title: Sacramento Grocery Store Owner and General Manager Indicted for Conspiracy, Immigration Fraud, Obstruction of Justice, and Pandemic Relief Fraud

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 25-count indictment Thursday against Shahrir “Sean” Loloee, 53, of Granite Bay, and Karla Montoya, 42, of Sacramento, charging them both with conspiracy, obstruction of agency proceedings, and possession and use of false immigration documents, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Loloee is additionally charged with falsification of records and a pandemic relief fraud scheme. According to court documents, Loloee is the owner of the Viva Supermarkets chain of grocery stores, and Montoya is the general manager. Since 2008, Loloee and Montoya engaged in a conspiracy to employ a labor force at the stores that consisted of a significant number of workers who lacked employment authorization in the United States. Loloee and Montoya did so for the purpose of reducing Loloee’s labor force costs through unlawful means, including by failing to pay required overtime wages. The indictment alleges that, in 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor began two investigations at Viva Supermarkets. Loloee and Montoya obstructed these investigations in a variety of ways, including by making false statements to agency investigators, listening in on an employee interview with an investigator for the purpose of influencing the employee to make false statements, instructing an employee to lie to an investigator about her hire date, and directing certain workers to hide to prevent them from being questioned by agency investigators. Loloee is also charged with three instances of providing false documents to obstruct the Department of Labor’s investigations. The indictment further alleges that Loloee committed wire fraud when he applied to receive COVID-19 relief from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund program (RRF). Established as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the RRF was designed to support the restaurant industry by providing funding to those that had suffered significant pandemic-related revenue loss. To be eligible for an RRF award, a restaurant must have had a loss in gross receipts in 2020, as compared to 2019. In May 2021, Loloee submitted applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) requesting RRF funds for two of his grocery stores. In the applications, Loloee substantially underreported each of his store’s 2020 gross receipts to make them appear entitled to an award, when they were not. Loloee requested over $2.2 million, and based on his fraudulent representations, the SBA awarded Loloee approximately $1.2 million. This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath, Matthew Thuesen, and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case. This case was investigated with the assistance of the Tax Recovery in the Underground Economy (TRUE) Task Force includes the California Department of Justice, the California Employment Development Department, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the Franchise Tax Board, the IRS-CI and HSI. The TRUE Task Force was created to ensure multi-agency collaboration and to combat wage theft, tax evasion, and other crimes in the underground economy. If convicted, Loloee and Montoya face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to defraud the Department of Labor, to commit immigration document fraud, and to obstruct justice; up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of possession of false immigration documents or use of a false immigration document; and up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of obstruction of agency proceedings. If convicted of the counts of falsification of records or wire fraud, Loloee faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: California CEO Pleads Guilty To Employment Tax Crimes

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – A South Lake Tahoe man pleaded guilty to willfully failing to pay employment tax withholdings due to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Oakland Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Silva. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2016 and 2017, Robert Hienekamp, 58, was the Chief Executive Officer of Endowance Solutions, Inc., a software consulting and development company. During each of those years, Endowance Solutions withheld income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes from its employees’ wages. Hienekamp, however, did not file the legally required quarterly employment tax returns or pay the withholdings due to the IRS, despite knowing of his obligation to do so. In total, Hienekamp caused a tax loss of over $800,000. Hienekamp is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS-CI, Oakland Field Office, is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Mahana Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lagrama of the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.


title: Superseding Indictment Charges Fugitive with Money Laundering Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DELROY ANDERSON, also known as “Max,” 56, formerly of Stamford, appeared yesterday in New Haven federal court for his arraignment on money laundering offenses contained in a superseding indictment. Anderson entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. As alleged in the superseding indictment, which was returned by a grand jury in Bridgeport on July 6, 2022, for approximately five years, Anderson conspired with others to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds from a marijuana trafficking operation by paying for marijuana cultivation, package shipping, electricity, and air travel expenses with the proceeds. He also deposited the drug trafficking proceeds into multiple bank accounts opened in the name of Maximillion Enterprises Inc., and structured deposits to evade reporting requirements under federal law. In February 2020, Anderson was charged, with alleged co-conspirators Kelvin Jackson and Stephanie Atkinson, by indictment with various money laundering offenses. On February 18, 2022, Anderson, who had been released on bond pending trial, was scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport for a guilty plea proceeding. He failed to appear for that court proceeding and ceased contact with his attorney and the U.S. Probation Office. On November 8, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service located and arrested Anderson in Dallas, Texas. He has been detained since his arrest. The superseding indictment charges Anderson with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, three counts of promotional money laundering, two counts of concealment money laundering, and one count of structuring money laundering. If convicted, Anderson faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson, 54, of Bristol, Virginia, and Atkinson, 45, of Stamford, have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Both await sentencing. This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys and David T. Huang and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. 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: Retired Cook Children’s Hospital Chaplain Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Child Pornography

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Fort Worth, Texas man who recorded himself sexually abusing a minor was sentenced yesterday to 60 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Michael Downs, 71, a retired Cook Children’s Hospital chaplain, was charged via criminal complaint in March 2023 and pleaded guilty in July 2023 to two counts of sexual exploitation of children. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, who also ordered a lifetime of supervised release. “This is an incredibly important case involving shocking and abhorrent conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton. “One of our most veteran prosecutors worked on this matter along with our partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Worth Police Department to ensure that this defendant was brought to justice. Let this be a message to others who seek to prey on children in this way: We will do everything in our power to incapacitate you by locking you away in prison for as long as possible.” “While preying on the vulnerability of our youth, those in positions of public trust should expect the most stern accountability for their actions,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. “Due to our strong partnership with the Fort Worth Police Department, we were again successful in prosecuting another sexual predator and preventing the victimization of more children.” According to plea papers, the investigation began on January 22, 2023 after a seventeen-year-old minor told her aunt she had been sexually abused by Mr. Downs. The minor female said Mr. Downs recorded the sexual abuse on an iPad. Mr. Downs’ wife provided law enforcement with several electronic devices from their residence. Law enforcement located a hard drive that contained numerous videos and photos of Mr. Downs engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the minor. Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case.


title: Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Killing Three People

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of three counts of First Degree Murder, three counts of Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and one count of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on December 14, 2023. Elijah West, age 26, was sentenced to life in prison on each count of First-Degree Murder and an additional ten years for each firearm charge, all to run consecutively. In total, West received three life sentences plus an additional 30 years’ custody. West was also ordered to pay a $700 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. In the evening hours of January 4 into the early hours of January 5, 2022, West entered a trailer near Wounded Knee, South Dakota, where a group of people had gathered around a kitchen table to visit. West briefly spoke with the group before he removed a firearm from his waistband and, completely unprovoked, fired upon and killed three innocent people. West then ordered a fourth person at gun point to find him a ride to a separate residence in Manderson, South Dakota. After arriving at that residence, West left with another individual. As soon as West left, the party called 911 to report the shooting. West was arrested in the early hours of January 5, 2022, and law enforcement recovered the murder weapon in his possession. West was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2022 and was found guilty on all charges by a jury following a five-day jury trial in Rapid City in September 2023. “This case stands out as a particularly heinous example of human depravity,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “The defendant committed unspeakable acts of violence for which no sentence would ever be sufficient, but we hope these three life sentences, which must be served consecutively, give the victims’ families some measure of closure as they grieve the senseless loss of their loved ones. We are grateful to our partners at the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Department of Public Safety for their relentless investigative efforts.” "It is our duty to bring justice and answers to grieving Tribal communities,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “The investigation of West, and his life sentences, stand as a testament to the collaboration and dedication of the FBI, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division, and the United States Attorney’s Office to bring justice to victims of violent crimes in Indian County. The FBI and its partners will investigate and hold accountable those who show such a callous disregard for innocent lives." This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins and Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. West was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Waldorf Man Sentenced to Over Four Years in Federal Prison for COVID-19 CARES Act Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme Involving More Than $1.5 Million in Losses

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Dementrous Von Smith, a/k/a “Meecho” and “El Meecho,” age 36, of Waldorf, Maryland, to 53 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in relation to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance claims in Maryland, California and Arizona totaling at least $1.5 million. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division (USPIS); Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (MSP); and Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act also included expanded eligibility for Unemployment Insurance (“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 his plea agreement, from March 2020 to October 2021, Smith and his co-conspirators impersonated victims to submit fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in Maryland and California. As part of the scheme, Smith and his co-conspirators used electronic messages, phone calls, electronic mail and other means to aggregate and exchange the personally identifiable information (“PII”) of identity theft victims with each other, created false email address and phone numbers for the victims, and used the fake emails and phone numbers in the fraudulent UI applications. Once Smith and his co-conspirators received the fraudulently obtained benefits on debit cards, they used the cards for cash withdrawals and other transactions for their own financial benefit. For example, in July 2021, Smith was seen on bank surveillance using ATMs in Laurel, Maryland to withdraw $4,000 over four transactions, using the UI profile in the name of one of the identity theft victims. Bank records also reveal that Smith called the bank regarding at least 12 UI profiles of actual victims whose identities were used to open accounts and obtain benefits without their permission. These victims are tied to texts and calls between Smith and his co-conspirators over several months. Smith and his co-conspirators personally conducted or attempted to conduct transactions involving at least $1.5 million in UI benefits. On July 7, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants for Smith’s residence and vehicle, recovered, among other items, a 7.62 caliber firearm, a loaded 1911 style pistol, several magazines loaded with multiple rounds of various caliber ammunition, more than 176 rounds of various caliber ammunition, and $9,100 in cash. Co-defendant Michael Akame Ngwese Ay Makoge, a/k/a “Hype” and “2Hype,” age 28, of Laurel, Maryland pleaded guilty to his role in the fraud scheme and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. Judge Hurson has scheduled sentencing for Makoge on February 1, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. 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 USPIS, DOL-OIG, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, HSI, MSP, and ATF, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked the United States Marshals Service, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn, who is prosecuting the federal case. 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Six Individuals, Including Two Maryland State Department of Labor Subcontractors, Facing Federal Indictment for a Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain COVID-19 CARES Act Unemployment Insurance Benefits

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging six individuals for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance (“UI”) claims. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment was returned on October 24, 2023, and unsealed today upon the arrests of several defendants. The following defendants are charged in the indictment: Lawrence Nathanial Harris, a/k/a “Manman” and “Biggbank,” age 30, of Temple Hills, Maryland; Ahmed Hussain, a/k/a “Oso,” age 22, of Oxon Hill, Maryland; Zakria Hussain, age 26, of Washington, D.C.; Terry Chen, a/k/a “Mike Livingston” and “2Trunt Up,” age 24, of Bowie, Maryland; Kiara Smith, age 26, of Fort Washington, Maryland; and Bryan Nushawn Ruffin, age 26, of Woodbridge, Virginia. Smith and Ruffin were employed by Company 1, which provided professional support services to the Maryland Department of Labor to review UI claims and administer UI benefits. Ahmed Hussain and Terry Chen are expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt later this afternoon. Harris, Smith, and Ruffin are expected to have initial appearances next week. Zakria Hussain will have his initial appearance upon being taken into custody. The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General; and Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. “In partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and the FBI, our COVID-19 Strike Force prosecutors have used data to uncover alleged fraud, waste, and abuse as outlined in today’s indictment,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “This case is an example of the results being obtained by our office’s COVID-19 Strike Force, which is one of five nationwide that the Attorney General has designated to fight pandemic related fraud.” “An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving Unemployment Insurance programs,” stated Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners on the Maryland COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force, as well as the Maryland Department of Labor, to protect the integrity of programs intended for unemployed American workers, including those who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.” “The FBI is pleased to be a part of the COVID-19 Strike Force in Maryland," said Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI'S Baltimore Field Office. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek justice against those individuals who shamelessly defrauded pandemic relief programs during a time of uncertainty and crisis.” The CARES Act and other federal legislation provided expanded financial assistance to Americans throughout the pandemic, and expanded eligibility for Unemployment Insurance benefits. According to the 18-count indictment, beginning in at least January 2021 and continuing until about September 2023, the defendants and their co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States, the State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions and multiple individuals—including at least six identity theft victims—by submitting false and fraudulent claims for UI benefits to the Maryland Department of Labor (“MD-DOL”), the agency in Maryland responsible for processing those claims. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants obtained and attempted to obtain more than $500,000 through the submission of fraudulent UI claims. As detailed in the indictment, the defendants possessed and used computers that Company 1 had issued to Smith and Ruffin to access nonpublic UI data and databases maintained by the MD-DOL The indictment alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators used their access to MD-DOL databases to change information on existing UI claims, including the contact email address, the online account password, and the payment method for existing UI claims. In addition to allegedly submitting false and fraudulent information in support of UI claims using the personal identifying information (PII) of identity theft victims, the indictment alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators used their access to the MD-DOL databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of fraudulent UI claims, remove fraud holds on UI claims, certify weeks for determining UI benefits, and engage in other actions to facilitate the payment of fraudulent UI benefits. The MD-DOL disbursed the UI benefits to bank accounts that were believed to be those of the UI applicants, but allegedly were opened and controlled by the defendants and their co-conspirators. If convicted, the defendants all face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy. All the defendants except Ahmed Hussain also face a maximum 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. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by 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 the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland Department of Labor for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Paul A. Riley, who are prosecuting the case. Mr. Barron 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: St. Michael, ND, Man Convicted of Multiple Counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Discharge of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence, and Brandishing of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that after a seven-day trial, a jury found Nathaniel Patrick Azure, age 21, from St. Michael, ND, guilty of three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, two counts of Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Brandishing of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The jury convicted Azure for his role in a non-fatal shooting in Fort Totten, ND, on January 6, 2021. Azure was also convicted for assaulting another person while brandishing a firearm in St. Michael, ND, on May 21, 2022, and for a non-fatal shooting of a third person in St. Michael, ND, on May 22, 2022. Sentencing of Azure will be April 16, 2024, in the District of North Dakota, Fargo. Michael Al-Jerome Denne, the 25-year-old brother of Azure, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the January 6, 2021, shooting and has been sentenced. Dantae Jerome Whitetail, aged 23, Minnewaukan, ND, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the May 21, 2022, brandishing assault and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2024. Skyla Kay Cavanaugh, aged 23, St. Michael, ND, previously pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact in the May 22, 2022, shooting and providing false statements to federal agents after the shooting, as well as later retaliating against a witness to the shooting. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to combatting violent crime in Indian country,” Schneider said. “This guilty verdict is a credit to the dogged determination of our career prosecutors and their colleagues in federal law enforcement. As we work to be a strong federal partner in promoting public safety in North Dakota, we will continue ensure that individuals who engage in violence face justice in United States District Court.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Benson County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl, District of North Dakota. ######


title: Canadian Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Smuggle 142 Kilograms of Cocaine

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Guillaume Latour-Laitre, age 27, of Prevost, Quebec, was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison for conspiring to traffic 142 kilograms of cocaine. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. Latour-Laitre previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. In doing so, he admitted that from November 2019 through December 7, 2019, as vice president of a commercial trucking company in Quebec, he trafficked cocaine from the United States to Canada via tractor trailer. On December 7, 2019, Latour-Laitre’s co-conspirator and employee at the trucking company, Jason Nelson, attempted to leave the United States for Canada at the Derby Line, Vermont Port of Entry. At the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers performed an outbound inspection on Nelson’s tractor trailer and discovered approximately 142 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment in the trailer. Latour-Laitre was extradited from Canada in December 2022 to face the charges. Nelson was sentenced, on April 27, 2022, to 72 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release, which will start when Latour-Laitre is released from prison. Upon his release from prison, Latour-Laitre may be removed/deported from the United States. HSI and CBP investigated the case and Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Collyer prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Latour-Laitre.


title: Extradited Bloomington Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography and Enticement Charges

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Bloomington fugitive has pleaded guilty to attempted production and production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between October 2020 through March 2023, Ibrahim Ghassan Sleyman, 30, used Snapchat and other messaging apps to solicit sexually explicit material and sex acts from minors, some as young as nine-years-old. Additionally, Sleyman groomed and enticed a minor victim to produce child pornography and engage in sexual activity with Sleyman by providing the minor with drugs and gifts. Once Sleyman became aware of law enforcement’s investigation, he fled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on September 6, 2022. While Sleyman was a fugitive in the UAE, he continued to use Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit conversations with minors in the United States. Sleyman was extradited by the UAE and upon his return to the United State, he was taken into federal custody by the FBI on September 15, 2023. To date, the United States has identified at least 22 minor victims who Sleyman solicited and used to produce and receive child pornography and attempted to entice to engage in unlawful sexual acts. If you believe you or your minor dependent(s) have been victimized by Ibrahim Sleyman, please contact the FBI Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov. Sleyman pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Donovan W. Frank to one count of attempted production and production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of enticement of a minor. As a part of his plea, Sleyman admitted to criminal conduct relating to 22 minor victims. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Elk River Police Department, and the Pleasant Hill, Missouri Police Department, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the State Department, the Ministries of Justice and Interior of the United Arab Emirates, UAE Interpol, Abu Dhabi Airport Police and Abu Dhabi International Airport – Airport Security provided significant support and assistance in Sleyman’s extradition from the United Arab Emirates. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.


title: Jacksonville Man Sentenced to  More Than 14 Years on Methamphetamine Charge

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – Michael Dennis, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 170 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Dennis, 45, pled guilty to the charge on May 23, 2023. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Dennis had multiple run-ins with Onslow County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) deputies through 2021 and 2022 that led to seizures of methamphetamine and other drugs. On November 6, 2021, OCSO deputies conducted a search of Dennis’s home on Blue Creek Road in Jacksonville in connection with a murder investigation. In Dennis’s bedroom, deputies found 24 grams of methamphetamine and cutting agents. Deputies returned to the home on November 16, 2021, to assist with a probation search and seized another 76 grams of methamphetamine, along with other drug items. At that time, Dennis was on probation for Financial Card Theft convictions. On January 19, 2022, OCSO deputies were conducting surveillance at a Hubert, North Carolina, home after receiving complaints about drug activity. Deputies stopped a vehicle that was leaving that home and identified Dennis as the driver. A search uncovered an additional 49 grams of methamphetamine. During a post-arrest interview, Dennis confessed to having a pound of methamphetamine at a residence on Bratten Drive in Jacksonville. Deputies seized another 986 grams of 96% pure crystal methamphetamine, 11 grams of heroin, and $2,000 in cash from that address. Dennis’s federal conviction follows 11 prior North Carolina state felony convictions. These include two counts of common law robbery, attempted common law robbery, two counts of larceny from a person, and three counts of financial card theft. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00300-M.


title: New Orleans Man is Sentenced for Drug and Machinegun Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that EMANUEL ROSS , age 24, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on December 13, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to 63 months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) and Possession of a Machinegun in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o). Judge Lemelle also placed ROSS on supervised release for three (3) years following his release from imprisonment and ordered him to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for each count of conviction. Court documents reveal that the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department began investigating ROSS in mid-2022 and discovered an online video of him firing a pistol that had been converted into a machine gun through a “switch” device. A warrant-based search of ROSS’s residence by law enforcement officials on January 27, 2023, revealed the presence of cocaine, fentanyl and various weapons including the machine gun seen on the online video. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. United States Attorney Evans praised work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Task Force, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution.


title: Evansville Child Predator Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material Via Social Media

body_text: EVANSVILLE- Seth Harms, 31, of Mount Vernon, Indiana, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, between November 22, and December 8 of 2021, Harms used the screen name “monstere98” to send multiple videos and images of child sexual abuse material to other users using an online communications platform. One video contained a prepubescent female undressing and engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On December 8, 2021, Harms was interviewed at his home by local law enforcement officers and admitted to viewing sexually explicit material involving minors on his cell phone as recently as a couple of hours before the investigators arrived. Additionally, Harms admitted to using the platform to communicate with other individuals who would send him internet file links for child sexual abuse material. “Predators like this defendant use online platforms to exploit children and seek affirmation from others who share their sexual interest in minors. Survivors of child sexual abuse are retraumatized every single time the evidence of their abuse is shared,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “My office and our law enforcement partners at the FBI are dedicated to protecting children from those interested in their exploitation by identifying and sending them to federal prison.” The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Harms be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison and register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, and goes to school. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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. ###


title: Le Roy Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Committing a Felony Offense Involving a Minor

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Le Roy man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for committing a felony offense involving a minor while registered as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, Richard Dean Vandeweerd, 63, a registered sex offender, knowingly attempted to transfer obscene material to a minor, which is a federal offense. Using the web-based chat application Meet24, Vandeweerd contacted “Becca,” who claimed to be a l4-year-old female from Tennessee but was in fact an undercover FBI agent. Over the course of several days in February 2020, and again in November of the same year, Vandeweerd engaged in sexually explicit conversations with “Becca” and sent her pictures of his genitalia. On April 17, 2023, Vandeweerd pleaded guilty to one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright on December 12, 2023. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso.


title: Justice Department Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Insect Shield LLC and Its Founder

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against Insect Shield LLC for allegedly causing the submission of false claims to the Department of Defense (DoD) under contracts to provide Army Combat Uniforms. The government has also brought claims against the Estate of Richard Lane, who was the founder, majority owner and chief operating officer of Insect Shield until his death in December 2022. According to the United States’ complaint, several manufacturers of Army Combat Uniforms subcontracted with Insect Shield to apply permethrin, an insect-repellant, to Army uniforms and to conduct contractually-required testing to ensure that the level of permethrin it applied to the uniforms fell within the limits specified in the contracts. The complaint alleges that Insect Shield and Lane falsified the results of its permethrin testing to conceal failing test results, including by inappropriately combining results from different rounds of testing, re-labeling test samples to hide the true origin of the samples and performing re-tests of uniforms in excess of what the contract permitted. “Government contractors and subcontractors must provide the services for which they were paid, including by performing required testing activities,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will pursue those who seek to defraud the American taxpayers by misrepresenting their compliance with contractual commitments.” “I am thankful that we are able to hold accountable those who would defraud the government,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “This case demonstrates that we will continue to protect the use of taxpayer dollars and ensure that companies who provide services to the military don’t cut corners.” “Businesses that have been contracted by the U.S. Army must comply with all their obligations and testing procedures to meet the high standards we demand,” said Special Agent in Charge Andrew Johnson of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (Army CID), Fraud Field Office. “Army CID is thankful for the collaborative efforts from all the agencies involved. This is a testament to our commitment of working together and holding those accountable who fail to properly test items that our men and women in uniform depend upon to keep them safe while serving their country.” "Contractors must fulfill their obligations in an open and fair manner," said Director Terri Dilly of the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). "We are proud to have partnered with the investigative team in providing audit expertise to this case." "The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is fully committed to protecting the DoD procurement process to ensure military readiness," said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard for DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the Justice Department to investigate DoD contractors that fail to perform required testing and accurately report results.” This lawsuit was originally brought by Emelia Downs, a former employee of Insect Shield, under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Those provisions permit private parties to sue for false claims against the United States and to receive a share of any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene in such lawsuits, as the United States has done in this case. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina and is captioned United States ex rel. Downs v. Insect Shield , LLC et al., No. 1:19-CV-1026. This matter is being handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina. Investigative support is being provided by the DoD Office of Inspector General, Army CID and the DCAA. Fraud Section Trial Attorney Jonathan Hoerner and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Crawford for the Middle District of North Carolina handled this case. The claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Project Safe Neighborhoods Indictments

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence. At the core of PSN is setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces the following recent indictments in federal PSN cases. A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday against Kinayah Latson, 24, of Roseville , charging her with being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, Latson arrested on Sept. 17, 2023, after law enforcement officers responded to domestic violence 9-1-1 call and found Latson in possession of a loaded Glock-style Polymer80 firearm with 11 rounds of ammunition. Subsequently, on November 25, 2023, Latson was found in possession of a Glock-style Polymer80 firearm with 33 rounds of ammunition. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI with assistance from the Roseville Police Department, the CHP, the Davis Police Department, the Ontario Police Department, and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee is prosecuting the case. On Nov. 30, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Sovan Leng, 32, of Stockton , charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 16, 2023, Leng was found to be in possession of a Glock 17 9 mm pistol. Leng is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to several prior felony convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a stolen vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. This case is the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett is prosecuting the case. On Dec. 7, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment against Jerone Sotolongo, 30, of Stockton , charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Sotolongo possessed a firearm, even though he was prohibited from doing so because he is a convicted felon. This case is the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Pearson is prosecuting the case. If convicted, these defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. These cases are 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 U.S. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . These cases are the result of the ongoing collaboration between the Sacramento Police Department and its local, state, and federal partners as part of a Public Safety Partnership (PSP) to address violent crime in our community. Started in 2022, the Sacramento PSP is a multifaceted violence-reduction strategy that relies on innovative data-driven strategies to promote public and community safety. Participating PSP partners include: the Sacramento County’s District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Two Individuals With Ties to an International Fentanyl Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – Two individuals, Hector Luciano Perez Valenzuela and John Steven Ellingson, from Oregon, were sentenced for their roles in an international drug trafficking organization (DTO) moving kilogram quantities of fentanyl and operating in multiple cities across the country, including Fayetteville. A third defendant, Kittisack Sam Vorana, age 30, was sentenced to 48 months earlier this year for his role in the conspiracy. The DTO has ties to the Sinaloa cartel operating in Mexico. “Valenzuela and Vorana were caught transporting a quantity of fentanyl that, by conservative estimates, could have killed more than 700,000 people,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “And Ellingson was responsible for distributing many times that amount of fentanyl. We are continuing our efforts to stem the tide of illegal and dangerous drugs that are devastating communities across Eastern North Carolina.” "These drug dealers boldly believed they could use Fayetteville as a hub to stash and ship fentanyl across the country. The FBI and our law enforcement partners worked tirelessly to ensure the members of this drug trafficking organization were punished for the pipeline of poison they operated in our community," said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina. Valenzuela, age 35, was sentenced to 151 months and 3 years of supervised release. Valenzuela was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of conspiracy and fentanyl trafficking earlier this year. Ellingson, age 34 , was sentenced to 78 months followed by 5 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy and fentanyl trafficking. According to court records and other information presented in court, in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fayetteville Police Department began investigating a large-scale fentanyl trafficking ring. Through the investigation, law enforcement learned that the leaders of the DTO were based on the west coast, but they set up apartments in the Fayetteville area for use as hubs for the distribution of dozens of kilograms of fentanyl across the United States. Through the use of surveillance and controlled purchases, investigators identified Ellingson as a member of the drug trafficking organization, which was primarily based in California. Ellingson operated a Fayetteville stash house for the organization and then transported kilograms of fentanyl to cities around the country, including, but not limited, to Chicago, New York, and Baltimore. Ellingson also assembled firearms for the DTO members. In early November 2019, Ellingson and two of his co-conspirators—Vorana and Valenzuela – decided to steal large quantities of drugs from the DTO, sell the drugs, and divide the profits. Vorana and Valenzuela traveled from the west coast and stole 7 kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 3,000 fentanyl pills from the Fayetteville stash house. Each kilogram of fentanyl was valued at $38,000. On their way back to the west coast during the early morning hours of November 8, 2019, they were stopped for speeding in St. Charles County, Missouri and consented to a search of the vehicle they were driving. During the search, law enforcement discovered a toolbox that contained seven brick-like packages. The packages had been wrapped in electrical tape and covered in grease to help evade detection by drug canines. A key to the toolbox was found in Valenzuela’s pocket. These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The cases were investigated in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, which prosecuted members of the drug trafficking organization based on the west coast. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Fayetteville Police Department, and the St. Charles County Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Lemmon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Gainer prosecuted the cases. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:20-cr-00397-M and 5:20-CR-00012-M.


title: Violent Domestic Abuser Sentenced to Over Three Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms While Fleeing from Police

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Zachariah Brownie, 33, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, in November of 2022, Brownie was on probation for two separate felony convictions, including a domestic violence crime committed on August 21, 2021. Warrants were issued for his arrest after he violated the terms of his supervision. On the morning of November 21, 2022, officers located Brownie driving a Chevy Trax and activated emergency lights in an attempt to pull him over. Instead of stopping, Brownie fled in the car. Officers pursued Brownie and attempted a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) maneuver. The PIT maneuver caused Brownie’s vehicle to spin around, but Brownie continued to drive away from police. As the pursuit continued, officers observed Brownie throw a handgun out the window of his car. The gun landed in the middle of the street and was later recovered by law enforcement officers. After a second PIT maneuver, Brownie’s car came to a stop and he was arrested. Investigators searched the car and recovered eight grams of crack cocaine, a working digital scale, a loaded Glock 9 mm magazine, two boxes of 9 mm ammunition, and a box of .223 rifle ammunition. According to a civilian eyewitness, Brownie also threw a second gun out the window during the chase. That firearm was later recovered by investigators near a residential driveway, along the path of Brownie’s flight. Brownie is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm due to his multiple felony convictions, including criminal confinement, residential entry, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, resisting law enforcement, domestic battery committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old, and possession of cocaine. Most of Brownie’s prior convictions involve domestic violence. “Abusers with guns use them to exert power and control over their victims. This defendant’s lengthy and troubling history of extremely violent domestic abuse makes him an extreme danger to his partners, family, and the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Domestic disturbance calls can be incredibly dangerous for law enforcement as well as victims, especially when abusers are armed. That is why our office is committed to working alongside FBI and IMPD to hold these high-risk offenders accountable in federal court and ensure they are unable to cause more trauma to our families, friends, and neighbors.” The FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman. Judge Brookman also ordered that Brownie be supervised by the U.S Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms. ###


title: Man Sentenced to 37 months for COVID-19 Fraud

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Chandler Simbeck was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to defraud the United States. He was also ordered to pay $151,000 in restitution. According to the plea agreement, between March 2020 and October 2020, Simbeck conspired with Russell Foreman to submit loan applications to the Small Business Administration for himself and various businesses, knowing that the applications contained materially false and fraudulent information. In June 2020, Simbeck and Foreman caused the creation of a limited liability company, Fusion Group, and thereafter applied to the SBA for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”). The application contained materially false information concerning the establishment date of the company, its gross revenues, and costs of goods sold. In fact, Fusion Group was never a business engaged in any enterprise of any kind and did not have any revenue or employees. On August 27, 2020, the SBA approved the loan application and $149,900 was deposited into a bank account controlled by Simbeck. Over the next several days, funds were withdrawn from the account, including an $8,000 check that was cashed; a $30,000 check and a $60,000 check that were deposited to other bank accounts controlled by Simbeck; a $50,000 check payable to a relative of Simbeck; and a $55,000 wire transfer to co-conspirator Foreman’s account. Simbeck also received a $1,000 EIDL grant in connection with a false and misleading application dated March 30, 2020, in his own name. In addition to the EIDLs, Simbeck made three attempts to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans for two other business by submitting applications containing false information. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to issue loans to small businesses and non-profit entities experiencing revenue loss due to the pandemic. The EIDL program provides loan assistance up to $150,000 to pay permissible expenses such as fixed debts, payroll, and accounts payable for certain COVID-19 impacted businesses in operation prior to February 1, 2020. Additionally, the CARES Act created the PPP, which authorizes forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. “Stealing from the taxpayers through COVID fraud is disgraceful as well as criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “We will prosecute those criminals who stole from hardworking business owners and employees.” “Chandler Simbeck stole from individuals whose lives were upended by the pandemic, with no regard for the business owners and families the program was designed to support” said Todd Martin, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “COVID fraud remains a top priority for CI and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold those accountable who abused the system for their personal benefit.” United States District Court Judge Raymond Moore sentenced Simbeck on December 14, 2023. Simbeck’s co-conspirator Russell Foreman was previously sentenced to 66 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and restitution. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Brown handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-00165-RM


title: Eight Time Prior Drug Felon Sentenced to 300 Months for Armed Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for running a Fayetteville-based stash house where fentanyl and methamphetamine were sold. On July 25, 2022, Montrel Demon Rhone pled guilty to drug trafficking and firearms charges. “Stemming the flow of illicit fentanyl and the overdose epidemic continue to be among our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This avowed drug trafficker and REPEAT felon had eight prior drug-related convictions, and tried to escape accountability in this case by flushing drugs down the toilet when police executed search warrants. With this federal sentence, he will now spend the next quarter century behind bars.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, investigators received information in October of 2020, that Rhone, 45, was running a drug house in the Deep Creek Road area of Fayetteville where he and half a dozen of his co-conspirators were selling drugs that he provided. From late 2020 through March of 2021, investigators conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and methamphetamine from Rhone and people working on his behalf. Ultimately, investigators were able to establish that Rhone received half kilograms of fentanyl at a time from his source of supply. On March 25, 2021, the Fayetteville Police Department executed a search warrant at a hotel where Rhone had stored methamphetamine for one of the controlled purchases. Though Rhone attempted to destroy drug evidence by flushing it down the toilet, investigators recovered fentanyl, drug packaging material, and two firearms from within the room. At the time of this investigation, Rhone had previously been convicted of eight different drug related felony convictions in the State of North Carolina and had served an active prison sentence for cocaine trafficking. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Fayetteville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-280-D-1.


title: Creator of International Digital-Asset Exit Schemes Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, Ivars Auzins, a Latvian national, pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn to conspiring to commit securities fraud in connection with defrauding investors in a series of digital-asset exit scams. Today’s proceeding took place before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. When sentenced, Auzins faces up to five years in prison. As part of his sentence, Auzins has also agreed to pay $497,006 in forfeiture. Auzins was extradited to the United States from Latvia in August 2022. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. The term “digital asset” refers to an asset that is issued and transferred using distributed ledger or blockchain technology. According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Auzins and his co-conspirators fraudulently marketed multiple digital-asset offerings to investors worldwide by misrepresenting their products and services, the profits investors would earn and the qualifications of the individuals making the offerings. Auzins and his co-conspirators intentionally failed to deliver on these promises, diverting millions of dollars’ worth of proceeds for their personal benefit while continuing to represent that the benefits would be forthcoming. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney John O. Enright is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Jordi Martinez. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Latvia to secure the arrest and extradition of Auzins to the United States. The Defendant : IVARS AUZINS Age: 31 Riga, Latvia E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-357 (ERK)


title: Executives Charged with Bid Rigging, Territorial Allocation and Defrauding the U.S. Forest Service After a Wiretap Investigation

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Following a court-authorized wiretap investigation, a federal grand jury in Boise, Idaho, returned an indictment this week charging two executives of competing companies with conspiring to rig bids and allocate territories in violation of the Sherman Act, conspiring to commit wire fraud and committing wire fraud. According to the seven-count felony indictment, Ike Tomlinson and Kris Bird’s conspiracy affected contracts for forest-firefighting services. As alleged, the U.S. Forest Service runs a competitive bidding process for these contracts to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently. The indictment alleges that from at least in or about February 2014, up to and including in or about March, the defendants coordinated their bids to “squeeze” and “drown” competitors; accepted payment for fuel trucks at collusive and noncompetitive daily rates; and tried to conceal their actions. This investigation was conducted by the department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), which included FBI agents, with judicial authorization, intercepting phone calls between the defendants. As alleged, Tomlinson and Bird spoke with one another shortly before the deadline to submit bids on fuel truck contracts. During calls quoted in the indictment, they allegedly agreed to rig bids, allocate territories and target competitors. A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals and a maximum penalty of a $100 million fine for corporations. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than the maximum. A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Matthew Chou and Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg of the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case. In November 2019, the Justice Department created the PCSF, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force . Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Oakland Resident Pleads Guilty To Attempting To Illegally Export Firearms And Night Vision Rifle Scopes To The Sultanate Of Oman

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Oakland resident Fares Abdo Al Eyani, 40, pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco to one count of conspiring to export defense articles and seven counts of attempting to export defense articles, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice National Security Division Matthew G. Olsen, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The plea was accepted by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge. According to the plea agreement, Al Eyani admitted he acquired no less than four firearms, with magazines and ammunition, and at least 44 rifle scopes, monoculars, and goggles with night vision capabilities in 2019. In November 2019, Al Eyani attempted to send the firearms to the Sultanate of Oman in shipping containers departing from the Port of Oakland. He concealed the firearms by disassembling them, wrapping them in aluminum foil, and then secreting them within automobiles inside the shipping container. Then, in December 2019, Al Eyani attempted to export the 44 rifle scopes, monoculars, and goggles to the Sultanate of Oman in two shipping containers departing from the Port of Oakland. Law enforcement searched the containers and seized the firearms, the magazines, and the ammunition, as well as the 44 rifle scopes, monoculars, and goggles with night vision capabilities. These actions thwarted Al Eyani’s unlawful scheme. The commercial export of arms, ammunitions, implements of war and defense articles and services from the United States is governed by the Arms Export Control Act (“AECA”), 22 U.S.C. § 2778, and its attendant regulations, the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”), 22 C.F.R. §§ 120-130. The AECA authorizes the President, among other things, to control the export of “defense articles” deemed critical to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. The AECA also authorizes the President to designate goods as “defense articles,” require licenses for the export of such articles, and promulgate regulations for the export of such articles. By executive order, the President has delegated this authority to the United States Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (“DDTC”). Accordingly, the DDTC has promulgated regulations under the AECA, known as the ITAR. The ITAR defines a “defense article” as any item on the United States Munitions List (“USML”). Persons desiring to export items on the USML from the United States to a place overseas must first register with the DDTC and obtain individual export licenses prior to any shipment abroad. The plea agreement lays out that the four firearms, the magazines, and the ammunition, as well as at least seven of the night-vision rifle scopes, were defense articles prohibited from export without a license by the AECA and the ITAR. Al Eyani did not have a license to export the defense articles. In a separate plea agreement, Al Eyani’s wife, Saba Mohsen Dhaifallah, 41, also pleaded guilty to making false statements to Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents during the investigation of this matter, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Her plea also was accepted by Judge Breyer. Judge Breyer scheduled Al Eyani’s and Dhailfallah’s sentencing hearings for March 22, 2024, at 9:30 am. Al Eyani faces a maximum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000. Dhaifallah faces a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. In addition, the court may order each defendant to serve an additional period of supervised release, if appropriate. However, any sentence would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. The National Security and Cybercrime Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California is prosecuting the case in consultation with the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Customs and Border Protection.


title: Seven Individuals Indicted on Fraud and Money Laundering Charges Relating to International Lottery Scam Targeting Elderly

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH – Seven individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The charges stem from the Department of Justice’s wide-ranging efforts to protect older adults from fraud and financial exploitation. Defendants, Jason Plummer, 31; Troy Williams, 38; and Tajay Singh, 26, each of Montego Bay, Jamaica, were each named in separate, two-count Indictments. A fourth two-count Indictment named defendants Tashane Murray, 30, of Miramar, Florida; Clevon McKenzie, 31, of Mount Vernon, New York; Gyzzell Byfield, 27, of Bridgeport, Connecticut; and Daneil Reid, 27, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Murray, McKenzie, Byfield, and Reid were arrested in the United States on November 16, 2023. Plummer and Singh were arrested in Jamaica on December 13, 2023. Williams was arrested in Jamaica on December 14, 2023. According to the Indictments, defendants executed a scheme to defraud that stole more than $2.8 million from the elderly and vulnerable victims in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the United States. As part of that scheme, conspirators contacted the victims and falsely told them that they had won a million or multi-million-dollar sweepstakes, but needed to pay certain taxes and fees before they could claim their prize. These claims were often reinforced with forged documents purporting to describe the sweepstakes winnings and required taxes and fees, some of which bore the seals of government agencies. Williams, Plummer, Singh, Murray, and McKenzie all targeted victims in one or more of those ways. The conspirators then directed the victims to send money, including cash, checks, and money orders, to people designated by the conspirators. Some of these people were victims of the lottery scam, who had been unwittingly fooled into accepting and moving money on behalf of the members of the conspiracy. Others, like Byfield and Reid, were members of the conspiracy themselves. After being laundered through a network of bank accounts and money mules, victim money was withdrawn by members of the conspiracy living in Jamaica. “These defendants allegedly enriched themselves at the expense of elderly victims who believed they had won the lottery,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Protecting our most vulnerable populations from the proliferation of targeted fraud schemes like the one alleged in this case remains a significant priority of our office. We will continue to work with all of our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners in our shared pursuit of justice on behalf of crime victims.” “Those charged targeted and took advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “This was a wide-reaching conspiracy that cost victims millions of dollars. Unfortunately, it’s a crime that is increasing every year, and Pennsylvania remains one of top states in the country that is impacted. The FBI is dedicated to stopping crime groups abroad and here at home who exploit our seniors with financial fraud schemes.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to investigating fraudulent lottery schemes designed to defraud innocent victims,” said Lesley Allison, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge in Pittsburgh. “Combating international fraud schemes is a priority of the Postal Inspection Service particularly since the fraudsters prey on our most vulnerable US citizens. Postal Inspectors will exhaust all efforts to identify and indict those responsible for using the US Mail to facilitate these egregious criminal acts against our seniors.” “The interagency cooperation throughout this investigation has been exemplary as we all worked toward our common goal of safeguarding our valued seniors,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “We ask the public to do their part in this fight as well. Check-in with senior citizens and loved ones frequently. Ask them about any transactions that may seem out of the ordinary. Together we can help to keep our family and friends financially safe and sound.” The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of twice the pecuniary loss to any victim, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictments in this case. They were assisted in the investigation by other domestic and international agencies, including the United States Marshals Service, JOLT Fusion Center, Jamaican Constabulary Force, National Intelligence Bureau, Financial Investigations Division, Major Organized Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency, and Fugitive Apprehension Team. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Cambria County Woman Sentenced To 30 Months In Prison For Conspiracy To Commit Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Florentina Mayko, age 40, of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 14, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Yvette Kane to 30 months in prison. In June 2023, Mayko pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging her with conspiracy to commit health care fraud for defrauding Medicare and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services between 2017 and 2019. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mayko agreed with others to defraud Medicare by submitting medically unnecessary urine drug tests for chronic opioid patients at medical clinics where she was the chief executive officer, including a group of clinics known as Pain Medicine of York or “PMY” (also known as All Better Wellness). Mayko became the CEO of Pain Medicine of York around January 2018. Prior to that, Mayko served as Director of Operations of a group of medical practices known in the Information as “Practice Group 1.” Mayko was hired to work at Practice Group 1 by an individual known in the Information as Physician 1. The owner of PMY, known as “PMY Owner” in the Information, was friends and business partners with Physician 1. “PMY Owner” refers to Rodney L. Yentzer, who has separately pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for his participation in the same scheme to defraud Medicare. Yentzer is still awaiting sentencing. Physician 1 was imprisoned for health care fraud and federal tax offenses in mid-2017, at which point the operation of Practice Group 1 was transitioned to PMY. When Mayko was promoted to the position of CEO of PMY, her responsibilities did not materially change. From the time of her promotion onward, Mayko was in charge of the day-to-day management of PMY’s operations, which included the practices previously associated with Practice Group 1. PMY had a policy, established in 2016 by Physician 1 and Yentzer, of ordering multiple urine drug tests for each patient at every PMY office visit, despite a lack of medical necessity. From mid-2017 onward, Mayko and Yentzer were repeatedly confronted with information regarding the unlawful nature of the company’s UDT billing practices but continued to utilize the practice until search warrants were executed at PMY’s various locations in November 2019. PMY ceased operations soon thereafter because it could no longer retain medical providers. PMY billed Medicare for more than $10 million in urine drug tests from mid-2017 through the end of 2019, and Medicare paid out over $5 million for these urine drug tests. The urine drug tests ordered by PMY were sent to an in-house laboratory at PMY whenever possible. As a result, when medically unnecessary tests were billed to Medicare, the proceeds from them went to PMY itself. A large portion of these proceeds went to Yentzer and Mayko. In 2018 and 2019, for instance, Mayko earned around half a million dollars per year. Mayko, in turn, purchased several investment properties using these funds. Judge Kane also ordered Mayko to pay $1,408,976.48 in restitution and to forfeit to the United States several properties located in Ocean City, Maryland and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Program, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smultkis prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Ethete man sentenced for assault resulting in serious bodily injury

body_text: Gary Lee Moon, a/k/a Rod or Rodney Moon, 43, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to court documents, on April 20, 2023, Moon and the victim were drinking together at the victim’s residence. When the victim laid down to sleep, Moon went into the bedroom and began hitting the victim with a metal pole. Moon struck the victim in the head, back, and arm, breaking the victim’s forearm and dislocating his elbow. Moon pled guilty to the charge in September 2023 and was sentenced on December 13, 2023, by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal. This crime was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist. Case No. 23-CR-00111


title: Former Huntingdon County Postal Employee Sentenced To Probation For Mail Theft

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on December 14, 2023, Adam Fouse, age 30, of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Yvette Kane to one year of probation, including 30 days on home confinement, for stealing mail while employed as a U.S. Postal Service employee. Judge Kane also ordered Fouse to pay $1,200 in fines and assessments. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Fouse previously pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee. Fouse opened gift cards and other mail that had been entrusted to him as a rural carrier associate and stealing money from that mail to help finance a sports gambling addiction. Fouse agreed to resign from the Postal Service and not to seek or accept a position of public trust for a period of 10 years. The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Monmouth County Man Indicted for Possession of Firearm and Fraudulent Drug Enforcement Administration Credentials while Falsely Impersonating Federal Law Enforcement Agent

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing fraudulent Drug Enforcement Administration credentials while impersonating a federal law enforcement agent, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Wesley Rucker, 36, of Tinton Falls, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with one count each of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, false impersonation of an officer of the United States, and possession of imitation federal law enforcement credentials. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Oct. 22, 2021, Rucker, a previously convicted felon, sought medical treatment in the emergency room of a hospital in Red Bank, New Jersey. While administering medical assistance, hospital staff observed a handgun in Rucker’s waistband. Rucker told hospital staff, and later local police, that he was a federal law enforcement officer and displayed fraudulent credentials falsely identifying Rucker as an employee of the Drug Enforcement Administration. As a previously convicted felon, Rucker is not permitted to possess a firearm under federal law. The count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of false impersonation of an officer of the United States carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of possession of imitation federal law enforcement credentials carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the ATF, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrest. He also thanked the Red Bank, New Jersey, Police Department for their assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian D. Brater of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. rucker.indictment.pdf


title: Numerous Individuals Charged with Illegally Possessing Machineguns  in Montgomery, Alabama

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – In the past two months, a federal grand jury has indicted eleven individuals on charges relating to possession of machineguns, announced Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross. Each of the alleged offenses occurred in Montgomery, Alabama, and each of the machineguns at issue was a semiautomatic firearm that had been converted to fully automatic through the installation of a machinegun conversion device. Machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” are installed on firearms and allow the guns to function as a fully automatic weapon, capable of firing up to 20 rounds per second. These devices have grown in popularity over the past few years and, due to their rapid rate of fire, pose a significant threat to communities and law enforcement. The possession of a machinegun, which, under the relevant federal statute, includes the possession of a conversion device alone, carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. These cases are being prosecuted as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Critical federal PSN partners include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Montgomery Police Department and the ATF investigated these cases, with assistance from the USMS. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates, Eric M. Counts, Joel Feil, John J. Geer, III, and Justin L. Jones are prosecuting the cases. More information on the recent indictments can be found in the table below. DEFENDANT NAME DEFENDANT AGE INDICTMENT DATE CHARGE(S) DATE(S) OF ALLEGED OFFENSE(S) Shykeem Kartarell Grant 21 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun; felon in possession of a firearm; and tampering with a witness by intimidation or threats November 2, 2023 (firearm offenses); and October 26, 2023 (witness tampering offense) Quadarius Deandre Lindsey 30 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun; and felon in possession of a firearm May 29, 2023 Deandre Nyquan Lucas 20 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun August 18, 2023 Clarence Anthony McCall 20 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun (two counts) August 18, 2023 (first count); October 30, 2023 (second count) Vandarius Jamal Parks 21 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun July 25, 2023 Tavius Smith 23 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun May 6, 2023 My’qurious Xavier Solomon 19 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun; and tampering with a witness by intimidation and threats October 25, 2023 (firearm offense); and October 31, 2023 (witness tampering offense) Dequarius Dewayne Thornton 26 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun; and illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment September 3, 2023 Cammeron Leroy Youngblood 23 November 29, 2023 Possession of a machinegun; and illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment August 23, 2023 Keonte Martin 20 October 31, 2023 Possession of a machinegun October 5, 2023 Jaxon Smith 19 October 31, 2023 Possession of a machinegun October 25, 2023 As previously stated, the possession of a machinegun, or the possession of a conversion device alone, carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison. The maximum sentences for the various other charges are: (1) up to 15 years in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense; (2) up to 5 years in prison for illegally receiving a firearm while under indictment; and (3) up to 20 years in prison for tampering with a witness by intimidation and threats. Trials for Martin and Jaxon Smith are currently scheduled for January 8, 2023. Trial dates for the defendants indicted on November 29, 2023, will be scheduled early next year.