component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced that the United States has filed a complaint against Murphy Medical Center, Inc. doing business as Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority doing business as Erlanger Health System and Erlanger Medical Center (collectively, Erlanger) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The government alleges that Erlanger, a health care system located in Tennessee and North Carolina, violated the Stark Law and thereby submitted false claims to the Medicare program. The Stark Law prohibits a hospital from billing Medicare for services referred by a physician with whom the hospital has an improper financial relationship that does not meet any statutory or regulatory exception. The government’s complaint alleges that Erlanger had employment relationships with a number of physicians that did not meet any Stark Law exception because the compensation Erlanger paid to the physicians was well above fair market value. The complaint alleges that Erlanger received referrals from these physicians in violation of the Stark Law and submitted claims to Medicare knowing that the claims for those referred services were not eligible for payment. “Improper financial relationships between hospitals and physicians threaten the integrity of clinical decision-making and can influence the type and amount of health care that is provided to patients,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that physicians’ treatment decisions are based on the needs of their patients and not their own financial interests.” “The government’s complaint alleges that Erlanger compromised Stark Law compliance to boost its financial standing, knowingly overpaying physicians whose practices generated profits for the hospital,” said U.S. Attorney King. “We are dedicated to enforcing the Stark Law and protecting patients and the Medicare program from financial relationships that undermine public trust and incentivize overbilling and waste of taxpayer dollars.” “This complaint serves as a warning to health care entities that attempt to increase profits through improper financial arrangements with referring physicians,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to investigate such deals to prevent financial arrangements that could compromise impartial medical judgment, increase health care costs, and erode public trust in the health care system.” The United States filed its complaint in a lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it has done here in part. Those who violate the Act are subject to treble damages and applicable penalties. The government’s intervention in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina handled the case, with assistance from HHS-OIG. The case is captioned United States of America, the State of North Carolina, and the State of Tennessee ex rel. Alana Sullivan and J. Britton Tabor v. Murphy Medical Center, Inc., et al . No. 1:21-CV-219-MR-WCM (W.D.N.C.). The claims asserted in the United States’ complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability . # # #


title: Missouri Church Officials, Others Accused of $1.2 Million Pandemic Loan Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A Monroe County, Missouri church official was arrested Friday after having been indicted and accused of participating in a more than $1.2 million pandemic loan fraud scheme. Kenneth C. Sparks III, 54, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Florida. A grand jury indicted Sparks on July 17 with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The indictment says at the time of the allegations, Sparks worked as a visiting minister at Faith Walk Ministry, a church in Paris, Missouri. Harold G. Long was the lead minister and chief executive officer of the church, Mya M. McClain was administrative assistant and Javonte D. Long was a member. Jeffrey C. Oboite lived in Maryland, and operated businesses called Angel's Management Group LLC, Emerald Score LLC and O&S Construction LLC. Oboite and McClain were indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and seven counts of wire fraud. Harold Long faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. Javonte Long faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. The indictment says Oboite taught Sparks and McClain how to submit fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Oboite and Sparks both submitted or caused to be submitted fraudulent loan applications in their own names, and received at least $200,000, the indictment says. Included among those fraudulently-obtained loans was $147,900 from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, the indictment says. The EIDL program was another Small Business Administration program intended to help struggling business owners during the pandemic. The conspirators also obtained more than $1 million in PPP loans in the names of others, the indictment says. Sparks abused his position of authority as a minister by obtaining the trust of church members, and then obtained their personal and financial information so he could seek loans in their name, the indictment says. Harold Long assured church members that Sparks could be trusted with that information, the indictment says. Sparks also claimed that he was an "Apostle" of God, whose decisions and decrees could not be questioned, it says. Sparks sometimes told church members that they needed to provide their personal and financial information so he and others could fix their credit scores, the indictment says, or that their information would be used to secure funding for the church. Sparks told McClain to create email addresses in the name of church members and told parishioners to open new accounts at a credit union, it says. Sparks also commissioned the creation of false and fraudulent tax documents, the indictment says. Sparks and Oboite also told McClain and Harold Long to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications for businesses purportedly owned by Long, the indictment says. When suspicious credit union officials froze some of the parishioners’ accounts, Sparks and Oboite coached church members on the lies they should tell bank officials to free the funds, the indictment says. Sparks reaped hundreds of thousands of dollars from the scheme, the indictment says, and used the money for luxury vehicles, clothing and merchandise. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Each aggravated identity theft count carries a mandatory, consecutive two-year prison sentence. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case. “This arrest proves the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s commitment to stopping those who perpetrate mail fraud schemes,” said Acting Inspector in Charge, John Jackman, who leads the United States Postal Inspection Service, St. Louis Field Office. “The Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue fraudsters who are driven by greed.” “We all know the pandemic relief loan programs were created for those whose businesses were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The American public is tired of hearing about fraudsters using the programs to enrich themselves and they want to know that those responsible are being investigated and held accountable,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, St. Louis Field Office. “IRS CI is committed to investigating these crimes and doing our part to achieve justice for all victims and taxpayers.” Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Fugitive "Queen of the South" Returned to United States to Face Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Amanda Rachelle Miller, 33, of Tucson, was apprehended in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico and deported to the United States on May 30, 2024, to face three felony indictments in the District of Arizona. Miller is a U.S. citizen and had been a fugitive for approximately three-and-a-half years at the time of her arrest in Mexico. Miller made her initial court appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Rateau on July 3, 2024, and was ordered detained in custody. Federal agents first encountered Miller in late 2020, at the culmination of an investigation into narcotics distribution occurring out of various Tucson-area motels. As alleged in court filings, on November 12, 2020, agents conducted a final enforcement operation at a downtown Tucson motel and apprehended Miller as she ran from the scene. In one of the rooms, agents discovered evidence of Miller’s involvement in drug trafficking, including quantities of suspected methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl; a vacuum-sealing device; a digital scale; over $25,000 in cash; and two suspected drug distribution ledgers, one of which had Miller’s first name written on the back cover. Miller was charged in federal court by complaint on November 13, 2020, and later indicted on December 1, 2021. She absconded after being placed on pre-trial release and fled to Mexico. In late September 2021, an undercover officer, posing as a bulk purchaser of narcotics, established contact with Miller over social media. Miller was using the alias, “Reina Sur,” or “Queen of the South.” As alleged in court documents, Miller represented to the undercover officer that she was “direct from [the] [S]inaloa [C]artel.” Over the ensuing months, while in communication with the undercover officer, she is alleged to have orchestrated multiple narcotics sales, which revealed the network of criminal associates conducting business on her behalf in southern Arizona. During their investigation, agents also were able to link Miller, through recorded communications, to two historical drug seizures, in April and August 2021. Miller has been indicted in three federal criminal cases in the District of Arizona on the following charges: In case number 21-CR-03072-TUC-SHR, Miller was charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Methamphetamine, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Methamphetamine. This indictment relates to the incident that allegedly occurred on November 12, 2020. In case number 21-CR-02360-TUC-JGZ, Miller was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine. This indictment relates to drug transactions that allegedly occurred in April and August 2021, while Miller was a fugitive. In case number 22-CR-02454-TUC-RCC, Miller was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, and Marijuana, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, and Money Laundering. This indictment relates to drug transactions and money laundering activity that allegedly occurred from September 2021 through the end of 2022, again while Miller was a fugitive from justice. The maximum penalties for the numerous charges range from 20 years in prison to life in prison and fines ranging from $500,000 to $10,000,000. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Lizano, Ashley Culver, and David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBERS: CR-21-03072-TUC-SHR CR-21-02360-TUC-JGZ CR-22-02454-TUC-RCC RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-103_Miller


title: Utica Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Carlos Pena Uceta, age 34, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 130 months in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. As part of his plea on February 27, 2024, Pena Uceta admitted that, on June 4, 2023, he possessed a duffel bag in his vehicle containing five kilograms of cocaine, which he had just purchased in New York City and was transporting back to the Northern District of New York. Pena Uceta further admitted that, on the same date, he also possessed two kilograms of cocaine and a Polymer 80 9mm “ghost gun” in a suitcase at his apartment. Chief United States District Judge Brenda Sannes also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release, which will start when Pena Uceta is released from prison. The DEA investigated the case with assistance from New York State Police, Utica Police Department, and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.


title: Slingerlands Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Fuino, age 75, of Slingerlands, New York, pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child. 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. Fuino admitted that between the summer of 2022 and April 2023, he babysat a young female child at his residence. During this period, Fuino used the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. The victim was 6 years old when the conduct began. If United States District Judge Mae D’Agostino accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition at sentencing on November 26, 2024, Fuino will receive a prison term of 180 months, at least 15 years of supervised release to follow that term of imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim, forfeit the device used in the offense, and will be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police and Colonie Police Department – investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Steele County Man Pleads Guilty for International Sexual Exploitation of Children

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Blooming Prairie man has pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting children outside the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between April 2022 and September 2022, Steven John Sokel, 61, was engaged in the production of child pornography. He was also found to be in possession of sexually explicit images and videos of minors. Sokel pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric T. Tostrud to one count of sexual exploitation of children. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.


title: Maryland Man Found Guilty of Killing a Mother and Daughter Inside Southeast D.C. Apartment

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, a D.C. Superior Court jury returned a guilty verdict against Keanan Turner, 34, of Clinton, Maryland, for the murders of Wanda Wright and Ebony Wright on April 12, 2021, in the 2300 block of Good Hope Court SE, Washington D.C. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Turner was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravated circumstances, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, attempted first degree murder of a minor, second degree cruelty to children, arson, destruction of property. In addition to these charges, Turner was found guilty of four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence and carrying a pistol without a license. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 14, 2024, in front of Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan. Because of the aggravated circumstances, Turner faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. According to the evidence presented at trial, Ebony Wright had been in a prior relationship with the defendant when she became pregnant. The defendant asked her to terminate the pregnancy and when she declined, he stopped speaking to her. After giving birth, Ebony Wright filed a custody and child support lawsuit against the defendant in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. After the lawsuit was served against the defendant, he reached out to Ebony Wright to meet his child for the first time. On April 12, 2021, the defendant went over to Ebony Wright’s apartment. Present at the meeting were Ebony Wright, her mother Wanda Wright, her sister, the child, and the defendant. After meeting with the family for nearly an hour, the defendant took out a gun and shot Ebony Wright in the head. He then shot Wanda Wright in the back of the head. He then went into the back bedroom, where the sister was located, and shot her once in the face. Prior to leaving the apartment, the defendant lit the custody paperwork on fire in an attempt to kill the child. As he was running out of the apartment, the defendant attempted to remove a Ring camera on the front door and, in doing so, exposed a unique tattoo on his arm. As the sister lay wounded in the back bedroom, she heard the child crying in the living room. Despite suffering a gunshot wound to the face, she rescued the child and carried him out of the apartment and called 911. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Korba who investigated and indicted the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miles Janssen and Emma McArthur who prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury Finds Previously Convicted Sex Offender Guilty of Additional Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal jury recently returned a guilty verdict in the case of a previously-convicted sex offender accused of child pornography offenses. Jarrod Sanford, 43 , of Covington, was found guilty of production of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and committing a felony offense against a minor while required to register as a sex offender. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today. According to information presented at trial, between July and November of 2023, Jarrod Sanford used a cell phone to take photographs of himself raping a 13-year-old child. On November 19, 2023, deputies with the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report about the rape of a child and recovered a phone from Sanford’s residence. Agents with the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force were able to bypass the phone’s encryption and discovered photographs that Sanford had taken during a prior rape of the child. Sanford’s DNA matched DNA samples taken from the child victim after the November rape. Sanford had previously been convicted of a sex offense, and he was on federal supervised release and the Tennessee sex offender registry at the time he committed the charged offenses. A federal grand jury indicted Sanford for the child pornography and registry offenses in February 2024. On July 25, 2024, after a four-day trial, federal jurors convicted Jarrod Sanford as charged. As a result of this conviction, Sanford is facing a sentence of 35 to 70 years imprisonment. Sanford faces an additional sentence of up to five years imprisonment for violation of his supervised release. A sentencing hearing before United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker is set for Thursday, October 31, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Probation Office for the Western District of Tennessee, and the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Delery and Lynn Crum, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the 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: Fresno County Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Ivan Sigmond, 47, of Clovis, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Aug. 28, 2020, after identifying Sigmond as a source of methamphetamine supply in the Clovis area, law enforcement officers obtained and executed a search warrant at Sigmond’s residence where they found nearly 30 pounds of pure methamphetamine, along with two handguns and an assault firearm. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Romanian National Sentenced for Using Debit Card Skimming Devices on ATMs to Steal Nearly $150,000 from Victims Throughout California

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Christos Mavrokelos, 37, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution for illegally using counterfeit debit cards and skimming devices, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, from July 2021 through November 2023, in Fresno and Madera Counties and elsewhere, Mavrokelos knowingly and with intent to defraud, used counterfeit debit cards that contained victims’ stolen account information to make unauthorized cash withdrawals from the victims’ accounts. The victims’ account information was stolen through the use of skimming devices, which are devices that can be surreptitiously installed on bank ATMs and card readers that are used to record victims’ information. In total, Mavrokelos made unauthorized cash withdrawals on at least 40 victims’ accounts. The withdrawals were made from banks whose deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Mavrokelos’s misconduct resulted in a total loss of approximately $149,000. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Cody C. Chapple prosecuted the case.


title: East Bay Man Faces Federal Charges For Firebombing A University Police Vehicle

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging an East Bay man with firebombing a University of California Police Department (UCPD) patrol car, announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California and FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. According to the indictment, on June 1, 2024, Casey Robert Goonan, 34, of Oakland and Pleasant Hill, went to the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. He was carrying a reusable shopping bag that contained six explosive devices commonly known as “Molotov cocktails.” Goonan then kicked the shopping bag underneath the fuel tank of a marked UCPD patrol vehicle and ignited the Molotov cocktails, as depicted below: The patrol vehicle caught on fire, as depicted below: In part due to the rapid response of UCPD officers, the patrol vehicle did not explode. It did, however, suffer significant damage to its rear seats, fuel port, and trunk, and was deemed a total loss. Goonan stands charged with one count of Maliciously Damaging or Destroying Property Belonging to an Institution Receiving Federal Financial Assistance by Means of Fire or an Explosive, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(f)(1); one count of Maliciously Damaging or Destroying Property Used in or Affecting Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire or an Explosive, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i); and one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d). An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Goonan faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a minimum sentence of five years in prison as to each count of Maliciously Damaging or Destroying Property by Means of Fire or an Explosive, and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison as to the Possession of an Unregistered Firearm count. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Goonan was arraigned on the Indictment this morning before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Judge Ryu previously ordered Goonan detained pending trial, and he remains in federal custody. Goonan’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 17, 2024, before Senior United States District Judge Jeffrey S. White in Oakland. The National Security and Cyber Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the California Office of the State Fire Marshal (CalFire); and the University of California Police Department.


title: Kern County Man Sentenced for Distributing Explosives

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Joseph Roy Vigneault, 21, of Lake Isabella, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for distributing explosives to a non‑licensed person, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in May 2023, Vigneault and his co-defendant, Michael Roy Anglin, 22, of Wofford Heights, sold and delivered six full boxes and one partial box of Hydromite 880 weighing approximately 350 pounds to a non-licensed person. Vigneault knew or had reason to believe that the Hydromite 880 had been stolen. The boxes containing the explosives were labeled “Explosive, Blasting, Type E” and “Blasting Agent.” The sticks of Hydromite 880 were also individually labeled “Danger” and “Explosive.” Hydromite 880 is one and a half times more powerful than dynamite. Austin Powder West LLC, a licensed explosive distributor, confirmed that 295 sticks of Hydromite 880 went missing from its Lake Isabella storage facility sometime between May 6 and May 11, 2023. The missing explosives included the boxes that Vigneault sold. The value of the unrecovered explosives is $7,603. Vigneault agreed to make restitution to Austin Powder in that amount. Anglin has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 21, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.


title: Niagara Falls man pleads guilty meth charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jevon Flynn, 30, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, a fine of $10,000,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who handled the case, stated that on March 26, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in Niagara Falls, during which they located Flynn in a bedroom, with his hands near a clothing hamper. A backpack and a pair of pants were found in the clothing hamper. A plastic bag containing suspected methamphetamine was found in the backpack, while two plastic baggies were found in the pants, one contained suspected fentanyl, the other contained blue-colored pressed pills. Investigators also seized another quantity of suspected methamphetamine and eight grams of suspected crack cocaine. The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti. Sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2024, before Judge Vilardo. # # # #


title: Lockport man sentenced for his role in drug conspiracy that led to overdose death

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that James White, 32, of Lockport, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, and butyryl fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who handled the case, stated that between March 2017, and March 2019, White conspired with Bruno Haney, II, and others, to sell heroin and butyryl fentanyl. On March 24, 2017, White sold heroin that he received from Bruno to an individual identified as W.S. Later that same day, W.S. was found dead after ingesting the heroin purchased from White. Text messages between White and W.S. on the evening of March 24, 2017, were recovered from W.S.’s cell phone. In the text messages, W.S. requested a “half bun” (5 doses) of heroin from White. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Drug Task Force and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Christopher Bourke, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott. Additional assistance was provided by the Niagara County and Orleans County District Attorneys’ Offices. # # # #


title: Spencer Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern


title: Felon with History of Violence and Drug Trafficking Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: A Sioux City man who previously served time for possession of a firearm in violation of federal law, was sentenced today to another 8 years in federal prison. Anthony Goodshield, age 41, of Sioux City, received the prison term after a March 6, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user. Evidence in the case revealed Goodshield, who was taken into custody on an outstanding state warrant, was found to be in possession of several items of drug paraphernalia, as well as the firearm that he attempted to stash in an air duct vent. Goodshield’s criminal history includes burglary, going armed with intent, eluding, possession with intent to distribute controlled substance, as well a previous federal felon in possession of a firearm conviction. Goodshield was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Goodshield is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4056. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Sioux City Man Sentenced To Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: A Sioux City man who previously served time for distribution of cocaine was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison. Jerry Wilson, age 62, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a February 23, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user. Evidence in the case revealed that on September 20, 2023, Wilson was stopped for traffic violations, and was also found to have a suspended license. As the officer approached, Wilson immediately became apprehensive and argumentative. The officer noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked the occupants to step out. Upon search of the vehicle, officers located the keys in the ignition had a container attached which contained approximately 2 grams of a white powdery substance that field tested positive for cocaine. Officers also located a box in the center console, containing a THC vape pen and a contained with approximately 1 gram of a white crystal substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine. In the glove box was another THC vape pen. Under the driver’s seat, officers located a revolver. Prior to transporting Wilson to the jail, officers searched Wilsons’ person and also located a pill bottle in Wilson’s jacket that contained 21 fentanyl pills, disguised as oxycodone, 18 individual baggies containing methamphetamine, and 2 baggies containing cocaine. Wilson has an extensive criminal history including delivery of controlled substance, pimping and pandering, possession of cocaine and carrying weapons, possession of a weapon by a felon, as well as a previous federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Wilson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 51 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Wilson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4075. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: A man who attempted to flee police twice while illegally possessing firearms and drugs, was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison. Raymon Olague, age 31, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a February 12, 2024, guilty plea to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Evidence in the case revealed on May 1, 2023, Olague was involved in a car chase that reached speeds in excess of 100 mph. Stop sticks were deployed, which struck a front tire, but Olague continued to flee law enforcement at a high rate of speed for several blocks. Olague pulled into an alley and threw a loaded handgun, with an obliterated serial number, out of the driver’s side door, before fleeing on foot into a nearby residence. Olague failed to comply with officers’ verbal commands but was found hiding under a child’s bed in the residence, and was apprehended. Olague posted a cash bond for the eluding charges. On September 21, 2023, while officers were conducting surveillance on another incident, Olague was observed entering the residence without any bags or backpacks, and two minutes later, exited carrying a backpack. When a uniformed officer approached Olague, he refused commands and fled on foot, dropping the backpack and multiple items from his waistband. Olague was apprehended and taken into custody on a warrant for failing to appear at a hearing related to the May 1 incident. Officers located the items Olague dropped, and inside the backpack was a second loaded pistol that had been reported stolen, along with drug paraphernalia. Olague was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Leonard T. Strand to 90 months’ imprisonment adjusted for time served on a related state offense. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Olague is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4064. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Carjacking, Robbery, Burglary and Related Charges

body_text: WASHINGTON – Kenneth Phillips, 24, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today by a jury of carjacking and other charges in an evening attack on a district driver that took place in Northeast Washington in November of 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Phillips also was found guilty of robbery, assault, burglary, first degree theft, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and driving without a permit. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Robert Salerno scheduled sentencing for October 4, 2024. Phillips faces a mandatory minimum of seven years’ incarceration on the charge of carjacking. According to the government’s evidence, on November 15, 2021, at approximately 9:00 PM, Phillips was in the 2000 block of fourth street Northeast when he approached the victim from behind, striking him in the back of the head and taking his car and house keys. Phillips crossed the street with the victim’s keys before returning to the victim, striking the victim in the face and fish-hooking him in the mouth. Phillips then fled the area in the victim’s Toyota Sienna van. On November 16, 2021, at approximately 4:00 AM, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department located the Defendant in the 700 block of K Street NE. The Defendant was sitting in the driver’s seat of the victim’s Toyota Van wearing a jacket that belonged to one of the victim’s family members. Police also recovered a key fob and a college graduation ring from the Defendant’s pockets. The key fob belonged to the victim of the carjacking and the college graduation ring was later determined to have been stolen from the victim’s house. In the trunk of the victim’s Toyota van, police recovered a television in an unopened box that had been taken from the victim’s home. At 7:00 AM on November 16, 2021, the victim’s family reported to police that their home had been burglarized. Specifically, the front and rear doors had been left open and unlocked, interior lights and doors were on, and bedrooms had been ransacked. Several of the belongings reported missing by the victim’s family were found by police on Phillips’s person and in the car he was driving at the time of his arrest. Detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department recovered surveillance video from the area around the carjacking that captured the suspect before and during the carjacking. At the time of Phillips’s arrest, he was wearing clothing that matched that worn by the carjacking suspect in the surveillance video. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney’s Benjamin Helfand and Sara Matar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Money Launderers Sentenced In Federal Court

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Two Mobile women, Jamaka King, 29, and Danielle Dailey, 39, were sentenced today in federal court on their convictions for conspiracy to launder drug proceeds. According to court documents, King and Dailey both became involved in the Darrin Southall criminal organization by handling his illegal drug proceeds in ways that concealed his illegal activities that generated the cash and that promoted the crimes. King was intercepted in numerous phone calls with Southall during a court-authorized wiretap of Southall’s phones. The calls implicated her one of Southall’s money launderers. Dailey was identified during the initial investigation. Southall’s organization generated millions of dollars in drug proceeds and when the arrests were made, federal authorities seized more than $2 million in cash, 18 vehicles and approximately $160,000 worth of jewelry. King and Dailey each pled guilty to conspiracy to launder drug money during 2021. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced King to 3 months in custody, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Judge Dubose sentenced Dailey to three years of probation. Both women will be subject to search upon reasonable suspicion that they have violated the conditions of supervision, and both are subject to drug testing and treatment and mental health evaluations. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that each defendant pay $100 in special assessments. U. S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organization that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Two Members Of The Darrin Southall Continuing Criminal Enterprise Sentenced In Federal Court

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Two Mobile men, Adrian McGhee, 61, and Jadarrin Barnes, 23, were sentenced today in federal court on their convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine as members of the Darrin Southall drug trafficking organization. According to court documents, Barnes was a distributor in the organization who sold cocaine to a confidential informant. The informant was equipped with electronic equipment that recorded the image of Barnes during the sale. McGhee was a courier for the organization who traveled to California and to Texas to pick up drug shipments and return them to Mobile. Southall bought a vehicle which was equipped with a concealed compartment for McGhee’s use to transport drug money to Houston, Texas, and to return with multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine. Barnes and McGhee were intercepted during a court-authorized wiretap of Southall’s phones. The calls implicated them as members of Southall’s extensive organization and also constituted evidence of their participation in the drug distribution conspiracy. Barnes and McGhee each pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine during 2021. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced McGhee to 60 months in custody, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Judge Dubose sentenced Barnes to time served and ordered that he begin a five-year term of supervised release immediately upon his release. Both men will be subject to search upon reasonable suspicion that they have violated the conditions of supervision, and both are subject to drug testing and treatment. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that each defendant pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: U.S. Attorneys Provide Virtual Training Program to Pennsylvania Prisons and Jails to Ensure Inmates Have Access to Medication to Treat Opioid Use Disorder

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA, SCRANTON, PITTSBURGH – As part of the Department of Justice’s response to the opioid crisis, the United States Attorneys for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania hosted a virtual training this week to educate Pennsylvania’s state and local correctional facilities on their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide inmates with access to medication to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). These medications include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. The July 23, 2024, training was open to all prison and jail staff, and over 100 participants, including wardens, security professionals, and medical staff from across the Commonwealth attended. The training follows recent federal enforcement actions involving the criminal justice system. In November 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania resolved an ADA matter with the Allegheny County Jail for failure to provide inmates medication to treat OUD. In December 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed a Statement of Interest in a matter against a Delaware County correctional facility to clarify state and local jails’ obligations under the ADA to provide inmates with access to medication to treat OUD. In January 2024, the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, settled a matter with the Uniform Judicial System of Pennsylvania (UJS) to resolve allegations that UJS courts violated the ADA by preventing individuals under court supervision from taking lawfully prescribed medication to treat OUD. The Department of Justice has also issued public guidance on the ADA’s protections for those with OUD. Over the course of this enforcement work, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices discovered that correctional facilities across the Commonwealth have questions about their obligations under the ADA when it comes to medications for OUD. To answer these questions and think through solutions, the three offices partnered to host this educational program. During the webinar, United States Attorneys Jacqueline Romero, Gerard Karam, and Eric Olshan — the senior-most federal law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania — emphasized that individuals with OUD or being treated with medication for OUD are generally considered disabled and protected by the ADA. Under the ADA’s protections, correctional facilities that provide healthcare services must offer treatment with medication for OUD to all individuals in custody for whom such treatment is medically appropriate. Facilities also may not change or discontinue an individual’s medication used to treat OUD, except upon a licensed healthcare provider’s determination that the individual does not require that treatment based on the individual’s current condition. Most importantly, the ADA requires that correctional facilities provide individual assessments and not categorically deny access to OUD medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration that provide life-saving treatment for addiction. In addition to this legal guidance, the training also featured remarks by Dr. Paul Joudrey of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on the science behind, and importance of, all three medications in the treatment of OUD. Heidi Carroll, Diversion Program Manager for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Division, and Dr. Patti Juliana, Director of the Division of Pharmacologic Therapies at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, addressed recent regulatory changes designed to improve access to methadone in correctional facilities. Dr. Bruce Herdman, Chief of Medical Operations of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and Anthony Cantillo, Deputy Commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections, talked about their experiences implementing programs to treat OUD in correctional facilities and the practical lessons they have learned along the way. “Our offices are dedicated to fighting the opioid epidemic with every tool that we have,” said U.S. Attorney Romero of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “That includes enforcing the ADA to remove discriminatory barriers to treatment for OUD. This training reminds jails and prisons about their obligations to address the needs of individuals with OUD and comply with the ADA, and provided them with additional tools to use to ensure their facilities comply with the law.” “As we continue to vigorously prosecute those who traffic in and profit from drugs like heroin and fentanyl, our mission in fighting this epidemic requires we ensure individuals with OUD have continued access to medically prescribed treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Karam of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “This training presented an opportunity for experts in the field of addiction, representatives from federal agencies, our own civil rights attorneys, and leaders in correctional facilities across the Commonwealth to come together to have questions answered, think through solutions, and initiate a local, state, and federal partnership. Our partnership is forged in the notion that medical treatment for inmates can dramatically reduce opioid overdose deaths.” “Each of our districts has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan of the Western District of Pennsylvania. “We rigorously enforce the ADA to ensure that effective OUD treatment will be available to those in correctional facilities across the Commonwealth. As a part of this work, we are happy to offer this training to help jails and prisons learn more about what they must do to address the needs of individuals with OUD and comply with the ADA.” The training was coordinated by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren DeBruicker, Michael Butler, and Adam Fischer, civil rights coordinators for the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania, respectively. For more information about the Justice Department’s work to address discrimination against individuals with opioid use disorder, please visit www.ada.gov/topics/opioid-use-disorder . For more information on the ADA, please call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report , or by contacting their local U.S. Attorney’s Office. In the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, call 215-861-8555 or email USAPAE.civilrights@usdoj.gov . In the Middle District of Pennsylvania, call 717-614-4911 or email usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov . In the Western District of Pennsylvania, call 412-894-7343 or email USAPAW.CivilRights@usdoj.gov .


title: Mexican National Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eduardo Lopez-Zamora, age 34, of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Lopez-Zamora was previously removed from the United States on December 9, 2022, after pleading guilty to charges of illegal reentry in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. It is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Franklin County Man Indicted For Making Threats On Facebook, Cyberstalking, And Unlawfully Possessing A Firearm

body_text: HARRISBURG– The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a federal grand jury indicted Richard Little, age 49, of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, for making threats online, including against a state senator, cyberstalking, and being a person prohibited from possessing a firearm. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on or about June 10, 2024, Little was served with an eviction notice and began posting threatening, harassing, and intimidating videos on Facebook that chiefly targeted an individual with whom Little previously worked. Little also threatened a County Commissioner and, among other things, spoke of a “war,” described “kill zones,” and displayed firearms and ammunition. Thereafter, on or about June 21, 2024, Little posted a threat against a Pennsylvania State Senator on his Facebook page. The same date, law enforcement arrested Little and searched his residence. Law enforcement seized approximately 17 firearms, ammunition, marijuana, illegal mushrooms, an expired Pennsylvania medical-marijuana card, and drug paraphernalia. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for the charges against Little is 30 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons indicted are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Telemarketing Company CEO Convicted of Health Insurance Policy Scheme Sentenced to Federal Prison for 25 Years

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district court judge in southern Illinois sentenced the owner of a south Florida-based telemarketing company to 25 years in federal prison for causing his employees to sell limited indemnity health insurance plans to unsuspecting consumers by means of false and deceptive practices. Steven Dorfman, 40, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, owned, operated, and functioned as the CEO of a south Florida telemarketing company known as Simple Health. In February, a jury convicted Dorfman of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud and eight counts of wire fraud in connection with his operation of Simple Health. “Steven Dorfman orchestrated a scam to enrich himself by deceiving thousands of victims. He directed sales agents at his telemarketing company to lie to consumers and trick them into believing the limited indemnity insurance plans they were peddling would function like major medical insurance,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “This brazen fraud had lasting, and financially disastrous, effects on many victims. Although the Simple Health salespersons had promised that the policies would cover most of their medical expenses, when the victims attempted to use the policies, they found out that they provided little, if any, coverage. As a result, these victims were left owing thousands of dollars’ worth of medical bills that were not covered by the limited indemnity plans sold by Simple Health.” According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Dorfman’s company trained employees to use deceptive sales tactics to scam consumers into purchasing the limited indemnity insurance plans. These plans cover relatively low amounts of medical expenses. Once the low caps were reached, the consumers were then responsible for paying 100% of their medical expenses. “This sentencing is a statement that mail fraud will not be tolerated, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice,” said Acting Inspector in Charge, John Jackman, who leads the St. Louis Field Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The Postal Inspection Service will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies to collectively pursue criminals who victimize postal customers and U.S. consumers.” At Dorfman’s direction, Simple Health salespeople utilized false and misleading scripts to mislead consumers about the amount of coverage provided by the policies. Following these scripts, salespeople would make statements such as “the whole idea of this plan is to make your out-of-pocket expenses as low as possible” and “when all is said and done, you’ll end up owing pennies on the dollar.” Evidence at trial also established that Simple Health’s commissioned salespersons frequently told additional, off-script lies to the consumers to get them to buy them to buy the policies, with little to no effort by Dorfman to stop this practice. Using the deceptive scripts and the blatant lies of their salespersons, Simple Health sold these limited indemnity policies to more than 400,000 unsuspecting victims across the country from May 2012 through November 2018. This fraudulent conduct generated more than $190 million in revenue for Simple Health. The company sold more than 1,400 of these limited indemnity policies to individuals from all 38 counties in the Southern District of Illinois. Two co-conspirators were also charged in the conspiracy. Candida Girouard, 47, of Valrico, Florida, was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment in May. Simple Health’s vice president of sales, John A. Sand, 50, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was tried at the same time as Dorfman and was convicted by the jury on all counts contained in the indictment. As a post-trial hearing, however, the federal judge assigned to this case granted Sand’s motion for judgment of acquittal notwithstanding the verdict. The Government is currently considering whether to appeal that decision. Following imprisonment, Dorfman will serve five years of supervised release. The St. Louis Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Verseman and Peter Reed are handling the prosecution. The investigation began with a referral from the Federal Trade Commission’s Midwest Regional Office in Chicago. The FTC filed a complaint for civil injunctive relief in October 2018. The FTC’s action put an end to the fraud and a court-appointed receiver was appointed to take over Simple Health’s business operations.


title: Two Men Plead Guilty To Acting As Illegal Agents Of The PRC Government And Bribery

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOHN CHEN and LIN FENG pled guilty to acting as unregistered agents of the government of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) and bribing an Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) agent in connection with a plot to target U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC. CHEN pled guilty yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román. FENG pled guilty today before Judge Krause and will be sentenced on October 31, 2024, before Judge Román. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “John Chen and Lin Feng brazenly attempted to bribe an undercover agent they believed to be an IRS agent here in the United States on behalf of the PRC Government in order to harass and intimidate the Falun Gong, a target of PRC repression. Efforts such as this to repress free speech by targeting critics of the PRC in the United States will not be tolerated. This Office remains committed to thwarting malicious transnational repression attempts by foreign influences on American soil.” According to Indictment and other court documents: From at least approximately January 2023 to May 2023, CHEN and FENG worked inside the United States at the direction of the PRC Government, including an identified PRC Government official (“PRC Official-1”), to further the PRC Government’s campaign to repress and harass Falun Gong practitioners. The PRC Government has designated the Falun Gong as one of the “Five Poisons,” or one of the top five threats to its rule. In China, Falun Gong adherents face a range of repressive and punitive measures from the PRC Government, including imprisonment. As part of the PRC Government’s campaign against the Falun Gong, CHEN and FENG engaged in a PRC Government-directed scheme to manipulate the IRS’s Whistleblower Program in an effort to strip the tax-exempt status of an entity run and maintained by Falun Gong practitioners (“Entity-1”). After CHEN filed a defective whistleblower complaint with the IRS (the “Chen Whistleblower Complaint”), CHEN and FENG paid $5,000 in cash bribes, and promised to pay substantially more, to a purported IRS agent who was, in fact, an undercover officer (“Agent-1”) in exchange for Agent-1’s assistance in advancing the complaint. Neither CHEN nor FENG notified the Attorney General that they were acting as agents of the PRC Government in the United States. In the course of the scheme, CHEN, on a recorded call, explicitly noted that the purpose of paying these bribes, which were directed and funded by the PRC Government, was to carry out the PRC Government’s aim of “toppl[ing] . . . the Falun Gong.” During a call intercepted pursuant to a judicially authorized wiretap, CHEN and FENG discussed receiving “direction” on the bribery scheme from PRC Official-1, deleting instructions received from PRC Official-1 in order to evade detection, and “alert[ing]” and “sound[ing] the alarm” to PRC Official-1 if CHEN and FENG’s meetings to bribe Agent-1 did not go as planned. CHEN and FENG also discussed that PRC Official-1 was the PRC Government official “in charge” of the bribery scheme targeting the Falun Gong. As part of this scheme, CHEN and FENG met with Agent-1 in Newburgh, New York, on May 14, 2023. During the meeting, CHEN gave Agent-1 a $1,000 cash bribe as an initial, partial bribe payment. CHEN further offered to pay Agent-1 a total of $50,000 for opening an audit of Entity-1, as well as 60% of any whistleblower award from the IRS if the Chen Whistleblower Complaint were successful. On May 18, 2023, FENG paid Agent-1 a $4,000 cash bribe at John F. Kennedy International Airport as an additional partial bribe payment in furtherance of the scheme. * * * CHEN, 71, of Chino, California, and FENG, 44, a PRC citizen and resident of Los Angeles, California, each pled guilty to one count of acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of bribing a public official, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York and Los Angeles Field Offices and Counterintelligence Division and the Office of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Mr. Williams also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section for their assistance. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division and National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary, Michael D. Lockard, and Kathryn Wheelock are in charge of the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.


title: U.S. Attorneys Provide Virtual Program To Pennsylvania Prisons And Jails To Ensure Inmates Have Access To Medication To Treat Opioid Use Disorder

body_text: SCRANTON, PHILADELPHIA, PITTSBURGH – As part of the Department of Justice’s response to the opioid crisis, the United States Attorneys for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania hosted a virtual training this week to educate Pennsylvania’s state and local correctional facilities on their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide inmates with access to medication to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). These medications include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. The July 23, 2024, training was open to all prison and jail staff, and over 100 participants, including wardens, security professionals, and medical staff from across the Commonwealth attended. The training follows recent federal enforcement actions involving the criminal justice system. In November 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania resolved an ADA matter with the Allegheny County Jail for failure to provide inmates medication to treat OUD. In December 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed a Statement of Interest in a matter against a Delaware County correctional facility to clarify state and local jails’ obligations under the ADA to provide inmates with access to medication to treat OUD. In January 2024, the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, settled a matter with the Uniform Judicial System of Pennsylvania (UJS) to resolve allegations that UJS courts violated the ADA by preventing individuals under court supervision from taking lawfully prescribed medication to treat OUD. The Department of Justice has also issued public guidance on the ADA’s protections for those with OUD. Over the course of this enforcement work, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices discovered that correctional facilities across the Commonwealth have questions about their obligations under the ADA when it comes to medications for OUD. To answer these questions and think through solutions, the three offices partnered to host this educational program. During the webinar, United States Attorneys Gerard Karam, Jacqueline Romero, and Eric Olshan — the senior-most federal law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania — emphasized that individuals with OUD or being treated with medication for OUD are generally considered disabled and protected by the ADA. Under the ADA’s protections, correctional facilities that provide healthcare services must offer treatment with medication for OUD to all individuals in custody for whom such treatment is medically appropriate. Facilities also may not change or discontinue an individual’s medication used to treat OUD, except upon a licensed healthcare provider’s determination that the individual does not require that treatment based on the individual’s current condition. Most importantly, the ADA requires that correctional facilities provide individual assessments and not categorically deny access to OUD medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration that provide life-saving treatment for addiction. In addition to this legal guidance, the training also featured remarks by Dr. Paul Joudrey of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on the science behind, and importance of, all three medications in the treatment of OUD. Heidi Carroll, Diversion Program Manager for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Division, and Dr. Patti Juliana, Director of the Division of Pharmacologic Therapies at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, addressed recent regulatory changes designed to improve access to methadone in correctional facilities. Dr. Bruce Herdman, Chief of Medical Operations of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and Anthony Cantillo, Deputy Commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections, talked about their experiences implementing programs to treat OUD in correctional facilities and the practical lessons they have learned along the way. “As we continue to vigorously prosecute those who traffic in and profit from drugs like heroin and fentanyl, our mission in fighting this epidemic requires we ensure individuals with OUD have continued access to medically prescribed treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Karam of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “This training presented an opportunity for experts in the field of addiction, representatives from federal agencies, our own civil rights attorneys, and leaders in correctional facilities across the Commonwealth to come together to have questions answered, think through solutions, and initiate a local, state, and federal partnership. Our partnership is forged in the notion that medical treatment for inmates can dramatically reduce opioid overdose deaths.” “Our offices are dedicated to fighting the opioid epidemic with every tool that we have,” said U.S. Attorney Romero of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “That includes enforcing the ADA to remove discriminatory barriers to treatment for OUD. This training reminds jails and prisons about their obligations to address the needs of individuals with OUD and comply with the ADA and provided them with additional tools to use to ensure their facilities comply with the law.” “Each of our districts has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan of the Western District of Pennsylvania. “We rigorously enforce the ADA to ensure that effective OUD treatment will be available to those in correctional facilities across the Commonwealth. As a part of this work, we are happy to offer this training to help jails and prisons learn more about what they must do to address the needs of individuals with OUD and comply with the ADA.” The training was coordinated by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Butler, Lauren DeBruicker, and Adam Fischer, civil rights coordinators for the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Middle, Eastern and Western Districts of Pennsylvania, respectively. For more information about the Justice Department’s work to address discrimination against individuals with opioid use disorder, please visit www.ada.gov/topics/opioid-use-disorder . For more information on the ADA, please call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report , or by contacting their local U.S. Attorney’s Office. In the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, call 215-861-8555 or email USAPAE.civilrights@usdoj.gov . In the Middle District of Pennsylvania, call 717-614-4911 or email usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov . In the Western District of Pennsylvania, call 412-894-7343 or email USAPAW.CivilRights@usdoj.gov . # # #


title: Registered Sex Offender From Harwich Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Harwich man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to possessing child sexual abuse material. Jonathan Fleischmann, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Fleischmann was arrested and charged on May 16, 2023 and remains in federal custody. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Oct. 16, 2024. Fleischmann’s co-workers reported to law enforcement that, between March 17 and March 18, 2023, Fleischmann’s cellphone was observed downloading suspected child pornography media files while his phone was left open and charging on a counter at their workplace. During a subsequent search of Fleischmann’s cellphone approximately 255 image files and 55 video files that contained suspected child pornography were identified. On May 23, 2024, Fleischmann pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for separate state charges in Barnstable Superior Court for invading a Yarmouth home and forcibly taking a 16-year-old female at gunpoint into her house as she arrived home from school in 2020. That investigation revealed that Fleishmann had accessed a dark web hidden service on his cellphone dedicated to the trafficking of child pornography. Fleishmann is a Level 3 sex offender due to prior convictions in Barnstable District Court of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child Under 14 in 2006 and Open and Gross Lewdness in 2017. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Springfield, Massachusetts and Williamstown, Vermont Men Charged with Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Hussein Iman, age 20, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and Joseph Cadorette, II, age 37, of Williamstown, Vermont, have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and cocaine base. Cadorette is scheduled to have his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont at 3:30 p.m. Iman’s initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts remains pending. According to court records, Iman, who also goes by “Q,” oversaw a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing fentanyl and cocaine base in Vermont from March 2024 to July 2024. Individuals from the organization sold narcotics to undercover agents on multiple occasions. During one interaction, Iman boasted to an undercover agent about the potency of his raw fentanyl, conveying that it caused individuals to instantly overdose and that Narcan did not reverse the overdoses. The organization’s drug distribution locations included Cadorette’s fourteen-acre property on Pleasant Street in Williamstown, Vermont. There, undercover agents purchased thousands of dollars of fentanyl from individuals in a camper on the property and observed a homemade shooting range. On July 24, 2024, law enforcement executed search and arrest warrants at Cadorette’s properties in Williamstown, Vermont and Iman’s residence in Springfield, Massachusetts. Among the items law enforcement recovered were multiple guns and suspected narcotics. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Iman and Cadorette are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Each defendant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the present charges. The actual sentences would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Vermont State Police Drug Task Force, Massachusetts State Police, Springfield (Massachusetts) Police Department, Hampden County (Massachusetts) Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Cate and Colin Owyang. Iman is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Cadorette is represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq.


title: Jacksonville Man Indicted For Defrauding Investors And Obtaining Fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Jared Dean Eakes (33, Jacksonville) with five counts of wire fraud and three counts of bank fraud. If convicted, Eakes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 30 years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count. The indictment also notifies Eakes that the United States is seeking orders of forfeiture in the total amount of $7,489,732.20, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. According to the superseding indictment, Eakes portrayed himself as a legitimate advisor and contacted investment advisors who were looking to sell their advisory businesses. After negotiating to take over management of the advisors’ client assets, between approximately January 2019 and February 2020, Eakes converted approximately $2,737,462 of victim investor funds to his own benefit by withdrawing the funds in cash, using investor funds to pay personal expenses, transferring investor funds to a Las Vegas-based casino company, and by engaging in unauthorized options trading in a personal brokerage account. Also, according to the superseding indictment, between March 2020 and November 2021, Eakes fraudulently secured approximately $4,752,270 in emergency funds through four Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP)” loans. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted March 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in potentially forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding. The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses were required to use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if the business spent the proceeds on these expenses within a set time-period and used at least a certain percentage of the loan towards qualifying business expenses. According to the superseding indictment, Eakes caused the submission of four PPP loan applications—including applications for two of the entities involved in the scheme to defraud investors—which contained false and fraudulent supporting documentation and statements regarding the entities’ employees and payroll. Once he obtained the emergency loans, Eakes did not use the funds for qualifying expenses. Instead, he used the funds to engage in options trading or withdrew them in cash. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Aakash Singh.


title: Repeat Offender Sentenced to Prison for Felony Second-Degree Theft for Stealing Items from CVS in Southeast D.C.

body_text: WASHINGTON – Anthony Moffett, 38, of Maryland, was sentenced in D.C. Superior Court on July 23, 2024, to 18 months in prison for felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on May 10, 2024. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Moffett pleaded guilty to one count of felony second-degree theft on July 11, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, on May 10, 2024, Moffett stole food items from a CVS. Moffett had two prior theft convictions and was therefore subject to the enhanced penalties for his theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison. In addition to the 18 months of prison time, Superior Court Judge Robert Richter ordered Moffett to two years of supervised release. At sentencing the Court heard a victim impact statement from a CVS representative, who emphasized that Moffett’s repeated thefts have not only affected the store’s financial performance but have also created an environment of insecurity and demotivation among the stores’ staff members. The CVS representative added that thefts committed by repeat offenders like Moffett have caused several stores within the district to close. This not only deprives community members of access to necessities like prescriptions, but it also deprives the hardworking staff members of their jobs as more and more CVS locations close. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Anderson.


title: Former science director for the Office of Naval Research Global sentenced to 25 years in prison for child sexual exploitation conviction

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A cleared research scientist at U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and former Assistant Professor at George Mason University was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison for receiving, possessing, and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and coercion and enticement of minors. According to court documents, in November 2021, Daniel Marc Lofaro, 40, of Fairfax, engaged with a victim, identified as Minor 1, who was then 12 years old, on a social media app, telling the victim he was 22 years old. Lofaro told the victim in graphic detail how he would have sex with the victim and continued to entice and exploit the child even when the victim hardly responded. Lofaro requested nude images of the victim and asked the victim to join him in video chats. In 2019, Lofaro engaged with a 14-year-old victim, identified as Minor 2, through an online dating app. Lofaro chatted with the victim on various social media and messaging apps and had voice and video calls with the victim. On multiple occasions, Lofaro asked the victim to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos. At Lofaro’s request, in February 2022, the victim created a sexually explicit video and sent it to Lofaro. Minor 2 told law enforcement that Lofaro asked for the victim’s address so he could visit the victim, and that the victim stopped talking to the defendant because he was asking the victim to send him photographs every day, even when the child was at school. Lofaro last reached out to Minor 2 on May 18, 2022, the morning law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence. Lofaro collected CSAM for nearly a decade, amassing approximately 600 CSAM images and videos on two laptop computers. These files include images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including the rape of a toddler and prepubescent children. Between at least August 2021 and February 2022, Lofaro distributed and received numerous CSAM files through social media. Lofaro was a member of multiple social media groups dedicated to discussing sexual abuse of children and exchanging CSAM. Lofaro frequently discussed with other users his sexual interest in children and the sexual abuse of children in real life. On Feb. 5, 2022, Lofaro chatted with another individual about his sexual abuse of a minor relative while the child slept, and that he was “looking for someone who has a daughter that they are willing to share.” Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Brian Platt, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney McKenzie Hightower, a Trial Attorney for the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-156. Note: This release was revised on July 26, 2024, to reflect that Daniel Marc Lofaro is not a current George Mason University employee. He has not worked for the university since May 2021.


title: Richmond felon sentenced for drug trafficking while on probation for prior firearm conviction

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to three years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to court documents, on Sept. 23, 2021, Samuel Tarry, 27, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to five years in prison, with four years and six months suspended for a period of five years, conditioned on Tarry’s good behavior. Tarry was released from prison on Feb. 22, 2022. Because Tarry was a confirmed member of the 13th Gang, he was assigned to a specialized probation officer. Less than a year later, detectives with the Richmond Police Department conducted a search of Tarry’s residence, which he shared with his girlfriend and their 5-year-old child. Detectives recovered several items, including a semiautomatic firearm and associated ammunition, 75 grams of heroin, and a ledger of account names, money movement, cash deposits, and credit and debit cards in the names of multiple people. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-2.


title: Indiana Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Trafficking Guns From Indianapolis to Chicago

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

body_text: CHICAGO — An Indiana man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for trafficking 15 guns, including semiautomatic rifles and “ghost guns,” from Indianapolis to the Chicago area. DEVANTE T. BROWN and a co-defendant, COREY SARTIN, transported 15 firearms from Indianapolis to the Chicago area in the spring and summer of 2022. Brown and Sartin sold the guns to undercover law enforcement officers in three separate transactions: April 9, 2022: Sartin sold a handgun to the undercover officers in Lynwood, Ill. May 31, 2022: Brown and Sartin sold four handguns and AR-style rifles with extended magazines to the undercover officers in the Pullman neighborhood of Chicago. June 24, 2022: Brown and Sartin sold four semiautomatic handguns, four semiautomatic rifles, and two privately made “ghost guns” to the undercover officers in Calumet City, Ill. A firearm is considered a “ghost gun” when it contains no identifiable serial number and was manufactured from parts collected from various sources. In a text message to the undercover officers prior to one of the deals, Brown stated, “I come across guns all day long. We gone do good business together.” Brown, 29, of Indianapolis, Ind., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal firearm charge. U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama on Tuesday sentenced Brown to ten years in prison. Sartin, 21, of Indianapolis, Ind., also pleaded guilty to a firearm charge and was sentenced last year to two and a half years in prison. The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Dolton, Ill., Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic. Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is a centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force aimed at reducing gun violence. As part of the Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF, CPD, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes. Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a focus of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.