title: Federal Charges Announced Against Inmates for Violent Crimes Committed in Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today announced charges in five cases addressing violence at New York City’s federal pretrial detention facility, the Metropolitan Detention Center, (MDC), located in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. These include charges against inmates for the murder of Uriel Whyte on June 7, the murder of Edwin Cordero on July 17, an attempted murder on April 27, and two violent assaults on Aug. 24 and 27. The defendants, all of whom were previously ordered detained at the MDC on other charges, will be arraigned in the coming days. “Today’s charges demonstrate the Justice Department’s commitment to rooting out violence and criminal behavior at federal detention facilities — a critical component of our work to improve conditions across the Federal Bureau of Prisons,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Violence and contraband in our prisons are unacceptable, and the Department will hold accountable those who threaten the safety of anyone in our custody.” “Violence will not be tolerated in our federal jails,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “As alleged, in June and July of this year, two men detained at the MDC — Uriel Whyte and Edwin Cordero — were murdered by fellow inmates using makeshift weapons. Others at the MDC have been viciously assaulted by inmates, as alleged in the three other cases announced today. As the only federal jail in New York City, the MDC houses pretrial inmates accused of some of the most serious crimes in our region. No matter the reason for their detention, my office will work tirelessly to vindicate the rights of victims who suffer violence within the MDC and prosecute all those who choose to commit such heinous acts to the full extent of the law. Let these charges serve as a warning to those who would continue their criminal conduct behind bars, and anyone else who facilitates those crimes: your conduct will be exposed, and you will be held accountable.” “Several inmates of Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center allegedly orchestrated a series of distinct violent assaults, including the murders of fellow inmates, Uriel Whyte and Edwin Cordero,” said Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy of the FBI New York Field Office. “While this federal jail houses dangerous pretrial inmates, order and safety must remain paramount. Awaiting potential criminal charges is not a warranted justification to subject a detained individual to unnecessary attacks. May today’s indictments reflect the FBI’s determination to apprehend violent criminals, regardless of where the incidents may occur.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Prisons provided assistance in the investigations. United States v. Simpson and Thomas , 24-CR-360 Andrew Simpson and Devone Thomas, who were previously detained at the MDC on racketeering and robbery charges, respectively, were indicted by a grand jury for their roles in the June 7, murder of inmate Uriel Whyte. On the morning of June 7, following a verbal dispute between Simpson and Whyte, cellmates Simpson and Thomas armed themselves with makeshift weapons and proceeded to engage in a series of two-on-one attacks against Whyte. The escalating violent attacks, which took place over a span of approximately 15 minutes, were committed against Whyte inside Simpson and Thomas’ shared cell, which served to hide their conduct from guards and surveillance cameras. The attacks culminated with Whyte suffering a severe stab wound to his neck, which severed his carotid artery. While Whyte was able to exit the cell and seek medical aid, he succumbed to his wounds shortly thereafter despite the efforts of onsite medical personnel and responding paramedics. Simpson and Thomas are charged with murder in a federal detention facility, assault in a federal detention facility, obstruction of justice, and possession of contraband in prison for their roles in fatally stabbing Whyte at the MDC. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Maffei, Sophia Suarez, and Elizabeth D’Antonio for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. United States v. Aziz, Bazemore and Santiago , 24-CR-380 On Sept. 24, a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York returned an indictment charging Jamaul Aziz, also known as bugz; James Bazemore, also known as TJ and RS; and Alberto Santiago, also known as Kom and dotcom, with four crimes related to their roles in the July 17 murder of Edwin Cordero, a fellow inmate at the MDC. Aziz and Santiago were both previously detained in the MDC for various serious gun and drug-trafficking crimes; Bazemore was detained for racketeering conspiracy, murder in-aid-of racketeering, use of a firearm resulting in death, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. All three have admitted their guilt in their underlying cases. In the afternoon of July 17 — following an earlier altercation between the victim and Santiago — Santiago, Aziz, and Bazemore met with each other intermittently over approximately half an hour. Santiago then reengaged with the victim — both of them armed with makeshift weapons — when shortly after Aziz and Bazemore, also armed, joined in. Aziz, Bazemore, and Santiago cornered the victim while swinging and stabbing at him. After the victim was able to escape, Bazemore continued to attack the victim, which allowed Santiago to approach the victim from behind and stab the victim in the center of his chest, perforating various parts of his heart. The victim then staggered forward, and Bazemore grabbed the victim and stabbed him in the back. Aziz and Bazemore next cornered the victim again next to a table and repeatedly stabbed, struck, and kicked the victim, including after he fell to the ground and tried to shield himself with the table. Staff members quickly responded to the commotion and delivered emergency medical care but were unable to save the victim. Aziz, Bazemore, and Santiago are charged with premeditated murder within a federal detention facility, conspiracy to commit murder within a federal detention facility, assault resulting in serious bodily injury within a federal detention facility, and possession of one or more objects designed to be used as weapons within a prison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Irisa Chen and Elizabeth D’Antonio for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. United States v. Luis Rivas , 24-CR-390 A grand jury indicted Luis Rivas today on attempted murder in a federal detention facility, assault in a federal detention facility, and possession of contraband in prison for his role in the April 27, assault of another inmate at the MDC. At the time of the attack, Rivas was detained at the MDC after being convicted of racketeering and assault in-aid-of-racketeering charges related to his membership in the gang La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). On the morning of April 27, Rivas and two other MS-13 members brutally attacked another inmate in their housing unit. Prior to the attack, the victim was sitting peacefully, relaxing with his feet up. Rivas then approached the victim, took a makeshift weapon from his waistband, and stabbed the victim with it. Two other MS-13 members then came to Rivas’ aid and assisted him in punching and stabbing the victim repeatedly. After the assault, the victim was taken to MDC’s medical unit and then to a hospital to treat the approximately 44 stab wounds to his back, chest, abdomen, right arm and legs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Sherman for the Eastern District of New York is prosecuting the case. United States v. Bruce Silva and Hassan Elliott , 24-MJ-556 Bruce Silva and Hassan Elliott were charged by complaint with assault in a federal detention facility for their role in the Aug. 27, assault of another inmate at the MDC. At the time of the attack, Silva was detained at the MDC in connection with pending charges in the Southern District of New York, including racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, firearms charges, attempted murder and assault in-aid-of racketeering in connection with his participation in multiple shootings in the Bronx, and other crimes related to his membership in “Dub City,” a street gang based in the Bronx, New York. Elliott was detained at the MDC at the time of the attack in connection with 29 pending charges in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, including the murder in-aid-of racketeering of a Philadelphia Police Sergeant (who was seeking to execute search and arrest warrants for Elliott at the time of his murder), racketeering conspiracy, three other murders in-aid-of racketeering, multiple charges related to multiple other shootings, and related firearms and narcotics offenses related to his membership in “1700 Scattergood,” a violent drug trafficking organization operating in Northeast Philadelphia. On the morning of Aug. 27, Silva and Elliott tried to attack another inmate in their housing unit. They took makeshift weapons from their waistbands and tried to stab and slash their intended victim. When a fourth inmate interceded, Silva stabbed the fourth inmate in the spine with a makeshift icepick, leaving the icepick protruding from the inmate’s back. Silva and Elliott then continued to try to attack both the stabbing victim and their original intended victim. After the assault, the stabbing victim was taken to the MDC’s medical unit and then to a hospital to remove the weapon from his spine and treat him. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Shami for the Eastern District of New York is prosecuting the case. United States v. Leury Mojica , 24-MJ-559 Leury Mojica was charged by complaint with assaulting a federal officer. As alleged in the complaint, on Aug. 24, Mojica punched a corrections officer in the face after the victim offered Mojica breakfast. Mojica was originally detained at the MDC in connection with a Hobbs Act robbery charge, and also previously participated in a violent stabbing of another inmate, which conduct was taken into account in his May sentencing in the Southern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Berman for the Eastern District of New York is prosecuting the case. An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 Benefits

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Scott Christie, 38, of Petrolia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to theft of public money, property or records. Christie fraudulently obtained $34,801 or more in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds, while a resident of Leon, West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, between February 29, 2020, and August 22, 2020, and between February 27, 2021, and August 14, 2021, Christie fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits from WorkForce West Virginia, which administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia. Christie submitted a total of 50 weekly certifications to WorkForce West Virginia that failed to disclose his employment during those time periods. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Christie received 52 unemployment benefits payments from WorkForce West Virginia totaling $34,801 or more that he was not entitled to receive. The unemployment benefits fraudulently obtained by Christie included supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As part of his fraudulent scheme, Christie falsely stated in the weekly certifications he submitted that he was unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Christie is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,00 fine. Christie also owes up to $34,801 in restitution. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-107. ###


title: Career Offender Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Distribution of Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently sentenced a Memphis man who pled guilty to two counts of distribution of controlled substances. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the sentence today. According to the information presented in court, on October 4, 2022, special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine and two grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl from Marcus Smith , 41 , in Memphis, TN. Smith had previous state felony convictions for aggravated assault and narcotics-related offenses. On September 26, 2024, Smith was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes to ten years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in Memphis, Tennessee. Assisting in the investigation were the Homeland Securities Investigations Laboratories in Savannah, Georgia and the Bartlett Police Department. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Bryce H. Phillips for prosecuting this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Former Executive at Irvine-Based Company That Marketed Faulty Stem Cell Products Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The imprisoned founder and CEO of an Orange County-based company that marketed stem cell-based products linked to multiple hospitalizations was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison – consecutive to his current prison sentence. John Warrington Kosolcharoen, 53, most recently of Rancho Santa Margarita, was sentenced by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II, who also scheduled a December 3 restitution hearing in this case. Kosolcharoen pleaded guilty on August 26 to one count of introducing an unapproved new drug into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead. Kosolcharoen is currently in custody serving a sentence for a separate, unconnected conviction. “Exploiting the hopes of patients suffering from serious illnesses is not merely greedy, it’s cruel,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who take advantage of victims’ fears and anxieties to line their pockets.” “Misleading the public about the safety and effectiveness of purported cures and treatments is illegal,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will work with its law enforcement partners to prosecute individuals who market potentially dangerous products for personal gain.” Beginning in 2016, Kosolcharoen created two companies, the Irvine-based Liveyon LLC and the San Diego-based Genetech Inc., to manufacture and distribute injectable stem cell products made from human umbilical cord blood. Liveyon marketed the products under different brand names, including “ReGen.” Kosolcharoen and others misrepresented ReGen as suitable for the treatment of a variety of conditions, such as lung and heart diseases, autoimmune disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and others. Liveyon marketed the products throughout the United States until about April 2019 using advertising materials that contained multiple false and misleading statements about their purported safety and effectiveness. In recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers that patients seeking cures and remedies for serious diseases and conditions may be misled about unapproved stem cell products that are illegally marketed, have not been shown to be safe or effective, and, in some cases, may have significant safety issues that put patients at risk. Stem cell products are regulated by FDA, and generally they must have FDA approval before being introduced into interstate commerce. Kosolcharoen misled the FDA about Liveyon’s activities by directing Liveyon’s purchase orders to falsely state that the stem cell products were being sold “for research purposes only.” In 2018, FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received reports of patients in multiple states requiring hospitalization for bacterial infections after receiving Liveyon products. Kosolcharoen admitted that he and others fraudulently induced customers into purchasing stem cell-derived Liveyon products by, among other things, misleading the public about the cause and severity of adverse events suffered by Liveyon patients, and falsely reporting and concealing material facts regarding the outcome of an FDA inspection of Genetech. According to FDA records, that inspection documented evidence of significant deviations from good manufacturing and tissue practices. FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations; the FBI; Amtrak Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Labor Employment Benefits Security Administration; and the California Department of Health Care Services investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section and David H. Chao of the General Crimes Section, Assistant Director Ross S. Goldstein and Trial Attorneys Meredith B. Healy, Kathryn A. Schmidt and Peter J. Leininger of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted this case.


title: Huntington Woman Sentenced to More than 10 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kyla Smith, also known as “Flaca,” 29, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 10 years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Smith admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 29, 2023, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Smith on Eighth Avenue in Huntington. Smith admitted that the officer saw her conceal a bag of methamphetamine in the front of her pants during the traffic stop. Smith surrendered the methamphetamine to the officer, and admitted that she intended to distribute the controlled substance. Smith further admitted that she participated in the DTO from at least August 2023 through November 2023. Smith distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl to various customers, including some who redistributed the controlled substances that she provided to them. Smith and other DTO participants used multiple residences to store and distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, including a Davis Street residence in Huntington maintained by Smith. On November 15, 2023, officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s Davis Street residence and seized approximately 477 grams of fentanyl. Smith is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Smith is also among 21 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180. ###


title: 54 Defendants Charged with Federal Firearms-Related Crimes Since October 2023 Through Partnership Between United States Attorney’s Office and Tucson Police Department

component: USAO - Arizona

number: 2024-130_PSP Pilot Program

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the Tucson Police Department (TPD) announced today the results of the first year of the PSP Pilot Program, a collaborative effort between the USAO and the TPD, in which local defendants are referred federally for charges involving firearm-related offenses. The partnership has resulted in 54 defendants being charged since October 2023. In 2022, the Tucson Police Department was selected by the United States Department of Justice as a partner agency in the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), an initiative to combat violent crime, with an emphasis on drug, gang, and gun violence. Cases referred for federal prosecution also receive additional investigative assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-Tucson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Tucson. Representative cases referred for PSP prosecution include: United States v. Jesus Antonio Najar : Najar was indicted by a federal grand jury with multiple firearms and narcotics offenses, occurring on three different dates. On April 19, 2024, TPD officers apprehended Najar for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, officers found unregistered AR Drop In Auto Sear Swift Links (parts designed and intended solely and exclusively for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun capable of automatic fire), unregistered silencers without serial numbers, and an AR pistol with an obliterated serial number. On October 12, 2023, Najar allegedly conspired and possessed cocaine for distribution while using and possessing a Glock 17 with a machinegun conversion device attached and two additional firearms. Najar is alleged to have possessed the machinegun conversion device that was not registered to him. In addition, Najar is alleged to have possessed an unregistered short-barrel rifle on December 11, 2023. Najar is currently in custody. United States v. Geoffrey Fred Cruzado : Cruzado was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal possession of approximately 134 rounds of ammunition as a convicted felon, after allegedly threatening an intimate partner. Cruzado is currently in custody. United States v. Jessica Guillen-Morales : A federal grand jury indicted Guillen-Morales with possession of six firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of unregistered firearms, illegal reentry, and possession of a firearm by an alien after she was found to be present illegally in the United States in Tucson, on November 19, 2023, after having been deported to Mexico from the United States less than three weeks earlier. Guillen-Morales is currently in custody. United States v. Israel Manuel Ortiz : In January 2024, TPD officers encountered Ortiz in possession of approximately 57 grams of counterfeit oxycodone “M30” pills, later determined to contain fentanyl, and a .40 caliber pistol. Ortiz, a three-time convicted felon for misconduct involving weapons and armed robbery, was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Possessor and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Ortiz is currently in custody. United States v. Isaiah Thomas Taylor : When TPD officers were serving a state arrest warrant for Taylor at a residence last February, Taylor, a convicted felon for misconduct involving weapons, was found to be in possession of a Glock pistol. A subsequent search of the residence revealed three additional Glock pistols, including one fitted with a fully automatic conversion device. Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Possessor and Possession of a Machine Gun. Taylor is currently in custody. United States v. Jesus Alfredo Romo : On October 6, 2023, Romo fled in a vehicle from TPD officers during a traffic stop. Once Romo was apprehended, a 9mm loaded handgun was observed on the driver’s side floorboard and a backpack was retrieved from the vehicle containing 60,000 fentanyl tablets and two baggies of methamphetamine, one weighing over 2.5 grams and the other over 0.8 grams. Officers also found two digital scales and Romo had almost $1,300 in cash on his person. Romo, who was previously convicted of felony possession of dangerous drugs for sale, was indicted on November 21, 2023, with various counts including Trafficking in Firearms and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. He pleaded guilty to those two charges with stipulated, concurrent sentences of five and 10 years. His anticipated sentencing date is January 15, 2025. Romo is currently in custody. “The evolving threat of firearms in America requires vigilance and cooperation,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We see a growing number of defendants who possess devices used to convert a firearm to a more dangerous fully-automatic mode, and we intend to seek sentencing enhancements for the possession of those dangerous devices. Our efforts to mitigate the specific threat in Tucson through a local-federal partnership are paying dividends and protecting the community.” “Gun crime has impacted the Tucson community at an unacceptable rate over the past several years. Through the PSP program, TPD's partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies have expanded, and we are collectively making significant strides in arresting those responsible for making our community less safe,” said Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar. “Individuals who illegally possess firearms, sell drugs, or engage in gun violence will be held accountable through TPD arrests and federal prosecution by the United States Attorney’s Office. This behavior has no place in Tucson, and we are grateful for the partnerships that are leading to jail sentences for violent offenders, which directly results in decreased gun violence.” “This is a perfect example of how cooperative law enforcement should work,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “By teaming up, federal and local agencies can collaboratively work to rid our communities of those violent criminals who plague law abiding citizens and the communities they live in.” “These cases are a prime example of how the Public Safety Partnership program works. No single agency can combat violent crime on its own and this program brings a multi-agency approach to better protect our communities,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “The FBI will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in Tucson and throughout Arizona.” The National Public Safety Partnership was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. CASE NUMBERS: CR-24-03292-SHR CR-24-01981-RCC CR-24-00677-RCC CR-24-01171-RCC CR-24-05416-JCH CR-23-01846-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-130_PSP Pilot Program # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news


title: Epsilon Senior Executive and Sales Manager Both Sentenced for Selling Data on Millions of U.S. Consumers to Fraudsters

component: Civil Division

body_text: Two men were sentenced to prison today for selling targeted lists of U.S. consumers for the benefit of mass-mailing fraud schemes that defrauded hundreds of thousands of Americans out of tens of millions of dollars. Following a two-week trial, a federal jury convicted Robert Reger, 57, of Boulder, Colorado, and David Lytle, 64, of Leawood, Kansas, of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and numerous counts of substantive mail fraud and wire fraud. For these crimes, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado sentenced Reger, 57, to 120 months in prison, and Lytle, 64 to 48 months in prison. According to evidence presented at trial, over the course of 10 years, the defendants were key participants in a scheme that knowingly sold targeted lists of consumers and their addresses to perpetrators of fraud schemes involving the sending of false and deceptive mail to consumers, particularly elderly and vulnerable people. The defendants committed the crimes while working at data broker Epsilon Data Management LLC (Epsilon), which used transactional data collected from marketing clients to predict new “responsive buyers” using computer algorithms and a database of 100 million U.S. households. Evidence at trial showed that the defendants used Epsilon’s algorithms to predict and sell lists of consumers most likely to respond to the fraud schemes’ mailings. The defendants’ business unit worked with dozens of clients that sent scam letters promising large prizes or falsely personalized astrological mailings promising wealth. Evidence at trial showed that the defendants’ crimes helped facilitate harmful fraud on the victims whose data they sold. For example, the defendants sold nearly 100 lists of names and addresses to a particular fraudster client who used the data to defraud more than 218,000 victims of more than $23.7 million. Epsilon’s data showed that many victims were repeatedly defrauded by this single scheme, including more than 12,000 victims who were defrauded more than 20times each. At trial, elderly victims and their adult children testified about the scam letters victims received falsely promising cash prizes. “Today’s sentences should make clear that those who illegally use Americans’ personal information to facilitate fraud will face serious consequences.” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will investigate and prosecute individuals who use their access to our personal data to target vulnerable Americans for their own gain.” “Far too often, we prosecute cases where criminals prey on the elderly and vulnerable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “This sentence demonstrates that those who exploit the most vulnerable in our society for financial gain will be prosecuted and held accountable for their despicable actions.” “The results of this collaborative investigation with the US Postal Inspection Service and its partners, has resulted in the arrests and convictions of two individuals who knowingly helped criminals target and scam vulnerable members of our community out of millions,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)’s Criminal Investigations Group. “This investigation demonstrates the continued commitment of the US Postal Inspections Service, to protect our most vulnerable communities. Our dedicated fraud teams allow us to expose and target criminals who try to hide behind these complex schemes. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to ensure these individuals face justice.” USPIS’ Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force investigated this matter. Senior Trial Attorney Alistair Reader and Assistant Director Rachael Doud of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Weber for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case. Senior Trial Attorney Ehren Reynolds and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Hetal Doshi for the District of Colorado also assisted in the case. The defendants’ former employer, Epsilon resolved its criminal liability via a deferred prosecution agreement in 2021, paying $150 million in penalties and victim compensation. That victim compensation effort has returned $122 million to more than 200,000 victims of fraud schemes to which Epsilon provided data. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov .


title: Hawaii Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Atomic Energy Act

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Mark Kazee, 60, of Hawaii, pleaded guilty today to violating the Atomic Energy Act by transferring equipment containing Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-regulated radioactive material from a company he was employed by, which held an NRC required license for the material, to another company without making a record of such transfer as required. Kazee was part owner of the second company, which did not have a license from the NRC. According to court documents, Kazee worked in the materials and equipment testing industry for over 30 years, serving both as an inspector and as a supervisor of inspectors who used industrial radiography. Industrial radiography is the process of using a radiation source and a specialized camera to examine materials below the surface to check for flaws. Industrial radiography can emit Xrays, gamma rays and neutrons. Kazee worked for the first company starting in 2016 as its regional manager in Hawaii. Kazee’s employer had contracts to conduct testing with various companies in Hawaii, including petroleum refineries. In September 2018, Kazee and another person created their own company to conduct the same type of testing as Kazee’s employer. Kazee’s company did not have the required license from the NRC to conduct industrial radiography. Soon after Kazee’s employer’s contract with a major refinery on Oahu expired in January 2019, Kazee’s new company began conducting inspections at the refinery, including industrial radiography, using his old employer’s equipment. The equipment contained Iridium-192 and depleted uranium radioactive source material. Although Kazee knew he was required to create and maintain a record for his employer for any transfer of the radiography equipment to any other company or individual who was not his employer, he did not. “Kazee knew what had to be done to comply with the regulations that protect the public from potential harms arising from the use of radioactive materials, but consciously chose not to follow them,” said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii. “His failures appropriately have criminal consequences and we will continue to pursue such to protect the community.” “Radiography is an impressive technology, and when it is used with proper safeguards, it increases safety and improves lives,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute those like Kazee who would circumvent legal requirements for transfer of radioactive materials and treat radiation safety and security as an afterthought.” “It is crucial that those who use radioactive material for commercial purposes follow the rules to protect the user and the public,” said Director Thomas Ashley of the NRC’s Office of Investigations. “The NRC does not tolerate willful violations of its requirements and demands that licensees and their employees act with integrity and abide by requirements put in place to ensure they’re used safely.” Kazee is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13 before U.S. District Court Judge J. Michael Seabright for the District of Hawaii. Kazee faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison. Judge Seabright will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The NRC’s Office of Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates for the District of Hawaii and Senior Trial Attorney Kris Dighe of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.


component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: WASHINGTON – Two men were sentenced to prison today for selling targeted lists of U.S. consumers for the benefit of mass-mailing fraud schemes that defrauded hundreds of thousands of Americans out of tens of millions of dollars. Following a two-week trial, a federal jury convicted Robert Reger, 57, of Boulder, Colorado, and David Lytle, 64, of Leawood, Kansas, of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and numerous counts of substantive mail fraud and wire fraud. For these crimes, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado sentenced Reger, 57, to 120 months in prison, and Lytle, 64 to 48 months in prison. According to evidence presented at trial, over the course of 10 years, the defendants were key participants in a scheme that knowingly sold targeted lists of consumers and their addresses to perpetrators of fraud schemes involving the sending of false and deceptive mail to consumers, particularly elderly and vulnerable people. The defendants committed the crimes while working at data broker Epsilon Data Management LLC (Epsilon), which used transactional data collected from marketing clients to predict new “responsive buyers” using computer algorithms and a database of 100 million U.S. households. Evidence at trial showed that the defendants used Epsilon’s algorithms to predict and sell lists of consumers most likely to respond to the fraud schemes’ mailings. The defendants’ business unit worked with dozens of clients that sent scam letters promising large prizes or falsely personalized astrological mailings promising wealth. Evidence at trial showed that the defendants’ crimes helped facilitate harmful fraud on the victims whose data they sold. For example, the defendants sold nearly 100 lists of names and addresses to a particular fraudster client who used the data to defraud more than 218,000 victims of more than $23.7 million. Epsilon’s data showed that many victims were repeatedly defrauded by this single scheme, including more than 12,000 victims who were defrauded more than 20times each. At trial, elderly victims and their adult children testified about the scam letters victims received falsely promising cash prizes. “Today’s sentences should make clear that those who illegally use Americans’ personal information to facilitate fraud will face serious consequences.” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will investigate and prosecute individuals who use their access to our personal data to target vulnerable Americans for their own gain.” “Far too often, we prosecute cases where criminals prey on the elderly and vulnerable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “This sentence demonstrates that those who exploit the most vulnerable in our society for financial gain will be prosecuted and held accountable for their despicable actions.” “The results of this collaborative investigation with the US Postal Inspection Service and its partners, has resulted in the arrests and convictions of two individuals who knowingly helped criminals target and scam vulnerable members of our community out of millions,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)’s Criminal Investigations Group. “This investigation demonstrates the continued commitment of the US Postal Inspections Service, to protect our most vulnerable communities. Our dedicated fraud teams allow us to expose and target criminals who try to hide behind these complex schemes. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to ensure these individuals face justice.” USPIS’ Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force investigated this matter. Senior Trial Attorney Alistair Reader and Assistant Director Rachael Doud of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Weber for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case. Senior Trial Attorney Ehren Reynolds and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Hetal Doshi for the District of Colorado also assisted in the case. The defendants’ former employer, Epsilon resolved its criminal liability via a deferred prosecution agreement in 2021, paying $150 million in penalties and victim compensation. That victim compensation effort has returned $122 million to more than 200,000 victims of fraud schemes to which Epsilon provided data. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov . ###


title: Federal Jury Convicts St. Francisville Man of Assault Upon a Federal Officer in Performance of Official Duty

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced the conviction of Lionel Haile, age 31, of St. Francisville, Louisiana. After a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles, the jury unanimously convicted Haile of assaulting a U.S. Postal employee with a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on December 31, 2021, Haile attacked a U.S. Postal employee with a sharp object as she was delivering mail to an apartment complex in Zachary, Louisiana, inflicting a stab wound on her right leg. The victim fought against Haile’s repeated attempts to stab her on her upper body and legs. She escaped Haile, ran towards a vehicle as it was exiting the apartment complex, jumped inside the vehicle, and rode off with her rescuer. Haile fled the scene. Authorities arrested Haile on January 6, 2022, following the publication of his photograph on CrimeStoppers. As a result of his conviction, Haile now faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Zachary Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Robert W. Piedrahita.


title: Rochester man with gun and fentanyl sentenced to 10 years prison

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jaomi Delgado, 31, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that on May 18, 2022, law enforcement observed Delgado, who had been under investigation for months, drive into a parking on Norton Street in Rochester and enter a restaurant. Investigators observed a firearm in plain view near the center console of Delgado’s vehicle. He was taken into custody as he exited the restaurant. Delgado’s vehicle was towed and searched. During the execution of a search warrant, officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber handgun, 60 fentanyl pills, four cell phones, and $17,875.00 in cash. The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. # # # #


title: 15 Gang Members and Their Associates Sentenced for Drug and Gun Crimes

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Fifteen members or associates of a south St. Louis gang that sold fentanyl have been convicted and sentenced for drug, gun and other crimes. Rapper Davante “Jizzlebuckz” Lindsey, 27, was sentenced September 9 to 12 years in prison. Andre “Luh Half” Pearson, 28, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on September 20. Lindsey and Pearson were leaders of the 55 Boyz, a gang and drug trafficking organization that at one time was responsible for a significant amount of the fentanyl being sold in south St. Louis. Lindsey and Pearson helped form the 55 Boyz out of other gangs, including YPG (Young Project Goons), TKO (Team Knockout), The Strip, Pressure Gang, and CAVE. Lindsey was the face of the gang, rapping about the gang, fentanyl distribution and other illegal activity, according to court documents. The final two defendants in the initial phase of the case were sentenced Monday. Five others were indicted individually, and all five have pleaded guilty. Four have been sentenced. "Working together, the United States Attorney’s Office, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, ATF and IRS – Criminal Investigation targeted and prosecuted a drug gang that was the main source of supply of fentanyl in the south St. Louis area," said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. "And as is often the case for drug trafficking organizations and gangs, they were both the targets of drug-linked shootings as well as the perpetrators of such violence. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department began investigating the fentanyl dealing in September of 2021. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had independently been investigating another matter and arrested someone with drugs and guns. Both agencies began working in concert, and IRS – Criminal Investigations later joined to target money laundering and trace the illegal proceeds of drug sales. The co-conspirators used phones to arrange drug sales, even sending out text messages advertising their illegal product. Investigators made a series of court-approved searches of various locations in the St. Louis area, eventually seizing about two dozen guns, more than $120,000 in cash, thousands of capsules containing fentanyl and two vehicles. Two homes purchased with rug proceeds were forfeited, as well as the cash value of a third home. Diamond jewelry was also seized, including a 55 Boyz chain necklace with roughly 2,500 tiny diamonds. The others who have been convicted and sentenced along with Lindsey and Pearson are Edward “Edot” Hopkins, 22, Tony Evans, 35, Araven Johnson, 29, Douglas Simpson, 35, Jeffrey Moore, 26, Shawn Liggins, 22, Omar Lewis, 23, Willie Lindsey, 44, Jamond “Huncho” Dismukes, 24, Travon Weatherspoon, 34, Birtha Lindsey, 43, Erik Simmons, 30, and Armani Tatum, 33. Separately, Martez Lindsey, 32, Jaheim “DaeDae” Young, 23, Jaron Tate, 24, and Jhonetta Phillips, 33, have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced on drug or gun charges. Ja’Vonne Lindsey, 20, awaits sentencing. 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: San Joaquin County Skydiver Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Running Unauthorized Tandem Skydiving Instructor Courses

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Robert Allen Pooley, 49, of Acampo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to two years in prison for wire fraud related to tandem skydiving instructor courses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Pooley was convicted by a federal jury in May 2024 after a seven-day trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2010, Pooley obtained ratings as a “tandem examiner” with the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA) and with Uninsured United Parachute Technologies LLC (UPT), a manufacturer of tandem parachute systems. He then began conducting training courses for candidates seeking to obtain their USPA Tandem Instructor ratings and/or their certifications to use UPT tandem parachute systems. The Tandem Instructor certifications Pooley provided enabled students to conduct tandem jumps with members of the public throughout the United States and abroad. Pooley charged money for these courses and conducted them at a skydiving business located in Acampo. In August 2015, USPA and UPT suspended Pooley’s tandem examiner ratings, which meant that he could no longer conduct the tandem instructor courses on his own. Nevertheless, he continued running USPA and UPT tandem instructor rating courses without authorization, and he concealed his suspensions from tandem instructor candidates. Pooley falsely told students that he was a tandem examiner, led them to believe they could obtain USPA and UPT tandem ratings through his courses, hid the fact that he had been suspended, and helped students fill out USPA and UPT rating paperwork to further the impression that the students would legitimately get their tandem ratings through his courses. As part of the scheme, Pooley used a digital image of the signature of another properly rated USPA and UPT tandem examiner to sign off on training that Pooley himself had conducted when the other tandem examiner was not even in the country. In 2016, Pooley accepted numerous students in this manner from around the world, including the Republic of Korea, Chile, and Mexico. Each student paid approximately $1,100 for these courses. The signed documents that Pooley provided some of the students led them to believe they were certified to conduct tandem skydives with members of the public. On Aug. 6, 2016, one such student fell to his death in a tandem skydiving accident with a customer who also perished. After those deaths, numerous victims of Pooley’s scheme asked for their money back, but he did not repay them, and several students had to pay for entirely new tandem instructor courses at other locations. In sentencing Pooley, Judge Shubb found that Pooley’s offense involved a conscious or reckless risk of death or serious bodily injury and, based on that finding, applied a sentencing enhancement. This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Dhruv M. Sharma prosecuted the case.


title: Laredo man imprisoned for producing child pornography, including sexual assault of minor relative

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 25-year-old man has been sentenced for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Aaron Hernandez pleaded guilty May 29. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now sentenced Hernandez to 360 and 240 months for the production and possessing of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run partially concurrent for a total 420-month term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also heard from the victim’s father detailing how Hernandez’s conduct greatly affected the family and that children do not deserve this harm. Additionally, Hernandez self-described himself as a monster, an animal and a pig. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted this was one of the most egregious forms of conduct she has seen and how his conduct destroyed the lives of the victim and her family and how there is nothing Hernandez can do or say that will make it better. Hernandez was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to a known victim and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Hernandez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. The investigation began after law enforcement learned of a person in Laredo sharing child pornography through a WhatsApp account linked to Hernandez. On Oct. 30, 2023, authorities executed a search warrant at Hernandez’s home and seized his electronic devices. Hernandez admitted to sending a video containing child pornography on WhatsApp and possessing videos containing child pornography on his computer. Hernandez also confessed to touching two minor relatives inappropriately. Authorities found 11 videos and 10 pictures containing child pornography in Hernandez’s devices. Of all the files, 11 included self-produced content of him sexually assaulting a minor relative on two different occasions. “A home should be a sanctuary for every child, not a place where their innocence is exploited by those who are meant to protect it,” said Hamdani. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who commit unthinkable acts against children, especially those entrusted with their care, will be held accountable. We will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for victims and fight to protect them.” “Children deserve to live in a safe environment - free from child predators. This is especially true when they are with members of their own families,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio field office. “Aaron Hernandez stole that safety from every child who was exploited by his actions. The FBI and the Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force continue to work tirelessly to bring anyone who would harm a child to justice.” Hernandez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women Awards $228.5 Million in Awards, Contributing to a Total of Over $690 Million in Awards this Year to Combat Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, and Stalking

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is today awarding over $228.5 million in grants to enhance a wide range of supportive services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The awards will go toward court-based programs, legal assistance, and initiatives tailored for older adults, rural communities, and other underserved groups. This set of awards also includes funding with a special emphasis on reducing barriers and enhancing access to services, safety, and healing for survivors in culturally specific communities. These awards are part of the $690 million in grants administered by OVW that the Department announced earlier this month as part of the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. Over the past month, many of these grants have been distributed to communities across the country. Those awards will enhance coordinated community responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across all states, territories, and numerous Tribal nations. They also build on an additional $86 million in awards announced earlier this week by OVW’s Office of Tribal Affairs. This funding comes as the Justice Department is preparing to kick off National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) in collaboration with survivors, victim service providers, law enforcement agencies, advocates, and other community partners nationwide. DVAM encourages expanding access to justice and supportive services, particularly for underserved and historically marginalized communities, and promoting best practices in addressing domestic violence. It calls for strengthening prevention efforts and enhancing responses to meet the diverse needs of survivors. The impact of domestic violence extends beyond individuals, affecting entire communities, including workplaces and schools. The Justice Department acknowledges the critical work of first responders and victim service providers who support those affected by domestic violence. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring the safety of all Americans, and that includes addressing and preventing the harm caused by domestic violence,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This year, we are investing over $690 million, through the Office on Violence Against Women, in funding awards to prevent domestic and dating violence, as well as sexual assault and stalking; to hold offenders accountable; and to reach survivors in every community, territory, and Tribal nation. These awards reflect our steadfast dedication to ending these forms of violence and helping survivors find safety and healing.” Beyond direct service funding, OVW invests in training and technical assistance through the Training and Technical Assistance Initiative . With grant awards exceeding $39 million to implement more than 59 training and technical assistance projects, this initiative will enhance the capacity of professionals within the civil and criminal justice systems and provide increased training and support for victim service providers nationwide. This funding supports effective responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking while also strengthening a coordinated community response and fostering partnerships among organizations that have not traditionally collaborated in addressing these issues. “As we celebrate three decades of progress since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act, the landscape of gender-based violence continues to evolve,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim service providers must be equipped to meet emerging challenges and support victims, as well as hold violent actors to account. The grants announced today will bolster services for survivors and provide the tools necessary to address violence against women and advance public safety.” The release of grants also coincides with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) weeks, highlighting the importance of preventing and addressing violence among younger generations to break the cycle of violence and support healthy relationships. The Department has announced targeted grants focusing on two crucial areas: violence in higher education settings and programs designed specifically for children and youth. To enhance initiatives to prevent and address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking including online harassment and technology-facilitated abuse, college campuses nationwide will receive support from $12.19 million in grants from the Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus Program . Additionally, OVW will distribute $9.48 million through the Strengthening Culturally Specific Campuses’ Approaches to Address Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative . This funding aims to bolster programs at historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Tribal colleges and universities. Grants totaling more than $8.8 million from the Grants to Prevent and Respond to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Sex Trafficking Against Children and Youth Program will support comprehensive, community-based efforts to develop or expand prevention, intervention, treatment, and response strategies for children and youth impacted by gender-based violence. “We must prevent and address dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on our campuses and in the lives of our young people,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “By empowering campuses and providing resources to support children and youth, we can create environments where all are free to pursue their educational and personal aspirations without fear of violence.” “As we commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, we reaffirm our commitment to a future where everyone can live free from the threat of violence," said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. "Every survivor of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking deserves access to trauma-informed, comprehensive services to seek safety, justice, and healing. Through these grants, we support our grantees to provide crucial support, advancing our shared mission to eradicate gender-based violence. We are dedicated to bringing together key partners to advance this vital work through a coordinated community response.” Additional grant program awards and their respective amounts include: Grants totaling more than $22.97 million through the Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program will support community-based programs that provide culturally specific services for survivors of gender-based crimes, as well as the developing innovative culturally specific strategies and projects that enhance access to services and resources for survivors who face obstacles to using more traditional services and resources. Grants totaling more than $8 million through OVW's Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program will support nonprofit organizations that focus primarily on culturally specific communities and have experience working with survivors of sexual assault. Grants totaling more than $10.82 million through its Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations Program will support efforts to develop or enhance population-specific outreach and victim services to adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in underserved populations. Grants totaling more than $36.09 million from OVW's Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program will enhance efforts to support victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural areas and fund projects uniquely designed to address and prevent these crimes in rural areas. Grants totaling more than $39.29 million through the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program will provide funds for comprehensive direct civil and criminal legal assistance to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by providing assistance with legal matters arising out of that abuse. Additionally, grants totaling more than $3.14 million through the LAV Grant Program’s Expanding Legal Services Initiative will support community-based organizations establishing legal representation programs for survivors. Grants totaling more than $14.66 million from the Justice for Families Program will support court-based and court-related programs such as supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training for people who work with families in the court system; and civil legal assistance. Grants totaling more than $1.42 million from the Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program will support efforts to improve the response to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and caregiver abuse who have disabilities or are Deaf, and to hold perpetrators of such crimes accountable. Grants totaling $3 million from the National Deaf Services Program Initiative will be used to support the continued efforts of Activating Change to reduce barriers and strengthen services for Deaf victims and survivors and to implement recommendations in the report, Expanding Deaf-Specific Victim Services Nationwide: A 5-Year Strategy . Grants totaling more than $6.87 million from the Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program will support a comprehensive approach to addressing abuse in later life, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, neglect, abandonment, economic abuse, or willful harm committed against victims who are 50 years of age or older. Grants totaling more than $3.35 million from the Grants to Engage Men and Boys as Allies in the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls Program will support efforts to create educational and community-based programming designed to encourage men and boys to work as allies with women and girls to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking. Grants totaling $3.6 million from OVW's Research and Evaluation Initiative will support efforts to research and evaluate approaches to preventing and addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking so that communities that benefit from VAWA funding will be better equipped to align their work with practices that are known to be effective. Grants totaling more than $1.48 million for a new program, the Expanding Sexual Assault Victim Services on Campus Pilot Program , will support institutions of higher education in improving victim services on campus by expanding access to holistic sexual assault services and creating a promising practices guide for higher education institutions that wish to expand their sexual assault services and advocacy. Grants totaling $1.5 million for the STOP Formula Training and Technical Assistance program, which will support the efforts of all states and territories to successfully implement projects through the use of STOP Formula funds to strengthen and build the capacity of civil and criminal justice system professionals and victim service providers across the nation to respond effectively to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and to foster partnerships among organizations that have not traditionally worked together to address these crimes. Grants totaling $600,000 from the Specialized Training and Technical Assistance for Sexual Assault Victim Response will continue to support the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect and the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault to provide frequent and sufficient training, resources, and technical assistance to those working with sexual assault survivors and to provide scholarships for advocates to attend the National Sexual Assault Conference. Grants totaling $1.5 million for the Electronic Service Protection Order Court Pilot will be used to support courts that have multidisciplinary partnerships to develop and implement a program for serving protection orders through electronic communication methods and develop best practices relating to such electronic services. OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent reauthorizing legislation. Created in 1995, OVW has awarded more than $11 billion in funding to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW supports policy development and undertakes special initiatives in response to community-identified needs. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw . View the Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program Awards here. View the ALL Awards here. View the Campus Awards here. View the CS Campus Awards here. View the Culturally Specific Services Program Awards here. View the CY Awards here. View the Deaf Services Awards here. View the Disability Awards here. View the ELSI Awards here. View the EM Awards here. View the ESPOC Awards here. View the Expanding Sexual Assault Victim Services on Campus Pilot Program Awards here. View the LAV Awards here. View the R&E Awards here. View the Rural Awards here. View the SA TA Awards here. View the STOP-TA Awards here. View the Underserved Awards here. View the JFF Awards here.


title: Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced on Thursday, September 26, to 147 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, in October of 2023, detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force seized over 500 fentanyl pills, a Glock pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device and a large amount of U.S. currency from Jaylin Williams , age 24. At the sentencing hearing the Court received evidence that one-month prior, Williams fled from the Arkansas State Police on Interstate 49, reaching speeds of 120 miles per hour before stopping his vehicle and fleeing on foot. Williams was in unlawful possession of a firearm during that incident. The Court also considered evidence at the hearing that Williams previously shot one of his customers in relation to a drug deal in April of 2022. Williams has been a convicted felon since 2019, when he was convicted in Washington County of robbery. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force, Fayetteville Police Department, Arkansas State Police and ATF investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov


title: New Orleans Men Sentenced For Firearms Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALPHONSE BAZILE (“BAZILE”) , age 78, and RAYSHAUD GREEN (“GREEN”) , age 35, both of New Orleans, were each sentenced on September 18, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 180 months incarceration, three (3) years of supervised release and the payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to the counts of the superseding indictment against them. Specifically, Count 1 charged BAZILE with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 2 charged GREEN with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), and 2. Count 3 charged GREEN with possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o), 924(a)(2), and 2. According to court documents, on August 17, 2022, New Orleans Police Department officers responded after learning that a shooting occurred at BAZILE’s residence, near Curran Boulevard and Haney Drive in New Orleans, LA. Surveillance footage revealed an earlier fight between juveniles outside of the residence. Although the fight had ended and the juveniles dispersed, approximately 30 minutes later, a group of juveniles in a car returned while BAZILE and GREEN were standing outside. A few of the juveniles exited the car, armed with firearms, and approached BAZILE and GREEN . BAZILE told them to leave and, they did. GREEN and BAZILE then returned to the residence. While inside, BAZILE armed himself with a .32 caliber revolver and ammunition. GREEN armed himself with a Polymer 80 Model P940C, nine-millimeter firearm, with a Glock auto-sear, that converted the weapon into an automatic machine gun. BAZILE and GREEN then exited the residence, firing at the juveniles, killing one. On September 8, 2022, GREEN was arrested in New Orleans and, a search of a bedroom in GREEN’s residence uncovered the same firearm he used to shoot at the juveniles. 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution of this matter.


title: Mexican National Sentenced For  Illegal Re-Entry of a Removed Alien  Previously Convicted of a Felony

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSE MANUEL CHENO (“CHENO”) , age 55, a Mexican national, was sentenced on September 25, 2024 after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a deported alien previously convicted of a felony, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(2). According to court documents, CHENO was encountered in Jefferson Parish on March 31, 2023, after having been previously deported on January 27, 2018. Furthermore, on or about May 5, 2005, CHENO was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana in the District of Arizona. U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced CHENO to a term of imprisonment of twenty-one (21) months, a term of supervised release of two years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Arizona Resident Sentenced For Bank Fraud

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that WILLIAM J. WHITE , age 63, of Phoenix, Arizona was sentenced on September 25, 2024, by the Honorable Sarah S. Vance, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana, for bank fraud. According to documents filed in federal court, WILLIAM J. WHITE entered a local bank and used a false identification document during an attempt to cash a forged and fraudulent check. The defendant was sentenced to fifteen (15) months of imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Diplomatic Security Service, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Gretna Man Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts Violations

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – FELIX MACKEY (“MACKEY”), age , a Gretna, Louisiana resident, was sentenced on September 25, 2024, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846. Also, FELIX pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). MACKEY was sentenced to 192 imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, MACKEY sold methamphetamine to a confidential source on three occasions in May 2021. On June 3, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant on MACKEY’s residence and found 92.127 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, 99.31 grams of cocaine, and 10.13 grams of cocaine base. Law enforcement also seized a black Taurus Model PT111, nine-millimeter pistol, bearing serial number TJT26730 and loaded with eleven (11) bullets. MACKEY had previously been convicted of a felony in Plaquemines Parish. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


title: Houston Man Sentenced to  18 Months Imprisonment  for Making False Statements

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JIAQIN YE (“YE”) , age 29, a resident of Houston, Texas, was sentenced on September 26, 2024 to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) related to a government imposter scam. According to court documents, YE traveled from Houston, Texas, to a residence in Covington, Louisiana, to collect approximately $34,500.00 from the victim of a government imposter scam. When YE arrived, he was arrested by the FBI, and then made false statements to agents relating to his prior involvement in similar schemes. In addition to prison, YE was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For more information on how to prevent being the victim of fraud, please visit the Federal Trade Commission website at https://www.ftc.gov/ . You can also report internet crime on the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center website found at https://www.ic3.gov/ . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the FBI in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney and Elder Justice Coordinator Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Army Reservist Guilty of Conspiring to Steal Government Funds

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that former United States Army reservist CODY FRANCIS (“FRANCIS”) , pled guilty on September 26, 2024 to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds. FRANCIS stole $11,378.27 from the United States Department of the Army, by claiming reimbursement for performing military funeral honors ceremonies that never actually happened. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2000 authorizes military funeral honors for active-duty soldiers, retirees, and veterans. At a family’s request, eligible persons can receive military funeral honors, including the folding and presenting of the United States flag and the playing of “Taps.” By pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, FRANCIS faces up to five (5) yearsimprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. FRANCIS has agreed to repay the Department of the Army for the $11,378.27 in stolen funds. FRANCIS will be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown on February 13, 2025. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command. Assistant United States Attorney Andre J. Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Indicted For  Federal Drug and Weapons Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TALYA SMITH (“SMITH”) , age 29, of New Orleans, was indicted on September 26, 2024 for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts. SMITH is charged in Count 1 of the indictment with Possession with Intent to Distribute Tapentadol and Marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D). He is charged in Count 2 with Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). In Count 3, he is charged with Possession of a Machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o), and in Count 4 with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)1). As to Count 1, SMITH faces up to twenty years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to Count 3, he faces up to ten years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release. Finally, as to Count 4, SMITH faces up to fifteen years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. According to court documents, on or about March 31, 2024, SMITH allegedly possessed with the intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana. He also allegedly illegally possessed a Glock Model 23, .40 caliber handgun and ammunition in furtherance of his possession, with intent to distribute, tapentadol and marijuana. Additionally, this firearm had a machinegun conversion device attached to it. Lastly, as a previously convicted felon, SMITH knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition. 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Shreveport Woman Indicted For Wire Fraud

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – KRISTEN LEVIN, a/k/a Kristen Cassels, (“LEVIN”) , a resident of Shreveport, Louisiana, was indicted on September 26, 2024, on three counts of Wire Fraud, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the indictment, LEVIN was employed by Company A from 2015 to 2020. Company A was partly located in St. Rose, Louisiana. LEVIN misused her position to steal funds, totaling approximately $589,729.12, from Company A by using fraudulent invoices for products never received by Company A. LEVIN knew she was not entitled to this money. If convicted, LEVIN faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans stated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit and Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison  for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, Marcus Allen Brown, 44, was found with a firearm after Jackson Police responded to a reported disturbance at an apartment complex. At the time, Brown already had multiple previous felony convictions spanning more than two decades, including the burglaries of homes and businesses, drug possession, and felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown pled guilty on March 19, 2024. The sentence he received, 10 years, is the statutory maximum for the offense at the time it was committed. The statutory maximum has since been changed to 15 years. He will not be eligible for parole because there is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the ATF and the Jackson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Pearl River Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possession of Approximately 400 Images of Child Pornography

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Pearl River man was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. According to court documents, William Henry, 52, possessed approximately 400 pornographic images of children that were under the age of twelve. Henry was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2020, and pled guilty in October 2023. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Henry was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to victims and a $9,000 assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.


title: Tucker Man Pleads Guilty to Burglary on Choctaw Reservation

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Tucker man pled guilty to the burglary of a home in the Tucker Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Reservation. According to court documents, in December 2021, Sherente Tubby, 22, broke into the home of another person with intent to commit assault. Tubby is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2024, and faces a minimum of three years and a maximum of twenty-five years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Awards $900,000 to Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to Support Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has awarded $900,000 to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee. The grant was awarded through the OVW Tribal Governments Program, which provides funding to tribes to develop and enhance effective governmental strategies to curtail violent crimes against and increase the safety of Indian women. The funds will support the Family Violence and Victims Program, an agency of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Tribal Government, which provides shelter and support services for Choctaw women who are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. “This DOJ grant will assist the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians with reducing domestic violence and other violent crime through collaboration with community organizations, tribal law enforcement, and prosecutors,” said U.S. Attorney Gee. “The Family Violence and Victim Services program, a vital initiative within our Department of Family & Community Services, plays a crucial role in supporting individuals during their most vulnerable moments,” said Chief Cyrus Ben of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. “This grant will enable us to sustain and enhance our efforts in the community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Department of Justice for this generous award, which allows us to continue our important work.” Additional information about the Office on Violence Against Women can be found at www.justice.gov/ovw .