title: Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Isaiah Harley Daniels, 23, of Sissonville, pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor. According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021 Daniels began communicating online with a 13-year-old girl using the Kik instant messaging app. Daniels admitted to sending the minor female pornographic images while explaining sexual intercourse to her and asking her to “get naked.” Daniels further admitted to initiating several video calls with the minor female in an attempt to watch her masturbate. He also admitted to taking screenshots of some of his conversations with the minor female that he saved on his cell phone. Daniels admitted to engaging in online conversation that were sexual in nature with other individuals he believed to be children. Daniels pretended to be 17 years old at times so he would appear younger. Several of the individuals that Daniels believed were children sent him images of themselves naked and masturbating. Daniels admitted that he knowingly possessed 22 images and 297 videos on his cell phone and in his Kik account depicting known minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Daniels is scheduled to be sentenced on September 20, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Daniels must also register as a sex offender United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-23. ###


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to Imprisonment of Life Plus 25 Years

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Steven Hecke, 47 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after previously being found guilty following a 5 day trial in June 2022, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. The jury found Hecke guilty on all counts charged in the Indictment, which included distributing methamphetamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Hecke was sentenced to Life plus 25 years in prison. Hecke’s sentence was enhanced because he had previously been convicted of a serious drug felony and armed drug trafficking in a 2007 federal case in the Northern District of Indiana. United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “As the trial evidence showed, Mr. Hecke was a cartel-connected drug trafficker who sold massive amounts of illegal drugs in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. This prosecution shows that my office will spare no effort to bring drug dealers to justice. Let Mr. Hecke’s life sentence plus 25 years warn those engaged in illegal drug trafficking that when justice is served, the consequences are rightfully harsh.” “The Drug Enforcement Administration is focused on disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations at all levels, specifically those with connections to Mexican drug cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel. Mr. Hecke had those criminal connections. Through his violent, drug related crimes, Mr. Hecke caused great harm and damage to northern Indiana, but thanks to a collaborative law enforcement effort, he is no longer a threat to Hoosiers. DEA will continue to strive for a safer and healthier northern Indiana and America,” said Alfred A. Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville District Office. According to documents in the case, Hecke was distributing massive quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in both powder and pill form, along with other drugs. Law enforcement conducted several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Hecke in November and December 2019. Agents and officers arrested Hecke at his Fort Wayne home after he returned with a drug shipment from Chicago in January 2020. In this one shipment, Hecke possessed approximately 19 pounds of crystal methamphetamine. From Hecke’s residence and a separate stash house, law enforcement recovered additional methamphetamine, fentanyl powder and pills, other drugs, ammunition and high-capacity magazines, body armor, and nine firearms, including two AK-47 style rifles and other rifles and pistols. The investigation further revealed that Hecke had obtained multiple prior drug shipments and that he was working closely with the Sinaloa Cartel by supplying them with vehicles, ATVs, generators, firearms, and other merchandise. Hecke demonstrated a significant potential for violence and danger to the community in several ways: by protecting his drug houses with multiple firearms; making threats of violence against others to collect drug debts and to protect his drug operation; and invoking cartel members as intimidation and as a means of enforcing his threats. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Allen County Drug Task Force, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Special Weapons and Tactics Team, the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Noble County Sheriff’s Department, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, the New Haven Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony W. Geller and Lesley J. Miller Lowery. 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: FCI Schuylkill Inmate Charged With Possessing Contraband

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: Scranton – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal grand jury in Scranton charged Brian Foster, age 40, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill, with possessing contraband. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Foster was found in possession of an inmate made weapon; specifically, a 5-inch piece of plastic sharpened to a point with a taped handle, commonly referred to as a “shank.” This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher is prosecuting the case. Foster faces a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


body_text: Scranton – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal grand jury in Scranton charged Turkory Hargrove, age 23, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill, with possessing contraband. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hargrove was found in possession of an inmate made weapon; specifically, a 7-inch piece of plastic sharpened to a point with a cloth handle, commonly referred to as a “shank.” This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher is prosecuting the case. Hargrove faces a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Palmdale Man Found Guilty of Illegally Importing  an Ancient Roman Mosaic from Syria Depicting Hercules

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An Antelope Valley man was found guilty by a jury today of illegally importing an ancient floor mosaic depicting the Roman demigod Hercules that is believed to have been made nearly two millennia ago. Mohamad Yassin Alcharihi, 56, of Palmdale, was found guilty of one count of entry of falsely classified goods. According to evidence presented at a 4½-day trial, Alcharihi in August 2015 illegally imported the mosaic – which dates from the era of the Roman Empire – by means of a false classification as to its value and quality. The mosaic arrived at Alcharihi’s direction at the Port of Long Beach as part of a shipment from Turkey. The mosaic depicts a story from ancient Greek and Roman mythology depicting Hercules rescuing Prometheus, who had been chained to a rock by his fellow gods for stealing fire for humanity. Alcharihi purchased the mosaic in 2015. Instead of disclosing to United States customs officials that he was importing a Syrian antiquity for which he had paid approximately $12,000 and that he knew was worth much more, Alcharihi lied to his customs broker and caused it to falsely declare that he was importing ceramic tiles from Turkey valued at less than $600. Alcharihi paid $40,000 to restore the mosaic and the government’s appraisal expert valued the mosaic at $450,000. The false classifications occurred months after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution condemning the destruction of cultural heritage in Syria, particularly by the terrorist organizations Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Nusrah Front. The mosaic was placed inside a large metal shipping container holding many vases and two other mosaics. An x-ray image of the container taken by CBP showed that the mosaic was hidden in the front of the container – away from the rear access doors – behind a pile of vases. After passing through customs, the mosaic was shipped via truck to Alcharihi’s home. The mosaic is 15 feet long, 8 feet tall, and weighs approximately 2,000 pounds. It has been stored at a secure facility in Los Angeles since federal agents seized it from Alcharihi’s garage in March 2016. United States District Judge George H. Wu scheduled an August 31 sentencing hearing, at which time Alcharihi will face a statutory maximum sentence of two years in federal prison. The FBI’s Art Crime Team and Homeland Security Investigations – Los Angeles, Ventura Division investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Williams, Chief of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section; Assistant United States Attorney Matthew W. O’Brien, also of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section; Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell Coll of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section; and Justice Department Trial Attorney Christian A. Levesque of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Man Convicted for Illegally Importing Ancient Mosaic

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in Los Angeles convicted a California man today for illegally importing from Syria an ancient mosaic depicting the Roman demigod Hercules that is believed to be 2,000 years old. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in August 2015, Mohammed Yassin Alcharihi, 56, of Palmdale, illegally imported the mosaic – which dates from the era of the Roman Empire and is of Syrian origin – by claiming that he was importing various items worth $2,199. However, the mosaic was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The false classifications occurred months after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution condemning the destruction of cultural heritage in Syria, particularly by the terrorist organizations Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Nusrah Front. Alcharihi was convicted of one count of entry of falsely classified goods. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 31 and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison. The government is also seeking forfeiture of the mosaic. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles, and Special Agent in Charge Don Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office’s Criminal Division made the announcement. The FBI’s Art Crime Team and HSI Los Angeles’ Ventura Division investigated the case. Trial Attorney Christian A. Levesque of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark A. Williams, Matthew W. O’Brien, and Maxwell Coll for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.


title: Mingo County Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Military Death Benefits

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jessica Horton, 53, of Matewan, pleaded guilty today to theft of government money. Horton admitted to stealing approximately $181,713.58 in United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) survivor’s benefits. According to court documents and statements made in court, Horton’s great aunt was awarded VA Survivor’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits after the death of her husband in World War II. The great aunt began receiving the monthly benefits on May 1, 1945. Beginning in or around 1964, the benefits were mailed to the great aunt’s post office box in Matewan. On February 21, 1999, Horton’s great aunt died, and the entitlement to benefits was therefore extinguished. Horton’s mother had access to the post office box. Horton admitted that her great aunt’s name was fraudulently signed on the benefits after the death to allow Horton’s mother to receive the benefits and convert them to her own use. Horton’s mother fraudulently received the monthly benefits until her death on February 14, 2011. Following her mother’s death, Horton took over the post office box and began signing her great-aunt’s name in order to receive the monthly benefits. Horton admitted that she knew she was not entitled or authorized to sign her great aunt’s name on the benefits. Horton deposited the benefits in various bank accounts at a Williamson bank where she was an account owner and signatory, and converted the money to her own use. Horton admitted that from around March 2011 until on or around December 31, 2022, she knowingly and willfully took approximately $181,713,58 in VA survivor’s benefits that she was not entitled or authorized to receive. The monthly benefits were terminated by the VA on or around January 12, 2023. Horton is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,00 fine. Horton also owes $181,713.58 in restitution. “My grandfather fought in World War II. The theft committed in this case is a slap in the face to those who earn these hard-fought-for benefits,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “That this fraud went on for as long as it did makes it all the more deplorable.” Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-49. ###


title: Essex County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography in New Jersey and Abroad

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for producing multiple videos depicting the sexual assault of children, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Antonio Del Prado, 62, of Millburn, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count each of production of child pornography and production of child pornography abroad with intent to transport into the United States. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In October 2020, law enforcement officials learned that Del Prado had uploaded multiple items of suspected child pornography to an internet-based cloud storage system. The investigation also revealed that Del Prado had a woman livestream a video of a child being sexually assaulted for Del Prado. Del Prado was arrested at his home in November 2020, at which time agents seized multiple electronic devices that were found to contain child pornography. Further investigation revealed that on multiple occasions, Del Prado sexually assaulted children in the Philippines and transmitted video recordings of those assaults into the United States. In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Del Prado to 10 years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with New Jersey County to Resolve Voting Rights Act Lawsuit

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement that provides for a comprehensive Spanish-language election program for voters in Union County, New Jersey. The consent decree was approved by a three-judge court in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey. The proposed consent decree was filed in federal court in conjunction with a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department. The department’s lawsuit brings claims under Sections 203 and 208 of the Voting Rights Act regarding the availability of election assistance and materials in Spanish for Spanish-speaking voters with limited English proficiency. Section 203 requires that certain jurisdictions, including Union County, provide election materials and assistance in other languages, in addition to English. Section 208 provides a right for voters who need assistance with voting – due to inability to read or write, blindness or disability – to receive that assistance from the person of their choice, with certain limited exceptions. Under the consent decree, the Union County Clerk and Board of Elections will provide all election-related information in both English and Spanish, including information displayed in polling places and online. The Union County Board of Elections will also ensure that in-person language assistance is available at all early voting sites and at each election district with at least 100 Spanish-surnamed registered voters. Spanish-language assistance will continue to be available to all voters by telephone during elections. In addition, the consent decree provides that any voter covered by Section 208 who needs assistance to vote may be assisted by the person of that voter’s choice, other than an agent of the voter’s employer or union, during any stage of the voting process. The consent decree also provides that federal observers may monitor election day activities in polling places in Union County. “The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy,” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, District of New Jersey, said. “We remain committed to ensuring that every eligible New Jersey voter can vote without language barriers. Now that a court order is in place, we look forward to working with Union County to accomplish this goal.” “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the right to vote,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “This agreement will ensure that Spanish-speaking residents of Union County can fully access the ballot box. The Civil Rights Division will continue to use every tool available to protect the rights of all voters seeking to participate in our democracy.” Individuals may file voting rights complaints with the Civil Rights Division either online here , or may call (800) 253-3931. Individuals may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey either online here or may call (855) 281-3339. More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting rights laws are available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . The government is represented by Michael E. Campion, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Millenky of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Division; Bert Russ, Deputy Chief of the Voting Section in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Bruce Gear, Trial Attorney, Voting Section; and Michelle Rupp, Trial Attorney, Voting Section. ucconsent.pdf


title: Brockton Man Indicted for Passport Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly lying that his United States passport had been lost in order to secure a replacement to enter the country, when in fact, the passport had been confiscated by prosecuting courts in Cabo Verde following his arrest for murder. Johnny Barros Brandao, 40, was indicted on one count of passport fraud. Brandao was previously charged by criminal complaint on May 7, 2023 and arrested on May 9, 2023. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, on March 27, 2014, in Cabo Verde, Brandao shot an individual in the head using a .45 caliber revolver, took one million and five hundred thousand Cape Verdean Escudo and then dumped the victim’s body on the side of a road. It is further alleged that on July 26, 2021, Brandao shot and killed another individual using a 9mm caliber firearm and threw the victim’s body over a cliff. Brandao was arrested in Cabo Verde on these charges. On Dec. 12, 2022, after a period of pretrial detention, Brandao was released subject to supervision. The Cabo Verde court also ordered that Brandao not depart Cabo Verde – confiscating his Cabo Verdean national ID card as well as his United States and Cabo Verde passports. According to the charging documents, on Dec. 28, 2022, Brandao applied for a replacement United States passport at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal. In the section of the form that directs the applicant to explain how his prior passport was lost or stolen, it is alleged that Brandao reported he had lost his passport while out to dinner on Dec. 25, 2022. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Worcester Man Sentenced to Over Eight Years in Prison for Role in Rockland Robbery Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today for his role in an attempted robbery of a Rockland-based glassware dealer. Keith Johnson, a/k/a “Eike,” 41, of Worcester, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 98 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2022, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery. Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2019 along with co-defendants Shaun Walker, Junior Melendez and Grace Katana. In March 2019, Johnson, Walker, Katana and Melendez conspired to rob the home of a high-end glassware dealer in Rockland. Between March 18, 2019 through March 25, 2019, court authorized intercepted communications over a cellphone used by Melendez revealed that Johnson and his co-conspirators were planning an armed home invasion and robbery of the Rockland residence. During the afternoon of March 25, 2019, the four men traveled over 60 miles from Worcester to Rockland in two vehicles. Katana and Melendez first scoped out the robbery target location, a residence which at that time was occupied by a female resident. Katana and Melendez then proceeded to a nearby hardware store and purchased a two-foot iron crowbar, a screwdriver and razor blades. Law enforcement arrested the four men in the parking lot of the hardware store – disrupting the attempted robbery. In addition to the items just purchased at the hardware store, a loaded .380 firearm was seized from the glove compartment of the vehicle occupied by Johnson. In June 2022, Katana was convicted by a federal jury of Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced in October 2022 to 64 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In May 2022, Walker pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and, in November 2022, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 13, 2023, Melendez was sentenced to 156 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; John E. Mawn, Jr. Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and Rockland Police Chief John R. Llewellyn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and Kristen M. Noto of Levy’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Former Mayor of Aguas Buenas Sentenced for Accepting Bribes

component: Criminal - Public Integrity Section

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The former mayor of the municipality of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, Javier García-Pérez, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments in exchange for the awarding of municipal contracts and the payment of invoices related to those contracts. García-Pérez, 47, pleaded guilty in February 2023 to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. According to court documents and statements made in connection with his plea and sentencing, García-Pérez was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Aguas Buenas from 2017 until 2022. Starting in 2017, García-Pérez, was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he received and accepted cash payments from two businessmen in exchange for awarding municipal contracts for waste disposal services, asphalt and paving services, and debris removal and paying outstanding invoices on the contracts. Specifically, García-Pérez received at least $32,000 in cash payments from August 2020 through September 2021 from the two businessmen. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the defendant was sentenced to two years of supervised release. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe, Chief of the Public Corruption and Financial Fraud Section for the District of Puerto Rico, are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation. These cases are part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo , 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres , 21-464 (RAM); United States v. Raymond Rodríguez , 21-465 (RAM); United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas , 21-468 (FAB); See United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero , 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona , 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiques , 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintron-Suarez , 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez , 22-186 (PAD); United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez , 22-221 (PAD); United States v. Pedro Miranda-Marrero, 22-251 (RAM); United States v. Jose Cruz-Cruz , 22-276 (SCC); and United States Jose Bou-Santiago , 22-379 (ADC). # # #


title: Former Jersey City Board of Education President and Former Acting Executive Director of Jersey City Employment and Training Program Admits Embezzlement and Fraud

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The former president of the Jersey City Board of Education (JCBOED) and former acting executive director of the Jersey City Employment and Training Program (JCETP) today admitted embezzling JCETP funds and committing wire fraud in connection with his use of funds from his 2016 JCBOED campaign account, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Sudhan M. Thomas, 47, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to two counts of an indictment charging him with embezzling funds from JCETP, an organization that received federal funds, and wire fraud for embezzling money from his 2016 JCBOED campaign. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Thomas served as JCETP’s acting executive director from January 2019 until his resignation in July 2019. JCETP was a nonprofit organization that operated to assist Jersey City residents to prepare for and enter the workforce. JCETP received substantial amounts of funding from federal grants from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Using his access to JCETP funds and control of JCETP’s bank accounts, from March 2019 through July 2019, Thomas embezzled more than $45,000 from JCETP. Thomas caused checks to be drawn from JCETP accounts that were made payable to others, but ultimately received by Thomas or used to pay his debts and expenses. Thomas embezzled JCETP funds by issuing JCETP checks made out to cash that Thomas either cashed himself or used to obtain bank checks that he made payable to Next Glocal, an entity for which Thomas was a director, which were deposited into a bank account for his personal use. Thomas ran for and was elected to a seat on the JCBOED in 2016, ultimately serving as vice president and then president of the JCBOED. From September 2016 to November 2016, Thomas collected campaign contributions and caused them to be deposited into a bank account opened for the 2016 campaign that he controlled. Under the guise of collecting repayments for loans to the campaign or reimbursement for other purported campaign-related expenses, Thomas embezzled more than $8,000 from his 2016 campaign for his own personal use. The embezzlement charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. The wire fraud charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. Both charges carry a maximum fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 1, 2023. Thomas originally was charged by indictment in November 2020 with Paul Appel, 81, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, who is an attorney and who also served as treasurer for Thomas’ 2016 campaign. Appel’s case is pending before Judge Martini, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou, Chief of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine J. Calle of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark. thomasappel.indictment.pdf


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to Serve 100 Months in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Gun in Cape Girardeau

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – The United States Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that Deon R. Crittenden, 32, of Memphis, Tennessee, has been sentenced to serve 100 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to unlawfully possessing a firearm. Crittenden appeared for his sentencing hearing Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau. The charges arose after an officer with the Cape Girardeau Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near a Cape Girardeau hospital in April 2022. Crittenden, who was a passenger in the vehicle, jumped out and ran inside the hospital with a red backpack, according to court documents. Officers found him hiding in a restroom a short time later. The red backpack was in a trashcan in that same restroom, and contained a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and marijuana, court documents say. Crittenden had previously been convicted of several felony offenses in the State of Tennessee, including aggravated assault and robbery. After serving his 100-month sentence, Crittenden will be placed on supervised release for a period of four years. This case was investigated by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.


title: Former FBI Analyst Sentenced for Retaining Classified Documents

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: A former analyst with the Kansas City Division of the FBI was sentenced in federal court today for illegally retaining documents related to the national defense at her residence. Kendra Kingsbury, 50, of Garden City, Kansas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Kingsbury pleaded guilty on Oct. 13, 2022, to two counts of unlawfully retaining documents related to the national defense. According to court documents, Kingsbury was an intelligence analyst for the FBI for more than 12 years, from 2004 to Dec. 15, 2017. Kingsbury was assigned to a sequence of different FBI squads, each of which had a particular focus, such as illegal drug trafficking, violent crime, violent gangs and counterintelligence. Kingsbury held a TOP SECRET/SCI security clearance and had access to national defense and classified information. Training presentations and materials specifically warned Kingsbury that she was prohibited from retaining classified information at her personal residence. Such information could only be stored in an approved facility and container. Kingsbury admitted that, over the course of her FBI employment, she repeatedly removed from the FBI and retained in her personal residence (at that time in North Kansas City, Missouri) an abundance of sensitive government materials, including classified documents related to the national defense. In total, Kingsbury improperly removed and unlawfully and willfully retained approximately 386 classified documents in her personal residence. Some of the classified documents she unlawfully removed and kept in her home contained extremely sensitive national defense information. According to court documents, Kingsbury put national security at risk by retaining classified information in her home that would have, if in the wrong hands, revealed some of the government’s most important and secretive methods of collecting essential national security intelligence. Kingsbury admitted to investigators that she retained and destroyed other documents over the years that could have contained classified and/or national defense information. The documents retained by Kingsbury in her personal residence included documents in electronic format on hard drives, compact discs and other storage media. The national defense information that Kingsbury unlawfully retained included numerous documents classified at the SECRET level from the FBI that describe intelligence sources and methods related to U.S. government efforts related to counterterrorism, counterintelligence and defending against cyber threats. These documents included details on the FBI’s nationwide objectives and priorities, including specific investigations across multiple field offices that were open at the time Kingsbury unlawfully retained the documents. In addition, Kingsbury retained documents relating to sensitive human-source operations in national security investigations, intelligence gaps regarding hostile foreign intelligence services and terrorist organizations and the technical capabilities of the FBI against counterintelligence and counterterrorism targets. The national defense information that Kingsbury unlawfully retained also included numerous documents classified at the SECRET level from another government agency. These documents described intelligence sources and methods related to U.S. government efforts to collect intelligence on terrorist groups. The documents included information about al Qaeda members on the African continent, including a suspected associate of Usama bin Laden. In addition, there were documents regarding the activities of emerging terrorists and their efforts to establish themselves in support of al Qaeda in Africa. The FBI investigated what uses Kingsbury put to the classified documents she illegally removed from the secure workspace, but according to court documents, the investigation revealed more questions and concerns than answers. Investigators reviewed Kingsbury’s telephone records, which revealed a number of suspicious calls. Kingsbury contacted phone numbers associated with subjects of counterterrorism investigations, and these individuals also made telephone calls to Kingsbury. Investigators have not been able to determine why Kingsbury contacted these individuals, or why these individuals contacted her. Kingsbury declined to provide the government with any further information. The FBI Omaha Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Edwards for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Former Goldman Sachs Investment Banker Convicted At Trial Of Insider Trading Scheme And Obstruction Of Justice

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that BRIJESH GOEL, a former investment banker at Goldman Sachs, was convicted of insider trading and obstruction of justice. GOEL was convicted after a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 19, 2023. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Brijesh Goel, a senior banker at a leading investment bank, betrayed the trust of his employer and unlawfully shared inside information with his squash partner in an agreement to trade on that information. A federal jury has now convicted Goel of insider trading, and he faces time in prison for his conduct. Today’s verdict should remind those in the capital markets that if you engage in insider trading, we will catch you and hold you accountable.” According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial: BRIJESH GOEL was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs in New York, New York. In that position, GOEL received confidential, internal emails directed to Goldman Sachs’s Firmwide Capital Committee and Credit Markets Capital Committee, which contained detailed information and analysis about potential merger-and-acquisition transactions Goldman Sachs was considering financing. In violation of the duties that he owed to Goldman Sachs, GOEL misappropriated that confidential information and tipped a friend (the “Friend”), who worked at another investment bank in New York, New York, with the names of potential target companies from those internal emails during in-person meetings (such as when the two met at New York Health and Racquet Club). The Friend then used that confidential information to trade call options, including short-dated, out-of-the-money call options, in brokerage accounts that were in the name of the Friend’s brother. GOEL and the Friend agreed to split the profits from their trading. Between approximately 2017 and 2018, GOEL tipped the Friend on at least six deals in which Goldman Sachs was involved, yielding total illegal profits of approximately $280,000. Between approximately May and June 2022, GOEL also obstructed investigations by a Grand Jury in the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Specifically, GOEL deleted and asked the Friend to delete electronic communications regarding the insider trading scheme, including during an in-person meeting that the Friend consensually recorded. * * * GOEL, 38, of New York, New York, was convicted of four counts of securities fraud and one count of obstruction of justice, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and tender offer fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for their assistance and cooperation in this investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Naftalis, Samuel P. Rothschild, and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Lubbock Man Sentenced in the Eastern District of Texas to Over 26 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas– A Lubbock, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Michael Calzadias, 42, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and money laundering and was sentenced to 320 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on June 20, 2023. According to information presented in court, between 2017 and 2018, Calzadias, along with Mark Anthony and Thomas Calzadias, were the main sources of supply for over 450 kilograms of cocaine, which was imported from Mexico, and transported from the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, to St. Louis, Missouri; Danville, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Fort Meyers, Florida; and other areas. Mark Anthony Calzadias, Michael Calzadias, and Thomas Calzadias were also responsible for bulk currency smuggling throughout the United States. Mark Calzadias and Thomas Calzadias were previously sentenced to 420 and 235 months in federal prison respectively. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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. This is part of the Tres Toros OCDETF investigation. A joint investigation by DEA Dallas and DEA Lubbock. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez. # # #


title: Pueblo Residents Charged in Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that three defendants from Pueblo have been charged by federal complaint in connection with a series of bank robberies in the Denver-Boulder area. Leo Elias Benavidez, age 34, Ashley Raeanne Cooper, age 33, and Britne Bree Schneider, age 25, have been charged for their alleged roles in the robberies. Benavidez is charged with four counts of bank robbery and aiding and abetting the same; Cooper is charged with four counts of bank robbery and aiding and abetting the same. Schneider is charged with a single count of accessory after the fact. According to allegations in the criminal complaints, during the months of May and June, 2023, Benavidez and Cooper robbed four banks in the Denver-Boulder metro area, and attempted to rob a fifth. Schneider allegedly drove the getaway car following three of the robberies. The Defendants had their initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Crews on June 21, 2023. This case is being investigated by the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, the Brighton Police Department, the Denver Police Department, the Arvada Police Department, the Westminster Police Department, the Boulder Police Department, and the Lafayette Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn is handling the prosecution. The charges in the complaints are allegations and the Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. CASE NUMBERS: 23-mj-00108-NRN (Schneider) 23-mj-00109-NRN (Cooper) 23-mj-00110-NRN (Benavidez)


title: Burkina Faso Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraud, Interstate Vehicle Theft and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A citizen of Burkina Faso has been sentenced in federal court to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay $131,338.45 in restitution on his conviction of wire fraud, interstate vehicle theft, and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Serge Ahmed Zeba, age 32. According to information presented to the court, from November 2020 to January 2022, Zeba executed a scheme to steal high-end vehicles from car dealerships located throughout the United States. During the course of the scheme, Zeba stole seven vehicles and attempted to steal 19 more from numerous car dealerships using fake or altered money orders and the stolen personal identifiable information of at least 16 individuals. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Department of State and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Zeba.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Cocaine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Darryl McDonald, 39, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to ten years in prison for conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. McDonald pleaded guilty to this charge on March 15, 2023. The government’s investigation revealed that McDonald, who resided in Chicago, began providing cocaine to various people for redistribution around the Madison, Wisconsin area. One source of information (SOI) stated that she began transporting cocaine to the Madison area from Chicago for McDonald in 2016. She made numerous trips where she transported cocaine for McDonald and received approximately $1,500 per trip. The arrangement between the SOI and the defendant went on for several years until the SOI was arrested in May 2018 in Illinois with approximately a half-kilogram of cocaine. The SOI reported that she had picked up a kilogram of cocaine from McDonald in Chicago and delivered half of it to a customer in Illinois per McDonald’s instructions. She was driving to Madison to distribute the second half when she was pulled over and arrested. The SOI communicated with McDonald before and during this trip via text message and the messages corroborated that she was delivering the cocaine for McDonald. Upon getting pulled over with the cocaine in her car, the SOI immediately texted McDonald for help and provided a pin with her location. Between 2016 and 2021, financial records show that McDonald had very little verifiable income, though he made several large purchases and conducted most transactions using cash. Financial records also show that McDonald deposited over $250,000 in cash into his checking account during the same timeframe. A total of eight individuals have pleaded guilty to participating in this cocaine distribution scheme and have all now been sentenced by Judge Peterson. The charge against McDonald is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Madison Police Department, and the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.


title: U.S. Attorney Discusses Anti-Gun Violence Efforts, Announces Indictment Of Defendant Allegedly Involved In Murder Of Rochester Police Officer

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross joined with law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels today to announce the return of an indictment of the leader and members of a violent drug trafficking organization and to discuss ongoing efforts aimed at reducing violence, in particular gun violence, in the City of Rochester. “My message to those who think that they can terrorize our community with senseless acts of violence is ‘don’t do it’.” “Our office, together with our law enforcement partners, is vigilant, working day and night to hold those committing crimes accountable. We will continue these efforts to ensure that the community can feel safe and community members can enjoy the summer.” Over the last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has worked closely with the RPD, ATF, FBI, USMS, NYSP, MCSO, DEA, and the Monroe County District Attorney's Office to target, investigate, and bring federal charges against violent offenders and those who possess and illegally use guns in Rochester. To that end, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has adjusted its charging practices to communicate with RPD and ATF, quickly and effectively, to screen gun arrests and determine whether they are appropriate for federal prosecution. Once federal charges are brought, in appropriate cases, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will make a motion to the court to detain defendants who pose a danger to the community or who are likely to flee pending trial. This has helped reduce the number of violent offenders and illegal gun possessors who are returned to the community after arrest, which has helped to reduce violence in the city. As part of its gun violence initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has pursued larger, more organized violent groups. Working closely with RPD, ATF and other law enforcement partners, the Office has targeted two violent groups who were engaged in a feud with each other. As a result of this investigation, 23 defendants have been charged in criminal complaints. In addition to these complaints, last week the federal grand jury in Rochester returned a 10-count indictment against Brandon Washington, Deadrick Fulwiley, Derrick Steele and Jermell Washington, charging them with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana from various drug houses they operated in the City of Rochester. The four defendants are also charged with possessing, using, and carrying firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes. In addition, Brandon Washington and Deadrick Fulwiley are charged with possessing, using, and carrying a machine gun in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes. Brandon Washington is alleged to be the leader of an armed drug trafficking organization in Rochester that became involved in a violent dispute with a rival gang headed by Rasheem Sullivan during the summer of 2022. Sullivan, along with eight additional Bloods gang members, were charged in December 2022 with narcotics conspiracy and weapons offenses. The conflict between Washington and Sullivan resulted in multiple instances of violence, including drive-by shootings, arsons, assaults, and murders. These included the ambush shooting of Rochester Police Officers Anthony Mazurkiewicz and Sino Seng on July 21, 2023, which resulted in the death of Officer Mazurkiewicz. As a result of the hard work of our law enforcement partners and our collaboration with the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, since July of 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged approximately 100 defendants with federal gun crimes. These arrests and the underlying investigations have resulted in more than 100 illegal firearms being removed from the community. Most importantly, these efforts have resulted in a reduction in the volume of gun violence in Rochester in the first half of 2023. # # # #


title: Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty To Being A Felon In Possession

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Randall Rolison, 60, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Testani, who is handling the case, stated that in January 2022, the Jamestown Police Department and FBI began investigating Rolison’s purchase of firearms outside of the State of New York and subsequent sale of the firearms in the Southern Tier of New York. The investigation determined that Rolison, an over-the-road truck driver, purchased firearms and ammunition from a roadside stand in the State of Georgia between the Summer of 2021 and December 2021, and subsequently transported and sold, or attempted to sell, a total of nine firearms and ammunition in New York. Rolison sent pictures of the firearms via text message to various individuals to solicit interest in purchasing them and would subsequently straw purchase the firearms on behalf of the individuals. In June 1997, Rolison was convicted of a felony in Michigan and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito. Sentencing is scheduled for December 19, 2023, before Judge Sinatra. # # # #


title: Prolific Mail Thief indicted for nine federal felonies

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The suspect in a series of mail vehicle and mail key thefts was indicted today by a federal grand jury for nine federal felonies, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Johny Mixayboua, 27, was arrested on a criminal complaint last month and is now charged with three counts of theft of government property, unlawful possession of a postal key, mail theft, possession of stolen mail, illegal transactions with a credit or debit card, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. According to records in the case, on December 28, 2022, a U.S. Postal Service vehicle was stolen from the 6300 block of South Bangor Street in Seattle. In the vehicle was a postal key that is used to access the cluster mailbox units in the 98178 zip code. The key allows the postal worker to open the back of the cluster box to deliver mail to multiple households. Since the theft of the vehicle and postal key, there have been numerous reports of cluster boxes in zip code 98178 being opened and mail stolen. Working with neighbors, the Postal Inspection Service was able to get door camera footage showing the person accessing the postal boxes. Neighbors reported credit cards being stolen and attempts being made to use them. Inspectors were able to review images from when the credit card attempts occurred and ultimately identified Mixayboua as the person stealing the mail and attempting to use the stolen credit cards. Additionally, local law enforcement determined that vehicles used in a number of the mail theft incidents were reported stolen. On January 17, 2023, two more Postal Service vehicles were stolen. One in the 3000 block of Beach Drive SW and a second one in the 3600 block of 57 th SW. Both are in zip code 98116. Using doorbell camera footage from the block where one of the vehicles was recovered, investigators allegedly saw Mixayboua removing mail and parcels from the stolen postal vehicle and putting them in another vehicle. Again, law enforcement traced credit cards stolen from the mail and obtained surveillance footage that appears to show Mixayboua attempting to make purchases with the credit cards. On January 30, 2023, a fourth postal vehicle was stolen – this time from the 2000 block of S. Columbian Way in Seattle. On March 28, 2023, a fifth postal vehicle was stolen from the 5700 block of S. 129 th Ave. One of the people associated with the theft matches a description of Mixayboua. In late January and February, the mail theft incidents continued -- this time in the Snoqualmie, Washington area. The cluster boxes were opened with either a counterfeit or authentic postal key. Again, credit cards were stolen, and one was linked to images of Mixayboua making purchases at Target. Throughout April, mail thefts continued from as far north as Lake Forest Park and as far south as southeast Seattle. The postal service halted deliveries in zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua. Mixaboua apparently was living in a vehicle near a relative’s home. When he was arrested, law enforcement found a firearm that he threw into the bushes while attempting to run away and ammunition in the vehicle, resulting in the last two counts in the indictment. Mixayboua is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple felony convictions in King County for auto theft, possession of stolen property, and bail jumping. Mail theft and possession of stolen mail are punishable by up to five years in prison. Theft of government property and unlawful possession of postal keys are punishable by up to ten years in prison. Illegal transactions on an access device, possession of ammunition, and being a felon in possession of a firearm are punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) worked diligently to get Mixayboua into custody. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught. mixayboua_indictment.pdf


title: ARRESTS MADE IN JOINT FEDERAL/LOCAL INVESTIGATION TARGETING JACKSON, CALHOUN, LIBERTY, AND GADSDEN COUNTIES

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

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – In excess of 50 individuals have been arrested on warrants related to drug-trafficking as part of a long-term investigation conducted by Drug Enforcement Administration, local, and state law enforcement. The arrests were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “I am proud of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to keep us safe and serve a critical role in our efforts to remove addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We will continue to support the efforts our law enforcement partners as we work together to investigate and prosecute criminals bringing drugs into North Florida.” The multi-agency operation netted seizures of over 35 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, multiple kilograms of cocaine, multiple ounces of fentanyl, over 60 firearms, and over $100,000 in United States currency. Federal defendants arrested today were: • Joshua Leo Carr, 40, of Marianna, Florida • Michael Christopher “City Boy” Garner, 38, of Chattahoochee, Florida • Joncy Torrianne Hall, 31, of Marianna, Florida • Robert Blake Howell, 45, of Marianna, Florida • Helen Christine Jones, a/k/a Christine Howell, 41, of Marianna, Florida • Amos E. “Pops” Rogers, 58, of Chipley, Florida • Matthew Ottovio Aliffi, 45, of Marianna, Florida Already in custody elsewhere and scheduled for federal arraignment are: • Ashley Marie Albert, 29, of Mariana, Florida • Royce Allen “R.J.” Alday, 30, of Marianna, Florida • Ryan Wade “Bobo” Massey, 32, of Chipley, Florida • Holly Gay Newton a/k/a Holly Nichols, 43, of Altha, Florida • Dewayne Deshun “Max” Thornton, 23, of Dothan, Alabama Previous federal arrests from this same investigation include: • Brian Beauchamp, 37, of Grand Ridge, Florida • Anthony Lamar “Kool Aid” Brown, 46, of Quincy, Florida • Eric Shane Daniels, 27, of Blountstown, Florida • Daniel B. Foster, 40, of Blountstown, Florida • Cornelius Montez Garner, 33, of Chattahoochee, Florida • Gary Lamar “G” Murphy III, 37, of Tallahassee, Florida • Savannah Price, 23, of Marianna, Florida • Jessica Nicole Pynes, 35, of Bristol, Florida • Shelby Roney, 49, of Malone, Florida • Curtis Vickers, 38, of Dothan, Alabama • Latoya Latasha White, 34, of Lake Wales, Florida The defendants charged federally face penalties of up to life imprisonment and fines of up to $20,000,000. State defendants' arrested: • Tara Baxley • Cheryl Bernhard • Destiny Bryan • Paul Childress • Jeffrey Davis • Arthur Goodwin • Dawn Herndon • Richard Outlaw • Darryl Owens • Abdullah Muhammad • Nikolaus Rabon • Forrest Reed, Jr. • James Shelmon • Ashley Smith • Giselle Sukanec • Keith Edward Summerlin • Paul Wright These arrests resulted from an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). This joint federal, state, and local cooperative targeted drug trafficking west of Tallahassee, particularly in Jackson County. Investigative agencies included the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the Chattahoochee Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s office, the Holmes County Sheriff’s office, the Dothan, Alabama Police Department, the North Star Multijurisdictional Drug Task Force, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The federal Northern District of Florida cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain, Jessica S. Etherton, Joseph A. Ravelo, and Eric K. Mountin. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force 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. More information about OCDETF may be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.


title: Brookings Man Sentenced for Making Counterfeit U.S. Currency

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Brookings, South Dakota, man convicted of Making Counterfeit U.S. Currency. The sentencing took place on June 20, 2023. Julian Huffman, age 28, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Restitution and forfeiture were ordered. Huffman was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 31, 2023. The conviction stemmed from incidents between September 9, 2022, and November 21, 2022, when Huffman made dozens of counterfeit $20 Federal Reserve notes and passed them at various businesses in and near Brookings. This case was investigated by the Brookings Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case. Huffman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

body_text: Child Pornography Jesse James Hunt , age 55, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on June 5, 2023, to 120 months in prison for two counts of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence, which included 10 years of supervised release following imprisonment, restitution in the amount of $57,000, and a $200 special assessment. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation received over 100 cybertips on Hunt who was using several aliases to set up different social media accounts. A search warrant was conducted and over 1,000 images and videos were recovered from Hunt’s phone and an online account. When interviewed, Hunt admitted possessing child pornography. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne M. Martens. Drug Trafficking Breanna Elizabeth Oliver, age 31, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on June 5, 2023, to 72 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin as well as distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence, which included four years of supervised release and a $200 special assessment. According to the evidence presented, in 2021, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation identified Oliver as a distributor of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. Oliver would travel to Colorado and Arizona to obtain the controlled substances. She then distributed these drugs in Natrona, Laramie, Albany, Campbell, and Fremont counties. Rondell Yokenya Baker, age 31, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced on June 14, to 44 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence, which included three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. According to court documents, on March 2, 2022, Campbell County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped Baker for speeding twice. During the second stop, a drug-detection canine alerted to Baker’s vehicle. Deputies searched the vehicle and found a duffle bag containing two packages of methamphetamine, weighing about 7.95 pounds. This crime was investigated by the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom. Marcus Morris , age 43, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced on June 15, 2023 to 180 months’ imprisonment for distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence, which included five years of supervised release, $1,000 in community restitution, and a $300 special assessment. According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) made several controlled purchases of methamphetamine and cocaine from Morris between March and May 2022. On June 30, 2022, DCI executed a search warrant at Morris’ residence where they located plastic baggies containing methamphetamine and cocaine inside a briefcase belonging to Morris. This case was investigated by DCI and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Firearms Offenses Matthew Pruitt , age 20, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on May 26, 2023, to 27 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence, which included three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case. Firearms and Drug Trafficking Isaiah Williams , age 21, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced on June 14, 2023, for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm, to 12 months and one day in prison with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence. On April 14, 2022, Casper Police Department stopped Williams for a traffic violation. Smelling marijuana, the officer conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle where he found marijuana and a handgun. When asked about the firearm, Williams admitted it was his. The crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom. About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Environmental Justice The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Project Safe Neighborhoods Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. Victim Witness Assistance The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect. To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking ###


title: Cheyenne Woman Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Failure to File a Tax Return

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Carissa Joy Dunn-Pollard, age 45, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for wire fraud and failure to file a tax return. U.S. District Court Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on June 21, 2023. Pollard also will be required to serve three years on supervised release following her prison term and must pay $220,481.57 in restitution to the Cheyenne Little Theatre, $113,451.58 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and a $125 special assessment. According to court documents, Pollard worked as the part-time bookkeeper Cheyenne Little Theater Players Inc., a non-profit organization based in Cheyenne. From September 20, 2020 to May 30, 2022, Pollard devised and engaged in a scheme to obtain money by means of material false and fraudulent pretenses and representations. As a result of this scheme, Pollard admitted to embezzling at least $220,481.57 from the Theatre by causing ACH “payroll deposits” to be made into her bank account from the Theatre’s bank account. In addition to the wire fraud, as of November 30, 2022, when the complaint in this case was filed, Pollard was aware of her obligation to file tax returns with the IRS but failed to do so for tax years 2018-2021 as required by law. The amount of taxes she owed for the four-year period totaled $113,451.58. In a statement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said that the sentence brings a measure of justice to the Cheyenne Little Theater and members of the community affected by Pollard’s fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also thanked the U.S. Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office, and the Cheyenne Police Department for their roles in the investigation which led to the successful prosecution of Pollard. “Ms. Dunn-Pollard used her position to defraud not only her employer, but the honest hardworking Americans who pay their tax obligations every year,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “This is a great example of IRS-CI’s expertise in conducting federal tax investigations that also holds accountable those that commit crimes against community institutions like the Cheyenne Little Theater.”


title: Gloucester County Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man was charged today with possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Kyle Daniel Reese, 29, of Williamstown, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal in Camden federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In October and November 2020, while Reese was serving a term of home detention due to a prior federal conviction for receipt of child pornography, Reese accessed child pornography using his iPhone. The child pornography was subsequently uncovered after his iPhone was seized by Reese’s probation officer. A search of the phone revealed 86 files containing child pornography. The count of possession of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to today’s charge. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane of the Camden office. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. reese.complaint.pdf


title: District Man Sentenced for Perpetrating Multiple Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Suzgo Phiri, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 41 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered restitution of $108,000. Phiri pleaded guilty February 21, 2023. According to court documents, between 2018 and his arrest in March of 2022, Phiri - who used multiple false identities including: “Malcolm Tucker,” “David Campbell,” “Eric Brooks,” “Aaron Brooks,” “John Sanders,” “Jaamal Brooks,” “Brady Jones,” and “Payton Deel” – committed multiple fraud schemes. In one fraud, he generated approximately $10,000 per week through a scheme that exploited weaknesses in the payment processing systems used by Square and American Express. The defendant moved fraudulent “tip” amounts that were instantly credited by Square to bank accounts that he had opened using one of many false identities and then quickly withdrew those funds before the fraud could be detected. The government has identified at least $300,000 in gross proceeds from that scheme. In addition to the fraudulent identity scheme, the government has identified numerous other instances in which the defendant has possessed false identification documents, bank records, and bank cards for individuals other than himself. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.


title: District Man Sentenced to More Than 20 years in Prison for Deadly Shooting That Left One Dead and Two Injured

body_text: WASHINGTON – Glenn Dolford, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 270 months in prison for 2nd degree murder while armed, aggravated assault while armed, and assault with a deadly weapon, for killing one man and shooting two others in February of 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Judge Maribeth Raffinan ordered five years of supervised release. On February 2, 2020, Dolford fatally shot Raheem Murray and wounded two other people in the 4000 block of 3rd Street, SE. Dolford pleaded guilty on February 17, 2023. On February 2, 2020, at approximately 4:00 PM, a dark colored sedan pulled into the 4000 block of 3rd Street, SE, where the three victims were standing on the sidewalk discussing where they were going to watch the Super Bowl. The dark colored sedan slowed to a stop in the middle of the street at which time the defendant and another individual got out of the passenger side of the car and began shooting rifle styled firearms at the three victims. Police found 57 rifle cartridge casings at the scene. Victim Marco Harper ran from the scene after sustaining two gunshot wounds; victim Corvell Hayden was able to get himself to the end of the block where he collapsed having suffered 10 gunshot wounds. Raheem Murray fell to the ground. The defendant ran to Mr. Murray and, from inches away, shot Mr. Murray in the head with his rifle style weapon. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the officers and detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Marybeth Manfreda, who prosecuted the case.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Gary Payton, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 20, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Payton to imprisonment for 72 months. Upon release from prison, Payton will be required to complete a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. On June 29, 2022, Lancaster County Sherriff’s deputies observed a red Camaro with an inoperable driver’s side taillight. They initiated a traffic stop. While approaching the vehicle, officers saw the driver attempting to give something to the passenger. The driver, identified as Gary Payton, told the deputy that his license was suspended. Another deputy spoke with the passenger. The passenger produced a Nebraska identification card and deputies determined that her driver’s license was also suspended. One of the deputies observed an open alcoholic beverage container behind the passenger seat and within reaching distance of both Payton and the passenger. Deputies searched the Camaro and its contents. A deputy opened the passenger’s bag found on the front passenger side where she had been sitting and observed a large gallon-sized bag containing suspected methamphetamine. Within the gallon-sized bag were four bags containing suspected methamphetamine. Deputies performed a field test on the substance in one of the bags and confirmed that the substance was methamphetamine. Payton and the passenger were both arrested. Deputies seized Payton’s phone and obtained a warrant to search it. The search of the phone yielded evidence of communications between the passenger and Payton. In one communication, Payton sent the passenger a photo of two bags of suspected methamphetamine. They also found evidence of communications with others relating to drug trafficking. The suspected methamphetamine from the vehicle was sent to the lab for testing. The lab determined there were 193.7 grams of methamphetamine, a distribution quantity. The passenger was indicted by the Grand Jury in a separate case, which is pending before the Court. This case was investigated by the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for the Unlawful Storage of Explosive Materials

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Kalem L. Barber, 24, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for the unlawful storage of explosive materials. United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson sentenced Barber to two years’ probation and 50 hours of community service. There is no parole in the federal system. Magistrate Judge Nelson also ordered Barber to pay a $500 fine. On November 26, 2021, Douglas County Sherriff’s Deputies responded to an explosion of a porta potty located at a construction site in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska. Deputies reported that multiple juveniles were present and immediately fled the area after the explosion. Information obtained during the course of the investigation resulted in a December 2, 2021, FBI search warrant of an Omaha residence where Barber had been living. Within the residence the FBI found explosive materials to include approximately 20lbs of flash powder located in an unsecured box-styled container. Barber was using the explosive materials to make homemade fireworks. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Grand Island Man Convicted for Possession of Fraudulent COVID-19 Vaccination Cards Bearing Official U.S. Insignia

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jason C. Olderbak, 35, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for unlawful possession of official U.S. insignia. Olderbak was sentenced to two years of probation, a $3,000 fine, and 50 hours of community service. There is no parole in the federal system. On or about July 30, 2021, Jason Olderbak purchased approximately 21 false COVID-19 vaccination cards online. On August 3, 2021, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) received the package as it was entering the United States from overseas. Recognizing the package as being similar to other fraudulent packages, CBP opened the package and discovered the 21 fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards. A search warrant was received to perform a controlled delivery for the package. The search warrant was executed on August 18, 2021. Olderbak’s cellphone and other electronic devices were also seized during the investigation. Later examination of those devices revealed web history consistent with the purchase of the fraudulent vaccination cards. Legitimate COVID-19 vaccination cards are produced in the United States and are shipped directly to medical professionals alongside the COVID-19 vaccination doses the cards are intended to go with. Each true COVID-19 vaccination card bears the seal of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which is a public health agency of the United States Federal Government under the Department of Health and Human Services. The cards ordered and received by Olderbak were nearly identical to legitimate COVID-19 vaccination cards. The seal/insignia of the CDC was affixed to the false COVID-19 vaccination card documents purchased and received by Olderbak. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Georgia urgent care chain agrees to pay $1,600,000 to resolve False Claim Act allegations

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - CRH Healthcare, LLC and Peachtree Immediate Care FP, LLC agreed to pay $1,600,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by submitting improperly upcoded Evaluation and Management claims to Medicare for the testing and treatment of patients with suspected exposure to COVID-19 during the Coronavirus pandemic. “Health care professionals provided an invaluable service to the public during the Coronavirus pandemic. But medical practices that seek to misrepresent the services they provide to patients, and to improperly profit from such practices, must be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The Department of Justice will work diligently to protect taxpayer dollars by ensuring that medical providers fairly and accurately bill federal health care programs.” "When providers submit improper claims to Medicare, they waste valuable taxpayer dollars," said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "Health care providers played a critical role in keeping our nation safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, and HHS-OIG is committed to protecting federal health care programs from fraud, waste, and abuse to ensure they can be used for their intended purposes." “The FBI is thankful for the honesty of the whistleblowers who stepped forward to identify this alleged fraud,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue reports of medical facilities filing false or misleading claims, choices that ultimately rob our citizens.” The FCA is a federal law that imposes civil liability on any persons or entities who submit, or cause to be submitted, false claims for payment to the federal government or its contractors. It imposes treble damages (that is, three times the loss caused by the false claims) and a civil penalty between $13,508 to $27,018 per false claim. The FCA is the primary authority used by the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to redress fraud, waste, and abuse within federal programs, including Medicare. This civil settlement resolves lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by former employees of CRH Healthcare, LLC, under the qui tam , or whistleblower provisions, of the FCA. Under the FCA, private citizens may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government. The whistleblowers will share in $320,000 from the settlement in this matter. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The civil settlement was reached by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andres H. Sandoval. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. 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 . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Convicted Felon Indicted For Possession Of Firearm And Ammunition

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging John Alexis (30, Kissimmee) with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted, Alexis faces up to 15 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, on July 17, 2022, Alexis possessed a Smith & Wesson 9mm semiautomatic pistol and 27 rounds of Federal 9mm ammunition. Alexis had previously been convicted of three felonies including: battery on a police officer, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone, and possession of a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. As a convicted felon, Alexis is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. 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.