird also conspired to monopolize that same market. As summarized in his plea agreement, Tomlinson and his co-conspirators sought to exclude competing vendors from the market and to maintain his power to price higher than he would have otherwise. In March 2023, for example, Tomlinson coordinated his bids with Bird to “squeeze,” “drown,” “punch,” “low ball” and de-prioritize two competing vendors on the Forest Service’s dispatch priority lists. “Congress criminalized conspiracies to monopolize in 1890 to protect the American promise of free enterprise,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s guilty plea shows that the Justice Department and its Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) partners will deploy every appropriate law enforcement tool — including court-authorized wiretaps — to prosecute blatant monopolistic conduct that harms the public.” “Agencies like the U.S. Forest Service rely on a fair bidding process to secure the best deal at the best price for taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho. “When contractors collude rather than compete, they wrong the public and honest competitors who submitted bids fair and square.” “The FBI will pursue and find those who would overcharge the federal government and submit false federal certifications,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Contractors who collude with their counterparts will be investigated and held accountable.” “The defendant rigged prices of their fuel truck services, overcharging the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire fighters,” said Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s plea agreement shows that there will be serious consequences for executives for conspiring against the federal government. The FBI and our partners are committed to ensuring the American government, and its taxpayers, are not victimized by criminal monopoly schemes.” A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals and a maximum penalty of a $100 million fine for corporations. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors. The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency investigated the case. Trial Attorney Matthew Chou and Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg of the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint . The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Fatal Fentanyl Overdose in Indian Country Lands Four Defendants in Federal Prison for More Than 33 Years Collectively

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Four defendants have now been sentenced to serve 406 months collectively for their respective roles in the distribution of fentanyl that resulted in the death of another person in Indian country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. In October 2023, DUSTIN ELLIS , 32, PAMELA PAYNE , 40, and SIERRA MANDRELL , 30, all of Grady County, were each charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Another defendant, NICHOLAS SWEETEN , 27, also of Grady County, was charged separately in October for his involvement in the drug conspiracy. According to court documents, on or about April 2, 2023, the four defendants conspired to distribute pills containing fentanyl, which resulted in the fentanyl overdose death of a Grady County resident on April 3, 2023. On October 5, 2023, Ellis pleaded guilty to his role in the distribution of fentanyl. On November 2, 2023, Payne, Mandrell, and Sweeten each pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl. As part of their pleas, Payne and Mandrell admitted to distributing a substance containing fentanyl and Sweeten admitted to facilitating the deal. Last week, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Ellis to serve 240 months, Payne to serve 100 months, and Sweeten to serve 30 months in federal prison. On May 6, 2024, Mandrell was sentenced to serve 36 months in federal prison. Each of the four defendants will also serve five years of supervised release upon their release from prison. As part of the sentencings, the Court described fentanyl as “the single deadliest drug threat our country has ever encountered.” “This case is yet another tragic reminder of the damage that one fentanyl-laced pill can cause,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “My office will continue to seek justice for families suffering with the loss of loved ones caused by fentanyl and hold accountable all involved in distributing this deadly poison.” “DEA Oklahoma City is proud to stand with our numerous law enforcement partners in Central Oklahoma and champion the work that led to the significant sentence in this investigation,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas, which oversees operations in Oklahoma. “Ms. Mandrell is being held accountable for the poison that found its way into our neighborhoods by her hand. Whether it is one pill or 1,000 pills of fentanyl, the DEA will never cease its efforts to rid these drugs from the streets of Oklahoma.” This case is in federal court because Ellis is a member of the Choctaw Nation, Payne is a member of the Chickasaw Nation, and the crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation. This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Grady County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Chickasaw Nation Office of Tribal Justice Administration. Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell and Assistant U. S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has pleaded guilty in federal court to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In his plea agreement, Daryl Jay Dickson , 38, admitted that as a previously convicted felon he knew he was not allowed to possess a firearm and ammunition. The handgun he possessed will also be forfeited to the United States government. The Court ordered that Dickson remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Dickson faces between 27 and 33 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Dickson will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today. The Zuni Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of Zuni Fish and Wildlife and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Bank Employee Indicted on Charges of Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

body_text: CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury has returned a 17-count indictment charging Yue Cao, 34, of Winfield, Illinois, accusing him of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property in connection with a scheme to steal funds from identity theft victims’ accounts at the bank where he worked. According to the indictment, from between approximately May 2022 to April 2023, Cao allegedly engaged in a scheme to defraud the Ohio-based bank where he worked, and its customers, by transferring funds from those customers’ accounts to ones that Cao controlled, including accounts he had established in the customers’ names, all without their knowledge or authorization. He diverted the money stolen from the customer accounts for his personal use. Cao was a quantitative modeling analyst at the bank and used his position to locate customers who had not yet enrolled in online banking services, primarily targeting elderly customers as identity theft victims. Without the victims’ knowledge, Cao created email addresses in their names and enrolled their accounts in online banking without their knowledge. By setting up online banking, he both obtained control of the victims’ accounts and ensured that bank statements and other notices about the accounts would be sent to the email addresses he controlled. Cao then used the victims’ personal identifying information to open unauthorized bank accounts and brokerage accounts in their names. Cao used his control of these accounts to set up at least $2.1 million in unauthorized online transfers from the victims’ true accounts to the unauthorized accounts he had opened in the victims’ names and to Cao’s own financial accounts. An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. The investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Brydle.


title: Gallup Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of Minors

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Gallup man was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing two minors. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, between August 2012 and August 2013, Lathem Eskeets , 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in sexual acts with John Doe, who was older than 12, but younger than 16 at the time, and Jane Doe, who was younger than 12 at the time, while living at their mother’s residence near Church Rock, New Mexico. Eskeets will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Jacksonville Gun Smugglers Sentenced To Six Years In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Antonio Jose Melean Reyes (29, Jacksonville) and Gabriel Daniel Pinnace (32, Jacksonville) each to six years in federal prison for smuggling firearms outside of the United States. On January 3, 2024, Reyes pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the United States and conspiring to use a facility of interstate commerce in the commission of murder-for-hire. On January 17, 2024, Pinnace pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the United States and knowingly making a materially false statement during the purchase of a firearm. According to court documents, on May 15, 2021, Reyes and Pinnace attempted to smuggle 3 firearms and 57 rounds of ammunition from Jacksonville to Venezuela. Prior to that date, Reyes enlisted Pinnace to purchase the firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers with knowledge that the firearms would be sent to Venezuela. Pinnace purchased the firearms after falsifying ATF Forms 4473, which are required for all firearms purchases. After purchasing the firearms, Pinnace attempted to destroy the serial numbers on the firearms and provided them to Reyes, who then concealed the firearms and ammunition in a futon that he attempted to mail using a freight forwarding service. Employees from the freight forwarder observed the firearms during a routine x-ray of the parcel and contacted law enforcement. On May 22, 2021, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Miami seized the three firearms, which included a Glock 17 pistol and two Smith and Wesson M&P 15 rifles. Forensic technicians at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) restored the obliterated serial numbers, which allowed ATF agents in Jacksonville to trace the firearms back to Pinnace. On May 24, 2021, after learning law enforcement had seized the firearms, Pinnace reported the firearms as stolen. Following Reyes’s arrest on unrelated state charges on August 11, 2023, federal agents from ATF, HSI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) searched Reyes’s cellphone and found conversations between Reyes and Pinnace discussing trafficking firearms to Venezuela. Agents also learned Reyes was involved in a murder-for-hire plot. Between July 12 and August 9, 2023, Reyes and others surveilled two intended victims at various locations around Jacksonville, including outside their home, to murder the victims over a $60,000 debt. Reyes had also asked Pinnace to hire a hitman for $15,000. Federal agents intervened and arrested Reyes on a criminal complaint. On August 26, 2023, ATF, HSI and CBP agents conducted an undercover operation to purchase firearms directly from Pinnace. That morning, Pinnace met with an undercover agent and agreed to sell the agent three firearms. That afternoon, agents surveilled Pinnace as he drove to a gun store in Jacksonville, where he falsified another ATF Form 4473 and purchased two firearms. After leaving the gun store, Pinnace met with the undercover agent and sold the agent the three firearms and instructed the agent to destroy the serial numbers. Agents also arrested Pinnace on a criminal complaint. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh. 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.


title: Flight Attendants Charged In Connection With Smuggling Drug Money To The Dominican Republic

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the unsealing of two Complaints charging flight attendants CHARLIE HERNANDEZ, SARAH VALERIO PUJOLS, EMMANUEL TORRES, and JAROL FABIO with various offenses in connection with their years-long participation in smuggling narcotics trafficking proceeds from the United States to the Dominican Republic on commercial flights. All of the defendants were arrested yesterday. PUJOLS and FABIO were presented yesterday in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein, and HERNANDEZ and TORRES will be presented later today before Judge Stein. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, these flight attendants smuggled millions of dollars of drug money and law enforcement funds that they thought was drug money from the United States to the Dominican Republic over many years by abusing their privileges as airline employees. Today’s charges should serve as a reminder to those who break the law by helping drug traffickers move their money that crime doesn’t pay.” HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “As alleged, the defendants knowingly smuggled large amounts of illicit money linked to the sale of narcotics, to include fentanyl, and took advantage of airport security checkpoints by using their trusted positions as flight attendants. This investigation has exposed critical vulnerabilities in the airline security industry and has illuminated methods that narcotics traffickers are utilizing. Today’s announcement should serve as a warning to all airline personnel: HSI New York will not tolerate employees’ attempts to abuse their power for the sake of transporting illicit goods. I commend El Dorado Task Force’s Transnational Criminal Enterprise Investigations Group and our partners in the public and private sectors for recognizing the seriousness of this issue.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaints: [1] During the relevant period charged in the Complaints, all of the defendants were employed as flight attendants with different international airlines that operated routes between New York City and the Dominican Republic. All of the defendants had “Known Crewmember” (“KCM”) status with the Transportation Security Administration, which allowed them to pass through a special security lane at John F. Kennedy International Airport and other airports with less scrutiny than normal passengers. In total, the defendants smuggled approximately $8 million in bulk cash from the United States to the Dominican Republic. Before his or her arrest in about October 2021, a cooperating witness (“CW-1”) operated a significant money laundering organization (“MLO”) in New York City, specializing in the movement of cash proceeds from narcotics sales from New York City to the Dominican Republic. One method that CW-1 used in furtherance of his or her MLO was corrupting flight attendants, like the defendants, who worked routes between New York City and the Dominican Republic. In exchange for a fee – which generally amounted to a small percentage of the amount of money that they would be smuggling – the defendants accepted bulk cash from CW-1 in New York City, got it past airport security via the KCM lane, and passed it off to other members of CW-1’s MLO in the Dominican Republic, including another cooperating witness (“CW-2”). After CW-1 and CW-2 began cooperating with law enforcement, HSI orchestrated a number of sting operations in which CW-1 provided law enforcement funds represented to be narcotics proceeds to the defendants, who then smuggled it down to the Dominican Republic and handed it off to CW-2. * * * CHARLIE HERNANDEZ, 42, of West New York, New Jersey, SARAH VALERIO PUJOLS, 42, of the Bronx, New York, EMMANUEL TORRES, 34, of Brooklyn, New York, and JAROL FABIO, 35, of New York, New York, are each charged with one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmission business, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of entering an airport or aircraft area in violation of security requirements, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. PUJOLS and HERNANDEZ are additionally charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmission business, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and PUJOLS is further charged with one count of bulk cash smuggling, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of HSI and the New York City Police Department. This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Gianforti and Jackie Delligatti are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaints are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaints and the description of the Complaints set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Four-Time Convicted Felon Indicted For Possession Of A Rifle, Ammunition, Machineguns, And Silencers

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Lee Ann Roberts (42, Altamonte Springs) with possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possession of unregistered machineguns and silencers. If convicted, Roberts faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and up to 10 years in federal prison for possessing unregistered machineguns and silencers. The indictment also notifies Roberts that the United States intends to forfeit the firearms, silencers, and ammunition involved in the offense. According to the indictment, Roberts is a four-time convicted felon. Despite knowing that she was a felon, on February 12, 2024, Roberts possessed a Savage Arms rifle and ammunition. As a convicted felon, she is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Roberts also possessed two AR-type machineguns and three silencers. None of the machineguns or silencers were registered to Roberts in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Altamonte Springs Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan. 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.


title: Two Sentenced to a Total of Over Five Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Dozens of Firearms from Indianapolis to Chicago

component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Miesha Webster, 27, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transfer firearms to an out-of-state resident and making a false statement in connection with the purchase of a firearm. James Osborne III, 34, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 45 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transfer firearms to an out-of-state resident. According to court documents, between June 2021, and September 17, 2021, Miesha Webster and James Osborne III “straw purchased” at least 37 firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in Indiana. Straw purchasing occurs when a person who is allowed to legally purchase a gun from a federally licensed dealer falsely states that they are purchasing a firearm for themselves, when they know that the gun is actually intended for someone else—frequently someone who is legally prohibited from making the purchase themselves. As part of the straw purchasing scheme, Osborne drove Webster to firearms dealers, and Webster would purchase certain makes and models of firearms, falsely claiming the firearms were being purchased for herself, when they were in fact being purchased on behalf of Osborne to sell. Osborne told Webster what guns to buy and gave her the money to make the purchases. Osborne was prohibited from purchasing firearms himself. Webster and Osborne sold the straw-purchased firearms to an individual from Chicago, Illinois. The buyer met Webster and Osborne in Indiana to purchase the guns, then took them back to Chicago. Under federal law, it is a crime to willfully transfer or sell firearms to another person in another state if neither individual is a federally licensed firearms dealer. On September 13, 2021, Webster was observed arriving at a federally licensed firearms dealer in Brownsburg, Indiana, in a vehicle driven by Osborne. Webster left the store with a Glock 21 .40 caliber pistol and a Glock 26 9mm pistol. On the ATF form, she listed herself as the actual buyer and listed a false home address. Webster and Osborne took the two firearms, along with others purchased by Webster on a different date, to Lafayette, Indiana, where they sold the guns to their Chicago purchaser. ATF agents arrived on scene of the illegal deal and arrested both defendants. In total, Webster purchased at least 51 firearms, 24 of which have been recovered by law enforcement agencies in addition to the six seized during Webster and Osborne’s arrest. Of the 24 recovered firearms, 17 were recovered in Chicago or surrounding cities in Illinois. “Illegal gun sales fuel violence in Indiana, Chicago, and across the country, by putting deadly weapons in the hands of people with no lawful business having them,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The federal prison sentences imposed here demonstrate that straw purchase schemes are serious crimes that carry serious consequences. I commend the ATF and our federal prosecutor for their efforts to reduce gun violence and hold gun traffickers accountable.” “These defendants were both charged with violating the Gun Control Act by straw purchasing and trafficking firearms,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “In facilitating the flow of firearms to those who are prohibited from possessing them, they bear a measure of responsibility for the violence those firearms cause in our community. I hope this sentence serves as a warning to others who might consider doing this – ATF and our law enforcement partners will work to find you, as well, and hold you accountable for your actions.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela Domash, who prosecuted this case. 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. ###


title: Dartmouth Woman Indicted for Embezzling From Multiple Employers

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dartmouth woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from two different employers. Jasmyne Botelho, 41, was charged with two counts of wire fraud. Botelho was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in December 2023 . According to the charging documents, between September 2017 and April 2020, Botelho stole at least $280,000 from her employer. Specifically, it is alleged that Botelho directed payments purportedly intended for the company’s vendors to bank accounts she controlled and used company funds to make payments on personal credit cards and an auto loan. To hide her scheme, Botelho allegedly falsified her employer’s books and records to make it appear as though the payments had in fact been sent to legitimate vendors rather than to Botelho. It is further alleged that, between May 2022 and December 2023, Botelho improperly inflated her payroll from another employer by more than $160,000. Botelho allegedly concealed her scheme by manipulating her employer’s payroll and accounting software to hide her inflated payroll as well as phony “reimbursements” she paid herself. The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Money Laundering and Unlawful Export of Military Data

body_text: Yuksel Senbol, 36, of Orlando, pleaded guilty to 25 felony counts in Florida federal court, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, seven counts of money laundering, conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), four counts of violating the ECRA, and one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act. According to court documents, beginning in approximately April 2019, Senbol operated a front company in the Middle District of Florida called Mason Engineering Parts LLC. She used this front company to assist her co-conspirators, Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek, to fraudulently procure contracts to supply critical military components to the Department of Defense. These components were intended for use in the U.S. Navy Nimitz and Ford Class Aircraft Carriers, U.S. Navy Submarines, U.S. Marine Corps Armored Vehicles, and U.S. Army M-60 Series Tank and Abrahams Battle Tanks, among other weapons systems. To fraudulently procure the government contracts, Senbol and her co-conspirators falsely represented to the U.S. government and to U.S. military contractors that Mason Engineering Parts LLC was a vetted and qualified manufacturer of military components, when in fact, the parts were being manufactured by Ozcan and Simsek in Turkey. And, as Senbol knew, Simsek’s involvement had to be concealed from the U.S. government because he had been debarred from contracting with the U.S. government after being convicted of a nearly identical scheme in the Southern District of Florida. In order to enable Ozcan and Simsek to manufacture the components in Turkey, Senbol assisted them in obtaining sensitive, export-controlled drawings of critical U.S. military technology. Using software that allowed Ozcan to remotely control her computer – and thus evade security restrictions that limited access to these sensitive military drawings to computers within the United States – Senbol knowingly facilitated the illegal export of these drawings. She did so despite having executed numerous agreements promising to safeguard the drawings from unlawful access or export, and despite the clear warnings on the face of each drawing that it could not be exported without obtaining a license. Once Ozcan and Simsek manufactured the components in Turkey, they shipped them to Senbol, who repackaged them – making sure to remove any reference to their Turkish origin. The conspirators then lied about the origin of the parts to the U.S. government and a U.S. government contractor to receive payment for the parts. Senbol then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds back to Turkey through international wire transfers. This scheme continued until uncovered and disrupted by federal investigators. Parts supplied by Senbol were tested by the U.S. military and were determined not to conform with product specifications. Many of the components supplied to the U.S. military by Senbol were “critical application items,” meaning that failure of these components would have potentially rendered the end system inoperable. Senbol faces up to 10 years in prison for the conspiracy to defraud the United States offense and for each count of money laundering. She faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to violate the ECRA, violating the ECRA and violating the Arms Export Control Act. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6. Alleged co-conspirators Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek are fugitives. This case was investigated by the FBI; General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; Homeland Security Investigations; and Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Lindsey Schmidt for the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Stephen Marzen of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: KC Man Indicted for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for producing child pornography that depicted the sexual assault of a 3-year-old victim. Michael Adden, 26, was charged in a 14-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, May 7. The indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Adden on April 18, 2024, and contains additional charges. Adden remains in federal detention without bond. The federal indictment charges Adden with 10 counts of producing child pornography involving the child victim between Nov. 14, 2023, and Feb. 6, 2024. Adden is also charged with one count of attempting to produce child pornography, two counts of distributing child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the investigation began when law enforcement received multiple reports of Adden allegedly uploading child pornography to Snapchat, Kik, Discord, and Instagram. On April 11, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Adden’s residence. Officers found a cell phone in an unlocked safe in the living room, which allegedly contained hundreds of videos of child pornography, including videos of the sexual assault of the child victim. Officers also found 20 more cell phones in Adden’s residence. Forensic analysis of Adden’s electronic devices is still ongoing, but initial reviews indicate Adden was in possession of thousands of files depicting child pornography. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Childhood 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Oklahoma Inmate Sentenced to 26 Years for Leading Meth Conspiracy from his Prison Cell

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An inmate of the Lawton Correctional Facility in Oklahoma has been sentenced in federal court for leading a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene and Polk Counties while he was incarcerated. Joshua A. Ramirez, 39, who has no legal address, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Tuesday, May 7, to 26 years in federal prison without parole. Ramirez was sentenced as a career criminal due to his prior felony convictions. On Aug. 16, 2023, Ramirez pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Ramirez admitted that he facilitated large methamphetamine transactions from within the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Ramirez utilized drug couriers to transport methamphetamine and collect proceeds from several co-conspirators in southwest Missouri and elsewhere. Ramirez used a source of supply in Juarez, Mexico. According to court documents, Ramirez is responsible for the distribution of 907 kilograms of methamphetamine. During the time of this drug-trafficking conspiracy, Ramirez was serving a state felony sentence in Oklahoma for distributing a controlled substance and waiting to be released and transferred to federal custody to begin serving a 20-year prison sentence in a separate and unrelated case for distributing a controlled substance in the Northern District of Texas. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the El Dorado Springs, Mo., Police Department.


body_text: Tampa, FL – Yuksel Senbol, 36, of Orlando, pleaded guilty to 25 felony counts in Florida federal court, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, seven counts of money laundering, conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), four counts of violating the ECRA, and one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act. According to court documents, beginning in approximately April 2019, Senbol operated a front company in the Middle District of Florida called Mason Engineering Parts LLC. She used this front company to assist her co-conspirators, Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek, to fraudulently procure contracts to supply critical military components to the Department of Defense. These components were intended for use in the U.S. Navy Nimitz and Ford Class Aircraft Carriers, U.S. Navy Submarines, U.S. Marine Corps Armored Vehicles, and U.S. Army M-60 Series Tank and Abrahams Battle Tanks, among other weapons systems. To fraudulently procure the government contracts, Senbol and her co-conspirators falsely represented to the U.S. government and to U.S. military contractors that Mason Engineering Parts LLC was a vetted and qualified manufacturer of military components, when in fact, the parts were being manufactured by Ozcan and Simsek in Turkey. And, as Senbol knew, Simsek’s involvement had to be concealed from the U.S. government because he had been debarred from contracting with the U.S. government after being convicted of a nearly identical scheme in the Southern District of Florida. In order to enable Ozcan and Simsek to manufacture the components in Turkey, Senbol assisted them in obtaining sensitive, export-controlled drawings of critical U.S. military technology. Using software that allowed Ozcan to remotely control her computer – and thus evade security restrictions that limited access to these sensitive military drawings to computers within the United States – Senbol knowingly facilitated the illegal export of these drawings. She did so despite having executed numerous agreements promising to safeguard the drawings from unlawful access or export, and despite the clear warnings on the face of each drawing that it could not be exported without obtaining a license. Once Ozcan and Simsek manufactured the components in Turkey, they shipped them to Senbol, who repackaged them – making sure to remove any reference to their Turkish origin. The conspirators then lied about the origin of the parts to the U.S. government and a U.S. government contractor to receive payment for the parts. Senbol then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds back to Turkey through international wire transfers. This scheme continued until uncovered and disrupted by federal investigators. Parts supplied by Senbol were tested by the U.S. military and were determined not to conform with product specifications. Many of the components supplied to the U.S. military by Senbol were “critical application items,” meaning that failure of these components would have potentially rendered the end system inoperable. Senbol faces up to 10 years in prison for the conspiracy to defraud the United States offense and for each count of money laundering. She faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to violate the ECRA, violating the ECRA and violating the Arms Export Control Act. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6. Alleged co-conspirators Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek are fugitives. This case was investigated by the FBI; General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; Homeland Security Investigations; and Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Lindsey Schmidt for the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Stephen Marzen of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Maryland Career Offender Sentenced to 14 Years for Leading Fentanyl Distribution Ring and Using Stolen Identities to Fleece State Unemployment Insurance Programs

body_text: WASHINGTON – Collin Edwards, 29, of Largo, Maryland, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for leading a group involved in manufacturing counterfeit oxycodone pills mixed with fentanyl and for using stolen personal identifying information (PII) to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims that netted more than $250,000, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; and Special Agent in Charge of the National Capital Region Troy W. Springer, of the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. Edwards, also known as “Chills,” pleaded guilty on November 9, 2023, in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to a felony charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 or more grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Edwards admitted that he, and the members of his conspiracy, were accountable for producing and distributing at least 1.2 kilograms of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Edwards also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. In addition to the 14-year in prison term, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Edwards to serve five years of supervised release. Edwards previously agreed to forfeit $100,000. According to court documents, this case began with the June 21, 2021, discovery of a make-shift drug lab in in Laurel, Maryland. In August 2021, law enforcement began investigating Edwards and others and learned that the group was running a fentanyl pill pressing operation in and around Washington, D.C., and Maryland, renting apartments with stolen identities, for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing these counterfeit pills. Edwards and six others were identified as participants in the drug trafficking operation. Law enforcement identified another apartment Edwards and the group were renting in a fictitious identify, this time, a high-end luxury apartment located in the Navy Yard area of Washington, D.C. On Mar. 29, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at the apartment with Edwards present and seized baggies of pills and loose powder, together amounting to more than 516 pills and more than 76 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. During the search of the apartment, authorities seized Edwards’ cellphone. The phone contained countless text message conversations with other drug traffickers discussing pill sales in the hundreds and thousands. On May 15, 2020, for example, Edwards wrote to an unknown contact, “I’m over here counting out 5000 pills bro. Hold on.” Edwards wrote co-conspirators on a regular basis to discuss the strength of the pills, the supply, and pricing. He also openly discussed moving an industrial pill press from the Laurel apartment to his girlfriend’s father’s home in Annapolis, Maryland following the discovery of the drug processing lab in Laurel. The FBI also located troves of text messages between Edwards and others laying out a scheme to commit wire fraud involving unemployment insurance fraud. Edwards obtained database documents containing personal identifying information (PII) for hundreds of victims. The documents contained birthdates, social security numbers, home addresses, e-mail addresses, and past phone numbers. Edwards used this stolen PII to apply online for unemployment insurance benefits in victims’ names. Edwards caused pre-loaded debit cards in victim names to be sent to the homes of his associates and family members. He then retrieved the cards and withdrew funds at ATM locations around the DMV area. Edwards admitted that he and other co-conspirators illegally netted at least $250,000 through the scheme. Most victims had no knowledge that their identity had been used to apply for unemployment benefits. Edwards was arrested in downtown Baltimore on October 20, 2022, a month after evading capture following a high-speed car chase. Edwards has multiple prior convictions for drug offenses and armed robbery. According to court documents, one prior conviction stemmed from a gun-point robbery where Edwards and a co-conspirator threatened to blow a victim’s head off in his own apartment. Edwards was on supervision for that offense while committing the crimes in this case. Edwards is the last defendant to be sentenced in this investigation. On June 23, 2023, Chase Cole was sentenced to twelve months and one day of incarceration On October 13, 2023, Garnell Lucas was sentenced to 72 months of incarceration. On December 15, 2023, Tyron Waters was sentenced to 70 months of incarceration. On January 12, 2024, Laura Garvin was sentenced to 24 months of incarceration. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section with the assistance of former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah J. Rasalam and Marnee Rand of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section.


title: Bristol, Tennessee Man Sentenced on Meth, Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Tennessee man who conspired with others, including a man incarcerated in Georgia, to distribute multiple kilograms of methamphetamine was sentenced last week to 180 months in federal prison. Michael Paul Brown, 39, pled guilty in November 2023 to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, beginning in July 2022, Brown conspired with Christopher David Johnson and others to traffic and distribute multiple kilograms of methamphetamine from Georgia into Southwest Virginia. At the time, Johnson was incarcerated in Georgia and used multiple cell phones to direct the methamphetamine distribution operation from prison. In general, Johnson coordinated with Brown regarding travel from Virginia to Georgia to meet with individuals to collect kilograms of methamphetamine. During the conspiracy, Brown routinely carried a handgun to protect himself, his drugs, and his money. Once Brown arrived back in Virginia with methamphetamine, he would then distribute it to wholesale distributors who would then distribute the methamphetamine further. U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration and multiple law enforcement agencies in Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia investigated the case, including the Bristol Tennessee Police Department, Bristol Virginia Police Department, and Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office – 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey Hall and Whit Pierce are prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Springfield Clinic to Make its Online Services Accessible for People with Disabilities

component: Civil Rights - Disability Rights Section

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced today it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Springfield Clinic (Clinic) to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under the agreement, the Springfield Clinic must make its website, patient portals, and mobile applications accessible for patients with visual and manual impairments. Patients receiving medical care from the Clinic rely on its online services to access personal medical information, review test results, communicate with healthcare providers, and pay bills. The agreement requires the Clinic to conform its online services to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Version 2.1, Level AA. WCAG is a set of industry guidelines for making online information accessible to users with disabilities, particularly those with visual and manual impairments. “People with disabilities must be able to access their personal medical information just like any other patient and without sacrificing their privacy or independence,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “We commend the Springfield Clinic’s cooperation and commitment to make its online services fully accessible. We encourage all healthcare providers in the Central District of Illinois to review their online services to ensure they are fully accessible.” The settlement resolves an ADA complaint filed with the Department of Justice alleging that a patient with a visual impairment was unable to access their medical information online or pay a bill. According to the complaint, the patient had to call the Clinic and have personal medical information read over the phone. Without admitting to violating the ADA, the Clinic also agreed to a monetary payment to the complainant to fully resolve the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant represented the government during the investigation and settlement process. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like healthcare providers offer people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services, programs, and activities. The settlement is part of the Civil Rights Division’s Tech Equity Initiative to combat disability discrimination that occurs through technology, such as in websites and mobile apps. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov , or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 833-610-1264). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at www.civilrights.justice.gov .


