title: Two from St. Louis Area Accused of Nearly $500,000 Pandemic Loan Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two people from the St. Louis, Missouri area have been indicted and accused of fraudulently obtaining nearly $500,000 in pandemic business loans. Pamela S. Hubbard, 45, of St. Louis, and Irwin Coats, 43, of Florissant, were each indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They each appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The indictment says that during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hubbard and Coats hatched a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans that were intended to help struggling small businesses. The pair planned to use the money to open a “Wing Strip” restaurant in Florissant, the indictment says. On May 8, 2020, Coats applied for a $53,125 loan in the name of Abounding Protection LLC, a company he set up in 2007. Coats falsely claimed that the company had 12 employees and an average monthly payroll of $21,250 when there were no employees, wages, company operations or revenue, the indictment says. On June 11, 2020, Hubbard electronically submitted a PPP loan application for Star Shyne LLC, a company she helped set up in 2019. She made false claims about employees and payroll, and submitted fake business, tax and lease paperwork and an altered check to bolster her claim, the indictment says. She eventually received $371,245. On March 5, 2021, Coats submitted another application for Abounding Protection, seeking and receiving $24,166 with more false claims, the indictment says. Hubbard and Coats used the money to construct the Wing Strip and for improvements on a condominium in Florissant, the indictment says. The indictment seeks the forfeiture of any assets linked to the fraud, including money from the sale of the condominium. The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case. To report suspected pandemic fraud, go to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud or call the Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721.


title: Gary Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison

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

body_text: HAMMOND- Khalil Swader, 26 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Swader was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on July 11, 2022, law enforcement attempted to pull over a vehicle for speeding in Gary, Indiana. Before the vehicle stopped, Swader threw a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine out the window. Swader’s criminal history revealed that he had a 2020 federal felony conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, and as such, he was prohibited from possessing the firearm. Swader was also on supervised release for his 2020 conviction at the time of the instant crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives/Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force with the assistance of the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth. 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: Man Travelling on I-55 Near Springfield, Illinois, Sentenced to Twenty-Five Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man, Aquilla Jade Patrick Jessie, 33, was sentenced on February 17, 2023, by Senior United States District Judge Sue E. Myerscough to serve 25 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. He is also required to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment. At the sentencing hearing, evidence was admitted showing that on August 27, 2021, an Illinois State Police Trooper pulled over a car being driven by Jessie near mile marker 97 for following a car immediately in front too closely and for having an obstructed windshield. During the traffic stop, it was determined that Jessie had a suspended driver’s license and the car – of which he was the sole occupant – contained a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. Jessie had previously been convicted of felony offenses in Kansas and Wisconsin. The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a felon at the time of Jessie’s offense were up to 10 years’ imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and a possible fine of up to $250,000. He has been detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest. The Illinois State Police, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Seberger represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Jessie 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: Kalispell woman who sent money overseas in money mule scheme sentenced to 57 months in prison; $2 million restitution ordered

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — A Kalispell woman who admitted to funneling millions of dollars overseas in a money mule scheme that defrauded victims was sentenced today to 57 months in prison, ordered to pay $2,043,340 restitution and to serve three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Theresa Anne Chabot, 58, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to unlicensed money transmitting businesses. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court also ordered Chabot to forfeit a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. Chabot was ordered into custody. “As a money mule, Chabot laundered millions of dollars collected through various fraud schemes across the country and sent proceeds overseas while keeping a share of the money for her own benefit. Chabot exploited and harmed numerous trusting victims and now rightfully faces the consequences of her criminal conduct. As this case shows, our office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who criminally exploit others,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “IRS special agents are experts at unraveling sophisticated financial crimes and disrupting international crime organizations,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office. “Money mules like Chabot are the lifeblood of these fraudsters, enriching themselves and harming countless victims in the process. Today’s sentencing is a victory for all taxpayers and an example of the commitment we share with the FBI and other law enforcement partners to cut off the flow of money to criminals who think they are beyond our reach.” “Money mules support criminal enterprises by adding a layer between those criminals and their victims, making it more difficult to trace and recover the funds,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheyvorea Gibson of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Acting as a money mule, whether you know it or not, is illegal. The FBI is committed to protecting the public from such predators and holding them accountable.” The government alleged in court documents that from about May 2017 until February 2021, Chabot, through her business, Avalanche Creek, LLC, collected money from various wire fraud schemes around the United States into her bank accounts. Chabot then funneled millions of dollars overseas, including to the United Arab Emirates, and received 10 percent of the funds into her accounts. The fraud loss was $5,449,395. Chabot preyed on the elderly, fantasies of love, friendships, purported oil investments, advance-pay schemes and gold and silver. In 2018, the Secret Service informed Chabot she was acting as a “money mule,” but Chabot ignored the warning and continued sending money overseas. When interviewed again by agents in 2020, Chabot admitted one instance in which she received $10,000 hidden in a stuffed animal and deposited the money into her account. Chabot operated Avalanche Creek as a money transmitting business and was required to register it with the Department of Treasury. Chabot opened more than 50 bank accounts. Banks closed numerous accounts after reviewing the activity because of fraud or misuse. Despite the repeated bank account closures, Chabot would open new bank accounts that enabled her to receive proceeds. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. XXX


title: Philadelphia Carjacker and Murderer Sentenced to 55 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Khalif Tuggle, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 55 years in prison for committing carjacking and murder. United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson imposed the sentence on the defendant. On August 27, 2020, a grand jury indicted Tuggle for carjacking, use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and murder in the course of using a firearm, all stemming from his robbery, carjacking, and brutal murder of Thomas Petersen on January 24, 2017. Tuggle fired one shot into Petersen’s chest, dragged him out of the car, threw him on the road, robbed him, and left him for dead while Petersen was screaming in pain. Tuggle fled the scene in Petersen’s car, and Petersen died later at Temple University Hospital after two Philadelphia Police Officers rushed him from the scene. On April 18, 2022, Tuggle pled guilty to all three counts of the indictment. "Today's sentencing stems from the carjacking and murder committed by Khalif Tuggle," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "The 55-year sentence handed down today will never bring back Thomas Peterson or heal the pain of losing him. However, it should warn other violent individuals that the federal system can and will be utilized to hold them accountable." The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph LaBar and Michael Miller.


title: University City Man Admits Missouri Medicaid, Pandemic Loan Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from University City, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining a $135,000 pandemic loan and defrauding the Missouri Medicaid program. Deandre D. Horne, 32, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah. E. Pitlyk to one count of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud. Between July 6, 2017 and March 18, 2021, Horne, owner of Serenity Home Health Care CDS, fraudulently billed Missouri Medicaid for services that were not supported by valid timesheets or electronic visit verification (EVV) documents. EVV is a system in which personal care attendants electronically clock in and out by phone. Horne also created false EVV documentation to support bills, Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Reiter said during Tuesday’s plea hearing. Horne admitted falsely claiming to be the personal care attendant for multiple Missouri Medicaid beneficiaries and billing for times when he was traveling elsewhere in the country or to foreign locations. At sentencing, prosecutors will argue that the Missouri Medicaid program lost between $550,000 and $1.5 million due to Horne’s fraud. In the other scheme, on July 15, 2020, Horne applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, which was intended to help small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Horne falsely claimed to be the sole owner of Budget Towing & Recovery LLC, inflated the number of employees and falsely claimed a monthly payroll of $40,000. He also falsely claimed that the money would be used to retain workers or pay business expenses. Horne received a $135,707 loan. Horne is scheduled to be sentenced May 22. The health care fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both and the wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Horne will also be ordered to repay the money. The case was investigated by the Missouri Attorney General’s office, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Reiter is prosecuting the case.


title: New York Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison For Attempted Coercion And Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Dominic Shapiro (33, Forrest Hills, New York) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted coercion or enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Shapiro to register as a sex offender and forfeit a cellphone that was used in the commission of the offense. Shapiro had pleaded guilty on November 18, 2022. According to court documents, Shapiro spent approximately six weeks communicating with an undercover detective, who was posing as a 14-year-old girl, over various social media platforms including Kik, Snapchat, and text messages. During these conversations, Shapiro engaged the fictitious child in sexual conversations, sent images and videos of himself masturbating, and ultimately drove to a park for the purpose of engaging in sexual activities with this child. “Predators, like Dominic Shapiro, use the pseudo-anonymity of the internet to lure children into a false sense of security before proposing to meet in person,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of our task force officers and law enforcement partners with the St. Petersburg Police Department along with support from HSI New York, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the New York Police Department, he was sentenced to a decade behind bars.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel. 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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced for Causing a Fire on U.S. Forest Service Land

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man charged with Causing a Fire pleaded guilty and was sentenced on February 17, 2023, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann. Dillon Rose, age 23, was ordered to pay $16,704 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, a $500 fine, and $10 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The conviction stems from an incident that took place on March 6, 2021, when Rose, who had gone to the Agate Beds on the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands to hunt for agates and other rocks, left the authorized trails and got his truck stuck in a creek bed. During one of the attempts to get out, Rose’s truck fuel line ruptured. The leaking gas and heat from the engine started a fire that burned approximately 2,600 acres of the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. Rose did not immediately report the fire to authorities. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Forest Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges.


title: Man Shot While Robbing St. Louis Market Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a man who was shot while robbing a St. Louis market to 15 years in prison. John L. Smith, 43, of Florissant, pleaded guilty in November to a robbery charge and a charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted entering the market in the 4500 block of Athlone Avenue on Aug. 19, 2020 and pulling a small black pistol before demanding, “Give me all you got!” Smith threatened to kill one employee if he didn’t move faster to the register. Another employee retrieved a handgun and shot Smith. Smith fled the store with $30, but left his phone and his DNA behind. Police and the FBI found a black Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol in a court-authorized search of his home. Judge Autrey ordered the 15-year sentence to run consecutive to any sentence he receives for violating his probation in a 2002 robbery case and a 2003 robbery case in St. Louis County Circuit Court. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke prosecuted the case.


title: Robeson County Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Trafficking Kilograms of Drugs from Mexico

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Maxton man was sentenced today to 252 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy responsible for moving kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin from Mexico to Robeson County, North Carolina. On December 8, 2021, Jeremiah Eli Lowery pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, and possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin with intent to distribute. “Deputies caught this drug trafficker bringing kilos of dope from Mexico to North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Now he faces the consequences of his repeated and persistent participation in the international drug trade. Today’s sentence should serve as a deterrent to others pushing drugs in our communities. We will investigate and prosecute you.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, Lowery, 26, was identified during a multi-year investigation as a primary point of contact for a group of individuals who were trafficking kilograms of controlled substances from Mexico, through legal ports of entry, into the Brownsville, Texas area. Investigators learned that Lowery would travel to Texas, cross the border to meet with suppliers, and then personally transport kilograms of drugs across the border and ultimately back to Robeson County where the drugs would be sold. On October 14, 2020, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a rental vehicle occupied by Lowery and two other individuals as they returned from Texas. Investigators located 2.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2.98 kilograms of cocaine, 967.7 grams of heroin, and more than $58,000 in U.S. Currency inside the spare tire of the vehicle. In the spring of 2021, investigators began to receive information that Lowery had resumed travelling to Texas to pick up controlled substances from the same suppliers. Through coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Customs and Border Patrol, Lowery was stopped at a border checkpoint near Brownsville, Texas on the way back into the United States from Mexico on April 8, 2021. After a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle, officers recovered 2.8 kilograms of cocaine and 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine from the spare tire. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-59-D-1. ###


title: Carlsbad man sentenced for enticement of a child

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Billy George West was sentenced to 14 years in prison and order to pay a $5,000 fine pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. West, 79, of Carlsbad, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on January 10, 2022. According to the plea agreement and other court records, on April 30, 2021, West exchanged sexually explicit messages via telephone with a nine-year old girl in Florida. During the exchange, West using the screen name “Piper,” sent a photo of his genitalia and received a photo of the victim’s genitalia. West admitted that he knew the victim was a minor. Upon his release from prison, West will be subject to 5 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Carlsbad Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and R. Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case. # # # 23-30


title: Box Elder man sentenced to prison for domestic abuse

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder man who admitted to assaulting a woman with whom he was in a relationship on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Clay James Bad Hawk, 25, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to domestic abuse by a habitual offender. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that in December 2021, Bad Hawk punched, slapped, kicked and strangled the victim, identified as Jane Doe, with whom he was in a relationship. Bad Hawk assaulted Jane Doe in a bedroom in his residence, and two girls from across the street yelled through the bedroom window at Bad Hawk that the police were called. Jane Doe hid until the porch until she was found by police. Jane Doe was treated for injuries at a local hospital. Bad Hawk had two prior domestic violence convictions from the Chippewa Cree Tribal Court. The FBI, Chippewa Cree Tribal Law Enforcement and Rocky Boy’s Police Department investigated the case. XXX


title: Virginia Woman Sentenced in Cryptocurrency Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Virginia woman has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. Lois Boyd, 76, of Amelia Court House, Virginia, pleaded guilty on June 14, 2022, to interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. According to information presented in court, Boyd was involved in a transnational money laundering network involved in the laundering of criminal proceeds derived from various fraud schemes. Boyd and her co-conspirators exchanged criminal proceeds for cryptocurrency and directed the cryptocurrency to wallets under the control of their foreign co-conspirators. In August 2020, Boyd and her co-conspirators traveled to Longview, Texas, where they attempted to exchange approximately $450,000 in criminal proceeds for Bitcoin. On June 16, 2021, Boyd was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury, charging her with interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises and money laundering. On April 6, 2022, Boyd’s co-conspirator, Deependra Bhusal, 47, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his role in the cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracy. This effort is part of Operation Crypto Runner, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The investigations arising from the operation are being conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and are being led and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and L. Frank Coan, Jr., with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the Department’s Office of International Affairs. ###


title: Man Stopped on Interstate 70 Admits Transporting 10 Undocumented Immigrants

