title: Nashua Man Sentenced to 53 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Over 1100 Images of Child Sexual Abuse

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Nashua man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing over 1,100 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Brian Eric Hynes, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 53 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. On May 6, 2024, Hynes pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. “The defendant exacerbated the pain and suffering of countless child survivors by possessing images of their abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “He then tried to cover up his crime by deleting suspected CSAM when he was confronted by law enforcement. Today’s sentence serves as a warning to those who think that applications (apps) and websites will give them enough anonymity to continue victimizing children. Law enforcement will identify you, investigate you, and prosecute you, and you will be incarcerated for your role in the child exploitation epidemic.” “Hynes possessed over a thousand images, each capturing the pain and trauma of a child. The possession and demand for these images perpetuates that pain and today’s sentence shows the consequences—federal prison time,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “HSI continues to work alongside our partners to detect and bring to justice predators who seek out child sexual abuse material.” In August 2021, law enforcement reviewed chat rooms being used to exchange CSAM on an app called Viber. Law enforcement learned that an individual with the username “John ketg” was present in chat rooms where CSAM was posted and traced the username back to the defendant. In February 2022, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s electronic devices. When executing the warrant, law enforcement saw the defendant sitting in his vehicle. The defendant initially did not comply with law enforcement’s commands to exit the vehicle and was seen swiping up on his phone. Although the defendant eventually exited the vehicle, he continued to swipe the phone. Officers subdued the defendant and secured the phone. The recently used video player application on his phone displayed CSAM. A forensic examination of the phone revealed approximately 1,150 CSAM images, primarily depicting young girls under 10 years old. The web history further showed that the defendant had visited websites associated with CSAM, and he had saved bookmarks to websites with phrases and words indicative of CSAM. Homeland Security Investigations and the Nashua Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and Kasey Weiland prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: NH Learning Solutions Corporation Agrees to Pay $975,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Suit for Allegedly Inflating Post 9/11 GI-Bill Tuition Benefits

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT –The Justice Department announced today that NH Learning Solutions Corp. (NHLS) has agreed to pay $975,000 to resolve allegations in a lawsuit that it submitted false claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for inflated educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill). The United States filed suit against NHLS under the False Claims Act (FCA) in December 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Detroit-based NHLS provided technology-focused, non-college degree programs at locations across the Midwest and Northeast. “The Post-9/11 GI Bill was designed to support the educational needs of our veterans, not to permit schools to illegally profit at the expense of the American taxpayers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement shows that the Justice Department will hold schools accountable for violating program requirements and submitting inflated claims for payment.” “The Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits are part of our Nation’s promise to the brave men and women who have served our country,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “My office is committed to protecting the integrity of our federal programs to ensure the assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries.” Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the VA pays tuition and fees directly to qualifying schools on behalf of enrolled students. For veteran students properly enrolled in a course, the VA pays the actual net cost for tuition and fees charged by the school, after it has applied any scholarships, waivers, grants or other assistance designed to defray the cost of tuition and fees, which is known as the “Last Payer Rule.” The Rule ensures that the VA is the payer of last resort and receives the benefit of any tuition-based, financial support available to a student. The government’s amended complaint alleged that NHLS knowingly submitted false claims for inflated tuition and fees, in violation of the Last Payer Rule, at five NHLS locations in Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. More specifically, the government alleged that NHLS repeatedly reported tuition and fees to the VA on student invoices, where it failed to deduct the tuition scholarships, grants, or waivers it provided to certain veterans, thereby causing the VA to overpay NHLS for educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 GI-Bill for these veterans. “Safeguarding Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit funds reserved for deserving veterans remains a priority, and our investigators are working diligently in the field to ensure these programs are not exploited for financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the Justice Department for its efforts in this investigation.” The lawsuit is captioned United States v. NH Learning Solutions Corp. , No. 2:22-cv-13045 (E.D. Mich.). The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with substantive assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. The United States was represented in this matter by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Wilson of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony C. Gentner of the Eastern District of Michigan. The claims asserted against defendant are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Former bookkeeper for Kalispell firearms business sentenced to prison, fined $20,000 for embezzling approximately $159,000

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MISSOULA — A former bookkeeper who admitted to embezzling approximately $159,000 from her employer, a Kalispell firearms manufacturing company, was sentenced today to five months in federal prison followed by six months of home confinement and three years of supervised release, fined $20,000 and ordered to pay $174,572 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Teri Anne Bell, 58, of Columbia Falls, pleaded guilty in June to wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also ordered Bell to perform 175 hours of community service. In court documents, the government alleged that from May 2018 until about December 2021, Bell, while working as a bookkeeper for Falkor SID Inc., a firearm manufacturing and distribution business in Kalispell, stole more than $150,000. Bell altered descriptions in Quickbooks to make it appear money was spent on legitimate business expenses when, in fact, the money went to pay down Bell’s personal credit card balances. In addition, Bell wrote herself a check for $10,000. In the fall of 2021, Falkor’s owners suspected Bell was stealing money from the company, and a financial audit determined that Bell completed 45 unauthorized transactions totaling $159,131 in Falkor funds. When confronted, Bell denied any wrongdoing. After she was terminated, Bell filed a grievance and demanded to be reinstated. The business owners were forced to spend an additional $15,441 to determine the extent of Bell’s fraud and to obtain legal counsel regarding her employment claim. Bell used the stolen funds for personal expenses, including hotels in Las Vegas and at Quinn’s Hot Springs, payments to retail and liquor stores, collection agencies and streaming services. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Treasure Coast Men Sentenced to Prison for Robbing U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Two of three St. Lucie County men, responsible for a string of robberies of U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers for their Postal keys, were sentenced to federal prison yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore sitting in Ft. Pierce, Fla. "The defendants brazenly terrorized loyal public servants, U.S. Postal Service letter carriers working in Florida, at gunpoint for their postal keys with the intent to steal mail from collection boxes. Their sentencing shows that the safety of U.S. Postal Service employees is of the utmost importance,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Armed assaults on letter carriers negatively impact our entire community, which relies on the U.S. Postal Service for the safe delivery of the mail.” “The prison sentences handed down to these defendants should serve as a reminder that violent acts committed against U.S. Postal Service employees providing service to the community will not be tolerated and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, will ensure that those committing these acts will be pursued and justly punished for their crimes,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. Bernard Jerome Davis III, 20, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., was sentenced to 192 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of armed Postal/U.S. property robbery, a single count of brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and Hobbs Act robbery. Jalen Dennis Elliott, 19, of Port St. Lucie, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 2 years’ supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery. Jamal Travon Brown Weathers, 23, of Fort Pierce, pleaded guilty on June 12, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 24, in Ft. Pierce. According to the court record, to include factual proffers in support of the defendants’ guilty pleas, between Nov. 19, 2022, and Oct. 21, 2023, Brown Weathers, Davis and Elliott robbed at least six USPS letter carriers in St. Lucie, Brevard, Orange and Miami-Dade counties in Florida. On Nov. 19, 2022, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail inside an apartment complex in Port St. Lucie. While the carrier was at the mailboxes, Brown Weathers demanded “Give me the key.” Brown Weathers then grabbed and started yanking the letter carrier’s keys, which were attached to her uniform pants. Brown Weathers then brandished a semi-automatic handgun and demanded “Give me the f------ key. You got five seconds to give up the key.” At that point the letter carrier unhooked her arrow key and handed it over to Brown Weathers, who fled in a vehicle driven by Davis. The vehicle, belonging to Brown Weathers’ mother, was later chased by a St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputy in Fort Pierce. The occupants fled and a K-9 deputy recovered the firearm used in the robbery along the path of flight. A Postal arrow key is an accountable property assigned to U.S. Post Office(s) that is only authorized to be used by USPS employees in an official capacity. A Postal arrow key is used by USPS employees to open mail receptacles within a geographic area to collect and deliver mail. On May 12, 2023, Brown Weathers and Davis robbed two USPS letter carriers at gunpoint in the Middle District of Florida. At approximately 12:13 p.m., a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail in Melbourne, Fla., when Davis approached the letter carrier with a black firearm and demanded the letter carrier’s Postal arrow key. Once the letter carrier handed over the key, Davis fled the scene in a Nissan Altima that he rented. At approximately 1:20 p.m., another USPS letter carrier was on his mail delivery route in Orlando, Fla., when a Nissan Altima stopped behind his Postal vehicle. Brown Weathers exited the Nissan Altima, ran towards the letter carrier while holding a black firearm, grabbed the letter carrier by the shirt, and demanded the letter carrier give him the arrow key. The letter carrier removed the arrow key from his belt loop and gave it Brown Weathers, who fled in the vehicle rented and driven by Davis. On Aug. 1, 2023, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail in Fort Pierce when a white Pontiac Grand Prix began to follow her and pulled up behind her USPS vehicle. The letter carrier observed Davis carrying a black semi-automatic firearm and walking toward the Postal vehicle. Fearing a robbery, the letter carrier quickly drove away and called 911. The same white vehicle followed another letter carrier, who also called 911. On Oct. 11, 2023, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail in Fort Pierce when Davis approached the driver’s side of the Postal vehicle brandishing a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded that the letter carrier give him the key. Once the letter carrier handed the Postal arrow key to Davis, he entered a white vehicle and drove away. On Oct. 21, 2023, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail in an apartment community in Miami Beach, Fla. when she was confronted by Davis who shouted, “give me the keys.” Davis ripped the keys, including a Postal arrow key, from the letter carrier's hand, causing an injury. Davis then fled to a waiting black BMW SUV, driven by Elliott. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, Chief Wayne A. Jones of the City of Miami Beach Police Department, Sheriff Keith Pearson of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Diane Hobley-Burney of the Fort Pierce Police Department, Sheriff John W. Mina of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Wayne Ivey of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement. The USPIS, Miami Beach Police Department, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Pierce Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case. The Port St. Lucie Police Department provided assistance. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger is prosecuting the case. This case is the result of Project Safe Delivery (PSD), a joint U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service initiative aimed at countering postal crime and safeguarding postal employees. Announced in May 2023, in direct response to a rise in threats and attacks on letter carriers and mail theft incidents, PSD seeks to protect Postal employees and the mail stream, prevent incidents through education and awareness, and enforce the laws that protect our nation’s mail stream. Since the launch of PSD, postal inspectors, working with law enforcement partners, have arrested more than 287 individuals for postal-related robberies through June 30, 2024. In the first six months of the fiscal year, the number of arrests for postal-related robberies rose 72% versus the same period the previous year, while the number of postal-related robberies dropped 21%. Meanwhile, the number of mail theft complaints received during that period decreased 35%, suggesting the PSD approach is achieving the intended result. Customers are encouraged to report stolen mail as soon as possible by submitting an online complaint to the Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov/report or calling 877-876-2455. The Postal Inspection Service is authorized to issue monetary rewards for the forcible assault, robbery or attempted robbery of any custodian of any mail, money, or other property of the United States under the control and jurisdiction of the Postal Service. Additionally, individuals are encouraged to report allegations of Postal Service employee misconduct, including attempts to corrupt a Postal Service employee, to the USPS OIG at 1-888-877-7644 or www.uspsoig.gov . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-14053. ###


title: Sanbornton Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Federal Prison  for Possession of Approximately 2600 Images of Child Sexual Abuse

body_text: CONCORD – A former Sanbornton man was sentenced today in federal court for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Timothy Ryan, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 87 months in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release. In December 2022, Ryan was charged with one count of possession of CSAM. In November 2023, while Ryan was on pre-trial release for this original federal CSAM charge, he reoffended and was subsequently charged with another count of possession of CSAM. On June 27, 2024, Ryan pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with two counts of possession of CSAM. “The defendant was caught possessing thousands of images depicting child sexual abuse – not once – but twice. His contempt for the conditions of his pre-trial release, lack of remorse, and brazen disregard for accountability is appalling,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The defendant will now serve a lengthy prison sentence, preventing him from causing additional harm to child survivors of sexual abuse.” “Despite being arrested by federal agents for possessing child sexual abuse material, Ryan continued to access CSAM while out on bond, resulting in additional federal charges. Now, he’ll be spending the next several years in federal prison,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI remains committed to working with our partners to hold offenders like Ryan to account.” “Today’s sentencing holds the defendant accountable for the despicable act of possessing child sexual abuse material,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their collaboration in pursuing justice in this case.” Ryan was identified as a top offender in the state of New Hampshire for supplying CSAM through a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. Investigators traced the illicit internet activity to his residence and executed a federal search warrant to seize and search his electronic devices on December 13, 2022. Forensic examination of Ryan’s cell phone revealed the presence of approximately 2,600 files of apparent CSAM. Following this search, he was charged by complaint, and subsequently by information, with one count of possession of CSAM. In November 2023, while Ryan was on bond for his federal CSAM charge, investigators with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs received information that an IP address associated with one of its residential facilities in Massachusetts was being used regularly to distribute known CSAM on the same peer-to-peer file-sharing network. Further investigation revealed that Ryan had moved into that facility around the same time that the illicit activity was first observed. In December 2023, federal authorities executed a second search warrant for Ryan’s private room at the facility, which resulted in the seizure of more electronic devices containing hundreds of images of CSAM. Based on this new information, authorities brought a second charge against Ryan. Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Secret Service, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Nashua Police Department, the Grafton County Sheriff’s Department, the Sanbornton Police Department, and the U.S. Veteran’s Affairs Police Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Baltimore County Businessman Pleads Guilty To Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1.3 Million In Covid-19 Cares Act Loans

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – David Epstein, age 46, of Owings Mills, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Washington, D.C. Field Office. Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program, administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA), as well as an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and/or an EIDL advance to help businesses meet their financial obligations. According to his plea agreement, beginning in May 2020 and continuing through February 2021 in the District of Maryland, Epstein engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions, including Cross River Bank, Bluevine, Celtic Bank, and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to obtain fraudulent loans for his business PEI Staffing (PEI), a temporary staffing company, under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Specifically, on April 30, 2020, Epstein submitted a false and misleading PPP loan application in the name of PEI, seeking approximately $1,307,170 in PPP funds. The application allegedly contained false statements and omissions relating to PEI including the number of employees, the wages paid to employees, and that any funds received would be spend on expenses such as payroll, business rent and business utilities. For example, the application stated that PEI had 382 employees, when in fact, an IRS Form 941 for the second quarter of 2020 listed 79 employees for PEI. Epstein also falsely stated that he did not have common management with any other business. In fact, Epstein was a common manager of both PEI and Stafquik. As detailed in the plea agreement, Epstein submitted a fictitious February 2020 bank statement for a SunTrust bank that purported to be a bank statement of PEI. In truth, this account was not in the name of PEI but instead was in the name of Stafquik. Epstein admitted that he had earlier altered the bank statement for the purpose of submitting it in connection with PPP applications for PEI. According to the plea agreement, on May 4, 2020, approximately $1,307,170 in PPP loan proceeds were disbursed to the SunTrust Stafquik account. Within four days, Epstein opened four personal bank accounts at two separate banks and subsequently transferred the PPP loan proceeds to those accounts to be used for personal and unauthorized expenses. Epstein admitted that he spent the fraudulently obtained PPP funds in multiple ways that were impermissible under the PPP. One day after receiving the PPP funds, on May 5, 2020, Defendant made an ACH transfer in the amount of $110,356.48 from the SunTrust account that received the PPP funds to Mercedes-Benz Financial in connection with a payment for a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GT43C4 automobile previously purchased by the Defendant. Epstein also admitted that beginning on May 20, 2020, and continuing through in or about August 2020, he transferred approximately $138,522.22 in PPP funds to a contractor in connection with extensive renovations to the Defendant’s home and installation of a pool there. He further admitted to using the PPP funds to pay $100,000 in connection a settlement agreement pertaining to a 2013 litigation involving unpaid insurance premiums and to pay off a $344,341.05 debt related to funds the Defendant misappropriated from a business partner and used for personal expenses. None of these were permissible uses of the PPP funds. According to the plea agreement, Epstein also used the PPP funds to pay various personal expenses (including a trip to a luxury golf resort) and provided PPP funds to various family members and associates for purposes unrelated to employment with PEI (including his family’s nanny), making withdrawals for himself, and paying off various personal debts. Epstein also attempted to repeatedly add individuals whom he owed money to PEI’s payroll to make it appear as though they were employees when they were not. He also attempted to hide the size of the PPP loan he received, concealing it from his family members, other employees of PEI, and various business partners whom he owed money. Epstein faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for January 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Barron commended the IRS-CI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley who is prosecuting the case. Mr. Barron also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md .


title: Pittsburgh Man Charged with Robbery of Reserve Township Bank

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of bank robbery, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Mark Laughner, 38, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about May 16, 2024, Laughner entered a Reserve Township bank and, by force, violence, and intimidation, took approximately $1,370 in United States currency from the teller. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Allegheny County Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. 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. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty


title: Former executive of injured child benefit program pleads guilty to stealing over $4.8 million

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Providence Forge man pled guilty today to embezzling funds from his former employer, the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program (Birth-Injury Program). According to court documents, John Hunter Raines, 38, was the Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Director of the Birth-Injury Program. The Birth-Injury Program pays monetary compensation to families of infants who suffer from brain or spinal cord injuries resulting from the birth process that render the infant developmentally and/or cognitively disabled. Raines’ role required that he oversee the finances of the Birth-Injury Program, including approximately $650 million in investments in 2023. From at least January 2022 through October 2023, Raines stole over $4.8 million from the Birth-Injury Program, including by using his access to the Birth-Injury Program bank account to initiate at least 59 separate wire transactions, sending funds to bank accounts in Raines’ own name. Raines also used the Birth-Injury Program debit card for personal gain. Raines spent embezzled Birth-Injury Program money on various personal expenses. For example: Raines purchased numerous vehicles, including eight luxury golf carts for over $160,000 and a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban; Raines spent over $100,000 on gambling, including at Rivers Casino in Portsmouth, Virginia, Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent, Virginia, and the Virginia Lottery; Raines paid at least $29,000 to an intimate partner and tens of thousands of dollars to a bank account in the name of Raines’ wife; Raines spent over $9,000 on private limousine services, including to chauffer Raines and his guests in a Mercedes limousine from Raines’ house to Virginia vineyards; Raines made numerous purchases of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Dogecoin, and transferred funds to his brokerage accounts; Raines paid tens of thousands of dollars towards his student loan debt, his mortgage, and other loans; Raines paid over $125,000 for private jet travel for Raines’ friends and family. As an example, Raines paid over $34,000 to travel with his wife and his friends to Nashville, Tennessee, for three days in a private jet; and Raines spent over $19,000 to purchase eight separate 2022 1-oz American Gold Eagle Bullion coins and a 100-oz silver bar. As a financial control on the Birth-Injury Program, Virginia Code § 38.2-5015(B) required an independent certified public accountant selected by the Birth-Injury Program’s board of directors to complete an audit of the program's accounts each fiscal year. Raines deliberately impeded the statutorily mandated audit process by failing to timely provide the Birth-Injury Program’s files to auditors when requested. Due at least in part to Raines’ obstructive conduct, the Birth-Injury Program’s statutorily mandated audits continue to be delayed by over three years. Raines pled guilty to mail fraud and money laundering offenses. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 27, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Michael C. Westfall, State Inspector General for the Commonwealth of Virginia, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth and Kashan K. Pathan are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-138.


title: Cocoa Man Sentenced To 14 Years For Possessing Firearms And Ammunition As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Dana Hunter Calley (54, Cocoa) to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing unregistered silencers. Calley was found guilty by a federal jury on June 10, 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, on September 20, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Calley’s residence and seized four firearms, three silencers, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. On April 5, 2024, law enforcement executed a second search warrant at Calley’s residence and seized six silencers in various stages of production. At the time of the offenses, Calley was a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro. 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: Peru Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Selling More than 1.5 Kilos of Methamphetamine to Undercover Officer

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Peru, Maine woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for trafficking methamphetamine and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Mandy Lynn Shorey , 43, to 180 months to be followed by five years of supervised release. According to court records, between July 2022 and January 2023, Shorey sold approximately 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to an undercover officer across four controlled buys. For three of the buys, the purity of the methamphetamine Shorey sold to police approached 100%. During one of the buys, Shorey explained that she carried a firearm with her for protection when she met with new drug customers and removed the firearm from a bag and placed it in her waistband. During another exchange, she told the undercover officer that meeting her to conduct their next transaction would be safe because she would “bring one armed man to back me up that they will never see, just in case.” When Shorey was arrested, she was in possession of a Charter Arms .22 revolver. The FBI Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case. ### Updated 10/9/24 to correct defendant's city of residence at time of arrest from Windham, ME to Peru, ME


title: Southington Man Admits Dealing AR-15-Style Assault Rifles, Marijuana

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRYAN JOYCE, 38, of Southington, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to multiple offenses related to his selling privately made AR-15-style firearms, ammunition, and marijuana. According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2022, the Connecticut State Police received information that Joyce was offering to sell assault weapons and other firearms, including privately manufactured firearms (PMFs or “ghost guns”), as well as ammunition and firearms accessories. On January 28, 2022, Joyce sold an undercover law enforcement officer a privately-made AR-15 style rifle, a privately-made 9mm handgun, and a box of ammunition, in exchange for $2,000. On March 4, 2022, Joyce sold the undercover officer two loaded AR-15 style rifles and approximately 400 grams of marijuana, for $5,800. On March 21, 2022, Joyce was arrested at a parking lot in Waterbury where he met with the undercover officer who had arranged to purchase five more privately-made AR-15 style rifles and a kilogram of marijuana. A search of Joyce’s vehicle revealed the five firearms, marijuana, and numerous rounds of ammunition. The investigation revealed that Gregory Leary was Joyce’s firearm supplier. A subsequent search of Leary’s Wolcott residence revealed six privately-made AR-15 style rifles; two privately-made 9mm semiautomatic handguns; a loaded Remington 12-gauge shotgun; a Glock .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun; a Glock 9mm semiautomatic handgun stamped “San Antonio Police Department”; numerous firearm parts and accessories; equipment used to manufacture firearms; and $7,129 in cash. Joyce is a felon with a criminal history that includes state convictions for drug, larceny, and burglary offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Joyce pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; three counts of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count; one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, marijuana, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Underhill schedule sentencing for January 6. Joyce, who had been released on bond, has been detained since April 2024 after he was arrested after an alleged domestic violence incident. Leary pleaded guilty on June 13, 2023, and admitted that he manufactured and sold more than 25 firearms to Joyce. On November 7, 2023, he was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment. This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Connecticut State Police Statewide Firearms Trafficking Task Force (SFTTF) and Statewide Urban Violence Cooperative Crime Control Task Force (SUVCCCTF/Gangs Unit), assisted by the Statewide Narcotics Task Force (SNTF) Southwest and North Central Offices, and the Bridgeport, Shelton, Orange, Waterbury, and Hartford Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Abilene Man Pleads Guilty to Paying 12, 13 Year Olds for Sexually Explicit Video

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A 27-year-old man who paid two young boys $200 to produce a sexually explicit video pleaded guilty today to federal child pornography charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Mark Penfield Eichorn, a former preschool teacher’s assistant, was indicted in June. He pleaded guilty Tuesday to production of child pornography before U.S. Magistrate Judge John R. Parker. According to plea papers, Mr. Eichorn admitted that he contacted two young boys, ages 12 and 13, via Snapchat and asked them to produce a sexually explicit video of themselves. The children, who lived in Georgia, later confided to law enforcement that they produced a 90-second video as instructed and sent it to Mr. Eichorn, who paid them $200 via Venmo. Financial and phone records corroborated their accounts. In an interview with law enforcement, Mr. Eichorn admitted that he knew the children were roughly 13 years old when he asked them to produce the video, and that he paid them $200 for it. At a detention hearing shortly after he was indicted, federal law enforcement testified that when asked about the children in Georgia, Mr. Eichorn responded, “just those two?” Mr. Eichorn now faces 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division and the Abilene Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen is prosecuting the case.


title: Ross Township Resident Indicted on Sexual Exploitation of Minors Charges

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Ross Township, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The six-count Indictment named Ralph Talerico, 44, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, from June through July 2023, Talerico produced and attempted to produce material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. Talerico is also charged with possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age on June 6, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $1.5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Nicaraguan Man Guilty of Making False Statement on Passport Application

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SILVIO MENDOZA SANCHEZ (“SANCHEZ”) , age 45, a citizen of Nicaragua, pleaded guilty on October 7, 2024, to making a false statement on a passport application, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1542. According to court documents, SANCHEZ applied for a United States passport using the name, date of birth, and social security number of a Puerto Rican man. SANCHEZ faces a sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey has set the sentencing for January 7, 2025. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Wisconsin Man Charged with Filing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 8, 2024, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Vikram Naik with three counts of filing false individual income tax returns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1). According to the indictment, Naik willfully made and subscribed, under penalties of perjury, individual income tax returns (Forms 1040) for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019. Naik had federal income tax withholding amounts that were substantially less than what he reported on each of the returns he filed with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and, as a result, he had taxable income and total tax owed greater than he reported. Those returns included over $300,000 in false withholding amounts. If convicted, Naik faces up to three years in prison on each false return count. The IRS, Criminal Investigation Division, investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney John P. Scully will prosecute. The public is cautioned that an indictment or criminal complaint is merely a charge, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Sacramento County Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud in Connection with Medical Device Sales

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Andrew Scott, 38, of Fair Oaks, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between June 2018 and June 2022, Scott devised a scheme to defraud investors in his company, Trusted Medical Partnership. Scott told investors that either he or Trusted Medical Partnership received purchase orders from various health care providers for medical devices but lacked the capital to fulfill the orders. Scott solicited and obtained loans from these investors, and, in exchange, promised them substantial returns in a relatively short time with zero risk. In reality, Scott’s representations to these prospective investors were false because Scott did not have purchase orders from health care providers. To some of his victims, Scott sent purchase orders that he had doctored or fabricated in order to convince them to lend money. The health care providers listed on these purported purchase orders confirmed that the orders were fake altogether or altered to reflect inflated amounts or other false information. Further, Trusted Medical Partnership was not a legitimate business – while incorporated in the State of California, it conducted no legitimate business transactions, paid no taxes, submitted no wage or employment-related records, and had been suspended in December 2021, before Scott solicited investments on its behalf from some of his victims. Scott’s victims lent him money on the basis of his false statements, including the fraudulent purchase orders, but received little to no returns on their investments. Instead, Scott spent the money on gambling at several local casinos (sometimes the same day he received the victims’ money), personal expenses, or payments to other, prior investors in order to keep the scheme running. Collectively, Scott defrauded more than 10 victims of between $250,000 and $550,000. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case. Scott is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Jan. 14, 2025. Scott faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,00, or twice the gross gain or gross loss, whichever is greater. In addition to pleading guilty, Scott agreed to pay restitution to his victims of between $338,843 and $550,000. 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.


title: Vallejo Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Raykheem Andrew Guthery, 32, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to five years in prison for possessing ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on June 9, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a vehicle stop on Guthery for driving a car without license plates. Guthery pretended to be someone else, claimed he was not on parole or probation, and denied being armed. In fact, Guthery was on probation for felony assault and had a firearm loaded with an extended magazine concealed on his person. Officers discovered the firearm during Guthery’s arrest. The firearm was a non‑serialized, privately manufactured firearm, known as a “ghost gun.” It was loaded with one round of .40-caliber ammunition in the chamber and another 17 rounds in an extended magazine. Guthery is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has been convicted of at least three felonies, including a 2016 felony conviction for forcible assault likely to cause grave bodily injury. He was also prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at the time of this offense because he was then the subject of a domestic violence protective order issued on April 15, 2021, by the Superior Court of California, Solano County. This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case. This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Three Lawrence Men Arrested on Drug Charges

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Three Lawrence men have been arrested for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute drugs. Ronald Odelyn Tejeda, 38; Erick Pimentel-Cabrera, 27; and Carlos M. Rodriguez, 36, have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Pimentel-Cabrera and Rodriguez had their initial appearances in federal court in Boston today; Tejeda will appear at a later date. According to the charging documents, after investigators became aware that Tejeda was selling fentanyl pills in the Lawrence area, several controlled purchases were conducted in August 2024 and September 2024 that resulted in seizures totaling over 5,000 pills. In September 2027, Tejeda and Pimentel-Cabrera were observed engaging in suspected drug activity the home where both Pimentel-Cabrera and Rodriguez live. During an October 2024 search of the residence, approximately four pounds of suspected crystal methamphetamine, approximately 30,000 pressed pills suspected to contain fentanyl, approximately 5,000 pressed pills suspected to contain methamphetamine, various amounts of suspected powder fentanyl, pill presses, three firearms and United States currency were seized. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million dollars. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen P. Belleau, Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and by the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Kalispell man admits pointing laser at airplane

body_text: MISSOULA — A Kalispell man today admitted to pointing a laser at an airplane while it was in flight over Kalispell, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Nolan Wayne Hamman, 32, pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft as charged in an indictment. Hamman faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for Feb. 6, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hamman was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on Nov. 25, 2023, a flight instructor operating a plane over Kalispell called 911 to report a person shining a laser pointer at her plane while she was flying with a minor student. The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and located Hamman on the ground with the laser pointer. Hamman admitted to shining the laser at the plane while it was in flight. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Kalispell Police Department conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Essex County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Unlawful Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Lamar McCullough, 30, of Essex County, was convicted by a federal jury on June 7, 2024, of unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon following a trial before U.S. District Judge Katherine Hayden, who imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On March 5, 2021, members of the Newark Police Department responded to a report of a shooting victim at University Hospital. Surveillance video recorded at 7:22 p.m. showed McCullough shoot a victim four times at close range in the middle of Isabella Avenue in Newark. Four 9-millimeter shell casings were recovered from the area where McCullough discharged the firearm. In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced McCullough to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation. The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Ecker of the Healthcare Fraud Unit and Katherine Calle of the Special Prosecutions Division.


title: Whatcom County man pleads guilty to domestic violence assault resulting in serious bodily injury

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 49-year-old member of the Lummi Nation pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jason Sieber Sr. was charged federally in February 2024, for the October 20, 2023, assault of his domestic partner. Sieber has been detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac since his arrest in February 2024. He is scheduled for sentencing on December 20, 2024. According to records filed in the case, Sieber became angry with the victim over the amount of time it was taking for her to cook dinner. He struck her repeatedly in the face and head and kept her from leaving the home to get help. The blows with his closed fist caused the victim to suffer facial fractures, extreme pain, and disfigurement. The victim reported the assault to Lummi Nation Police a few days after the assault. Sieber was charged in tribal court. The case was ultimately referred to federal prosecutors. Assault resulting in bodily injury is punishable by up to ten years in prison. U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez will determine the appropriate sentence after considering sentencing guidelines and other factors. The case was investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI as part of the Safe Trails Taskforce. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Tate London and Erika Evans. Mr. London serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U. S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.


title: Four Defendants Charged With Multi-Million-Dollar Fraud Targeting San Francisco Delivery Company

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN JOSE - A federal grand jury indicted four defendants in an alleged scheme to defraud a San Francisco-based delivery company. All four defendants were arrested on Oct. 4, 2024. Defendants Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri, 30, and Manaswi Mandadapu, 29, were arrested in Newport Beach, Calif., made their initial appearances in Santa Ana, and were released on bond. Defendant Matheus Duarte, 29, was arrested in Mountain House, Calif., made his initial appearance in San Jose, and was released on bond. Defendant Hari Vamsi Anne, 30, was arrested in Cypress, Tex., made his initial appearance in Houston, and was detained pending further proceedings. Each defendant is charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to the indictment filed Aug. 7, 2024, and unsealed Oct. 4, 2024, from November 2020 to February 2021, the defendants allegedly worked together to cause the victim company (“Entity One”) to pay for deliveries that never occurred. Entity One’s business includes providing delivery services to customers in response to orders placed using the company’s platform. Drivers fulfill those orders by collecting the ordered items from restaurants and other merchants and delivering them to customers. In furtherance of the scheme, defendants allegedly created fraudulent customer accounts and driver accounts on Entity One’s platform and used the fictitious customer accounts to place orders for delivery. As alleged in the indictment, using insider access to Entity One’s computer systems, defendants assigned those orders to fraudulent driver accounts, then manipulated Entity One’s computer systems to cause Entity One to pay the fraudulent driver accounts as if individual orders had been delivered hundreds of times. The scheme allegedly resulted in fraudulent payments exceeding $2,500,000. The indictment alleges that the defendants gained access to Entity One’s computer systems using credentials belonging to an employee of Entity One identified as “Individual One.” Individual One is Tyler Thomas Bottenhorn, a resident of Solano County, Calif., who was briefly employed by Entity One in 2020. Bottenhorn was not charged in the indictment unsealed on Oct. 4, but he was separately charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a federal criminal case filed Sept. 29, 2022, and unsealed Oct. 7, 2024. Bottenhorn pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2023, and admitted to being involved in the scheme to defraud Entity One. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael G. Pitman and Jeffrey D. Nedrow with assistance from Sahib Kaur. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri Indictment


title: Bel Air Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging Scheme to Violate United States Sanctions Against Iran

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Bel Air man was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment charging him and two Iranian nationals with violating United States sanctions against Iran by illegally sending to that nation digital and physical gift cards loaded with approximately $2.4 million. Kambiz Eghbali, 50, a.k.a. “Cameron Eghbali,” a dual citizen of the United States and Iran, is charged with violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. His arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Hamid Hajipour and Babak Bahizad, both Iranian nationals charged in the indictment, remain at large. “Restrictions on exports and transactions with countries that are hostile to the United States, such as Iran, are critical to protecting our nation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Nothing is more important than protecting our country from foreign threats and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who undermine our national security.” According to the indictment unsealed today, from March 2014 through September 2019, Eghbali and others conspired to unlawfully send digital and physical gift cards loaded with U.S. dollars to Iran. Eghbali would list his company, a North Hills-based purported videogame wholesaler and distributor, as the seller of the gift cards, and would provide cards to Bahizad for the benefit of his Iran-based gaming company, and to Hajipour for the benefit of his mobile software application service company. Bahizad and Hajipour would then pay Eghbali for the cards by transferring money from Iran to Eghabli’s U.S.-based bank accounts using third parties in other countries to conceal the transfer from U.S. regulators. The IEEPA and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, reexport, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services, including financial services, to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum penalties: 20 years in prison for violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 30 years in prison for bank fraud violations, and 20 years in prison for money laundering violations. The indictment also notifies defendants that the United States intends to forfeit all property alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. The FBI is investigating this matter with support from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Anna Boylan and Mark Takla of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case with Trial Attorneys David J. Ryan and Leslie Esbrook from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.


title: Rochester man going to prison for his role in drug conspiracy

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Dante Bolling, 25, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of ammunition by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who handled the case, stated that between August 2020, and August 25, 2022, Bolling conspired with others to sell quantities of cocaine in the Rochester area. On August 25, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bolling’s Mayflower Street residence, seizing approximately 66 grams of cocaine and drug trafficking paraphernalia, That same day, Bolling, knowing that he was an unlawful user of marijuana, possessed a firearm and ammunition. The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division # # # #


title: Afghan National Arrested for Plotting an Election Day Terrorist Attack in the Name of ISIS

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Note : View the unsealed criminal complaint here. The Justice Department today announced charges against a citizen of Afghanistan residing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for conspiring to conduct an Election Day terrorist attack in the United States on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO). According to a criminal complaint filed today, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, conspired and attempted to provide material support to ISIS and obtained firearms and ammunition to conduct a violent attack on U.S. soil in the name of ISIS. As part of the plot, the defendant allegedly took steps to liquidate his family’s assets, resettle members of his family overseas, acquire AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition, and commit a terrorist attack in the United States. “As charged, the Justice Department foiled the defendant’s plot to acquire semi-automatic weapons and commit a violent attack in the name of ISIS on U.S. soil on Election Day,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to combat the ongoing threat that ISIS and its supporters pose to America’s national security, and we will identify, investigate, and prosecute the individuals who seek to terrorize the American people. I am deeply grateful to the public servants of the FBI, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma for their work to disrupt this attack and for the work they do every day to protect our country.” “This defendant, motivated by ISIS, allegedly conspired to commit a violent attack, on Election Day, here on our homeland," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "I am proud of the men and women of the FBI who uncovered and stopped the plot before anyone was harmed. Terrorism is still the FBI's number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people." “Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI, National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and federal prosecutors in my office, the alleged plan to commit an attack on Election Day was disrupted and Mr. Tawhedi was arrested,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “Fighting terrorism remains the top priority of the Justice Department. We will continue to pursue, disrupt, and hold accountable those who plot to commit acts of terrorism against our country and our people.” According to the criminal complaint, as part of the investigation into Tawhedi, the FBI searched Tawhedi’s phone and obtained communications between Tawhedi and a person who facilitated recruitment, training, and indoctrination of persons who expressed interest in terrorist activity and who Tawhedi understood to be affiliated with ISIS. Tawhedi was also seen in a video recorded on July 20 reading to two children text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife. Tawhedi also allegedly accessed, viewed, and saved ISIS propaganda on his iCloud and Google account, participated in pro-ISIS Telegram groups, and contributed to a charity which fronts for and funnels money to ISIS. The complaint alleges that while liquidating their family’s assets prior to the attack, Tawhedi and his co-conspirator, who is a juvenile, advertised the sale of the family’s personal property on Facebook. At the FBI’s direction, a confidential human source responded to inquire if a computer was still for sale. The FBI source noted that he needed the computer for a new gun business he was starting, which ultimately led Tawhedi and the juvenile to meet with the source and other FBI assets at a rural location to test firearms. Tawhedi expressed interest in purchasing two AK-47 assault rifles, magazines, and ammunition from the source. According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 7, Tawhedi and the juvenile met with the FBI assets at a rural location in the Western District of Oklahoma and purchased, received, and took possession of two AK-47 assault rifles, ten magazines, and 500 rounds of ammunition. Upon receipt of the rifles and ammunition, Tawhedi and the juvenile were arrested. In his seized communications, Tawhedi allegedly indicated that his attack was planned for Election Day, and in a post-arrest interview, Tawhedi allegedly confirmed the attack was planned for Election Day targeting large gatherings of people, during which he and the juvenile were expected to die as martyrs. Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, and receiving a firearm to be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, if convicted. The case is being investigated by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Moore, Oklahoma Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Perry, Matt Dillon, and Mark Stoneman for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorneys George C. Kraehe and Everett McMillian of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Niagara Falls woman sentenced for her role in debt collection scheme

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Erica Lounsberry, 37, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that between January 2014 and February 2017, Lounsberry conspired with others in the activities of supposed debt collection agencies, which operated under various names, including Lakeside Mediations, Lincoln Mediation, Valentine Legal Mediation, First Point Mediation, State Filing and Legal Services, and Elite Services. As a manager for these operations, Lounsberry directed and trained other employees, including those who placed calls to “debtors,” those who posed as attorneys during the calls, and those who provided the “debtors” with payment instructions. Lounsberry and the employees she managed placed telephone calls to thousands of “debtors” throughout the United States, and used various fraudulent tactics and misrepresentations to induce the “debtors” to make payments, including using false identities, making false threats that debtors would be arrested, and making false claims that criminal charges would be filed against the “debtors.” The “debtors” were eventually directed to employees posing as attorneys, and were provided with payment instructions, supposedly to settle their outstanding debts. Lounsberry and others routinely collected money from “debtors” from whom they had already collected payment, deemed to be “easy targets.” “Debtors” were instructed to make payment through various means, including MoneyGram payments, bank wire transfers, and debit/credit card payments. Between February 2015, and December 2016, Lounsberry and those she managed collected approximately $2,103,105. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso; the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward; and the New York State, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Catherine Lucy Lang. # # # #


title: Dual U.S. and Iranian Citizen Arrested for Unlawful Scheme to Violate and Evade U.S. Sanctions Against Iran

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Kambiz Eghbali, also known as Cameron Eghbali, 50, of Los Angeles, was arrested yesterday pursuant to a now-unsealed indictment charging him, along with Hamid Hajipour and Babak Bahizad, both Iranian nationals, with violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Bahizad and Hajipour remain at large. According to the indictment, from March 2014 through September 2019, Eghbali and others conspired to unlawfully send digital and physical gift cards loaded with U.S. dollars to Iran. Eghbali would list his company, a U.S.-based purported videogame wholesaler and distributor located in the Central District of California, as the seller of the gift cards, and would provide cards to Bahizad for the benefit of his Iran-based gaming company, and to Hajipour for the benefit of his mobile software application service company. Bahizad and Hajipour would then pay Eghbali for the cards by transferring money from Iran to Eghabli’s U.S.-based bank accounts using third parties in other countries to conceal the transfer from U.S. regulators. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, reexport, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services, including financial services, to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum penalties: 20 years in prison for violations of IEEPA, 30 years in prison for bank fraud violations, and 20 years in prison for money laundering violations. The indictment also notifies defendants that the United States intends to forfeit all property alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Martin E. Estrada for the Central District of California, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case, with support from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Boylan and Mark Takla for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys David J. Ryan and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: North Tonawanda man going to prison for 14 years for his role in drug conspiracy

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Johnny Williams, 32, of North Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 168 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas T. Cooper and Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that between June and October 2021, Williams conspired with others, including Lairon Graham, to sell fentanyl and crack cocaine from a residence on Liddell Street in Buffalo. While doing so, Williams possessed a firearm on multiple occasions. In August 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a Davey Street residence in Buffalo, which was also used by members of the conspiracy to sell fentanyl and crack cocaine. During the search, investigators recovered approximately 44 grams of fentanyl, approximately 37 grams of crack cocaine, approximately $2,500 cash, and assorted drug paraphernalia. In March 2022, Williams a semi-automatic pistol to fire multiple gunshots at an individual, striking the victim in the upper arm. The Government contends that the shooting was intended to discourage another person from providing information to law enforcement about the narcotics conspiracy. Williams contends that was not his motivation for firing gunshots at the victim. Lairon Graham was previously convicted and sentenced to serve 264 months in prison. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Gummo; and the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard. # # # #


title: Former CDCR Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine in Stockton

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fidel Andrade, 36, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between January and October 2020, Andrade, who then worked as a correctional officer, supplied cocaine to his co-defendant Neftali Castillo Montes. Montes then sold over 9 ounces of cocaine to an FBI confidential source. On March 3, 2021, officers discovered an additional ounce of cocaine during a search warrant executed at Andrade’s house. Andrade is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller. Montes pleaded guilty for his role in this conspiracy on July 15, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 28, 2025. Both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years on prison for their roles in this conspiracy. Montes is separately charged in another indictment involving a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. The actual sentences, 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. This case is the product of an investigation by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the U.S. Customs and Borders Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Note : View the unsealed criminal complaint here . WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced charges against a citizen of Afghanistan residing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for conspiring to conduct an Election Day terrorist attack in the United States on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO). According to a criminal complaint filed today, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, conspired and attempted to provide material support to ISIS and obtained firearms and ammunition to conduct a violent attack on U.S. soil in the name of ISIS. As part of the plot, the defendant allegedly took steps to liquidate his family’s assets, resettle members of his family overseas, acquire AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition, and commit a terrorist attack in the United States. “As charged, the Justice Department foiled the defendant’s plot to acquire semi-automatic weapons and commit a violent attack in the name of ISIS on U.S. soil on Election Day,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to combat the ongoing threat that ISIS and its supporters pose to America’s national security, and we will identify, investigate, and prosecute the individuals who seek to terrorize the American people. I am deeply grateful to the public servants of the FBI, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma for their work to disrupt this attack and for the work they do every day to protect our country.” “This defendant, motivated by ISIS, allegedly conspired to commit a violent attack, on Election Day, here on our homeland," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "I am proud of the men and women of the FBI who uncovered and stopped the plot before anyone was harmed. Terrorism is still the FBI's number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people." “Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI, National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and federal prosecutors in my office, the alleged plan to commit an attack on Election Day was disrupted and Mr. Tawhedi was arrested,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “Fighting terrorism remains the top priority of the Justice Department. We will continue to pursue, disrupt, and hold accountable those who plot to commit acts of terrorism against our country and our people.” According to the criminal complaint, as part of the investigation into Tawhedi, the FBI searched Tawhedi’s phone and obtained communications between Tawhedi and a person who facilitated recruitment, training, and indoctrination of persons who expressed interest in terrorist activity and who Tawhedi understood to be affiliated with ISIS. Tawhedi was also seen in a video recorded on July 20 reading to two children text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife. Tawhedi also allegedly accessed, viewed, and saved ISIS propaganda on his iCloud and Google account, participated in pro-ISIS Telegram groups, and contributed to a charity which fronts for and funnels money to ISIS. The complaint alleges that while liquidating their family’s assets prior to the attack, Tawhedi and his co-conspirator, who is a juvenile, advertised the sale of the family’s personal property on Facebook. At the FBI’s direction, a confidential human source responded to inquire if a computer was still for sale. The FBI source noted that he needed the computer for a new gun business he was starting, which ultimately led Tawhedi and the juvenile to meet with the source and other FBI assets at a rural location to test firearms. Tawhedi expressed interest in purchasing two AK-47 assault rifles, magazines, and ammunition from the source. According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 7, Tawhedi and the juvenile met with the FBI assets at a rural location in the Western District of Oklahoma and purchased, received, and took possession of two AK-47 assault rifles, ten magazines, and 500 rounds of ammunition. Upon receipt of the rifles and ammunition, Tawhedi and the juvenile were arrested. In his seized communications, Tawhedi allegedly indicated that his attack was planned for Election Day, and in a post-arrest interview, Tawhedi allegedly confirmed the attack was planned for Election Day targeting large gatherings of people, during which he and the juvenile were expected to die as martyrs. Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, and receiving a firearm to be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, if convicted. The case is being investigated by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Moore, Oklahoma Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Perry, Matt Dillon, and Mark Stoneman for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorneys George C. Kraehe and Everett McMillian of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney Alerts Public to Charity Scams in Wake of Hurricane Helene

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – United States Attorney Tara McGrath issued a public safety alert today advising the public to be vigilant to hurricane relief fraud in the wake of powerful hurricanes causing devastation on the East Coast. “During times of crisis, be vigilant, because not all who ask for help have good intentions,” McGrath said. “Be sure to protect yourself by verifying before you donate to ensure your generous support reaches those truly in need.” Hurricane Milton is heading for Florida now, less than a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend Region on Sept. 26 and quickly caused major devastation there and across states including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and others. As we have seen in the wake of previous national disasters, fraudsters will target victims of the storm along with citizens across the country who want to do what they can to assist individuals affected by the storm. Unfortunately, criminals exploit disasters for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating deceiving websites designed to solicit contributions. The public should exercise diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to assist those affected by Hurricane Helene. Solicitations can originate from phone calls, texts, social media, e-mail, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, and other similar methods. Before making a donation to benefit victims of Hurricane Helene, individuals should adhere to certain guidelines, including: Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf. Do not be pressured into making contributions as reputable charities do not use such tactics. Do not respond to any unsolicited communications (e.g., e-mails and texts), and never click links contained within those messages because they may be targeting your personal information, to include bank and credit card account information, and other identifiers such as dates of birth and social security numbers. Rather than clicking on a purported link to a charity, verify its legitimacy by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming whether the organization is a valid charity. Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to, but not exactly the same as, those of reputable charities. Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals. Know that legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services, and their website will normally end in .org rather than .com. Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to deter, investigate, and prosecute fraud in the wake of disasters. More than 50 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Complaints of fraud may be reported online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm . Complaints may also be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721, a hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


title: Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren Announces Grant Awards of Over $2 Million to Support Local Nonprofit Organizations

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced today that two Memphis nonprofit organizations were awarded Department of Justice grants totaling more than $2 million. “These grantees play a critical role in serving citizens of West Tennessee who are or may become justice-involved,” said Acting United States Attorney Fondren. “These organizations have demonstrated their commitment to working with the Department of Justice to decrease crime, advance opportunities for ex-offenders, and protect our community. We applaud them for the work they have done and will do in the future.” The grants were awarded as follows: Smart Reentry: Housing Demonstration Program The Returning Neighbor’s Program, led by the Shelby County Office of Reentry, seeks to provide safe, affordable housing and comprehensive services to formerly incarcerated individuals upon their release. The initiative plans to reduce recidivism rates in Memphis and Shelby County by mitigating barriers to obtaining stable housing and employment. This initiative will operate pre-release through partnerships with the Shelby County Division of Corrections and post-release through collaboration with local programs, such as HOPE Credit Union, Lifeline to Success, and the Hospitality Hub, to help provide safe and affordable housing and a continuum of care that includes vocational training, employment opportunities, and wrap-around services. DOJ Grant Award: $999,101.00. Office of Justice Programs Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Site-Based Grant Heal 901 is an organization that will implement an intensive community violence intervention and prevention program. The purpose of this project is to reduce violent crime in Memphis. Heal 901 helps to bridge the gap between the vulnerable populations of Memphis and the resources available that will allow them to live a more empowered life. DOJ Grant Award: $1,764,992.00. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.