title: Fairport man sentenced for attacking a federal officer during a campaign event

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that David G. Jakubonis, 44, of Fairport, NY, who was convicted of assaulting a federal officer, was sentenced to serve three years probation by U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean C. Eldridge, who handled the case, stated that on July 21, 2022, during a campaign event in Perinton, NY, Congressman Lee Zeldin gave a speech from the bed of a flatbed trailer. During the speech, Jakubonis walked onto the trailer, approached the Congressman, extended a keychain with two sharp points toward him and grabbed his arm. A struggle then ensued between Congressman Zeldin and Jakubonis and, as bystanders intervened, Jakubonis pulled Congressman Zeldin down onto the bed of the trailer, stating several times during the assault, “you're done.” Jakubonis was subdued and arrested. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the U.S. Capitol Police, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Chad Beckett, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and the Brighton Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Catholdi. # # # #


title: Warm Springs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempted Murder

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for using a motor vehicle to intentionally strike and severely injure a person known to them on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Quinten Xavier Greene, 25, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Greene was also ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution. According to court documents, on March 18, 2023, an adult victim was found lying, severely injured, in a ditch on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The individual reported that someone, later identified as Greene, had intentionally swerved their vehicle and hit him. The victim, who sustained a traumatic brain injury and fractures to his legs and multiple ribs, was taken to a hospital in Madras, Oregon, for treatment and, later, because of the severity of their injuries, transferred to a hospital in Bend, Oregon. Warm Springs Tribal Police officers spoke with a witness who recounted driving with Greene to meet the victim, and observing Greene swerve his vehicle to hit the victim. On May 9, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Greene with attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On September 22, 2023, Greene pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with attempted murder. This case was investigated by the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It was prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Rochester man indicted of charges of sex trafficking and kidnapping

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Cordell Brooks, 28, of Rochester, NY, with sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and kidnapping. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between May and July 5, 2023, Brooks forced Victim 1 to engage in a commercial sex act. In addition, on July 5, 2023, Brooks kidnapped and abducted Victim 1. Brooks was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Buffalo man charged with allegedly starting fire on railroad tracks in Farnham

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael B. Benitez, 33, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with arson of property used in interstate commerce. The charge carries carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in the early morning hours of June 14, 2023, the Village of Farnham Fire Department responded to a fire on railroad tracks just west of the Railroad Avenue grade crossing in Farnham. While the fire department responded, trains were being held until the fire, the source of which was several tires burning, could be extinguished. Subsequent investigation by the Norfolk Southern Police Department revealed freshly trampled grass and a path directly adjacent from the tracks to the nearby residence of Benitez. Video obtained during the investigation appears to show Benitez leaving and returning to the residence during the time of the fire. Benitez made an initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroder, Jr. and was released on conditions. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Town of Brandt Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Slawek, and Norfolk Southern Police Department. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Federal grand jury indicts Dunkirk man on labor and sex trafficking and kidnapping charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment charging Augusto Mateo Francisco, 32, of Dunkirk, NY, with two counts of forced labor, one count of kidnapping a minor, and one count of transportation of a minor for the purpose of illegal sexual activity. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, Francisco facilitated the illegal entry of Guatemalan migrants into the United States and helped transport them to the Dunkirk area, where he would provide them with housing and work at area farms. Francisco would charge the migrants for their housing, rides to work, and for other items. He would also take a cut of the wages they earned working at the farms. Francisco threatened two individuals (Victim 1 and Victim 2), telling them that if they stopped working for him or if they did not pay back the money they purportedly owed to him, he would harm their families or would call immigration authorities and have them deported. In addition, Francisco pursued a sexual relationship with Minor Victim 1, a 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant who had come to the U.S. with her mother. Francisco repeatedly raped Minor Victim 1, threatening to harm her siblings who were still in Guatemala if she told anyone about what had happened. In May 2020, Francisco abducted Minor Victim 1 and took her to a trailer in Ripley, NY, where she was held for nearly two weeks, until being rescued by police. Following her rescue, Minor Victim 1 and her mother fled to Georgia to escape Francisco. However, he followed them and kidnapped Minor Victim 1, bringing her back to the Western District of New York, where he unlawfully held her for several more days, until she was again rescued by police. Francisco was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy, and is being held pending a detention hearing on December 20, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. The indictment is the result of by Homeland Security investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino and the Chautauqua County Sherriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Forfeiture Process to Begin for Firearms Seized from Dave’s Gunshop in Lafayette, LA

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana will be handling a forfeiture proceeding in connection with the seizure of numerous firearms in the case involving Dave’s Gunshop in Lafayette, Louisiana. During the investigation of this case, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized numerous firearms from Dave’s Gunshop and also from the residence of Jeremiah Micah Deare and Sarah Elaine Fogle . The defendants in this case, Deare and Fogle, were charged and found guilty of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. If you, your family member, or anyone that you know may have an interest in claiming ownership of any of the firearm(s) seized in this case, please contact the Forfeiture Unit of our office at 318-676-3600 for information on how to file a claim with the court for any firearm(s). # # #


title: Syracuse Man Receives 101 Months in Prison for Drug and Firearm Crimes

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Rodney Sumlin, age 37, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 101 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. As part of his prior guilty plea, Sumlin admitted that on November 8, 2022, he possessed 108 grams of cocaine at his residence in Syracuse, intending to distribute it to others. Sumlin also possessed a loaded .45 caliber pistol, which he possessed in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to follow the prison term. DEA investigated the case, with assistance from the Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case.


title: Syracuse Man Receives 78 Months in Prison for Drug and Firearm Crimes

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – James Bolds, age 36, of Syracuse, was sentenced yesterday to 78 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of body armor by a person convicted of a crime of violence. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile made the announcement. As part of his prior guilty plea, Bolds admitted that in October 2022, he possessed in his Syracuse apartment approximately 27 grams of cocaine, which he intended to distribute to others. Bolds further admitted that he also possessed at his apartment a loaded handgun, knowing that he had previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Bolds acknowledged that he had prior convictions in North Carolina for robbery, assault inflicting serious bodily harm, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Bolds also admitted possessing in his apartment approximately 67 rounds of ammunition and a bulletproof vest. United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Bolds to a 3-year term of supervised release, which will begin after his term of imprisonment. The FBI and the Syracuse Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case.


title: Ohio Man Indicted for Alleged Child Sex Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Euclid, Ohio, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for sex trafficking of a child, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Donte Lashawn Cole, 39, as the sole defendant. According to allegations contained in a previously filed federal criminal complaint, in May 2023 Cole transported a minor female victim from Ohio to a hotel in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, to engage in commercial sex acts. Cole allegedly used online advertisements to market the minor for commercial sex services in Western Pennsylvania and elsewhere, from April 2023 to October of 2023. With the assistance of the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Taskforce, Cole was taken into custody at his residence in Euclid, Ohio, where the minor was also located partially nude in an upstairs bedroom. “This defendant allegedly offered for sale the sexual exploitation of a child—an egregious violation of the innocent,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Along with our partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement, we will continue our work to identify, investigate, and bring to justice those who pursue profit through sex trafficking of minors. We implore anyone who knows or suspects that a minor may be the victim of sex trafficking to contact law enforcement.” “Without collaboration between law enforcement, human traffickers are able to move from city to city and state to state in the shadows, while profiting from traumatic acts their victims feel obligated to perform,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said. “Our charges, and the ensuing federal indictment, bring this egregious conduct to light and seek to end a reign of predatory behavior.” The federal charge provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Rob Schupansky and Special Assistant United States Attorney Summer Carroll are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Attorney General’s Office of Pennsylvania conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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. If you are the victim of human trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, please call the FBI, local law enforcement, or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year related to potential trafficking victims, suspicious behaviors, and/or locations where trafficking is suspected to occur. To submit a tip to the NHTRC online please visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/report-trafficking. An indictment and a criminal complaint are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Shelby Township Doctor Convicted in a $6.3 Million Illegal Prescription Opioid Conspiracy Involving More than 300,000 pills

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: A federal jury convicted Dr. Lawrence Mark Sherman, 74, of Shelby Township, on all counts of a 20-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to unlawfully distribute prescription opioids, including Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen (Percocet), and 19 counts of illegal distribution of Oxycodone, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvorea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office. Dr. Sherman was convicted for his involvement in the operation of Tranquility Wellness Center, Inc., from March 2020 through June 2021, which operated first in Dearborn and later in Saint Clair Shores. Dr. Sherman was the only prescribing doctor who primarily prescribed Oxycodone 30mg, Oxymorphone 40mg, and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen 10-325 mg (Percocet), three of the most addictive prescription opioids. These prescription drugs are also among the most highly diverted prescription opioids due to their high street value. The other defendants charged in the case, including clinic operators Janeice Burrell and Angelo Smith, clinic employees Akeyla Bell and Carmen Gilbreth, and Peter Burrell previously pleaded guilty. According to the evidence presented at trial, Dr. Sherman conspired with the other defendants to illegally authorize more than 3,000 opioid prescriptions for supposed “patients” who did not have a legitimate medical need for the drugs, and who were typically brought to the clinic by “patient recruiters/marketers.” Tranquility Wellness Center accepted only cash and charged patients, not based on the service provided, but instead based on the quantity, type, and dosage of prescription opioids that the “patient” received. The clinic also charged cash for the creation of fraudulent medical records for the supposed “patients.” Janeice Burrell and Angelo Smith paid Dr. Sherman in cash or via peer-to-peer money transfers, and only paid him if he wrote controlled substance prescriptions, not based on any supposed “medical care.” During the trial the jury heard testimony that Doctor Sherman issued more than 300,000 dosage units of Schedule II opioid prescriptions during the course of the conspiracy. These controlled substances had a street value in excess of $6.3 million. While the unlawful controlled substance prescriptions were paid for in cash, both controlled and non-controlled “maintenance” medications were billed to health care benefit programs by pharmacies. Billings to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary prescription drug medications and maintenance medications during this conspiracy exceeded $500,000. “My office remains committed to doing what it can to hold doctors and other health care professionals accountable when they illegally feed the opioid epidemic by writing illegal opioid prescriptions, rather than helping to address the terrible impact the opioid epidemic has had on our community,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will pursue drug dealers whether they are peddling drugs on the street or while wearing white coats in a medical office.” "Today's verdict should be a stern warning to any fraudulent medical providers who are willing to engage in illegal prescription drug and opioid distribution schemes," said Special Agent in Charge, Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “By prescribing medically unnecessary medications, the defendant put vulnerable community members at risk and contributed to inflated health care costs. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, continue to work collaboratively to bring those to justice who seek to peddle poisons into our state and defraud healthcare systems.” “Medical providers who facilitate the unlawful distribution of prescription controlled substances place their patients, and others, at risk of harm and also undermine the critical public health efforts underway to address the opioid epidemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working together with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those medical providers who unlawfully engage in overprescribing these medications.” The maximum penalty for the drug conspiracy is twenty years’ imprisonment. The maximum penalty for the substantive counts of unlawful distribution of Schedule II controlled substances is 20 years on each count. The trial, which began on November 15, 2023, was conducted before United States District Judge Judith Levy. Sherman is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2024. The case was investigated by special agents and task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Lievense and Alison Furtaw. The Eastern District of Michigan is one of the twelve districts included in the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to target and prosecute individuals that are contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis.


title: Orlando Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced To Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Lennen Pacheco Colon (25, Orlando) to 6 years and 11 months in federal prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl, to be served consecutive to a 200-month sentence Colon has received in the Southern District of Florida for armed kidnapping and carjacking. Colon had pleaded guilty to the MDFL offenses on April 11, 2023. According to court documents, in January 2023, Colon advised a confidential informant (CI) that he had a supply source who wanted to sell $25,000 worth of fentanyl pills. The CI informed Colon that the CI wanted a sample of the pills before agreeing to a large order. Colon agreed to sell the CI 1,000 fentanyl pills for $4,5000. On or about January 18, 2023, Colon met the CI at a location in Hillsborough County. Colon met the CI at the CI’s vehicle and exchanged a bag of pills for $4,500. The bag contained 992 pills that a Drug Enforcement Administration lab later confirmed to be fentanyl. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Lake County Man Indicted For Attempting To Entice A 13-Year-Old To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Kahlil Yanier Amilivia Rodriguez (25, Ocala) with using the internet and his cellphone to attempt to entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Rodriguez faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. According to court records, on October 5, 2023, Rodriguez had an online conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 13-year-old girl. Rodriguez graphically described to the fictional child the sexual acts he wanted to perform with her. Rodriguez was subsequently arrested when he arrived at a pre-determined location to meet with the minor to engage in the sex acts. When investigators seized Rodriguez’s cellphone and tablet, they discovered that he also was attempting to entice another minor into sexual activity. That minor, however, was a separate law enforcement officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. 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: Kentucky Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Richmond, Ky., man, Mark Edward Morris, 46, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for failure to register as a sex offender. Morris was convicted on September 05, 2006, in Cass County, Iowa for Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse Causing Bodily Injury. The conviction requires that Morris register as a sex offender for life. After his conviction in Iowa, Morris moved to Kentucky and was classified as a lifetime registrant in the state of Kentucky. While living in Kentucky, Morris registered or completed numerous verification address forms from 2016 through 2019. On many of these forms Morris provided false addresses, even using a Wal-Mart address as his residence. During that period, the Kentucky State Police (KSP) issued Morris several warnings and/or Notifications of “Non-Compliance” with the KSP Sex Offender Registry. Morris then moved out of Kentucky for a period of time before moving back to Kentucky in 2022. Morris admitted in his plea agreement that he was residing and working in Kentucky from at least 2022 until the time of his arrest and that, during that time, he knowingly failed to register or update his registration information as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Under federal law, Morris must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jeremy Honaker, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. -END-


title: Sallisaw Resident Sentenced For Enticement And Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Austin Jae Brown, age 24, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for enticement and sexual abuse of a minor. Brown will be placed on a 15-year term of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and will be required to register as a sex offender. The charge arose from investigations by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On December 9, 2022, Brown pleaded guilty to two counts of enticement and one count of sexual abuse of a minor. The defendant used the internet to compel two minor victims to provide child sexual abuse materials to him and engaged in sexual acts with one of the minor victims. The Honorable Jodi W. Dishman, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City. Brown will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab ‘Resources.’


title: Haskell County Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cortez Deron Fulsom, age 35, of Kinta, Oklahoma, was sentenced 120 months imprisonment for shooting and injuring another Haskell County resident. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office, the District 18 Narcotics Task Force, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. On November 10, 2022, Fulsom entered a plea of guilty to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. At the plea hearing, Fulsom admitted to intentionally shooting the victim with a firearm with intent to do bodily injury. According to investigators, on March 22, 2019, Fulsom approached the victim at a Haskell County residence and fired multiple rounds at the victim. The victim wrestled the gun away from Fulsom but sustained a non-fatal gunshot injury during the struggle. Fulsom fled the scene and was later apprehended by law enforcement with the assistance of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The crime occurred in Haskell County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Fulsom will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Conway and Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Catoosa Resident Pleads Guilty To Violent Assault Charges

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Tyler Garbey, age 36, of Catoosa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse or Intimate Partner in Indian Country. The Indictment alleged that on July 19, 2023, Garbey assaulted the victim with a knife, causing substantial bodily injury. The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Garbey was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Four Years In Federal Prison For Possessing A Loaded Firearm

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Eddie Lee Parks, III (24, Orlando) to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Parks had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2023. According to the court records, in Lake County on April 10, 2023, law enforcement officers discovered Parks in possession of a loaded handgun during a domestic altercation. Parks had previously been convicted of three felonies, including two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (2019) and possession of a controlled substance (2019). As a convicted felon, Parks is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Leesburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk. 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: Venezuelan Citizen Found Guilty of Three Separate Hostage-Takings of American Citizens in the Dominican Republic

body_text: WASHINGTON - Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, 29, a Venezuelan national, was found guilty on December 11 in the District of Columbia for the 2022 hostage-takings of three U.S. Citizens in the Dominican Republic at knifepoint. The conviction was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. A jury in U.S. District Court convicted Delgado of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and three counts of hostage-taking. Chief U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Apr. 12, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, Delgado, also known as “Sebastian,” kidnapped the men in separate instances between July 5 and July 30, 2022. In all three instances, Delgado lured his victim online with the promise of a friendly “date,” and picked the victim up in his car. After driving a short distance, Delgado stopped suddenly to let an accomplice into the backseat, at which point Delgado and his accomplice held the victim at knifepoint and demanded ransom for their release. Delgado demanded ransom from each of the three men and asked for it to be paid to various online banking accounts, including the same CashApp account. All three victims were forced at knifepoint to call their friends and family and ask for money to secure their release. The victims were held in captivity by Delgado and his accomplices for extended periods of time and were only released after Delgado believed a ransom payment had been made by their friends and family. In all three hostage takings, the victims were also robbed of their personal belongings before being released on the streets of the Dominican Republic. Following victim reports and a request from the FBI to act on the hostage takings, Dominican authorities began an investigation in August 2022. Local law enforcement in the Dominican Republic traced a vehicle used in one of the hostage takings to Delgado and arrested him on Sept. 10, 2022. During a search of the vehicle, Dominican authorities found two serrated knifes, similar to those used in the hostage takings. On Oct. 4, 2022, Dominican authorities transferred Delgado to U.S. custody. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Korba and Jolie Zimmerman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison Related to Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography. According to court documents, Jay Eugene Dietz, 35, received and possessed child sexual abuse material on his cell phone while he was housed at the Residential Reentry Center in Davenport. At the time of this offense, Dietz was serving a sentence of imprisonment for a prior federal conviction for receiving child sexual abuse material. After completing his term of imprisonment, Dietz will be required to serve ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Planned Departure of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the planned departure of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta at the start of February: “I am deeply grateful to Vanita for her extraordinary service as Associate Attorney General. Vanita’s commitment to the pursuit of justice, and her relentless focus on bringing people together to find common ground, has made her an incredibly effective leader in dealing with some of the most complex challenges facing the American people. She has distinguished herself as the kind of leader who is also a partner to the career and non-career employees who work for her, to the stakeholders the Department works with, and to the public we all work for. As a trusted advisor and key member of the Department’s leadership team charged with overseeing all of our civil litigating components and grantmaking entities, Vanita has played an essential role in our work to fulfill DOJ’s mission to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. Among her many accomplishments during her tenure, Vanita stood up and has led the Department’s Reproductive Rights Taskforce to defend the reproductive freedoms that are protected by federal law. She has played an integral role in our efforts to combat violent crime and gun violence and to support the victims of crime. She has facilitated the Department’s efforts to advance a criminal justice system that keeps people safe and reflects our values. And across the components under her leadership — from the Antitrust Division to the Environment and Natural Resources Division — she has prioritized work that centers its impact on people. We at the Justice Department will dearly miss our colleague and friend, but I am confident that her enormous contributions to the Department will continue to be felt long after her departure.”


title: Man Charged for $60M Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment yesterday charging a Texas man for his alleged role in a $60 million health care fraud, wire fraud, and kickback scheme involving the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), genetic tests, and foot bath medications. According to court documents, Robert Leon Smith III, 48, of Archer City, owned and/or operated a network of DME companies in Florida, Texas, and Maryland through which he allegedly billed Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces that were ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. Smith also allegedly referred doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces, genetic tests, and foot bath medications to other DME suppliers, pharmacies, and laboratories in exchange for kickbacks and bribes. Smith allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes to offshore call centers operated by his co-conspirators to obtain Medicare beneficiary information and falsified doctors’ orders. The offshore call centers allegedly used deceptive tactics to pressure Medicare beneficiaries to accept the orthotic braces, genetic tests, and foot bath medications. Smith and his co-conspirators allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes to the offshore call centers in exchange for the Medicare beneficiary information, sometimes together with a forged doctor’s order. Smith also allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes to purported telemedicine companies in exchange for doctors’ orders signed by telemedicine practitioners who did not examine or treat the Medicare beneficiary. Smith allegedly used some of the doctors’ orders he acquired as a result of the payment of kickbacks and bribes to bill Medicare through his own network of DME companies, and also referred doctors’ orders to other DME suppliers, pharmacies, and labs in exchange for kickbacks and bribes. Smith is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and two counts of solicitation and receipt of health care kickbacks. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud count, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each health care fraud and anti-kickback violations count, and a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive kickbacks count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI Miami Field Office and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Andrea Savdie of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Real Estate Investor Pleads Guilty to $165M Mortgage Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: A New York man pleaded guilty yesterday to engaging in an extensive multi-year conspiracy to fraudulently obtain over $165 million in loans and fraudulently acquire multifamily and commercial properties. According to court documents, between 2018 and 2020, Boruch “Barry” Drillman, 36, of New York, conspired with at least four others to deceive lenders into issuing multifamily and commercial mortgage loans. Drillman and his co-conspirators provided the lenders with fictitious documents, including purchase and sale contracts with inflated purchase prices. Drillman managed BRC Williamsburg Holdings LLC, which purchased multifamily property Williamsburg of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Troy Technology Holdings LLC, which purchased commercial property Troy Technology Park in Troy, Michigan. In March 2019, Williamsburg of Cincinnati was acquired for $70 million. However, Drillman and his co-conspirators from Rhodium Capital Advisors utilized a stolen identity to present a lender and Fannie Mae with a purchase and sale contract for $95.85 million and other fraudulent documents. On March 8, 2019, Madison Title Agency performed two closings, one for the true $70 million sales price and another for the fraudulent $95.85 million sales price presented to the lender. In September 2020, Troy Technology Park was acquired for $42.7 million. However, Drillman and his co-conspirators presented the lender with a fraudulent purchase and sale contract for $70 million. Additionally, to support the inflated purchase price, Drillman and his co-conspirators submitted to the lender and appraiser a fraudulent letter of intent to purchase the property from another party for $68.8 million and other fraudulent documents. To conceal the fraudulent nature of the transaction, Drillman and his co-conspirators arranged for a short-term $30 million loan, which was used to make it appear that they had the funds needed to close on the loan. On Sept. 25, 2020, Riverside Abstract performed two closings, one for the true $42.7 million sales price and another for the fraudulent $70 million sales price presented to the lender. Drillman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey, Inspector General Brian M. Tomney of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), and Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement. The FHFA-OIG and USPIS are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Nye for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.


title: District Court Enjoins Massachusetts Pharmaceutical Manufacturer from Making and Selling Adulterated Drugs

component: Civil Division

body_text: A federal court yesterday enjoined a Massachusetts company from manufacturing and distributing adulterated drugs in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). In a complaint filed on Nov. 17, the United States alleged that Pharmasol Corporation and its president, Marc L. Badia, violated the FDCA at the company’s facility in South Easton, Massachusetts, by manufacturing and distributing adulterated drugs. Pharmasol manufactured and processed prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including Lexette, which is used to treat itching, redness and swelling of skin, and Dexamethasone, which is used to relieve arthritis inflammation. The United States alleged that the company violated the FDCA by failing to notify its customers about defects in its finished products, failing to establish a complaint procedure or corrective action plan despite receiving, within a 12-month period, 533 customer complaints relating to defects in its drug products, and failing to adequately clean and maintain its equipment. According to the complaint, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected Pharmasol in 2018, 2021 and 2022, and issued the company several warnings, including a warning letter in 2019, regarding its alleged violations. The United States alleged that many of the violations FDA identified in 2022 were repeat violations identified in earlier inspections. The current good manufacturing practice regulations for drugs mandate that manufacturers control the processes and procedures by which their drugs are manufactured, processed, packed and held, to ensure that the drugs have the identity, strength, quality, purity and other attributes necessary for their safe and effective use. Drugs not made in conformance with current good manufacturing practice regulations are adulterated and in violation of the law. “Drug manufacturers have a responsibility to comply with requirements designed to ensure drug quality and safety,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to work closely with the FDA and take action against manufacturers who fail to meet this responsibility.” “When drug manufacturers violate the law and disregard safety standards, they put consumers at significant risk. In this case, the defendant’s company distributed adulterated, poor-quality drugs without regard for patients and consumers,” said Director Jill Furman of the in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research's Office of Compliance. “The FDA plays an important role in protecting consumers, and we will continue to work with our federal partners to pursue and bring into compliance those who do not prioritize the health and safety of the American public.” The company and its president agreed to settle the suit and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction. The negotiated consent decree entered by the court permanently enjoins the defendants from violating the FDCA, and requires, among other things, that they stop manufacturing, processing, labeling, holding or distributing adulterated drugs. Further, the company must recall all adulterated prescription drugs that the company manufactured or distributed on or after Feb. 10, 2022. The government was represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Christina Parascandola of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Margo Badawy of the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts also provided assistance. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . The claims resolved by the consent decree announced today are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Consent Decree


title: Four Individuals Charged for Laundering Millions from Cryptocurrency Investment Scams

body_text: A seven-count indictment was unsealed yesterday in Los Angeles charging four individuals for their alleged roles in a scheme to launder the proceeds of cryptocurrency investment scams and other fraudulent schemes involving millions of dollars in victim funds. Lu Zhang, 36, of Alhambra, California; Justin Walker, 31, of Cypress, California; Joseph Wong, 32, Rosemead, California; and Hailong Zhu, 40, Naperville, Illinois, are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment money laundering, and international money laundering. Zhang and Walker were arrested and made their initial appearances in federal court yesterday. According to court documents, Zhang, Walker, Wong, and Zhu allegedly conspired to open shell companies and bank accounts to launder victim proceeds of cryptocurrency investment scams, also known as “pig butchering,” and other fraudulent schemes. They transferred the funds to domestic and international financial institutions. The overall fraud scheme in the related pig-butchering syndicate involved at least 284 transactions and resulted in more than $80 million in victim losses. More than $20 million in victim funds were directly deposited into bank accounts associated with the defendants. According to court documents, “pig butchering” fraud schemes (a term derived from a foreign-language phrase used to describe these crimes) consist of scammers encountering victims on dating services, social media, or through unsolicited messages or calls, often masquerading as a wrong number. Scammers initiate relationships with victims and slowly gain their trust, eventually introducing the idea of making a business investment using cryptocurrency. Victims are then directed to other members of the scheme operating fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms and applications, where victims are persuaded to make financial investments. Once funds are sent to scammer-controlled accounts, the investment platform often falsely shows significant gains on the purported investment, and the victims are thus induced to make additional investments. Ultimately, the victims are unable to withdraw or recover their money, often resulting in significant losses for the victims. If convicted, Zhang and Walker face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, and Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. The U.S. Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center is investigating the case. The case is jointly prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section’s (CCIPS) National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), which was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. CCIPS’ NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also works to set strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identify areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and lead the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets. CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxwell Coll for the Central District of California, CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nisha Chandran for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know is a victim, report it to the IC3.gov. In the report, please reference “Pig Butchering PSA” and include as much information as possible in the complaint including names of investment platforms, cryptocurrency addresses and transaction hashes, bank account information, and names and contact information of suspected scammers. Maintain copies of all communications with scammers and records of financial transactions. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Davenport Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Involvement in a Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – Two Davenport men were sentenced yesterday related to their involvement in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy. According to public court documents, Jordan Thomas Hopper, 25, and Austen Michael Thomas, 26, were part of a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from 2020 to 2022. The fentanyl was pressed into blue pills with “M30” on them (meant to look like prescription Percocet pills). The conspiracy resulted in numerous overdoses. At sentencing, the Court found Hopper to be responsible for three overdoses caused by the ingestion of pills containing fentanyl. Hopper was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison. Thomas was not specifically found to be responsible for any overdoses but was also sentenced related to his unlawful possession of a firearm. Thomas was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison. Others charged as a part of this conspiracy include: Linder Kai Divos, 27 of Davenport, who was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in federal prison; Kathan Daniel Wiley, 23 of Davenport, who was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison; and Marshall Matthew James Carver, 26 of Davenport, who is pending sentencing. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.


title: Fishers Brothers Sentenced to More Than 35 Years Combined for Manufacturing and Distributing Machine guns Intended for ISIS

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Moyad Dannon, 25, of Fishers, Indiana, has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support or Resources, namely, firearms, to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. His brother, Mahde Dannon was sentenced to twenty years in federal prison in October 2021, after pleading guilty to the same charges. According to court documents, in June of 2018, the Dannon brothers devised a scheme to deliver stolen firearms to a convicted felon who was cooperating with the FBI. Between July 2018 and December 2018, the Dannon brothers sold a number of illegally obtained firearms to the cooperating individual. Around the same time period, the Dannon brothers also began to manufacture untraceable “ghost guns” by purchasing firearms parts online and assembling those parts into fully-functioning, .223 caliber semi-automatic rifles, which they sold to the FBI undercover agent. In late 2018, the Dannon brothers began manufacturing untraceable, fully automatic, .223 caliber rifles, using much the same process they used to manufacture the semi-automatic rifles, and selling those to the undercover agent and confidential informant (CI). Shortly thereafter, Moyad Dannon accompanied the undercover agent to a location near the U.S. southwest border in an effort to market that rifle, and additional fully-automatic rifles, to a potential buyer who was also cooperating with the FBI. During that trip, Moyad Dannon learned that the potential buyer sought to ship the weapons to a location in the Middle East, where they would be used by ISIS. ISIS is a designated foreign terrorist organization pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Despite learning of the ultimate destination of the weapons, the Dannon brothers agreed to manufacture and sell at least 55 additional fully automatic “ghost guns” to the buyer from the American southwest border, believing those weapons would be shipped to the Middle East, to ISIS and its members. On May 15, 2019, the Dannon brothers manufactured five untraceable, fully automatic, .223 caliber rifles from parts they had purchased online. At that time, the Dannon brothers were fully aware that the plan was to send the five automatic rifles overseas to ISIS. After building the fully automatic rifles, the Dannon brothers sold all five weapons to undercover FBI agents posing as employees of the buyer from near the southwest border. The Dannon brothers were arrested immediately thereafter by the FBI. Between February and May of 2019, Moyad Dannon had numerous and extensive conversations with an undercover agent who he believed was a member of ISIS then fighting in Syria. During those conversations, Moyad expressed his desire to travel from Indiana to ISIS-controlled areas of Syria, where he sought to utilize his knowledge of firearms and other skills to provide direct military assistance to ISIS in its’ fight against the United States and Syrian government. In a search following his arrest, FBI agents located a flash drive on Moyad’s keychain containing approximately 16 gigabytes of ISIS propaganda, including graphically violent videos depicting ISIS fighters beheading civilians and hostages, and ISIS snipers killing U.S. military personnel. Identical ISIS propaganda videos were discovered on a laptop computer. “Violent extremists inspired by events abroad continue to pose a threat to our local communities and to our national security. Indiana is not immune from the poison of radicalization, fueled by terrorist propaganda available online,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “For nearly a year, these defendants worked persistently to arm murderous terrorists with deadly, illegal weapons. Cases like this demonstrate the need for law enforcement agencies to use all available lawful means to identify, disrupt, and prosecute national security threats here at home. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Fishers Police Department, these dangerous men have been held accountable for their actions and our communities will be safe from them for many years.” “The defendants in this case fused together two grave threats to Americans’ security by attempting to support a brutal terrorist organization through the illicit manufacture of ghost guns,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Just as we’ve done in the fight against terrorism, the Justice Department is committed to prevention—stopping gun violence before it happens by cracking down on the illegal production and trafficking of ghost guns.” The FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Fishers, Indiana, Police Department investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Southern District of Indiana Matthew Rinka, Kate Olivier, Kelly Rota, and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Paul Casey, of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Former Texas trooper imprisoned for to lying to FBI

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced for lying to federal authorities during a drug investigation, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Pablo Talavera Jr., former Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper, pleaded guilty Aug. 28. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Talavera to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard opposing arguments regarding the appropriate sentence. Judge Alvarez imposed a greater sentence due to Talavera’s position as a law enforcement officer when he committed the offense. In 2019, law enforcement initiated an investigation targeting an organization responsible for the transportation of multi-kilogram quantities of meth, heroin and cocaine from the Rio Grande Valley to Tennessee. Talavera’s father was the organization’s leader. The investigation revealed Talavera used his position as a DPS trooper to assist his father by running license plates of vehicles believed to be that of law enforcement. Talavera initially lied to authorities. He ultimately admitted to assisting his father, who is now serving 21 years in federal prison. Talavera was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Texas Rangers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Salazar prosecuted the case. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage .


title: Man Who Stole 37 Firearms Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

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

body_text: Lubbock man who committed a burglary of a Lubbock Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. David Lara, 57, was charged via indictment in June 2023 and pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a FFL in August 2023. Mr. Lara was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix. According to court documents, during the summer of 2020 there were numerous burglaries of FFLs in and around Lubbock. On June, 28, 2020, Lara and another individual entered Gebo’s Distributing Inc. by prying back the sheet metal on the side of the building and gained access to the building through a storage area attached to the building. Once inside the building, the individuals began breaking out the glass displays with a sledge hammer, removed 37 firearms from the cases and placed them in a bag. The bag containing the firearms was eventually dropped while they were fleeing the scene, along with gloves and ski masks they wore during the burglary. The gloves were recovered by the Lubbock Police Department and submitted for forensic analysis. DNA results were a match for Lara. When interviewed, Lara admitted to committing the burglary. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, with assistance from the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case.


title: New York Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MELVIN CONTRERAS , age 33, a resident of Bronx, New York, pled guilty on December 7, 2023 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, on May 2, 2022, a Louisiana State Trooper conducted a traffic stop of a 2005 Peterbilt tractor-trailer bearing a New Jersey license plate on Interstate 12 East to perform a motor carrier inspection. The trooper identified CONTRERAS as the driver of the tractor and Pedro Sarante as the passenger in the sleeper area of the tractor-trailer. The trooper interviewed both vehicle occupants regarding their itinerary and cargo. Neither of them could identify the cargo or detail their itinerary. Troopers conducted a consensual search of the vehicle and seized three (3) rolling duffel bags containing approximately seventy-four (74) kilograms of cocaine from the sleeper area of the tractor-trailer. The troopers arrested both CONTRERAS and Sarante. In a post-arrest interview, Sarante informed law enforcement that he and CONTRERAS were hired to travel from New York to Baytown, Texas to pick up a load of narcotics and were to be paid $1,000.00 per kilogram when they delivered the drugs to Newark, New Jersey. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Eleven Individuals Indicted for Federal Economic-Impact Payment (EIP) Theft Involving over $850,000

body_text: SAN JUAN, P.R. – On December 13, 2023, the Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned 11 separate indictments charging 11 individuals with the theft of federal-economic-impact payments from during the COVID-19 pandemic totaling $858,600, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), and the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda). During the COVID-19 crisis, the Federal government provided three rounds of economic-impact payments to eligible individuals in Puerto Rico. The Secretary of the US Department of the Treasury (USDT) approved the Economic Impact Payment Distribution Plan and the Plan for the Disbursement of the Third Economic Impact Payment which enabled the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury (PRDT), as the local administrator, to distribute the economic-impact payments to eligible individuals as required by federal regulation. The Sistema Unificado de Rentas Internas (SURI) was the section of the PRDT that processed and distributed the economic-impact payments. The economic-impact payments were automatic if a taxpayer’s bank account information was confirmed in SURI. Individuals that were not verified could apply for the payments in the PRDT’s online portal. The online portal required an applicant to provide an address, name, social security number, dependent information and banking information. And the applicant would be required to certify to an oath verifying the veracity of the information provided. If the applicant was eligible for the economic-impact payment, the PRDT would then distribute the economic impact-payments to the applicant’s bank account. According to court documents, the defendants participated in the theft of federal funds and received multiple-economic-impact payments that were obtained using the personal identification information of others. Eleven indictments charge 11 individuals with Theft, Disposition, and Receipt of Stolen Government Money in violation of Title 18, United States Code , Section 641. Some of the individuals were also charged with Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified-Unlawful Activity and Laundering of Monetary Instruments in violation of Title 18, United States Code , Sections 1956 and 1957. These additional charges are related to efforts to structure subsequent financial transactions to avoid financial reporting requirements and to illegally transfer and use the stolen funds for other purposes, including retail purchases like jewelry. The defendants charged and the corresponding moneys illegally received are: Estephany J. Disla $108,800 Soammy K. Feliz-Rivera $35,200 Ismarielis Nolberto-Cedaño $158,800 Tatiana Segarra-Vázquez $96,400 José L. Cruz-Gutiérrez $77,600 Altagracia J. Peña $63,200 Félix J. Rivera-Álvarez $70,400 Karla Y. Colón-Cruz $63,000 Yuleydi C. Bautista $76,600 Esther J. Peña-Tineo $62,000 Gisel E. Dilone-Díaz $46,600 Total $858,600 “These arrests reflect our continued resolve to investigate and prosecute those who try to exploit a national emergency to steal taxpayer-funded resources by using the global pandemic as an opportunity to steal from hardworking citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to hold wrongdoers accountable and to safeguard taxpayer funds.” “The purpose of economic incentives, such as those provided through the CARES ACT, is to extend a helping hand to people in need. When criminals develop schemes to steal this money, they directly hurt people who are already in a difficult situation,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge or the FBI San Juan Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate these cases for as long as it takes. Social justice starts by doing the right thing, the right way and we urge the public to continue reporting these schemes by calling 787-987-6500 or leaving a tip through tips.fbi.gov.” To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández is prosecuting the case. The indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. # # #


title: Duluth Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Duluth man has been sentenced to 21 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, in March 2022, Gale Allen Rachuy, 73, defrauded Victim A (victim), by falsely representing that Rachuy was an attorney who could handle the victim’s legal proceedings. As part of the scheme, Rachuy told the victim that he would be able to get former federal and state court judges to work on the victim’s case. In order to retain the alleged judges, Rachuy would need the victim to pay a retainer fee of $10,000, with the first payment of $2,500 due on March 15, 2022. Rachuy and the victim each signed a retainer agreement, which specified that both judges would be assisting in the victim’s legal representation. On March 15, 2022, the victim paid the $2,500 retainer fee via wire from his account in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Rachuy’s bank account in Minneapolis. The victim was scheduled to wire another $2,500 installment to Rachuy on April 1, 2022, but became suspicious of Rachuy after not seeing any drafts or filings in his case. After the victim realized that Rachuy was fraudulently representing these services, he ceased making future payments. Despite assuring the victim that the funds would be returned, Rachuy never returned the funds. Rachuy pleaded guilty on May 10, 2023, to one count of wire fraud. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Joan N. Ericksen. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Harry M. Jacobs prosecuted the case.


title: Lee County Man Pleads Guilty In Connection With $1.35 Million COVID Relief Fraud Scheme

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Evan Graves (40, Alva) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a $1.35 million COVID relief fraud scheme. Graves faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. As part of his guilty plea, Graves has agreed to forfeit approximately $1,355,600 and six properties in Fort Myers that he had purchased or funded using proceeds of his fraud. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, between June 20 and July 23, 2020, Graves electronically submitted 10 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of his various Fort Myers-based companies. In each EIDL application, Graves falsely represented his companies’ number of employees, gross revenues, and lost rental income due to the COVID-19 disaster to qualify for large loan amounts and advance funding. In total, Graves’s fraudulent representations caused the SBA to approve his 10 loans and deposit approximately $1.35 million into bank accounts controlled by Graves. Following disbursement of the EIDL funding, Graves unlawfully used the money to, among other things, pay off personal credit card debt, fund personal investment accounts, satisfy mortgages, and purchase real estate. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department 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, 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 www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Download Plea Agreement


title: Four Individuals Face Federal Indictment For International Mail And Wire Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: The scheme operated for years in West Michigan and throughout the United States GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Fatai Okunola, 37, of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Oluwaseyi Adeola, 33, and Ijeoma Adeola, 35, of Dallas, Texas; and Cory McDougal, 32, of Romeoville, Illinois, with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Oluwaseyi Adeola and Okunola also face charges related to their naturalization or attempt to naturalize as United States’ citizens. “These fraud schemes can financially devastate victims, especially the elderly and other vulnerable people,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Some of the victims in this case lost their retirement savings, took loans against their homes, or suffered other financial distress because of the defendants’ alleged lies. My office will vigorously investigate these cases to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.” If convicted of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, defendants face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Okunola also faces up to 5 years in prison if convicted of making a false statement on his application for naturalization as a United States citizen, and Oluwaseyi Adeola faces up to an additional 10 years in prison if convicted of obtaining his naturalization as a United States citizen through false or fraudulent representations. According to allegations in the indictment, the defendants conspired with individuals primarily in Nigeria to defraud individuals in the United States, many that were elderly or particularly vulnerable, through a variety of fraud schemes using interstate wire transmissions or the mail system. The conspirators in Nigeria created false online personas to develop relationships with their victims over the internet, through social media, by text messages or by telephone. These relationships centered around romantic interests, offers to buy or sell goods or services, apartment rentals, or offers to make loans or provide grant funding, among other schemes. The conspirators sent pictures or provided other information to the victims to make their schemes appear genuine. When the conspirators used telephone calls, they utilized voice-over-internet-protocol numbers to make it appear as if the calls were originating within the United States near the victims. After developing the relationships, the conspirators asked for money for a variety of reasons related to the scheme. Once the victim agreed, the conspirators directed the victims to send the money to the defendants, who opened numerous bank accounts in the Western District of Michigan and other places to receive the victims’ money. On some occasions, the defendants received the victims’ money in post office boxes maintained under alias names or through payments made payable to “shell” businesses that the defendants created to receive fraud proceeds. The victims sent the money to the defendants through the mail, bank-to-bank transfers, or through peer-to-peer money transfer services like Zelle or PayPal. After the defendants received the money in their accounts, they transferred the money to each other, to the conspirators overseas, and to their own accounts in Nigeria. According to the indictment, defendants received more than $2 million dollars in their accounts from the scheme between 2017 and 2022. “Postal Inspectors are committed to protecting Americans from scams that prey on the elderly and vulnerable," said Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Detroit Division . “These individuals manipulated victims into giving away their hard-earned money, and in some instances, their life savings, which caused devastating financial impacts to the victims. Today's indictment is a testament to the dedication of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners in protecting our citizens and working to seek prosecution of the scammers who seek to exploit them.” “Our Homeland Security Investigations special agents are committed to protecting the citizens of Michigan from this type of fraud,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar . “Cooperation between our law enforcement agencies is essential to conducting these investigations. I’d like to commend the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety for their work in dismantling this operation.” The Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Postal Inspection Service, Grand Rapids offices, are investigating this case. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella is prosecuting the case. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim, also known as Salah Donyale, 40, admitted that from April 2020 through January 2022, he knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud the federal child nutrition program, a program designed to provide free meals to children in need. Omar-Hashim and his co-conspirators obtained, misappropriated, and laundered millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to underprivileged children. According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, in September 2020, the defendant created a company called Olive Management Inc., under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Olive Management purported to operate a federal child nutrition program site in St. Cloud, Minnesota that served meals to 3,000 children a day, seven days a week. From September 2020 to September 2021, the defendant and his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals to children at the Olive Management site. In support of these claims, the defendant prepared and submitted fake meal count sheets and invoices. Conspirators also submitted a fake attendance roster purporting to list the names of 2,040 children who attended the Olive Management site’s “after-school program.” Of the approximately 2,040 names on the list, only approximately 20 matched the names of children attending school in the St. Cloud Public School District. Based on these fraudulent claims, Omar-Hashim and his co-conspirators received approximately $7,490,711 in Federal Child Nutrition Program reimbursements for meals purportedly served to children at the Olive Management site. Hashim-Omar pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Chelsea A. Walcker are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.


title: Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced To 22 Years In Prison

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ISMAEL BIMBOW was sentenced to 22 years in prison today for his participation in a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation that sold kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin and for possessing firearms to protect the drug operation. BIMBOW was convicted following a week-long jury trial in April 2022 before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The sentence today reaffirms this Office’s commitment to hold large-scale fentanyl traffickers accountable. Armed fentanyl traffickers such as this defendant promote violence, ruin lives, and destroy communities. This defendant sought to profit from trafficking significant quantities of this horrific drug, used multiple firearms to protect his operation, and profited handsomely, but he has now been justly punished for his crimes and will spend many years in federal prison.” According to court documents and the evidence presented at the trial of BIMBOW: BIMBOW and his co-conspirators ran a large-scale wholesale fentanyl operation out of numerous residences in New Jersey, while obtaining drug supplies and enlisting co-conspirators to “bag up” for him in the Southern District of New York. BIMBOW also obtained and kept multiple loaded firearms to protect his drugs and drug supplies. On December 8, 2020, following a months-long investigation into his narcotics trafficking operation, BIMBOW was arrested outside of his stash house in East Orange, New Jersey. Law enforcement agents then searched the vehicle that he was in and recovered a semi-automatic handgun, bundled U.S. currency, and several bundles of fentanyl hidden in the car’s secret compartment, a photograph of which is below: Officers then searched BIMBOW’s stash house and multiple luxury apartments and residences and recovered large quantities of fentanyl and heroin — including over 50,000 individually packaged doses of fentanyl ready to be distributed into the community — as well as more bricks of fentanyl and equipment used to weigh, package, stamp, and sell fentanyl on the street. Photographs of the over 50,000 doses of fentanyl recovered at the stash house are below: During the search of BIMBOW’s three luxury apartments throughout northern New Jersey, agents located two additional firearms (including one with an extended magazine) and more fentanyl in one, a gold digital money counter in another, and over $450,000 in narcotics proceeds in the third. A photograph on BIMBOW’s phone showed that same money counter surrounded by cash. Photographs of the seized firearms, some of the seized cash, and the money counter from BIMBOW’s phone are below: BIMBOW used his massive profits from fentanyl dealing to obtain numerous luxury vehicles, live in his multiple luxury apartments, invest in a club, and show off his earnings. For example, evidence from BIMBOW’s phone showed him taking a video of hundreds of thousands of dollars in the very apartment in which it was seized in an apparent attempt to boast about his criminal proceeds, a screenshot of which is below: BIMBOW’s phone also contained photographs of at least four additional kilograms of fentanyl, two photos of which are shown below: Even after BIMBOW was arrested and detained, he continued to traffic fentanyl through the use of multiple contraband phones, which agents seized from his jail cell. Evidence from those devices showed that BIMBOW continued his attempts to sell large quantities of dangerous fentanyl both before and even after he was convicted at trial in this matter. * * * ISMAEL BIMBOW, 46, of Newark, New Jersey, was convicted after trial of narcotics conspiracy and using and carrying firearms during and in relation to, or possessing firearms in furtherance of, the narcotics conspiracy. In addition to the prison term, Judge Oetken sentenced BIMBOW to five years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Herman, David J. Robles, and Frank J. Balsamello are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Gretna Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that FELIX MACKEY pled guilty on December 13, 2023 to violating the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. MACKEY pled guilty to Counts 1 and 5 of the indictment. Count 1 charges him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base, all Schedule II controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. Count 5 charges him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). For Count 1, MACKEY faces a mandatory minimum of ten (10) years imprisonment up to a maximum of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person, and a term of supervised release for a period of not less than five (5) years but up to life. For Count 5, he faces up to ten (10) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. Additionally, MACKEY faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 per count . MACKEY’s sentencing is set for March27, 2024. According to court documents, in May 2021, MACKEY sold methamphetamine to a confidential source on three occasions. On June 3, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant on MACKEY ’s residence and found 92.127 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, 99.31 grams of cocaine, and 10.13 grams of cocaine base. Law enforcement also seized a black Taurus Model PT111, 9millimeter pistol, that was loaded with eleven (11) live cartridges. MACKEY was previously convicted of a felony in Plaquemines Parish. MACKEY admitted to sole ownership of all evidence recovered. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys, Bayonle Osundare, Christopher Usher, Nolan Paige, and Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Stockton Man Charged with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of Minors Using Social Media

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment earlier in December against Elmer Yusay Ngo, 28, of Stockton, charging him with one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of attempted coercion and enticement of minors, and one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed following Ngo’s arrest. According to court documents, Ngo utilized social media to sexually exploit female minors nationwide. This sexual exploitation included attempting to coerce, entice, and persuade the minors to produce child pornography for Ngo. Ngo also possessed child pornography on his cellphone. The FBI Sacramento Field Office is seeking to identify potential victims of Elmer Ngo. To assist the investigation and receive information regarding resources available to victims, please complete this questionnaire to the best of your ability: https://forms.fbi.gov/elmer_ngo/ This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Against Crimes Against Children Task Force with assistance from state and local police departments nationwide. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin F. Scott is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Ngo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Three federal prison inmates charged in separate indictments

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned separate indictments charging federal inmates with crimes. According to court documents, on April 19, 2023, Thaddeus D. Daniel, 45, allegedly attacked a corrections officer at U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth where Daniel is an inmate. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case. In a separate case, Jeremiah L. Harris, 44, of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, was indicted on one count of escape from custody for an alleged escape on June 23, 2023. Harris is serving a prison sentence following a conviction in the U.S. District Court of Western Missouri. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case. James Thompson, 50, of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, was indicted on one count of escape from custody for an alleged escape on November 9, 2023. Thompson is serving a prison sentence following a conviction in the U.S. Northern District of Georgia The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case. 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: Shalimar Man Found Guilty Of Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jeffrey L. Pybus, 41, of Shalimar, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury for receiving and possessing images and videos of child pornography. The guilty verdict returned yesterday morning, at the conclusion of a two-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Between February 18, 2022, and May 4, 2022, Pybus received material containing child pornography through a Peer-to-Peer file sharing program. On May 4, 2022, Pybus’ residence was searched by law enforcement, and he was found to be in possession of over 23,000 images and/or videos of child pornography. Sentencing is set for March 13, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Based on his convictions, Pybus faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years in federal prison, with a maximum of 20 years. This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .