title: Orlando Man Pleads Guilty To Multiple Robbery And Firearms Offenses

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dany Telfort (20, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Telfort faces a minimum penalty of 14 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is set for February 13, 2025. According to the plea agreement, between March 23 and April 1, 2023, Telfort and co-defendant Nijah Jahni Mitchell participated in a string of nine armed robberies of various convenience stores throughout Central Florida. During some of the robberies, Telfort entered the store, pointed a firearm at the store clerks, and demanded the money from the cash registers. During others, Telfort acted as the getaway driver while Mitchell allegedly robbed the store. As part of the plea agreement, Telfort has agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the commission of the offenses. Mitchell is currently pending trial. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Clermont Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oakland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced for Carrying Out Scheme  to Defraud Lucas County Auditor of More Than $622,000

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to an organized scheme that defrauded the Lucas County Auditor of more than $622,000. From March 2018 through November 2020, Darren Barr, age 39, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, collaborated with others to carry out a plan to obtain money by pretending to be legitimate vendors with which the county was approved to do business. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge James G. Carr for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Barr to serve three years of supervised release and pay $622,793.62 in restitution. During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered that the fraudsters used information found on public websites to obtain specific details about approved government vendor businesses. Among the information they gathered, were the names of the Lucas County employees who were responsible for paying vendors. Using the data they found, Barr and his co-conspirators created email accounts to look like those of the approved businesses. They also opened fraudulent bank accounts with forged State of Pennsylvania and Internal Revenue Service corporate documents. After each step of the scheme was in place, Barr and his co-conspirators carried out their plan. First, legitimate invoices were sent to the county employees from the false vendor emails they controlled. Instructions in the email directed the employees to submit payment to any one of the fraudulent corporate bank accounts created by Barr and his co-conspirators. Because they believed the emails to be from legitimate vendors, the employees submitted payments to the sham bank accounts controlled by the scammers. As soon as payments were received into the fraudulent accounts, Barr would quickly transfer the money into other bank accounts he and his co-conspirators controlled in an attempt to try and conceal their activities. This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Melching for the Northern District of Ohio. To report fraud, visit justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/report-fraud .


title: Bank Manager Sentenced to Prison for Misusing Position to Steal Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Bank Customer

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former New York-based branch manager was sentenced yesterday to 13 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $208,938.68 in both restitution and forfeiture of criminal proceeds for misusing his position to steal approximately $208,938.68 from a customer’s accounts. According to court documents and statements made in court, from January 2020 to April 2020, James Gomes, 43, of New York, used his position as a branch manager of an international financial institution to improperly access a customer’s accounts and to steal a total of approximately $208,938.68. Without authorization, Gomes linked his personal phone number to the customer’s accounts and enrolled the customer’s accounts in the bank’s online banking services. In March and April 2020, Gomes fraudulently transferred the customer’s funds to Gomes’ personal bank and investment accounts at other financial institutions. To cover up his scheme, Gomes created a fraudulent email address containing the customer’s name, which he used to engage in fictitious conversations with his own official bank email address to make it appear that the customer was communicating with him. Gomes continued the scheme even after the customer’s death on April 5, 2020. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated the case, with assistance from the Morristown Police Department. Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea R. Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Pesce for the District of New Jersey prosecuted the case. MLARS’ Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system. Since its creation in 2010, the Bank Integrity Unit has prosecuted financial institutions for violations of the BSA, money laundering, sanctions, and other laws, imposing total penalties of over $25 billion.


title: Bank Manager Sentenced to 13 Months in Prison for Misusing Position to Defraud Bank Customer of Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A former New York-based branch manager of an international financial institution was sentenced to 13 months in prison for misusing his position to steal more than $208,000 from a customer’s accounts, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, announced today. James Gomes, 43, of New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Judge Salas imposed the sentence on Nov. 5, 2024, in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court: From January 2020 to April 2020, Gomes used his position as a branch manager of an international financial institution to improperly access a customer’s accounts and to steal $208,939. Without authorization, Gomes linked his personal phone number to the customer’s accounts and enrolled the customer’s accounts in the bank’s online banking services. In March and April 2020, Gomes fraudulently transferred the customer’s funds to Gomes’ personal bank and investment accounts at other financial institutions. To cover up his scheme, Gomes created a fraudulent email address containing the customer’s name, which he used to engage in fictitious conversations with his own official bank email address to make it appear that the customer was communicating with him. Gomes continued the scheme even after the customer’s death on April 5, 2020. In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Gomes to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $208,939 and forfeiture of $208,939 in criminal proceeds. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark; and special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, New York Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Morristown Police Department for its assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark and Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea R. Rooney of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS). MLARS’ Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system. Since its creation in 2010, the Bank Integrity Unit has prosecuted financial institutions for violations of the BSA, money laundering, sanctions, and other laws, imposing total penalties of over $25 billion.


title: Centre County Man Charged With Production And Receipt Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William S. Welsh, age 28, of State College, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 5, 2024, by a federal grand jury on charges of production and possession of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on January 15, 2023, Welsh employed a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. The indictment also alleges that from December 29, 2021 through April 4, 2024, Welsh possessed images depicting minors, including minors under the age of 12, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 30 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: Scranton Man Charged With Committing $850,000 In Covid-19 Pandemic Fraud

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Yoel Weiss, age 42, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was charged in an indictment with 41 combined counts of wire fraud, false statements to the Small Business Administration, identity theft, unlawful monetary transactions, and witness tampering. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Weiss owned and operated multiple corporate entities in Pennsylvania and New York. Weiss allegedly filed at least seven fraudulent applications for pandemic stimulus funds through the Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Weiss was charged with seven counts of wire fraud, and seven count of making false statements to the United States Small Business Administration, for the fraudulent applications. Weiss also is charged with three counts of aggravated identity theft, for using stolen identities to file three applications. The applications allegedly submitted by Weiss were filed on behalf of corporate entities that did not, in fact, have actual business operations, and that bore false dates of business establishment, false employee headcount information, and fabricated gross revenues, costs of goods sold, and lost rental income. Weiss allegedly obtained in excess of approximately $850,000 in EIDL funds through filing the fraudulent applications, which he spent on unapproved personal expenses. Weiss is charged with 23 counts of making unlawful monetary transactions with the proceeds of his fraud. Weiss is further charged with threatening and intimidating a witness in an attempt to influence and prevent the witness’s testimony before a federal grand jury. “The American tax system is designed to provide vital government services to our people. It is not a slush fund for thieves and fraudsters,” said Amy MacNeely, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office. The EIDL program, funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligation. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious charges are 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The aggravated identity theft offense carries a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment that is to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. 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: 40-Month Sentence in Connection With a May 2023 Shootout Near a Nightclub in Northwest Washington D.C.

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Garrick Richardson, 30, of Washington D.C., was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 40 months in federal prison in connection with a May 13, 2023, shootout near a DuPont nightclub, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Richardson pleaded guilty on March 4, 2024, to an information charging him with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates ordered Richardson to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on May 13, 2023, just after 3 a.m., a large group of men was outside the Abigail nightclub at 1730 M Street NW. At 3:09 a.m., a physical altercation erupted in the parking garage next to the nightclub. The fight quickly broke up, with two of the men entering a silver Kia, and the rest briefly exiting the parking garage towards M Street. As the silver Kia attempted to leave the garage, the men who had left the parking garage briefly returned with a much larger group and swarmed around the Kia. Richardson, who was wearing a black t-shirt with white lettering, dark jeans, white shoes, was one of the men. The men surrounded the Kia in what appeared to be an attempt to stop it from leaving. As Richardson ran toward the driver side of the vehicle, another man pulled at the vehicle’s door and then punched the window. The Kia tried to pull forward, but Richardson ran after it, holding what appeared to be a black handgun with an extended magazine in his right hand. Garrick Richardson, circled in yellow, carried a handgun with an extended magazine in his right hand during an altercation in a Dupont garage. As the silver Kia began reversing out of the garage, Dirk Easton, who was with Richardson, pointed a different black handgun with an extended magazine and ran forward at the vehicle, firing multiple times directly at its front windshield. After several shots, Easton was struck in the eye by a ricochet bullet and fell to the ground, dropping his firearm. Richardson, circled in yellow, watched as Easton, circled in red, fired multiple times at the silver Kia that was trying to leave the parking garage. Police officers recovered a black Glock 35 .40 caliber handgun that had been converted to fire as a machine gun. Testing linked DNA on the weapon to Richardson. Richardson and others escorted Easton to GWU Hospital, with Richardson riding in the back of a black BMW. From the back of the BMW, officers later recovered a black Glock 35 .40 caliber handgun, outfitted with a switch that converted it a fully automatic machine gun, and an extended magazine. A DNA test confirmed Richardson’s unlawful possession of it. The investigation revealed the Raleigh, North Carolina, Police Department had reported the weapon stolen on April 22, 2023. Three other men were arrested and charged in the garage shootout. Easton, 28, pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon and, on July 23, 2024, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. Adrian Vinson, 23, pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and, on February 20, 2024, was sentenced to 66 months in prison. Tyron Hines, 32, pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and on March 19, 2024, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer. 23cr200


title: Bronx Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For December 2021 Murder

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RICARDO FERGUSON, a/k/a “Maybach,” was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Richard M. Berman for the December 5, 2021 murder of Robert Brown, Sr., inside of Aqueduct Park in the Bronx. FERGUSON was convicted of murder, robbery, and drug charges following a six-day trial in June 2024. FERGUSON shot Brown in the head and attempted steal crack cocaine from Brown during a dispute over drugs. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Ricardo Ferguson used violence and intimidation to maintain control over his drug operation. In furtherance of that drug operation, he executed Robert Brown in a public park, in broad daylight, in front of several witnesses. For this senseless act of violence, Ferguson will spend the rest of his life in prison. Today’s sentence fittingly underscores the craven nature of Ferguson’s actions. We will continue to aggressively pursue justice in cases involving such wanton acts of violence. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors from this Office for their tireless efforts in pursuing justice in this case.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and evidence at trial: FERGUSON and others participated in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in the vicinity of Aqueduct Park in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx. In the months leading up to the murder, FERGUSON and his co-conspirators threatened Robert Brown, Sr. because Brown had been selling bags containing larger quantities of crack cocaine than the other dealers in the park. On December 5, 2021, FERGUSON and a co-conspirator attacked and attempted to rob Brown in Aqueduct Park. During the attempted robbery, and physical attack, FERGUSON pulled out a gun and shot Brown in the head. Brown was 63 years old at the time of the murder. * * * In addition to the prison term, FERGUSON was sentenced to 120 months to run consecutive to the sentence of life in prison, and five years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), the Special Agents and NYPD Task Force Officers from the Special Investigations Division assigned to the Southern District of New York, and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area analysts. The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic Gentile, Jun Xiang, Mathew Andrews, and Peter Davis are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Ananya Sankar.


title: Farmville woman pleads guilty in scheme to set up fake company, bank account to cash a stolen check

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Farmville woman pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud relating to her role in a conspiracy to set up a fake company and associated bank account to cash a stolen check for nearly half a million dollars. According to court documents, on Sept. 21, 2021, a North Carolina business issued a check for $468,477.13 to a subcontractor, Summit Solutionz, Inc., made payable to “Solutionz,” and placed the check in the mail. At some point between Sept. 21, 2021, and Sept. 27, 2021, members of the conspiracy stole the check. On Sept. 27, 2021, a member of the conspiracy incorporated “The Solutionz GA, Inc.” in Georgia. Pia Lawson, 51, was named the “CEO” and “CFO” of Solutionz GA. On Sept. 28, 2021, Lawson opened a business checking account for Solutionz GA and certified that she was the Chief Executive Officer and a beneficial owner of Solutionz GA. On Sept. 30, 2021, Lawson deposited the $468,477.13 check into the Solutionz GA account. Through a series of financial transactions and transfers, Lawson depleted the fraudulently obtained funds between October and November of 2021, including, for example, the transfer of $65,000 to her personal checking account. Lawson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2025, and faces up to 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Day is prosecuting the case. 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-106.


title: Wilkes-Barre Man Indicted For Receipt And Possession Of Child Pornography

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Roland Bennett Rhodes, III, age 54, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 5, 2024, by a federal grand jury for both receipt of and possession of child pornography. According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Rhodes with receipt of and possession of child pornography depicting minors under the age of 12 years, engaging in sexually explicit conduct on October 24, 2024, in Luzerne County. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tatum Wilson is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 40 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 and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Announce Charges in Navajo Nation Aggravated Assault Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man faces federal charges after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend and striking her with his vehicle on the Navajo Nation reservation. Tyrell Lee Johnson , 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending his detention hearing, which has been scheduled for November 7, 2024. According to court records, on November 2, 2024, the FBI was notified by Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations of an assault that occurred on Highway 64 in Beclabito. The victim and a witness reported that Johnson , the victim’s ex-boyfriend, stabbed her with a knife and struck her with his vehicle. The victim was transported to Northern Navajo Medical Center with multiple injuries, including a stab wound to the abdomen. Johnson was later apprehended by Navajo Police Department officers after a brief pursuit. A folding knife was reportedly recovered from Johnson ’s person. If convicted of the current charges, Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Johnson).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: New York Men Charged With Unlawful Possession Of Firearms

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two brothers from Bronx, New York, Elijah Javier Rodriguez, age 26, and Javier Justin Rodriguez, age 29, were indicted by a grand jury on November 5, 2024, on charges of possession of firearms by prohibited persons. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that both Elijah and Javier Rodriguez did knowingly possess firearms as a prohibited person who had been convicted of a felony offense, on June 29, 2024, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting 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. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 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 and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Guilty Plea from Gallup Man for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Gallup man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon following a shooting incident on the Navajo Nation reservation sparked by barking dogs. Harley Davidson Joe, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Joe faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Joe will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement (Joe).pdf # # #


title: Man With Long History Of Violence Against Women Sentenced To 78 Months For Illegally Possessing A Gun

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Case Reflects Ongoing Commitment to Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Stephen Duane Woods, Jr., age 40, of Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted Stephen Woods federally in part because Woods has an extensive history of domestic violence, including his abusive actions in this case. “Woods’s criminal record shows a pattern of violence against women and blatant disregard for the law,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “For a victim of domestic violence, an abuser’s access to a firearm can mean the difference between life and death. We will continue to protect survivors by prosecuting abusers who have no right to touch a gun.” In September 2023, Woods grabbed his girlfriend by the hair, beat her to the ground, and pressed a loaded pistol to her chest. When she stood up, he slapped her in the head. When police came, he ran and hid the pistol in a car. A lone officer located Woods and began to arrest him, but he resisted and yelled in her face, relenting only when backup arrived. Woods has an extensive criminal history, which includes dozens of convictions. This history betrays a pattern of violence against women, including a 2004 conviction for grabbing and holding a woman while his friend beat her, and a 2005 conviction for shoving a woman against a wall and punching her in the mouth. Woods also has an established pattern of fighting and resisting police. In 2005, after a traffic stop, Woods bit and kicked officers. In 2010, he elbowed an officer’s face and bit his bicep, leaving a full bite mark. And in multiple cases, Woods fled crime scenes and led police on dangerous chases. “Stephen Woods's is a habitual domestic abuser. Every person deserves to live in peace without the threat of gun and or domestic violence,” said Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir . “Mr. Woods will have a significant amount free time to reflect on his consistent pattern of abusive relationships with women, and perhaps arrive at a place where he values them. Our community and his family are safer today with Woods in prison.” Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Across the nation and in Michigan domestic violence is a serious threat. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence , 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Moreover, studies have shown that domestic violence perpetrators often use firearms to abuse and control their victims, who are five times as likely to be killed if their abuser has access to a firearm. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan has brought other cases to address the threat of domestic violence, which include the following: 10/29/24 – Muskegon Heights Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Gun as A Felon 8/8/24 – Norton Shores Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking 7/18/24 – Two Lansing Men Sentenced on Gun Charges After Threatening Episode with an Assault Rifle at a Convenience Store 7/2/24 – Firearms Offender, Prosecuted Under Safe Summer Program, Sentenced to 64 Months 3/13/24 – Lansing Man Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession 12/6/23 – Muskegon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Linked to a Homicide 9/13/23 – Serial Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm 6/5/23 – Muskegon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Stalking his Ex-Wife and Possessing Firearms In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan recently announced a special partnership with the City of Lansing to address domestic violence in that city as part of a nationwide program. Victims of domestic violence who feel they are in imminent danger or fear a threat of harm should call 911. The following national hotlines are also available to help victims: Victim Connect: 1-855-4VICTIM (1-855-484-2846) National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224 (or text START to 88788) The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Castle prosecuted it. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psn . # # #


title: 17-year-old sentenced to more than 29 years in prison for murder in shooting death of man on Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLINGS — A 17-year-old who admitted to murdering a man by shooting him on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 29 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Orrin Richard Alden III, of Crow Agency, pleaded guilty in September to an information charging him with second-degree murder and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. “Far too many juveniles are resorting to deadly violence, which is as alarming as it is unacceptable. Alden took another young man’s life in a brutal and shocking way. He should no longer be on our streets, which is why we argued so strenuously for a long federal prison sentence. We can’t get the victim’s life back, but we will move swiftly and aggressively against those like Alden who think violence is the answer to their problems,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. In court documents, the government alleged that on May 5, 2024, an unidentified body was recovered from the Little Big Horn River in Crow Agency. The body was later determined to be an 18-year-old male identified as John Doe. An autopsy was conducted, and two bullets were recovered. Doe’s family last saw him alive on either April 27 or 28 as he was walking with a group of males toward the location on the Little Big Horn River where his body was recovered. Alden was identified as one of the males in the group. On the day Doe disappeared, a witness saw Doe with a black backpack that contained marijuana, a sizeable amount of methamphetamine and a large amount of cash. The government further alleged that the group of males, including Alden and Doe, drank alcohol and smoked marijuana before walking to the river. Alden and one of the other males were overheard discussing that Doe was carrying money. Alden, one of the males, and Doe got separated from the group. When that happened, a single shot was heard. Immediately after the first shot was heard, Alden was seen with a rifle in his hand. As Doe tried to run away, he grabbed his side and said, “You shot me, you shot me, Tripp (a nickname for Alden).” A second shot was heard. Minutes later, Alden and the male who was with him joined the rest of the group. They were laughing, and the other male had Doe’s backpack and the rifle. The group then went to Alden’s house where Alden and the male who was seen carrying the backpack and rifle removed their clothing and put it in a black bag. The male used his shirt and rubbing alcohol to clean a hatchet. Another of the males asked if he could call an ambulance for Doe. The male who was with Alden when Doe was shot told him no. Alden and the male took the rifle and black bag of clothing and stashed them in an abandoned building near Alden’s house. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. XXX


title: New York Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY - A criminal complaint was filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Syed Aman, a U.S. citizen and resident of Nassau County, with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Aman was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in Queens, New York, on November 5, 2024 as he tried to board a flight to Doha, Qatar, from which he intended to ultimately travel to Syria to join ISIS. Aman is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the arrest and charges. “As alleged, Aman was steadfast in his attempts to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS and fortunately his evil plan to wage jihad was thwarted,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office will continue to identify and prosecute would-be terrorists like the defendant before they are able to harm individuals at home or abroad on behalf of ISIS.” Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which comprises a number of federal, state, and local agencies from the region, for their outstanding work on the case, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance. “Syed Aman was allegedly determined in his efforts to support ISIS through financial donation and by making multiple attempts to travel overseas to engage in jihad on their behalf,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. “Thankfully, the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force was able to intervene before his disturbing plans of supporting a deadly terrorist organization could come to fruition. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, are unmatched in our resolve to protect our nation from those willing to support the evils of terrorism.” As alleged in the complaint, throughout 2023 and 2024, Aman expressed his support for ISIS through social media posts in an online ISIS group forum, sent money to an individual he believed to be an ISIS operative that was intended to support ISIS’s efforts in Syria and made arrangements to travel to Syria to engage in jihad, or holy war, on behalf of ISIS. Since the beginning of October 2024, Aman has been in contact with a confidential human source (CHS) working with the FBI about Aman’s plan to join ISIS in Syria. Aman expressed that “jihad and hijrah,” referring to traveling to ISIS-controlled territory and waging war on ISIS’s behalf, are “the most important thing, more than anything else at the moment.” Aman shared with the CHS Aman’s hatred for “kuffar [non-believers] who deny the path of Allah.” Aman explained to the CHS, “[i]f you don’t kill them they will kill us and ruin the earth with decay.” During this same time period, Aman also posted on a social media platform his desire “to kill Americans” and wrote in a notebook his intent to study becoming a shaheed, or martyr on behalf of ISIS. Aman made two attempts to book travel to the Middle East in late October 2024, but his purchases were blocked by his credit card company. On his third attempt, Aman was successful in booking a flight from JFK Airport to Bangladesh via Doha, Qatar. Aman told the CHS that he intended to disembark from his flight in Qatar and to purchase a flight from Qatar to Turkey where he would seek to cross into Syria to join ISIS. Aman also stated that he would travel with a steel pen to defend himself if he were arrested and that he would attack law enforcement. A silver metal pen was found in Aman’s crossbody bag when he was arrested. On November 5, 2024, Aman traveled to JFK Airport for his flight to Qatar. After Aman had checked in, been processed through airport security and attempted to board his flight, he was arrested by the FBI. The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Antoinette N. Rangel is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney T.J. Reardon III of the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section. The Defendant: SYED AMAN Age: 28 Franklin Square, Long Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-MJ-599 aman_complaint.pdf


title: Tallahassee Man Sentenced to 240 Months in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Alan Joseph Clark, Jr., 45, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to a term of 240 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to six counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Crimes against children are among the most heinous types of offenses and deserving of the most significant sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The sexual abuse of children robs them of their innocence and results in devastating psychological pain. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who seek to harm our most vulnerable.” In May 2023, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was investigating a file-sharing peer-to-peer network for users/computers possessing and/or sharing digital files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The investigation led to the execution of a federal search warrant at Clark’s residence, where it was discovered that Clark had received and possessed child pornography obtained through the internet, as well as produced explicit videos of minors. “This individual’s disgusting and deviant behavior of producing sexual images of children inflicts irreparable psychological damage upon innocent lives.” “This cannot and will not be tolerated,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI will continue to work with its partners to eliminate this plague on society.” Clark’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and he will be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions. The Court also ordered forfeiture of electronic devices used in the commission of the offenses by Clark and he was ordered to pay a minimum of $15,000, in restitution to the identified victims of the child pornography in his possession. This conviction was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Steer prosecuted 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Lame Deer man admits meth trafficking, firearm crimes on Northern Cheyenne and Crow Indian reservations

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man accused of trafficking methamphetamine on both the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Indian reservations admitted to charges on Nov. 5, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Geofredo James Littlebird, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Littlebird pleaded guilty in the midst of a jury trial that began on Nov. 4 on charges in a superseding indictment. Littlebird faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charge, and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 5. Littlebird was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that in 2022, law enforcement received information that Littlebird was distributing meth. Federal agents conducted a series of controlled purchases of the drug from Littlebird and his associates. Some of the purchases occurred in Littlebird’s house and were recorded. Another purchase that involved a source who met with Littlebird’s associate occurred near Crow Agency on the Crow Indian Reservation and was recorded. On Aug. 24, 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Littlebird’s house and found a scale and plastic wrap, various rounds of ammunition, three firearms, body armor, multiple cell phones and meth and paraphernalia. On Oct. 19, 2022, law enforcement executed a tribal search warrant, with assistance from federal law enforcement, on Littlebird’s house and found four firearms and two baggies of meth. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . XXX


body_text: A criminal complaint was filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Syed Aman, a U.S. citizen and resident of Nassau County, New York, with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Aman was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in Queens, New York, on Nov. 5 as he tried to board a flight to Doha, Qatar, from which he intended to ultimately travel to Syria to join ISIS. Aman's initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon. As alleged in the complaint, throughout 2023 and 2024, Aman expressed his support for ISIS through social media posts in an online ISIS group forum, sent money to an individual he believed to be an ISIS operative that was intended to support ISIS’s efforts in Syria and made arrangements to travel to Syria to engage in jihad, or holy war, on behalf of ISIS. Since the beginning of October, Aman has been in contact with a confidential human source (CHS) working with the FBI about Aman's plan to join ISIS in Syria. Aman expressed that “jihad and hijrah,” referring to traveling to ISIS-controlled territory and waging war on ISIS's behalf, are “the most important thing, more than anything else at the moment.” Aman shared with the CHS Aman's hatred for “kuffar [non-believers] who deny the path of Allah.” Aman explained to the CHS, “[i]f you don't kill them they will kill us and ruin the earth with decay." During this same time period, Aman also posted on a social media platform his desire "to kill Americans” and wrote in a notebook his intent to study becoming a shaheed, or martyr on behalf of ISIS. Aman made two attempts to book travel to the Middle East in late October 2024, but his purchases were blocked by his credit card company. On his third attempt, Aman was successful in booking a flight from JFK Airport to Bangladesh via Doha. Aman told the CHS that he intended to disembark from his flight in Qatar and to purchase a flight from Qatar to Turkey where he would seek to cross into Syria to join ISIS. Aman also stated that he would travel with a steel pen to defend himself if he were arrested and that he would attack law enforcement. A silver metal pen was found in Aman's crossbody bag when he was arrested. On Nov. 5, Aman traveled to JFK Airport for his flight to Qatar. After Aman had checked in, been processed through airport security and attempted to board his flight, he was arrested by the FBI. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells for the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antoinette N. Rangel for the Eastern District of New York is prosecuting the case with assistance provided by Trial Attorney T.J. Reardon III of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Narcotics and Firearms Crimes

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LARRY WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”) , age 44, of New Orleans, was sentenced today to 137 months in prison for federal firearms and narcotics offenses. According to court documents, WILLIAMS possessed a firearm and several narcotics after a foot chase and subsequent arrest by New Orleans Police Department officers. WILLIAMS pled guilty to possessing, with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, as well as quantities of cocaine, hydrocodone, and tapaentadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) and (b)(1)(C). WILLIAMS also pled guilty to possessing a firearm, in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion sentenced WILLIAMS to 77 months in prison for the drug trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm offenses, followed by a consecutive 60 months in prison for possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking, for a total 137 months. WILLIAMS was also sentenced to 4 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each of the three counts of conviction. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Fraud Coordinator.


title: Queens Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering and Dismembering Woman in Fraudulent Scheme to Collect Life Insurance Benefits

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Cory Martin was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to life in prison for murdering and dismembering a woman in order to collect $200,000 in life insurance proceeds. Martin was convicted by a federal jury in March 2024 following a two-week trial of murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identify theft and fraudulent use of identification relating to a scheme to fraudulently obtain life insurance policies in the name of his victim, kill her and collect the insurance money. Martin was also sentenced to a concurrent term of 20 years’ imprisonment for wire fraud conspiracy and a consecutive term of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence. “The defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison for this ghastly, cold-blooded crime that was motivated by greed and executed after extensive planning,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Martin preyed on Brandy Odom. He saw the victim as a way to make money. He trafficked her for commercial sex, then killed her with his bare hands so he could profit from her death. The defendant believed he could thwart law enforcement and cover up this heinous crime by relying on television shows about murder, but the investigatory efforts of law enforcement brought him to justice. Brandy Odom’s life mattered and I hope that this sentence, which protects our community by ensuring that the defendant cannot victimize another person, brings some measure of closure to her family.” Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the FBI’s Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD’s Brooklyn South Homicide Squad, Brooklyn South Video Team and 69th Precinct Detective Squad for their outstanding work on the case. “Today, Cory Martin received his punishment for the despicable murder of Brandy Odom. Martin utilized fictional stories to devise his own wicked tale of murder as an amoral avenue for selfish financial gain,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. “His grisly actions reflect an utter disregard for human life as he continued to brutalize Brandy even after her death in attempt to evade law enforcement detection. May today’s sentencing offer Brandy’s family some justice and reiterate the FBI’s stout intolerance against those willing to take another's life. “Mr. Martin has been justly sentenced to prison for his abhorrent actions, ensuring that society will be safe from him for the remainder of his life,” stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon. “I applaud the unwavering commitment of our NYPD investigators, as well as our partners at the FBI and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, whose persistence led to today’s result. We remain dedicated to holding accountable those who seek to profit from the mistreatment and exploitation of others.” Martin, who operated as a pimp, resided at a house in Rosedale, Queens, with the then-26-year-old victim, Brandy Odom, and a co-conspirator. Both Odom and the co-conspirator were engaged in commercial sex work for the defendant. In March and December 2017, Martin and the co-conspirator fraudulently obtained two life insurance policies in Odom’s name. They made premium payments to the life insurance companies by Western Union money orders and by using a debit card in Odom’s name. At trial, Martin’s co-conspirator testified that prior to Odom’s murder, she and the defendant watched “The First 48,” a true-crime TV show about police tactics and they discussed “what not to do, and what things to do to avoid being caught by the police.” The co-conspirator testified that Martin also watched “Dexter,” a TV show about a serial killer who dismembered his victims, because the defendant was “looking for ways to commit the crime when he got rid of Brandy.” In early April 2018, Martin strangled Odom in her bedroom. Martin and the co- conspirator then purchased cleaning supplies and a vacuum to clean up the murder scene. On April 6, 2018, Martin searched Home Depot’s website for a “Dewalt 12-Amp Corded Reciprocating Saw,” described as featuring a “powerful 12 Amp motor designed for heavy-duty applications.” Later that evening, Martin searched YouTube for “how to insert blade for reciprocating saw” and “using reciprocating saw.” The co-conspirator testified that Martin used an electric saw to dismember the victim’s corpse in the bathtub after covering every surface in the bathroom with heavy-duty, black garbage bags to avoid leaving evidence of the killing. In the early morning of April 8 and April 9, 2018, Martin discarded Odom’s body parts in Canarsie Park with the assistance of his co-conspirator. On April 10, 2018, Martin conducted dozens of Internet searches for news articles, including “Search area expands after dismembered body found in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn.” Martin also accessed a Twitter post titled “Person walking dog discovers remains of woman in Brooklyn park.” The following day on April 11, 2018, Martin searched YouTube using the search term “exclusive interview of mother of girl found in park.” After Odom’s murder, at Martin’s direction, his co-conspirator made several unsuccessful attempts to claim benefits under Odom’s life insurance policies. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar, Emily J. Dean and Andy Palacio are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader. The Defendant: CORY MARTIN Age: 37 Rosedale, Queens E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-549(S-1) (AMD)


title: November Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Tayson Bautista-Ramos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Bautista-Ramos, 26, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2020. The U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-351 Javier Lopez Canseco. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Canseco, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Feb. 2024. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goodrum is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-349 Dakota Austin Clark. Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography; Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (second superseding). Clark, 24, of Grove and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with possessing visual images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including children under 12 years old. Clark is also charged with coercing and enticing a minor child under 18 years old to produce an image depicting sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, Clark attempted to engage in a sexual act with a minor child under 16 years old. The FBI and Grove Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-179 Brady Cort Dozier. Production of Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Dozier, 21, of Collinsville, is charged with coercing a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce a visual depiction of the abuse. Additionally, Dozier received, possessed, and distributed visual depictions of minor children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-350 Jesus Alberto Sanchez Lugo. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lugo, 49, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Dec. 2016. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-345 Felipe Bautista Mora. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mora, 53, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2002. The U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-352 Tanya Jo Purvis. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Purvis, 50, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa Police Department, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Corrections, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-347 Ricardo Reza-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Reza-Lopez, 33, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2017. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-346 Yuri Patricia Martinez Rivera. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of a Fraudulent Immigration Document. Rivera, 22, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing she was unlawfully in the United States. Further, Rivera knowingly possessed counterfeit identification. The U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-348 Brendon Nicholas Thomas Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Thomas, 26, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, is charged with assaulting his dating partner by strangling her. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-355


title: Danville Man Convicted Of Drug Conspiracy

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Bressi, age 52, of Danville, Pennsylvania, was convicted on November 4, 2024, on charges related to a multi-year conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl and fentanyl analogues following a six-day jury trial before Chief U.S District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Bressi was convicted on charges of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, carfentanil and 3-methylfentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute acetyl fentanyl. Bressi used his business, Shiva Science and Technology, in East Buffalo Township from 2015 through 2019, to make various fentanyl analogues that he would then sell to his distributors in Philadelphia, PA and the Cleveland, OH areas. Although the Shiva business purported to be engaged in cutting edge technology, a search warrant executed in 2019 showed that it was in fact a front company designed to conceal a fentanyl manufacturing operation. Over the course of the conspiracy, Bressi manufactured hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, the equivalent of millions of individual doses. Bressi was detained pending sentencing, which will occur at a later date not yet specified by the court. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey W. MacArthur, Jeffery St. John, and Alisan V. Martin are prosecuting 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. Bressi faces a maximum lifetime term of imprisonment. 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. # # #


title: Fort Belknap man sentenced to more than three years in prison for stabbing woman on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Fort Belknap man who admitted stabbing a woman multiple times during an argument on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Leon Boyd Messerly, 64, pleaded guilty in July to assault with a dangerous weapon. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged that on July 13, 2023, in their home on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Messerly and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, got into a fight. Jane Doe stated that Messerly was angry at her for not protecting his son and punched her in the face. Messerly also grabbed a chef’s knife and stabbed Jane Doe multiple times in her neck, back and left arm. Messerly then went to a friend’s house and told the friend that he had stabbed Jane Doe. The friend checked on Jane Doe and drove her to the emergency room. Jane Doe was transported to a hospital in Great Falls where she underwent multiple surgeries. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Police Department conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Committing $144,000 in COVID-19 Fraud

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Henry Ellard Jr., 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to stealing $144,000 in COVID-19 relief money, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, in July 2020, Ellard created Baptiste Ellard LLC. He then caused Baptiste Ellard LLC to apply for and receive $144,000 in COVID-19 relief money from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Ellard falsely represented to the SBA that Baptiste Ellard LLC had 10 employees, an annual payroll of more than $695,000, and that he would use the loan proceeds for business expenses. However, Ellard knew the company had no employees, no annual payroll, and no real operations and as such, the company was ineligible for PPP loans. Ellard subsequently used $144,000 of the relief money for personal expenses, including restaurants, bars, airfare, hotels, clothing, and golf. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case. Ellard is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 24, 2025. Ellard faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of $250,000. 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 part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, which is one of the interagency COVID-19 fraud strike forces established by the United States Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California, and focuses on large-scale, multistate, and egregious pandemic relief fraud. The strike force uses prosecutor-led, and data analyst-driven, teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief money. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: La Porte Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – An Indiana man who owns Glycerin Traders marketed and sold an “Ethanol Extraction” product as a pure food-grade product, when in fact, the product contained high levels of methanol leading to multiple deaths and severe physical injuries for those who consumed the product. Dennis R. Zeedyk, 53 years old, of La Porte, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to mail fraud and tax fraud by a distiller, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Zeedyk was sentenced to 48 months in prison, 1 year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution to the victims of the offense in a total amount of $43,727.93. Zeedyk was also ordered to pay a fine of $76,500. “Defendant Zeedyk is a modern-day snake oil salesman, who hawked his product to unwitting consumers as being a “pure”, food-safe and “safe for human consumption” ethanol product when, in fact, his product contained high levels of deadly methanol,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “As this prosecution shows, the United States government, through its various law enforcement agencies, will use its power to protect the consuming public from criminal businessmen, like Zeedyk, who use lies to entice consumers to purchase and to use products that are dangerous.” Anthony Gledhill, Assistant Administrator for Field Operations, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) said, “This was an egregious, and thankfully, rare crime involving an illegal still and fraudulent product misrepresentations that resulted in the loss of life because of a product that should have never entered the domestic marketplace. TTB takes our responsibility for maintaining a reliable and safe alcohol marketplace seriously, and we greatly appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana and our local, state, and federal partners.” According to documents in the case, Zeedyk owns a business called Glycerin Traders that processes and trades glycerin, methanol, and other biofuel products. From October 2016 through May 2018, Zeedyk manufactured and sold a product called “Ethanol Extraction.” Zeedyk marketed the Ethanol Extraction product as pure, non-denatured, food-grade grain ethanol distilled from 100% corn. Zeedyk advertised the product as a solvent to extract essential oils from cannabis, herbs, and other plants; for creating medicinal tinctures and perfumes; for baking in the kitchen; and as an all-natural cleaning product, among many other uses. The product was labeled as 95% ethanol and 5% purified water. Zeedyk sold Ethanol Extraction through Amazon, eBay, and an online website to customers in states throughout the country. Zeedyk’s representations about the product were false. In actuality, the source material for the Ethanol Extraction product came from the remnants of denatured industrial alcohol shipments from Lake Michigan barges. Zeedyk then illegally distilled the alcohol through a distilling apparatus not registered with the federal government. The final product that Zeedyk sold to customers contained toxic high levels of methanol—approximately 30% to 45% methanol. When ingested, methanol can cause a wide variety of symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, blurred vision, dizziness, headaches, seizures, abdominal pain, vomiting, blindness, and even death. From October 2016 to May 2018, more than 1,200 customers bought Ethanol Extraction. Zeedyk stopped selling the product in May 2018 after learning that a customer had died from drinking it. Attempts were made to distribute recall notices, but not all customers responded to the recall, and there are unaccounted containers of Ethanol Extraction. At least three customers have died from ingesting the product, and several others suffered severe physical injuries. “Far from a harmless misrepresentation, this defendant's lies led to the deaths of three innocent people and caused health problems for many others. This sentence strongly demonstrates that all actions have consequences and should serve as a deterrent to others to reconsider their choices,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to collaborate with our partners to ensure those who engage in such deceptive actions are held accountable, reinforcing our shared commitment to protect the public.” “This case highlights the power of collaboration between IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners to protect the public from individuals who jeopardize safety and trust for financial gain,” said Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to holding accountable those who put profit over the public’s safety ensuring they face the consequences of their actions.” This case was investigated by the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division, the Indiana State Department of Health, and the Hadley Police Department (Massachusetts). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander, Joel Gabrielse, and Philip C. Benson.


title: Owner Of San Jose-Based Technology Staffing Firm Pleads Guilty To Visa Fraud, Conspiracy To Commit Visa Fraud

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN JOSE – Kishore Dattapuram pleaded guilty in federal court this week to visa fraud and conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Dattapuram, 55, of Santa Clara, and two other defendants, Kumar Aswapathi, 55, of Austin, Tex., and Santosh Giri, 48, of San Jose, were each charged in an indictment filed Feb. 28, 2019, with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and 10 counts of substantive visa fraud. Aswapathi pleaded guilty to all counts on Oct. 19, 2020. Giri pleaded guilty to all counts on Oct. 28, 2024. Dattapuram and Aswapathi owned and operated Nanosemantics, Inc., a staffing firm headquartered in San Jose that provided skilled employees to technology companies in the Bay Area. Under its agreements with the companies and the employees it placed, Nanosemantics received a commission for workers placed at client companies. Giri worked closely with Nanosemantics and was also the owner of a separate business, LexGiri, a legal process outsourcing firm that served as a “remote-virtual corporate immigration specialist” for companies. In connection with its staffing work, Nanosemantics regularly submitted H-1B petitions for foreign workers. As described in court records, the H-1B visa program allows foreign workers to obtain temporary authorization to live and work for employers in the United States. In order to secure an H-1B visa, an employer or other sponsor must submit a Form I-129 petition to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A petition and associated documentation must confirm the existence and duration of the job waiting for the worker, and describe key details including the wages associated with the position. In pleading guilty, Dattapuram admitted to working with Aswapathi and Giri to submit fraudulent H-1B applications that falsely represented that foreign workers had specific jobs waiting for them at designated end-client companies when in fact the jobs did not exist. On multiple occasions, Dattapuram paid companies to be listed as end-clients for the foreign workers, even though he knew the workers would never work for those employers. As defendants admitted, the goal of the scheme was to allow Nanosemantics to obtain visas for job candidates before securing jobs for them, thereby allowing Nanosemantics to place those workers with employers as soon as those jobs were available, rather than waiting for the visa application process to conclude, and giving Nanosemantics an unfair advantage over its competitors. The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. Dattapuram’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2025, before the Honorable Edward J. Davila, U.S. District Judge. Giri’s sentencing hearing is also scheduled for Feb. 24, 2025, before Judge Davila. Aswapathi has a status regarding sentencing on Nov. 25, 2024, before Judge Davila. Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each visa fraud count, and a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on the conspiracy count. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Griswold and Special Assistant United States Attorney Johnny James are prosecuting this case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon and Nina Burney. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI, with assistance from USCIS.


