title: Four Members Of Ski-Ball Gang Charged With Racketeering And Multiple Gang-Related Shootings

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Daniel B. Brubaker, the Inspector in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging KAYSHAWN MASSOP, a/k/a “topski.bz,” a/k/a “Bz,” a/k/a “KB,” a/k/a “Kay Ski,” GREG BROWN, a/k/a “ballout.gg,” a/k/a “GG,” CARL HENRY, a/k/a “Big Ski,” a/k/a “Biggs,” and AMARI JACKSON, a/k/a “Justo,” with racketeering conspiracy, firearms offenses, and other crimes related to their membership in the “Ski-Ball Gang,” a street gang based in the Bronx, New York. MASSOP, BROWN, HENRY, and JACKSON are also charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering in connection with their participation in multiple shootings. MASSOP, BROWN, HENRY, and JACKSON are all in custody, and JACKSON was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Keeping our community safe from violent crime is a paramount priority of this Office. As alleged, members of the Ski-Ball Gang engaged in brazen acts of violence across this District, including multiple shootings at rival gang members. Thanks to the extraordinary work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office, the defendants, who include senior members of the gang, now face a slew of federal charges for their crimes.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “As alleged, the defendants conspired to not only attempt to increase their standing within a violent street gang through a series of senseless shootings, but also to engage in both bank and wire fraud. We will not allow gang members to engage in reckless violence that endangers innocent lives. The New York FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force is committed, through collaboration with our law enforcement partners, to ensuring that brazen gang violence has no place in our communities.” HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: "The defendants stand accused of endangering the streets of New York City with violence and defrauding both taxpayers and small business owners in their unlawful pursuit of wealth and influence. HSI NY is proud to work alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners in preventing these criminals from causing further harm. HSI NY remains steadfast in its mission to apprehend violent gang members and disrupt their criminal enterprises." USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “These gang members allegedly led a criminal enterprise, financially exploiting their victims to fund their gang activities and live a lavish lifestyle. This RICO indictment and investigation uncovered the despicable nature in which these gangs operate, highlighting their ruthless behavior and disrespectful attitude for the communities where they commit their crimes. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners will spare no resource to bring these individuals to justice, ensuring they pay for their crimes, while keeping the streets of New York safe from these criminal acts.” NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “Targeting and dismantling gangs, and preventing the crime and violence so often associated with their illegal activities, continue to be among the highest priorities for the NYPD and our law enforcement partners. And we will remain relentless in our efforts to identify and arrest anyone who involves themselves in such senseless acts in our city. I commend and thank everyone involved from USPIS, HSI, FBI, and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for their dedication and effort on this important case.” As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court: [1] KAYSHAWN MASSOP, GREG BROWN, CARL HENRY, and AMARI JACKSON are members of a racketeering conspiracy known as the Ski-Ball Gang. On January 31, 2020, HENRY, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the attempted murder of a rival gang member in the Bronx, New York. On August 23, 2020, HENRY and JACKSON, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the attempted murder of a rival gang member in the Bronx, New York. On August 27, 2020, BROWN, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the attempted murder of rival gang members in the Bronx, New York. On August 27, 2020, MASSOP, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the assault of rival gang members in the Bronx, New York. On June 25, 2021, MASSOP and BROWN, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated the attempted murder of rival gang members in the Bronx, New York. On January 13, 2022, BROWN, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Ski-Ball Gang enterprise, participated in and facilitated a gunpoint robbery in Yonkers, New York. From at least in or about 2019 through at least in or about 2022, MASSOP, BROWN, HENRY, and JACKSON participated in a bank and wire fraud conspiracy, which included the misuses of others’ means of identification. * * * A chart containing the names, charges, and minimum and maximum penalties for the defendants is set forth below. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, HSI, USPIS, and the NYPD. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Labor for their assistance in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division and Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Klein, Andrew Chan, Christy Slavik, and Ben Arad are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. COUNT DEFENDANT(S) MIN. AND MAX. PENALTIES Count One: Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering KAYSHAWN MASSOP GREG BROWN CARL HENRY AMARI JACKSON 20 years in prison Count Two: Attempted Murder, Assault, and Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering CARL HENRY 20 years in prison Count Three: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence CARL HENRY Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed Count Four: Attempted Murder, Assault, and Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering GREG BROWN 20 years in prison Count Five: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence GREG BROWN Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed Count Six: Assault and Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering KAYSHAWN MASSOP 20 years in prison Count Seven: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence KAYSHAWN MASSOP Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed Count Eight: Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering CARL HENRY AMARI JACKSON 20 years in prison Count Nine: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence CARL HENRY AMARI JACKSON Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed Count 10: Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering KAYSHAWN MASSOP GREG BROWN 20 years in prison Count 11: Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence KAYSHAWN MASSOP GREG BROWN Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed Count 12: Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery GREG BROWN 20 years in prison Count 13: Hobbs Act Robbery GREG BROWN 20 years in prison Count 14: Possession and Brandishing of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime GREG BROWN Life in prison; Mandatory minimum of seven years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed Count 15: Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud KAYSHAWN MASSOP GREG BROWN CARL HENRY AMARI JACKSON 30 years in prison Count 16: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud KAYSHAWN MASSOP GREG BROWN CARL HENRY AMARI JACKSON 20 years in prison Count 17: Aggravated Identity Theft KAYSHAWN MASSOP GREG BROWN CARL HENRY AMARI JACKSON Mandatory minimum of two years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.


title: Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime Charges

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Dallas man pleaded guilty today to federal hate crime charges arising out of a fatal shooting at a car repair shop. Anthony Paz Torres, 38, pleaded guilty to five federal hate crime counts for killing one individual and attempting to kill four others during a shooting at Omar’s Wheels and Tires in Dallas, Texas, on Dec. 24, 2015. Torres also pleaded guilty to one count of using a firearm to commit the murder. According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Torres’ shooting spree came a few days after he had gone to the business, made anti-Muslim statements and pledged that he would come back. When he returned a few days later, Torres asked customers if they were Muslim and then opened fire on the customers and employees present in the shop. Torres killed one individual and attempted to kill four other individuals with his firearm. “Acts of Islamophobic-violence that cause death and injury have no place in our country and run contrary to our values as Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant is being held accountable for a violent and deadly hate-fueled shooting spree targeting innocent Muslim Americans. The Justice Department is firmly committed to confronting unlawful acts of bias-motivated violence, and stands ready, willing and able to prosecute perpetrators who target victims because of their religion.” “This defendant specifically targeted a business’s employees and customers simply because of religion. Tragically, his actions resulted in the death of an innocent person and injuries to others,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. “Religious hatred, including anti-Muslim bigotry, has no place in America. And when that bigotry crosses the line into violence, we will not hesitate to hold perpetrators to account.” “The defendant’s deliberate targeting of a Muslim-owned business resulted in not only the death of one person, but also caused physical and emotional harm to everyone present that day,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Dallas Field Office. “Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim, but they are also meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. The FBI actively works with our law enforcement partners to investigate hate crimes and achieve justice for victims impacted by violence. We will continue to pursue anyone that commits violent, hateful acts against any member of our community.” Torres’ sentencing is set for Jan. 24, 2024. Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, he faces a maximum penalty of up to 37 years in prison, with credit for time served. The FBI Dallas Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Criminal District Attorney’s Office. Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Dana for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting this case. For more information and resources about the department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes .


title: Mississippi Man Charged with Exposing His Genitals on an Airplane

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Torrez Smith, age 24, of Jackson Mississippi, was charged with violation of law on an aircraft. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that on June 6, 2023, Smith was a passenger on a flight from O’Hare International Airport to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Throughout the flight, Smith exposed his genitalia and engaged in masturbation. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 90 days of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Gang Members Admit Racketeering Charge and Related Crimes

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two members of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang admitted their roles in a racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Tyheim Terry, aka “Ty,” aka “Rollin’ Ty,” 25, and Amir Edmonds, aka “G Baby,” 22, each pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to a superseding indictment that charged them with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy. Terry also pleaded guilty to carjacking and to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the carjacking. Edmonds also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Terry and Edmonds were members of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere. On Feb. 21, 2021, Terry worked with others, including members of the gang, to attempt to carjack a victim. On April 5, 2021, Terry worked with other members of the gang to shoot another victim. On April 11, 2021, Terry brandished a firearm and carjacked a third victim. Edmonds admitted to working with at least one other member of the enterprise to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 7, 2020, Edmonds possessed with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug offense. Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the racketeering conspiracy. Terry faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the carjacking, and a mandatory minimum prison sentence of seven years, and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the carjacking, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 on the firearms offense. Edmonds faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million on the controlled substance offense, and a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the controlled substance offense, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 on the firearms offense. Sentencing for Edmond is scheduled for Jan. 17, 2024, and for Edmonds, Jan.16, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves; the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, with the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division. terryedmonds.sindictment.pdf


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 405 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Sex Crimes Against a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced a St. Louis man to spend nearly 34 years in federal prison following his conviction by a jury for several attempted sex offenses involving a purported minor. In March 2023, a jury convicted Vallie F. Zeller, 46, of Attempted Enticement of a Minor, Travel with Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor after evidence presented at trial showed he was conversing online with an alleged 15-year-old girl with the intention of having sex with the minor, and then traveled to Illinois to meet her. Following the federal prison sentence, Zeller will serve the rest of his life on supervised release. “The defendant is a child predator, and our communities are better off with him spending time in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “This operation was a strong, coordinated effort by federal, state and local law enforcement, and I appreciate their efforts to protect children in southern Illinois.” “This significant sentence delivers a message to anyone intent on harming children. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting children from the clutches of offenders like Zeller,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Every time a child predator is brought to justice, potential victims are spared immeasurable harm.” According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, Zeller began conversing online with a profile created by an undercover FBI agent in June of 2020. The agent was posing as a 15-year-old girl, and Zeller started sexually explicit conversations with the account, requested sexually explicit images of the minor, and made plans to meet the minor for illegal sexual activity. Zeller was also convicted of driving across the Missouri-Illinois border to engage in criminal sexual activity with the minor when the agent provided an address for a residence in Collinsville, where Zeller was arrested. Zeller’s conversation with the purported minor lasted four days, during which Zeller asked the minor for nude photographs and other sexually explicit content. Evidence at sentencing established that Zeller had previously been accused of having sexual contact with two minors in Florida. Agents also uncovered additional sexual communications with another purported minor on Zeller’s phone. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Zoe Gross prosecuted the case. Zeller was one of 14 defendants charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Illinois in June 2020 as the result of an operation involving multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that targeted online predators attempting to meet minors for sex. The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation with assistance by the FBI St. Louis Field Office, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Belleville Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the Edwardsville Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police, the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Swansea Police Department, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Alton Jail, the Monroe County Jail, and the St. Clair County Jail.


title: Maryland and Virginia Men Facing Federal Charges for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $550,000 in COVID-19 Cares Act Unemployment Insurance Benefits Using the Personal Information of Identity Theft Victims

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Michael Cooley, Jr., a/k/a “Micheal Cooley Jr.,” “5Micmusik,” and “Michael White,” age 24, and Isiah Lewis, a/k/a “Zay,” age 33, both of Maryland; and “Alonzo Brown, age 26, of Virginia, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The superseding indictment was filed July 19, 2023, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the defendants. Lewis is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt at 2:30 p.m. Cooley and Brown are expected to have their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, Georgia this afternoon as well. The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”); and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included expanded eligibility for UI benefits and increased UI benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (“PUA”), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”), and the Lost Wages Assistance Program (“LWAP”). According to the superseding indictment from at least June 2020 through March 2021, the defendants used the personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, such as name, date of birth, and social security number, to file online UI applications in Maryland and California, using anonymous email addresses to obscure their identities and avoid detection. Cooley, Lewis, Brown and others allegedly caused debit cards bearing the names of identity theft victims and loaded with UI benefits from fraudulent UI claims to be mailed to addresses in Maryland and elsewhere. The defendants then used the benefits to obtain money and engage in point-of-sale transactions. Cooley, Lewis and Brown obtained more than $550,000 through the fraud scheme. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A superseding indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by superseding indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOL-OIG and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Darryl Tarver, who are prosecuting the case. He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md . # # #


title: New York City Man Admits Role in Burglary Conspiracy Targeting Asian Small Business Owners

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man admitted his role in a conspiracy that targeted Asian and Asian-American small business owners for burglaries, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. James Hurt, 47, of New York, pleaded guilty Sept. 13, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019, Hurt and others participated in a conspiracy to burglarize the residences of certain Asian small business owners living in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware of large sums of money, valuable jewelry, and other items, and then transport the stolen goods in interstate commerce, including to residences in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the South Plainfield Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of State, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bernards Township, Bethlehem Township, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Clark, Colonial Regional, Cranford, Delaware State Police-Troop 2, Delran, Edison, East Brunswick, East Hanover, Eatontown, Elizabeth, Essex County Sheriff’s Office-Bureau of Narcotics, Evesham Township, Exeter Township, Fair Lawn, Forks Township, Fort Lee, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Gloucester Township, Hackensack, Haverstraw, Hazlet, Highland Park, Hillside, Hillsborough Township, Howell Township, Jackson, Kenilworth, Lawrence Township, Linden, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Marlboro Township, Maywood, Middletown, Montgomery County, Montville, Morris Township, Mount Laurel, Mountainside, New Castle County, New Providence, New York Police Department’s 105th Detective Squad, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Pocono Mountain Regional, Pocono Township, Raritan, Roselle Park, Sayreville, Somerville, South Brunswick, South River, South Whitehall Township, Spotswood, Town of Tuxedo, Tinton Falls, Toms River, Township of Ocean, Union, Upper Macungie Township, Wall Township, Warren, Washington Township, Watchung, Westfield, Whitehall Township, and Woodbridge Township police departments. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dong Joo Lee and Christopher Fell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark. hurt.information.pdf


title: Head of Drug Trafficking Organization Is Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The head of a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing multiple kilograms of methamphetamine and other illicit drugs in the Charlotte area was sentenced today to 17 years in prison, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Upon his release from prison, Laricco Eugene Sherrill, Sr., 45, of Charlotte, will be subject to five years of supervised release. Alicia Jones, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. In addition to Sherrill, Sr., six other members of the drug trafficking organization (DTO) have been sentenced as follows: Jakieran Harris, 27, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 108 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Laricco Eugene Sherrill, Jr., 24, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 84 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Marquez Maxwell, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Quentin Nathaniel Stowe, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Brian Clinton, 25, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Sadarian Armstrong, 42, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents and court proceedings, beginning as early as January 2020 through August 17, 2021, Sherrill, Sr. was the leader of the DTO that distributed large quantities of narcotics in Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas. Court records show that the DTO used several residences in Charlotte, commonly referred to as “trap houses,” as bases of operation from which they sold the drugs. Young children were regularly present in these trap houses while DTO members sold drugs. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement executed multiple search warrants and seized from DTO members and the trap houses fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana, drug paraphernalia, digital scales, several firearms and ammunition, and over $63,650 in drug proceeds. As the leader of the DTO, Sherrill, Sr. purchased large quantities of methamphetamine and other narcotics from multiple supply sources. He stored the drugs in several residences, or stash houses, in the area, and used a network of local distributors, including the six co-conspirators, to sell the drugs. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement arranged multiple controlled drug buys with Sherrill, Sr. and co-conspirators working for him. Before the investigation leading to this case, Sherrill, Sr. had previously served a federal prison sentence for trafficking drugs while armed in the Western District of North Carolina. On April 11, 2023, Sherrill, Sr. pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. “As head honcho of a drug trafficking organization, Sherrill, Sr. sold drugs, unfazed by the havoc he was wreaking in the lives of those who bought his poison,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Drug trafficking and the violence linked to the drug trade are a blight that threatens the stability and safety of our communities. Thanks to the joint efforts of my Office and our law enforcement partners, Sherrill, Sr. will now spend nearly two decades behind bars.” “Disrupting violent drug trafficking organizations has an enormous impact on the safety of our cities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jones. “In the process of breaking up these drug trafficking networks, we’re recovering firearms, bringing dangerous individuals to justice, and making our neighborhoods safer.” In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King credited the ATF and CMPD’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.


title: Two Bridgeport Gang Members Plead Guilty

body_text: MICHAEL LOCKHART, also known as “Mikey RTN,” 24, and JAHAZ LANGSTON, also known as “Haz,” 23, pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to charges related to their involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang. Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick. According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police, and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Lockhart and Langston were members of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities. Lockhart was arrested on June 29, 2021, after a search of his residence revealed large bags of marijuana, numerous items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, five handguns, two empty boxes for other handguns, extended magazines, ammunition, body armor, and other gun accessories. Laboratory analysis of the seized items revealed that presence of Lockhart’s DNA on one of the handguns and a magazine. He has been detained since his arrest. Lockhart pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Langston, who has been detained since his arrest on July 20, 2021, pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Tara E. Levens, Patrick J. Doherty, Rahul Kale, and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state, and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Convicted Felon Is Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jeremy Isaih Perdue, 36, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Alicia Jones, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court records, on May 19, 2021, CMPD officers saw Perdue selling drugs in a parking lot in Charlotte. CMPD officers approached Perdue. After a brief struggle, Perdue was detained. During the struggle, the officers observed a firearm tucked in Perdue’s waistband. The officers removed the firearm, which was a semiautomatic pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition. In addition to the firearm, law enforcement also seized from Perdue and his vehicle methamphetamine, cocaine, and more than $1,100 in cash. Perdue has prior felony convictions and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Purdue pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Today, he was sentenced by the Honorable Kenneth D. Bell, who ordered Perdue to serve three years of supervised released following completion of his prison term. U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Robert Hunter Biden with Three Felonies Related to His Purchase of a Firearm

component: Office of Special Counsel

body_text: A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Robert Hunter Biden (Hunter Biden) with three felony firearm offenses. According to the indictment, Hunter Biden purchased a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver from a federally licensed firearms dealer on Oct. 12, 2018. When purchasing a firearm, a prospective purchaser must fill out a Firearm Transaction Record, ATF Form 4473, and certify that all of his or her answers on the form are true and correct. As alleged in count one of the indictment, Hunter Biden knowingly made a false written statement on the Form 4473, intended and likely to deceive the dealer he purchased the firearm from, when he certified that he was not an unlawful user of, or addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance. In fact, he knew that statement was false, according to the indictment. In count two of the indictment, Hunter Biden is alleged to have knowingly made a false statement and representation to a federally licensed firearms dealer with respect to information the dealer is required to keep under federal law. Count three of the indictment alleges that during an 11-day period between Oct. 12 and Oct. 23, 2018, Hunter Biden possessed a firearm while knowing he was an unlawful user of or addicted to any stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance, in violation of federal law. Hunter Biden is charged with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer, and possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Special Counsel David C. Weiss made the announcement. Court documents and information for this case is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-cr-00061-MN. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Texas Man sentenced to prison on back fraud and identity theft charges

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — Vincent Charles McCall, 21, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced today for passing stolen and forged checks amounting to over $40,000, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters sentenced McCall to 2½ years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay $30,446 in restitution to the victims of his crimes. The defendant pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in May 2023. “Crimes like McCall’s harm both financial institutions and their customers and often require victims to spend significant time and energy piecing their credit histories back together. The investigation and prosecution of these cases calls for cooperation and coordination among different law enforcement agencies and I’m grateful to the Secret Service and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, and AUSA Colin Rubich, for bringing McCall to justice.” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. The government alleged in court documents that beginning in January 2023, and continuing until his arrest on February 14, 2023, McCall participated in a scheme to defraud various financial institutions by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises by passing stolen and forged checks at various bank branches across Montana. McCall forged signatures to obtain funds from victims’ accounts. McCall would travel from Texas to other states and pass fraudulent checks for real bank accounts belonging to real people. He presented banks with high quality fraudulent IDs when asked for identification. Beginning in January, McCall started hitting banks across Montana, including branches in Bozeman, Choteau, Fairfield, and Billings. All told, McCall successfully stole approximately $39,682.00 and attempted to steal another $4,888.00 for a total intended loss of approximately $44,570.00. As a part of the scheme, on February 14, 2023, McCall attempted to pass a check at a Western Security Bank branch in Billings on Old Hardin Road for $4,888.00. He gave the teller a fraudulent ID to disguise his identity. The teller grew suspicious and called the police. When the police arrived, McCall attempted to flee but was apprehended and arrested. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Torreon Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Monty Joe Montoya, 43, of Torreon, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced to four years in prison. Montoya pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury on March 31, 2023. According to court documents, on March 15, 2022, Montoya hit his girlfriend, Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, in the head and face multiple times with a closed fist and a .45 caliber pistol. When Jane Doe tried to get away, Montoya pointed the pistol at her and fired, hitting her in the left arm and breaking the bone. Jane Doe's face was extremely bruised and swollen, and she required surgery to repair the bone broken by the gunshot. After he shot Jane Doe, Montoya took the pistol to his mother’s house to hide it in an effort to conceal what he had done. Upon his release from prison, Montoya will be subject to three years of supervised release. The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-223


title: Russian Malware Developer Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Commit Wire And Computer Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dariy Pankov (28, Vasil’yevskoye, Russia) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and computer fraud. Pankov faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Pankov has agreed to forfeit $358,437, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Pankov developed a malicious software program named “NLBrute.” The powerful malware was capable of compromising protected computers by decrypting login credentials, such as passwords. Pankov used NLBrute to obtain the login credentials of tens of thousands of computers located all over the world. He marketed and sold, and had others sell on his behalf, NLBrute to other cybercriminals for a fee. Pankov sold the stolen login credentials on a dark web website that specialized in the purchase and sale of access to compromised computers. Once sold, those credentials were used to facilitate a wide range of illegal activity, including ransomware attacks and tax fraud. Pankov listed the credentials of more than 35,000 compromised computers for sale on the website, and obtained more than $350,000 in illicit proceeds. Pankov, a citizen and resident of Russia, was taken into custody by Georgian authorities in the Republic of Georgia on October 4, 2022, and extradited to the United States. This case was led by the IRS Criminal Investigation (Tampa Field Office) and the Tampa Division of the FBI. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance to secure the arrest and extradition of Pankov. The United States Marshals Service also provided significant assistance. This investigation also benefited from foreign law enforcement cooperation by the Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.


title: Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying Firearm While Trafficking Drugs

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN.– A Kansas man pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. According to court documents, Grant Lubbers, 37, of Wichita was arrested in April 2021 in Andover, Kansas. Law enforcement had been investigating Lubbers for fentanyl trafficking. Using a search warrant, agents searched Lubbers' vehicle and found a backpack containing approximately 3,000 pills that later tested positive for fentanyl, $22,000 in cash, and a firearm. Lubbers is scheduled to be sentenced on November 29, 2023, and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case. ###


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for District of Arizona Celebrates Funding Awarded for Community Responses to Gender-Based Violence

component: USAO - Arizona

number: 2023-136_OVW Grant Awards

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. ⸺ In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department announced yesterday nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards, including over $3 million for the District of Arizona. For nearly three decades, VAWA provided the tools and resources to protect and serve survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. To commemorate the 29th anniversary of VAWA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of Arizona is proud to announce that the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded grant monies to Arizona to support community responses to gender-based violence. Specifically, Arizona received the following funds for the 2023 fiscal year: ● OVW awarded $3,609,737 under the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program - the VAWA’s signature program - which awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promote a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors. The money awarded to Arizona will be used to enhance the capacity to develop programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable. “Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers,” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory.” OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw . ### For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news. RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-136_OVW Grant Awards


title: Zuni Man Charged with Firearms Offense

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Daryl Jay Dickson appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Dickson, 37 years old, of Zuni, and an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, will remain in custody pending a detention hearing set for Monday, September 18, 2023. According to court documents, Dickson allegedly possessed a firearm and ammunition knowing he was previously convicted in New Mexico state court of a felony offense. Dickson was also prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition because he was an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Dickson faces up to 10 years imprisonment and up to three years of supervised release thereafter. The Zuni Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of Zuni Fish and Wildlife and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-224


title: Miami-Based Businessman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate Russia-Ukraine Sanctions and to Commit International Money Laundering

body_text: Sergey Karpushkin, 46, of Miami, a resident of the United States and a citizen of Belarus, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions and commit money laundering by conducting transactions for the purchase and acquisition of metal products valued at over $139 million from companies owned by Sergey Kurchenko, a sanctioned oligarch. According to court documents, Kurchenko was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2015 for his role in misappropriating Ukrainian state assets or economically significant entities. According to the allegations in the information and other public filings: between in or about July 2017 and in or about August 2020, Karpushkin conspired with others to purchase and receive over $139 million in metal products from two companies that Karpushkin knew were owned and controlled by Kurchenko. Karpushkin and his business associates, acting through the Florida-based company Metalhouse LLC, entered into contracts and purchase orders for pig iron, steel billets, and wire rods from these companies, received tens of thousands of tons of metal products from the companies, and agreed to share profits from these unlawful transactions. Karpushkin and his business associates intentionally concealed from U.S. banks and government officials the ultimate source and origin of the goods they sought to acquire, knowing that they did not have the necessary authorization or license from OFAC to transact with Kurchenko and companies owned and controlled by Kurchenko. Karpushkin pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry J. Kidd in Orlando, Florida, to one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit international promotional money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Karpushkin also agreed to forfeit $4,723,625 in proceeds that he obtained as a result of the conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment charging alleged co-conspirator and Metalhouse president John Can Unsalan, aka Hurrem Can Unsalan, with one count of conspiring to violate and evade U.S. sanctions, in violation of IEEPA, 10 counts of violating IEEPA, one count of conspiring to commit international money laundering, and 10 counts of international money laundering was unsealed on April 17, and Unsalan has been detained pending further court proceedings. The FBI Tampa Field Office and the International Corruption Unit of the FBI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the FBI Miami Field Office. Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt for the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case. The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.


title: Woman Charged With Armed Trespass Onto Kennedy Space Center

body_text: Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Katie Jeane Mahai (41, Ocala) with armed trespass, fleeing and eluding law enforcement officers, and unlawfully bringing a firearm onto Kennedy Space Center. If convicted on all counts, Mahai faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, Mahai violated National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) regulations in place for the protection and security of the Kennedy Space Center, which is within the special territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Specifically, on February 10, 2023, Mahai unlawfully entered a secured NASA area, armed with a firearm. Additionally, Mahai is charged with fleeing and eluding law enforcement during the same incident, while driving at a high rate of speed and in a manner which demonstrated a wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the NASA Office of Inspector General, Kennedy Space Center Security Police Officers, and the Titusville Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.


title: Citrus Springs Man Sentenced To Thirty Years In Federal Prison For Producing Child Sex Abuse Material

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dustin Shane Sandiford (31, Citrus Springs) to 30 years in federal prison for production of child sex abuse material. Sandiford had pleaded guilty on September 3, 2021. According to court documents and testimony, agents seized a cellphone from Sandiford on December 2, 2020. The phone contained a cloud storage application tied to accounts Sandiford used to hoard more than 17,000 images and videos of child sex abuse. Further investigation revealed that Sandiford had enlisted another Citrus County resident to create child sex abuse images of an underaged relative and then send the images to Sandiford. This material was also found on one of Sandiford’s cloud storage accounts. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton. This is another case 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 .


title: Clay County White Supremacist Gang Member And Keystone Heights Woman Indicted On Firearm And Drug Charges

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Danny Ray Boree (38, Keystone Heights) and Angela Denee Lynch (47, Keystone Heights) with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. Boree has also been charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Boree and Lynch each face a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison for each of the drug offenses. Boree faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment for the firearm offense. The indictment also notifies Boree and Lynch that the United States intends to forfeit a Raven Arms pistol traceable to the firearm offense. Boree was arrested on September 8, 2023, and ordered detained. Lynch was arrested on September 11, 2023. According to the indictment and court proceedings, Boree is a member of The Unforgiven, a violent white supremacy gang. From an unknown date, but at least through June 2023, Boree and Lynch conspired to possess and distribute methamphetamine. On June 8, 2023, Boree and Lynch possessed with the intent to distribute over 5 grams of methamphetamine and Boree also possessed a firearm. At the time of the drug offenses, Boree had previously been convicted in state court in Florida of 10 felonies, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2007, 2019). As a convicted felon, Boree is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. Boree had been released from the Florida Department of Corrections in January 2023 for his last firearm conviction. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran. 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: Owner of Construction Company Agrees to Plead Guilty to Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a construction company doing business on the South Shore, Cape Cod, and in Rhode Island has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to a multi-year tax evasion and cash payroll scheme. Christopher Pomavilla Minchala, 31, of New Bedford, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tax evasion and one count of failure to pay over taxes. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging document, from 2017 to 2021, Pomavilla, the owner of Rossy Construction Corporation based in New Bedford, cashed customer checks and did not deposit the receipts in his business bank accounts. Pomavilla allegedly hid from his tax preparer that he was cashing large numbers of checks from customers. By hiding his income in this manner, Pomavilla underreported income from the business on his tax returns, resulting in his failure to pay more than $1.1 million in federal income taxes he owed for the tax years 2017 to 2021. Pomavilla also allegedly ran an unlawful cash payroll, paying Rossy employees in cash while failing to pay over to the IRS more than $670,000 in payroll taxes. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts and the United States Department of Labor, Criminal Investigations Team provided valuable assistance in this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian J. Stearns of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Unlicensed Firearms Dealer Pleads Guilty To Multiple Weapons Charges

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO –Craig Bolland pleaded guilty to crimes he committed related to his storage and sale of a firearms arsenal he maintained in his San Francisco home, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The guilty plea was accepted by the Hon. Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge. In his plea agreement, Bolland admitted he was involved in the business of manufacturing and selling firearms from at least June 2021 through May 30, 2023, the date of his arrest. Bolland admitted that he engaged in these activities even though he previously had been convicted of a felony and therefore was prohibited from possessing firearms. According to his plea agreement, Bolland admitted that he manufactured his own firearms using parts he had shipped to himself. He also used manufacturing equipment—including a 3D printer, a drill press, and a machine called a Ghost Gunner 3—to fabricate privately manufactured “ghost guns” (both pistols and rifles) which lacked serial numbers. In addition to manufacturing his own guns, Bolland admitted he used his equipment to modify pre-existing firearms. Modifications included installing “switches” to enable semi-automatic firearms to become fully-automatic firearms. In addition to illegally manufacturing firearms, Bolland admitted that he also sold the weapons although he did not have a license to do so. Bolland admitted he sold dozens of commercially manufactured firearms and at least five firearms that he manufactured himself privately. Some of the firearms Bolland possessed for sale had obliterated serial numbers. The plea agreement describes how Bolland accepted payment for the firearms in cash, cryptocurrency, and narcotics and how Bolland had reason to believe some of his customers were involved in criminal activity of their own and were legally prohibited from possessing firearms. Moreover, in addition to selling firearms that he manufactured and acquired for resale, Bolland acknowledged in his plea agreement that he also brokered multiple firearms and ammunition sales between other buyers and sellers. Bolland admitted he received a commission for brokering such deals. Bolland was convicted of a felony in 2007 and therefore was prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms and ammunition. Nevertheless, Bolland admitted that at the time of his arrest he possessed hundreds of rounds of pistol and rifle ammunition, more than a dozen firearm frames and receivers, at least four pistols and an AR-15 style 5.56mm caliber rifle. On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Bolland, charging him with the following crimes: Count Charge Statute Maximum Statutory Penalty One Manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A) 5 years Two Felon in possession of a firearm 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) 15 years Three Possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number 18 U.S.C. § 922(k) 5 years Four Possession of a machinegun 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) 10 years Pursuant to the plea agreement, Bolland pleaded guilty to all four counts. In addition to the penalties listed above, as part of any sentence, Judge Chhabria may order the defendant to serve an additional period of supervised release and to pay a fine of $250,000 per count. However, the court will impose a sentence only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Bolland has been in custody since the date of his arrest. Judge Chhabria has scheduled Bolland’s sentencing for December 6, 2023. Assistant United States Attorney George Hageman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Carolyn Young and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.


title: Providence Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms, Including Three Ghost Guns,  and Making False Statements to a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer

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

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man found to be illegally in possession of a 9mm firearm, three ghost guns, and more than 400 rounds of ammunition, and who knowingly made false statements to a federally-licensed firearms dealer when attempting to purchase a firearm, was sentenced today to two years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Lucas Soriano, 41, arrested in November 2022, pleaded guilty on May 11, 2023, to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. Soriano’s arrest came during a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigation into individuals who use the United States mail in furtherance of violating federal firearm laws and individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms. As reflected in court documents, retailers that specialize in the advertising and sale of firearm parts, ammunition, and firearm accessories shipped orders through the U.S. Postal Service to Soriano at his mother’s address. These orders contained items that are commonly used to manufacture privately made firearms that lack serial numbers and other manufacturer or importer markings, rendering them difficult for law enforcement to trace. ATF and USPIS agents executed a court-authorized search of Lucas Soriano’s residence and seized, among other items, three ghost guns, a 9mm handgun, and more than 400 rounds of ammunition. During the course of the investigation, ATF learned that in June 2022, a federally licensed firearm dealer in Rhode Island denied Soriano’s application to purchase a firearm after he falsely claimed on ATF forms that he had not been previously convicted of a crime, when in fact he had. According to court records, Soriano was previously convicted in New York on charges of armed robbery with a deadly weapon and criminal possession of a loaded firearm. At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Soriano to twenty-four months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. 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. In 2021, the Department of Justice 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: Two Baltimore Co-Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for the Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer and for a Drug Conspiracy

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Davon Rogers, age 40, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for attempted murder of a federal officer in connection with a shooting that occurred on December 29, 2021. Judge Hollander sentenced co-defendant Juan Hester, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department. “Drugs and guns are a deadly combination,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “In this case, that combination led to an attack on a law enforcement officer. We will prosecute any such attack on our partners to the fullest extent of the law.” According to Rogers’ guilty plea, during the evening of December 29, 2021, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) were conducting surveillance in the 2500 block of W. Fayette Street in Baltimore, as part of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation. One of the members of the surveillance team was a DEA Special Agent who was in the area in his unmarked vehicle conducting covert surveillance in connection with the narcotics investigation. As detailed in court documents, while the Special Agent was inside of his vehicle, Rogers and another individual approached the vehicle and began looking inside. The Special Agent tried to avoid being seen by laying down in the rear area the vehicle. After they looked inside of the Special Agent’s vehicle, Rogers and the second individual walked away from the vehicle. Several minutes later, the Special Agent got into the driver’s seat of his vehicle to try to drive away from the area. By that time, Rogers and the second individual had returned to the area. At approximately 9:18 p.m., as the Special Agent began driving away, Rogers and the second individual began shooting at the Special Agent. The Special Agent was nearly struck by one or more of the bullets, and his vehicle sustained multiple bullet strikes. Specifically, bullets struck the driver’s side front and rear doors, the rear window, the trunk, and the passenger’s side sun visor and ceiling area. As detailed in the plea agreement, the Special Agent was able to drive for approximately one block before crashing his vehicle into a nearby parked car and running to safety. After the shooting, Rogers and the second individual fled the scene. Investigators recovered multiple shell casings, of two different calibers, from the area where Rogers and the second individual shot at the Special Agent. After the shooting, search warrants were executed at co-defendant Juan Hester’s residence and at Rogers’ residence on December 30, 2021 and January 4, 2022. Investigators recovered 113 grams of almost pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, 814 grams of THC, 34 grams of mixtures containing cocaine, three grams of mixtures containing fentanyl, and various cutting agents from Hester’s residence. Investigators seized approximately fourteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Rogers’ residence. Based on new information received, two additional search warrants were executed on Hester’s residence on January 1, 2022 and January 6, 2022 and investigators recovered approximately 337 grams of mixtures or substances containing fentanyl, 78 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition, 32 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and one handgun magazine. Hester admitted that he maintained the residence as a premises for manufacturing or distributing controlled substances. In addition to the narcotics seized, Hester admitted that approximately three kilograms of fentanyl and 200 grams of methamphetamine were involved in the drug conspiracy. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (“ATF”) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Baltimore County Police Departments, the Laurel Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anatoly Smolkin and Darryl Tarver, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: COGAN STATION MAN INDICTED ON TAX CHARGES

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that James Michael Barr, age 68, of Cogan Station, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on federal tax charges. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Barr, as the owner of Barr Construction, failed to withhold payroll taxes from his employees from 2017 through 2020, and failed to pay these taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.


title: MAN CHARGED WITH INTERSTATE TRANSPORT OF STOLEN GOODS

body_text: WILLIAMPSORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph John Waldron, age 64, of Horsham, Pennsylvania , pled guilty to a criminal Information charging Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information charges Waldron with transporting goods valued above $5,000 across state lines between August and December 2021. The stolen items included a Kabota Backhoe valued at approximately $70,000, a Kubota Excavator valued at approximately $40,757, a John Deere Tractor valued at approximately $26,397, among other items. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Owner of Olathe, Kansas Pharmacy Agrees to Pay $250,000 to Resolve Allegations of Violating the Controlled Substances Act

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas City, Kansas-based company entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government agreeing to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that a retail pharmacy it owns violated the civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Four B. Corporation, doing business as Balls Food Stores, owns and operates retail pharmacies in the Kansas City metro area including Price Chopper Pharmacy located on East Santa Fe Street in Olathe, Kansas. In passing the CSA, the U.S. Congress took steps to create “a closed system” of distribution for controlled substances in which the handling of the substances is subject to intense governmental regulation. One of the purposes of the Act is to prevent the diversion and abuse of legitimate controlled substances, while still ensuring an adequate supply of those substances to meet the medical and scientific needs of the country. The settlement resolves the government’s allegations that between February 2019 and June 10, 2022, the Price Chopper Pharmacy violated the CSA and its implementing regulations by dispensing controlled substances before receiving prescriptions, improperly partially filling prescriptions, and failing to maintain inventory records for controlled substances. “The Controlled Substances Act seeks to prevent the abuse and misuse of controlled substances, but that effort is futile unless those who dispense these substances adhere to the CSA guidelines” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “Hopefully this settlement will make pharmacies take heed of the Department of Justice’s commitment to enforcing these rules.” "How pharmaceutical medications are dispensed is something we have to take seriously because it can so easily result in someone getting hurt from the drugs,” said Diversion Program Manager Kimberly Daniels, the Drug Enforcement Administration's lead for the Diversion program in the states of Missouri and Kansas, and southern Illinois. “One of the many responsibilities that pharmacies have is ensuring medications are dispensed only after receiving legitimate prescriptions, then they must track the prescriptions they dispense. When they fail to do that, DEA must take action. This settlement is a reminder that DEA's highest priority is the safety and well-being of our citizens." The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division, Kansas City Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Fleenor, Affirmative Civil Enforcement Coordinator handled the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs office. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Former Midland Teacher, Lacrosse Coach Sentenced to Nine Years for Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland man was sentenced in a federal court in Midland today to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and abetting wire fraud. According to court documents, William Logsdon, 55, used the trust he had built with community members during his time as a lacrosse coach and teacher in the Midland area, and even the trust he had established with members of his own family, to convince them to “invest” in a Ponzi scheme. Logsdon conducted the scheme in concert with his mother-in-law, Jamie Thompson, a former geologist in the oil and gas industry who had previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Together, Thompson and Logsdon told their victims that the money they were “investing” was being used to purchase royalty interests for various oil, gas and mineral projects located in Texas and New Mexico. The royalty interests were allegedly being purchased through various entities, including an entity called the National Royalty Group, or NRG. In actuality, the National Royalty Group did not exist, and rather than purchasing royalty interests, Thompson and Logsdon used the money to primarily pay for personal expenses, as well as to advance the Ponzi scheme by providing some “distributions” back to earlier “investors.” Between them, Logsdon and Thompson defrauded more than 20 victims out of more than $2.1 million, with Logsdon being responsible for a subset of those victims and losses. Both Logsdon and Thompson have been ordered to jointly-and-severally pay restitution to their victims according to their responsibility. “The individuals that perpetrated this scheme demonstrated extreme greed and disregard for their victims, many of whom were friends, colleagues and even family members,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “In doing so, they harmed the lives and livelihoods of those they claimed to care about. I want to thank the Midland Police Department for tirelessly working to secure these convictions and helping the victims to secure a measure of justice.” The Midland Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case. ###


title: Antrim Man Indicted For Faking Disability to Get Veterans Benefits For Almost 20 Years

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – An Antrim man was indicted in connection to fraudulently receiving veteran disability benefits, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Christopher Stultz, 49, was indicted on one count of making False Statements to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Stultz will appear in federal court in Concord at a later date. According to the charging documents, between January 2003 and December 2022, Stultz falsely represented to the Department of Veterans Affairs that he was unable to use both his feet, thus obtaining veteran disability benefits that he was not entitled to for almost two decades. The charge of False Statements provides for a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Maine Man Indicted For Threatening to “Shoot Up” The Portsmouth High School

body_text: CONCORD – Kyle Hendrickson, 25, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Concord for threatening the Portsmouth High School on SnapChat, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Hendrickson was charged with one count of interstate threatening communications and one count of possessing a firearm in a school zone. He was previously arrested on a criminal complaint. According to the charging documents, Hendrickson posted a video to his SnapChat account on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in which he brandished a handgun while in a vehicle outside of the Portsmouth High School. The video includes a text overlay that reads “imma shoot up the school.” School surveillance footage placed Hendrickson’s vehicle outside the high school at the time of the video. Law enforcement recovered an AR-15 rifle, a shotgun, camouflage body armor, a handgun holster, a red-dot sight, and numerous rounds of ammunition from Hendrickson’s vehicle. A handgun that resembles the one used in the SnapChat video was also recovered near a motel where Hendrickson had stayed on April 12, 2023. Each charge provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, and the Portsmouth Police Department led the investigation. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Somersworth Police Department, the Portland (Maine) Police Department, and the Berwick (Maine) Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Las Vegas Resident Sentenced To 21 Years In Prison For Child Sexual Exploitation

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 21 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for recording himself sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Mohamed Muhina (28) pleaded guilty in November 2022 to one count of sexual exploitation of children. Muhina will be required to register as a sex offender, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents, in 2017, Muhina began communicating with a 14-year-old girl on Facebook messenger. Shortly thereafter, he drove to the victim’s residence and pulled her into the backseat of his car where he sexual assaulted her despite her pleas to stop. Between September 2017 and January 2018, Muhina sexually assaulted the victim two more times. Then, in February 2018, the victim was walking to school when Muhina grabbed her by her hair and jacket and he forced her into his car. He drove to his apartment and sexually assaulted the victim. A forensic examination of Muhina’s cell phones revealed several images and videos showing him engaged in sex acts with young girls, including the victim. “The defendant is a predator who actively sought out one of our most vulnerable, a 14-year-old child, and repeatedly committed sexual assaults, ignoring the victim’s cries and pleas to stop,” said United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “This case is another example of our office’s commitment to bringing to justice those who sexually exploit children in our communities. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and hold accountable those who exploit children. Today’s sentence will protect children from future crimes by the defendant.” “I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort put forth to ensure this defendant was brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. “Knowing that the defendant will serve the next 21 years in federal prison, ensures there is one less predator victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community. This sentencing is a success in the fight against those who exploit the vulnerable and illustrates our dedication to bring these criminals to justice.” The FBI and North Las Vegas Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Sokolich prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org . ###


title: Mescalero Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Domestic Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Julius Scott Mendez was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Mendez, 31, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pled guilty to assault of an intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury and assault of an intimate partner by strangling on January 31, 2023. According to court documents, on April 25, 2022, Mendez was drinking alcohol with his then-girlfriend, Jane Doe, at Jane Doe’s house. Mendez became upset with Jane Doe and began to argue with her until Jane Doe went to bed to end the argument. Later that night, Jane Doe awoke to Mendez viciously kicking her and stomping on her chest while wearing steel-toed boots. Mendez kicked, punched, and strangled Jane Doe until she lost consciousness. Jane Doe awoke the next morning in her bed in a pool of blood. In addition to violently assaulting Jane Doe, Mendez also destroyed Jane Doe’s house. Jane Doe was treated at the Lincoln County Medical Center twice after the assault. Jane Doe presented at the emergency room with severe bruising to her head, face and neck and a nasal septal deviation. Jane Doe will need surgery to address the injuries. Upon his release from prison, Mendez will be subject to 6 years of supervised release. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case. # # # 23-225


title: Elkhart Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Christopher C. Myers, 42 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to receipt of child sexual abuse material and transferring obscene material to a minor, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Myers was sentenced to 90 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4296.89 in restitution to the victims of the offense. According to documents in the case, Myers used social media account to chat with a minor. During online chats in September 2021, Myers requested the minor send him child sexual abuse material of themself, which they did. Myers also sent the minor videos of himself performing sex acts on himself. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Salinas, California Police Department and the Fairfax County (VA) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Maciejczyk. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .