title: Investigators seeking potential victims of Georgia man charged with sexual exploitation of children

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: Homeland Security Investigations BRUNSWICK, GA: A Georgia man has been indicted on multiple child exploitation charges, and investigators are seeking information from individuals who might have had prior contact with the defendant. Todd Eric Sisk, 48, of Baxley, Ga., is charged via federal indictment with Attempted Production of Child Pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction of 15 years in prison, up to 30. He also is charged with Distribution of Child Pornography, Possession of Child Pornography, and Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We are committed to protecting our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will strive to keep our children and our communities safe.” After initiating an investigation into suspicious online activity in November 2021, the Walton County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office identified Sisk as a suspect and contacted investigators from Homeland Security Investigations in Savannah for assistance. HSI investigators found suspected child sexual abuse material on Sisk’s cell phone and in online applications. Sisk was indicted on federal charges in July, and currently is in custody awaiting further court proceedings. Sisk works as a truck driver with regular routes to Atlanta and Charleston, with occasional trips to Alabama and Tennessee. He previously lived in Ohio and in multiple locations in Florida and Georgia. HSI investigators are seeking information from anyone who might have had contact with Sisk. Those with information are asked to call the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423. An indictment contains only charges, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Walton County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Baxley Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.


title: Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearms Crimes

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Charles Donald Butler, 57, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Evidence presented to the court showed that for several years, Butler ran a drug distribution ring in the Myrtle Beach area. Butler served as a source of supply to intermediate distributors, who in turn sold to drug users from a trailer in Myrtle Beach. In the mornings, Butler would supply his distributors with “slips” of drugs – small quantities of drugs packaged in foil wrappers. Butler used this system so he could tell whether his distributors were stealing any of the drugs. In the evenings, Butler would pick up from the trailer money earned from drug dealing and any leftover “slips.” Over the course of the conspiracy, Butler was accountable for more than 600 grams of heroin, 78 grams of crack cocaine, and quantities of both cocaine and fentanyl. In May of 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Butler’s home. Inside, they found various controlled substances, foil slips, and a .380 caliber handgun and ammunition. “Drugs and guns are a deadly combination, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting South Carolinians from the dangers they bring to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We are thankful for the efforts of our local, county, and federal law enforcement partners, whose tireless work dismantled Charles Butler’s drug trafficking ring.” “Drug trafficking is a serious offense that has far-reaching consequences for individuals, families and communities,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Columbia Field Office. “With this sentence, it is our hope that Myrtle Beach residents can better enjoy life knowing that another drug dealer and another illegally possessed gun is off the streets. The FBI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to fostering an environment where illegal drug activities have no place.” “Thanks to our resources, collaborative efforts and the work of our local partners, another dangerous criminal is off the streets,” said Brennan Cavanagh, Public Information Officer, Horry County Sheriff’s Office. “We continue to take proactive measures to protect the community from illegal drugs.” “This was a major investigation into a case that directly impacted our local community. Our team received numerous complaints about the activities Mr. Butler was engaging in and about the results of those activities. Our team and our community wanted to see justice served,” said Corporal Christopher Starling, Public Information Officer, Myrtle Beach Police Department. “We are appreciative of the partnerships we have with our federal and local law enforcement agencies that led to this result. Myrtle Beach Police Department will continue to fight to make sure individuals that bring this poison into our community are held accountable and are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Butler to 123 months in prison, to be followed by a 6-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Myrtle Beach Police Department, and Horry County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case. ###


title: Orlando Man Sentenced To More Than Nine Years For COVID-19 Fraud And Illegal Possession Of Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Brian A. Blake (31, Orlando) to nine years and eight months in federal prison for access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm by convicted felon. As part of the sentence, the court also ordered Blake to pay restitution in the amount of $579,074 to victims of the offenses. The court further ordered that Blake forfeit proceeds and instrumentalities of the offenses, including $80,482 in cash located in Blake’s residence, an Aero Precision firearm, and a number of computers and cellphones used to perpetrate the fraud. Blake had pleaded guilty on October 18, 2022. In March 2020, the “CARES Act,” was enacted to provide immediate assistance to individuals, families, and organizations affected by the COVID-19 emergency. This Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to offer Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act further expanded the ability of workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to obtain Unemployment Insurance (UI) and increased the amounts of UI benefits for applicants. According to court documents, in 2020, Blake fraudulently obtained $491,074 in UI benefits by filing unemployment claims across 25 different states in the names of identity theft victims. In addition, in June and July 2020, Blake submitted 26 fraudulent applications for EIDL loans in the names of identity theft victims attempting to secure a total of $341,200, of which $88,000 was disbursed to Blake. The total amount of funds that Blake attempted to fraudulently obtain was $832,274. In addition, on July 10, 2020, during the execution of a search warrant at Blake’s residence, officers from the Orlando Police Department found an assault-style Aero Precision firearm, Model SL15. As a previously convicted felon, Blake is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.


title: Texas Man Sentenced for Federal Fentanyl Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FERMIN RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA , age 25, a resident of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced today, to 51 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA previously pleaded guilty to a two-count indictment that charged him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A). According to court documents, on September 27, 2022, RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA traveled from Dallas, Texas to the Super 8 motel in Covington, Louisiana carrying approximately five kilograms of fentanyl. Based on information obtained from a confidential source, Homeland Security Investigations agents and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies were waiting on RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA when he arrived at the motel. Agents then searched his luggage and discovered five kilograms of fentanyl. This case was investigated by United States Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.


title: U.S.-Based Conspirators Plead Guilty In International Tax Scheme

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Adetunji Adejumo and Ibrahim Jinadu have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to their roles in a transnational tax fraud scheme. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A third conspirator, Olufemi Odedeyi, of London, United Kingdom, remains pending extradition for his role in the scheme. All three individuals were arrested in September 2021. According to the plea agreements, international conspirators (including Odedeyi) obtained unauthorized access to computer servers of businesses in the United States; participated in stealing from those servers the personally identifying information of U.S. residents; and used that information to file false and fraudulent federal tax forms seeking income tax refunds from the IRS. Adejumo and Jinadu, residing in the United States, collected fraud proceeds directed to prepaid debit cards in their possession or to bank accounts they controlled or to which they had access. They then transferred a share of the fraud proceeds to other conspirators. The conspirators filed tax returns claiming millions of dollars in refunds to which they were not entitled. The investigation was led by the IRS – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) (Tampa Field Office) and the FBI (Tampa Division). Substantial assistance was provided by the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, DC), the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the IRS-CI and FBI International Operations at Mission UK, the United Kingdom’s National Extradition Unit, and IRS-CI Dallas and Atlanta Field Offices. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones.


title: Terrebonne Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ANTHONY MONREAL-FABELA , age 22, a resident of Houma, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 17, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, MONREAL-FABELA was arrested on July 27, 2022, when he conspired with his co-defendant, Diogo Hernandez, to possess with intent to distribute twenty kilograms of cocaine that had been smuggled into the Port of New Orleans via a container ship. MONREAL-FABELA faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. This case was investigated by the United States Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Floyd C. Hose, Jr., age 38, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to bank robbery. According to admissions made during his plea, on December 5, 2022, Hose entered the Cottonport Bank at 6500 Corporate Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and passed a note to a teller demanding cash. Hose took $9,605.00 from the teller and fled the bank. During a search of Hose’s apartment, detectives located a mask suspected to be worn during the robbery and money suspected to be taken during the robbery. After Hose’s arrest, he confessed to the robbery and reported that he committed the robbery to help pay off several debts he had. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Baton Rouge Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Harley W. Ferguson.


title: Former Physician Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Prescribing Narcotics

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — James Oscar Williams, 60, has been sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully prescribing pills while practicing as a family doctor in Columbia. Evidence presented to the court showed that between January 2015 and November 2019, Williams unlawfully prescribed David and Jennifer Mozingo well over 100,000 pills of various controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, dextroamphetamine, and alprazolam. Williams pleaded guilty to unlawfully distributing oxycodone and alprazolam while practicing as a medical doctor, and his medical license was revoked. Senior United States District Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced him to 60 months in federal prison, with a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision to follow. Both David and Jennifer Mozingo pleaded guilty to drug and firearm offenses and admitted to selling most of the pills they were prescribed by Williams. They were previously sentenced to 111 and 33 months in prison, respectively. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case. ###


title: Former IT Director Sentenced For Embezzling  More Than $1M From A Warwick Company

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE , RI – The former IT Director of a Warwick, RI, metals fabrication and supply company who used his purchasing authority to devise and execute a decade-long fraud scheme that bilked his employer out of more than $1M was sentenced today to nearly three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Juan Hicks, 47, of New Bedford, MA, pleaded guilty in March 2023 to a charge of wire fraud, admitting that he defrauded ATW Companies in a variety of ways, including by: creating false invoices and expense reports for purchases that were never made; altering legitimate credit card statements to make purchases appear to be business expenses, when, in fact, they were for Hicks’ personal expenses; issuing company phones to himself and six family members and then enrolling the phones on the company’s wireless phone service plan; submitting invoices and using company credit cards to purchase airline and entertainment tickets for himself, family members and friends; and using those company cards to make purchases at retail stores and auto repair centers. Hicks’ criminal conduct came to light in March 2022, when his employer hired forensic analysts to determine the source of a cyberattack and to assess vulnerabilities in its computer system. Information and analysis provided by the company to the Warwick Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office subsequently revealed that Hicks had embezzled over one million dollars from the company since 2012. Hicks was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to thirty-three months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. He was ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,042,000. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker. ###


title: Blythewood Man Sentenced to 25 years, Barnwell Man to More than 3 years, in Federal Prison for Human Trafficking and Drug Offenses

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Brian Leroy Watson, a/k/a “Lil B,” a/k/a “B,” 51, of Blythewood, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Distribution of Heroin. Ryan Darian Grover, 29, of Barnwell, was sentenced to more than 3 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Human Trafficking Conspiracy. Evidence presented to the court showed that between 2016 and 2020, Watson trafficked at least 9 victims – 8 adults and 1 minor – into the commercial sex trade. Watson also distributed heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine. He operated out of Blythewood, South Carolina. Watson targeted victims with particular vulnerabilities, including heroin and methamphetamine addictions and physical and mental impairments. One victim was homeless, and other victims were teenagers while Watson was in his 40s. Watson obtained commercial sex from his victims through sexual violence, including non-consensual sex. He used physical violence, including slapping, hitting, and punching victims. Victims also saw Watson pistol whip customers. Watson used physical restraint, including by prohibiting victims from leaving his home until they worked for him in commercial sex. He used threats, including by telling one victim he would shoot up her house. Numerous victims saw Watson armed with a firearm. He used fraud, including by manufacturing false debts. And he used drug-based coercion, including by manipulating victims’ heroin and methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms. Watson then confiscated between 50% and 100% of the commercial sex proceeds. On one jail call recited in court, Watson said, “They do what I tell them, that’s why I like drug addicts, I love them, I love them, I love them.” Watson has more than 50 prior convictions. Grover lived with Watson for a portion of time between 2016 and 2020 and assisted Watson by driving victims to commercial sex acts, by negotiating with customers, and by distributing drugs. At sentencing, the parents of three victims addressed the Court, and written statements from additional victims were presented. “Human trafficking is a grave violation of survivors’ dignity and freedom,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Our office will continue to make our state a more dangerous place for traffickers to operate and a safer place for survivors. We thank the law enforcement agencies and service providers who partner with us, and we recognize the great courage of the survivors in this case who came forward.” “Watson’s heinous actions have caused long-lasting trauma to his victims,” Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office said. “No sentence will erase the damage that he has caused, but it is our hope that victims find solace in knowing he can no longer cause them harm. The FBI, along with our partners at the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, stand firm in our determination to protect vulnerable citizens from dangerous predators.” “Criminals like Watson should know that if they choose to harm our children, they will not escape justice,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. “We are pleased with this sentence and will continue to prosecute those who abuse our young people.” “I am thankful for the successful partnerships we have in combating sex trafficking crime,” said Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan. “Our communities are safer with these types of criminals behind bars.” Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Watson to 25 years in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision, plus $45,000 in restitution to be paid to 9 victims. Grover was sentenced to 41 months in prison, to be followed by lifetime supervision by the court. There is no parole in the federal system. Watson and Grover also must register as sex offenders upon release from prison. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to 8 ½ Years in Prison for Robbing Ann Arbor Store in Broad Daylight

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

body_text: DETROIT – A federal judge sentenced Michigan resident Deon Bell today for robbing a T-Mobile store in downtown Ann Arbor, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). On October 10, 2022, Deon Bell, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, walked into a T-Mobile store in downtown Ann Arbor in the middle of the afternoon. He pulled out what appeared to be a gun and demanded that the two young employees take him to the safe, where he stole approximately $9,000 in smartphones and smartwatches. Bell also demanded the money from the register, stealing an additional $381. Before leaving the store, Bell told the employees to “have a blessed day.” But little did Bell know that the employees were a step ahead and gave him a decoy or tracker phone along with real merchandise, allowing law enforcement to track Bell from the T-Mobile to the store where he resold the goods. This was just the most recent conviction for Bell, who has a long criminal history: drug dealing, carrying a concealed weapon, and criminal sexual conduct 3rd degree, among others. U.S. District Court Judge Nancy G. Edmunds sentenced Bell to 8 ½ years in prison, his longest sentence to date. “Violence has no place in our community,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “Pulling a gun on people just trying to make a living is a cowardly act, and our office is committed to taking dangerous people off the streets.” “Mr. Bell’s violent behavior has no place in our community. Actions have consequences. Period. End of story. The moral of this story is: Use an illegal firearm to commit violent acts, and you should pack your bags for a very long and hopefully “blessed” stay in prison,” said Special Agent in Charge James Deir. This case was investigated by agents from ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Bean, Erin Ramamurthy, and Hank Moon. This investigation started with the Ann Arbor Police Department and Michigan State Police, who remained valuable partners throughout this case. We thank them for their teamwork and assistance.


title: Detroit-Area Personal Injury Attorney Sentenced to 18 Months for Filing False Tax Returns

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Michigan man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for willfully filing five false tax returns for himself and one of his businesses. According to court documents and statements made in court, Carl L. Collins was a personal injury attorney with offices in Southfield, Michigan. He also owned a real estate company, First Third LLC, and two medical services companies, MedCity Rehabilitation Services LLC and Alpha Living LLC. Collins did not report substantial income he received from these businesses on his personal returns for 2012, 2015 and 2018, and on Alpha Living’s corporate 2015 return. Instead, Collins deposited the funds into Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Accounts (IOLTA), bank accounts used by lawyers solely to hold money in trust for their clients, and he did not disclose this to his return preparers or the Michigan State Bar Foundation, as required. In total, Collins concealed over $2.6 million in income from his tax preparers and the IRS. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Gershwin A. Drain ordered Collins to serve one year of supervised release and pay a $10,000 fine. A hearing to determine the amount of restitution to be paid is scheduled for Sept. 1. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Kenneth Vert and Jeffrey McLellan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Houston oil trader charged in international bribery scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 49-year-old Texas man and former employee for Vitol Inc. is set to appear in federal court for allegedly conspiring to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and for allegedly violating the FCPA, the Travel Act and the money laundering statutes in connection with a scheme involving Mexican government officials. Javier Aguilar is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho in Houston at 2 p.m. today. The five-count indictment, returned Aug. 3, alleges Aguilar was a former manager and oil trader for Vitol Inc., the U.S. affiliate of the Vitol group of companies which together form one of the largest energy trading firms in the world. The former employee allegedly agreed with others to bribe Mexican officials in order to win business advantages related to contracts with the Mexican government instrumentality, PEMEX Procurement International (PPI). He is also charged with money laundering in connection with the scheme. Between August 2017 and July 2020, the charges allege Aguilar and others knowingly, willfully and corruptly offered and paid bribes to and for the benefit of Mexican officials. He allegedly intended to obtain and retain business for Vitol related to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), a state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PPI, a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of PEMEX with its principal place of business in Houston. Aguilar allegedly met with procurement managers at PPI between September 2017 and April 2018 and agreed to pay bribes for confidential, inside information to assist Vitol in winning business from PPI, including a contract to supply ethane to PEMEX through PPI. In particular, Aguilar allegedly agreed to make payments totaling approximately $600,000 in order to assist Vitol in winning the ethane contract. To promote the bribery scheme and to conceal the proceeds derived from it, Aguilar and his co-conspirators caused the bribes to be paid through a series of transactions and shell companies, according to the charges. Aguilar is charged with violating the FCPA and conspiracy to do so, which both carry a possible five-year-federal prison sentence as does a conviction of violation of the Travel Act. If convicted of either of the two money laundering charges, he could receive up to 20 years in prison. The FBI’s International Corruption Unit - Miami Field Office conducted the investigation. Deputy Chief Suzanne Elmilady and Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Sherin Daniel for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case along with Assistant Chiefs Derek Ettinger and Jon Robell and Trial Attorney Clayton Solomon of the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Deputy Chief Adam Schwartz and Trial Attorney D. Hunter Smith from the Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Section with assistance from AUSAs Jonathan P. Lax and Matthew R. Galeotti from the Eastern District of New York. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: San Diego State University Basketball Stars Join with U.S. Attorney’s Office and City Attorney’s Office to Launch Fentanyl Awareness Campaign

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY —August 21, 2023 SAN DIEGO— The U.S. Attorney’s Office, San Diego City Attorney’s Office and the non-profit MESA (Mentoring and Empowering Student Athletes) Foundation today launched a social media campaign featuring all of the members of the 2023-2024 San Diego State University’s men’s basketball team – including several who played in the 2023 NCAA national championship game - to promote fentanyl awareness and prevention. This unique partnership, believed to be the first of its kind between a Name/Image/Likeness (NIL) collective and the Department of Justice, features the student-athletes describing the dangers of fentanyl and the need to be aware of locations to obtain Narcan in the community. Narcan is a medicine that rapidly reverses the effects of opioids to prevent fatal overdoses. The release includes the hashtags #BlockFentanyl and #KnowAboutNarcan. The two social media PSAs can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGvHJHdPh24X9JHCAywDdqt-Osgrb6yiR In the public service announcements, athletes look at the camera and say: “Fentanyl kills. Creates chaos. Ruins families. It doesn’t care about your race. It doesn’t care how you identify. It doesn’t care if you are addicted or just trying for the first time. Fentanyl kills. That’s 70,000 brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers lost last year. That Adderall, Percocet, Xanax, ecstasy you are offered - it likely contains fentanyl. That cocaine you would just try - it likely contains fentanyl. We need to help each other. Know where Narcan is. Watch for friends making strange sounds while sleeping at parties or turning blue. Call for help if in doubt. Be a good teammate, and let’s save lives.” The campaign - timed to highlight National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day (August 21, 2023) - is being deployed over Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, LinkedIn, and YouTube by the student-athletes, the MESA Foundation, the Department of Justice, and other coalition members. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have attacked the fentanyl crises through aggressive prosecutions at every level of the supply chain – from the Sinaloa Cartel leadership, to cross-border trafficking organizations, to money launderers, to street level dealers who are selling drugs that result in overdose deaths. The “Block Fentanyl” campaign is just one aspect of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s prevention and outreach strategy. For example, on August 10, 2023, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office gave a presentation at San Diego State University to resident advisors and student leaders on the topic “Know Fentanyl.” The presentation, attended by approximately 250 students, covered the dangers of counterfeit and adulterated pills and powder, recognizing the signs of an overdose, and how to properly deploy Narcan. “We are committed to innovative approaches to protect and educate the youth of our community about the extreme danger of fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden. “We are willing to do whatever it takes to save lives and spread the word that fentanyl is still claiming many lives, and every one of us can and must take action to prevent fatal overdoses. I’d like to thank the incredible SDSU student-athletes, who did not hesitate to answer our call for help. They have graciously used their celebrity and influence for the most important cause: Keeping fellow students from making a fatal mistake with fentanyl.” “As the City’s Prosecutor and the mother of two teenagers, I am extremely proud to participate in a campaign that informs our youth about the risks associated with fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid. Unbeknownst to most, fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Its availability has so increased that it’s now the number one killer in the nation for those between the ages of 18-and-45. We must ensure the truth about fentanyl reaches susceptible children and young adults before the drug does,” said San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott. “I would like to thank Deputy City Attorney Mark Robertson for his important work representing my Office on the Opioid Task Force and for assisting with the creation of these powerful commercials.” The MESA Foundation, established in 2022 after the NCAA began allowing student-athletes to receive compensation for the use of their NIL, connects Aztec student-athletes with nonprofits in the San Diego community in a variety of different capacities. The student-athlete receives a stipend for partnering with the charity through their Name, Image and Likeness. More information about the MESA Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, can be found here: https://www.mesafoundationsd.org/ . Additional fentanyl prevention resources can be found at San Diego County’s Community & Parent Toolkits which are available in both English and Spanish: https://www.sdpdatf.org/community-parent-fentanyl-toolkit . Both offices would like to thank Isabelle Sandmeyer, and her company Studio Isla, for donating her time and talent to the “Block Fentanyl” project.


title: Orange County Tax Preparer Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Prison for Participating in Long-Running Fraud Led by Corrupt Social Worker

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – The owner of a Westminster-based tax preparation business was sentenced today to 41 months in federal prison for participating in a scheme orchestrated by a corrupt social worker who stole his clients’ identities to fraudulently obtain tax refunds, welfare benefits and credit cards. Anton Nguyen, 54, of Fountain Valley, was sentenced by United States District Judge James V. Selna, who also ordered him to pay $3,773,282 in restitution. Nguyen pleaded guilty on April 10 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Nguyen conspired with John Tran, who is believed to be either 57 or 61, of Fountain Valley, an Orange County Social Services Agency case worker from July 1994 to October 2018. Tran stole the Social Security numbers and other personal identifying information (PII) from his clients – many of them recent immigrants. From August 2010 to June 2019, Tran and his co-conspirators used the stolen information to fraudulently obtain money from the federal government, the State of California, the County of Orange and financial institutions. During this time, Nguyen owned and operated Century Travel & Tax, a tax preparation company based in Westminster. Nguyen joined the conspiracy in 2012 and used the Tran-provided stolen identities to create fraudulent Forms 1099-MISC purporting to show payments made to the identity theft victims by companies, including those controlled by Tran and other co-conspirators. He also helped his accomplices set up shell companies to promote the scheme. Nguyen prepared and filed federal income tax returns using the Tran-provided stolen identities. He also used the purported payments on the fraudulent Forms 1099 as income to the identify theft victims, making them appear to qualify for tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. In turn, the reported payments to the identity theft victims were used by Nguyen’s clients to offset business revenues and reduce the taxes they owed by making it appear that the identity theft victims worked for them. In exchange for the fabrication of the Forms 1099, Nguyen’s clients paid him a fee. Tran and his co-conspirators filed 433 tax returns using PII belonging to other individuals, generating at least $973,153 in fraudulently obtained tax refund payments from the United States. In total, Nguyen, aided by accomplices, defrauded the United States out of the payment of at least $3,773,282 in taxes. “This was an appreciably sophisticated tax evasion scheme, involving the theft and improper use of PII by a civil servant to generate fraudulent deductions for businesses,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “For the scheme to succeed, tax preparers, like [Nguyen], were essential.” As for other defendants charged in connection with this conspiracy: Tran pleaded guilty in November 2019 to conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19. Rosemary Pham, 65, of Midway City, the owner and operator of Victory Tax Service in Westminster, pleaded guilty on July 14 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of aiding and advising the filing of false tax returns. She faces up to eight years in federal prison at her sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for October 30. Kevin Le, 57, of Anaheim Hills, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of evasion of assessment of tax. On May 10, Judge Selna sentenced Le to six months in federal prison, fined him $15,000, and ordered him to pay $2,936,088 in restitution. Thomas Nguyen, 62, of Santa Ana, pleaded guilty in June 2021 to one count of tax evasion. In May 2022, Judge Selna fined him $30,000 and ordered him to pay $133,796 in restitution. Van Quach, 43, of Monterey Park, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of evasion of assessment of tax. On May 10, Judge Selna sentenced Quach to two years of probation, fined him $5,500, and ordered him to pay $231,340 in restitution. Peter Duc Nguyen, 63, of Garden Grove, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of tax evasion. On May 10, he was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay $187,295 in restitution. Two remaining defendants, Chau Nguyen, 69, of Garden Grove, and Sophie Thuy Nguyen, 48, of Westminster, have pleaded guilty to evasion of assessment of taxes and are scheduled to be sentenced later this year, at which time they will each face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley E. Marrett of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case.


title: Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maleek Carter-Rea, 22, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in March 2023, law enforcement officers observed Carter-Rea and several other individuals brandishing firearms in videos on social media. Law enforcement officers conducted surveillance and initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle in which Carter-Rea was riding. During the search of the vehicle, officers found and seized a Glock 48 firearm on the floor beside Carter-Rea’s feet. Carter-Rea is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has a state felony conviction for robbery in San Joaquin County. This case is the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department, the Manteca Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case. Carter-Rea is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Nov. 6, 2023. Carter-Rea faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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. 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 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: Bakersfield Dentist Pleads Guilty to Stealing $500,000 in COVID-19 Relief Money

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Ranjan Rajbanshi, D.D.S., 46, of Bakersfield and Santa Barbara, pleaded guilty today to stealing $500,000 in COVID-19 relief money, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, Rajbanshi ran a dental practice in Bakersfield and Santa Barbara. From April 2020 through February 2022, he received over $850,000 in COVID-19 relief money from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He represented to the government that he would only use the relief money for specified business purposes such as facility costs, payroll, and protective equipment for him and his staff. Rajbanshi subsequently used $500,000 of the relief money for improper personal expenditures such as investments. He has agreed to pay that money back to the government before his sentencing. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the SBA Office of Inspector General, and HHS Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Robin Tubesing are prosecuting the case. Rajbanshi is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Dec. 4, 2023. Rajbanshi faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of $250,000. 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. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces $800,000 grant from Justice Department to the University of Montana for tribal children’s advocacy

component: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)

body_text: BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $800,000 to the University of Montana to fund a program that provides assistance to victims of child abuse in tribal communities. The grant is for the Fiscal Year 2023 Victims of Child Abuse Act Tribal Children’s Advocacy Centers Training and Technical Assistance program. The award is from the Office of Justice Programs’ Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and is a continuation for a project that began in 2022 and will end in 2024. “I want to congratulate the University of Montana on this grant award for its important work on behalf of native children. The project provides technical assistance and training to tribes and children advocacy groups as they develop, improve and expand responses to child abuse. This funding continues the U.S. Department of Justice’s commitment to addressing and preventing child abuse and trauma in tribal communities,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. With the project, the Native Child Advocacy Resource Center (NCARC), a division of the National Native Children’s Trauma Center at the University of Montana, will serve as the Justice Department’s Tribal Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) provider. NCARC will provide training and technical assistance to tribes and non-tribal CACs and multidisciplinary teams as they develop, improve or expand responses to child abuse in tribal communities. One of the goals of the project is to build a hub of curricula, resources and information on Children’s Advocacy Centers in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. XXX


title: Local Task Forces Crack Down on Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Distribution Networks

body_text: BOISE – Two multi-faceted, large-scale Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigations have resulted in the federal indictments of 25 defendants on drug trafficking and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Seventeen indictments were issued over the last several months by federal grand juries sitting in Idaho along with an additional indictment in the District of Oregon. According to the indictments, the defendants distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout Southwestern Idaho and Eastern Oregon. Many of the individuals are alleged to have been in possession of firearms at the time they distributed the narcotics. During the course of these investigations and arrests, law enforcement seized approximately 98 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 21,000 fentanyl pills, 531 grams of fentanyl powder, 38 firearms, 3 bullet-proof vests, and $121,615 in U.S. currency. According to court records, it is alleged that several of these individuals are associated with local street gangs with ties to the Jalisco Nuevo Generation Cartel. As part of these two OCDETF investigations, the following individuals have been charged with federal drug and gun violations: Sergio Cisneros-Guzman a/k/a Salamon Hernandez-Medina, residing in Nampa, Idaho, was indicted on seven counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premise; Efren Avilez-Lopez , residing in Ontario, Oregon, was indicted for distributing 25 pounds of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 21 pounds of methamphetamine; Maria Medina-Zeveda , residing in Ontario, Oregon, was indicted for distributing 35 pounds of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 21 pounds of methamphetamine; Efren Alexander Avilez-Pacheco , residing in Ontario, Oregon, was indicted on possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. Avilez-Pacheco, a Mexican national, is also facing violations of terms of his supervised release stemming from a 2019 federal drug trafficking conviction and his subsequent deportation to Mexico; Owenn Mitchell , of Salem, Oregon, was indicted on two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine; Zach Vitale , of Idaho Falls, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl; Cheyanne Juarez , of Ontario, Oregon, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; Jason Castillo , of Nampa, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; Shaunda Buffi, of Caldwell, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; Robert Glenn , of Nampa, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Anthony Lopez , of Caldwell, was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm; Megan Mackey , of Caldwell, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; Breana Rojas , of Caldwell, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; Rigoverto Hernandez , of Caldwell, was indicted on one count of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl; Bonifacio Nichiolas-Ruiz , of Caldwell, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; Andrew Walthall , of Kuna, was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; Jose Pedraza , of Meridian, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; Sonya Trujillo , of Boise, was indicted on one count of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine; and Michael McClain , of Boise, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine; In addition to these indictments, Tracy Nunes , of Payette, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine by a grand jury in the District of Oregon. The OCDETF investigations also included several other defendants who were charged earlier with federal drug and gun violations: Isaac Bright pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and, on February 14, 2023, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison. Bright was a documented member of Latin Kings gang with an extensive criminal history. Jordan Khan pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and, on March 14, 2023, was sentenced to 98 months in federal prison. Paul Almaraz pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and is set for sentencing on September 25, 2023. Robert Chase pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and is set for sentencing on August 31, 2023. Cesar Javier Avila-Molina pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is set for sentencing on November 1, 2023. Drug distribution charges carry mandatory minimum prison sentences depending on the amount and type of drugs distributed. Maximum prison sentences range from up to 20 years to life in prison. Unlawful possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison. “It is important for the public to know that federal, state, and local law enforcement are proactively working to dismantle drug trafficking enterprises in the Treasure Valley and elsewhere in Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “The results of these investigations is a testament to the extremely strong partnerships we have in Idaho, which include working with partners in Oregon and elsewhere as needed. These cases send a strong message that Idaho is not open for the drug business.” “These cases are a prime example of what law enforcement can accomplish when we pool our resources and work together,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “There is no doubt that potentially countless number of lives were saved in the Treasure Valley because of the dismantling of these drug trafficking organizations. The FBI is committed to keeping all Idahoans safe.” “The Jalisco Cartel is one of the main cartels responsible for the influx of methamphetamine and fentanyl into our communities,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Gomm, who oversees operations in Idaho. “The relationships these cartels have with our local street gangs allow deadly and dangerous drugs to reach their last mile of distribution. These indictments are a testament to DEA’s unwavering commitment to make our communities safe and healthy through collaboration with our local, state, and federal partners.” “It is my hope the announcement of these indictments will help bring some clarity to the enormity of the dangers our citizens and law enforcement face on a daily basis by the increased criminality of Transcontinental Criminal Organizations (TCO’s) in our communities,” said Canyon County Sheriff, Kieran Donahue. “The danger of an unprecedented supply and distribution of deadly drugs like “street” fentanyl is real, NOT imagined. I applaud the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho for their commitment to prosecute cases of this magnitude and for the support of our FBI Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime and Gang Task Force and the investigators assigned to that team. We cannot, and will not, defeat these criminal organizations without strong collaboration and the force-multiplier approach of law enforcement partners.” “The City of Caldwell and the Treasure Valley are a safer place now due to the collaborative efforts and relentless pursuit of justice exemplified by our brave men and women who defend the United States Constitution and enforce the rule of law,” said Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram. “I am proud of their unwavering selfless sacrifice and dedication to keeping Idaho safe.” “Today’s announcement represents a significant step towards a safer society,” said Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Kelley, Deputy Director Chief of Operations at the Idaho State Police. “The synergistic endeavors of the U.S. Attorney, law enforcement, and many community partners highlight the extraordinary results that arise from collaborative and unwavering teamwork. Together, we are resolute in our mission to secure our communities and eradicate drug and firearm-related criminal pursuits.” “These cases are another great example of local law enforcement working with our federal partners on a common goal,” said Nampa Police Department Interim Chief Curt Shankel. “We work to make our state, city, and neighborhoods safe, and to get these dealers off our streets. Thank you to the United States Attorney’s Office for their dedication to these cases.” “The Ontario Police Department, in partnership with the High Desert Drug Task Force, is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to disrupt and dismantle illegal trafficking and use of drugs in and around the city of Ontario,” said Police Chief Michael Iwai. The cases were primarily investigated by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, which is led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. In addition to the work of the Metro Violent Crimes Task Force and the DEA, U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the following agencies for assisting in the investigations and arrests of the above named individuals: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Caldwell Police Department, City and County Narcotics Unit, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Nampa Police Department, the Gem County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho State Police, Idaho Department of Correction, the Owyhee County Sheriff’s Office, the Owyhee County Prosecutors Office, the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the Malheur County Sherriff’s Office, the Ontario Police Department, the Oregon State Police, and the High Desert Drug Task Force in Oregon. Both the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force and the High Desert Task Force focus on local violent crime and gang activity and are comprised of federal, state, and local agencies. These cases are being prosecuted by several Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Districts of Idaho and Oregon, and the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. U.S. Attorney Hurwit expressed his gratitude to all the law enforcement agencies and prosecutors for supporting the individual prosecutors and task force investigators who are achieving justice through their hard work. An indictment is merely an allegation or a set of allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt . These indictments are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Anyone with information about violent crime or illegal activity can call (208) 344-7843. ###


title: Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Julian Loeza, 33, of Ceres, was sentenced today to 13 years and eight months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in 2020, a team of local and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Loeza and co-defendants Esmerelda Ceja-Mendez, 43, of Ceres; Sofia Cisneros-Noyola, 37, of Sacramento; and Victor Ramirez, 37, of Atwater. On March 3, 2021, Loeza sold 2 pounds of methamphetamine for $3,600. Loeza had been convicted of previous federal drug trafficking charges in 2016. In that prior case he was sentenced to six years in prison. By March 2021, he had been released. Loeza committed his new drug trafficking offense while on federal supervised release for the prior case. Loeza was also sentenced to 24 months in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release, to run concurrently with his sentence for the new offense. Ramirez previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 20, 2023. Charges are pending against Ceja-Mendez and Cisneros-Noyola; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Mexican National Residing in Kern County Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Ana Margarita Valdez-Torres, 43, a Mexican national residing in McFarland, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Valdez was involved in obtaining and supplying methamphetamine to drug customers steered to her by Pedro Delgado-Montenegro, a fugitive in this case who previously resided in Porterville. One month after Valdez’s involvement in the drug transactions in this case, she was arrested and convicted in Las Vegas for transporting 22 pounds of methamphetamine. Valdez pleaded guilty to the charge on April 3, 2023. Seven co-defendants have pleaded guilty to drug trafficking offenses. Charges are pending against Delgado-Montenegro. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Porterville Police Department, the Coalinga Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Marijuana Shipment

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — David Agustus McGowan, 63, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana that was shipped from Fresno to Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in November 2018, McGowan’s co-defendants Patrick Maldonado, 47, of Madera; Elias Zambrano Jr., 43, of Fresno; Tan Minh Vo, 50, of San Jose; Tien Van Phan, 58, of Milpitas; and Halen Frazier, 37, of Kingsville, Missouri, coordinated the shipment of nearly 500 pounds of marijuana to Frazier in Kansas City. The first shipment was seized from Frazier during a traffic stop after Phan delivered 92 pounds of marijuana to him in two suitcases at a hotel in Kansas City. Later, agents intercepted calls between Maldonado, Zambrano, and Frazier in which they discussed the shipment of another load of marijuana to Frazier in Kansas City. That load was intercepted by Arizona troopers after stopping McGowan for a broken taillight on his truck. During a search of the trailer, troopers found in a hidden compartment 384 pounds of marijuana and $1,629 in cash. McGowan’s co-defendants previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced as follows: Maldonado, who also conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to seven years in custody. Zambrano and Frazier were sentenced to two years and three months in prison. Vo was sentenced to three years and one month in prison. Phan was sentenced to three years and six months in prison. This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force consisting of agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tulare, Kings, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Fresno Police Department. The Arizona Department of Health and the Kansas City Police Department assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. McGowan is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 4, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba. McGowan faces a minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison, along with a $5 million fine. 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: New Orleans Man Sentenced on Federal Weapons Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SHAWN BREAUX , age 29, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance to 69 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to a two-count indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. In Count 1 of the indictment, BREAUX is charged with illegally possessing firearms as a felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Count 2 of the indictment charged BREAUX with being in possession of a machine gun in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). On October 8, 2021, officers responded to a shooting in the 100 block of Carondelet Street and saw BREAUX fleeing the scene BREAUX was eventually detained in the French Quarter after driving the wrong way down Royal Street. Investigators located two firearms, one in BREAUX’ s vehicle and another discarded as he fled from the officers. A Glock switch mechanism was attached to one of the firearms, making it into a fully automatic weapon. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Roanoke Drug Dealer Sentenced to Over 15 Years on Prison

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man who engaged in drug dealing from behind bars was sentenced last week to 186 months in federal prison. Anthony Brian Barnett, 37, pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin in 2019 and for also distributing para-fluorofentanyl, a 10-times more powerful form of fentanyl, in 2022. Barnett will serve his federal sentence after he finishes serving an 8-year state sentence as a result of his convictions in Roanoke City Circuit Court for Malicious Wounding by Mob and Assault and Battery. According to court documents, Barnett was arrested on July 20, 2019, for his involvement in a May 2019 assault and shooting that occurred in Roanoke, Virginia. Prior to his arrest, Barnett was involved in the trafficking of narcotics in and around the City of Roanoke. Following this arrest, and while incarcerated, Barnett directed his co-conspirator, Aminee Jewel Davenport, 37 of Roanoke, Virginia, to drive to a residence to obtain his heroin to then sell to a “customer.” On a recorded jail phone call, Barnett told Davenport where to find the heroin, how to weigh it, and how much money to charge. Barnett, however, was unaware that the “customer” was a confidential informant working with the Virginia State Police. Davenport then sold approximately four ounces of heroin to the informant on two occasions. As a result, both Barnett and Davenport were indicted by a federal grand jury. While awaiting trial for this conduct, in March 2022, Barnett obtained what he believed was heroin, but was later determined to be para-fluorofentanyl, from an inmate in his jail pod. Barnett then sold this substance to other inmates, only to be caught after an inmate in his pod died from a drug overdose. Although Barnett was not charged with contributing to this inmate’s death, his continued involvement in dealing deadly substances still merited this significant sentence. The Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with their partners in the Roanoke City and Roanoke County Police Departments, participated in the investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coleman Adams and Kristin Johnson prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Auditor at Newport Beach Commercial Real Estate Agency Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $2.7 Million from Employer

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A former executive at an Orange County commercial real estate agency pleaded guilty today to embezzling more than $2.7 million from his employer by submitting fictitious invoices for companies controlled by his family and friends, whose services never were performed. Varun Aggarwal, 41, of Irvine, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. According to his plea agreement, from 2008 to January 2022, Aggarwal worked in the internal auditing department of the Newport Beach-based KBS Realty Advisors and rose to the level of the department’s director. Beginning at least as early as January 2012 and continuing until January 2022, Aggarwal used his position at KBS to embezzle his employer’s money. As a member of the company’s internal auditing group, Aggarwal was familiar with KBS’s policies and procedures for payments to vendors. Aggarwal used his knowledge of KBS’s policies and procedures to have his friends and family serve as approved vendors to do contracting work for KBS. After several of these companies became approved vendors for KBS, Aggarwal used these approved vendors to submit fraudulent invoices for consulting services that were not performed for the company. He then funneled the payments on the invoices from KBS to his own bank accounts – through the approved vendors – at times without informing the vendors that the invoices and the payments on the invoices were for his own benefit. In carrying out this scheme, Aggarwal fraudulently obtained approximately $2,729,718 from KBS that he caused it to pay to the approved vendors that ultimately went to himself. Aggarwal resigned from KBS in January 2022 after the company began investigating the invoices, according to court documents. United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney scheduled a January 22, 2024, sentencing hearing, at which time Aggarwal will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Sagel of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: Merced County Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Conspiracy

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Otoniel Cardenas-Torres, 33, of Delhi, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Cardenas received $13,500 from a confidential source for the delivery of 3 pounds of heroin to the confidential source by Cardenas’s brother. The heroin deal had been arranged by a Mexican source of drug supply, who orchestrated a string of heroin transactions through couriers, including co-defendants Robert Palacios-Garcia, 38, of Huntington Park; Daniel Quiroz, 41, of Los Angeles; and Juan Medina, 29, of Manteca. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. Cardenas is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Dec. 11, 2023. Cardenas faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years, and a $10 million fine. 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. Co-defendants Palacios-Garcia and Quiroz previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to seven years and three months in prison and three years and one month in prison, respectively. Juan Medina is scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 2, 2023. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Major Generic Drug Companies to Pay Over Quarter of a Billion Dollars to Resolve Price-Fixing Charges and Divest Key Drug at the Center of Their Conspiracy

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today deferred prosecution agreements resolving criminal antitrust charges against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA. As part of those agreements, both companies will divest a key business line involved in the misconduct, and as an additional remedial measure, Teva will make a $50 million drug donation to humanitarian organizations. Teva will pay a $225 million criminal penalty — the largest to date for a domestic antitrust cartel — and Glenmark will pay a $30 million criminal penalty. Both companies will face prosecution if they violate the terms of the agreements, and if convicted, would likely face mandatory debarment from federal health care programs. The agreements each require the companies to undertake remedial measures, including the timely divestiture of their respective drug lines for pravastatin, a widely used cholesterol medicine that was a core part of the companies’ price-fixing conspiracy. This extraordinary remedy forces the companies to divest a business line that was central to the misconduct. Teva must also donate $50 million worth of clotrimazole and tobramycin, two additional drugs with prices affected by Teva’s criminal schemes, to humanitarian organizations that provide medication to Americans in need. Both Teva and Glenmark have agreed, among other things, to cooperate with the department in the ongoing criminal investigations and resulting prosecutions, report to the department on their compliance programs, and modify those compliance programs where necessary and appropriate. “Today, the Antitrust Division and our law enforcement partners hold two more pharmaceutical companies accountable for raising prices of essential medicines and depriving Americans of affordable access to prescription drugs. The resolutions include extraordinary remedial measures that require the breakup of assets and restore competition to the industry,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “Companies in heavily regulated industries are on notice that the division will not hesitate to hold them accountable and will not tolerate recidivism.” “The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, along with our other federal law enforcement partners, secured a victory with today’s settlement agreement in our fight against price-fixing and collusion,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “The USPS-OIG will vigorously investigate those who would engage in harmful anticompetitive practices, and we continue to ask for the public’s assistance in identifying and reporting those engaged in this type of activity.” “The FBI works relentlessly with our partners to investigate crimes that violate our nation’s long-held principles of fair competition,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s agreements show that we are committed to ensuring that entities that engage in price-fixing, bid-rigging and market-allocation schemes to the detriment of the American people face justice.” As part of the agreements, Teva admitted to participating in three antitrust conspiracies that affected essential medicines — including pravastatin, clotrimazole and tobramycin — and Glenmark admitted to participating in a conspiracy to fix the price of pravastatin. Pravastatin is a commonly prescribed cholesterol medication that lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke; clotrimazole is commonly prescribed to treat skin infections; and tobramycin is commonly prescribed to treat eye infections and cystic fibrosis. Also as part of the agreements, the parties today filed joint motions, which are subject to approval by the Court, to defer prosecution and trial on the filed charges for the three-year terms of the agreements or until after the criminal penalties are paid, whichever occurs later. During the multi-year investigation, the Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners uncovered price-fixing, bid-rigging and market-allocation schemes affecting many generic medicines, and charged seven generic pharmaceutical companies for their participation in the schemes. With today’s agreements, all seven companies have resolved their criminal charges and collectively agreed to pay more than $681 million in criminal penalties. In June 2020, Glenmark was charged with one count of price fixing for its role in a conspiracy affecting the prices of pravastatin and other generic drugs. A grand jury returned a superseding indictment against Glenmark and Teva in August 2020 for the same and similar conduct. Count one alleged that Teva conspired with Glenmark, Apotex Corp. and others to increase prices for pravastatin and other generic drugs. Apotex admitted its role in this conspiracy and agreed to pay a $24.1 million penalty in May 2020. Count two charged Teva for its role in a conspiracy with Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A. Inc., its former executive Ara Aprahamian and others to increase prices, rig bids and allocate customers of generic drugs, including clotrimazole, a medicine used to treat skin infections. Taro admitted to its role in this conspiracy and agreed to pay a $205.7 million penalty to resolve that charge in July 2020. Aprahamian was indicted in February 2020 and is awaiting trial. Count three charged Teva for its role in a conspiracy with Sandoz Inc. and others to increase prices, rig bids and allocate customers of generic medicines, including cystic fibrosis medicine tobramycin. A former Sandoz executive pleaded guilty for his participation in the conspiracy in February 2020. Sandoz admitted to its role in the conspiracy and agreed to pay a $195 million penalty in March 2020. Together, these charges and the resolutions announced today reflect the Department’s commitment to holding corporate offenders responsible even where collateral consequences may be at issue. United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the FBI’s Washington and Philadelphia Field Offices and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Matthew Lunder, Thomas Tynan, Michael Sawers and Barry Joyce of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section and Assistant Chief Mark Grundvig and Trial Attorney Julia Maloney of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section are prosecuting the cases, with the assistance of Antitrust Division Economists Evan Gee and Peter Woodward and Financial Analyst Joanne Legomsky. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations . DPA - Teva DPA - Glenmark


title: Taunton Woman Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy to Issue Driver's Licenses to Applicants Who Did Not Take Road Test

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Taunton woman pleaded guilty today to bribing a road test examiner at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in Brockton to issue driver’s licenses to individuals who did not take road tests. Neta Centio, 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud. Judge Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20, 2023. Centio was charged on June 26, 2023. Centio paid a road test examiner at the Brockton RMV service center to misrepresent to the RMV that certain driver’s license applicants had passed their road test when, in fact, they had not even showed up for the test. As a result of the fraud, the RMV mailed driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants. Centio used CashApp to pay the road examiner in exchange for fraudulent passing scores on road tests. After Centio’s fraud was discovered, she told the road test examiner, “Don’t say nothing about the CashApp. . . . Break the phone.” The charge of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charging document also seeks a $20,215 forfeiture money judgment based on the amount of the bribes. 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; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Woonsocket Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Role in a Conspiracy that Trafficked Dozens of Kilos of Cocaine

body_text: PROVIDENCE , RI – A Woonsocket man, who was identified in court documents as one of the initial participants in a conspiracy that went on to receive more than five dozen packages containing kilograms of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island through the U.S. Postal Service was sentenced today to eight and a half years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. William Lugo, 32, previously admitted to a federal judge that he accepted at least eight parcels containing at least one kilogram of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico between December 2017 and July 2020. The cocaine was often shipped stashed inside wine racks and Bluetooth speakers. Lugo admitted that he communicated regularly with alleged leaders of the drug trafficking enterprise in Rhode Island and with co-conspirators in Puerto Rico via social media apps about when drug parcels would be delivered. He received cash payments for each package he accepted or retrieved. On July 14, 2020, U.S. Postal Service Inspectors and members of the Rhode Island High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Lugo’s residence and seized a ghost gun with nine rounds of .40 caliber ammunition; cellphones Lugo used to communicate via social media apps with other members of the conspiracy; and, among other items, two wine racks with broken bottoms and two Bluetooth speakers. Lugo pleaded guilty on May 1, 2023, to charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, unlawful use of a communication facility (the U.S. mail), and being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 102 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. At the time of his arrest by federal agents in July 2020, Lugo was serving a term of state probation, having been convicted in Rhode Island state court in December 2015 on a charge of carrying a pistol without a license. The case in U.S. District Court is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Stacey A. Erickson. ###


title: 1st Defendant Charged in Connection with Federal Escapees is Sentenced

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Indictment from earlier this year in the Western District of Missouri Federal Court charging individuals with escaping confinement and other individuals with assisting them, resulted in an incarceration sentence of 40 months for one of those charged. Trevor Scott Sparks, 33, Kansas City, MO, and Sergio Perez Martinez, 43, Panorama City, CA, were charged in a two-count Indictment with escape from confinement and aiding or assisting each other in escape from confinement. Another individual, Steven Lydell Williams, Sr., 64, Kansas City, MO, was also charged in the Indictment with a single count of aiding or assisting in the escape. As of the drafting of this release, Perez Martinez remain at large, although Sparks was re-arrested December 30 th , 2022. Williams, Sr., who has been in custody pending resolution of his charges since shortly after the escape, was sentenced for his role in that escape. The Court sentenced him to 40 months in custody, consecutive to any sentence he may receive in two pending state cases that resulted from Missouri moving to revoke his parole from prior state felony convictions. After arrests on federal felony warrants, and because of jury trial convictions and guilty pleas to various felony charges contained within several Western District of Missouri (WDMO) Federal Grand Jury indictments and various orders of WDMO Federal District Court Judge D. Greg Kays, Trevor Scott Sparks and Sergio Perez Martinez were confined in the Cass County, Missouri, Jail on multiple federal felonies. Federal, state, and local law enforcement began investigating the escape of Sparks and Martinez from the Cass County Jail on or about December 5, 2022. On December 6, 2022, the United States Marshals Service was notified by Cass County, Missouri, that Sparks escaped from confinement and was seen leaving the facility at 10:22 p.m. on December 5, 2022. It was later determined that Sparks and Martinez, another inmate in the Cass County facility, escaped through subterfuge and damage to the facility from the Cass County Jail and fled east outside the jail into the surrounding rural community. From there, Defendant Williams picked them up in his vehicle and transported them to his apartment in Kansas City, Missouri, where they obtained clothes and food. Williams then transported them into the Northeast area of the Kansas City metropolitan area, where Williams dropped them off. Sparks and his mother, Dawn Branstietter, were subsequently arrested in this same general area on December 30 th . Branstietter’s husband, John Baxter, was also later arrested on the same charges. These three defendants are scheduled for sentencing later this month and in early September. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Robert Smith. It is being investigated by the United States Marshal Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City Police Department, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Department with other law enforcement agencies also assisting.


title: Statement From U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson On National Fentanyl Prevention And Awareness Day

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada today issued the following statement from United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson: “On National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, we join the DEA and community partners in raising awareness about the serious dangers of illicit fentanyl from counterfeit pills. We remember those lost to illicit fentanyl poisoning and the affected families and friends across the country. We will continue to coordinate with the DEA, law enforcement partners, and community organizations to increase our outreach efforts to raise awareness about the highly addictive and dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl. “Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Only two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. Information and free resources, including the One Pill Can Kill partner toolkit, are available at DEA.gov/onepill .” ###


title: Fourth defendant convicted in conspiracy to steal aircraft design secrets

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A California man has been found guilty at trial for his role in a conspiracy to steal aircraft design and testing information in a plot to shorten the regulatory approval process for another company’s aircraft technology. Juan Martinez , 53, of Yorba Linda, California, was convicted after a five-day trial in U.S. District Court in Savannah on one count of Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The conviction subjects Martinez to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “The conspirators in this case schemed to abuse a position of trust inside a major company in the Southern District of Georgia in order to steal proprietary engineering information to provide an unfair advantage to competing products,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We commend the hard work of our law enforcement partners in bringing this investigation and prosecution to a successful conclusion.” As the evidence showed at trial, Martinez was a contractor who worked as a technical lead for a small aeronautics company. He and the other co-conspirators schemed to steal proprietary trade secret information from a large aircraft company for use in developing and marketing their own technology, with the intent to market and sell that technology to the true owner’s competitors. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker will schedule sentencing for Martinez upon completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services. Two of the conspirators are serving federal prison terms after pleading guilty in the case. Craig German , 60, of Kernersville, North Carolina, is serving 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets, plus 20 months for Perjury and False Statements to a Government Agency for providing false information during testimony given in his first sentencing. Gilbert Basaldua , 63, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is serving 80 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property. The fourth conspirator, Joseph Pascua , 61, of Escondido, California, awaits sentencing after being found guilty at trial in February for Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets. His conviction is under appeal. “Martinez was a part of a bold scheme to steal the secrets of a U.S. company rather than commit to putting in the money and hard work necessary to succeed on his own,” said Will Clarke, Senior Resident of FBI Atlanta's Savannah office. “As this conviction proves, the FBI is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting anyone who engages in illegal and deceptive practices to steal protected information.” The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard and Senior Litigation Counsel Jennifer G. Solari.


title: Henderson Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More than 15 Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A Henderson man was sentenced Friday to 188 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and heroin. On May 4, 2023, Tyren Omarious Hargrove, 23, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and fentanyl. According to court documents and other information presented in court, after receiving information that Hargrove was involved in drug trafficking, law enforcement oversaw multiple controlled purchases of suspected heroin from Hargrove. In June 2022, agents also executed a search warrant at Hargrove’s residence in Henderson where they recovered more than 4,000 dosage units of heroin and fentanyl, oxycodone, and nearly $55,000. “The outcome of today’s sentencing is the result of a collaborative effort of local, state, and federal resources,” said Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. “Our partnerships are focused on the betterment of our community. I’m hopeful that our community feels the impact of today’s announcement and many others that will be forthcoming.” Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Henderson Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00173-FL. ###