title: New York Man and Canadian National Plead Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Export Control Scheme

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Nikolay Goltsev, 38, of Montreal, and Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, 53, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit export control violations for their roles in a global procurement scheme on behalf of sanctioned Russian companies, including Russian military companies. Some of the electronic components shipped by the defendants were later found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine. “The defendants shipped millions of dollars of U.S. electronics critical to the missiles and drones Russia uses to attack Ukraine, and they now face U.S. prison time for their scheme,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “As Russia continues to wage its unjust war of aggression against Ukraine, the Department remains committed to holding accountable those who fuel Putin’s war machine.” “The defendants shipped millions of dollars’ worth of electronic components to Russia, including the exact type of parts found in Russian weapons and drones used to attack Ukraine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We know the devastation and destruction that these weapons cause and the Justice Department is committed to holding accountable those who violate U.S. laws to supply the Russian war machine.” “Eliminating illegal global procurement networks that prop up the Russian war machine requires a full-court press,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce Matthew S. Axelrod for Export Enforcement. “That’s why we and our law enforcement partners are working nonstop to ensure that those operating such networks like Nasriddinov and Goltsev face American justice.” “The defendants flouted U.S. law to help Russia in its war against Ukraine, but they were stopped in their tracks and swiftly brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s guilty pleas reflect that that this Office will take on and successfully neutralize the complicated procurement networks that are making it possible for Russia to continue its unprovoked war against Ukraine.” “The defendants in this case engaged in an illegal scheme to funnel electronic components to Russia to use in its unjust invasion of Ukraine,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “They tried to disguise their activities using front companies but were ultimately discovered and brought to justice. The FBI will continue working with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who violate sanctions in support of adversarial nations.” “With today’s guilty pleas, all three defendants have acknowledged their involvement in their scheme to provide more than $7 million worth of material support to the Kremlin in its inhumane attacks on Ukraine,” said Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Nikolay Goltsev, Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, and their co-conspirator coordinated the deployment of over 300 shipments of restricted electronics that were ultimately used on the Russian battlefield. HSI New York remains committed to utilizing its unique authorities to relentlessly pursue individuals who seek to exploit U.S. export control laws for financial gain. I am proud to stand alongside the Justice Department, FBI, and Department of Commerce in confronting these issues directly.” According to court documents, Goltsev and Nasriddinov used two Brooklyn companies, SH Brothers Inc. and SN Electronics Inc., to unlawfully source, purchase, and ship millions of dollars in dual-use electronics from U.S. manufacturers to sanctioned end users in Russia. Some of the electronic components and integrated circuits shipped by the defendants through SH Brothers have been found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine, including the Torn-MDM radio reconnaissance complex, the RB-301B “Borisoglebsk-2” electronic warfare complex, the Izdeliye 305E light multi-purpose guided missile, the Vitebsk L370 airborne counter missile system, Ka-52 helicopters, Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and T-72B3 battle tanks. Some of these components were critical to Russia’s precision-guided weapons systems being used against Ukraine. During the period charged in the indictment, SH Brothers made hundreds of shipments valued at over $7 million to Russia. To carry out their criminal scheme, Nasriddinov and Goltsev purchased the electronic components from U.S. manufacturers and distributors under the auspices of SH Brothers and SN Electronics and arranged for the items to be shipped from those manufacturers and distributors to various locations in Brooklyn. Nasriddinov and Goltsev then unlawfully shipped the items to a variety of intermediary front companies located in other countries, including Turkey, Hong Kong, India, China, and the United Arab Emirates, where they were rerouted to Russia. The defendants were aware of the potential military applications of the electronics that they exported to Russia. For example, in a message exchange on or about and between Nov. 8, 2022, and Nov. 15, 2022, Goltsev commented how shipping to Russia had become “dangerous” and discussed a shipment of electronic components that had been detained by U.S. officials at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. Nasriddinov responded that “Ukrainians alleged that they’re being bombed from parts from there [the U.S. manufacturer], maybe that’s why they started investigating everything?” Goltsev responded that “we need to figure out why they keep holding the package . . . I don’t really understand how they figured [it] out.” In a subsequent message, Goltsev commented that, “in the future we will need to load from several companies, not to attract attention . . . for now large packages will be dangerous until we understand what they figured out . . . we will need to think of diversifying the load . . . so that not everything is not moving from the same deck.” In a Feb. 23, 2023, message, Nasriddinov wrote to Goltsev, “Happy Defender of the Fatherland,” referring the holiday in Russia and parts of the former Soviet Union celebrating those who served in the armed forces. Goltsev responded, “happy holiday to you too my friend, we are defending it in the way that we can [smile emoji].” The scheme involved millions of dollars and proved to be lucrative for the defendants. For example, in a Sept. 15, 2022, text message from Nasriddinov to Goltsev, Nasriddinov boasted, “SH [Brothers] is one of the best companies in the world, it’s time to move forward onto the stock exchange and stock market, capital should be in the billions, we are working.” Goltsev responded, “pushing components to those who need it I can do, everything else you will have to teach me [three smile emojis].” The government seized $20,000 in cash from the New York hotel room in which Goltsev was arrested. In total, the government has seized approximately $1.68 million dollars in connection with this export scheme. Goltsev and Nasriddinov are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11, respectively. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Co-defendant Kristina Puzyreva pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the export scheme. She is awaiting sentencing. The FBI, HSI and Department of Commerce, Export Enforcement are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Trial Attorney Christopher M. Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Artie McConnell, Ellen H. Sise, and Laura Mantell for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine


title: Grandparents Scam Participant Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWARD ROSARIO-CANELA, 48, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a “grandparents scam” that defrauded elderly victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to court documents and statements made in court, Rosario participated in a “grandparents scam,” a scheme in which fraudsters, who often live outside of the U.S., contact elderly victims in the U.S. by phone impersonating the victim’s grandchild in distress, and induce the victim to send money purportedly help the grandchild. Rosario served as a “money-mule” in a grandparents scam that victimized several individuals who lived outside of Connecticut. For a fee, Rosario picked up packages of money that victims had mailed to addresses in Connecticut and elsewhere, and helped send the money to coconspirators in the Dominican Republic. Judge Nagala ordered Rosario to pay restitution of $655,683. On November 17, 2022, Rosario pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. Rosario, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on September 16. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hartford Police Department, and the Monroe Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather M. Cherry and Michael S. McGarry. More information about grandparents scams and how to avoid being victimized is available here and here .


title: Chelsea Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Social Security Cards and Green Cards

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Chelsea man pleaded guilty yesterday to selling fraudulent Social Security cards and Legal Permanent Resident cards, often referred to as “Green Cards.” Wilberto Sandoval Mazariego, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transfer of a document or authentication feature. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Oct. 3, 2024. In October 2023, Sandoval Mazariego was arrested and charged by criminal complaint. Sandoval Mazariego was later indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023. During an investigation into Tomas Xirum for selling fraudulent Green Cards and fraudulent Social Security cards, law enforcement allegedly identified Sandoval Mazariego as the creator of the fraudulent documents Xirum was selling. Following Xirum’s arrest in August 2022, law enforcement found a text message string between Xirum and Sandoval Mazariego that contained approximately 568 attachments. Xirum would regularly text Sandoval Mazariego pictures of unknown persons along with a name, date of birth and country of birth – to which Sandoval Mazariego would later respond with pictures of Social Security cards and/or Green Cards with the person’s photo and information that Xirum provided. On Aug. 17, 2023, Sandoval Mazariego sold a fraudulent Green Card and a fraudulent Social Security card to an undercover agent. On Oct 3, 2023, Sandoval Mazariego was arrested after leaving his Chelsea residence. During a search of his residence, all items necessary to produce counterfeit forms of identification were found, including two laminators, card stock paper, photo paper, glue, trimmers and printers. Also recovered were nine Legal Permanent Resident cards, six Social Security cards and five driver’s licenses. Five of the recovered Social Security cards contained the names provided by the undercover agent to Sandoval Mazariego as part of the investigation. A total of $17,095 in cash was also recovered from the residence. On Aug. 21, 2023 , Xirum pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and three counts of unlawful production of document or authentication feature. In January 2024, Xirum was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.


title: Priest Pleads Guilty to Sending His Sister $100,000 in Stolen Church Funds

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A retired priest in Jefferson City, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to sending his sister a $100,000 check stolen from a Wardsville, Mo., church and admitted to writing himself a $200,000 check from the church account. The Rev. Ignazio C. Medina, 72, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges him with transporting stolen property across state lines. Medina, a Catholic priest, was pastor at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Wardsville, Mo., from 2013 to 2021. Some financial irregularities arose at St. Stanislaus in 2018, and the diocese determined that the parish had a bank account that was not previously reported on the budget or annual report. Medina was asked to include this bank account in the parish’s annual report, and in 2020 he reported an account balance of about $358,000. After Medina was transferred to a different parish in 2021, it was discovered that he had emptied that bank account. On June 10, 2021, Medina had written a $100,000 check to his sister in Tucson, Arizona. The next day, he had also written a $200,000 check payable to himself. Some expenditures from the account appeared to be church-related. Medina, when confronted, claimed the bank account was funded by donations that were not intended for the parish itself, but rather were intended for his own discretionary use. Donors who had contributed checks deposited into the bank account contradicted Medina’s statement. Several individuals told investigators the checks they wrote to St. Stanislaus were intended for parish purposes, not for Medina’s own discretionary use, and that they never had any conversations with Medina authorizing a different use of the funds. One donor told investigators he intended his donation to be used in the school in memory of a deceased friend. Medina also claimed he was refunding donations and that his sister in Tucson was one of the donors. In fact, his sister was not a source of donations to the account, and told investigators that Medina told her the money he sent was to care for their ailing mother. Under federal statutes, Medina is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the FBI.


title: Felon Who Shot New Mexico State Police Officer Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Los Lunas man who shot a New Mexico State Police officer during a high-speed chase was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system. According to publicly available court records, on February 11, 2022, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Lt. Jeremy Vaughan was on duty at a gas station in Edgewood when he was alerted to a woman in distress. As Lt. Vaughan approached a vehicle containing the woman and Caleb Elledge , 26, of Los Lunas, Elledge fled, ramming the officer's vehicle. A pursuit ensued, ending when Lt. Vaughan performed a pursuit intervention technique. Elledge then fired at Lt. Vaughan, striking him in the neck. Despite his injury, Lt. Vaughan returned fire before Elledge and his passenger fled on foot. The following day, acting on a tip, NMSP agents located and arrested Elledge in McIntosh, New Mexico. During the arrest, Elledge apologized for shooting the officer. Agents recovered the firearm used in the shooting. As a previously convicted felon, Elledge was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Lt. Vaughan medically retired due to the severity of his injuries from the shooting. Lt. Vaughan, his family, many of his NMSP colleagues, as well as numerous members of other law enforcement agencies, were present in the courtroom when Elledge was sentenced. “Attacking a law enforcement officer is a guarantee that you will be caught and punished,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with our state and local partners to keep this community safe. Their bravery and tireless dedication to our communal safety deserves our utmost respect. At today’s sentencing, Lt. Vaughn addressed Elledge directly, stating ‘ you and I should never have been enemies . . . I have never been angry with you, there is nothing for me to forgive . . . I care about you as a fellow human being .’ Lt. Vaughn and his wife offered grace grounded in faith, challenging Elledge to change: ‘ Today is day one .’ Lt. Vaughn’s bravery, faith, and message of hope is a credit to the New Mexico State Police and an inspiration for us all.” “Today’s sentencing of the defendant is reassuring that violence, especially when directed towards law enforcement, is never acceptable in our society,” said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI - Albuquerque Division, "The FBI will continue to work with our local, state and tribal partners to use all available resources to make sure that repeat armed offenders are held accountable and bring to justice anyone who assaults law enforcement officers." "The sentencing of Caleb Elledge is a significant step towards justice for Lt. Jeremy Vaughan and the entire New Mexico State Police family. This incident is a stark reminder of the dangers our officers face daily in their commitment to protect and serve” said Troy Weisler, Chief of the New Mexico State Police. “We are grateful for the collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners that led to this outcome. We will continue to honor our duty to keep the citizens of New Mexico safe." Upon his release from prison, Elledge will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office, Edgewood Police Department, and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office assisted the New Mexico State Police with the investigation of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Felon Caught Twice with Guns Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry on Tuesday sentenced a man who was caught with guns twice while on supervised release to 78 months in prison. On May 28, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers tried to pull over a Nissan Maxima with no front license plate and a rear license plate belonging to a truck when the driver sped away. The vehicle traveled at a high rate of speed in an erratic manner violating traffic signs and causing other vehicles to take evasive action. The driver struck another vehicle before getting on Interstate 70. After exiting at Adelaide Avenue and stopping, Edward A. Crawford got out and ran away. When detectives arrested Crawford, they found a loaded .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Crawford said he tried to discard the gun on the interstate but only succeeded in throwing the magazine out. After he was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, deputy U.S. Marshals arrested him on August 17, 2023, at a home in the 3400 block of Montana Street in St. Louis. They found a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol and four individually wrapped baggies containing cocaine base weighing a total of 25.95 grams. Crawford was on supervised release after pleading guilty in 2018 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Crawford, 43, pleaded guilty in March. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke 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 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: Brooklyn Resident and Canadian National Plead Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Export Control Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Canadian national Nikolay Goltsev and Brooklyn resident Salimdzhon Nasriddinov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit export control violations for their roles in a global procurement scheme on behalf of sanctioned Russian companies, including companies with Russian military contracts. Some of the electronic components shipped by the defendants were later found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. When sentenced, Goltsev and Nasriddinov each face up to 20 years in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Lisa O. Monaco, United States Deputy Attorney General; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations New York (HSI), Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Matthew S. Axelrod, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, U.S. Department of Commerce, announced the plea. “The defendants flouted U.S. law to help Russia in its war against Ukraine, but they were stopped in their tracks and swiftly brought to justice,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will take on and successfully neutralize the complicated procurement networks that are making it possible for Russia to continue its unprovoked war against Ukraine.” Mr. Peace thanked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their valuable assistance to the investigation. “The defendants shipped millions of dollars of U.S. electronics critical to the missiles and drones Russia uses to attack Ukraine, and they now face U.S. prison time for their scheme,” stated Deputy Attorney General Monaco. “As Russia continues to wage its unjust war of aggression against Ukraine, the Department remains committed to holding accountable those who fuel Putin’s war machine.” “The defendants shipped millions of dollars’ worth of electronic components to Russia, including the exact type of parts found in Russian weapons and drones used to attack Ukraine,” stated Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “We know the devastation and destruction that these weapons cause and the Justice Department is committed to holding accountable those who violate U.S. laws to supply the Russian war machine.” “With today’s guilty pleas, all three defendants have acknowledged their involvement in their scheme to provide more than $7 million worth of material support to the Kremlin in its inhumane attacks on Ukraine. Nikolay Goltsev, Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, and their co-conspirator coordinated the deployment of over 300 shipments of restricted electronics that were ultimately used on the Russian battlefield. HSI New York remains committed to utilizing its unique authorities to relentlessly pursue individuals who seek to exploit U.S. export control laws for financial gain,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Arvelo. “I am proud to stand alongside the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Department of Commerce in confronting these issues directly.” “The defendants in this case orchestrated a sophisticated, illegal scheme to smuggle electronic components to Russia for use in its invasion of Ukraine,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director Curtis. “By using front companies, they sought to disguise their treachery but were ultimately exposed and brought to justice. These cases are critical because they undermine the global sanctions regime designed to isolate adversarial nations and protect international security. The FBI will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who threaten our national security and violate international laws.” “Eliminating illegal global procurement networks that prop up the Russian war machine requires a full-court press,” stated Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Axelrod. “That’s why we and our law enforcement partners are working nonstop to ensure that those operating such networks – like Nasriddinov and Goltsev – face American justice.” According to the court filings and statements made during the plea proceeding, the defendants used two Brooklyn companies, SH Brothers Inc. and SN Electronics Inc., to unlawfully source, purchase, and ship millions of dollars in dual-use electronics from U.S. manufacturers to sanctioned end users in Russia. Some of the electronic components and integrated circuits shipped by the defendants through SH Brothers have been found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine, including the Torn-MDM radio reconnaissance complex, the RB-301B “Borisoglebsk-2” electronic warfare complex, the Izdeliye 305E light multi-purpose guided missile, the Vitebsk L370 airborne counter missile system, Ka-52 helicopters, Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and T-72B3 battle tanks. Some of these components were critical to Russia’s precision-guided weapons systems being used against Ukraine. During the period charged in the indictment, SH Brothers made hundreds of shipments valued at over $7 million to Russia. To carry out their criminal scheme, Nasriddinov and Goltsev purchased the electronic components from U.S. manufacturers and distributors under the auspices of SH Brothers and SN Electronics, and arranged for the items to be shipped from those manufacturers and distributors to various locations in Brooklyn. Nasriddinov and Goltsev then unlawfully shipped the items to a variety of intermediary front companies located in other countries, including Turkey, Hong Kong, India, China, and the United Arab Emirates, where they were rerouted to Russia. The defendants were aware of the potential military applications of the electronics that they exported to Russia. For example, in a message exchange on or about and between November 8, 2022 and November 15, 2022, Goltsev commented how shipping to Russia had become “dangerous” and discussed a shipment of electronic components that had been detained by U.S. officials at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. Nasriddinov responded that “Ukrainians alleged that they’re being bombed from parts from there [the U.S. manufacturer], maybe that’s why they started investigating everything?” Goltsev responded that, “we need to figure out why they keep holding the package . . . I don’t really understand how they figured [it] out.” In a subsequent message, Goltsev commented that, “in the future we will need to load from several companies, not to attract attention . . . for now large packages will be dangerous until we understand what they figured out . . . we will need to think of diversifying the load . . . so that not everything is moving from the same deck.” In a February 23, 2023 message, Nasriddinov wrote to Goltsev, “Happy Defender of the Fatherland,” referring to the holiday in Russia and parts of the former Soviet Union celebrating those who served in the armed forces. Goltsev responded, “happy holiday to you too my friend, we are defending it in the way that we can [smile emoji].” The scheme involved millions of dollars and proved to be lucrative for the defendants. For example, in a September 15, 2022 text message from Nasriddinov to Goltsev, Nasriddinov boasted, “SH [Brothers] is one of the best companies in the world, it’s time to move forward onto the stock exchange and stock market, capital should be in the billions, we are working.” Goltsev responded, “pushing components to those who need it I can do, everything else you will have to teach me [three smile emojis].” The government seized $20,000 in cash from the New York hotel room in which defendant Goltsev was arrested. In total, the government has seized approximately $1.68 million in connection with this export scheme. A third co-defendant, Kristina Puzyreva, pleaded guilty in February 2024 to conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the export scheme. She is awaiting sentencing. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Artie McConnell and Ellen H. Sise are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Christopher M. Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Mantell of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters. The Defendants : NIKOLAY GOLTSEV Age: 38 Montreal, Canada SALIMDZHON NASRIDDINOV Age: 53 Brooklyn, New York Defendant Who Previously Pleaded Guilty KRISTINA PUZYREVA Age: 32 Montreal, Canada E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-452 (LDH)


title: Man Sentenced for Sending Death Threat to Michigan Election Worker

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: An Indiana man was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for sending a communication that included death threats to an election worker in Michigan shortly after the November 2020 election. “The Justice Department has no tolerance for violent threats against election workers, officials, and volunteers, and as this case demonstrates, we will aggressively investigate and prosecute such threats to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to defend the right to vote and to defend the safety of the public servants who make voting possible.” “The defendant repeatedly threatened the life of a Michigan election worker because she publicly defended the integrity of the 2020 election that she helped administer,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Our democracy depends on the willingness of election workers to do their jobs without having to live in fear. Today’s sentence should serve as yet another reminder that the Justice Department will not hesitate to prosecute those who threaten violence to influence how our public servants administer elections.” According to court documents, on or about Nov. 10, 2020, Andrew Nickels, 38, of Carmel, called the clerk of a local municipality and left a voicemail threatening to kill the local official. As part of the message, Nickels said, in part, “We’re watching your…mouth talk about how you think that there’s no irregularities … [Y]ou frauded out America of a real election.” Nickels then told the clerk that “you’re gonna pay for it,” and described how “ten million plus patriots will surround you when you least expect it.” He continued, in relevant part: “[W]e’ll [expletive] kill you…[Y]ou will [expletive] pay for your [expletive] lying ass remarks … We will [expletive] take you out. [Expletive] your family, [expletive] your life, and you deserve a [expletive] throat to the knife … Watch your [expletive] back … watch your [expletive] back.” “Threats such as the ones that Nickels made undermine our democracy by making elections workers fearful for their lives and for the safety of their families—just for doing their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “This sentence should send a clear message that those who seeks to jeopardize the fair and free administration of our elections with threats of violence will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable.” “The FBI and its partners will not tolerate threats against our election workers,” said Executive Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “Today’s sentencing shows our commitment to ensuring that public servants can do their jobs without fear of retribution.” Nickels pleaded guilty on Feb. 27 to one count of making a threatening interstate communication. The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson for the Eastern District of Michigan prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers—whether elected, appointed, or volunteer—are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun. The task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo . To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/ . You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov . Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.


title: Man Charged with Gunpoint Robbery of Queens Jewelry Store

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Ildemar Chirinos-Torres was arraigned before Magistrate Judge Lara K. Eshkenazi on an indictment charging him with robbery of a jewelry store, discharging a firearm during the robbery and interstate transportation of stolen property. Chirinos-Torres is detained pending trial. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF), announced the charges. “As alleged, Chirinos-Torres and his co-conspirators stole from, threatened and viciously shot a hardworking merchant during a violent gunpoint robbery of a neighborhood jewelry store,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute in federal court armed robbers like the defendant who jeopardize the safety and security of members of our community.” “This brazen act of armed robbery in which the defendant is alleged to have shot an innocent business owner is reprehensible. ATF NY’s Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery and Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) Group and our NYPD partners are committed to investigating and apprehending those who use violence to steal from New York’s hardworking business owners. We are grateful for the diligent efforts of the NYPD's Queens 115th Squad and the U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District in the pursuit of justice for our community,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Miller. As set forth in the indictment and public filings in support of the charges, on December 12, 2023, Chirinos-Torres and others robbed a jewelry store at gunpoint in Jackson Heights, Queens. During a struggle with the owner of the store, one of the defendant’s co-conspirators fired a gun multiple times, striking the owner in the leg with one bullet and grazing his face with another. After stealing approximately $120,000 in jewelry, Chirinos-Torres and his co-conspirators fled on two mopeds. The stolen jewelry was then transported from New York to Florida. Evidence obtained pursuant to search warrants for the defendant’s phones corroborated his involvement in the armed robbery. For example, a selfie taken approximately two hours before the robbery showed Chirinos-Torres wearing clothing and a messenger bag consistent with the clothing and messenger bag worn by one of the perpetrators during the robbery. The phones also contained images of jewelry taken mere days after the robbery that the store owners confirmed was consistent with jewelry stolen from the store. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chirinos-Torres faces up to life imprisonment. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Sherman is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : ILDEMAR CHIRINOS-TORRES Age: 29 Freeport, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-215 (WFK)


title: Utah Man Sentenced to Home Detention After Stealing Over $100,000 in Social Security and Other Government Benefits

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – Melvin Roy Hunter, 71, of Salt Lake County, was ordered by the court to 14 months’ home detention as part of a 40 months’ probation sentence, and ordered to pay $105,301.30 in restitution. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart after Hunter admitted to wire fraud in April 2024. Hunter fraudulently received government benefits from the Social Security Administration, and other government agencies, by assuming the identity of a deceased individual from September 2015 to September 2023. According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Hunter, who is approximately the same age as the deceased, obtained the deceased’s birth certificate, Social Security number, and other personally identifiable information, and falsely obtained a Utah driver’s license in the name of the deceased. Hunter then used this assumed identity to fraudulently open a Wells Fargo checking account and obtain money from the United States. Hunter fraudulently received funds from the United States Social Security Administration, the United States Medicare and Medicaid programs, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the United States Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), and funding for the federal Corona Virus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The case was investigated by the United States Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General; the Utah Department of Workforce Services; and the State Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko Jepson from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Costa Rican National Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for $2 Million Money Laundering Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Costa Rican man, illegally in the United States, was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for his role in laundering over $2 million in proceeds of a number of wire fraud schemes, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Esteban De Jesus Campos Chanto, 43, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Quraishi imposed sentence today in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in the case: Between August 2019 and October 2021, Chanto participated in a multimillion-dollar money laundering conspiracy operating out of Costa Rica that targeted elderly victims in the United States. Conspirators in Costa Rica called senior citizens in the United States over the phone and induced them to mail or wire money to Chanto by claiming that the victims needed to pay off taxes and fees on lottery winnings or taxes and penalties to the United States government. In total, Chanto received more than $2 million from elderly victims who had been defrauded by Chanto’s co-conspirators. Chanto then wired the majority of the funds to his co-conspirators in Costa Rica and retained approximately $400,000 for himself as payment for his money laundering services. In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Chanto to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $2.07 million. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of the FBI, Cleveland Division, Youngstown Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory D. Nelsen, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Ashley Super Pitts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.


title: Former Southeastern Connecticut Counselor Sentenced for Health Care Fraud and Kickback Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEFFREY SLOCUM, 56, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to three years of probation, the first 12 months of which he must serve in home confinement under electronic monitoring, for health care fraud and kickback offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2017 to 2022, Slocum, a former resident of East Lyme, Connecticut, was a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with an office located at 300 State Street in New London. In 2020, the Connecticut Medicaid program (“Medicaid”) notified Slocum that Medicaid was going to audit certain claims for psychotherapy services Slocum had billed to Medicaid between March 2018 and February 2020. As part of its audit, Medicaid requested patient records for approximately 100 individual psychotherapy services Slocum had billed to Medicaid. In March 2021, Medicaid notified Slocum that the audit had determined that he had received over $225,000 in payments from Medicaid for services that he had not documented. Medicaid told Slocum it would begin to collect the overpayment by deducting the overpayment in installments from future payments Medicaid would make to Slocum. Once Slocum learned the results of the audit and that he would have to pay the money back to Medicaid, he began submitting fraudulent claims to Medicaid for psychotherapy services that he never provided. All of the fraudulent claims Slocum submitted to Medicaid represented that he had personally provided the nonexistent services. Slocum also engaged in a scheme to pay kickbacks to his Medicaid patients in order to induce them to receive psychotherapy services from him. Slocum paid these kickbacks to patients in the form of cash payments, money orders, and Wal-Mart and VISA gift cards. Judge Underhill ordered Slocum to pay restitution of $695,048 to Medicaid. On August 16, 2023, Slocum pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of violating the federal anti-kickback statute. This investigation was conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon and Auditor Susan Spiegel. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and Attorney General’s Office meet regularly as part of The Medicaid Fraud Working Group. The Working Group also includes representatives from the Connecticut Department of Social Services; the Connecticut Department of Public Health; the Drug Control Division of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection; the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the FBI. The Working Group reviews pending issues and cases, identifies trends that might indicate fraudulent activity, and coordinates efforts for maximum results. People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.


title: West Haven Man Charged with Possessing Child Sex Abuse Material

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that ADAM C. SALGADO, JR., 30, of West Haven, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. As alleged in court documents, a cloud-based storage company that provides services for wireless customers made multiple CyberTipline reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) that a user, subsequently identified as Salgado, had videos of child sexual abuse stored on the account. Subsequent investigation revealed that Salgado’s Google account also contained images and videos of child sex abuse. Salgado was arrested on June 5, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas, where he recently resided. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was released on a $100,000 bond. Possession of child pornography carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Middletown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: New Mexico man admits stealing letters by wife of Western artist Charlie “C.M.” Russell and other items from Montana Historical Society

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A New Mexico man accused of stealing 100-year-old items, including letters by the wife of Western artist Charlie “C.M.” Russell, from the Montana Historical Society and selling them for a profit on eBay admitted today to a theft crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Brian Anthony D’Ambrosio, 49, of Sante Fe, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to theft of major artwork. D’Ambrosio faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Nov. 13. D’Ambrosio’s release was continued pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that D’Ambrosio, while claiming to conduct research at the Montana Historical Society, a museum located in Helena, stole items from the archives from about April 2022 to September 2023. The stolen items included letters written by Nancy Russell, the wife of renowned Western artist Charlie “C.M.” Russell. The stolen items were more than 100 years old, were of cultural heritage and exceeded $5,000 in value. D’Ambrosio then sold and attempted to sell the stolen items for profit on eBay. An undercover FBI agent posed as a would-be purchaser to confirm D’Ambrosio was the individual stealing the items from the Montana Historical Society and selling or attempting to sell the items on eBay for a profit, none of which was authorized. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Helena Police Department conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Allegedly Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Enticing Two Minors into Sex Work

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Ventura County man was charged today in an 11-count federal grand jury indictment alleging that – months after his release from state prison after being convicted of child sex offenses – he produced child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and used online chat programs to entice two minors into prostitution. Kai Whitney Sommers, 36, of Ventura, is charged with two counts of sex trafficking of minors, two counts of use of a facility of interstate commerce to entice a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, one count of production of child pornography, three counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and two counts of commission of a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. Sommers has been in federal custody since June 26 and is scheduled for arraignment on July 15 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in this case, in September 2021, Sommers was convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court of statutory rape and engaging in lewd or lascivious acts with a minor for enticing a minor on an online chat room to make money as a sex worker. Sommers then lured the victim to meet with him and sexually assaulted the victim. In August 2023, months after being released from state prison for the previous conviction, law enforcement conducted a search inside Sommers’ residence and allegedly found him to be in possession of CSAM. Following the search, officers allegedly found Sommers had chatted online with two minors, intending to persuade them to make money as sex workers. One of the victims allegedly produced CSAM for Sommers, who used both their images online to advertise them as 18-year-old sex workers. Sommers allegedly impersonated the victims while he communicated with potential adult clients and told the victims that if the clients asked for their age, they had to say “18.” Sommers allegedly coerced one victim to meet twice with adult men and have sex with them for approximately $160 total. An indictment and a complaint contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, Sommers would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The FBI and Ventura Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Derek R. Flores of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Schenectady Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years on Methamphetamine Conviction

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ocyris Morgan, age 36, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to sell it. 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. Morgan admitted that he intended to sell the 21.4 grams of methamphetamine law enforcement seized from his house on June 1, 2023, and when he overheard agents saying they found between one-half and one ounce of methamphetamine, Morgan corrected them, “21.7, to be exact.” Morgan also admitted to receiving $10,130 over the course of 12 instances in which he sold a total of 93 grams of methamphetamine and 50 grams of cocaine base to several customers. He further admitted to possessing a firearm and bullet-proof vest. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release and ordered Morgan to forfeit the $10,130 he made from the drug sales. The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Task Force—made up of FBI Special Agents as well as members of other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Schenectady Police Department—investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted.


title: Former New York Cheese Producer Sentenced for Selling Raw Milk Cheese Products Linked to Listeria Outbreak

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Johannes Vulto, age 64, a former raw milk cheese manufacturer, and Vulto Creamery LLC, the company Vulto founded and owned, were each sentenced today in federal court in Syracuse after each previously pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count of causing the introduction of adulterated food into interstate commerce, relating to the sale and distribution of cheese that was linked to a 2016-2017 outbreak of listeriosis, the disease caused by the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes . Vulto was sentenced to 3 years of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000, and to perform 240 hours of community service. Vulto Creamery LLC, which no longer operates, was sentenced to 1 year of probation. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan, of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office, announced the sentences. In previously pleading guilty, Vulto admitted that he oversaw operations at the Vulto Creamery manufacturing facility in Walton, New York, including those relating to sanitation and environmental monitoring. Vulto and Vulto Creamery both admitted that between December 2014 and March 2017, they caused the shipment in interstate commerce of adulterated cheese. According to the plea agreement, environmental swabs taken at the Vulto Creamery facility between approximately July 2014 and February 2017 repeatedly tested positive for Listeria species. The Listeria family includes both harmless species and L. monocytogenes , which can cause listeriosis in humans. Listeriosis is a severe, invasive illness that can be life-threatening in some cases. Persons who have the greatest risk of experiencing listeriosis due to consumption of foods contaminated with L. monocytogenes are pregnant women and their newborns, the elderly and persons with weakened immune systems. In March 2017, after the FDA linked Vulto Creamery’s cheese to an outbreak of listeriosis, Vulto shut down the Vulto Creamery facility and issued a partial recall that was expanded to a full recall within weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the listeriosis outbreak resulted in eight hospitalizations and two deaths. The case was investigated by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, and it was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Northern District of New York Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry. Further information about the case is posted under “Information for Victims in Large Cases” at the Consumer Protection Branch’s website: www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch .


title: Rochester man pleads guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: Rochester, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Raymond G. Girard, 36, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to being a felon in possession of ammunition, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that on January 14, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Girard’s Rochester residence and seized over 400 rounds of various caliber ammunition. In June 2016, Girard was convicted in Monroe County Court of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd and is legally prohibited from possessing ammunition. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. Sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci. # # # #


title: Settlement agreement reached with hotel chain involving alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act

body_text: BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement with the DelMonte Hotel Group to resolve allegations that a hotel in the group discriminated against an individual with a disability in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The complainant, an individual with Parkinson’s disease who uses a wheelchair, stayed for two nights at a DelMonte Hilton on Celebration Drive, in Rochester, NY. She alleges that while an accessible room was reserved, no clean, accessible rooms were available when she arrived. The complainant further alleges that the room she was provided had no fixed seat in the bathtub, forcing her to shower sitting on the floor of the bathtub. When she asked for a chair or bench, the complainant alleges that hotel staff provided a plastic chair, which she sat on to take showers, at great risk. Under the settlement reached, the DelMonte Hotel Group will provide a report and photos every six months until the issue with respect to accessible bathrooms has been corrected; provide copies of any complaint received during the reporting period alleging that it did not comply with the ADA or otherwise discriminated against any person on the basis of disability; and cooperate with all requests by the United States to access DelMonte hotels in Western New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and for information and documents concerning DelMonte’s compliance with the agreement and the ADA. DelMonte will complete all necessary changes within 18 months, pay $7,500 to the complainant, and pay a civil penalty to the United States. The agreement also calls for DelMonte to train staff who work at its hotels in Western New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio on the ADA. DelMonte must also implement and enforce a written policy regarding ADA compliance at these hotels. The Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts under the ADA seek equal opportunity and dignity in all aspects of life, including access to public accommodations such as hotel rooms. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (716) 843-5700 or file a complaint with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division at: https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ . Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov , or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TDD). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. B. Bobseine, Civil Rights Coordinator in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Buffalo, New York. # # # #


title: Clark County man sentenced to 22 years in prison for producing child pornography by paying adults to abuse minor victims live on social media apps

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – Dustin Johnson, 38, of New Carlisle, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 22 years in prison for creating child pornography by paying adult females to sexually abuse minor girls live on social media chats. According to court documents, in June 2022, Johnson paid an adult female to engage in sexually explicit conduct with a prepubescent girl live on Snapchat. Johnson recorded the communications with a screen recorder app, saving video recordings approximately 10 minutes and 17 minutes in length on separate days in June. After diligent investigation, law enforcement was able to locate the adult female and the child, who were located overseas. The child victim was 5 years old. Local law enforcement was able to remove the child from the adult female offender’s custody. Johnson engaged in similar social media chats with other adult females, who at Johnson’s request sexually abused individuals who appeared to be children, on live video chat for Johnson to view. Johnson also engaged in online chats discussing the possibility of meeting up with other adults who had children so that he could engage in sexually explicit conduct with their children. Investigators discovered more than 24,000 child pornography files on Johnson’s hard drives. The pornography included more than 500 files depicting bestiality, at least 400 files involving violence or masochistic abuse and more than 3,500 pornographic files depicting infants and toddlers. Johnson was arrested in February 2023 and pleaded guilty in February 2024 to producing child pornography. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed on July 2 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Christina E. Mahy is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Three-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possession of Glocks, ‘Molly,’ and Fake Pills Laced with Fentanyl

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Christopher Norece Mitchell, 26, a three-time convicted felon from Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 84 months in prison in connection with illegally possessing three loaded Glock firearms and distribution quantities of cocaine base, fentanyl, N,N-Dimethylpentylone (also known as “molly”), marijuana, promethazine, and synthetic cannabinoids. At the time of the offense on April 20, 2023, Mitchell was on probation in three Superior Court cases, having been released from a 30-month prison term only three months earlier. Two of his probation cases were for felon-in-possession convictions. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Mitchell, 26, pleaded guilty March 6, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a criminal information charging him with a count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and a count of possession with intent to distribute N,N-Dimethylpentylone. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Jia M. Cobb ordered Mitchell to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on April 20, 2023, MPD officers approached a group of men who were loitering on private property in the 800 block of 6th Street, NW, in Chinatown. One of the men grabbed a black plastic bag off a fence post and threw it into trash can in front of the officers. Officers recovered the bag, which contained 118 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, empty plastic baggies, and a key fob for an Acura SUV parked on the block. Minutes later, Mitchell approached the officers and requested the fob, which he said was for his mother’s car. Given Mitchell’s association with a vehicle whose key was recovered alongside evidence of drug distribution, the officers stopped Mitchell. Mitchell voluntarily consented to a search of his person, which—in addition to a small bag of marijuana he had previously showed the officers—yielded $3,818 in cash, a bag of 24 blue pills marked “M/20,” and a baggie containing about 22 grams of a white crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for amphetamine. Officers also saw a loose crystal substance in plain view on the SUV’s driver’s floorboard—which they identified as a controlled substance known as “molly”—and proceeded to search the vehicle. The substance appeared identical to the powder recovered from Mitchell’s person and field-tested positive for amphetamine. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered additional controlled substances. From the center console, they recovered 145 grams of a white rock-like substance packaged into five baggies. From the rear driver’s side floorboard, they recovered a plastic bag containing 342 grams of suspected synthetic cannabinoids. From the driver’s side door panel, they recovered three digital scales with white residue. From the front passenger’s seat, officers recovered a jacket containing a bottle of suspected promethazine that was approximately 25% full. Some of the drugs recovered on April 20, 2023, were subsequently lab tested by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The substance that field-tested as amphetamine was determined to predominantly be N,N-Dimethylpentylone and cocaine base. The pills were determined to contain fentanyl and acetaminophen. The officers also recovered three loaded firearms and ammunition from the vehicle. Mitchell directed the officers to the locations of these firearms. From the glove box, officers recovered a Glock 22, .40 caliber semi-automatic firearm with a 15-round magazine, with one round loaded in the firearm’s chamber and 13 rounds in its magazine. There was also a 31-round magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. From a backpack in the backseat, the officers recovered two additional firearms: a Glock 22, .40 caliber semi-automatic firearm with 15 rounds loaded into its 22-round magazine; and a Glock 19, 9mm semi-automatic firearm with a 17-round magazine, with one round loaded in the firearm’s chamber and 15 rounds in its magazine. Swabs from the firearms and magazines were submitted to the FBI for DNA testing and analysis. The results tied Mitchell to one of the firearms and two of the magazines. Federal law prohibits Mitchell from possessing a firearm because he has three prior convictions in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. At the time of the offense, Mitchell was on probation in three Superior Court cases—two involving felon-in-possession convictions and one involving a misdemeanor assault conviction—having been released from a 30-month prison term only three months earlier. The Honorable Robert A. Salerno has scheduled a probation revocation hearing for July 17, 2024. Upon revocation of probation, Mitchell faces up to 13 additional months in prison. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA’s Mid-Atlantic Laboratory and the FBI’s laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Kelley. 23cr0176


title: Washington County man sentenced to 25 years in prison for exploiting minors locally & internationally

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Lower Salem, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court here today to 300 months in prison for crimes related to exploiting minor victims in Ohio and in the Philippines. James A. Sabolick, 58, brought a minor from West Virginia to his hunting cabin in Washington County to engage in illicit sex acts. Sabolick also sent money to Filipino women for their basic living expenses in exchange for child sexual abuse material. “We are dedicated to working across all levels of law enforcement to hold people accountable for their crimes, no matter where they exploit their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Our priority is putting perpetrators like Sabolick behind bars for significant periods of time so that they can no longer prey on the vulnerable. The sentence imposed today does just that.” Sabolick pleaded guilty in January 2024 to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of possessing child pornography. According to court documents, on July 24, 2021, Marietta police officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that Sabolick was driving. Sabolick told officers he was alone while attempting to conceal a minor female, who officers discovered in the back seat. Further investigation conducted by the Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Sabolick had driven the minor from West Virginia to a cabin near his residence in Washington County to engage in various sex acts with the minor. Some of the sex acts involved abuse such as needle pokes, lighter burns, restraints, strangulation and urination. Items recovered from Sabolick’s hunting cabin and vehicle included panty hose, lubricant and a box of t-pins. Sabolick photographed the minor victim during the sexual abuse. Court documents detail that Sabolick had met the minor victim when she was approximately 13 or 14 years old. Sabolick possessed several communications and nude images of the minor victim on his phone. Additional forensic review of Sabolick’s electronics and social media accounts revealed he had communicated with Filipino women he knew through prior trips to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014. In recovered Facebook chats, the women requested money from Sabolick for basic living expenses like food, utility bills, tuition, etc. In exchange, Sabolick requested sexually explicit images of their minor children and offered to send them money for the child sexual abuse material. For example, in December 2020, Sabolick sent money to a Filipino woman for images of her daughter’s genitalia. Financial records from Paypal, Western Union, Xoom and Moneygram all revealed numerous transactions to the Philippines totaling more than $1,000, including to the Filipino women identified in the investigation on the same days that Sabolick was requesting child pornography from them. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Washington County Sheriff Larry R. Mincks and Marietta Police Chief Katherine Warden announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case. The case was investigated by both the Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which are operated under Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. # # #


title: Disbarred attorney pleads guilty to Social Security number fraud as part of scheme to obtain jobs at law firms

body_text: CINCINNATI – A disbarred attorney who previously practiced law in the Cincinnati area admitted in U.S. District Court this afternoon that he used false identities to obtain employment with at least seven law firms. Richard Louis Crosby III, 37, of Mason, Ohio, pleaded guilty to three counts of Social Security number fraud. His plea agreement includes a sentence recommendation of 37 months in prison. At various times throughout his scheme, Crosby used identifying information belonging to his elderly father, his girlfriend, a deceased man and others. He falsely told at least one law firm that he was a University of Michigan football player and an ex-Marine. According to court documents, the Cincinnati Bar Association filed a complaint against Crosby in November 2020. In April 2021, he indicated his intent to resign from the practice of law. In both June and November 2021, Crosby was indicted and charged in Hamilton County with crimes related to stealing client funds. After his indictments, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio entered an order disbarring Crosby. In May 2022, Crosby was arrested in both of his Hamilton County cases. He was sentenced to probation in both cases in June 2023. According to his federal plea agreement, while Crosby’s local cases were pending, he created an email account using “richardcwilliamsesq.” Crosby used the email address and the alias Richard Williams to communicate with a law firm in Washington D.C. in June 2021. The firm briefly employed “Williams.” In June 2022 – at which point Crosby had been disbarred in Ohio and arrested on the Hamilton County charges – Crosby used his alias to apply online for an attorney position with a law firm in California. The firm offered Crosby a position as an associate attorney with a salary of $150,000. The defendant was employed under his alias for approximately three months and used a firm email address with his alias name. In September 2022, Crosby used his alias to apply for an attorney position with a law firm based in Miami, Florida. Crosby met with a recruiter via Zoom, and represented himself as Richard Williams, a licensed attorney admitted to the bar in New York and D.C. Crosby then met with one of the firm’s hiring managers in Florida and was ultimately offered employment in October 2022. His starting salary was $185,000 per year with a $5,000 signing bonus. Crosby used his girlfriend’s Social Security number, passport number and banking information to complete his onboarding paperwork at the law firm. In April 2023, the firm received an inquiry from an investigator with the Clermont County Child Support Enforcement Office, making the firm aware of Crosby’s true identity. He was subsequently fired. In July 2023, Crosby interviewed with the founding partner of a different California law firm. He also falsely claimed to work at the law firm of Kirkland and Ellis. After the founding partner asked Crosby to verify with whom he worked with at Kirkland and Ellis, Crosby withdrew his interest in the job. A few days later, Crosby again used the alias to attempt to obtain employment. He interviewed over Zoom with senior management of a law firm located in Coral Gables, Florida. Crosby doctored a “screen shot” of the name Richard Coleman Williams Jr. in the online D.C. bar membership directory to attach with his resume. The firm offered Crosby a starting salary of $195,000 per year with a $10,000 signing bonus, but eventually determined Crosby was using a false identity and did not hire him. In August 2023, the defendant applied for a job at another law firm. The firm, located in Michigan, sent Crosby a letter offering a salary of $145,000 per year and a $10,000 signing bonus. When his credential information had discrepancies, the firm terminated their working relationship before issuing Crosby’s first paycheck. In September 2023, one month prior to his arrest on federal charges, Crosby used a different alias to apply for a job at another law firm in California. He claimed that he was a University of Michigan football player and an ex-Marine. Crosby was hired as an attorney at a salary of $250,000 per year. He used the Social Security number of a deceased man from North Carolina in his tax paperwork to the firm. Crosby was arrested by federal agents in October 2023. As part of his guilty plea, Crosby has agreed to pay nearly $171,000 in restitution to law firms he defrauded. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced the charges. The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and United States Marshals Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case. If you have information related to Crosby’s conduct, please contact the Social Security OIG tip line at 1-800-269-0271. # # #


component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – An Indiana man was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for sending a communication that included death threats to an election worker in Michigan shortly after the November 2020 election. “The Justice Department has no tolerance for violent threats against election workers, officials, and volunteers, and as this case demonstrates, we will aggressively investigate and prosecute such threats to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to defend the right to vote and to defend the safety of the public servants who make voting possible.” “The defendant repeatedly threatened the life of a Michigan election worker because she publicly defended the integrity of the 2020 election that she helped administer,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Our democracy depends on the willingness of election workers to do their jobs without having to live in fear. Today’s sentence should serve as yet another reminder that the Justice Department will not hesitate to prosecute those who threaten violence to influence how our public servants administer elections.” According to court documents, on or about Nov. 10, 2020, Andrew Nickels, 38, of Carmel, called the clerk of a local municipality and left a voicemail threatening to kill the local official. As part of the message, Nickels said, in part, “We’re watching your…mouth talk about how you think that there’s no irregularities … [Y]ou frauded out America of a real election.” Nickels then told the clerk that “you’re gonna pay for it,” and described how “ten million plus patriots will surround you when you least expect it.” He continued, in relevant part: “[W]e’ll [expletive] kill you…[Y]ou will [expletive] pay for your [expletive] lying ass remarks … We will [expletive] take you out. [Expletive] your family, [expletive] your life, and you deserve a [expletive] throat to the knife … Watch your [expletive] back … watch your [expletive] back.” “Threats such as the ones that Nickels made undermine our democracy by making elections workers fearful for their lives and for the safety of their families—just for doing their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “This sentence should send a clear message that those who seek to jeopardize the fair and free administration of our elections with threats of violence will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable.” “The FBI and its partners will not tolerate threats against our election workers,” said Executive Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “Today’s sentencing shows our commitment to ensuring that public servants can do their jobs without fear of retribution.” Nickels pleaded guilty on Feb. 27 to one count of making a threatening interstate communication. The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson for the Eastern District of Michigan prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers—whether elected, appointed, or volunteer—are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun. The task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo . To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/ . You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov . Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.


title: Cincinnati woman sentenced to federal prison for Social Security number fraud

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months in prison for committing Social Security number fraud. The defendant stole the identity of a deceased child and used it to avoid a pending criminal prosecution and to obtain thousands of dollars in government benefits. Christina Vaskovsky, 56, pleaded guilty in March 2024 to five counts of Social Security number fraud. She was charged and arrested in November 2023. According to court documents, Vaskovsky was indicted in Hamilton County in July 2008 for allegedly stealing $14,500 from her employer. Vaskovsky failed to appear at her trial scheduled in December 2008. A nationwide warrant was issued for her arrest. In 2010, Vaskovsky obtained a new Ohio driver’s license using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a child who was born the same year as Vaskovsky but who died in 1977 at the age of 10. The defendant then began using the deceased child’s identity in a variety of contexts over a span of 13 years, including: Receiving $19,570 in food stamp benefits; Filing bankruptcy to discharge nearly $128,000 in debt; Obtaining Social Security disability benefits totaling nearly $39,000; Providing the false identity upon being arrested for shoplifting in Kentucky; Applying for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan; Receiving more than $11,600 in unemployment benefits; Obtaining Supplemental Security Income disability benefits totaling $4,833; and Receiving Medicare benefits under the stolen identity totaling more than $116,000. As part of her sentence, Vaskovsky will pay nearly $191,000 in restitution to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General with assistance from the USDA Office of Inspector General, Ohio BMV Investigations, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Marshals Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Texas Residents Sentenced For Their Involvement in a  Counterfeit Prescription Drug Distribution Operation

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A pair of Texas residents have been sentenced to federal prison resulting from their involvement in a counterfeit prescription drug distribution operation involving methamphetamine and counterfeit Adderall to various locations within the United States, including Western Tennessee. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentencings today. Winrose Ndichu, 33, was convicted of aiding and abetting the structuring of financial transactions to evade reporting requirements, and Eric Bernard Russell, Jr., 39, was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Kevin Olando Ombisi , 35, was previously sentenced to 210 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution and attempted distribution of methamphetamine, sale of counterfeit Adderall, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and mail fraud. According to information presented in Court, in November 2019, law enforcement began conducting undercover buys of purported Adderall from a vendor known as CARDINGMASTER on the Darknet. CARDINGMASTER advertised “100% AUTHENTIC Adderall Brand 30 mg” pills for sale. Narcotics sold by CARDINGMASTER were shipped from Texas to the Western District of Tennessee in exchange for Bitcoin cryptocurrency. Although the drugs appeared consistent with what was advertised for sale (amphetamine-based prescription Adderall), laboratory testing indicated that the drugs received did not contain the active pharmaceutical ingredient contained in Adderall, but in fact contained the Schedule II controlled substance methamphetamine. A financial investigation revealed that proceeds from these sales were funneled through fictitious businesses, various bank accounts, and in the form of cryptocurrency in an effort to conceal the unlawful nature of the source of these proceeds. These transactions were directed by Ombisi and conducted by Ndichu. In a span of one year, Ndichu withdrew more than $250,000 from these accounts in increments of less than $10,000 to avoid federal reporting requirements, knowing that these funds were proceeds of unlawful activity or intended to promote the unlawful activity. United States District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Russell to 42 months of imprisonment on March 28, 2024. On June 27, 2024, Judge Norris sentenced Ndichu to 18 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Nashville Field Division; the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation (FDA-OCI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), El Paso; the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and our local law enforcement partners. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted this case, as well as our law enforcement partners who investigated this case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Justice Department Reaches Settlement to Recover Los Angeles Mansion Purchased by Family of Former Armenian Government Minister

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The Justice Department reached a settlement for a civil forfeiture case against a mansion in the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles belonging to the family of Gagik Khachatryan, a former government official in the Republic of Armenia. In 2011, a trust benefiting Khachatryan’s sons purchased the property with funds provided by an Armenian businessman. At the time, Khachatryan was the most senior official in charge of taxes and customs in the Republic of Armenia. The sons claimed that the funds were provided as loans by the businessman, while the United States alleged the loans, which were repeatedly extended without repayment, were covers for bribe payments. The payments are also the subject of pending criminal prosecutions in the Republic of Armenia. Under the terms of the settlement, the mansion will be forfeited to the United States. The United States will then sell the property at the highest obtainable market price and retain 85% of the net proceeds of the sale. The remaining net proceeds of the sale will be delivered to the Khachatryan’s sons and a corporation they own. The Attorney General has the discretionary authority to transfer forfeited property to any foreign country that participated directly or indirectly in the seizure or forfeiture of the property. The offices that brought the case intend to recommend transfer of some or all of the forfeited proceeds to the Republic of Armenia. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California; Acting Assistant Director in Charge Krysti Hawkins of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office; and U.S. Marshal David M. Singer made the announcement. The FBI’s Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force (EOCTF) and U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. The EOCTF is composed of multiple law enforcement agencies including the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Glendale Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Justice Department’s Official of International Affairs, the Republic of Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office, and Armenian investigative authorities also provided critical assistance. Trial Attorney Hunter Smith of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxwell Coll for the Central District of California prosecuted the case. The Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative is led by a team of dedicated prosecutors in MLARS, in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies and often with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption. Individuals with information about possible proceeds of foreign corruption located in or laundered through the United States should contact federal law enforcement or send an email to kleptocracy@usdoj.gov (link sends e-mail) or https://tips.fbi.gov/ .


title: Ten-Time Convicted Felon, Who Fled From Girlfriend’s Violent Death, Pleads Guilty To Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Albert Ayala (34, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ayala faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for August 21, 2024. According to court records, Ayala was driving a vehicle on I-4 when his girlfriend, the sole passenger in the vehicle, was ejected from the car. The woman was struck by multiple vehicles, causing her death. Ayala continued driving and crashed the vehicle at the base of an I-4 exit. Ayala then fled the scene on foot, leaving behind a pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. Ayala’s DNA was located on the firearm and airbag that had deployed during the crash. At the time, Ayala had 10 prior felony convictions and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. Although the firearms offense falls under federal jurisdiction and was, accordingly, prosecuted in federal court, any investigation or prosecution related to [decedent’s] death lies with state officials. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff. 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.