title: Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services Highlight Progress by State of Alabama to Implement Environmental Justice Reforms in Lowndes County

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today progress by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) in providing access to basic sanitation services, abating exposure to raw sewage from inadequate onsite wastewater systems and improving health outcomes for the predominantly Black communities of Lowndes County, Alabama. Today’s announcement comes one year after the Justice Department and HHS secured an interim resolution agreement with ADPH following its investigation into whether ADPH violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (Section 1557). Title VI prohibits recipients of federal funds from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin in their federally funded programs and activities. Section 1557 provides that an individual shall not be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of or subjected to discrimination under any health program or activity, any part of which is receiving federal financial assistance, based on the grounds prohibited under Title VI. “Advancing environmental justice is a top priority for the Justice Department,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Through this agreement, the Justice Department and HHS are working rigorously to ensure that residents of Lowndes County can access basic sanitation needs. We will continue working with the community and the state’s Department of Public Health to implement all of the reforms in our agreement. The Lowndes County community deserves nothing less.” “For decades, Lowndes County residents have endured living without basic sanitation and wastewater disposal services. The disproportionate impact of this on Black, low-income, rural residents — who, for generations, have suffered through illness, infectious diseases and public health risks simply for living in their own neighborhoods — is unacceptable,” said Director Melanie Fontes Rainer of the HHS Office for Civil Rights. “The work by HHS and the Justice Department here is significant in working with the State of Alabama. Today’s update shows the progress made by the state to address these issues. Environmental justice is critical for people across the country and we will continue to fight to ensure that this community and others are is safe from environmental hazards.” ADPH has taken the following actions to advance sustainable and equitable solutions for onsite wastewater management for Lowndes County residents: Selected the first set of residences whose wastewater systems will be installed or repaired for free via a local, not-for-profit entity that will manage ADPH’s Lowndes County Septic System Improvement Program; Suspended criminal enforcement of state sanitation laws in Lowndes County against residents without the means to purchase functioning, ADPH-permitted septic systems; Conducted a public health information campaign, including the development and dissemination of flyers concerning the health risks associated with exposure to raw sewage, how to mitigate exposure to raw sewage and proper septic system maintenance; Launched its Environmental Health Assessment (Assessment) to identify and prioritize residences for septic system installations or repairs based on data analysis of which homes face the most serious environmental and health risks from exposure to raw sewage; Created and filled a Lowndes County Community Liaison position and an outreach/grant manager position for Lowndes County and Black Belt communities to oversee implementation of ADPH’s Public Health and Infrastructure Improvement Plan (PHIIP); and Submitted the PHIIP, which sets forth plans to avert future public health risks and implement sanitation solutions for the community. ADPH encourages Lowndes County residents who are required to use onsite septic systems for wastewater management to complete the Assessment. Residents can access the Assessment at epiweb.adph.state.al.us/redcap/surveys/?s=xamaxkhdrxxxldle . More information on ADPH’s septic system installation program is available at www.alabamapublichealth.gov/onsite/sewage.html or by contacting ADPH at (334) 206-5371 or at www.alabamapublichealth.gov/environmental/septic-system-program.html . ADPH will not use the information collected by the Assessment for any other purposes, including issuing citations for alleged violation of sanitation laws. The Civil Rights Division’s Federal Coordination and Compliance Section and the HHS Office for Civil Rights conducted this investigation jointly with the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. Individuals who believe their civil rights have been violated can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/ . Additional information about the HHS Office for Civil Rights is available on its website at www.hhs.gov/ocr . If you believe that you or someone else has been discriminated against in programs or activities that HHS directly operates or to which HHS provides federal financial assistance, you may file a complaint at ocrportal.hhs.gov/ .


title: California Man Sentenced on Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CARLOS PEDILLIA-SERNA , age 34, a resident of California, was sentenced on Friday, May 3, 2024 to serve 135 months in the custody of the United States Bureau of Prisons for his role in the distribution of over 40 lbs of pure methamphetamine to individuals in Terrebonne Parish. PEDILLIA-SERNA pleaded guilty on January 24, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to participating in a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846. PEDILLIA-SERNA is also subject to deportation to Mexico after he serves his prison sentence, as he is not legally in the United States, though he has been living in California for years. This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Quincy Man Pleads Guilty to Hiding Over $10 Million in Corporate Income

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Quincy man pleaded guilty yesterday to filing false tax returns on behalf of his company that hid over $10 million in corporate income. Su Nguyen, 60, pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 5, 2024. In October 2023, Nguyen was indicted by a federal grand jury. Between 2016 and 2020, Nguyen was the owner and operator of General Employment Services (GES), a temporary employment agency operating in Massachusetts. Clients paid GES by check for the work performed by GES employees. Nguyen deposited a small number of client checks in a bank account that Nguyen used for GES business and reported that income to the IRS. However, Nguyen cashed the majority of client checks at a check casher located in Worcester and used that cash on himself and to pay some employees’ wages. In total, Nguyen cashed over $10 million in client checks and did not report that income or the wages paid in cash to the IRS. By doing so, Nguyen and GES failed to pay over $2 million in taxes. Each count of aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Mississippi Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements in Connection with Federal Investigation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Jackson, MS – The former Sheriff of Noxubee County pleaded guilty today to making false statements to agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding his relationship with an inmate in the Noxubee County jail. According to court documents and statements made in court, Terry Grassaree, 61, of Macon, made a materially false statement to the FBI in July 2020, when questioned about requesting and receiving nude photos or videos from an inmate in the jail that he oversaw as the Sheriff of Noxubee County. Grassaree used his position as Sheriff to solicit and accept nude photos and videos from a female inmate in exchange for favorable treatment of the inmate. Grassaree provided her with benefits at the jail that other inmates did not receive, or did not receive as often, including allowing the use of a contraband cell phone, tobacco, and other items. She was also made a trusty and given a job cooking in the jail. On March 5, 2019, Grassaree used a social media platform to request a video from the inmate. On the same date, Grassaree received multiple nude images from the inmate via the social media platform and responded in a flirtatious and complimentary manner. During an interview with the FBI, Grassaree lied about receiving the photographs, and these statements were intended to influence the FBI’s investigation of Grassaree and the treatment of detainees in the Noxubee County jail. Grassaree was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 5, 2022. One of Grassaree’s former deputies, Vance Phillips has also pleaded guilty to using facilities in interstate commerce, namely, the internet and a cellular phone, for the purpose of committing the offense of bribery. Phillips is awaiting sentencing and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Grassaree is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Purdie and Dave Fulcher are prosecuting the case.


title: Gainesville Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking Offense

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Michael Anthony Sheppard, 45, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence. “Our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners work tirelessly to keep us safe by removing addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We remain committed to support their efforts through the investigation and vigorous prosecution of criminals bringing drugs into North Florida. The imposed sentence illustrates the significant consequences of harming our citizens through illicit drug trafficking activities.” Plea documents reflect that Sheppard, along with co-conspirators, conspired to receive and distribute powder and crack cocaine throughout the Northern District of Florida and elsewhere. Sheppard was also involved in the purchase and illegal resale of prescription oxycodone pills, as well as pound quantities of marijuana. Investigation led to the seizure of nearly two kilograms of powder cocaine, 150 grams of crack cocaine, approximately fifteen pounds of marijuana, and numerous oxycodone pills, along with $16,000 in U.S. currency and approximately $76,000 in jewelry. Sheppard’s prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release. “DEA prioritizes the safety and health of our citizens by relentlessly pursuing those who distribute these destructive and illegal substances in our Florida communities and holding them accountable for their actions,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter. “This sentence should serve as a warning to those who make the poor choice to distribute illegal drugs in Florida and reaffirms DEA’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and healthy.” This conviction was a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Gainesville Police Department, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney David Byron prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Mason City Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed a firearm as a prohibited person and possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute pled guilty May 3, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City. Tirrell Harlan Hopkins, Jr., age 23, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. At the plea taking hearing, Hopkins admitted that on or about November 18, 2023, in Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, he knowingly possessed a firearm, a Springfield Armory, Model: Saint, Caliber: 5.56 NATO, Type: Pistol. At the time, Hopkins possessed the gun, he knew he was a user of illegal drugs, had been convicted of a felony, and convicted of a crime of domestic violence, all of which prohibited him from legally possessing a gun. Hopkins also admitted that on or about November 18, 2023, in the Northern District of Iowa, he was in possession of methamphetamine, and intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another person. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hopkins remains in custody of the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Hopkins faces a potential of a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and 6 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations Laboratory, and the United States Marshal’s Service. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-03008. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: United States Sues Student Recruiting Firm for Causing Fraudulent Claims to Federal Student Aid Programs

body_text: BOSTON – The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA) against Study Across the Pond, LLC (SATP) and its principal, John Borhaug. According to court documents SATP, which was organized under the laws of Massachusetts, and Borhaug, convinced foreign schools to enter into arrangements that violated the federal ban on incentive-based compensation for student recruitment. It is alleged that SATP and Borhaug paid their employees to recruit American students to attend foreign schools in the United Kingdom (UK), and then required the schools to pay a commission when recruited students enrolled in the UK schools. The complaint, filed in the District of Massachusetts, alleges that based on this conduct, SATP and Borhaug knowingly caused UK schools to submit false claims to the U.S. Department of Education. “Today’s complaint alleges that Study Across the Pond and John Borhaug used illegal incentives to influence American students to attend foreign schools,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “With today’s action, my office demonstrates its commitment to upholding the ban on incentive compensation, rooting out undue financial influence in student recruitment, and protecting the integrity of federal student financial aid programs.” “Third-party recruiters who demand illegal financial incentives for recruiting students to institutions of higher learning, no matter where those institutions are located, undermine the integrity of our system of higher education,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Prospective students are entitled to make their enrollment decisions without the improper influence of recruiters who pursue their own financial gain at the expense of students’ best interests.” “The Office of Inspector General has a unique and special law enforcement mission – to protect public education funds for eligible students. Today’s announcement is an example of our commitment to this mission,” said Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Regional Office. “The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and pursue allegations of violations of the False Claims Act in carrying out our important public service.” Title IV of the Higher Education Act prohibits any institution of higher education that receives federal student aid from compensating student recruiters with a commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on the recruiters’ success in securing student enrollments. This is referred to as the Incentive Compensation Ban. The Incentive Compensation Ban protects students against aggressive recruitment practices that serve the financial interest of the recruiter rather than the educational needs of the student. The complaint alleges that SATP knowingly collaborated with at least 28 UK schools to violate the Incentive Compensation Ban while the schools were participating in federal student aid programs. More specifically, since at least 2015, SATP, under the direction of Borhaug, has allegedly recruited American students to attend UK schools and demanded payment of a “commission” for SATP’s services. This commission was actually a share of the money the schools claimed from federal student financial aid programs for the benefit of American students. The government further alleges that SATP and Borhaug created sham records to hide these arrangements, and ultimately caused foreign schools to submit false claims to the Department of Education. The government filed its complaint in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private citizen can sue on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. The government also is entitled to intervene in the lawsuit, as it has done in this case, which is captioned United States ex rel. Hitrost LLC v. Study Across the Pond, LLC, et al., No. 21-CV-10274-ADB (D. Mass.). Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, Principal Deputy AAG Boynton and SAC Harris made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian LaMacchia and Alexandra Brazier of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit are handling the matter along with Trial Attorney Allison Carroll of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. The claims in which the United States has intervened are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: False Claims Act Complaint Filed Against International Student Recruiting Firm for Federal Student Aid Programs Submissions

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA) against Study Across the Pond LLC (SATP) and its principal, John Borhaug. SATP, which is organized under the laws of Massachusetts, recruits American students to attend foreign schools in the U.K., as well as other countries. The complaint, filed in the District of Massachusetts, alleges that SATP and Borhaug knowingly caused UK schools to submit false claims to the Department of Education for federal student aid by demanding that the foreign schools enter into arrangements that violated the federal ban on incentive-based compensation. “Third-party recruiters who demand illegal financial incentives for recruiting students to institutions of higher learning, no matter where those institutions are located, undermine the integrity of our system of higher education,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Prospective students are entitled to make their enrollment decisions without the improper influence of recruiters who pursue their own financial gain at the expense of students’ best interests.” “Today’s complaint alleges that Study Across the Pond and John Borhaug used illegal incentives to influence American students to attend foreign schools,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “With today’s action, my office demonstrates its commitment to upholding the ban on incentive compensation, rooting out undue financial influence in student recruitment and protecting the integrity of federal student financial aid programs.” “The Office of Inspector General has a unique and special law enforcement mission – to protect public education funds for eligible students,” said Special Agent in Charge Terry Harris of the Department of Education Office of Inspector General (OIG)’s Eastern Regional Office. “Today’s announcement is an example of our commitment to this mission. The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and pursue allegations of violations of the False Claims Act in carrying out our important public service.” Title IV of the Higher Education Act prohibits any institution of higher education that receives federal student aid from compensating student recruiters with a commission, bonus or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on the recruiters’ success in securing student enrollments. This is referred to as the Incentive Compensation Ban. The Incentive Compensation Ban protects students against aggressive recruitment practices that serve the financial interest of the recruiter rather than the educational needs of the student. The complaint alleges that SATP knowingly collaborated with at least 28 U.K. schools to violate the Incentive Compensation Ban while the schools were participating in a federal student aid program. Specifically, since at least 2015, SATP, under the direction of Borhaug, has recruited American students to attend U.K. schools and demanded payment of a commission for SATP’s services. This commission was actually a share of the money the schools claimed from a federal financial aid program, specifically the Federal Direct Loan Program, for the benefit of American students. The government further alleges that SATP and Borhaug created sham records to hide these arrangements, and ultimately caused foreign schools to submit false claims to the Department of Education. The government filed its complaint in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam , or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private citizen can sue on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. The government is entitled to intervene in the lawsuit, as it has done in this case. The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Hitrost LLC v. Study Across the Pond, LLC, et al. , No. 21-CV-10274-ADB (D. Mass.). The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts are handling the case, with substantial assistance from the Department of Education. The United States is represented in this matter by Trial Attorney Allison C. Carroll of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian LaMacchia and Alexandra Brazier for the District of Massachusetts. The claims asserted against defendants are only allegations. There has been no determination of liability. Complaint


title: Five Count Indictment Unsealed Charging Local Pair with Conspiracy to Commit Murder of Federal Witness in Connection with the Staging of Automobile Collisions in the New Orleans Area

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the unsealing of a Five Count Indictment charging RYAN J. HARRIS (“HARRIS”) , age 35, of New Orleans, Louisiana and JOVANNA R. GARDNER (“GARDNER”) , age 39, of Chalmette, Louisiana. The Indictment was returned on Friday, May 3, 2024, and unsealed on Monday, May 6, 2024, after both HARRIS and GARDNER were arrested by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Both HARRIS and GARDNER are charged in all five counts of the Indictment. Count One charges Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1343, and 1349. Count Two charges Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering Through Murder in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(1)(C), 1512(a)(3)(A), and 1512(k). Count Three charges Witness Tampering Through Murder in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(a)(1)(C), 1512(a)(3)(A), and 2. Count Four charges Conspiracy to Retaliate Against a Witness Through Murder in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1513(a)(1)(B), 1513(a)(2)(A), and 1513(f). Count Five charges Retaliation Against a Witness Through Murder in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1513(a)(1)(B), 1513(a)(2)(A), and 2. According to the Indictment, HARRIS , GARDNER , Cornelius Garrison (“Garrison”), and others participated in a scheme in which they intentionally caused staged automobile collisions with other vehicles in the New Orleans metropolitan area. The scheme included individuals who rode in automobiles as passengers knowing they would be part of staged collisions. Those individuals later lied as part of fraudulent insurance claims and fraudulent lawsuits based on the staged collisions. GARDNER was a passenger in a staged collision. Additionally, the scheme included individuals who drove automobiles and intentionally collided with 18-wheeler tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles in order to stage collisions (“slammers”). After the staged collisions, the slammers would flee the scene and a passenger would falsely claim to have been driving at the time of the collision. HARRIS was a slammer. HARRIS also recruited and conspired with others to participate in staged collisions. Additionally, the scheme included individuals who drove getaway cars that allowed the slammers to flee the scene after causing a collision and evade detection by law enforcement (“spotters”). The spotters would sometimes also pretend to be eyewitnesses who would flag down the commercial vehicles after the staged collisions and allege that the commercial vehicles were at fault. Additionally, the scheme included individuals such as attorneys and others associated with the attorneys who pursued fraudulent claims and fraudulent lawsuits knowing they were based on staged collisions. Garrison worked with HARRIS as a slammer and spotter. Similar to HARRIS , Garrison recruited others to participate in staged collisions. Both HARRIS and Garrison caused or attempted to cause passengers in the staged collisions to use the services of attorneys who were part of the scheme. Between approximately March 4, 2015, and the date of the Indictment, HARRIS , GARDNER , Garrison, and others caused multiple staged collisions with the purpose of later filing fraudulent insurance claims and fraudulent lawsuits based on the staged collisions. The scheme involved the use of the mail and the use of interstate wires, including through the filing of fraudulent insurance claims and fraudulent lawsuits. In or around October 2019, Garrison began covertly cooperating with the federal government concerning staged automobile collisions. On September 18, 2020, Garrison was charged in an Indictment in the Eastern District of Louisiana with Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and other offenses related to the staged collisions. The Indictment alleges that on September 22, 2020, HARRIS and GARDNER murdered, and aided and abetted the murder of Garrison as part of a scheme to prevent Garrison from cooperating with the federal government and exposing the scheme to stage collisions. If convicted, HARRIS and GARDNER face up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain to any defendant or twice the gross loss to any victims as to Count One. As to each Counts Two through Five, the defendants face life imprisonment, up to five (5) years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. For each of the five counts, HARRIS and GARDNER also face payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. HARRIS and GARDNER made their initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Karen Wells Roby on Monday, May 6, 2024, and were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after the government moved for their detention. Thus far, fifty-two (52) defendants have been charged in the federal probe into the staging of automobile collisions with other vehicles in the New Orleans metropolitan area. The U.S. Attorney's Office reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the tremendous work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne; Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Ryan McLaren; and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Benjamin Myers.


title: Physician and Owner of Bellflower Medical Clinic Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Medi-Cal Family Program Out of More Than $2.5 Million

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – The owner and sole physician at a Bellflower medical clinic has pleaded guilty to submitting millions of dollars’ worth of false claims to a Medi-Cal health care program that provides family planning services to low-income and uninsured patients, causing more than $2.5 million in losses, the Justice Department announced today. Robert Eyzaguirre, 77, of Torrance, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. According to his plea agreement, Eyzaguirre owned and operated Dr. Robert’s Medical Center, a Bellflower-based medical clinic enrolled as a Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment (Family PACT) provider run through the Medi-Cal public health program that California administered under Medicaid. At this clinic, Eyzaguirre employed and supervised Gary Lee Didio, 54, of Huntington Beach, and Sandra Rios, 51, of South Los Angeles. From at least December 2013 through January 2020, Eyzaguirre conspired with Didio and Rios to submit more than $4.6 million in fraudulent claims to the Family PACT program for family planning services that were never provided. Specifically, Rios picked random names from an online phone-and-address directory and created fake patient files, including inserting fake vital signs and patient notes. Eyzaguirre signed the fake patient files, falsely representing that he had provided family planning services to those patients. Eyzaguirre sometimes signed blank patient forms before the false vital signs and notes had been added. The fake patient files were then submitted to the Family PACT program for reimbursement. The Medi-Cal program paid more than $2.5 million on the fraudulent claims submitted by Dr. Robert’s Medical Center. Eyzaguirre also falsely certified in the fake patient files that laboratory tests were medically necessary. Didio and Rios then referred the names of fake patients to a laboratory in Northern California, which then paid an illegal kickback of $30 cash for each referral. In total, the laboratory paid more than $372,000 in illegal kickbacks for the referrals of fake Family PACT patients from Dr. Robert’s Medical Center. The Medi-Cal program paid more than $1 million on the fraudulent claims submitted by the laboratory related to the scheme. When Eyzaguirre learned that law enforcement was investigating the fraudulent scheme, he attempted to conceal the criminal activity by instructing Didio to remove the fake patient files from Dr. Robert’s Medical Center and hide them offsite. Once the files had been moved, Eyzaguirre attempted to shred the fake patient files to prevent law enforcement from discovering them. Eyzaguirre admitted in his plea agreement to abusing his position of trust as a physician and obstructing justice. Rios and Didio have pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive illegal remunerations for healthcare referrals. They are expected to be sentenced in the coming months. United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal scheduled a sentencing hearing for Eyzaguirre on October 28. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the California Department of Justice, Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jason C. Pang of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Human Trafficker Working With Mexican “Coyotes” Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Transport Illegal Aliens

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty plea of MARIO ELPIDIO CHAVEZ MILLAN, a human trafficker working with Mexican “coyotes,” for conspiring to transport illegal aliens throughout the United States. As part of his plea, CHAVEZ also admitted to his participation in a kidnapping conspiracy. CHAVEZ pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2024. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Mario Elpidio Chavez Millan and others like him are an integral cog in the human trafficking machine that preys on people who attempt to enter the United States through its southern border each year. The services that Chavez offers are what make it possible for coyotes, the cartels, and others to smuggle people throughout the country, often times for large fees. And in this case — as in many cases involving human traffickers — Chavez and those working with him sought to extort their victims for even more money. This Office will use every tool available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those involved in human trafficking.” According to the Complaint previously filed against CHAVEZ, the Indictment, and other filings: On about July 10, 2023, the New York State Police in the Town of Cortlandt, New York, received a report from an individual (“Individual-1”) that Individual-1’s relative (“Victim-1”) had entered the country illegally with the assistance of “coyotes” and was being transported by a man in the United States working with the coyotes, who was later identified as CHAVEZ. Individual-1 further informed the State Police that CHAVEZ had told Victim-1 that he was not going to release Victim-1 unless Victim-1 or his/her family paid $1,000 in addition to the money that Victim-1 had already paid to the coyotes. That evening, State Police executed a traffic stop of CHAVEZ’s vehicle in the Town of Cortlandt. At that time, there were approximately five people in the vehicle in addition to CHAVEZ. After those passengers and Victim-1 were brought to the State Police barracks, each reported that they had illegally entered the United States and that they were being driven by CHAVEZ from in or about New Mexico to other states throughout the country. Several of CHAVEZ’s passengers stated that CHAVEZ threatened them during the drive, telling them that they could not leave without paying him an additional $1,000 and that CHAVEZ told them he had previously killed someone for running away without paying. * * * CHAVEZ, 19, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to transport aliens throughout the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Hudson Valley Resident Agency and Safe Streets Task Force and the New York State Police. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Markewitz is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Operator Of Highrise Advantage, LLC, Pleads Guilty To Criminal Charges Related To Over $57 Million In Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Avinash Singh (42, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. Singh faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count. Singh has also agreed to an order of forfeiture in the amount of $57 million, as well to the forfeiture of two personal residences, which were purchased with the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme and involved in the money laundering offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Singh operated a company by the name of Highrise Advantage, LLC. From February 2013 to September 2020, Singh solicited and received more than $57 million from over 1,100 victims that was to be invested in retail foreign currency contracts (“forex”) through Highrise. To induce his victims to invest, Singh claimed that he had a proven track record of success as a forex trader, that he was going to use the funds for investments in forex, and that he would “guarantee” that his victims would not lose any funds for any trading losses. None of these representations were true. Rather than invest his victims’ funds in forex trading as he had promised, Singh used funds from one investor to pay amounts owed to another investor. Singh did not invest the funds that he promised to invest. Instead, Singh misappropriated at least $45 million in the form of payments to other investors and millions of dollars in personal expenses. This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the St. Cloud IRS Federal Financial Crimes Task Force, and the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda S. Daniels. The asset recovery is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.


title: West Haven Man Charged with Narcotics Distribution Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging LEVERN MARION, 35, of West Haven, with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of fentanyl. The indictment was returned on May 1, 2024. Marion appeared today in New Haven federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charge. As alleged in court documents, an investigation that included surveillance, trash pulls, and traffic stops revealed that Marion was distributing controlled substances in and around New Haven. Marion was arrested on March 27, 2024. On that date, a court authorized search of a New Haven residence connected to him revealed approximately 800 grams of cocaine, approximately 260 grams of crack cocaine, and numerous wax folds containing fentanyl. If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Marion faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Marion has been detained since his arrest. This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the New Haven Police Department. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe.


title: Traveling carnival business owner charged for crimes against migrant workers

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A Mexican national residing in the United States has made an appearance in federal court on allegations of fraud in foreign labor contracting, false statements and mail fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The indictment alleges Angel Reyes Isidro aka Angel Reyes or Lucas Isidro Reyes, 41, operated and managed J&G Concessions LLC in Houston. In 2019, Reyes allegedly submitted falsified temporary employment applications to the United States to obtain H-2B visas for foreign seasonal workers. Upon the workers arrival, Reyes charged them illegal fees, paid them below what was required and made threats of deportation and loss of future employment opportunities to cause them to work despite horrible working conditions, according to the charges. During the hearing, Judge Bryan heard Reyes poses a serious flight risk, risk of obstructing justice and is a danger to the community. The court heard Reyes also possessed a firearm, which he allegedly used to threaten workers. Testimony further alleged Reyes sexually harassed his female temporary workers, assaulted one of them and threatened and retaliated against the victimized workers. From 2022 to the time of his arrest April 28, Reyes allegedly continued to operate his carnival business with unauthorized workers. Reyes faces up to 20 years in federal prison for mail fraud and a maximum of 10 if convicted of visa fraud. He could also be ordered to $250,000 in fines for each conviction. The remaining counts carry a five-year-maximum term of imprisonment. The Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations as part of the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Lu and Khoa Tran are prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: New Jersey Doctor Sentenced to 26 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud Targeting Amtrak

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey doctor was sentenced today to 26 months in prison for participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Muhammad Mirza, 51, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From April 2017 through June 2022, Mirza and his conspirators agreed to engage in a scheme to bill the Amtrak health care plan for fraudulent claims for services that either were never provided or were medically unnecessary. They would recruit Amtrak employees to participate in the scheme by paying them to allow the conspirators to use their patient and insurance information to submit false and fraudulent claims. Mirza and his conspirators submitted false and fraudulent claims that caused Amtrak losses of more than $1.3 million. In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Mirza to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $1.37 million. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York; and the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Sam Dotson, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.


title: Trinitarios Gang Leader Sentenced To Life In Prison For Murdering A Confidential Informant

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that WILLIAM JONES, a/k/a “Principe,” was sentenced today to life in prison for the December 2019 murder of Frederick Delacruz. JONES, who was a high-ranking member of the Trinitarios gang, lured Delacruz from the Bronx to Suffolk County, New York, where JONES shot and killed Delacruz next to a cemetery because Delacruz was acting as a confidential informant for law enforcement. JONES was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos after being convicted by a jury following an eight-day trial in October 2023. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “William Jones executed Frederick Delacruz in cold blood because Delacruz had the courage to cooperate with law enforcement. Now, Jones will spend the rest of his life in a federal prison.” According to court filings and the evidence presented in court during the trial: WILLIAM JONES was a high-ranking member of the Trinitarios, a racketeering enterprise that has engaged in a pattern of murder, attempted murder, drug trafficking, fraud, and witness tampering and retaliation. On December 28, 2019, JONES and other Trinitarios lured Frederick Delacruz from the Bronx, New York, to Suffolk County, New York, where JONES shot and killed Delacruz because Delacruz was acting as a confidential informant for law enforcement. Delacruz is the second known person whom JONES has murdered. On October 18, 1993, JONES shot and killed Audrey Walker with a TEC .9mm assault weapon in the lobby of the Manhattan apartment building where Walker resided. On October 26, 1994, JONES was convicted after a bench trial in New York County Supreme Court of intentional murder in the second degree. JONES was sentenced to nine years to life in prison. He was released on parole on September 8, 2008. * * * JONES, 45, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted at trial of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and murder through the use of a firearm. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Suffolk County Police Department. He also thanked the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily A. Johnson, Justin V. Rodriguez, and Christy Slavik are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Grayson Glogoff.


title: Justice Department Strengthens Efforts, Builds Partnerships to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS – The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota joined its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities, in recognizing May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day . The District of South Dakota U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell and other District staff will also be hosting and attending events throughout the month of May. In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities. “There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.” To raise awareness of MMIP issues, U.S. Attorneys and MMIP personnel have been engaging in events with Tribal and law enforcement partners, communities, and stakeholders across the United States, and will continue to do so in the month ahead. On April 17-18, 2024, U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Peterman, MMIP Regional AUSA Troy Morley, and National Native American Outreach Services Liaison Marlys Big Eagle participated in an MMIP Conference hosted by the Oglala and Rosebud Sioux Tribes; on April 30, 2024, Ramsdell, Morley, and Big Eagle joined a panel discussion at the Yankton Community Library; on May 5, 2024, Morley participated in an MMIP Awareness Walk in Porcupine, SD; on May 6, 2024, Morley, Big Eagle, and AUSA Heather Knox presented at South Dakota’s MMIP Awareness and Training Program; and on May 14, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota, in conjunction with the Department of Justice’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, will host an MMIP Summit, where leaders from South Dakota’s nine federally recognized tribes will learn about law enforcement resources and Tribal Community Response Plans. Justice Department Prioritization of MMIP Cases Last July, the Justice Department announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program , which permanently places five MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorneys and five MMIP coordinators throughout the country to provide specialized support to U.S. Attorneys’ offices as those offices address and combat MMIP issues. This support includes assisting in the investigation of unresolved MMIP cases and related crimes, as well as promoting communication, coordination, and collaboration among federal, Tribal, local, and state law enforcement, and non-governmental partners on MMIP issues. The MMIP Regional Outreach Program has divided its resources into five regions—the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions. The District of South Dakota falls within the Great Plains Region and serves as a host district for one of the five MMIP Regional AUSAs. As previously indicated, Troy Morley has been selected to serve the Great Plains Region as the MMIP Regional AUSA. In November of 2023, Troy Morley, MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) for the District of South Dakota, bought to closure a cold case that was 31 years old. In 1992, in Roberts County, Jay Adams Jr. of Sisseton, South Dakota, killed a minor victim, in the heat of passion, by inflicting fatal blunt force trauma to her head. Adams signed documents admitting he used violent force to inflict the injury upon the victim in the early morning hours of September 4, 1992. Adams did not seek medical attention for the victim and later the same day discovered she had died. Adams feigned ignorance as to the cause of the victim’s injury. Earlier in 2023, new evidence came to light which implicated Adams in the death of the victim. Sentencing is scheduled for June 3, 2024. “Cold cases are not closed cases in the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “As this tragic case demonstrates, no matter how long it takes, we remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice. It is our hope that the cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office offers some measure of closure to victims’ families and helps honor the sacred memory of missing and murdered Indigenous persons.” The MMIP regional program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ Offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People , and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022. Not Invisible Act Commission Response The Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-Department effort. In March, the Departments of Justice and the Interior released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission (NIAC)’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crises. The NIAC response, announced by Attorney General Garland during a visit to the Crow Nation, recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States. The Department is in the process of implementing its response now, addressing several areas in the near term, including: Improving coordination, funding, and operations of efforts to combat MMIP and human trafficking; Enhancing research to better trace the underlying causes of MMIP and human trafficking, to reduce barriers to accessing resources, and to identify data sharing opportunities with healthcare systems; Improving access to funding aligned with Tribes’ needs; Developing guidance on the effective use of the media and social media to engage the public when someone is reported missing; Improving communications with families of victims or missing people; and Working with a multi-jurisdictional working group to address factors that lead people, particularly young people, to voluntarily go missing. Addressing Violent Crime and the Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country As noted in the joint response to the NIAC, research suggests that certain public safety challenges faced by many American Indian and Alaska Native communities — including disproportionate violence against women, families, and children; substance use; drug trafficking; and labor and sex trafficking — can influence the rates of missing American Indian and Alaska Native people. Further, fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths are the leading cause of opioid deaths throughout the United States, including Indian county, where drug-related overdose death rates for Native Americans exceeds the national rate. Therefore, federal law enforcement components are ramping up efforts to forge stronger partnerships with federal and Tribal law enforcement partners to address violent crime and the fentanyl crisis, which exposes already vulnerable communities to greater harm. For instance: Last year, the Justice Department increased funding to the FBI Safe Trails Task Forces to build on the success they have had in bringing together agencies, including Tribal police departments, to combat public safety threats, violent crime, and drug trafficking. The FBI has increased its investigative resources in some of the Indian Country field offices that were in most need of personnel. Last year, the FBI undertook Operation Not Forgotten, which surged more than 40 personnel, including agents, intelligence analysts, tactical specialists, and victim specialists, to 10 field offices, where they were able to supplement more than 200 pending investigations related to violence against indigenous women and children, with a focus on homicide, serious bodily injury, and physical and sexual child abuse. To date, there have been seven successful indictments. Special Agents identified four previously unidentified child victims and recovered one child victim. Numerous other cases were referred for federal or Tribal prosecutions based on these efforts. This year, the DEA has established liaisons with each of the FBI-led Safe Trails Task Forces. In addition, DEA is expanding Operation Overdrive to include partnering with Tribal law enforcement and community outreach specialists to reduce the harm caused by drugs and drug-related violence. Operation Overdrive utilizes a data-driven approach to identify hot spots of drug-related violence and drug-poisoning deaths across the country, in order to concentrate resources where criminal drug networks are causing the most harm. DEA’s Operation Engage has facilitated programs for Tribal youth, focusing on increasing drug prevention and awareness. The U.S. Marshals Service has developed a legislative proposal to formalize its role in enforcing Tribal violent felony arrest warrants that would expand a pilot launched last year where the Marshals served Tribal warrants at the request of, and in close coordination with, Tribal law enforcement and the Department’s Office of Tribal Justice. This effort has successfully targeted extremely dangerous offenders. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recently assigned a Special Agent/Certified Fire Investigator to the MMIP Initiative to conduct case reviews for each of the five regions. ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Identification Network (NIBIN) and Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) are used as an investigative resource for MMIP cases involving the criminal use of a firearm. In addition to coordinating our enforcement efforts, the Justice Department is also focused on supporting education and awareness efforts, as well as prevention, treatment, and recovery. The Bureau of Justice Assistance has provided training sessions for Tribal law enforcement, judges, and public safety personnel on our shared work to address fentanyl poisoning, including on the use of Narcan for fentanyl overdoses. “The FBI remains unwavering in our pledge to work with our law enforcement partners to address the violence that has disproportionately harmed Tribal communities and families,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to prioritize our support of victims and will steadfastly pursue investigations into the crime impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities.” “DEA’s top priority is protecting all communities from deadly drugs, like fentanyl, and drug related violent crime,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “We know that no community has been spared from these deadly threats and we are committed to keeping Tribal communities safe.” Accessing Justice Department Resources Over the past year, the Department awarded $268 million in grants to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have also gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities. For additional information about the Justice Department’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the MMIP section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website . Click here for more information about reporting or identifying missing persons.


title: Mother and Daughter Team Sentenced to Prison for Jailhouse Unemployment Insurance Fraud

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif . — Makiah Miles, 30, of Compton, California, was sentenced yesterday to 21 months in prison and Apryl Weston, 51, of Santa Maria, California, was sentenced yesterday to 5 months in prison and 5 months home detention for submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) in the names of inmates, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Miles was an inmate at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, California, and Weston is her mother. Miles had previously been convicted of DUI manslaughter. From June through December 2020, Miles obtained other inmates’ names, dates of birth, and social security numbers and sent that information to Weston to submit claims in those inmates’ identities as well as Miles’ own identity. The underlying applications misrepresented that Miles and the other inmates worked as childcare providers, cosmetologists, hairdressers, and other occupations, that they last worked within the prior few months and recently became unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that they were currently available to work. The fraudulent claims were worth nearly $250,000. This case is the product of an investigation by FBI, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Investigative Services Unit, and the EDD. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case. This case is part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, which is one of the interagency COVID-19 fraud strike forces established by the United States Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California, and focuses on large-scale, multistate, and egregious pandemic relief fraud. The strike force uses prosecutor-led, and data analyst-driven, teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief money.


title: Bridgeville Resident Charged with Producing and Distributing Material Sexually Exploiting a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of producing and distributing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The 11-count Indictment named Matthew Trax, 24, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, in and around various dates in November 2023 through December 2023, Trax used, enticed, and persuaded a 14-year old female to engage in sexually explicit conduct to create videos and images involving the minor. In addition to producing this sexually explicit content, Trax also distributed sexually explicit material involving the same minor female. The law provides for a sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Trax has been detained on state charges, and he remains detained pending trial. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mt. Lebanon Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Fatally Carjacking Friend

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who fatally shot his friend before stealing and burning his car to 30 years in prison. Judge White also ordered Laveal David Jones to pay $9,074 to his victim’s family for funeral costs. Early on the morning of Oct. 1, 2022, the victim drove Jones from a night club in Sauget, Illinois to an area near the 3000 block of Walton Place in St. Louis. After the victim dropped off a third person, Jones confronted the victim about money Jones believed he was owed, leading to a physical fight. Jones suffered a bloody nose before using the victim’s firearm to shoot the victim twice, his plea agreement says. Jones left the victim’s body in the street, stripped naked so Jones’ blood couldn’t be recovered from the victim’s clothing. Jones got lighter fluid and then drove the victim’s 2015 Kia K900 sedan to West Missouri Avenue and North B Street in East St. Louis, where he set it on fire and walked away. On Oct. 17, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted Jones in a different stolen Kia. He crashed the car and then fled on foot, discarding a pistol before he was caught, his plea agreement says. Five of the victim’s relatives spoke of the impact of his death during Tuesday’s hearing, including his mother and sister. The murder occurred less than three months after Jones was released from prison. In October 2016, he stole cash and a 2009 Sonata from a pizza delivery driver by ambushing the driver and repeatedly shocking him with a taser. Jones, 25, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in February in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three felony counts: carjacking resulting in death, being a felon in possession of a firearm and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, with death resulting. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Illinois Businessman Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Fraud and Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — An Illinois businessman has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for evading nearly half a million dollars in taxes and engaging in a variety of fraud schemes. JOSEPH J. CIPOLLA JR. knowingly and willfully failed to file individual income tax returns from 2015 to 2020, causing losses of $415,043 to the IRS and $75,045 to the State of Illinois. Cipolla concealed his receipt of income by engaging in affirmative acts of tax evasion, including listing a relative’s Social Security number on casino tax forms, using family members as nominee owners of vehicles, and using a nominee to rent airplane hangars at the DuPage County, Ill. Airport. Among his other offenses, Cipolla in 2020 fraudulently procured four loans under the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, two sources of relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act that were intended to support small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Cipolla obtained more than $1.18 million in PPP and EIDL loans by manufacturing false tax documents and submitting them to lenders. Cipolla, 39, of Bloomingdale, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to federal charges of tax evasion, wire fraud, and mail fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly on Friday ordered Cipolla to pay $2,096,285 in restitution to the IRS, State of Illinois, U.S. Small Business Administration, and other entities and individuals victimized by his schemes. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, Hannibal Ware, Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Andrea M. Kropf, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy J. Chapman and Michelle M. Petersen.


title: Ohio man pleads guilty to dumping 7,000 gallons of hazardous substance-contaminated wastewater into Scioto River

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO - An Ohio man pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act by dumping pollutants and hazardous substances into waterways that killed thousands of fish in the Scioto River. According to court documents, on April 17, 2021, Mark Shepherd, age 72, Kenton, Ohio, negligently, and without a permit or in violation of a permit, discharged into the Scioto River near Kenton, Ohio, approximately 7,000 gallons of a substance containing ammonia, a pollutant and hazardous substance. The substances originated from Shepherd’s facilities—Cessna Transport Inc. and A.G. Bradley Inc.—which he owned and operated in the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources determined that the discharge killed 43,094 fish, including black bass, flathead catfish, sunfish, and minnows, valued at $22,508.60. The contaminants flowed approximately 18 miles downstream from where Shepherd illegally dumped it. “This type of behavior is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The Scioto River is home to abundant fish and other wildlife, and it is a valuable community resource, flowing through more than 230 miles of Ohio. As the guilty plea demonstrates, anyone caught illegally discharging substances into our district’s waterways that harm our environment will face prosecution. Our office is committed to preserving our natural resources for Ohio communities to enjoy for generations to come.” The fish kill was originally reported by a local fisherman in Hardin County. The area in which the dumping occurred is routinely used for recreational fishing. According to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, in 2009, a water quality sample not far from the fish kill site listed the area as “Generally High-Quality Water.” “Illegal dumping of pollutants into the Scioto River in Hardin County, Ohio not only violated the Clean Water Act, but also harmed aquatic species,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon of EPA’s Criminal Investigative Division in Ohio. “This guilty plea illustrates EPA’s and its partners commitment to protecting the environment and ensuring accountability for those that fail to abide by our nation’s environmental laws.” “There’s a right way and a wrong way to do business – and when your business pollutes Ohio’s natural resources, you will be held accountable,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “I’m grateful for our many partners who work together to keep our land, water and air clean.” Sentencing is slated for Aug. 12, 2024. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Simko. The case was investigated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office-Environmental Enforcement Unit, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If you have information or see activity that you believe is a potential or immediate environmental problem, please call the Ohio EPA 24-hour Hotline at 800-282-9378 or the U.S. EPA Emergency Number at 800-424-8802.


title: Colchester Man Found Guilty by Jury of Drug, Gun, and Robbery Offenses

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that yesterday, Dominique Troupe, 37, of Colchester, Vermont was convicted following a six-day jury trial in United States District Court in Rutland of drug, gun, and robbery offenses. Troupe, who was arrested in September 2022, remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending post-trial proceedings. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, by at least July of 2021 Troupe was a source of cocaine base (also known as “crack cocaine”) to residents of Swanton, Vermont, with whom he conspired to distribute the drug. During the second half of 2021, Troupe maintained a consistent crack cocaine distribution operation in the Swanton area. In January 2022, however, a rival distributor of crack cocaine moved into the residence at 45 First Street in Swanton, resulting in a significant diminution in Troupe’s sales. To address this problem, two of Troupe’s Swanton-based re-distributors came up with the idea to rob the rival drug dealer of his drugs and money. When Troupe learned of this idea, he turned it into reality. Trial evidence showed that during the early morning of February 2, 2022, Troupe employed one of his Swanton-based distributors, as well as another of Troupe’s associates, to attempt the armed robbery at 45 First Street. Troupe supplied a firearm to one of the robbers to use during the crime. Tragically, during the attempted armed robbery, Elijah Oliver, 22, of Massachusetts was shot twice, and killed. Based on the jury’s verdict, Troupe faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a potential maximum sentence of life. The ultimate sentence will be determined by reference to the Sentencing Guidelines and statutory sentencing factors. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigative efforts of the Major Crime Unit, the Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Crime Scene Search Team, and the Technology Investigation Unit of the Vermont State Police. He stated: “This case is another tragic example of the intersection of guns and drug distribution in Vermont. We are grateful to the men and women of the Vermont State Police for their response to and investigation of the tragic events in Swanton in February 2022. The jury’s verdict will hold Dominique Troupe responsible for the role he played in those events.” U.S. Attorney Kerest also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for the assistance they provided. “The Vermont State Police thanks our federal partners for their pursuit of justice in this troubling, tragic case,” said Maj. Dan Trudeau, commander of the Vermont State Police Criminal Division. “As we have in the past, our agencies will continue working together to fight the scourge of drug-related violence in Vermont, to keep our communities safe, and to ensure accountability when offenders shatter the peace that everyone in Vermont expects and deserves.” Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Turner and Michael Drescher prosecuted the case. Troupe was represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.


title: Trucking Company Operator Indicted for Tax Evasion

body_text: CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury has returned a seven-count indictment charging Alice F. Martin, 59, of Louisville, Ohio accusing her of attempting to evade the assessment of income taxes from 2013 through 2018. Martin is also accused of attempting to evade the payment of previously taxes, penalties, and interest from 2011 through 2013, all tied to Martin Logistics, a trucking company which she owned and operated. According to the indictment, Martin set forth a plan to phase out Martin Logistics after it became burdened with tax debt in order to make herself, and Martin Logistics, uncollectable to the Internal Revenue Service. Martin directed one of her employees to open a new company, TSA Transportation, which would serve as Martin’s nominee trucking business. Beginning January 2013, contracts for trucking services were primarily bid under TSA Transportation’s name, but the income TSA Transportation received was directly deposited into a bank account for another entity that Martin owned and controlled, A.F. Martin. In addition, Martin placed Martin Logistics’ assets, including trucks and trailers, into the name of yet another Martin-owned company, Martin Global. From around 2013 to 2018, Martin directed approximately $18 million in gross receipts associated with TSA Transportation contracts to be deposited into the A.F. Martin banking account. Despite this, Martin regularly failed to file individual and corporate tax returns related to her trucking entities or and failed to pay the taxes on her income. Martin also made several misrepresentations to the IRS related to the finances of Martin Logistics. After her fraudulent scheme was discovered, Martin caused several more misrepresentations to be made to the IRS related to the filing status of her income tax returns. Martin received over $3.6 million in unreported taxable income resulting in her evading the IRS’s assessment of approximately $1.2 million in taxes due between 2013 and 2018. An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. The investigation was conducted by the IRS-Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Brydle.


title: Former Attorney Sentenced for Taking Money from Special Needs Clients

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Leslie Ellen Mansfield, 61, of Tulsa, for Bank Fraud. Judge Frizzell ordered Mansfield to serve 18 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered Mansfield to pay $137,240.95 in restitution. According to court documents, Mansfield was a licensed attorney in New Mexico and Oklahoma. In 2011, she was asked to serve as trustee over supplemental needs trust (SNT) accounts for five adults with intellectual disabilities. The SNT accounts are established to protect clients’ Medicaid and Social Security disability benefits. Mansfield was entrusted to access these accounts for the sole benefit of the client. For example, she was authorized to withdraw funds to purchase a handicapped vehicle, clothing, dance lessons, and Special Olympic fees, and to prepay funeral expenses. From December 2011 through November 2017, Mansfield withdrew funds from the SNT accounts for her own personal use. She attempted to conceal her embezzlement by altering bank statements. One of the victims lost Medicaid benefits because Mansfield did not timely submit records on behalf of the client. Mansfield was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons at a later date. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vani Singhal prosecuted the case.


title: Craven County Man Who Shot Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison

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

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. –Robert Joseph Westrup, 43, of Craven County, was sentenced today to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the shooting of a Craven County Sheriff’s deputy on October 1, 2021. The shooting left the deputy paralyzed from the waist down. Westrup pled guilty on November 3, 2023. “Westrup’s federal prosecution is just one example of our commitment to seeking justice for those who serve and put themselves in the line of fire every day to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Those who seek to harm the brave men and women in law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” “But for the quick and heroic actions of fellow Craven County deputies, this shooting would have resulted in even more tragedy,” said Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes. “While nothing can undo the harm caused by this defendant, this active prison sentence obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office serves as notice that crimes against law enforcement will not go unpunished. We will now work with the Craven County District Attorney's Office to move forward with the prosecution of state charges.” According to court records and other evidence presented in court, sheriff’s deputies were attempting to serve involuntary commitment paperwork on Westrup at the request of his family. Westrup resisted and fired a shot, striking one deputy, instantly paralyzing him, and then engaged in a gun battle with the other deputies. Two deputies were able to drag the injured officer out of the home while the two other deputies exchanged gunfire with Westrup. Eventually, Westrup retreated to the attic over the garage, where he partially fell through the ceiling. Westrup then noticed the injured deputy lying on the sidewalk in front of the garage and began shooting at him again before a heroic neighbor braved gunfire to drag the injured deputy to safety once again. Westrup, who had also been injured, eventually surrendered in the attic, where deputies recovered a Glock 19 9mm pistol. Westrup was previously convicted of possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 117 months in the Bureau of Prisons in the Middle District of Georgia in 2005. Westrup is currently charged in Craven County with four counts of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon. These charges are related to this incident and remain pending. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Court Louise W. Flanagan. The Craven County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-CR-1-FL.


title: Mississippi Woman and Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 991 Grams of Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Moss Point woman and a Grand Bay, Alabama man were sentenced in federal court for their involvement in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 991 grams of methamphetamine. Linda Renee Mizell, 41, was sentenced to 75 months in prison and Charles Oliver Trahan, II, 51, was sentenced to 155 months in prison. According to court documents, in early 2023, law enforcement officers received information that Mizell was selling methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mississippi. Further investigation revealed that Mizell was working with Charles Trahan to sell the methamphetamine. Law enforcement identified and corroborated trips where Trahan traveled from Alabama to Mizell’s residence. On August 22, 2023, officers observed Trahan leaving Mizell’s residence and initiated a traffic stop which led to the recovery of 991 grams of methamphetamine. Trahan was placed under arrest and analysis of his cell phone revealed that he had frequent contact with Mizell, and that multiple digital cash payments were sent from Trahan to Mizell. Agents executed a search warrant on Mizell’s residence and recovered a digital scale and methamphetamine paraphernalia. On September 19, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Mizell and Trahan. Both defendants subsequently pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.


title: Bay St. Louis Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute over 68 Grams of Methamphetamine

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Bay St. Louis man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 68.5 grams of methamphetamine. Charles Jamaal Nichols, 37, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, On July 13, 2023, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop in Bay St. Louis on a vehicle driven by Nichols. Nichols led agents on a foot chase and agents observed him throwing things as he ran. Agents recovered large shards of methamphetamine on the trail where Nichols ran. The methamphetamine was scattered throughout the grass, within gutters that were laying behind a business, and along the fence line. Agents were able to recover 68.5 grams of what was sent to the lab and confirmed to be 97% pure methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced for Assaulting Correctional Officer

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Dwight Foster, age 50, a federal inmate formerly housed at United States Penitentiary Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for assaulting a correctional officer. After a two-day trial in October 2023, a jury found Foster guilty of assault of a correctional officer involving physical contact and possession of a weapon. According to court documents and statements made in court, during a search of Foster’s cell, officers found a prison-made weapon. When a correctional officer attempted to seize the object, Foster struck the officer with his fist. Foster will serve three years of supervised release once his prison sentence is complete. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Prisons investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Chief Engineer of Oil Tanker Admits Discharge of Oily Waste off Coast of New Jersey And Concealment of Pollution from Vessel

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A chief engineer employed by a Greek shipping company today admitted charges related to the discharge of oily waste into the sea from a commercial vessel near a petroleum terminal in Sewaren, New Jersey; he and a second engineer also admitted concealment of pollution from that vessel through the falsification of records, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim announced. Konstantinos Atsalis, 57, the chief engineer of an oil tanker, the M/T Kriti Ruby, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with two counts of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, including falsifying the vessel’s oil record book. Sonny Bosito, 54, the second engineer of the M/T Kriti Ruby, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Atsalis admitted that the vessel’s crew had knowingly bypassed required pollution prevention equipment by discharging oily waste from the vessel’s engine room through its sewage system into the sea, including near a petroleum offloading facility in Sewaren. Atsalis also admitted that he falsified the vessel’s oil record book, a required log regularly inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard, by failing to record this illegal activity. Atsalis admitted that he directed crew members to hide equipment used to conduct transfers of oily waste from the engine room bilge wells to the sewage tank before the Coast Guard boarded the vessel. Bosito admitted concealing the discharge of oily waste into the sea through the vessel’s sewage system by causing a false oil record book to be presented to the U.S. Coast Guard during its inspection of the vessel. Bosito admitted directing crew members to hide equipment used to conduct transfers from the bilge wells to the sewage tank before the Coast Guard’s inspection. The charges to which Atsalis and Bosito pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Kim credited special agents of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Steven M. Frith, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O’Leary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Ward of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, and Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele and Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth E. Nelson of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division. bosito.information.pdf atsalis.information.pdf