title: Strawberry Point Felon Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Scott Wesley Timmerman, age 56, from Strawberry Point, Iowa who was found in a park after hours with a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced May 3, 2024, to more than five years in federal prison. Timmerman received the prison term after a November 1, 2023, guilty plea to one count of possession of a short-barreled shotgun as a previously convicted felon. In a plea agreement, Timmerman admitted he possessed a short-barreled Winchester shotgun when officers found him in a park after hours. The firearm was not registered to him in the federal registry. Timmerman also had two prior felony convictions in Arizona. Timmerman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Timmerman was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment and fined $500. 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 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. Timmerman 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 Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-2054. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Man admits assault on Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLILNGS — A man accused of kicking another man with steel-toe boots on the Crow Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Jordale Thomas Redwolf, 36, a transient, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Redwolf faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 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. Redwolf was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on Dec. 8, 2023, Redwolf and the victim, identified as John Doe, were drinking alcohol at a house in Wyola, on the Crow Indian Reservation. Doe reported that for no apparent reason, Redwolf repeatedly punched him in the face. When Doe fell to the floor, Redwolf kicked him in the face and torso with boots. Doe was transported to the Crow Indian Health Service Hospital for treatment of injuries. In an interview the next day, Redwolf admitted he beat up Doe because both were drunk, and Doe was “mouthing off” because Redwolf had just been released from prison. Redwolf kicked Doe with his prison-issued boots. Law enforcement seized steel-toe boots that had blood on them from Redwolf’s home. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Concord Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Coercing And Enticing Minors To Produce Child Pornography And A Related Crime

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Javier Antonio Ramirez was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison for coercing and enticing teenaged girls to produce child pornography and receiving child pornography this week, announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge. Ramirez, 29, of Concord, was charged by indictment on March 2, 2023, with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), and one count of receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b). Ramirez pleaded guilty to both counts on November 13, 2023. “Javier Ramirez’s conduct is every parent’s nightmare,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “That Ramirez introduced minors to fentanyl, a lethal drug, to assist in coercing and exploiting them and then watched those minors overdose repeatedly, only makes matters worse. Let this sentence serve as a reminder that this Office will take all steps available to hold accountable those who prey on and exploit our youth.” “The sentencing of Ramirez to 20 years in prison for coercing and enticing minors to produce child sexual abuse material while admittedly poisoning them with the dangerous narcotics is a stern reminder of the imperative to safeguard our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “This verdict underscores HSI’s unwavering commitment to protect the innocent and hold perpetrators of such despicable crimes fully accountable under the law.” According to the plea agreement, Ramirez admitted that between June 2021 through February 2023, Ramirez used social media to identify minor girls to persuade them to engage in sexual intercourse and sexually explicit conduct with Ramirez, which, on occasion, Ramirez would film or photograph. Ramirez admitted that the first step of the pattern of coercion began with Ramirez supplying narcotics to girls, who were all under the age of 18 years old. Ramirez provided narcotics, including cocaine and fentanyl, to these victims at discounted prices or even for free in exchange for sexual acts. According to court filings, Ramirez was the one who introduced many of the victims to fentanyl for the first time, when the victims were only 16 or 17 years old. Over time, Ramirez watched each identified victim overdose multiple times and yet continued to supply more fentanyl to the victims, all while sexually exploiting them. In January 2023, one of the minor victims suffered a non-fatal fentanyl overdose while at a high school in Contra Costa County, from fentanyl Ramirez took her to procure in San Francisco the night before. Ramirez also pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, Ramirez admitted having almost 100 videos and images of child pornography, including of prepubescent minors and toddlers. Judge Tigar sentenced Ramirez to 240 months of imprisonment for the coercion and enticement count, to be served concurrently with 216 months of imprisonment for the receipt of child pornography count. In addition to the prison term, Judge Tigar also ordered Ramirez to serve 15 years of supervised release which will begin after the term of imprisonment. Ramirez was immediately remanded into custody. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Volkar of the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Mark DiCenzo. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Contra Costa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Lafayette Police Department, and the Contra Costa Sherriff’s Office. Online child sexual exploitation and abuse is a threat to all children and teens who use the internet. Prevention and reporting resources for children and caregivers are now available online at www.dhs.gov/know2protect and includes HSI’s signature iGuardian training program. One Pill Can Kill: Beware of pills bought on the street: One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs, but can be obtained at a lower cost. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl create huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily cause death. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are usually shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies. For example, counterfeit pills known as M30s mimic Oxycodone, but when sold on the street they routinely contain fentanyl. These tablets are round and often light blue in color, though they may be made in many colors, and have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill.