title: St. Louis County Man Accused of Carjacking in St. Louis

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County, Missouri teen was indicted Wednesday and accused of being captured on video carjacking a Mazda 3 in St. Louis earlier this month. A grand jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis indicted Ahdaejay Britton, 18, of Bel-Ridge, on one felony count of carjacking and one count of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. A motion seeking to have Britton held in jail until trial says that in a “brazen attack” at about 1:30 p.m. on May 8, Britton approached the victim as he was walking out of a parking garage in the 3800 block of Lindell Boulevard. Britton pointed a handgun at the victim, pulled him back into the stairwell and then threw the victim to the ground, the motion says. After taking the victim's car keys and handing them to a juvenile, Britton stuck his gun in the victim’s face and reached into his pocket to steal his wallet and iPhone. The carjacking was captured on surveillance video, and Britton was caught by police with the stolen vehicle, the stolen iPhone and a gun less than an hour after the carjacking, the detention motion says. The carjacking charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, consecutive to all other charges, and a maximum of life in prison. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Board Member of Connecticut Energy Cooperative Sentenced to Prison for Misusing Funds

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney, for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN BILDA, 59, former City of Norwich representative on the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Corporation (“CMEEC”) Board of Directors, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to six months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for misusing CMEEC funds. CMEEC is a cooperative public corporation that permits municipal electric utilities in Connecticut to join together to furnish electric power in the municipalities’ areas of operation. CMEEC’s members included the City of Norwich, the City of Groton, the Borough of Jewett City, the Second Taxing District of the City of Norwalk, the Third Taxing District of the City of Norwalk, and the Town of Bozrah. As the owners of CMEEC, each member town executed an agreement through its respective municipal electric utility outlining the terms and conditions under which the CMEEC members participated together in CMEEC. The CMEEC membership agreement provides that excess revenues are designated as “CMEEC Margin,” and that the excess revenues are to be returned to the member towns to help keep electricity costs stable for ratepayers. Between 2010 and 2015, CMEEC received more than $9 million dollars from the U.S. Department of Energy. CMEEC member towns also received funds from federal grants. According to the evidence and testimony presented during a trial in 2021, Drew Rankin, who was the former chief executive officer of CMEEC, Bilda, and other members of the CMEEC Board of Directors, planned, organized, and directed lavish trips outside of Connecticut, including trips to the Kentucky Derby in 2015 and 2016, and to a luxury golf resort in West Virginia in 2015. These trips did not relate to CMEEC business, but were intended to personally benefit, compensate and reward Rankin, Bilda, CMEEC Board members, their family members, friends, and associates. Costs for the trips, which totaled more than $800,000, included travel expenses, private chartered airfare, first-class hotel accommodations, meals, tickets to sporting events, golf fees, souvenirs and gifts. For the Kentucky Derby trip in 2015, which had an average cost of approximately $9,000 per guest, Bilda brought his wife, his parents, and two friends. In August 2015, Rankin, Bilda, and two other CMEEC Board members traveled, at CMEEC expense and a cost of more than $21,000, to the Greenbrier golf resort in West Virginia. In October 2015, Rankin, Bilda, and several others returned to the Greenbrier at a cost to CMEEC of more than $100,000. In response to reporter inquiries about the Kentucky Derby and golf trips, Rankin underreported the costs of the trips, omitted the names of attendees who were not CMEEC employees or board members, and made other false statements related to how the trips were funded. After the trips were known to the general public, CMEEC canceled a reservation it had made for the 2017 Kentucky Derby, and was refunded only approximately $90,000 of the $298,960 it had prepaid for the trip in May 2016. On December 10, 2021, a jury found Rankin, Bilda, and James Sullivan, the former chairperson of the CMEEC Board of Directors, guilty of one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. Judge Meyer previously sentenced Rankin to 12 months of imprisonment, and Sullivan to six months of imprisonment. Restitution will be determined after additional court proceedings. Bilda is required to report to prison on July 12. This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Energy. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah P. Karwan, Michael S. McGarry and Tara E. Levens.


title: Andrew Hollins Pleads Not Guilty to Pandemic Fraud And Narcotics Indictments

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Andrew Hollins, who has also been known as Andrew Jones, 36, of Colchester, Vermont and New York City, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to two separate indictments charging him with narcotics trafficking, wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle ordered that Hollins be detained pending trial, which has not been scheduled. On December 13, 2022, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a superseding indictment alleging that Hollins distributed cocaine on three dates in late 2019. At the same time, the grand jury returned a separate indictment charging Hollins with fraud, money laundering and identity theft in connection with a series of pandemic-related Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications he allegedly submitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration in July and August 2020. Under the EIDL loan program, the SBA provides low-interest loans to businesses and persons that have suffered financial hardship because of a natural disaster, such as the Coronavirus pandemic. According to the indictment, Hollins applied for eight EIDL loans in mid-2020 in his own name, in the names of two businesses he founded, in the names of two relatives and in the names of three persons whose identities Jones allegedly stole. Some of the loans were funded by SBA, while others were rejected. The indictment states that the applications were fraudulent because they contained materially false statements about when the businesses were established, about the companies’ gross receipts in the preceding year, about the number of employees each business had and about the physical location of the businesses. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. If convicted on the drug charges, Hollins faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The wire fraud charges are punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines. This case was investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Hollins is represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.


title: St. Joseph Woman Pleads Guilty to Using Prison Inmates in Covid Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to using the stolen identities of prison inmates to fraudulently obtain federal unemployment benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Brooke Stewart, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of stealing government property. By pleading guilty today, Stewart admitted that she facilitated the filing of false claims for unemployment benefits by using the stolen identity information of five individuals who were incarcerated in state or federal prison and therefore not eligible to receive Missouri and enhanced unemployment benefits. Stewart also fraudulently received federal unemployment benefits in her own name and another person. As a result of her fraud scheme, Stewart stole at least $139,663 in benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided additional federal pandemic unemployment compensation to eligible individuals receiving other unemployment benefits under state laws. None of the inmates whose identity information was stolen actually received any of the fraudulently obtained benefits. Among those individuals whose stolen identity information was used to obtain benefits from May 2020 to June 2021 were federal defendants Garland Nelson and Brooke Beckley. Nelson is serving a 32-year federal prison sentence for a cattle fraud scheme that led to two murders in Braymer, Mo., and for illegally possessing a firearm, as well as two life sentences in a separate state case for the murders. Beckley is serving a 40-year prison sentence for her role in the murder of a Mexican national who was executed to help her avoid paying a debt owed in a drug-trafficking conspiracy in the Springfield, Mo., area. Under federal statutes, Stewart is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations & Labor Racketeering Fraud.


title: Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced to Imprisonment for Passport Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Samirah Boksmati, 34, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $700 assessment by United States District Judge R. Barclay Surrick for four counts of making false statements in a passport application and three counts of using a passport secured by false statements. Boksmati made multiple false representations to the U.S. State Department to secure United States passports for herself and her children and then used those passports obtained by fraud to travel abroad with two of her minor children. Boksmati acted with the intent to take all three of her children out of the United States, despite a family court order prohibiting her from taking her eldest child out of the country. “Border and identification security are critically important to national security,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Obtaining a United States passport by fraud will not be tolerated, especially when that fraud is perpetrated in order to take a child out of the country in violation of a family court order. This sentence demonstrates that there are consequences to abusing the passport application process.” “One of the core missions of Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is to protect the integrity of U.S. travel documents, which includes preventing the fraudulent acquisition and use of U.S. passports to facilitate parental child abductions,” Resident Agent in Charge R. Mike Escott of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service Philadelphia Resident Office. “DSS is grateful for today’s outcome and for the close partnership and support of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh A. Davison.


title: Mexican National Indicted for Meth Conspiracy, Illegal Firearms

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than 60 kilograms of methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms. Juan Hernandez-Guzman, 30, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, May 17. The indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Hernandez-Guzman on April 24, 2023, and includes additional counts. The federal indictment alleges that Hernandez-Guzman participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mo., from April 10 to April 23, 2023. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, police officers executed a search warrant at Hernandez-Guzman’s residence on April 22, 2023. Officers found a loaded Glock .357-caliber handgun, which had been modified so that it was capable of firing automatically, and a loaded Glock 9mm handgun. Each of the handguns had an extended magazine loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition. Officers also seized a quantity of cash and several cell phones. Officers also found 10.9 kilograms of methamphetamine inside a cardboard box in the back seat of a dark blue Tahoe, which Hernandez-Guzman was seen driving on several occasions. The vehicle also contained several handgun magazines and a quantity of cash. The federal indictment also charges Hernandez-Guzman with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Hernandez-Guzman to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged violations, including $13,048 that was seized by law enforcement officers during the execution of the search warrant, as well as a money judgment of $634,800, which was obtained as a result of the drug-trafficking conspiracy and involved the distribution of more than 60 kilograms of methamphetamine with an average street price of $300 per ounce. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Independence, Mo., Police Department. KC Metro Strike Force This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.


title: KC Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery of Pizza Delivery Driver

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for the armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver, after a suspect involved in the robbery was killed during a shootout with police officers. Samuel M. David, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 12 years and three months in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 4, 2022, David pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence. His sister and co-defendant, Rochelle E. David, 24, was sentenced on Jan. 11, 2023, to 14 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to the same crimes. Rochelle David placed an order for pizza to a Pizza Hut restaurant on Oct. 19, 2020, in order to lure a Pizza Hut employee to her address to conduct an armed robbery with the assistance of Samuel David and Ennice Ross. When the delivery driver arrived at about 10:18 p.m., Samuel David and Ross confronted him in the parking lot. Ross displayed a firearm in his waistband and Samuel David demanded the driver’s money. Samuel David went through the driver’s pockets, taking a wallet and knife from him. They also took $100 in cash from the driver’s vehicle. Ross ordered the delivery driver to take them to an ATM to withdraw more money from the driver’s bank account. The driver took them to a gas station, where Samuel David attempted to use the driver’s bank card to withdraw money from an ATM. Samuel David returned to the car and told Ross he wasn’t able to withdraw any money. Samuel David stabbed the driver in the hand with the driver’s knife. Samuel David ordered the delivery driver to take them to his residence in Gladstone, Mo., where he lived with his parents, while Rochelle David followed in a separate vehicle. Samuel David and Ross accompanied the driver into his residence, where they encountered the driver’s parents. Ross stayed with the driver’s parents while Samuel David walked the driver to his bedroom, where the driver opened a safe that contained approximately $2,000. Samuel David took the safe, and he and Ross left the residence. On Oct. 23, 2020, police officers were conducting surveillance in the area where the armed robberies occurred in an effort to locate Rochelle David in connection with an unrelated homicide investigation. She was seen leaving the apartment building in a vehicle with Samuel David and Ross. Officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in the area of Admiral and Tracy. Samuel David and another person got out of the vehicle, but Rochelle David and Ross stayed in the vehicle. Rochelle David told Ross that one of the officers who stopped them was the one who recently chased her. Shortly before she got out of the vehicle, she told Ross, “Shoot the one with the red hair first.” Rochelle David then got out of the vehicle, after which Ross opened his door and fired on officers with his gun. The officers returned fire, which resulted in his death. After being arrested, Rochelle David was questioned about the homicide. She admitted that Ross wanted to kill a homeless person and she was with him when they picked up a homeless man in Kansas City on Oct. 21, 2020. They drove around for a time with the victim, then Ross got out of the vehicle and she saw him shoot the victim. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.


title: Levittown, Pennsylvania Physician Agrees to Pay $100,000 to Resolve Controlled Substances Act Violations

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Douglas Daniel Files, D.O., has agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by failing to maintain complete and accurate records of a controlled substance (testosterone), failing to keep required receipt and dispensing records, failing to perform biennial inventories, and writing prescriptions “for stock.” The United States’ investigation involved Files’ practice located at 2346 Trenton Road, Levittown, Pennsylvania 19056. As part of the settlement, Files has entered into a three-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which includes additional responsibilities regarding the handling of controlled substances. The MOA imposes compliance obligations significantly more stringent than those in the applicable laws and regulations. Files prescribes and administers testosterone, a Schedule IIIN controlled substance. In April 2022, DEA investigators discovered that Files allegedly failed to conduct a biennial inventory, failed to maintain records for receipt and dispensing of the controlled substance, and was prescribing controlled substances “for stock” – all in violation of applicable regulations and statutes. The DEA diversion investigators obtained records of Files’ prescriptions “for stock” from a local retail pharmacy. Physicians are prohibited from obtaining controlled substances for the purpose of general dispensing to patients; they must comply with the requirements for a valid prescription, including the date, patient’s name and address, drug name and strength, dosage form, quantity prescribed, directions for use, and the physician/registrant’s name, address, and registration number. The prescription requirement is one of the ways in which controlled substances are tracked to prevent diversion and abuse. “Physicians who fail to maintain proper records of controlled substances create conditions ripe for diversion, or, at worst, may be engaging in diversion itself,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Physicians and pharmacists have a responsibility to ensure that all controlled substances are tracked through the distribution chain. Our Office is committed to ensuring total compliance with the Controlled Substances Act and we will vigorously enforce violations wherever we find them.” “Dr. Files’ ordering of prescription medicines for stock is not permissible under the regulations of the Controlled Substances Act,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Settlements and Memorandum of Agreements such as these help to ensure that physicians properly safeguard, dispense, and account for the controlled substances in their care.” Congress enacted the CSA to deter the illegal importation, manufacture, distribution, possession, and improper use of controlled substances, including prescription medications, and requires individuals and entities registered with the DEA to maintain complete and accurate records of all controlled substances and security systems so that controlled substances are not lost, stolen, or inappropriately dispensed. The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating diversion of controlled substances. The record keeping and other regulations applicable to DEA registrants, including physicians, are the tools by which the DEA deters drug diversion. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division, Diversion Regulatory Group 2 (D72), and the investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Viveca D. Parker, with DEA Diversion Investigators. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Richmond County Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years for Arson

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Richmond County resident was sentenced on May 18, 2023, in federal court in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for maliciously damaging and destroying by means of fire or an explosive a building used in interstate or foreign commerce, specifically rental property located at 199 Dixieland Drive, Rockingham, North Carolina, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina. COREY LAMONT CARTER, age 45, was convicted after his guilty plea on October 3, 2022. On January 24, 2022, at approximately 1:37 p.m., Richmond County Deputy Sheriffs responded to a reported structure fire at 199 Dixieland Drive in Rockingham. Upon arrival the building (a residence) was fully engulfed in flames. The home’s occupant told deputies that her boyfriend, COREY LAMONT CARTER, had set the residence on fire. The occupant said that she and her son made it out of the home safely. The occupant told deputies that she and CARTER had an argument and she walked outside to call police. She then noted, after turning back towards the residence, that it was on fire. CARTER then fled the scene. A short time later a resident of the Maner Road section of Rockingham reported to deputies that she saw a man matching the description of CARTER running north on U.S. 1 carrying a gas can. The caller told deputies that he then ran to an abandoned two-story white house near the wood line. As deputies approached the front door to the home, the door slowly opened and CARTER walked out of the home with his hands up. Deputies detained CARTER and confirmed his identity. As he was being escorted to a patrol vehicle CARTER spontaneously stated, “I know what ya’ll looking for, the gas can it’s in the house.” CARTER was then placed under arrest. Incident to arrest deputies located two books of matches and a lighter in CARTER’s left front pocket. Deputies also recovered the gas can from inside the abandoned home. In a post-Miranda statement, CARTER admitted to having set the fire at 199 Dixieland Drive. The residence was being used as rental property at the time of the fire with a tenant living in the home, and the fire resulted in a complete loss, including contents. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation processed the fire scene. After careful consideration of the evidence at the scene and information provided by witnesses, agents formed the opinion that this fire was ignited when a person, presumably CARTER, poured an unknown ignitable liquid on the floor in the bedroom located at the end of the hallway and up the hallway to the kitchen, and then introduced an open flame through a lighter, match, or similar device which ignited the vapors. The fire then spread through the available combustibles inside the house. The fire was classified as incendiary in nature. Chief United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder sentenced CARTER to 151 months in federal prison. In addition to the prison time, CARTER was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release, pay restitution of $11,500, and to pay a special assessment of $100.00. The case was investigated by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clifton T. Barrett. ###


title: Convicted killer gets 30 years for trafficking meth

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A South Carolina man and a Georgia woman have been ordered to prison following their conviction of smuggling drugs through McAllen, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Joseph Gray, Jr., 47, pleaded guilty Sept 12, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute meth, while Jasmine Cecelia Dorsey, 28, entered here plea Feb. 1, 2022, to importing meth. Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez a 360-month term of imprisonment for Gray, while Dorsey received 64 months. Gray and Dorsey must also serve five and three years, respectively, of supervised release following the sentences. At the hearing, the court heard Gray’s trafficking organization smuggled drugs throughout parts of the eastern seaboard including Georgia, the Carolinas, New York, Virginia and Washington, D.C. The court also heard that after Gray was released from state custody for robbing and killing a person and from federal custody for trafficking crack cocaine, he continued to engage in drug trafficking crimes that led to a series of supervised release revocations and an additional drug trafficking conviction. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Alvarez noted that Gray was given many chances to change his life but did not do so. Two others were previously convicted and sentenced for their role in the conspiracy. Iyana De’Kyra Carter received a 78-month-term of imprisonment, while Keith Anthony Murray was ordered to serve 182 months. On July 31, 2021, Dorsey and Carter traveled from Mexico and attempted to enter the United States through Hidalgo, Texas, port of entry with approximately 18 kilograms of pure meth concealed in the gas tank. Further investigation revealed Gray directed Murray to hire drug mules. Dorsey and Carter drove from Atlanta, Georgia, to Monterrey, Mexico, loaded the vehicle with meth and attempted to bring the narcotics back to Georgia for further distribution. Gray coordinated extensively with Mexican and Panama narcotics traffickers to ensure the meth was received safely. Gray will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Dorsey was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender at a later date. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung prosecuted the case.


title: Hudson County Man Admits Role in Gang Assault

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A member of a neighborhood street gang in Hudson County, New Jersey, today admitted to stabbing a rival gang member during a retaliatory gang-related assault, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Sheldon Mays, aka “Thottie,” 23, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon – a knife – in aid of racketeering. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Aug. 3, 2020, Mays and seven others, all of whom are associated with a street gang operating in and around the Curries Woods Public Housing Complex in Jersey City – identified as “Curries Woods” or the “Tay Tay Shrimp Gang” or the “Sharks” – assaulted a rival gang member in retaliation for a prior gang-related assault. As the victim was walking down a street in Jersey City, Mays and the others approached in two cars, parked in the middle of the street, and violently assaulted the victim, who was punched, kicked, and stabbed by Mays, and suffered life-threatening injuries. The count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; and the Hudson County Department of Corrections with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. mays.information.pdf


title: Former President Of The New York Building And Construction Trades Council And 10 Other Union Officials Sentenced For Accepting Bribes And Illegal Payments

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Raymond A. Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney, announced today that JAMES CAHILL, former President of the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for accepting bribes and illegal cash payments from a non-union construction contractor (“Employer-1”) while serving as a union officer. Union officers CHRISTOPHER KRAFT, PATRICK HILL, MATTHEW NORTON, WILLIAM BRIAN WANGERMAN, KEVIN MCCARRON, JEREMY SHEERAN, a/k/a “Max,” ANDREW MCKEON, ROBERT EGAN, SCOTT ROCHE, and ARTHUR GIPSON have previously been sentenced for related conduct by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Capitalizing on his position as a high-ranking union official, James Cahill accepted payment after payment to favor non-union labor at the expense of union members. Whether it was a cash-stuffed envelope or in-kind benefit, each payment reflected a decision to place personal greed over the union interests that Cahill was duty-bound to serve. Today’s sentence makes clear that this Office and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to hold responsible those who exploit their positions of power for personal gain. I thank the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for their partnership in this case.” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said: “James Cahill repeatedly chose to enrich himself at the expense of the hard-working men and women whose interests he had a sworn duty to protect, and his sentence to a substantial term in federal prison should serve as a message to all others who would consider engaging in similar betrayals of trust. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York for their collaboration in this investigation, and for their efforts in obtaining this just result.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, statements made in court, and court filings: JAMES CAHILL was the President of the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council (the “NYS Trades Council”), which represents over 200,000 unionized construction workers, a member of the Executive Council for the New York State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (the “NYS AFL-CIO”), and formerly a union representative of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (the “UA”). During the charged conspiracy from about October 2018 to October 2020, CAHILL accepted approximately $44,500 in bribes from Employer-1, as well as other benefits, including home appliances and free labor on CAHILL’s vacation home. As part of his guilty plea, CAHILL acknowledged having previously accepted at least approximately $100,000 of additional bribes from Employer-1 in connection with CAHILL’s union positions. As the leader of the conspiracy, CAHILL introduced Employer-1 to many of the other defendants, while advising Employer-1 that Employer-1 could reap the benefits of being associated with the unions without actually signing union agreements or employing union workers. KRAFT, HILL, NORTON, WANGERMAN, MCCARRON, SHEERAN, and MCKEON were Business Agents, EGAN was the Secretary-Treasurer, and ROCHE was the Business Agent At Large of the Local 638 of the UA (“Local 638”). GIPSON was a Business Agent of the Local Union 200 of the UA (“Local 200”). Each of these defendants accepted thousands and, in some cases, tens of thousands of dollars of cash bribes from Employer-1, a contractor who had projects and potential projects within the jurisdiction of Local 638 and Local 200. All 11 defendants accepted cash from Employer-1 — usually stuffed in envelopes that Employer-1 handed off inside the restrooms of restaurants. During the meetings at which the payments were made, Employer-1 repeatedly requested favorable action from Local 638 and/or Local 200, including the following: (i) that the relevant union would support Employer-1’s bids on various projects, (ii) that the union would consider signing Employer-1 to labor agreements that Employer-1 regarded to be favorable (including agreements that would pay union workers lower rates than their experience merited), and (iii) that the union would permit Employer-1 to falsely claim to developers that Employer-1 employed union workers. Employer-1 contracted to work on — or would bid on — projects that otherwise could have employed union workers belonging to Local 638 and/or Local 200. At the time Employer-1 was bribing the defendants, Employer-1’s business employed workers who were not members of Local 638 and/or Local 200 but would have been eligible for membership. * * * A chart containing the names, offenses of conviction, and sentences imposed by Judge McMahon is below. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents and investigators within the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jun Xiang, Jason Swergold, Danielle Sassoon, Frank J. Balsamello, Marguerite B. Colson, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura de Oliveira, are in charge of the prosecution. Defendant Statute of Conviction Sentence JAMES CAHILL Honest Services Fraud Conspiracy Sentenced on May 18, 2023, to 51 months in prison and $150,000 fine CHRISTOPHER KRAFT Honest Services Fraud Conspiracy Sentenced on December 12, 2022, to 18 months in prison and $10,000 fine PATRICK HILL Honest Services Fraud Conspiracy Sentenced on December 19, 2022, to 27 months in prison and $10,000 fine MATTHEW NORTON Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony) Sentenced on December 13, 2022, to three years’ probation and $10,000 fine WILLIAM BRIAN WANGERMAN Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony) Sentenced on April 12, 2023, to four years’ probation and $10,000 fine KEVIN MCCARRON Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Misdemeanor) Sentenced on May 10, 2023, to 60 days in prison JEREMY SHEERAN Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony) Sentenced on February 8, 2023, to two years’ probation and $10,000 fine ANDREW MCKEON Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony) Sentenced on March 14, 2023, to two years’ probation and $10,000 fine ROBERT EGAN Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony) Sentenced on March 14, 2023, to three years’ probation and $10,000 fine SCOTT ROCHE Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Misdemeanor) Sentenced on December 6, 2022, to two years’ probation and $10,000 fine ARTHUR GIPSON Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony) Sentenced on May 3, 2023, to 60 days in prison and $4,000 fine


title: Grayson County Man Guilty of Violent Crime Spree in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Sherman man has been convicted of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Brian Deboris Black, 32, was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery; robbery; conspiracy to kidnap; and two counts of carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Black was found guilty of all counts by a jury following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. According to information presented in court, on Oct. 3, 2020, Black, along with two others, robbed a Dollar General store in Tom Bean, Texas. During the robbery, Black brandished a firearm and threatened to kill the three employees in the store if they did not comply with his demands. On Oct. 13, 2020, Black and several others, committed a home invasion robbery in Mansfield, Texas. They entered the home at gunpoint, kidnapped three family members and restrained them with zip ties, and demanded money while threatening to kill them if they did not comply. Black shot the homeowners’ son when he was able to free himself from the zip ties. The victim survived the shooting, but with permanent injuries. Co-defendant testimony, DNA, and cell phone analysis were instrumental in establishing that Black brandished the firearm while committing both offenses. “The Department of Justice will continue to use every resource at its disposal to address violent crimes occurring in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “This outcome should serve as a message that individuals who use firearms to harm or injure others will be prosecuted and held accountable in federal court.” “The FBI remains laser focused on working with our law enforcement partners to counter violent crime wherever it occurs. In this case, our agents and task force officers combined the use of cutting-edge technologies and traditional investigative methods to achieve a significant verdict against a violent offender. I’m grateful that our community has been made safer by their work,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. Black faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Sherman Resident Agency, Tom Bean Police Department, Whitewright Police Department, Sherman Police Department, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ernest Gonzalez and Tracey Batson. ###


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts  Individual for Federal Firearms and Narcotics Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JONATH WILLIAMSON, JR. , age 38, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on March 31, 2023 in a four-count indictment. In count 1, WILLIAMSON is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In count 2, WILLIAMSON is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A). In count 3, WILLIAMSON is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). In count 4, WILLIAMSON is charged with possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(k). If convicted in count 1, WILLIAMSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. If convicted in count 2, WILLIAMSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to all other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, WILLIAMSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 4, WILLIAMSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. WILLIAMSON must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count. U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigations and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Colonial Heights Elementary School Aide and Bus Driver Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography. According to court documents, Richard Jerod Whitley, Jr., 37, was engaged in the on-line trading of child sexual abuse material. Attributed with thousands of images, some of Whitley’s collection contained sadistic and masochistic content as well as material with toddlers and infants engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Whitley was an elementary school bus driver and school aide at a Colonial Heights elementary school. Whitley pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-27.


title: U.S. Attorney Damian Williams Announces The Selection Of Deputy U.S. Attorney And Special Counsel

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, today announced the selection of Andrea Griswold as Deputy United States Attorney, and Margaret Garnett as Special Counsel to the United States Attorney. Since April 2022, Ms. Griswold has served as Chief Counsel to the United States Attorney. From June 2020 until June 2022, Ms. Griswold served as a Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, first as Deputy Chief and then as Chief or Co-Chief. In this two-year period, Ms. Griswold supervised a series of significant individual and corporate investigations and prosecutions relating to market manipulation, insider trading, investor fraud, and accounting and valuation fraud. Many of the cases brought under Ms. Griswold’s leadership related to private funds, SPACs, cryptocurrency and digital assets. Prior to assuming a supervisory position in that unit, Ms. Griswold investigated and prosecuted a wide variety of significant securities fraud and public corruption cases, and also served as an Acting Chief of the Narcotics Unit. Ms. Griswold began her career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Office in March 2013. Prior to her public service, she worked for more than five years as an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Ms. Griswold received her B.A. cum laude from Georgetown University and her J.D. from New York University School of Law. Following the announcement this week that Margaret Garnett has been recommended to the President for a judgeship in the Southern District of New York, Ms. Garnett has assumed the role of Special Counsel to the United States Attorney. Since November 2021, Ms. Garnett has served as Deputy United States Attorney. Prior to her return to the Office, Ms. Garnett served as the Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Investigation (“DOI”), one of the oldest municipal anti-corruption agencies in the United States. Prior to her service at DOI, Ms. Garnett served as Executive Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice in the Office of the New York State Attorney General. Ms. Garnett was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Office for 12 years, serving at times as Chief of Appeals and Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Unit. She received the Director’s Award for Outstanding Performance and the Stimson Medal for her exceptional service in the Criminal Division. Prior to her public service, Ms. Garnett worked as an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. She began her public service career as a law clerk to the Honorable Gerard E. Lynch of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Ms. Garnett received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, her M.A. from Yale University, and her J.D. from Columbia University. In making these selections, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “I am pleased to appoint Andrea Griswold as Deputy United States Attorney. I have worked side-by-side with Andrea through our ascension in the Office, and know her to have the rare combination of not only being an exceptional prosecutor and litigator, but also possessing the exemplary judgement and leadership skills to help lead the most talented group of prosecutors in the country. Margaret Garnett is an extraordinary lawyer, public servant, and friend. She is brilliant, fair, kind, and wise. She has and will continue to exemplify the best of this Office.”


title: Slingerlands Man Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Fuino, age 73, of Slingerlands, New York, was arrested yesterday and charged with one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Steven A. Nigrelli, Acting Superintendent of the New York State Police, made the announcement. Fuino appeared today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and was ordered detained after reserving his right to seek a detention hearing at a later date. According to a criminal complaint and statements made by prosecutors in court today, Fuino repeatedly molested a child. Fuino babysat the child at his home and brought her with him to Atlantic City, New Jersey, on weekends while the child’s mother worked. The complaint alleges that during those stays, Fuino photographed the child’s genitals, digitally penetrated her, and forced the girl to perform oral sex on him. The conduct is alleged to have occurred over the past 11 months, beginning when the child was 6 years old. Law enforcement has recovered, from Fuino’s electronic devices, images of the victim on depicting some of the abuse. The victim reported the abuse to her school last week after an elementary school presentation on inappropriate touching and sexual contact. The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charge filed against Fuino carries a sentence of at least 30 years and up to life in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. This case is being investigated by the FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Duquesne Man Sentenced to 60 Months Imprisonment for Conspiring to Distribute Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: A former resident of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months imprisonment on his conviction of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Delbert Pate, 30, formerly of Duquesne, PA. According to information presented to the court, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted a long-term investigation of drug trafficking occurring in and around the Braddock borough of Pittsburgh and identified several members and associates of a neighborhood-based street gang, self-titled “SCO” that were responsible for distributing controlled substances in Western Pennsylvania, which was led by Pate’s half-brother, who has previously been sentenced to over 20 years’ imprisonment, Howard McFadden. Pate was identified as a member of SCO and involved in McFadden’s drug-trafficking business. Intercepted communications revealed that in addition to acting as a drug runner/courier for McFadden, Pate was one of McFadden’s trusted associates, and received distributor quantities of heroin from McFadden. Pate admitted that he was responsible for distributing over 100 grams of heroin. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Other assisting agencies include the Allegheny County Adult Probation, Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Shaler Township Police Department and Wilkinsburg Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Delbert Pate. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Castle Shannon Man Indicted for Violating Federal Narcotics Laws

body_text: PITTSBURGH –A resident of Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania was arrested in Florida after being indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Michael Hunsinger, 57, Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. Though indicted in February 2023, Hunsinger was ultimately arrested in Florida on these federal charges. According to the Indictment, on or about June 3, 2022, the defendant did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances. Hunsinger was allegedly obtaining large quantities of these controlled substances from an Ohio source and transporting them back to this district. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than ten (10) years in prison, and fine of $10,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Castle Shannon Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Ambridge Man Sentenced to 150 Months Imprisonment for Violating Federal Narcotics and Firearms Laws

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of Ambridge, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 150 months imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Michael Gamble, age 38, formerly of Ambridge, Pennsylvania. According to information presented to the court, Gamble possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. On December 10, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Ambridge, Pennsylvania residence where Gamble had been distributing controlled substances. A search of Gamble’s person revealed that he had approximately six (6) net grams fentanyl and $2,693.00. Between a cushion on a couch, where the defendant was seated, law enforcement received a loaded handgun with an attached extended magazine. The loaded handgun was found in the same basement as several digital scales, three boxes of empty glassine bags, a stamper, an ink pad and approximately 90 net grams of fentanyl. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. 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. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Gamble.


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Roland J. Scott III, 21, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and maintaining a drug trafficking place. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Scott pleaded guilty to these charges on February 24, 2023. Between September 15 and October 5, 2021, Scott sold heroin and fentanyl to an undercover officer in Madison on four separate occasions. On October 7, 2021, law enforcement searched his residence and found 110 grams of fentanyl packaged in individual baggies, ready for sale, and over $10,000 in cash. Scott was arrested during the search, and later charged in state court and released on bond. At the time of his arrest, he was on bond in eight different state cases. Several months later, on June 30, 2022, Scott and two passengers were driving in a stolen car in Madison when they crashed into a truck with a trailer. Scott and his passengers battered the two individuals inside the pickup truck. While fleeing the scene, Scott and his passengers drove past the truck and one of them fired a shot at the victims. The car crashed a few miles down the road and Scott was arrested shortly thereafter. He was found in possession of 657 grams of fentanyl mixed with heroin, over $9,000 in cash, and a Glock 9mm handgun. At this point, Scott was on bond for ten state cases. At sentencing, Judge Conley explained that Scott was a danger to society given the large quantity of fentanyl he was trafficking and for possessing a loaded handgun while drug dealing. He said that the decisions Scott has made and continue to make have been disastrous. The charges against Scott were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn E. Ginsberg prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts San Fernando Valley Duo Who Allegedly Used Darknet Marketplaces to Sell Fentanyl and Cocaine

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man and woman who allegedly used darknet marketplaces to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide have been indicted by a federal grand jury, the Justice Department announced today. Brian McDonald, 22, of Van Nuys, whose aliases include “Malachai Johnson,” “SouthSideOxy,” and “JefeDeMichoacan,” and Ciara Clutario, 22, of Burbank, were charged in an eight-count indictment returned Wednesday. Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, five counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of cocaine. McDonald also is charged with one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. McDonald has been in federal custody since his arrest in this case on May 4, and his arraignment is scheduled for May 25 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Clutario is expected to make her initial appearance in the coming weeks. According to the indictment, from at least April 2021 until May 2023, McDonald, Clutario and others conspired to sell fentanyl and cocaine via darknet marketplaces such as “White House Market,” “ToRReZ” and “AlphaBay.” McDonald, using aliases, created vendor profiles on these marketplaces to sell illegal drugs in exchange for cryptocurrency, the indictment alleges. McDonald and Clutario allegedly monitored and maintained the darknet vendor profiles, including by updating drug listings and shipment options, tracking drug orders received online, and offloading Monero cryptocurrency received as drug deal payments into cryptocurrency wallets that McDonald controlled. McDonald allegedly recruited and hired accomplices – including Clutario – to help with packaging and shipping the narcotics that they sold on the darknet. McDonald directed Clutario and other co-conspirators on how to package and ship the narcotics, and he assisted them in the packaging and shipping, the indictment alleges. The indictment alleges that in May 2021 – one week after McDonald created a darknet vendor profile for the purpose of selling illegal drugs – he texted Clutario to tell her that their darknet drug sales were “flourish[ing].” Later that month, McDonald allegedly texted a co-conspirator that he had just sold 20,000 pills to customers. In June 2021, McDonald allegedly texted an accomplice that he had 34 drug orders he had to fill. The following month, in text messages to Clutario about the conspiracy’s goals, McDonald stated, “i’m really tryna make like 5 mil,” according to the indictment. The proceeds from the drug sales – after being converted from cryptocurrency into cash – allegedly were stored by McDonald and Clutario at their respective residences. They shipped fentanyl and cocaine that were sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the indictment. McDonald also allegedly possessed firearms, specifically two gold-plated handguns – one without a serial number – to protect his drug trafficking business and the proceeds of drug sales made on darknet marketplaces. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In convicted of all charges, McDonald and Clutario would face mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years and 10 years, respectively, in federal prison. Each defendant also would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating this matter as part of JCODE. The Justice Department established the FBI-led JCODE team to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt, and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics, along with identifying and dismantling their supply chains. Assistant United States Attorneys Declan T. Conroy and Ian V. Yanniello of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Cahokia Heights Man Gets 188 Months in Prison for Gun, Drug Charges

component: Criminal - Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District sentencing judge ordered a Cahokia Heights man to spend 188 months in federal prison after he admitted to distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine and possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute the drugs in St. Clair County. Nickolas Shannon, 29, previously pled guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intention to distribute. Upon release from federal prison, he will serve five years of supervised release. “Fentanyl is poisoning our communities at an alarming rate, and we’re confronting the crisis in southern Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Individuals found responsible for distributing illicit drugs can and will be subjected to steep federal prison sentences.” "Too often DEA finds illegal drugs and firearms in our cases," said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Rehg, head of Drug Enforcement Administration enforcement operations in southern Illinois. "Drug trafficking is a violent business and a primary reason we investigate cases like this one. The successful prosecution and sentencing of Nickolas Shannon is a reminder that the DEA will pursue these criminals not only to stop the illegal distribution of fentanyl in our communities, but also to prevent the associated violence that comes with felons possessing guns." According to court documents, DEA agents began investigating Shannon for distributing controlled substances in December 2021 based on information from a confidential source. Undercover sources working with DEA bought 5.4 grams of fentanyl and 6.883 grams of methamphetamine from Shannon on two separate occasions in St. Clair County. Shortly after, agents arrested Shannon and conducted a search warrant on his apartment. During the search, agents located 1.735 grams of cocaine base, 1.162 grams of cocaine and 2.9 grams of fentanyl as well as a drug paraphernalia and three loaded and unsecured firearms, including an AR-15 rifle. In an interview with police, Shannon acknowledged he is a convicted felon and therefore unable to legally possess firearms. Further DEA investigation revealed that Shannon was responsible for the distribution of nearly 300 grams of fentanyl. DEA led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. Carraway prosecuted the case.


title: Billings man sentenced for lying to federal grand jury

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to lying about a firearm in a shooting during testimony before a federal grand jury was sentenced today to four years of probation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Caleb Jason Olson, 21, pleaded guilty in January to an indictment charging him with false declaration before a grand jury. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that Olson was the driver in an attempted drug robbery that involved a shooting in the fall of 2019 and provided a shotgun to one of his passengers. Olson then lied in December 2021 to a federal grand jury investigating the incident when asked about the firearm. Olson had been placed under oath and advised that he could face criminal liability should he make a false statement during his testimony. Olson falsely testified that he didn’t know there were any firearms in his vehicle, when he knew that he had, in fact, brought a firearm in his car that night. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus, Bryan T. Dake and Benjamin D. Hargrove prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Illegally Possessing Two Machine Guns

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that XAVIER DUHON , age 20, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on April 14, 2023 in a one-count indictment for possession of a machine gun pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). If convicted, DUHON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Readout of Justice Department Leadership’s Meeting with Civil Rights Groups to Discuss Key Issues

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division met with civil rights organizations yesterday at the Justice Department. Department leadership heard from attending organizations on an array of topics including hate crimes and reporting, educational equity, voting rights, implementation of Executive Order 14074 on policing and criminal justice issues, and reproductive rights. Some of the Department’s recent work on critical issues includes publishing a Dear Colleague letter on the imposition and enforcement of fines and fees on adults and youth by state and local courts and juvenile justice agencies and the release of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the safety of our communities while advancing thoughtful, evidence-informed initiatives and reforms throughout the criminal justice system, as put forth in the Department's Strategic Plan . The meeting comes in advance of the three-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the one-year anniversary of the May 2022 Executive Order on Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing, and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety . Department leadership pledged to continue robust civil rights enforcement in line with the Attorney General’s commitment to a department-wide approach to civil rights and to thoughtfully engaging communities on the issues that impact them.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Missouri Landlord

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement from a St. Louis, Missouri landlord, who has agreed to pay $110,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) when he sexually harassed multiple female tenants. Under the agreement, subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Nedzad Ukejnovic is required to pay $85,000 to compensate individuals harmed by the harassment and $20,000 to compensate the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council for resources it expended responding to the reported harassment. The defendant is also required to pay a $5,000 civil penalty to the United States. “Far too often landlords sexually harass and prey on those who are most vulnerable and it is unacceptable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce fair housing laws to hold those who engage in unlawful conduct to account.” “Multiple tenants complained that Mr. Ukejnovic subjected them to vulgar and disgusting demands for sex, offering to reduce rent or security deposits if they complied,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office takes allegations like these seriously and seeks to hold all civil rights violators accountable whether civilly or criminally. This agreement not only provides for monetary compensation, but it also prohibits him from contacting these tenants, bars him from his properties when a lease is in effect and requires him to hire an independent property manager to prevent further violations of the civil rights laws. All of these are measures that will help protect current and future tenants.” “It is abhorrent that a landlord would subject his tenants to sexual harassment and retaliation, robbing them of a safe place to call home,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Demetria L. McCain of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “This settlement sends a strong message that sexual harassment in housing is illegal and that those who violate the Fair Housing Act will be held accountable. HUD applauds today’s action and remains committed to working with DOJ to enforce our nation’s fair housing laws.” In addition, the consent order requires the defendant to retain an independent property manager to manage his rental properties for the duration of the order, obtain fair housing training and implement non-discrimination policies and complaint procedures to prevent sexual harassment at his properties in the future. The lawsuit, filed in September 2022, alleged that the defendant subjected multiple female tenants to harassment that included making unwelcome sexual advances, offering to reduce rent or security deposits in exchange for engaging in sex acts, requesting sexually explicit photos, staring at female tenants’ bodies in a sexual way, subjecting female tenants to unwelcome sexual touching, and visiting and entering female tenants’ homes for no legitimate purpose. The matter was referred to the Justice Department after HUD received two separate complaints alleging that the defendant had violated the Fair Housing Act. The complainants – a former female tenant and the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council, a non-profit organization that helped the tenant file a complaint with HUD and engaged in outreach and education efforts following defendant’s harassment of the tenant – chose to have the matter decided in federal court after HUD investigated their complaints and issued a charge of discrimination. Upon receiving the referral the Justice Department investigated further and identified additional female tenants whom the defendant sexually harassed. The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 31 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $10.8 million for victims of such harassment. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting people from sexual misconduct. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online . Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online .


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Offense

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – John Maurice West, 29, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a federal firearms charge stemming from his possession of a loaded firearm on June 27, 2022, aboard a Metrorail train and in the 1700 block of 8th Street NW, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. West pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Judge Jia M. Cobb scheduled a sentencing hearing for September 8, 2023. According to the government’s evidence, on June 27, 2022, West threatened another man with a gun while aboard a Metrorail train at the Gallery Place–Chinatown Metro Station. The victim disembarked at the next station and reported the offense. Surveillance footage revealed that West exited the Metro at the Shaw–Howard University station and ran into the 1700 block of 8th Street NW, in the District’s Shaw neighborhood. Surveillance footage also depicted West in and around the entryway of an apartment building in that block moments before his arrest. Police canvassed the area and found a loaded, semi-automatic handgun concealed in a drainage pipe. Subsequent DNA testing and analysis linked both the handgun and its magazine to West. West was arrested on June 27, 2022, and has remained in custody ever since. Federal law prohibits West from possessing a firearm because, in 2014, he was convicted in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of possession with intent to distribute cocaine while armed with a firearm. West faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Chief Anzallo, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit and Metropolitan Police Departments. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Karla Nunez. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant United States Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Thomas G. Strong, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: New York Construction Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing False Return

component: Tax Division

body_text: A New York man pleaded guilty today to filing a false corporate tax return for his construction business. According to court documents and statements made in court, Pawel A. Bartoszek of Lake Grove, New York, owned and operated a construction company, Mega State Inc. From 2015 through 2017, Bartoszek cashed checks he received from Mega State clients for services rendered rather than deposit them in the company’s bank account. As a result, Bartoszek concealed approximately $6.1 million in business income from his tax return preparer and caused the tax returns for Mega State submitted to the IRS to falsely understate its gross income. Bartoszek is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26, and faces a maximum penalty of three 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. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Ann M. Cherry and Catriona Coppler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Grand Jury-May 2023

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned ten unsealed Indictments charging ten defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. * Fernando Aguirre-Quintero , age 24, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about March 1, 2023. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information . * Danielle Cleary , age 28, of Bancroft, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Cleary with assault resulting in serious bodily injury on the Omaha Indian Reservation on or about January 11, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Cleary with child abuse on the Omaha Indian Reservation on or about January 11, 2023. The penalty if convicted is 3 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000 fine, an eighteen-month term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information . * Jeffrey Edwards , age 66, of Omaha, is charged in a sixteen-count Indictment. Counts I through IX charge Edwards with healthcare fraud between on or about 2010 and continuing to on or about 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts X through XIII charge Edwards with controlled substance prescribed outside the usual course of medical practice between on or about 2010 and continuing to on or about 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a not less than three-years’ and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts XIV through XVI charge Edwards with false statements relating to health care matters on or about February 15, 2018 and continuing to on or about November 19, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment. * Marcus Green , age 41, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Green with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on or about July 1, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Green with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense on or about July 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to life imprisonment to run consecutive imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Green with prohibited person in possession of a firearm on or about July 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information . * Robert Vincent Harris , age 56, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Harris with distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury on or about February 14, 2023. The penalty if convicted is not less than 20 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a three-year and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Harris with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on or about February 14, 2023 and continuing until February 15, 2023. The penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information . * Alejandro Hernandez-Hernandez, a/k/a Alejandro Hernandez , age 37, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about May 9, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information. * Robert Johnson , age 39, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Johnson with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about July 1, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Johnson with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense on or about July 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to life imprisonment to run consecutive imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release consecutive, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information . * Riek J. Kuany , age 24, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Kuany with Bank Robbery on or about April 6, 2023. The penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Kuany with brandishing a weapon to commit a federal crime of violence on or about April 6, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 7 years’ and up to life imprisonment to run consecutive imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release consecutive, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Kuany with Bank Robbery on or about April 11, 2023. The penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-years term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Kuany with brandishing a weapon to commit a federal crime of violence on or about April 22, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 7 years’ and up to life imprisonment to run consecutive imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release consecutive, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information. * Kevin Radik , age 37, of Papillion, Nebraska, is charged with delay or destruction of mail beginning on or about December 1, 2022 and continuing through on or about March 16, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information . * Allan Onelio Velasquez-Velasquez , age 47, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony conviction beginning on or about May 10, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information .


title: Minden Woman Convicted for Misuse of a Social Security Number

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Gabriela Navarrete, 44, of Minden, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for misuse of a social security number. Navarrete was sentenced to time served and will serve 3 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. On November 16, 2017, Gabriela Navarrete filled out and signed a Form I-9 in order to begin employment at Casey’s General Store in Nebraska. On the Form I-9, she filled in the blanks for “U.S. Social Security Number” with a social security number that did not belong to her. As verification of the information provided on the Form I-9, Navarrete provided a Social Security Card bearing her name and the specific social security number (SSN). Navarrete knew that SSN had not been assigned to her by the Commissioner of Social Security. She provided that SSN with the intention to deceive Casey’s General Store into believing that number was assigned to her. Navarrete made that false representation to satisfy Section 274A(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Moses Lake Man Sentenced to 140 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – On May 17, 2023, U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Irbin Martinez-Santacruz, 30, of Moses Lake, Washington, to 140 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. District Judge Rice also ordered Martinez-Santacruz to serve five years on federal supervision after he is released from prison. According to court documents, Martinez-Santacruz, a documented gang member, conspired with other gang members to engage in the distribution of methamphetamine to an undercover agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). In April 2020, ATF agents initiated an investigation into the illegal activities of the Lil Valley Lokotes, which is a criminal street gang associated with the Surenos. During the investigation, ATF learned that Martinez-Santacruz’s codefendant, Mario Crittenden, was selling large quantities of methamphetamine, which had been supplied by another member of the Lil Valley Lokotes. The agents also learned that several members of the Lil Valley Lokotes were suspected of participating in shooting incidents in the Moses Lake area. During a year-long investigation, Martinez-Santacruz was identified as one of Crittenden’s co-conspirators. Martinez-Santacruz also distributed methamphetamine to the undercover agent on three occasions in the Moses Lake area. In imposing yesterday’s sentence, District Judge Rice expressed that this was not a single mistake and highlighted the significant nature and seriousness of the conspiracy as well as Martinez-Santacruz’s significant criminal history and role in the offense. District Judge Rice had previously sentenced Mario Crittenden to 132 months imprisonment following his plea of guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Another co-defendant, Cody Flores, previously was sentenced to 140 months of imprisonment following his plea of guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Five other co-defendants’ cases remain pending. United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref commended the joint efforts of law enforcement for the careful investigation and close-working relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office: “As a result of the ATF investigation into the Lil Valley Loketes, which are affiliated with the Surenos, our community is a safer place. This organization was responsible for a number of shooting incidents in and around the Moses Lake area. I’m grateful for the excellent work our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, as well as that of AUSA Pat Cashman, who worked together to bring Mr. Martinez-Santacruz to justice.” “Today’s sentence demonstrates that criminal activities like these will not be tolerated,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “When you poison our communities, ATF and our law enforcement partners will be there to stop you.” This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution. This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Agency of the ATF, the FBI Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force, Moses Lake Police Department, and Grant County Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team. This case was prosecuted by Patrick J. Cashman, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. 2:21-cr-00043-TOR