title: Sumner Woman Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy Concealment

body_text: A woman who hid an inheritance check from her creditors in bankruptcy court pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Debra S. Leisinger, age 58, from Sumner, Iowa, was convicted of one count of bankruptcy concealment. In a plea agreement, Leisinger admitted that, on December 8, 2022, she filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, by means of sworn court filings. When a debtor files a petition seeking protection from creditors under the bankruptcy laws, a “bankruptcy estate” is created, which is comprised of all property belonging to the debtor, wherever located, and by whomever held, as of the time of the filing of the bankruptcy case, and debtors must truthfully disclose their assets to the court in their court filings. Leisinger admitted she fraudulently concealed in her filings that she was in possession of a $147,969.28 inheritance check on the date she filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. An attorney had handed Leisinger the check on December 1, 2022, but Leisinger did not immediately cash it. On December 16, 2022, Leisinger cashed the check into an account she controlled at a local credit union. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Leisinger remains free on bond previously set. Leisinger faces a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Office of the U.S. Trustee assisted the investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-2028. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: St. Charles Parish Man Charged with  Firearm and Narcotics Violations

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the August 4, 2023 indictment charging BRANDON D. HILL , age 30, of Boutte, Louisiana, with violations of the Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts. The grand jury returned an indictment charging HILL with three counts. As to Count 1, possession of a firearm as a felon, HILL faces a maximum 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to Count 2, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base, HILL may receive up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to Count 3, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, HILL must be sentenced to at least 5 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also requires a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. 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. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely an accusation and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) New Orleans Field Division, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the District Attorney’s Office for the 29th Judicial District for their assistance in this prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne, Senior Litigation Counsel, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Minnesota Woman Who Defrauded Thirty Credit Unions in Eight States Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A woman who used other peoples’ personal information to obtain money from thirty credit unions and four businesses located in eight states was sentenced on August 4, 2023, to more than seven years in federal prison. Maegen Catherine Fortin, age 40, from Otsego, Minnesota, received the prison term after a September 15, 2022 guilty plea to one count of financial institution fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Information from Fortin’s plea and sentencing showed that between March 2020 and September 2021, Fortin engaged in fraudulent conduct at credit unions and businesses located in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Fortin possessed or used the personal identifiers, such as names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth, of at least ninety different people without their permission in connection with her fraud. Fortin used fraudulent United States passports, military IDs, and state driver’s licenses containing the victims’ personal information to apply for loans, lines of credit, accounts, and/or credit or debit cards in the victims’ names. Fortin attempted to obtain at least $650,000 and successfully obtained more than $460,000 as a result of her fraudulent conduct. Fortin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Fortin was sentenced to 93 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $463,774.59 in restitution to the credit unions and businesses. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Fortin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-0072. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Utah Resident Pleads Guilty to Animal Crushing and Posting the Torture on YouTube

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City , Utah – A Davis County man pleaded guilty today to animal torture via animal crushing and posting multiple videos of the animal crushing on YouTube while in the District of Utah. According to court documents, in October 2021, Samuel J. Webster, 20, of Farmington, Utah purposefully engaged in animal crushing by purchasing a male guinea pig from a pet supply store in Farmington, Utah. Webster purposefully subjected the guinea pig to serious bodily injury by hitting, sexually coercing, and penetrating the guinea pig and then posting it on YouTube, titling the video “Porn.” Webster further admitted, the guinea pig was obtained in interstate commerce for the purpose of creating and distributing YouTube videos around the world that he made of himself torturing and killing the guinea pig. Webster pleaded guilty to distribution of animal crush video and animal crushing. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement. The FBI Salt Lake Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Melina Shiraldi of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. If you are aware of animal cruelty, please report it to law enforcement or call 1-800-CALL-FBI or leave a tip at tips.fbi.gov .


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Large-Scale Methamphetamine Conspiracy in Kern County

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Alberto Gomez-Santiago, 37, a Mexican national residing in Arvin, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in March 2021, Gomez delivered for distribution 26 pounds of methamphetamine to co-defendants Jorge Calderon-Campos, 42, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, and Mark Garcia, 23, of Bakersfield. Law enforcement officers later seized the drug from Garcia’s vehicle during a traffic stop. According to court documents, the transaction was one of many involving Calderon-Campos, who was the target of a wiretap investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 86 pounds of methamphetamine and 1 kilogram of heroin. The wiretap investigation also uncovered an illegal cockfighting enterprise involving Calderon-Campos, who is charged in a separate indictment with violations of the Animal Welfare Act. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. Gomez is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 6, 2023. Gomez faces a mandatory statutory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Calderon-Campos, Garcia, and four other defendants are currently scheduled for status conferences on Sept. 20, 2023 in the related drug and Animal Welfare Act cases. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Andrew Haden Sworn in as Acting U.S. Attorney

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 7, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Andrew R. Haden was sworn in today as Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, one of the busiest federal districts in the nation. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dana Sabraw administered the oath of office to Haden in the presence of his senior leadership team and a small group of friends and family. Haden is a veteran prosecutor who has served in several high-profile leadership roles for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney (second-in-command) for the last year. Officially, Haden was appointed as Acting U.S. Attorney by the Department of Justice, under the Vacancies Reform Act, after the resignation on August 4, 2023, of then-U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. “I am deeply honored to serve our nation and the people of this District as Acting United States Attorney,” Haden said. “I am looking forward to continuing my work with the outstanding team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our excellent law enforcement partners.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office enforces federal criminal laws in the Southern District of California, which includes San Diego and Imperial counties, and represents the federal government in civil litigation. The office is one of the nation’s largest, comprised of approximately 300 attorneys and staff members. As the Acting U.S. Attorney, Haden is the chief federal law enforcement official for the district. Haden is a career federal prosecutor. He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2010, after being selected and hired through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. During his almost 13 years in the San Diego office, Haden has worked in the General Crimes Section, as the District’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator, as a Deputy Chief in both the Reactive and Major Crimes Sections, as the Chief of the Violent Crimes & Human Trafficking Section, as the Chief of the Criminal Division, and most recently, as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2020, Haden received the nationwide Director’s Award for Superior Performance in a Managerial or Supervisory role from the Executive Office for United States Attorney’s for “extraordinary leadership contributions” to the Department of Justice from 2016-2019. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Haden served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan in the Southern District of California. A San Diego native, Haden is a graduate of University City High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Stanford University. After college, Haden was commissioned as an Officer in the United States Navy where he served for five years, which included two overseas deployments. For his last assignment, Haden was the Navigator on the USS MOBILE BAY (CG-53), a guided-missile cruiser homeported in San Diego. Haden received his law degree from the University of San Diego.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Sex Offenses Near School and Threatening Neighbors

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: Incidents Occurred in April 2023 as Children Walked to/from Bancroft Elementary WASHINGTON – Derrick Jones, 54, pleaded guilty today in two separate cases for masturbating in public, near Bancroft Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant, and then threatening neighbors who asked him to stop, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acing Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Jones pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to eight separate counts in two cases: two counts of attempted threats, one count of threats, two counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child with aggravating circumstances, and three counts of lewd, indecent, or obscene acts. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2023, before the Honorable Sean Staples. As part of his sentence, Jones will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. According to the government’s evidence, in the afternoon of April 3, 2023, Jones was observed by a neighbor masturbating outside of the neighbor’s apartment building, which is located less than a block away from Bancroft Elementary School. The neighbor, who was with her 11-year-old son, was trying to record Jones’s behavior since, according to the neighbor, this was a routine occurrence during the hours when children were walking to and from school. In fact, Jones has three prior convictions for lewd, indecent, or obscene acts in the District of Columbia. When Jones observed his neighbor trying to record him on April 3, he crossed the street in an aggressive manner and threatened to kill the neighbor’s family and their dog. Then, on April 6, 2023, a woman was returning home after dropping her nephew off at Bancroft Elementary when she observed Jones outside an apartment masturbating. Jones made eye contact with the woman and continued his behavior. On the morning of April 12, 2023, Jones was again seen masturbating outside of the apartment building as children were being dropped off at school. Jones engaged in the same conduct the following day, April 13, 2023, exposing himself and masturbating outside of his building while children were walking by on the on their way to school. A Bancroft Elementary school crossing guard observed Jones, and while another colleague ushered kids to the opposite side of the street out of view, the crossing guard approached Jones and asked him to stop. Jones responded by loudly threatening to “blow y’all up” before going inside and returning with a black duffel bag. Not knowing what was in the bag, the crossing guard became even more alarmed and law enforcement was ultimately flagged down and Jones was taken into custody. In addition to these incidents, after the defendant’s arrest, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department further investigated and located additional victims. In pleading guilty, Jones also admitted that between April 1 and April 13, 2023, he exposed himself and masturbated in front of an 11-year-old girl who lived in a neighboring apartment. The defendant has been in custody since his arrest on April 13, 2023. In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case, and the U.S. Secret Service, who assisted in the defendant’s apprehension on April 13, 2023. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Johnny DaSilva and Tracy Owusu. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jae Friedman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wash, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Corpus couple caught carrying meth in cookies

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: VICTORIA, Texas – Two Corpus Christi residents have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On March 14, Jason Elijah Talley, 43, was the driver with Crystal Nichole Samora, 33, as passenger in a Lexus in Victoria. Authorities conducted a traffic stop after observing the vehicle following too closely. Law enforcement detained Talley and ordered him to sit in the grass. At that time, they discovered a bag suspected of containing meth in the area where Talley was sitting. A physical search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of Xanax bars, heroin, a myriad of pills, meth and multiple handguns. Authorities discovered a carboard box found directly behind the passenger seat which contained cookies in one layer and five large plastic containers containing a substance in another. Law also enforcement observed two plastic bags containing a substance and a Sig Sauer firearm in a purse. The investigation revealed the firearm was stolen out of Corpus Christi. The substance was confirmed as 5,806 grams of meth with a purity level of 94 percent. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales will impose sentencing in November. At that time, Talley and Samora face up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. Both have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Victoria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher and Patti Booth are prosecuting the case.


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm Charge

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. Timothy Jabbar Wyatt, 31, of Clanton, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Karen O. Bowdre to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the plea agreement, on January 15, 2023, a Calera Police Department officer observed a vehicle on the side of Interstate 65 at mile marker 229. A male, later identified as Wyatt, was standing beside the vehicle. The officer stopped to assist. Upon approaching, Wyatt dropped some food items and a case of water he was holding. He then fled into the woods off the side of the interstate. Calera Police Department officers searched for Wyatt in the woods. The next day, Calera Police Department officers found Wyatt in a makeshift shelter structure next to a stream in the woods. Officers looked in the shelter to make sure no one else was in it and found a Sundance .25 caliber pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition. The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison. The ATF investigated the case, along with the Calera Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples is prosecuting the case.


title: Pickford Man Sentenced To 87 Months For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: MARQUETTE – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney sentenced Clifford Sutter to 87 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor. Judge Maloney imposed the sentence after commenting that defendant’s conduct was “horrendous,” noting that Sutter had repeatedly sexually abused the victim over a significant number of years. Judge Maloney also ordered Sutter to spend 15 years on supervised release after his confinement. “Protecting our most vulnerable citizens is a duty my office takes very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “We are committed to holding child sexual predators accountable as evidenced by the serious sentence imposed in this case. I commend the investigative work of our federal, state, and tribal law enforcement partners.” “Today's sentence is the final step towards holding this defendant accountable for the harm he inflicted on his victim,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “Protecting our children is a priority for the FBI and law enforcement across the state. I would like to thank the Sault Tribe Police Department and the Michigan State Police for their partnership during this investigation.” The investigation identified a minor victim who Sutter had repeatedly sexually abused from when s/he was 10 years old until Sutter’s arrest. As part of his plea, Sutter admitted to sexually abusing the minor victim when s/he was 12 years old. The FBI, Sault Tribal Police Department, and Michigan State Police investigated the case. Sutter Indictment ###


title: Ravenna Man Sentenced To 150 Months In Federal Prison For Illegally Possessing Firearms As A Felon

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Zebulon Timothy Nester, 27, of Ravenna Michigan, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker also ordered Nester to spend three years on supervised release after his confinement. Nester previously pled guilty to this charge in April. “Whether they are purchased illegally, stolen, or manufactured at home, federal law is clear: firearms, ammunition, unregistered silencers, and firearm conversion devices do not belong in the hands of felons,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The serious sentence imposed here shows that illegally armed criminals will face serious consequences in federal court.” On July 1, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Nester’s residence in Ravenna, Michigan. There they located a stock of firearms, unregistered firearm silencers, ammunition, firearms accessories, body armor, a 3-D printer, and 3-D printed “Glock switches,” which convert semi-automatic Glock pistols into fully automatic firearms. Glock switches alone, even if not attached to a firearm, are defined as machine guns under federal law. Federal law also requires firearm silencers to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Prior to the search warrant at his residence, Nester was also apprehended by local authorities in possession of a firearm on June 8, 2022, in connection with a breaking and entering report where an additional handgun was stolen from a residence in Newaygo County. “Zebulon Nester blatantly and illegally possessed and sold firearms buying himself another round in federal prison. Risking the safety of our community will not be tolerated,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir . “ATF and its law enforcement partners will identify and hold accountable those individuals who continue to contribute to the violence in our cities.” Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Lauren F. Biksacky prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. ###


title: Oklahoma City Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Zachary Wayne Ray of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, age 36 and a felon, was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On January 17, 2023, Ray pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Individuals previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. According to investigators, on February 5, 2022, a Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Officer encountered Ray at the Chickasaw Travel Stop on Latta Road in Ada, Oklahoma. Ray, a convicted felon, was found to be in possession of a Ruger 9mm semiautomatic handgun with one round chambered and a fully loaded magazine. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the case in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Ray was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal at the conclusion of sentencing. He will remain in custody pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary W. Parson represented the United States.


title: Arizona Man Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills Into Ohio

body_text: CLEVELAND – Solomon Odubajo, 37, of Tempe, Arizona, was sentenced to 248 months of imprisonment on August 3, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster. A jury previously convicted Odubajo at trial of all six counts in his indictment: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering, Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to evidence introduced at trial, on April 5, 2022, Odubajo mailed a parcel from Phoenix, Arizona to an address in Garfield Heights, Ohio. On April 6, 2022, U.S. Postal Inspectors in Cleveland intercepted the parcel and obtained a search warrant for it. After opening the parcel, the Postal Inspectors found that it contained approximately one kilogram of fentanyl pills, stamped to look like blue 30mg oxycodone pills. The pills were hidden inside of a vacuum cleaner in the parcel. The Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CCRFSL) later found latent prints on the interior of the parcel. A latent print examiner at the CCRFSL determined that those matched Odubajo’s prints. On April 14, 2022, after conducting further investigation, Postal Inspectors made the parcel available for pickup at a Post Office in Cleveland as part of an undercover operation. Solomon Odubajo and a codefendant arrived at the post office and picked up the parcel from an undercover postal inspector. Odubajo then drove the parcel back to a residence in Avon, where he was arrested. When law enforcement searched Odubajo’s vehicle, they found a hidden compartment containing a loaded handgun and approximately $17,500 in cash. A forensic scientist at the CCRFSL later analyzed the handgun and found DNA on it that matched Odubajo’s DNA. Odubajo was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking. Law enforcement also searched the Avon residence where Odubajo was arrested. Inside of that residence, law enforcement found Odubajo’s luggage, as well as another half-kilogram of blue “M30” fentanyl pills. A drug chemist from the CCRFSL testified at trial that each counterfeit fentanyl pill had a net weight of approximately 0.10 grams. This indicated that there were approximately 10,000 pills in the parcel, and an additional 5,000 pills in the Avon residence. Evidence at trial also showed that Odubajo was arrested at the Atlanta, Georgia airport in February 2022 carrying approximately $35,000 in cash. Atlanta Police seized Odubajo’s cell phone during that arrest, and found messages on the phone that discussed trafficking blue fentanyl pills. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the DEA, the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Sciences Laboratory, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the ATF, and the Atlanta, Georgia Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James Lewis, Alejandro Abreu, and Henry DeBaggis.


title: Mississippi Landman Sentenced to Prison for Submitting False Corporate Tax Return

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Mississippi man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for filing a false corporate income tax return on behalf of his oil and gas leasing business. According to court documents and statements made in court, Jeffrey C. Randall of Jackson, Mississippi, owned and operated an oil and gas lease company, Gulf States Royalty, Ltd. After informing his return preparer that he was unwilling to pay the tax he owed on the $3 million dollars earned by Gulf States in 2008, Randall and his preparer falsely reported more than $2 million dollars in business expenses on Gulf States’ corporate income tax return for that year. Randall then signed the false return and directed his tax return preparer to submit it to the IRS. In total, Randall caused a tax loss to the IRS of $824,036.72. At the sentencing hearing, the United States presented evidence that after being indicted in 2015, Randall earned roughly $2 million in income from his oil and gas business between 2015 and 2021, for which he did not pay any taxes. As a result, the United States argued that Randall caused an additional loss to the IRS of over $700,000, and nearly $300,000 in interest and penalties. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III ordered Randall to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $824,036.72 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Richard (R.J.) Hagerman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chet W. Kirkham for the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.


title: Luzerne County Man Charged With Trafficking Fentanyl And Possessing Stolen Firearms

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: Scranton– The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Eshawn Harrell, age 29, of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 1, 2023, for drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Harrell with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of stolen firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking on June 29, 2023. This matter was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Harrell faces a maximum penalty of forty (40) years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. ###


title: Reedsburg Woman Sentenced to 7 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking in Central Wisconsin

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marra Lundeen, 34, Reedsburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Lundeen pleaded guilty to this charge on April 10, 2023. Lundeen was investigated by central Wisconsin law enforcement for involvement in methamphetamine trafficking for a number of years, going back to 2019. For purposes of reaching an appropriate sentence, based on facts in the investigation, Judge Conley estimated that from 2019 to 2022 when she was arrested, Lundeen had conservatively been involved in the distribution of up to 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Wausau/central Wisconsin area. In imposing the sentence, Judge Conley referred to Lundeen as a high-functioning trafficker who shifted from one supplier to another when each of her suppliers was arrested by law enforcement. Due to Lundeen’s lengthy criminality and the volume of drugs, as well as the repeated nature of her trafficking, Judge Conley found the 7-year sentence necessary to protect the public and deter her from continuing in her pattern of crime. The charge against Lundeen was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Marathon County Sheriff's Office, Wausau Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Everest Metro Police Department, and Wisconsin's National Guard Counterdrug Program. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson.


title: Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Charge in Connection with Fraudulent Lottery Scheme that Targeted Elderly Americans

component: Civil Division

body_text: A Jamaican national, who was previously extradited to the United States from Jamaica, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in connection with a fraudulent Jamaica-based lottery scheme that targeted elderly victims in the United States. According to court documents, Antony Linton Stewart, 39, of St. James Parish, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Stewart admitted that he contacted elderly Americans by telephone and falsely told them that they had won money and other prizes in a sweepstakes or lottery. Stewart told victims that they needed to send money to pay fees and taxes on their winnings. Stewart contacted victims repeatedly for as long as they could be persuaded to send additional money. At Stewart’s direction, victims used wire transfers and the U.S. Postal Service, among other means, to send money to individuals in the United States and Jamaica who served as intermediaries and transmitted the money to Stewart. In fact, no lottery ever existed, and no victim ever received any money or other prizes. The scheme defrauded victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to investigating fraudulent schemes targeting elderly Americans, wherever those schemes are based,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Stewart is the latest example in the department’s ongoing efforts to root out and deter fraud from foreign locations that targets our most vulnerable consumers.” “Each year, millions of older Americans suffer heavy financial losses in the hands of scammers operating in the United States and abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina. “Today’s guilty plea underscores our efforts to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of elder fraud schemes no matter where they originate. We will continue to join forces with our law enforcement counterparts to do all we can to stop these criminals from stealing from our seniors.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to investigating those who use the U.S. Mail to commit fraud and target elderly and vulnerable American citizens both domestically and abroad,” said Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division. “Today’s plea exemplifies the unwavering efforts of Postal Inspectors in collaboration with our law enforcement partners – here in the United States and around the world – to bring these callous criminals to justice.” The USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Stewart. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided significant assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Raquel Toledo and Trial Attorney Ryan E. Norman of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny G. Sugar and Daniel Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc . Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice .


title: Richton Man Pleads Guilty to a Violation of the  Archeological Resources Protection Act

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Hattiesburg, MS – A Richton man pleaded guilty to the unlawful excavation of an archeological site, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Forest Supervisor Shannon Kelardy of the United States Forest Service. According to court documents, Amos Justin Burnham, 42, of Richton, used a tractor to illegally excavate an archeological site within the Desoto National Forest. Court documents further revealed that the archeological site had been designated as a protected site because it contained material remains of past human activities that are of archeological interest. The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, is a federal law that governs the excavation of archaeological sites on federal and Indian lands in the United States, and the removal and disposition of archaeological collections from those sites. Burnham pleaded guilty to one count of Unauthorize Excavation of Archeological Resources. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 4, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of not more than $20,000, and the potential cost associated with the restoration and repair of the archeological site as part of restitution. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. “When archeological sites are destroyed by unlawful excavations and artifacts are stolen, we lose important clues about the past, forever. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District and its law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting archeological sites throughout the Southern District of Mississippi.” Darren J. LaMarca, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns are prosecuting the case.


title: Ocean County Man Charged With Sexually Exploiting Minors

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey man was arrested yesterday for enticing minors to produce videos and images of child exploitation material and for receiving videos and images depicting child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Daniel Nilla, 35, Brick, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of receipt of child pornography. He made his initial appearance on Aug. 3, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert in Trenton federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From on or about December 12, 2021, to on or about April 28, 2023, Nilla was communicating with and receiving images and videos containing child exploitation material from five minor victims on a multimedia instant messaging application. Nilla induced at least two of those minor victims to send him images and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The charges of sexual exploitation of a minor each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child exploitation material carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked special agents of the FBI Kansas City, Kansas Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charles A. Dayoub, and the City of Edwardsville, Kansas Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Mark Mathies. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Super Pitts of the Criminal Division in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. nilla.complaint.pdf


title: Matthews, N.C. Man Is Sentenced As A Career Offender For Cocaine Distribution And Illegal Gun Possession

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Shannon Demond Lawrence, 45, of Matthews, N.C., has been sentenced to 176 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for cocaine distribution and illegal gun possession, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. At today’s hearing, the Court enhanced Lawrence’s sentence due to his classification as a Career Offender, stemming from his multiple prior criminal convictions, to include drug distribution and firearms offenses. U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). According to filed court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement initiated a federal investigation into Lawrence for suspected drug trafficking. Court documents show that, on multiple occasions between October and November 2021, Lawrence sold cocaine and fentanyl to an undercover detective. During two drug transactions, the undercover detective observed that Lawrence possessed firearms, including an AK-47 assault rifle. Court records show that, in addition to selling narcotics, Lawrence sold the undercover detective two firearms, one of which was loaded. On August 23, 2022, Lawrence pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. 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: Bulk Fentanyl Trafficker Is Sentenced To Prison

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jermaine Douglas Grandy, 42, Lenoir, N.C., has been sentenced to 35 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and illegal gun possession, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and Sheriff Alan C. Jones of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to evidence presented at Grandy’s trial and documents filed with the court, between December 2020 and February 2021, Grandy conspired with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in Caldwell County and surrounding areas. Trial evidence established that Grandy obtained the drugs from a supply source in Arizona, and frequently travelled there to purchase fentanyl pills in bulk quantities. On February 14, 2021, as Grandy was returning to North Carolina from a trip to Arizona, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Grandy’s vehicle in Granite Falls, N.C. Upon searching the vehicle, law enforcement located inside the vehicle three loaded 9mm pistols, and approximately 34,221 pills wrapped in fourteen bundles concealed in the air vent under the hood of the car. Later the same day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence associated with Grandy, from which they seized a money counter, two digital scales, and other items consistent with the packaging and distribution of narcotics. Law enforcement also seized 29 illegal firearms, including semi-automatic rifles and handguns, ammunition, and approximately 79 magazines. In February 2023, a federal jury convicted Grandy of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Grandy is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the ATF, the SBI, and the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case and thanked the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Hickory Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Georgia Inmate Is Sentenced To Prison For Trafficking Methamphetamine

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell has sentenced Alfonso Roman Brito, 44, to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Sheriff Banks Hinceman of the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and evidence introduced at trial Brito’s trial, in 2019, law enforcement were conducting an investigation into a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) operating in Catawba and Burke Counties and surrounding communities. As trial evidence established, the investigation determined that Brito, who was an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections, was in charge of coordinating the shipment of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine from Atlanta into Western North Carolina. According to information presented at trial, between 2019 and 2021, Brito orchestrated the delivery of more than 100 kilograms of methamphetamine from Georgia to North Carolina, which was then sold to drug networks in the area for local distribution. In December 2022, a federal jury convicted Brito of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. Six co-defendants have also been sentenced for drug related offenses in connection with this case: Charles Ray Hildebran was sentenced to 180 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Jeffrey Ben Pavkovich was sentenced to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Billy Dean Potter was sentenced to 132 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Phillip Anthony Godfrey was sentenced to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Britton Nicole Metcalf was sentenced to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Marcos Alan Martinez was sentenced to 46 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King commended the DEA, HSI, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for leading the investigation. U.S. Attorney King also thanked the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, the Newton Police Department, the Hickory Police Department, and the Georgia Department of Corrections for their assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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: Jamaican National Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy Charge In Connection With Fraudulent Lottery Scheme That Targeted Elderly Americans

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Jamaican national, who was previously extradited to the United States from Jamaica, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in connection with a fraudulent Jamaica-based lottery scheme that targeted elderly victims in the United States. According to court documents, Antony Linton Stewart, 39, of St. James Parish, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Stewart admitted that he contacted elderly Americans by telephone and falsely told them that they had won money and other prizes in a sweepstakes or lottery. Stewart told victims that they needed to send money to pay fees and taxes on their winnings. Stewart contacted victims repeatedly for as long as they could be persuaded to send additional money. At Stewart’s direction, victims used wire transfers and the U.S. Postal Service, among other means, to send money to individuals in the United States and Jamaica who served as intermediaries and transmitted the money to Stewart. In fact, no lottery ever existed, and no victim ever received any money or other prizes. The scheme defrauded victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to investigating fraudulent schemes targeting elderly Americans, wherever those schemes are based,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Stewart is the latest example in the department’s ongoing efforts to root out and deter fraud from foreign locations that targets our most vulnerable consumers.” “Each year, millions of older Americans suffer heavy financial losses in the hands of scammers operating in the United States and abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina. “Today’s guilty plea underscores our efforts to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of elder fraud schemes no matter where they originate. We will continue to join forces with our law enforcement counterparts to do all we can to stop these criminals from stealing from our seniors.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to investigating those who use the U.S. Mail to commit fraud and target elderly and vulnerable American citizens both domestically and abroad,” said Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division. “Today’s plea exemplifies the unwavering efforts of Postal Inspectors in collaboration with our law enforcement partners – here in the United States and around the world – to bring these callous criminals to justice.” The USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Stewart. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided significant assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Raquel Toledo and Trial Attorney Ryan E. Norman of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny G. Sugar and Daniel Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc . Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice .


title: North Carolina Laboratory And Owner Agree To Pay More Than $1.9 Million To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Aspirar Medical Lab, LLC (Aspirar) and owner Pick Chay (Chay), located in Cary, North Carolina, have agreed to pay $1,951,090 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing North Carolina Medicaid (Medicaid) for urine drug tests that were medically unnecessary and tainted by illegal kickbacks. The United States alleged that from March 25, 2016, through September 19, 2017, Aspirar submitted claims to Medicaid for urine drug tests that were false. The claims were false because they were tainted by an illegal kickback arrangement between Aspirar and BPolloni Consulting, LLC (BPolloni), an entity that referred urine drug tests to Aspirar. Under the arrangement, Aspirar paid BPolloni for each urine drug test that BPolloni or another entity, Do It 4 the Hood Corporation (D4H), referred to Aspirar. The Chief Executive Officer of BPolloni and other individuals who operated D4H previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and Anti-Kickback Statute violations arising from D4H’s illegal kickback arrangements with urine drug testing laboratories. In addition to being tainted by illegal kickbacks, the United States alleged that claims for drug tests that Aspirar submitted to Medicaid were false because the tests were medically unnecessary. Specifically, the orders for the tests were not patient-specific and did not reflect a qualified medical provider’s determination of the patient’s need for the testing. “Illegal referral and kickback schemes increase profits for wrongdoers and cause taxpayer-funded health care programs like Medicaid to pay for items or services that patients may not need,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The resolution of this case demonstrates our Office’s continuing commitment to hold all responsible parties to account for the submission of claims to Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs that are not medically necessary and are tainted by illegal kickbacks.” The civil settlement and resolution of claims obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI in Charlotte, with assistance from the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).


title: Bassfield Man Sentenced to Over 13 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Bassfield, Mississippi man was sentenced to 160 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Jamario Myers, 26, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg. According to court documents, from December 2019 through February of 2020, DEA agents conducted an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in the Bassfield area by Myers. During that time Myers was monitored and surveilled distributing methamphetamine from his shed behind his residence. His methamphetamine distribution occurred throughout Jefferson Davis County, MS. Myers was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 23, 2022. He plead guilty on February 28, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Rose and Shundral Cole. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Centreville Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl


title: St. Cloud Woman Apprehended in Mexico Faces Narcotics Trafficking Charges in North Dakota

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that a fugitive wanted in North Dakota, Deanna Marie Gerads , age 33, appeared in Federal court in Houston, Texas on August 3, 2023, on a warrant and Indictment from North Dakota charging Gerads with Conspiracy to Distribute and Import Controlled Substances into the United States. Gerads was ordered detained by United States Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon and will be transported by the United States Marshals Service to North Dakota for an initial appearance. Gerads was apprehended in Mexico on August 1, 2023, by Mexican immigration authorities and deported from Mexico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was instrumental in providing information that led to the apprehension of Gerads, who has been a fugitive for over a year. This case is part of “Operation Unfinished Business II,” an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international trafficking of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. This case is being investigated by the Central Minnesota Violent Offenders Task Force (CMVOTF), Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Cloud Police Department, Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, Sartell Police Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service – CID, Fargo Police Department, West Fargo Police Department, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher C. Myers and Alex Stock, District of North Dakota. # # #


title: Suburban Chicago Man Charged in Federal Court With Trafficking Machine Gun Conversion Devices

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

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been indicted on federal firearm charges for allegedly trafficking 25 “Glock switches” that convert handguns into fully automatic machine guns. The indictment charges ANTHONY PRISCO, 20, of Oak Forest, Ill., with illegally possessing and transferring machine guns and illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Prisco has been ordered detained in federal custody without bond. Arraignment is set for Aug. 7, 2023, at 12:00 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain. The charges were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Joliet Metropolitan Area Narcotics Squad provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Simar Khera. According to the indictment and a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Prisco in June of this year sold 25 machine gun conversion devices, a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and a 3D printer. Unbeknownst to Prisco, the buyer was an undercover law enforcement officer. The printer that Prisco sold to the officer had been used to print the machine gun conversion devices, the charges allege. A machine gun conversion device, commonly known as a “Glock switch” or “auto sear,” equips firearms to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger. Prisco was on probation for a state firearm conviction when he allegedly sold the guns to the undercover officer. As a previously convicted felon, Prisco was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is a centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force aimed at reducing gun violence. As part of the Chicago firearms trafficking strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes. Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a focus of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each charge against Prisco is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Prisco indictment


title: Peoria Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Possessing a Handgun Outfitted with a “Glock Switch” Machinegun Conversion Device

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Anthony Q. Johnson, 19, of the 1100 block of North Flora Avenue, was sentenced on August 2, 2023, to 50 months in federal prison for possessing a handgun equipped with a “Glock Switch” conversion device enabling the gun to fire as a fully-automatic machinegun. Johnson will serve a three-year term of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. At the sentencing hearing before Senior U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade, the government presented evidence that in January 2023 Johnson pulled a handgun from his waistband during an altercation with another person on North Flora Avenue in Peoria. When the person fled from Johnson in a car, Johnson discharged the gun, causing one of the bullets to pass through the rear window and windshield of a mini-van parked nearby. An eye-witness account and the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system both established that the gunfire rate was consistent with that of a fully-automatic weapon. Police responded to the scene and located 13 spent shell casings from a .40 caliber weapon. Johnson was identified as a suspect, and federal agents executed search warrants at two residences where he was known to stay. Agents searching a Flora Avenue residence located a Glock Model 27 .40 caliber pistol loaded with 10 live rounds of ammunition. The firearm was equipped with a “Glock Switch”, an aftermarket device converting the weapon into a machinegun. Agents also located an AR-15, .223 caliber rifle loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition during the search, as well as a .22 caliber revolver. In addition, an extended magazine with a capacity of 28 rounds (.40 caliber), a pistol magazine with a capacity of 14 rounds (.40 caliber), and a drum-style magazine with a capacity of 50 rounds, loaded with 44 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition were located and seized. Additional boxes of .40 caliber ammunition were also found. The Glock pistol was test-fired and functioned as fully automatic machinegun. The casings matched those found at the shooting incident earlier in January 2023 and another shooting incident in August 2021. Johnson was arrested on a federal complaint in January 2023. and a federal grand jury returned an indictment with the machinegun charge in February 2023. He entered a guilty plea in March 2023 and has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service while his case has been pending. The Glock Model 27 .40 caliber pistol has been forfeited. The statutory penalties for possession of a machinegun are up to 10 years imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. The investigation was conducted by the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force (PAFF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Johnson 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: Four MS-13 Gang Members Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy and Murder

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Four men were sentenced in Maryland for their participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a violent international gang commonly known as MS-13. Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, aka Paciente, 29, of Annandale, Virginia, was sentenced today to life in prison. Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, aka Terrible, 26, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced on Aug. 1 to 16 years in prison. Hernan Yanes-Rivera, aka Recio, 22, of Adelphi, Maryland, was sentenced on July 28 to 22 years in prison. Brian Samir Zelaya Mejia, aka Chispa, 25, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was sentenced on July 25 to six years in prison. United States v. Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, et al. According to court documents, Hernandez-Garcia and his co-defendants were members of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (LGCS or Ghettos) clique of MS-13. MS-13 is an international criminal organization composed primarily of individuals from El Salvador or their descendants, with members operating throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized into “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership. On March 8, 2019, Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, the leader of the LCGS clique, called a LCGS meeting at his house to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that an LCGS clique member (the victim) had with the police. Hernandez-Garcia, Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, the victim, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned the victim about cooperating with police. During the questioning, the MS-13 members assaulted the victim, based on their incorrect suspicions that the victim was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend the victim. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa ordering the murder of the victim. Hernandez-Garcia, Ortega-Ayala, and other MS-13 members then murdered the victim by stabbing him in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement. After the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Hernandez-Garcia, Ortega-Ayala, and other LCGS clique members and co-conspirators to cover up the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, and set the victim’s body on fire, and then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal other evidence of the murder, including the victim’s blood. On March 6, Ordonez-Zometa was sentenced to life in prison . Ortega-Ayala is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 25. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Office, Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department, and Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department made the announcement. The FBI, HSI, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Matthew Hoff and Jared Engelking of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. United States v. Brayan Torres, et al. According to court documents, Rivas Rodriguez, Yanes-Rivera, and Zelaya Mejia were members and associates of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha, (WLS), a MS-13 clique operating primarily in Adelphi. On Feb. 23, 2020, at the direction of MS-13 leaders Brayan Alexander Torres and Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, Yanes-Rivera and co-defendant Franklyn Sanchez shot and killed a former WLS member, identified in court records as Victim 1, in retaliation for the victim’s suspected cooperation with law enforcement. In the weeks before the murder, Victim 1 had been in touch with WLS members over social media, text messages, and calls. WLS members told Victim 1 that if he met with gang members to make amends, his cooperation would be forgiven. Victim 1 was instructed to wait on the side of a road at a location in or near Adelphi. A junior WLS member drove Yanes-Rivera and Sanchez to the location, where they picked up Victim 1. They drove to a location in or near Hyattsville. Yanes-Rivera, Sanchez, and Victim 1 got out of the car and walked into the woods, where Yanes-Rivera and Sanchez shot and killed Victim 1. MS-13 promoted Yanes-Rivera for his participation in the murder. On Aug. 8, 2020, WLS members, including Franklyn Sanchez, gathered at a park in Prince George’s County. Sanchez and several other WLS members agreed to murder a man, identified in court records as Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. As planned, Sanchez and another MS-13 member murdered Victim 4, then dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez was concerned that his DNA remained on the body. To prevent the discovery of his DNA or other evidence, and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Rivas Rodriguez, Zelaya Mejia, and other WLS members buried Victim 4’s body in the woods. Law enforcement later found Victim 4’s body with a bullet wound to the head. Yanes-Rivera and Zelaya Mejia were also responsible for collecting extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two extortion victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that the victims making extortion payments did so under the threat of death or bodily injury. For example, WLS members used baseball bats to impose rents and sometimes collected rent while flashing firearms or other weapons. Rivas Rodriguez and Yanes-Rivera also participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds from extortion activities to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador. On May 19, Sanchez was sentenced to 28 years in prison. Torres is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 13. Assistant Attorney General Polite, U.S. Attorney Barron, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Harris of HSI Baltimore, and Chief Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department made the announcement. The FBI, HSI, and Prince George’s County Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Montgomery County Police Department. Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Justice Department’s violent crime reduction efforts. 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. These cases are also part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.


title: Missouri Woman Admits Fraudulently Obtaining Pain Pills Meant for Animals

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman who worked for a pet food company in Montgomery City, Missouri on Friday admitted fraudulently obtaining pain pills meant for animals. Mackenzie Noel Deeker, 39, of Montgomery County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk to a felony count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge. Deeker, who was animal health supervisor for the company, was responsible for ordering and maintaining records for controlled substances, including the pain medication tramadol. After the company stopped using tramadol because research in the veterinary field questioned its effectiveness, Deeker continued to order the drug by using the company’s Drug Enforcement Administration researcher registration and the DEA registration information belonging to an independent veterinarian working with the company. In her plea, Deeker admitted diverting tramadol for her personal use. She continued ordering the drug to rectify shortages in the company’s records due to her personal use of the drug. In one example given in Deeker’s plea agreement, on April 30, 2021, she called in a prescription for 90 tablets to a local pharmacy, claiming that it was authorized by the veterinarian for a dog named “Dandee.” Dandee had been euthanized more than two months earlier, however. At Deeker’s November 2 sentencing, both sides have agreed to recommend probation. She has agreed to pay $5,200 to the veterinarian, who was suspended by the company for eight weeks while they investigated the missing tramadol. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mohsen Pasha is prosecuting the case.


title: Safford Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Assault by Strangulation

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Thomas Esquivias Ramirez, 31, of Safford, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ramirez pleaded guilty to Assault by Strangling an Intimate Partner and a Dating Partner. Ramirez, an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, assaulted a Pascua Yaqui woman on October 9, 2021, by strangling her and impeding her breathing. The offense occurred on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation in Tucson, Arizona. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Frances M. Kreamer Hope and Special Assistant United States Attorney Madelynn Franklin, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-1815-TUC-JGZ RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-119_Ramirez # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Two More Defendants Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – DILLON ARCENEAUX , age 33 and a resident of Marrero, Louisiana, and ZEB SARTIN , age 36 and a resident of Lafayette, Louisiana, both pleaded guilty on August 2, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. As according to court documents, ARCENEAUX and SARTIN conspired with RYAN MULLEN , DUANE DUFRENE , GRANT MENARD, and LANCE VALLO to use several assetless shell Louisiana companies to defraud a merchant cash company based in Georgia. MULLEN and DUFRENE helped establish ARCENEAUX , VALLO , MENARD , and SARTIN as the owners of existing corporations. MULLEN and DUFRENE then created fake vendor accounts for the corporations, and MULLEN , aided by another, created falsified bank records for the companies. MULLEN then used an alias and claimed to be a broker for the companies he helped create. Using yet another broker, MULLEN supplied the victim merchant cash advance company with the fake vendor accounts and false bank records in order to obtain funding. The victim cash advance company approved the advances and began to electronically wire ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD , and SARTIN millions of dollars in advances. ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD , and SARTIN laundered a portion of the funds by paying MULLEN and DUFRENE percentages of the funds. ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD , and SARTIN then closed their non-existent businesses before fully repaying the victim merchant cash advance company, resulting in overall victim losses of approximately $6.4 million. ARCENEAUX was responsible for approximately $1.6 million in losses to the victim, and SARTIN was responsible for approximately $2.1 million. ARCENEAUX and SARTIN are to be sentenced on November 1, 2023 and face a maximum sentence of five years on the wire fraud conspiracy, and a maximum sentence of up to twenty years on the money laundering conspiracy. After imprisonment, the defendants face up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $500,000 fine on the money laundering count. Each count also has mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans commended the special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS-Criminal Investigation for their handling of the matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit and Andre Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit.


title: Physician Assistant at Chicago Medical Practice Charged With Fraudulently Writing Opioid Prescriptions

body_text: CHICAGO — A physician assistant who formerly worked at a Chicago medical practice has been charged in federal court with fraudulently writing opioid prescriptions. HARRY PRZEKOP allegedly used a deceased doctor’s name and prescription forms to write prescriptions for himself and a relative. An indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago states that Przekop fraudulently obtained prescriptions of hydrocodone and codeine in 2021 and 2022 in Batavia, Ill., and North Aurora, Ill. Przekop was not a licensed physician and could not lawfully prescribe medications without the direction and approval of licensed doctors. The indictment charges Przekop, 69, of Batavia, Ill., with five counts of fraudulently obtaining controlled substances. Each count is punishable by up to four years in federal prison. Przekop pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Wednesday in federal court. U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood scheduled a status hearing for Sept. 22, 2023. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin J. Christenson. Przekop indictment


title: MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including a Murder in Maryland

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, a/k/a “Paciente,” age 29, of Annandale, Virginia, to life in federal prison for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13. The charges related to the murder of a victim believed to be cooperating with law enforcement and the subsequent cover-up of the murder. Hernandez-Garcia was convicted on December 16, 2022, after a two-week trial, along with co-defendants Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, a/k/a “Felon,” age 33, of Landover Hills, Maryland and Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, a/k/a “Impaciente,” age 30, of Greenbelt, Maryland. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department. MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, operate throughout the United States, including in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Hernandez-Garcia and his co-defendants were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (“LGCS” or “Ghettos”) clique of MS-13. Members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons, at all times, using any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position. According to evidence presented at trial, Ordonez-Zometa, the leader of the LGCS clique, called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house on March 8, 2019, to discuss gang matters, including recent contacts that a clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. Hernandez-Garcia, Ortega-Ayala, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police. During the questioning, Hernandez-Garcia, his co-defendants and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Hernandez-Garcia, Ortega-Ayala, and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement. According to trial testimony, after the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Hernandez-Garcia, Ortega-Ayala, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, and set the victim’s body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1. Ordonez-Zometa was sentenced to life in federal prison on March 6, 2023. Ortega-Ayala also faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison at his sentencing on September 25, 2023. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (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. This case is also an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI, HSI, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan and Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting this case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Plaquemines Parish Man Sentenced  For Federal Drug and Gun Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ERIC METZ , age 40, a resident of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, was sentenced on August 2, 2023 to 61 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $200 special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. METZ previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i) According to court documents, a DEA investigation revealed that METZ was involved in a large narcotics distribution conspiracy in Plaquemines Parish. On June 5, 2021, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by METZ in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. During the traffic stop, deputies established probable cause to search the vehicle. During the search, they discovered six clear plastic bags containing crack cocaine, a fully loaded FN, nine-millimeter, semi-automatic handgun, and $3,238.00 in U.S. currency. This case was investigated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.