title: Jasper County felon sentenced to over 21 years for federal gun and drug violations

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Jasper convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Larry Buckley, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on November 6, 2024. According to information presented in court, in October 2022, a joint investigation began between federal, state and local law enforcement, identifying Buckley as a source of supply for a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Jasper and Lufkin areas, as well as the Sabine Parish, Louisiana area. During the investigation, it was determined Buckley was supplying numerous individuals with large amounts of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers were able to purchase methamphetamine and firearms directly from Buckley. Buckley has previously been convicted of various felony offenses including engaging in organized criminal activity, manufacture delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and burglary of a habitation. As a convicted felon, Buckley is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. ###


title: Federal Jury Finds Lincoln County Man Guilty of Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Michael Allen Kenney, 53, of Hamlin, of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence at trial proved that on May 17, 2023, Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call at a video poker parlor in Poca and encountered Kenney. An officer saw Kenney reach into his waistband and retrieve a Ruger Model EC9s 9mm pistol. Officers seized the firearm and arrested Kenney. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Kenney knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions, including convictions for possession of a stolen vehicle in Kanawha County Circuit Court on October 27, 2017, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm in Mason County Circuit Court on August 5, 2014, and fleeing with reckless indifference in Putnam County Circuit Court on February 11, 2014. Kenney is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. “Today’s verdict holds a dangerous criminal accountable for his unlawful conduct,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their investigative work, and Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley C. Shamblin and Stephanie Taylor and our trial team for securing the guilty verdict in this case.” United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the jury trial. 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 Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-40. ###


title: Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty today in federal court to violating his sex offender registration requirements, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Christopher Hodgeman, 34, of Manchester, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register his online identifiers. U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for February 25, 2025. On April 13, 2021, Hodgeman pled guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. As a result of this prior conviction, Hodgeman is required to register as a sex offender and to report any internet or online identifiers, including screen names or user profiles on social media accounts. In February 2023, Manchester police received a tip that an individual, later identified as Hodgeman, appeared to be exchanging sexually oriented chats online via Xbox with a 15-year-old child. Authorities determined that Hodgman had engaged in these chats using an unregistered online account. Through further investigation, authorities identified at least one additional online account that Hodgeman failed to report on his sex offender registration paperwork. The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $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. The United States Marshals Service and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland 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: Alton Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: CONCORD – An Alton man pleaded guilty in federal court for violating his sex offender registration requirements, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Chad Amodio, 52, of Alton, pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to register his online identifiers. Chief United States District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for February 24, 2025. Amodio has a prior federal conviction for traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct. As a result of this prior conviction, Amodio is required to register as a sex offender. Among other things, Amodio is required to report on his sex offender registration paperwork any internet or online identifiers, which includes screen names and user profiles on social media accounts. In December 2023 and January 2024, Amodio was using an unregistered screen name in an internet chat room for teenagers. Within the chat room, Amodio began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 13-year-old girl. Amodio exchanged hundreds of sexual messages with the purported minor. Amodio requested photographs of the purported minor and suggested that they meet in person, even offering to pick her up from school so they could engage in illegal sexual activity. After Amodio was identified, authorities discovered two other online identifiers that Amodio had failed to report. The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $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. The United States Marshals Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, the Haverhill Massachusetts Police Department, and the Alton New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasey Weiland and Matthew Hunter are 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: Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Charleston Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Dale Cain, 49, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Cain admitted to a role in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine in the Charleston area. According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about January 2024 to in or about May 2024, Cain conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Charleston and within the Southern District of West Virginia. On May 5, 2024, a co-conspirator arranged for Cain to travel to Charleston for the purpose of picking up approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine that he intended to transport to Parkersburg and distribute to others. After Cain acquired the methamphetamine, he was stopped by law enforcement officers who searched his vehicle, seized the methamphetamine, and arrested Cain. Cain is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-95. ###


title: St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murdering Acquaintance

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man to 25 years in prison for fatally shooting an acquaintance before stealing his jewelry and drugs. Terry W. Winebarger, 52, fatally shot the victim in the head with the victim’s own 10mm Glock handgun on Feb. 18, 2023, in a home in Hanley Hills, Missouri. Winebarger then stole the gun, jewelry and some methamphetamine that the victim had purchased earlier. After the murder, Winebarger purchased new clothes, disinfectant wipes and bleach at a store and returned to his home in an attempt to destroy evidence of his crime. Winebarger pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in July to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime resulting in death and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Major Case Squad and the North County Police Cooperative investigated the case, with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Charles County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Epplin prosecuted the case.


title: Ohio County Man Sentenced for Drug Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Geon Thamar Newby, Jr., 37, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for the distribution of cocaine base. According to court documents and statements made in court, Newby, also known as “G” and “Gee,” sold cocaine base in Ohio County. The United States argued that Newby was responsible for distributing up to 840 grams of cocaine base. Newby has prior convictions for drug possession in Ohio. Newby will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Former Licensed Counselor Sentenced for Defrauding Medicaid

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to five years of probation and six months of home confinement for health care fraud. According to court documents, Lucinda Perez, 57, had been a licensed professional counselor since 2003 and worked as a sole practitioner performing home visits beginning in 2011. From no later than April 2015 through at least January 2023, she defrauded the Texas Medicaid program by submitting claims for child counseling services she did not perform. In some cases, Perez was out of town or in other states visiting various casinos during the time periods she had claimed in Medicaid filings. Billing records show Perez fraudulently received approximately $267,400 from service claims from Aug. 1, 2015 to July 31, 2019. Perez was indicted for five counts of health care fraud and five counts of aggravated identity theft on Nov. 3, 2021. She was arrested Nov. 15, 2021. In addition to the probation, Perez was ordered to pay $267,402 in restitution. “Not only did this defendant defraud the government out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, she also abused the trust of families to whom she provided services,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “My office will continue to pursue cases of fraud, waste, and abuse of public health systems.” The Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Kelly Stephenson prosecuted the case. ###