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Mexico pleaded guilty to 11 federal charges Tuesday and admitted that he was caught on Interstate 70 in St. Peters while transporting 10 undocumented immigrants. Francisco Ibarra-Hernandez, 36, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel to one count of illegal reentry of an alien and 10 counts of transporting illegal aliens. Ibarra-Hernandez admitted knowingly transporting the undocumented immigrants to work in the construction industry, or recklessly disregarding the fact that the men were in the country illegally. The 2011 Toyota Sienna overloaded with 11 people was headed east on Interstate 70 on August 24 when it was stopped by officers with the St. Peters Police Department for a traffic violation. Ibarra-Hernandez told officers that he was taking the men to Ohio to work, and that he was paid to take Illegal immigrants from Phoenix to job sites around the country, the plea agreement says. The passengers admitted illegally crossing the border in various locations in Arizona over the prior month. At sentencing, both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of a year and a day in prison for Ibarra-Hernandez. He will then be deported. He was removed from the country more than 15 years ago, when he was using another name. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Peters Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Drake is prosecuting the case.


title: Beaumont Man Guilty of Federal Violations in Animal Cruelty Case

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas - A Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today. Decorius Mire, 23, pleaded guilty to animal crushing today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. Animal crushing is defined under federal criminal law as, “actual conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians, is purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury.” According to information presented in court, on October 15, 2021, Mire and a co-defendant encountered a live domestic cat in the parking lot of a Beaumont apartment complex. The co-defendant, encouraged by Mire, kicked the cat as if kicking a football field goal, propelling the cat approximately 15 to 20 feet through the air. Mire filmed the event with his cellular telephone and posted the video on his social media accounts where it was commented on and shared with others. Mire was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 28, 2022 and faces up to seven years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is being investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte. ###


title: Beaumont Postal Employee Guilty of Stealing Mail

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas - A Beaumont woman has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today. Pamela Jo Rosas, 64, pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. According to information presented in court, in April 2022, postal inspectors became aware that multiple valuable coins had been stolen after they had been mailed through the U.S. Postal Service. An investigation revealed that Rosas, a postal employee, had stolen the coins while sorting mail at a central mail processing facility in Beaumont. Rosas was arrested and admitted to stealing various items throughout her employment, including large amounts of valuable coins. Rosas was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022 and faces up to five years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James. ###


title: Alamo Resident Faces Possession With Intent To Distribute Fentanyl Charge

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Ozymandias Troy Watson appeared today in United States District Court to face a federal charge that he possessed with intent distribute fentanyl in the form of counterfeit “M30” pills, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris. Watson made his initial appearance today in United States District Court in Oakland before United States Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu. The charge was set out in a criminal complaint filed February 10, 2023, and unsealed in federal court today. According to the criminal complaint, Watson, 18, of Contra Costa County, possessed numerous fentanyl “M30” pills and intended to distribute them. The complaint describes a drug transaction where “M30 pills,” that are alleged to have been provided by Watson, were sold to an individual who subsequently died of an overdose. The complaint alleges that Watson possessed approximately 130 “M30” fentanyl tablets. In sum, the complaint charges Watson with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C). The statutory maximum for the charge is a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum of 3 years’ supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only after considerations of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statue governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. 3553. The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Chambers of the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Leeya Kekona. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DEA and the Dublin Police Department. One Pill Can Kill: Beware of pills bought on the street: One Pill Can Kill . Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs, but can be obtained at a lower cost. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl create huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily cause death. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are usually shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies.


title: Oneida County Man Sentenced for Mailing a Threatening Letter

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK - Richard Hileman, age 39, of Marcy, New York, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for mailing a threatening letter. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his previous guilty plea, Hileman admitted that on September 3, 2021 he mailed a letter to a woman who lived in Ballston Spa, New York. In the letter, Hileman threatened the woman not to end her personal relationship with him. Hileman wrote, in part, “i have 2 different guns and a vest . . .” and “i told you before if you left me someone will pay people dont really know me once I set my mind it’s set if you contact anyone it will not be nice [sic].” Hileman further wrote, in part, “. . . if you contact the jail or police your lovely kids wont have a mother i swear on my dead son they cant keep me forever I’ll get out one day [sic][.]” Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to follow Hileman’s term of incarceration. The FBI and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision’s Office of Special Investigation investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted the case.


title: Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Offense

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Emmanuel Medina, age 35, of Albany, pled guilty today to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf made the announcement. Medina admitted that on June 27, 2022, Troy Police Officers responded to a disturbance call in Lansingburgh and found him outside of a house, attempting to conceal a loaded handgun inside of a Jeep Wrangler. Medina eventually stepped away from the vehicle and was safely detained. Officers found a loaded Hi-Point Firearms .380 ACP pistol in the part of the Jeep where Medina had just been observed. Medina admitted that he possessed the handgun in order to protect the cash proceeds (totaling about $2,610.22) that he had generated from recent, prior heroin sales, as well as to protect himself when he had sold and possessed that heroin. Medina has been in custody since his arrest on June 27, 2022. He faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on June 21, 2023 by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. This case was investigated by the Troy Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting the case.


title: Elmira Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Crime

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kevin Walker, age 32, of Elmira, New York, pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-New York Division, and Steven A. Nigrelli, Acting Superintendent of the New York State Police made the announcement. Walker admitted that on February 12, 2022, he drove a rental vehicle from his residence in Elmira to Cortland, New York. He intended to meet another individual in the parking lot of a Cortland business to sell to that individual 447 grams of pure methamphetamine, which Walker had in the trunk of the vehicle. Walker further admitted that he also possessed 137 grams of cocaine in the vehicle. At sentencing, scheduled for June 21, 2023, Walker faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison, a maximum fine of $10,000,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The New York State Police and DEA investigated the case, with assistance from the Elmira Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case.


title: Two Human Smugglers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Hostage Taking

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court in El Paso Wednesday to 144 months in prison, along with an El Paso man who was sentenced to 200 months in prison, for violation of federal law concerning hostage taking. According to court documents, Carlos Villa-Miranda aka “Negro,” 42 of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and Enrique Quiroz Jr. aka “Kike,” 50 of El Paso were co-conspirators in a human smuggling organization through which they demanded money from the families of the undocumented individuals they were trafficking. Quiroz threatened to kill the trafficking victims if they were to speak to the police and urged the victims to tell their families to pay the ransoms. Villa-Miranda also made threats toward the undocumented individuals, on at least one occasion brandishing a butcher-style knife. In December 2020, Villa-Miranda was arrested after he fled a secondary inspection at the Las Cruces U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate-10, and Quiroz was taken into custody during a search of his apartment. “These human smuggling organizations are incredibly dangerous and prove that they value their pursuit of money and power through unlawful means far more than the lives of their trafficking victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “The agents with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) did an outstanding job tracking down these two criminals and putting a stop to their roles as human smugglers.” “These sentences show the grave consequences human smugglers face when they exploit people in such a ruthless way,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the HSI El Paso Division. “HSI is vehemently committed to using its ample authority to identify, investigate and arrest criminals who prey on the vulnerabilities of their human cargo with threats and acts of violence.” HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Hines and Sarah Valenzuela prosecuted the case, along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Herbert Bunton and Spencer Kiggins. ###


title: Woman Pleads to Voluntary Manslaughter While Armed in August 2022 Killing

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Alexis Hawkins, 46, of Washington, D.C. pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed in the August 14, 2022 killing of Cynthia Stewart and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in an unrelated case, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. The plea was entered on February 17, 2023, before the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The defendant faces a possible sentence of eight and a half to 12 years in prison, followed by supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2023. According to the government’s evidence, on August 14, 2022, officers of the Metropolitan Police Department responded to an apartment in the 3900 block of 4th Street SE in reference to a stabbing. Upon their arrival officers discovered the decedent suffering from multiple stab wounds to the body, including a fatal stab wound to the chest. The investigation revealed that prior to the killing, the decedent was inside an apartment with two other women. Hawkins came over to the apartment and began to argue with the decedent. The argument then turned physical when Hawkins began hitting the decedent. During the physical altercation, Hawkins grabbed a knife out of her bag and stabbed the decedent multiple times before fleeing the scene. Hawkins was arrested on August 25, 2022. She has been in custody since that time. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Gilbert and Victim/Witness Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Man Convicted of Use of Firearm in Connection with Murder and Robbery

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Washington man on Feb. 17 of using a firearm in connection with murder and robbery. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Madani Ilara Tejan, aka Malik, aka Mylik, aka Dani, 30, arranged to sell drugs to an individual (Victim). On Oct. 3, 2018, Tejan directed the Victim to meet him in a residential neighborhood in Lanham, Maryland, where he fatally shot the Victim. Prince George’s County police officers responded to a concerned citizen’s call about a shooting and found the Victim dead with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. Tejan had also taken the Victim’s personal items, including drugs, money, his car, and wallet. On Oct. 20, 2018, officers executed a search warrant on a residence associated with Tejan in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Officers recovered the Victim’s wallet, two bags of marijuana, and a backpack that contained a pre-paid Cricket Wireless phone. The device had been in touch with the Victim several times on the day of the murder and was used interchangeably with Tejan’s registered phone to communicate with the Victim during the hours leading up to his death. Additionally, 1,013 fentanyl pills were seized from Tejan while he was residing in a government-run residential facility. Tejan’s social media accounts and phone messages revealed that he distributed oxycodone as well as other prescription drugs and marijuana to multiple individuals. Tejan was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, Hobbs Act robbery, and use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to a crime of violence. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for the use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to a crime of violence. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Thomas Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department, Robert J. Contee of the Metropolitan Police Department, Director Corenne Labbé of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, Director Thomas N. Faust of the D.C. Department of Corrections, and State Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy of the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Office made the announcement. The FBI, DEA, Prince George’s County Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, D.C. Department of Corrections, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Criminal Investigations Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Gerald A. A. Collins and Lisa K. Man of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin R. Cottingham for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.


title: Washington, D.C. Man Convicted After Nine-Day Trial For Use Of A Firearm In Connection With A Murder And A Robbery, And For A Drug Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – A federal jury convicted Madani Ilara Tejan, a/k/a “Malik,” “Mylik,” and “Dani,” age 30, of Washington, D.C., late on February 17, 2023, for using a firearm in connection with murder and robbery, and for a drug distribution conspiracy. The guilty verdict was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Robert J. Contee of the Metropolitan Police Department; Director Corenne Labbé of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections; and Director Thomas N. Faust of the D.C. Department of Corrections. According to the evidence presented at this nine-day trial, on October 3, 2018, Tejan met with a drug customer, to whom Tejan had arranged to sell drugs. During the meeting, Tejan shot and killed the drug customer, then stole the victim’s car, wallet, and other personal items. On October 20, 2018, a search warrant was executed at a residence in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, associated with Tejan and law enforcement recovered the victim’s wallet, two bags of marijuana and a prepaid cellular phone. Investigation revealed that the prepaid phone had been in contact with the victim’s phone several times on October 3, 2018 and was used interchangeably with Tejan’s registered phone to communicate with the victim in the hours before his murder. Additionally, 1,013 fentanyl pills were seized from Tejan while he was residing in a government-run residential facility. Tejan’s social media accounts and phone messages revealed that he distributed fentanyl marketed as oxycodone as well as other prescription drugs and marijuana to multiple individuals, including the victim. Tejan faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and for an armed commercial robbery; and a maximum of life in federal prison for use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to a crime of violence. No sentencing date has been set for Tejan. 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite commended the FBI, DEA, Prince George’s County Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, D.C. Department of Corrections, for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin R. Cottingham and Trial Attorneys Gerald A. A. Collins and Lisa K. Man of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Leader Of Sunset Trinitarios Sentented To Life In Prison For Racketeering, Including Ordering Multiple Murders

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EDIBERTO SANTANA, a/k/a “Flaco Veneno,” was sentenced to life imprisonment for leading the Sunset Trinitarios gang from at least 2010 through 2019 and, in that capacity, ordering multiple acts of brutal violence, including the March 13, 2011, murder of Dennis Marquez, age 16, who was stabbed to death in the Bronx; the October 23, 2013, murder of Michael Beltre, age 17, who was shot and killed in the Bronx; and the November 17, 2013, murder of Rafael Alam, age 22, who was shot and killed in the Bronx. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “While nothing can make whole the families and communities of Dennis Marquez, Michael Beltre, and Rafael Alam, we hope that today’s sentence is some measure of closure and justice for them. We are committed to addressing gang violence in our communities and to holding accountable those who instigate such violence.” * * * SANTANA, 33, of Brooklyn, New York, previously pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy with murder as a special sentencing factor, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York City Police Department, the New York State Police, and the New York City Department of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Celia V. Cohen, Jacqueline C. Kelly, and Lindsey Keenan are in charge of the prosecution. The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.


title: Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Calvin Butler, 24, of Dunbar, pleaded guilty today to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $16,040 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to court documents and statements made in court, Butler provided his personal information to an individual he met on the Instagram social media platform who had offered to apply for a PPP loan on Butler’s behalf in exchange for $2,000 of the loan proceeds. On April 25, 2021, this individual electronically submitted an application falsely stating that Butler operated a barbershop and that it had received $77,000 in gross income in 2020. Butler admitted that he knew he was not eligible to receive a PPP loan. Butler further admitted that he proceeded with the scheme because he needed money to pay his bills. The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020, offered emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program. Businesses applying for PPP loans had to certify that the business was in operation on February 15, 2020, and were required to provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020. The fraudulent PPP loan application was approved and $16,040 was electronically deposited from a financial institution in Tennessee to Butler’s account with a bank in South Charleston on June 7, 2021. Butler admitted that he knew the deposit was the result of the fraudulent PPP loan application. Butler further admitted that he withdrew and spent $15,000 of the fraudulently obtained money to benefit himself personally and not for any legitimate business expenses. Butler pleaded guilty to wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2023. Butler faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Butler also owes $18,540 in restitution. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the West Virginia State Auditor’s Public Integrity and Fraud Unit, and the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell 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 . 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. 2:22-cr-161. ###


title: St. Paul Felon Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A South St. Paul felon has been charged in a federal indictment for illegal possession of ammunition, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on December 5, 2022, Nicholas Neil Nikiforakis, 33, was carrying a loaded, unserialized ghost gun while in possession of a distribution amount of fentanyl. Because Nikiforakis has multiple prior felony convictions in Dakota, Hennepin, and Anoka Counties, including domestic assault, first degree drug sales, and vehicle theft, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. The indictment charges Nikiforakis with one count of felon in possession of ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on February 15, 2023, before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright. He was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Owner Of Insurance Firm Pleads Guilty In $40 Million Scheme To Steal Client Healthcare Funds And Defraud Lenders

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ANTHONY RICCARDI, an owner and manager of the Connecticut insurance firm Employee Benefit Solutions LLC (“EBS”), pled guilty today in White Plains federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Between 2015 and 2019, RICCARDI and his co-conspirators used EBS as part of a widespread, $40 million scheme to misappropriate and steal client healthcare funds and defraud multiple lenders. RICCARDI pled guilty today before United States District Judge Philip M. Halpern. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Anthony Riccardi admitted today to leading a brazen, widespread scheme over nearly five years to abuse his position of trust by stealing millions in fiduciary money that was meant to pay for important employee healthcare expenses. To keep the scheme going, Riccardi also defrauded lenders out of millions. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners to untangle this fraud, Riccardi will now be held accountable for these serious crimes.” According to the Indictment, the Complaint, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings: From at least 2015 and continuing through 2019, ANTHONY RICCARDI was the 50% co-owner and Executive Vice President of EBS, which offered a variety of healthcare insurance-related services to clients. EBS, among other things, provided third party healthcare claims administration (“TPA”) services to clients that elected to “self-fund” (or self-insure) their employee healthcare plans. As a TPA, EBS would purportedly administer, process, and pay healthcare claims for its clients’ employees in exchange for an administrative fee. Between at least 2015 and continuing through 2019, EBS represented an automobile dealership chain (“Company-1”) headquartered in Westchester County, New York. During this time period, EBS served as a TPA for Company-1’s self-funded employee healthcare program and purported to process and pay claims to medical providers that treated Company-1’s employees. To do this, EBS generated bimonthly “check register” invoices for Company-1 that listed all employee healthcare expenses from healthcare providers during that two-week period. EBS also administered a bank account on Company-1’s behalf for the express purpose of paying Company-1 healthcare claims. Company-1 would fund each check register by paying the invoiced amount, expecting that EBS would promptly pay the claims to the healthcare providers. During this time period, Company-1 transferred approximately $26 million to EBS for the payment of healthcare claims. In reality, a significant number of purported checks listed on the EBS “check register” invoices were never actually deposited by the healthcare providers. Instead, approximately $17.87 million in Company-1 healthcare payments were misappropriated with the overwhelming majority simply transferred by EBS into its own operating account, where they were used for non-healthcare expenses by the managers and owners of EBS. For example, a review of bank records indicates that Company-1 healthcare funds were used by RICCARDI and his co-conspirators to pay their home mortgage expenses as well as a personal credit card account with expenses relating to boating, luxury cars, and golf. EBS, through RICCARDI and his co-conspirators, made decisions on what few Company-1 healthcare claims they did pay based on which healthcare providers were likely to complain if they did not receive payment or if the claims were connected to Company-1 executives. The “check registers” sent to Company-1 also contained millions of dollars in fraudulent or inflated healthcare claims that were eventually paid by Company-1. EBS routinely inflated the Company-1 check registers at the direction of RICCARDI and his co-conspirators. Such efforts were typically accomplished through RICCARDI and his co-conspirators instructing others to manually create fraudulent entries in the EBS claims processing software, including fake claims under the name of a business controlled by RICCARDI. RICCARDI and his co-conspirators also took steps to conceal their fraud from Company-1 by creating and sending manipulated and fabricated bank statements and checks to create the appearance that healthcare claims were being paid by EBS, when in reality, they were not. By mid-2017, as EBS buckled under mounting outstanding fiduciary obligations, RICCARDI and his co-conspirators began an elaborate effort to conceal and perpetuate the ongoing fraud on Company-1 by applying for multiple fraudulent bank loans and merchant cash advances designed in part to pay various fiduciary obligations that EBS owed to Company-1. RICCARDI and his co-conspirators fraudulently applied for and received millions of dollars in loans under the auspices of financing the purchase of upgraded billing software for EBS, which included RICCARDI and his co-conspirators submitting fabricated invoices from a fake company that supposedly sold the billing software. * * * RICCARDI, 46, of New Canaan, Connecticut, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison. In connection with the guilty plea, RICCARDI agreed to pay $14,870,653.36 in restitution and forfeit $2,000,000.00. The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 20, 2023. RICCARDI’s co-defendant, Patricia Riccardi, previously pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud before Judge Halpern. Patricia Riccardi’s sentencing is scheduled for June 20, 2023. RICCARDI’s co-conspirator, Erin Verespy, was previously sentenced to 66 months in prison following her guilty plea to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud before United States District Judge Cathy Seibel. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and the United States Secret Service, which are assisting in the investigation, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas S. Bradley is in charge of the prosecution.


title: 24 Individuals Indicted for Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Cocaine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a seven-count indictment charging 20 men and four women with trafficking cocaine in the District of Puerto Rico, beginning in 2017. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) oversees the investigation, with the collaboration of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Ponce Municipal Police, and the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury. The United States Marshals Service also collaborated during the arrests. According to the charging document, from 2017 through the date of the return of the indictment, 24 individuals conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The defendants are: Arthur W. Rodríguez-Sánchez, a.k.a. “Drizmali/Chino/Quemao/Templo/Chal/Chal F” Emmanuel Rodríguez-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Jibaro” Smill E. Gómez- De La Cruz, a.k.a. “Pampara/Pompera/Pampera/Carlos/Carlitos” Ruben E. Vidal-Flores Juan C. Cuevas-Feliz Yan C. García-Pola Victor X. Zorrilla-Mejías Wilfredo R. Vázquez-López, a.k.a. “W/Www” José A. Aquino-Perales Alexis Abreu-Cordero, a.k.a. “El Viejo/Alexis/Alexis Ozuna-Cordero” Peter J. Reyes-Suárez Ángel L. Hernández-Díaz, a.k.a. “Coly/Coli/Coli El Fuerte” Ángel L. Santiago-Rivera Jorge Rodríguez-Flores Héctor Zayas-Schulze José Velázquez-Madera Kenneth A. Cruz-Fontánez Michael Agrinsoni-Mejías, José M. Hidalgo-Duarte Jesús H. Vega-Rivera, a.k.a. “Gipeta/Jipeta/Millonario 27” Verónica Questell-Rodríguez Deyanira Velázquez-Álvarez Kailyn N. Rivera-Torres Zuleyka Torres-Mejías Also, 21 defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and conspiracy to import cocaine from the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, and the British Virgin Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands, into Puerto Rico. The defendants made multiple trips between Puerto Rico and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands to transport narcotics. During their smuggling ventures, the defendants used two or three vessels in order to distract law enforcement officers. In addition, they recruited trusted females that could pose as decoys in the vessels to district law enforcement. They also recruited defendant José A. Aquino-Perales, a PRPB FURA police officer that acted as a lookout in Puerto Rico for the drug trafficking organization. “Today’s arrests dismantle an organization that coordinated not only the international smuggling of drugs, but also the movement of drug proceeds, which is essential to the success of these illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “We will continue maximizing our multi-agency efforts and will combine resources to investigate and prosecute those who smuggle drugs into Puerto Rico.” In addition to the drug trafficking charges, four defendants are charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, which involved the proceeds of dealing in controlled substances. The defendants are facing a forfeiture allegation of the following property: A lot of land located at Bo. Calabazas, in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico A two-level house located at Urbanization Vista de Lago Campo, in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico Property located in Urbanization Villa Del Rey, Section IV, Lot 12, 4-G, located in Caguas, Puerto Rico Property located at Sector Coco Barrio Jueyes, in Salinas, Puerto Rico Six vessels If convicted, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section Max J. Pérez-Bouret; Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, AUSA María L. Montañez-Concepción; and AUSA Jorge L. Matos are in charge of the prosecution of the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Three Wilmington Men Among Those Charged Federally in Multi-State Fentanyl and Cocaine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that on February 16, 2023, Henri Sosa-Gomez, 36, New York, NY, Jamel Romero, 30, New York, NY, Leonel Abreu-Montero, 31, Wilmington, DE, John Doe aka Arison Hernandez-Acevado, 31, Wilmington, DE, and Christian Sanchez, 23, Wilmington, DE, have been charged by a federal grand jury sitting in Wilmington with conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and cocaine in the Wilmington, Delaware metropolitan area. According to public documents and statements made in open court, this investigation began after a double overdose in Chester County, PA, resulting in the death of a 50-year-old woman in November 2022. Through a multi-state effort involving U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and the Chester County Detectives, law enforcement identified a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) headed by Sosa-Gomez and Romero that supplied fentanyl and cocaine from New York to Delaware. A subsequent investigation revealed that Romero, who resided in the Bronx, traveled from New York to deliver the controlled substances and to collect proceeds from a network of sub-distributors, including defendants Abreu-Montero, Hernandez-Acevado, and Sanchez, who then carried out and completed the drug transactions in Delaware. On January 17, 2023, law enforcement arrested Romero and Abreu-Montero after they completed a drug transaction in Wilmington. Law enforcement recovered approximately one (1) kilogram of baked crack cocaine mixed with fentanyl, approximately one (1) kilogram of fentanyl, and about $50,000 in U.S. currency from Romero and Abreu-Montero. Law enforcement recovered additional fentanyl after determining that the DTO buried narcotics in a densely wooded area near Hockessin, DE, off W. Rolling Mill Road. Law enforcement also contemporaneously executed search warrants for several locations and vehicles in Delaware, New York, and Maryland. A Hazardous Materials (or “Hazmat”) Team was called in to conduct a search of a Bronx residence because the residence was deemed unsafe for entry due to the amount of fentanyl and cocaine that had been cooked, mixed, and processed within the residence. During the search of the Bronx residence, law enforcement recovered approximately twelve (12) kilograms of fentanyl, about one (1) kilogram of Xylazine (a potent horse tranquilizer not approved for human use that is being linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths nationwide), cocaine, cooking materials, cutting agents, gas masks, a kilogram press, money counters, and an additional $31,000 in U.S. currency. In announcing the Indictment, U.S. Attorney Weiss stated: “As overdoses continue to ravage our community, we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who knowingly sell drugs that kill. We are grateful for our state and federal law enforcement partners who acted vigilantly to remove harmful drugs from our streets and to help bring some justice to the victim’s family. My office will seek significant federal prison sentences against all who seek to profit from illegal drug sales.” “Cases like the one announced today make a true difference in the communities of Delaware,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “Today’s announcement underscores HSI’s mission and highlights the importance of teamwork, tenacity, and partnerships. As a result, investigators and prosecutors, working side-by-side and sharing information seamlessly have disrupted a drug trafficking organization operating throughout the Northeast.” If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 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 taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Weiss, HSI Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, and DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey S. Wagner commended the work of those who investigated the case, including agents from HSI, DEA, and the Chester County Detectives. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Newport, DE Police Department, the Newark, DE Police Department, and the Delaware State Police; the Kennett Township, PA Police Department; the Elkton, MD Police Department, the Cecil County, MD Sheriff’s Office, the Cecil County, MD Drug Task Force, and the Maryland State Police; the New York City Police Department and the New York State Police; HSI’s Baltimore and New York Divisions; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Chester County District Attorney’s Office; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Maryland and the Southern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Claudia L. Pare are assigned to prosecute the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER .


title: Two Defendants Convicted of Distributing Fentanyl and Heroin Causing Overdoses

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A federal jury today convicted Keith Wyche, also known as “Marco,” of distributing fentanyl which resulted in the fatal overdose of a 43-year-old Staten-Island resident on April 18, 2017. Wyche and co-defendant Oneil Allen were also convicted of distributing heroin to a 28-year old woman on October 27, 2017, leading to her suffering serious bodily injury. In addition, the two men were convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and distributing those narcotics. The verdict followed a three-week trial in federal court in Brooklyn before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. When sentenced, both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office (FBI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict. “With today’s verdict, two drug dealers who sold lethal drugs without any regard for the lives they were endangering, have received a powerful response from the jury holding them responsible for their crimes,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The opioid epidemic has had a devastating effect on our district, with Staten Island bearing a terrible toll, and this Office will continue working tirelessly to reduce the number of victims and the availability of dangerous drugs.” “Dealers and pushers are hooking users with a dangerously addictive mix of drugs that shouldn’t ever be used outside of a medical environment. Mr. Wyche and Mr. Allen would text customers first thing in the morning to keep their clientele coming back. Their goal was to make more money, disregarding one man’s life and the lives of others to whom they sold. The FBI Newark Transnational Organized Crime Task Force has a message for criminals at the root of this growing epidemic plaguing our communities - there is a federal prison cell waiting for you as well,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Dennehy. “Abuse of heroin and the deadly additive fentanyl has cut a wide swath across New York City and our nation, affecting people in all neighborhoods, from all walks of life,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “To combat this scourge, we seek to shut down the supply of illegal drugs and, ultimately, to save lives. That is why NYPD detectives probe every overdose to determine how the narcotics were obtained, and it was those efforts that led to today’s verdict. I commend the investigators in this case, and the strong collaboration of the NYPD and our law enforcement partners, all of whom are helping to stem the opioid crisis.” As proven at trial, Wyche and Allen ran a narcotics delivery service, distributing heroin and fentanyl, among other drugs, in Staten Island. The defendants used a stash house in New Jersey to package and prepare narcotics, and traveled daily into Staten Island to sell their illicit product. On the days they distributed narcotics, they would alert customers early in the morning with text messages reading “Good Morning” or “Rise and Shine,” and then coordinate meetups with customers. On April 18, 2017, the father of a 43-year old Staten Island man (“John Doe”) found his son dead in a bathroom of a residence in Staten Island. A hypodermic needle, tourniquet, and glassines containing fentanyl were on and around the body. By reviewing the deceased victim’s phone, NYPD detectives found a series of text messages from a number labeled “Marco 5.” These messages began with a text from the contact “Marco 5” that started with “Rise and Shine,” and showed that the user of this phone had sold narcotics to John Doe in the hours before his overdose. On October 27, 2017, NYPD Officers responded to a 911 call for a 28-year old woman (“Jane Doe”) who was reported as unconscious inside a vehicle in Staten Island. After first responders administered several doses of Narcan to Jane Doe, she regained consciousness and was transported to a hospital. A review of messages on Jane Doe’s phone showed similar messages to those found on John Doe’s phone, including a message reading “Rise and Shine” on the day of Jane Doe’s overdose. Jane Doe testified at trial that she purchased narcotics from the defendants and later helped law enforcement gather evidence against them. The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gilbert M. Rein, Irisa Chen, and James P. McDonald, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Teri Carby and Eileen Rosado. The Defendants : KEITH WYCHE (also known as “Marco”) Age: 38 Staten Island, New York ONEIL ALLEN (also known as “James”) Age: 31 Staten Island, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-561 (S-1) (DLI)


title: West Texas Man Arrested, Charged with Bribing HSI Agent

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Seminole man was arrested Thursday in El Paso on criminal charges related to his alleged bribery of a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent. According to the criminal complaint, Pedro Thiessen, 70, failed to declare more than $10,000 when entering the United States at the Ysleta Port of Entry in October 2022. Thiessen filed a petition to recover the funds and was interviewed by an HSI agent in January 2023 regarding the petition. An affidavit attached to the complaint alleges that Thiessen offered to pay the agent an unknown amount of money if the agent assisted with the recovery. The agent reported the offer to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). The affidavit alleges that Thiessen again proposed a monetary offer to the agent during a phone call on Feb. 6. On Feb. 15, the agent arranged a meeting with Thiessen for the following day. According to the court documents, Thiessen presented the agent with $1,000 at that meeting and was immediately arrested. Thiessen is charged with bribery of public officials. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the HSI El Paso Division made the announcement. HSI and ICE OPR are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Osterberg is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: 21-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Assaulting a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Cesar Alejandro Avendano-Soto, 21, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced last week, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Avendano-Soto pleaded guilty to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer Resulting in Bodily Injury. The court also ordered a restitution hearing scheduled for April 25, 2023. On March 24, 2020, at a port of entry in Nogales, Arizona, Avendano-Soto attempted to enter the United States. After being asked for proof of citizenship, Avendano-Soto became angry and intentionally slammed a Customs and Border Protection officer to the ground, where her head hit the concrete. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah B. Houston, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01527-TUC-SHR (DTF) RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-022_Avendano-Soto # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Boise Tax Return Preparer of Filing False Tax Returns

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Boise tax return preparer Andres Sanchez, 33, guilty of willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of six false or fraudulent tax returns on behalf of several clients, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Senior U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill presided over the trial which began on February 13 and concluded with six guilty verdicts on February 17. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on one remaining count. During the trial, the jury heard evidence that Sanchez worked as a paid tax return preparer in Boise. For tax returns filed for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016, Sanchez counseled his clients to include ineligible dependents on their tax returns to increase tax refunds. The ineligible dependents resulted in dependency exemptions and refundable tax credits for Sanchez’s clients, including the child tax credit, additional child tax credit, and earned income credit. The ineligible dependents resulted in significant refunds in many cases where Sanchez’s clients would have otherwise owed taxes. “Tax fraud is an affront to all taxpayers who comply with the law,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will aggressively pursue those who submit false tax returns or who unlawfully evade their tax obligations in other ways. This case is a reminder of our dedication to this mission. It is also a reminder to the public to be cautious when choosing a tax preparer. If something seems too good to be true, it often is.” “Over the past three years, investigations led by IRS-CI special agents have resulted in more than 300 return preparers being sentenced for filing false tax returns,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “Return preparer fraud will remain a top priority for us and today’s verdict should serve as a reminder to tax preparers that filing false returns will lead to significant fines and prison.” Sanchez faces a maximum of three years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each false tax return. Sentencing is scheduled for May 16, 2023. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation in this case. ###


title: Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Bryanna Danielle Kern, 25, of Proctorville, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute suboxone. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 6, 2022, Kern was working as a kitchen employee at the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville, West Virginia, when she agreed to deliver a package containing suboxone to an inmate in exchange for $2,000. After Kern drove to the jail that day, her vehicle was searched by investigators who found the package and the payment. Kern is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, two years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. The inmate, Corey Michael Perkins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute suboxone, methamphetamine, and fentanyl and was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison on August 22, 2022. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-221. ###


title: Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Host Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Workshop on Competition Advocacy

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today launched a two-day joint workshop as part of this year’s first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC) Senior Officials Meeting, which the U.S. is hosting in Palm Springs, California. This year marks the first time the U.S. has hosted APEC since 2011. The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FTC organized and hosted the workshop on competition advocacy for APEC’s Competition Policy and Law Group (CPLG) to build on the APEC 2023 priorities, including promoting competitive markets throughout the Asia-Pacific region and fostering cooperation across APEC’s 21 economies in service of this goal. “The APEC’s Competition Policy and Law Group workshop provides an opportunity to engage with our partners in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Promoting competition in an increasingly complex world demands an interconnected and innovative approach to international antitrust enforcement, and this workshop is an important forum for building the ties and strategy necessary for this cooperation.” The workshop began with opening remarks from Assistant Attorney General Kanter and FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. The workshop featured presentations and roundtable discussions on litigating competition matters, regulatory advocacy and effective legislative advocacy in a changing world. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hetal Doshi, who leads the Antitrust Division’s Litigation Unit, kicked off the workshop with a presentation sharing best practices for courtroom advocacy. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maggie Goodlander, who oversees the Antitrust Division’s International, Appellate, and Policy Sections, led a panel with judges and competition agency leadership from the United States, Chile and Peru. APEC is the premier platform for advancing economic policies in the Asia-Pacific region that promote inclusive and sustainable growth, as well as free, fair, and open trade and investment. In addition to this week’s meeting in Palm Springs, the U.S. will host APEC Senior Officials Meetings in Detroit (May 2023) and Seattle (August 2023), as well as APEC’s Economic Leaders’ Week in San Francisco (November 2023). Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Antitrust Division delivers remarks at the APEC Competition Advocacy Workshop


title: Maryland Man Sentenced for “DMV Board” Dogfighting Conspiracy

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Capitol Heights, Maryland, man was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for conspiring to engage in dogfighting. According to court documents, from May 2015 through at least August 2020, Charles Edward Williams, III, 50, and other conspirators from Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, used a messaging app private group, which they generally referred to as “The DMV Board” or “The Board,” as a place where they and their associates could discuss training fighting dogs, exchange videos about dogfighting, and arrange and coordinate dog fights, away from the view of law enforcement authorities. Members of The DMV Board also used the messaging app to compare methods of killing dogs that lost fights, as well as to circulate media reports about conspirators who had been caught by law enforcement and discuss methods to minimize the likelihood that they would be caught themselves. Williams entered multiple dogs into fights. For example, in March 2018, Williams entered a dog into a fight at a warehouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Law enforcement officers broke up the fight and apprehended several weapons and two injured dogs from the warehouse. They also arrested those who were present, including Williams. In April 2019, Williams and coconspirator Michael Roy Hilliard, 37, of Fort Washington, Maryland, drove to Bunnlevel, North Carolina, with a dog belonging to Williams, so that he could enter the dog in a dog fight. The fight lasted less than 10 minutes before being won by the dog belonging to Williams. An unindicted conspirator shot and killed the dog that lost the fight. In August 2022, Williams, Hilliard, and five others were indicted for a dogfighting conspiracy involving the “DMV Board.” In November 2022, Williams, Hilliard, and their co-defendants Derek Garcia and Ricardo Thorne pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy. Hilliard, Garcia, and Thorne are scheduled to be sentenced in March 2023. They each face a maximum penalty of five 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 taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cristina Stam and Gordon Kromberg are 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. 1:22-cr-154.


title: Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Monroe Avant, 32, of Inkster, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 13, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a shooting on the 1600 block of 11th Avenue in Huntington. Officers encountered a vehicle with two men passed out in the driver and front passenger seats. Officers saw that the passenger had a semi-automatic pistol in his waistband. Avant admitted that he was the passenger and possessed a Taurus Model 709 9mm handgun. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Avant is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on May 6, 2014. Avant is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-245. ###


title: Norway Man Charged with PPP Loan Fraud

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: Merton Weed Jr. , 50, of Norway, Maine, was arrested today on an indictment charging him with filing fraudulent claims for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and a fraudulent application for a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgage. According to the indictment, between May 2020 and January 2021, Weed filed five applications for PPP loans requesting over $150,000. The applications are alleged to have listed false average monthly payrolls and numbers of employees and to have been supported by false payroll records and bank records. The indictment also alleges that Weed filed a residential loan application for an FHA-insured mortgage in 2018, listing false employment and income information on the application. If convicted, Weed faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The FBI is investigating the case. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA. ###


title: Washington D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Murder and Assault Charges in Connection With a Triple Shooting

body_text: WASHINGTON – Glenn Dolford, 30, of Washington, D.C. pleaded guilty to one count of 2nd degree murder while armed, one count of aggravated assault while armed and one count of assault with a deadly weapon for the murder of Raheem Murray and shooting of Corvell Hayden and Marco Harper on February 2, 2020 (Superbowl Sunday) in the 4000 block of 3rd Street, SE. Dolford entered his guilty pleas on February 17, 2023 before Judge Maribeth Raffinan. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 25, 2023. On February 2, 2020, at approximately 4:00 PM, a dark colored sedan pulled into the 4000 block of 3rd Street, SE, where the three victims were standing on the sidewalk discussing where they were going to watch the Superbowl. As they chatted, the dark colored sedan pulled into the block and slowed to a stop in the middle of the street. Once the car was stopped, two individuals got out of the passenger side of the car and began shooting rifle styled firearms at the three victims. The defendant, got out of the back passenger side door while firing his weapon. Victims Corvell Hayden and Marco Harper immediately took off running from the scene, both sustained gunshot wounds. Corvell Hayden was shot ten times, Marco Harper was shot twice, and Raheem Murray fell to the ground. As the victims fled and Mr. Murray fell and the fifty-seven rounds of ammunition littered the block, two young children ages 4 and 6 who were not injured, also fled the scene with their father. As the onslaught continued and after Mr. Murray fell to the ground, the defendant ran to where Mr. Murray laid on the ground, stood over him, and shot him in the head. Using video surveillance footage from before, during, and after the shooting, detectives created a still shot of the shooter and showed it to a witness familiar with the defendant. The witness was able to identify the person in the still from the video surveillance, the individual who shot Mr. Murray in the head, as Glenn Dolford. The plea was an 11(c)(1)(c) plea. The agreed upon sentence is 22.5 years followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the plea, United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J. Contee, III, commended the work of the officers and detectives with the MPD, most notably the lead detective from the Homicide Unit, Michael Pepperman, as well as the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Marybeth Manfreda.