title: Phoenix Man Arrested for Making Online Death Threats Against the President and Vice President

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. –David Michael Hanson, 41, of Phoenix, was arrested on Wednesday for making online threats against the President and Vice-President. Hanson was charged by federal criminal complaint on Tuesday with five counts of Threats Against the President and Successors to the Presidency and five counts of Interstate Communication of Threats. The complaint alleges that in November and December of 2023, while living in Arizona, Hanson used a social media platform to post threats to murder the President and Vice President of the United States. On November 19, 2023, Hanson posted online a series of threatening statements including one that stated, “#joeAndKamala I’m asking you to resign on Monday your alternative is death brutally murdered.” After the U.S. Secret Service spoke to Hanson and warned him that it was a federal crime to post such threats, on December 23, 2023, Hanson posted another series of similar threats aimed at the President and Vice-President. Each count of Threats Against the President and Successors to the Presidency carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count of Interstate Communication of Threats carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The United States Secret Service is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 24-6010MJ RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-010_Hanson # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on January 22, 2024. Taryn Peter Ducheneaux, age 35, was sentenced to 12 months and one day 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. Ducheneaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 22, 2023. In the early morning hours of August 13, 2022, Ducheneaux and several other people were at a bonfire at a home in Eagle Butte. The victim parked his car across the street to pick up some clothing from a neighbor. Following some verbal sparring, an altercation broke out between the victim, Ducheneaux, and several others. During the fracas, Ducheneaux struck the victim on the head with a baseball bat. The victim incurred a serious brain injury during the fight. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Ducheneaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Monterey Caterer Charged With Defrauding The Government Out Of $4 Million In Covid-Relief Funds

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Dory Lindsay Ford with charges related to COVID fraud, including bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office; and Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Weston King. According to the indictment, Ford, 57, of Monterey, California, operated a catering company called Aqua Terra Culinary, Inc. (Aqua Terra). During the pandemic, Ford applied for and received approximately $4 million in loans and grants from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. Section 5003 of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) established the RRF and appropriated $28.6 billion to the SBA for the purpose of making grants under the RRF. The SBA awarded funding through the RRF to restaurants, bars, and similar businesses serving food and drink. The purpose of this funding was to provide support to eligible entities that suffered revenue losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and related mitigation measures. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program is an SBA program that provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. According to the indictment, Ford obtained approximately $4 million in PPP, RRF, and EIDL funds by using false and fraudulent, representations, promises, and omissions and concealed material facts. The indictment alleges that Ford used the COVID-19 loan and grant money to purchase real estate properties in the country of Belize, to invest in the stock market, and to fund a different business venture instead of using the loan money for proper expenses, such as payroll costs, rent or mortgage payments, and supplies. The indictment charges Ford with bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344, as well as three counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and two counts of money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Ford faces a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $1 million for bank fraud; a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 for each count of wire fraud; and a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 for both counts of money laundering. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Ford’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 31, 2024, before the Honorable Virginia K. DeMarchi, United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California. Assistant United State Attorney Neal C. Hong is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is a result of an investigation by CI and SBA-OIG.


title: St. Francis Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on January 22, 2024. Edward Wilson, a/k/a Eddie Wilson, age 41, was sentenced to three years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Wilson was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He was convicted of Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender on October 5, 2023, after a three-day jury trial. On May 29, 2023, shortly after 8:00 am, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services responded to St. Francis after the victim called 911 reporting an assault. The victim reported to officers that Wilson had assaulted her the night prior, punching her in the face and kicking her in the body numerous times. The responding officers noticed marks on the victim’s face and body consistent with her statement. Wilson has previously been convicted of domestic assault on two separate occasions in U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case. Wilson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Tucker County man admits to federal firearms charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jeffrey D. Hebb, age 53, of Thomas, West Virginia, has admitted to possession of an unregistered firearm. According to court documents, officers were called to a home in Tucker County on reports of shots fired and threats. Hebb was found at the home with an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. During the investigation, two unregistered explosive devices were found in Hebb’s home. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; and the Tucker County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided. ###


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 10 years in Prison for Drug and Firearm Offenses

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

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – David Jackson, 45, of Springfield, Illinois, was sentenced on January 24, 2024, to an aggregate sentence of 120 months in the Bureau of Prisons for distribution of heroin and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Jackson will also be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release following that sentence of imprisonment. At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Jackson prepared, packaged, and sold heroin while in possession of a firearm. Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid found that Jackson qualified as a career offender based on certain prior convictions. Jackson remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, where he has been since his federal arrest on June 8, 2022. The defendant pleaded guilty on July 5, 2023, before Judge Shadid. The statutory penalties for distribution of heroin are up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine. The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime require a minimum sentence of 60 months’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence in the case. The Springfield Police Department’s Pro-Active Crime Unit investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Jackson is part of a committed effort to combat gun violence in Sangamon County, Illinois, by law enforcement including the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The firearms case against Washington 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: Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping and Assaulting U.S. Army Soldiers in Colombia

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Colombian national pleaded guilty today, in Miami, Florida, to kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. Army soldiers who were on temporary duty in Bogota, Colombia. According to court documents, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, 36, and his co-conspirators targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogota. On the evening of March 5, 2020, the two victims were in an entertainment district in Bogota. They visited a pub, where Arango and his co-conspirators incapacitated the two victims by putting drugs, including benzodiazepines, in their drinks. They then kidnapped the victims and took their wallets, debit cards, credits cards, and cell phones. Arango and his co-conspirators used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money. The two victims lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated. Arango pleaded guilty to kidnapping an internationally protected person, conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person, assaulting an internationally protected person, and conspiracy to assault an internationally protected person. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In May 2023, Arango was extradited from Colombia to the United States pursuant to a U.S. extradition request. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogota, and U.S. Marshals Service worked with Colombian law enforcement authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Arango. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila L. Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-CR-20173. ###


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Highlights January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To commemorate the month, U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell renewed the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to bringing traffickers to justice, assisting trafficked victims, and enhancing public awareness through community outreach. Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion that is physical and/or psychological. The exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion is used by the trafficker. “Human trafficking does not adhere to social or educational boundaries—it can happen to anyone,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell. “That’s why my office is committed to working alongside our partners in law enforcement to prevent human trafficking and to bring offenders to justice.” To enhance awareness and educate the community about human trafficking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has released a public service announcement, available here , about how to identify potential trafficking situations and where to report suspected trafficking activity. Recent Human Trafficking Prosecutions In the last year alone, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s anti-trafficking efforts resulted in notable prosecutions that have led to federal charges, convictions, and prison sentences against individual traffickers: United States v. Daniel Kubica : On March 23, 2023, Daniel Kubica, 39, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged with multiple federal offenses relating to sex trafficking of women in the Black Hills and elsewhere. Kubica is charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; benefitting from sex trafficking; and using a facility of interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise. Between August 31, 2022, and September 29, 2022, Kubica facilitated an illegal commercial sex operation, through which at least three females in the Black Hills area, and other women in the United States, engaged in commercial sexual activity through Kubica’s use of force, threats, and coercion. Kubica is currently scheduled for a federal jury trial on March 26, 2024. United States v. Gordon Weston : On January 10, 2024, a federal jury in Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted Gordon Weston, 57, of Oglala, South Dakota, of Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Commercial Sex Trafficking. Weston was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2021. Weston was employed as the Activities Coordinator at the Emergency Youth Shelter in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, from 2009 to 2021. Weston commonly requested juvenile females who stayed at the shelter to be “friends” with him on Facebook after they had left the shelter. Weston contacted at least one juvenile female and offered her money and transportation in exchange for sexual encounters with him. Weston is awaiting sentencing. United States v. John Ray Heath : In March of 2023, John Ray Heath, 52, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was indicted for using the internet to attempt to sexually exploit a minor. The charge related to Heath attempting to meet an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old female for sex. The individual was actually an undercover law enforcement officer engaged in proactive policing of sex offenders. During the investigation, the law enforcement officer discovered that Heath was sex trafficking a minor and sexually exploiting multiple other females in the Rapid City area. Heath was thereafter indicted for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; sexual exploitation of a minor; enticement of a minor using the internet, and other federal sex offenses. Heath pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor and is scheduled for sentencing on March 1, 2024. United States v. Odarie Massiah : On August 2, 2023, Odarie Massiah, 33, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was charged with Commercial Sex Trafficking of an adult female by force, threats of force, fraud and coercion between July 1, 2020, and August 8, 2022. The defendant is alleged to have benefited financially from the commercial sex acts in which he caused his adult victim to engage. He is scheduled for trial on February 20, 2024. United States v. Richard Alan Kucera & Ivy Rose Heron : On November 1, 2023, Richard Alan Kucera, 65, and Ivy Rose Heron, 35, both of Winner, South Dakota, were charged with three counts of Sex Trafficking of Minors between April 3, 2019, and July 31, 2021. Kucera was also charged with three additional counts of Producing Child Pornography. Both defendants are scheduled for trial on March 19, 2024. United States v. Sheyenne Rodriguez : On August 17, 2023, Sheyenne Rodriguez, 41, of Wakpala, South Dakota, was indicted for sex trafficking of a child and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In March of 2021, Rodriguez is alleged to have recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and provided a minor to engage in a commercial sex act in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere. Rodriguez is currently scheduled for a federal jury trial on June 4, 2024. United States v. Zeng Quiang Yang : On May 3, 2022, Zeng Quiang Yang, 46, of Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, was charged with Unlawful Employment of Aliens. He pleaded guilty to the charge. Between January of 2019 and May of 2020, Yang was the manager of a restaurant in Huron, South Dakota. During that time frame, Yang knowingly employed unauthorized aliens. On December 11, 2023, he was sentenced to one year of probation. United States v. William Godoy : On December 6, 2022, a superseding indictment was filed, charging William Godoy, 33, of Guatemala, with Illegal Reentry After Deportation; two counts of Trafficking with Respect to Slavery; two counts of Harboring/Concealing Illegal Aliens; and two counts of Encouraging or Inducing an Alien to come to, enter, or reside in the US. Godoy is scheduled for trial on February 13, 2024. Online Sex Trafficking Operations: In collaboration with several law enforcement partners, there were two joint online sex-trafficking operations in 2023, as part of Project Safe Childhood. The undercover sex trafficking operations target internet predators and illustrate proactive efforts by law enforcement to apprehend would-be exploiters. Via electronic devices and social apps, the perpetrators typically negotiate a time and place to meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When they arrive at the pre-determined location to meet the minor, they are instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest. The first operation ran from March 3, 2023, through March 8, 2023, and resulted in the arrest and indictment of six men from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. All six men were charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The second sting operation ran August 4, 2023, through August 10, 2023, during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. As a result of this operation, four Rapid City, South Dakota, men and one Box Elder, South Dakota, man were arrested. Four were charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and one was charged with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor If you believe you are the victim of human trafficking or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or send a text to 233733. You can also submit a tip online , through the FBI Field Office at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or through your local law enforcement agency. ###


title: Halibut Cove woman pleads guilty, sentenced on federal navigation interference charges

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Halibut Cove woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years’ probation, with three months of the probation spent in home confinement, a $9,500 fine and is required to give up her mariner’s license after she attempted to interfere with the navigation of a seaplane using a boat. According to court documents, on Aug. 23, 2022, Marian Beck, 70, operated a boat in a reckless manner by making several close passing maneuvers in front of a seaplane while it was taxiing out of the waterway. The seaplane was full of passengers participating in a bear and sightseeing tour via the plane. Beck is a licensed mariner and operates commercially in Halibut Cove and the surrounding area. Beck is required to relinquish her Master-Captain’s license to the U.S. Coast Guard as part of her sentence. The U.S. District Court imposed three years’ probation, including a requirement of three months’ home confinement, citing that the defendant’s actions created a reckless and dangerous situation and factored into the court’s decision. During the hearing, the court commented that the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense and sends a message to industry professionals to deter future criminal actions. “Ms. Beck’s conscious disregard for the safety of the pilot and his passengers will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Seaplanes are an integral piece of Alaska, and the pilots and passengers of these planes should be free to operate and travel freely within the state and elsewhere without harassment in their day-to-day operations.” “The Coast Guard Investigative Service values the safety of all mariners, and will not tolerate dangerous and deliberate acts that endanger the lives of others. We thank the local community for their tips and their patience as this case was investigated and brought to resolution,” said Paul M. Shultz, Special Agent in Charge of the Coast Guard Investigative Service Northwest Field Office. “The Coast Guard fully supports the just result in this case,” said Rear Admiral Megan Dean, Commander of the Coast Guard’s 17th District. “We want every mariner to operate their vessel safely and in compliance with the law.” The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Northwest Field Office, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gavelek are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Connecticut Woman Sentenced for Role in Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking in Franklin County

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Connecticut woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for possessing fentanyl and cocaine base with the intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Chrissie LaForge , 43, to 18 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. LaForge pleaded guilty on June 5, 2023. According to court records, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the suspected trafficking of illegal narcotics out of a residence in Avon. Over the course of several months, law enforcement observed vehicles parked at the residence rented or owned by LaForge that stayed for short durations. The investigation produced evidence that a drug trafficking organization was operating out of the residence and that LaForge was renting vehicles in Connecticut for others to transport narcotics to the residence or was transporting them herself. In July 2020, investigators executed a search warrant and found LaForge inside the residence and a vehicle she had rented in Connecticut in the driveway. Investigators seized approximately $1,200 in cash from LaForge’s pocket and found 44.9 grams of fentanyl and 12.65 grams of cocaine base in her purse. She admitted to investigators that she brought the drugs to the residence and planned to pick up between $5,000 and $6,000 in drug proceeds during this visit. Investigators also seized $8,863 in cash, digital scales with residue powder, baggies, straws, hypodermic needles, and other drug paraphernalia. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. ###


title: Mexican Mafia Associate Found Guilty of Participating in Attack in Orange County Jail That Left Victim with His Throat Slashed

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – An associate of the Mexican Mafia prison gang has been found guilty by a jury of federal charges for participating in an attack on a fellow Orange County jail inmate in 2019, an assault that left the victim with his throat slashed, the Justice Department announced today. Robert Amezcua, 52, a.k.a. “Flaco,” of Santa Ana, was found guilty Thursday afternoon of one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR), namely, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, Amezcua is a member of the Madison Park clique of the Santa Ana-based Lopers street gang and an associate of the Mexican Mafia. On December 31, 2019, Amezcua took part in the assault of another inmate at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange. Amezcua delivered more than 20 blows to the victim while another inmate, using a razor blade, slashed the victim’s throat. The victim survived the attack. Amezcua is one of 31 defendants charged in a 33-count federal grand jury indictment brought in 2022. United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney scheduled a May 20 sentencing hearing at which time Amezcua will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Of the other two inmates charged with this assault and attempted murder, Mher Darbinyan, 48, a.k.a. “Hollywood Mike,” of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty on January 3 to conspiracy to commit assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and admitted in his plea agreement that he and two co-conspirators assaulted the victim. Darbinyan’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 22. Robert Martinez, 41, a.k.a. “Lil Rob” and “Blacky,” of Placentia, another defendant charged in the 2019 attack, is scheduled for trial on June 25 on this charge and additional charges. Of the 31 defendants charged in the original indictment, a total of four have been convicted at trial, consisting of three convicted of VICAR murder in October 2023, and Amezcua. An additional 15 have pleaded guilty. Three defendants remain for trial scheduled in April on charges of VICAR murder. An additional nine defendants remain scheduled for trial on racketeering, VICAR murder, and related charges on June 25. The FBI; the Santa Ana Police Department; the Orange County Sheriff’s Department; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; the Anaheim Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Orange County Probation Department; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Scally and Greg Staples of the Santa Ana Branch Office and Trial Attorneys Chris Matthews and Grace Bowen of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.


title: District Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Aggravated Assault of a Senior Citizen

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Alexander Adams, 35, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to two counts of aggravated assault of a senior citizen, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced. Adams was sentenced to 96 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. Adams pled guilty on December 4, 2023. He has been in custody since February 24, 2022. According to the government’s evidence, around 11:10 p.m. on February 23, 2022, two senior citizens, then 78-year-old victim #1 and then 79-year-old victim #2, were randomly approached by Adams outside of the Giant located in the 3700 block of Newark Street in Northwest D.C., who asked them for five dollars. When victim #1 gave the defendant one dollar, the defendant declared, “That is not enough!” and began attacking victim #1 and victim #2. Adams first struck victim #1 with his fist, causing victim #1 to fall and then began beating victim #2 with victim #1’s wooden cane about her head and body. His attack caused her to fall backward and hit her head on the concrete. District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel, who were nearby saw the attack and were able to act immediately and transport victim #2 to the hospital. As a result of the attack, victim #2 suffered numerous injuries including a concussion, a brain bleed, swelling on the brain, altered mental state and cognitive deficits. Victim #2 suffers from severe cognitive decline to this day and will likely never recover. In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah Simmons, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark and Paralegal Specialists Cynthia Muhammad, ReShawn Johnson, Tiffany Jones, and Richard Cheatham. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Last member of robbery crew targeting shoppers pleads guilty

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 24, Wayne Tarpley, 30, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty for his involvement in a series of armed robberies targeting retail shoppers. Tarpley’s co-defendants, Tyreke Lafane Jackson, 23, and Da’Vontae Bobby McCrae, 23, both of Miami, previously pleaded guilty. Tarpley, Jackson, and McCrae pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. According to the agreed upon factual proffers, on Aug. 19, 2022, McCrae and Tarpley discussed going “Downtown [to] lurk the jewelers [and] see who walk in with a big bag obvious money … and follow [them] or if it’s sweet get em where they stand.” Later that day, Jackson crashed a car into a vehicle leaving the Design District. McCrae and Tarpley got out of the car and robbed the victims, at gunpoint, of a watch they had just purchased. Tarpley and McCrae also admitted their involvement in a Sept. 13, 2022, robbery where they chased, tackled, pistol whipped and robbed a victim who was walking to an event. Tarpley is scheduled to be sentenced on Apr. 23. Jackson and McCrae are scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, and Feb. 23, respectively, before U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams. The defendants face up to life in prison. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales of the Miami Police Department (MPD), and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the guilty pleas. MPD and ATF Miami Field Division investigated the case with assistance from the Miami-Dade Police Department. Lapointe thanked the State Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arielle Klepach and Hayden P. O’Byrne are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture. This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, and the community, to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Anyone with information related to possible gun crimes is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-20132. ###


title: Attorney Pleads Guilty to Contempt for Violating Protective Order

body_text: WASHINGTON – David Kenner, 82, of Encino, California, pleaded guilty today to misdemeanor criminal contempt and was sentenced to one year of probation and a $5,000 fine in connection with his failure to abide by the terms of a protective order in case for which he was counsel of record. Kenner was counsel of record for the defendant in United States v. Prakazrel Michel , Case No. 19-cr-148, a criminal case pending before the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. On March 3, 2023, the attorneys representing the Government in that matter filed a motion for order to show cause, asking the Court to bring contempt charges. The motion was referred to the Honorable Amit P. Mehta for consideration and granted following an investigation. Kenner pleaded guilty to one count of contempt before Judge Mehta after entering into a plea agreement with the United States. According to Court documents, as counsel of record, Kenner was provided discovery materials by the United States subject to a Protective Order which the limited disclosure and use of the discovery material. The Order required that, “[b]efore first disclosing discovery material or its contents [to any individual] … the defendant or his attorneys of record must give to the individual… a copy of this Order, and maintain a copy signed and dated by the individual … until such time as all appeals in this matter (if any) are concluded.” In late November 2022, the Defendant was introduced to two members of the news media from Bloomberg Media. In early December 2022, the Defendant agreed to share discovery materials with the two members of the news media and asked them to sign a copy of the Protective Order, which they did. Shortly thereafter, the members of the news media ripped Protective Order, in the presence of the Defendant, and expressed concerns with having signed it. Contemporaneous with this conversation an individual acting with the Defendant’s authorization arranged for the members of the news media to be given access to the database procured by the defense team to hold the discovery materials. The Defendant did not take any proactive steps to prevent them from obtaining access or to withdraw his authorization. On March 2, 2023, the members of the news media published multiple articles containing information derived from the discovery materials and reflecting the discovery materials’ content. The next day, the Defendant admitted to the Court in United States v. Prakazrel Michel , 19-cr-148, that information had been shared with the members of the news media, but did not disclose to the Court that the members of the news media had destroyed their copies of the Protective Order before being given access to the discovery materials, in contravention of the Protective Order’s requirements. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Hooks and Elizabeth Aloi of the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Unit.


title: Stowaway on Los Angeles-Bound Flight from Denmark Found Guilty

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Russian man was found guilty by a jury today of a federal crime for boarding a flight from Denmark to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) without a ticket, passport or visa last November. Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava, 46, who held both Russian and Israeli passports, was found guilty of one count of being a stowaway on an aircraft, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, on November 3, 2023, Ochigava tailgated an unsuspecting passenger through a security turnstile at Copenhagen Airport in Denmark so that he could enter one of the airport’s terminals without a boarding pass. The next day, he passed through the boarding gate undetected and stowed away aboard a Scandinavian Airlines flight to Los Angeles. During the flight, the cabin crew noticed Ochigava because he moved between multiple unassigned seats. When the flight landed in Los Angeles on the afternoon of November 4, Ochigava encountered Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the immigration checkpoint at LAX. CBP officers were unable to find any record of Ochigava and discovered that he was not listed as a passenger on that particular Scandinavian Airlines flight or any other incoming international flight. Ochigava was unable to produce a passport, a visa, or other travel document to enter the United States. In response to CBP officers’ questions, Ochigava gave false and misleading information about his travel to the United States, including telling CBP that he left his passport on the airplane. Ochigava has been in federal custody since his arrest at LAX on November 4, 2023. United States District Judge George H. Wu scheduled a February 5 sentencing hearing for Ochigava. The FBI and CBP investigated this matter. The United States received additional assistance from the Copenhagen Airport Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason A. Gorn and Brandon E. Martinez-Jones of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Lake Worth woman and man convicted of sex trafficking two young girls

body_text: MIAMI – A Lake Worth woman and a man pleaded guilty in federal district court to four counts of sex trafficking two minor girls on Jan. 23 and Jan. 9, respectively. As part of their guilty pleas, Maria Eugenia Barrios Calero, 44, admitted that she planned with Ricardo Tobon Flores, 44, for Flores to pay her for having sex with two minor girls at a motel in Lake Worth, Florida. On Aug. 6, 2023, a local motel owner observed two young females in a hotel room sitting on a bed, while Flores argued with another male about paying for the motel room and Calero stood by. The motel owner contacted law enforcement while Calero and Flores drove off in a car with the two young females. Calero, Flores and the young females then returned to the motel. Law enforcement officers from the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, who had responded to the scene, confirmed that Flores and Calero had engaged in commercial sex trafficking of the two minor females. Law enforcement officers discovered that Flores had paid $200 to have sex with both underage females and had coordinated the transaction with Calero, who was to take $50 from each girl for having sex with Flores. Calero’s sentencing is scheduled for April 2, at 11:00 a.m. Flores’s sentencing is scheduled for March 14, at 11:00 a.m., both before U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg in West Palm Beach. Calero and Flores each face up to life in prison, lifetime supervised release, and payment of restitution to his victims. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) announced the guilty plea. HSI West Palm Beach Office and PBSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is prosecuting it. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov or https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/project-safe-childhood . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-80181. ###


title: Brandon Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing a Firearm During Convenience Store Robberies

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. - A Brandon man pleaded guilty today to brandishing a firearm during two convenience store robberies. According to court documents and admissions during public court proceedings, Tramaine Jadell Pettaway, 35, used a firearm to commit two convenience store robberies along with another individual in January and February of 2018. One store was in Clinton and the other was in Ridgeland. The Ridgeland Police Department was able to arrest both Pettaway and his co-defendant after a short chase following the Ridgeland convenience store robbery in February 2018. Pettaway and his co-defendant have been in custody since their 2018 arrest. Pettaway is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years in prison up to a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, as to each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Ridgeland Police Department, the Clinton Police Department, and the FBI are investigating the case. Deputy Criminal Chief S. Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Former Federal Employees Sentenced for Conspiracy to Steal Proprietary U.S. Government Software and Databases

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Three former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees were sentenced today in the District of Columbia for a conspiracy to steal proprietary software and sensitive law-enforcement databases from the U.S. government for use in a commercial venture. Charles K. Edwards, 63, of Sandy Spring, Maryland, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison. In January 2022, Edwards pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government property and to defraud the United States and theft of government property. Sonal Patel, 49, of Sterling, Virginia, was sentenced to two years of probation. In April 2019, Patel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government property. Murali Y. Venkata, 58, of Aldie, Virginia, was sentenced to four months in prison. In April 2022, a jury convicted Venkata of conspiracy to commit theft of government property and to defraud the United States, theft of government property, wire fraud, and destruction of records. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Edwards was the former Acting Inspector General of the DHS Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). Patel and Venkata were employed in DHS-OIG’s information technology department. Edwards, Patel, and Venkata were all previously employed at the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). Edwards, Patel, and Venkata conspired to steal proprietary U.S. software and databases containing sensitive law-enforcement information and the personally identifiable information (PII) of over 200,000 federal employees from DHS-OIG and USPS-OIG. They planned to use the stolen software and databases to create a commercial software product to be offered for sale to government agencies. As part of the scheme, the co-conspirators disclosed the stolen software and databases containing PII to software developers located in India. After Venkata learned of the investigation, he deleted incriminating text messages and other communications in an effort to obstruct the investigation. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of DHS-OIG, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Michael Ray of USPS-OIG made the announcement. DHS-OIG and USPS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Celia Choy of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Macey for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case, with significant assistance from former PIN Senior Litigation Counsel Victor Salgado and former Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kent.


title: Armed Drug Dealer Convicted of Drug and Gun Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Chicago man who distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and was found in possession of a firearm, was convicted by a jury on January 25, 2024, after a four‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Antonio Rayshaun Evans, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned yesterday following about one hour and thirty minutes of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that beginning in the summer of 2021 and continuing to March 2023, Evans distributed over 70 pounds of methamphetamine and significant amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine. On April 2, 2023, Evans distributed four pounds of methamphetamine, and on April 11, 2023, Evans distributed four ounces of cocaine. On April 18, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped Evans’ vehicle and arrested him. A closer inspection of Evans’ vehicle revealed a hidden compartment in the dash of the vehicle, which contained a firearm, over 26 grams of crack cocaine, and over 12 grams of fentanyl. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Evans remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Evans faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $44,500,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23‑CR‑02033‑CJW. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Moss Point Man Sentenced to 5 years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. -- A Moss Point man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents, on April 15, 2022, Anthony Loyd Parson, Jr., 37, fled on foot after making an erratic stop in a vehicle he was driving when Moss Point Police Department officers were attempting to conduct a traffic stop. Officers found outside Parson’s door a cell phone and a firearm with a serial number that had been removed. Parson had previous felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and a drive-by shooting. Parson was indicted by a federal grand jury, and he pled guilty on October 19, 2023. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Moss Point Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case.


title: Urbana Man Sentenced to Three Decades in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Child

body_text: A man who sexually exploited a child was sentenced January 25, 2024, to 30 years in federal prison. Michael Heinitz, age 20, of Urbana, received the sentence after an August 4, 2023, guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of a child. At the plea hearing, Heinitz admitted that, between August and September 2022, he recorded sexually explicit videos of a four-year-old girl. Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing showed that Heinitz distributed, received, and possessed child pornography. Heinitz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Heinitz was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $21,000 in restitution to seven victims depicted in child pornography he possessed. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term, and he must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Dupuich and Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Urbana Police Department, and the Iowa State Patrol. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is CR 23-33. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Receives Statutory Maximum Decade in Prison for Possessing Ammunition While a Drug User

body_text: A Cedar Rapids man who possessed ammunition and firearms while being a drug user was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison. Booker Deon McKinney, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2023 guilty plea to possession of ammunition by a drug user. Evidence at sentencing showed that on April 17, 2021, McKinney was in a vehicle with a juvenile male. Police officers searched the vehicle and located a privately made firearm, also known as a ghost gun, with an extended magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. McKinney’s DNA was located on the firearm, and he later admitted handling the weapon. During 2020 and 2021, McKinney used another individual to purchase firearms for him. McKinney later assaulted that same person and was convicted of Assault Causing Bodily Injury, Domestic Abuse, Strangulation. McKinney also admitted to handling a firearm in 2022 that was used in an incident where shots were fired in the area around his parents’ residence. McKinney was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. McKinney was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. McKinney is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. His sentence was ordered to run consecutive to his state conviction in the strangulation case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-cr-2. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA


title: District Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Stabbing Homicide in Southeast Washington

body_text: WASHINGTON – Michael Caldwell, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 12 years of incarceration today for the June 4, 2023, stabbing of a man on the sidewalk in Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Caldwell pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed on August 14, 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Caldwell to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, on June 4, 2023, Caldwell was in the 4300 block of Halley Terrace SE, around 11:30 p.m. The victim, Damien Thompson, 44, and Caldwell got into a verbal dispute on the street. Mr. Thompson threw a bottle at Caldwell, and the two continued to argue. At one point, Mr. Thompson grabbed a plastic chair to throw at Caldwell, but before he could do so, Caldwell lunged at Mr. Thompson, and stabbed him in the face. Mr. Thompson fell to the ground unconscious. Caldwell then proceeded to stab Mr. Thompson eight more times in the chest as he laid helpless and defenseless on the ground. Mr. Thompson died from his injuries a short time later. In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Hall, who prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance by Paralegal Specialist Lisa Minott and Victim Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez.


title: Former Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Fentanyl and Other Controlled Substances

body_text: A Sioux City, Iowa nurse who stole fentanyl, morphine, hydromorphone, and hydrocodone was sentenced today to 9 months in federal prison. Morgan Miralles, age 32, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 30, 2023, guilty plea to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters. Evidence in the case revealed that as early as April 2020, and continuing through August 2022, Miralles diverted controlled substances that were supposed to be dispensed to patients and kept them for her for her own personal use. Miralles falsified documents on an almost weekly basis by omitting information from log entries designed to track the disbursement of controlled substances. Miralles further admitted that in a “petty and vindictive” act of revenge, she stole vials of Benedryl after not receiving a promotion. Miralles was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand 9 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Miralles was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons a date to be determined. The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4049. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Marion Man Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Ice Methamphetamine

body_text: A man who sold over 30 pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 20 years in federal prison. Robert Lee Michael Bates, age 31, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 2, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at prior hearings in the case showed that David Belton, a/k/a “Blood,” and others orchestrated shipments of between 30 to 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine between Los Angeles, California, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, between 2017 and March 2022. Belton paid other individuals to transport the ice methamphetamine, typically in a vehicle that contained a specially made hidden compartment. Once the ice methamphetamine arrived in Cedar Rapids, Belton or his associate would retrieve the methamphetamine and distribute it to other members of the organization for sale to customers. Evidence at prior hearings showed that Bates was intercepted over a wiretap of phones used by the Belton organization. Evidence showed Bates was ordering pounds of ice methamphetamine and 100 ecstasy pills from the organization. Bates was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Bates was sentenced to 248 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Bates is the last of twelve co‑defendants in the investigation to be sentenced: Kiyonte Levell Sowell was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment; Albert Henry Bailey was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment; Jesus Vera was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment; Calub Joseph Storlie was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment; Christopher Eric Curley was sentenced to 175 months’ imprisonment; David Poitier Belton was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment; Derek Michael Mims was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment; Phillip Lanell Rogers was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment; Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr. was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment; Elmer Mims was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment; and Timothy Michael Webber was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. Bates is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.


title: Houston dental clinic operator convicted in $6M pediatric fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON - A 68-year-old man has pleaded guilty in a $6 million Medicaid fraud and kickback scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Rene Gaviola was the operator of Floss Family Dental Care clinic located in Houston. From 2018 until April 2021, Gaviola admitted to submitting fraudulent claims to Medicaid for pediatric dental services, including numerous cavity fillings, that Floss did not provide. Gaviola admitted he employed one individual to practice dentistry without a license on Medicaid-insured children. He also operated Floss, on occasion, without any dentists at all. Floss billed Medicaid for these dental services as if licensed dentists provided them. Gaviola also admitted to paying kickbacks to marketers and caregivers of Medicaid-insured children to bring them to Floss for dental services. Ultimately, he admitted to laundering Medicaid monies from the Floss business bank account to his personal bank account in several transactions exceeding $100,000. From 2019 to 2021, the dental clinic billed Medicaid nearly $6.9 million in claims for pediatric dental services. Medicaid paid approximately $4.9 million on those claims. “These precious Medicaid funds were intended to provide necessary dental services to low-income children in our community, not line Gaviola’s pockets,” said Hamdani. “This conviction is a reminder to all who attempt to defraud our healthcare system that we are committed to stamping out fraud and protecting the integrity of Medicaid and other federal programs.” “Gaviola took advantage of the system, and he took advantage of the children to defraud the system,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston field office. “Not only that, he also jeopardized the young patients' healthcare by putting them in the hands of unlicensed practitioners, all in the name of his greed. This case is a perfect example that healthcare fraud is not a victimless crime, and the FBI will continue to follow and uncover the fraud.” Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the guilty plea and has set sentencing for April 16. At that time, Gaviola faces up to 10 years for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, each of five substantive health care fraud counts, three counts of payment of kickbacks and six counts of money laundering as well as five years for conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. The convictions also carry as possible punishment hundreds of thousands in potential fines. Gaviola was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing. FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Olson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Valenti are prosecuting the case.


title: During National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Emphasizes The Importance Of Education, Outreach, And Community Partnerships To Disrupt Criminal Activity And Assist Survivors

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As National Human Trafficking Prevention Month draws to a close, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King continues to highlight the importance of education and outreach in the prevention, identification, and disruption of human trafficking activity, and commends community organizations for their partnership and provision of trauma-informed services to trafficking victims and survivors. “We simply cannot, and will not, live in a society where human trafficking is allowed to happen,” said U.S. Attorney King this morning during a human trafficking awareness event hosted by Present Age Ministries, an organization dedicated to the prevention of the sex trafficking of minors. Present Age Ministries is also a member of the Charlotte Metro Human Trafficking Task Force , a coalition of law enforcement, prosecutors, and service providers committed to supporting survivors and eliminating the crime of human trafficking through prevention and intervention strategies. “It is important to bring this sinister crime out of the shadows – where it thrives – and into the forefront – where it belongs – where we can learn about it, understand it, and educate others, so together we can fight against it,” U.S. Attorney King expressed in her remarks, and noted her Office’s renewed commitment to eradicating human trafficking by partnering with law enforcement agencies and the community to bring traffickers to justice, protect victims, and empower survivors. To further those efforts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has a team of experienced prosecutors and personnel that handle human trafficking cases. A federal prosecutor also serves as the Western District’s Human Trafficking Coordinator, and works closely with the Office’s Victim Witness Assistance Unit to ensure that the rights and needs of trafficking victims remain central throughout the investigation and prosecution of each case. The Victim Witness Assistance Unit also partners with the Charlotte Metro Human Trafficking Task Force and other non-governmental organizations and service providers to ensure that appropriate trauma-informed care and resources are made available to rescued trafficking victims and survivors. “Brokering relationships and building strategic partnerships at the local, state, and federal level is vital to creating a network of resources that can provide holistic support to victims of human trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney King. “I want to thank all the partner agencies, public and private, for their dedication to eradicating human trafficking and for sharing their resources, insights, and understanding of victim-centered care. Their work helps us better-serve victims and bring traffickers to justice.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office is also committed to raising awareness by educating the public on how to identify signs of human trafficking and where to report suspected trafficking activity. While there are no defining characteristics of a human trafficking situation, recognizing the signs, or indicators, is the first step in identifying this crime. The presence of one or more of the red flags below may signal a human trafficking situation that should be reported: Limited freedom – trafficking victims may have security measures in their work and/or living locations, their movements are monitored, or they are not free to come and go as they please. Lack of control – trafficking victims may have few or no personal possessions, are not in control of their money, owe a suspiciously large debt to an employer and are unable to pay it off, do not possess their identification documents and personal records, appear fearful, are unable or unwilling to communicate freely, and when they do, their answers seems scripted or rehearsed. Suspicious/Unsafe working conditions – trafficking victims may work excessively long hours with no breaks and under poor conditions, show signs of physical abuse, appear deprived of food, water, sleep, or medical care, and are under 18-years-old and engaged in commercial sex. If you encounter a potential trafficking situation and can communicate with a suspected victim without jeopardizing the victim’s safety, the following questions may assist in determining if someone is in a trafficking situation: Has someone hurt you/do you need help? Are you safe/scared? Where do you sleep and eat? Are you able to come and go as you please? Have you been hurt or threatened with violence if you attempted to leave? Has the safety of your family been threatened? Do you live with your employer? Can you leave the job if you want to? Do you owe a debt to your employer? Do you have your passport/identification? If not, who has it? If you believe you are the victim of human trafficking or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Specialists are available to answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also send a text to 233733 or submit a tip online . You can also contact the Charlotte Office of the FBI at 704-672-6100, or your local law enforcement agency. To further enhance awareness and educate the community about human trafficking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also has released a Public Service Announcement on how to identify potential trafficking situations and where to report suspected human trafficking activity.


title: Three Former Department of Homeland Security Employees Sentenced in Scheme to Defraud the United States

body_text: WASHINGTON – Three former federal employees were sentenced today for their roles in a conspiracy to steal proprietary software and sensitive law-enforcement databases from the U.S. government for use in a commercial venture. The sentencings were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS-OIG); and Inspector General Tammy Hull of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG). Murali Y. Venkata, 58, of Aldie, Va., is a former Acting Branch Chief of the Information Technology Division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS-OIG). Venkata was convicted on Apr. 11, 2023, for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, theft of government property, wire fraud, and obstruction. Venkata was sentenced to four months in prison today by U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss, who also ordered Venkata to serve two years of supervised release with eight months of home incarceration, and to serve 60 hours of community service. Charles K. Edwards, 63, of Sandy Spring, Md, was the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). In January 2022, Edwards pleaded guilty to theft of government property, and conspiracy to commit theft of government property and to defraud the United States. Edwards was sentenced by Judge Moss today to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Sonal Patel, 49, of Sterling, Va., had been employed in DHS-OIG’s information technology department. Patel was sentenced by Judge Moss today to two years probation with one year of home incarceration, and a fine of $40,000. In April 2019, Patel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government property. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Venkata, Edwards, and Patel were all previously employed at the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG). The trio conspired to steal proprietary U.S. software and databases containing sensitive law-enforcement information and the personally identifying information (PII) of over 200,000 federal employees from DHS-OIG and USPS OIG. They planned to use the stolen software and databases to create a commercial software product to be offered for sale to government agencies. As part of the scheme, the co-conspirators disclosed the stolen software and databases containing PII to software developers located in India. After Venkata learned of the investigation, he deleted incriminating text messages and other communications in an effort to obstruct the investigation. DHS-OIG and USPS OIG investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Celia Choy of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Macey for the District of Columbia. Significant assistance was provided by former PIN Senior Litigation Counsel Victor Salgado, former Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kent, and Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart.


title: Baltimore “Triple C” Gang Member Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison and Two Others Sentenced to 25 Years for a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murders and Attempted Murders

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Desmond Butler, age 26, of Baltimore, today to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy, including murders and attempted murders, related to his participation in the violent street gang known as Cruddy Conniving Crutballs or Triple C, which operated throughout Baltimore. Earlier this week, Chief Judge Bredar sentenced Triple C members Wayne Gilliam, age 28, and Tyeshawn Rivers, age 24, both of Baltimore, each to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for the same charge. The sentences were announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Departments. “When you perpetrate violence upon communities, like these defendants, you will be held accountable,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Young people must know that they can make another choice besides violence and murder and we will continue to work with our community partners to get that message out.” According to Gilliam, Rivers and Butler’s plea agreements and other court documents, Triple C members engaged in a pattern of criminal racketeering activity between 2015 and 2020, including more than a dozen murders and numerous non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings, in order to promote the reputation of Triple C and to command respect from the neighborhood. Other spin-offs of the gang are “SCL” and recently, “TRD.” As detailed in the plea agreements, the gang benefitted financially from selling narcotics, murdering drug dealers, taking contract killings, and engaging in street robberies. Triple C members also robbed dice games for cash and occasionally carjacked vehicles. Triple C members and associates used at least 14 firearms to commit crimes, often trading with each other or other groups to avoid detection through ballistic evidence. Members divided the proceeds of illegal activities among those who participated in the crimes, and often contacted each other to commit a robbery if a member needed money. Members of Triple C often critiqued each other after committing crimes regarding ways to improve their performance. Triple C members routinely used social media to identify and locate victims, to communicate with each other, and to share information concerning possible retaliation for violent crimes committed by gang members. Details of the crimes committed by Triple C members were publicized on social media and thus were well-known to CCC members. Desmond Butler admitted that he participated in the August 19, 2017 murder of Devonte Monroe in the 1700 block of Durham Street in Baltimore; the April 21, 2018 murder of Diamante Howard during a dice game in the 6100 block of Fortview Way in Baltimore; the December 31, 2018 murder of Corey Mosley; the February 24, 2019 robbery and attempted murder of Q.W. in the 5200 block of Cedonia Avenue in Baltimore; and the July 4, 2019 attempted murder of A.C. and D.R. in the 5500 block of Bowley’s Lane in Baltimore. Wayne Gilliam admitted that he participated in the December 31, 2018 murder of Corey Mosley in the 4900 block of Green Rose Lane in Baltimore, and the April 14, 2019 attempted murder of rival gang members “LTMN” in the 3500 block of Pelham Avenue in Baltimore, during which at least one member of the conspiracy fired a firearm. Tyeshawn Rivers admitted that he participated in the August 5, 2020 murder of Donya Short in Baltimore City, during which Short was shot and killed; the April 4, 2018 attempted murder of rival gang members in the 2900 block of Mayfield Avenue, in Baltimore City, during which at least one member of the conspiracy fired a firearm; the March 17, 2020 attempted murder of T.B. and others in the 300 block of McMechen Street in Baltimore, during which T.B. was shot; and on October 30, 2020 the defendant possessed a .45 caliber handgun which is a ballistic match to shell casings found at the August 5, 2020 murder of Donya Short. In addition to these violent acts, all three defendants admitted that they agreed to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including crack cocaine, on behalf of the racketeering enterprise. This investigation has led to the guilty pleas of 34 members and associates of Triple C. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in this investigation and thanked the United States Marshals Service and the Office of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane and Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn . # # #


title: School Instructional Assistant Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Tyler Edward Perkins, age 30, of Huntingtown, Maryland, today to seven years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. The statement of facts also established that Perkins distributed child sexual abuse material to others and Judge Chuang took that into account in imposing today’s sentence. Judge Chuang also ordered that Perkins must pay restitution of $12,000 and upon his release from prison, Perkins will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey. According to his guilty plea agreement, Perkins was an instructional assistant at a school for children requiring special education services. On June 1, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Perkins’s residence after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received CyberTips from the instant messaging platform Kik, that accounts associated with usernames, which investigation determined were controlled by Perkins, had uploaded files containing child pornography to Kik. Kik also determined that many of the uploaded files were distributed to other users in private chats. Law enforcement investigating the CyberTips were able to identify Perkins’s residence as being associated with the distribution of child pornography. During the search of his residence, law enforcement seized several electronic devices. A digital forensic examination of the devices revealed that they contained at least 600 images of child sexual abuse material, including videos, documenting the sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent minors. Further, some of the material portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct. The investigation did not reveal any evidence of Perkins committing any sexual assault or having illegal contact with any child. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit and Maryland State Apprehension Team, and the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher M. Sarma and Timothy F. Hagan, who prosecuted the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced for Possessing Machinegun on Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras Day

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KEATON MANGHANE , age 24, a resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced on January 23, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance, after previously pleading guilty to possessing a machinegun in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2) to 20 months imprisonment, to run consecutively to any sentence ultimately imposed on his unrelated pending charges in Tennessee. This term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, MANGHANE was carrying a loaded handgun equipped with a Glock auto-sear in his pocket, while walking on Bourbon Street around 2:00 a.m. on February 21, 2023, Mardi Gras Day. The auto-sear device turned the semi-automatic firearm into a fully-automatic machinegun. After MANGHANE ’s arrest, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives tested the firearm and confirmed that it functioned as a machinegun. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: New Orleans Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Control Act and Controlled Substances Act Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROXANNE CARTER, age 36, pled guilty on January 23, 2024 before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to a five-count superseding bill of information. Specifically, CARTER pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, distribution of a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). CARTER also pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). As to Counts one, two and three, CARTER faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three (3) years of supervised release. As to Count four, CARTER faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and up to life imprisonment to run consecutive to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five (5) years of supervised release. As to Count five, CARTER faces up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) supervised release. As to each count, CARTER also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to court documents, CARTER conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in Orleans Parish. CARTER also possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, specifically possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. CARTER admitted she was a prohibited person and knew she had a prior felony conviction that prohibited her from possessing a firearm. 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. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Jefferson Parish Crime Laboratory. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit


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

body_text: Drug Trafficking Alyssa Bury , age 31, of Spearfish, South Dakota, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Jan. 12. According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2021, Cheyenne Police Department officers were dispatched to a welfare check for a female suspected to be on narcotics. They found Bury hiding in the back of a black truck parked in an alleyway. The defendant was unable to describe how she arrived at that location. Another officer was dispatched to check out the defendant’s car. Upon searching the vehicle, officers discovered methamphetamine, a digital scale, several unused plastic baggies, and other controlled substances. The crime as investigated by the FBI, Cheyenne Police Department, and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold. Sex Offenses Louis Whiteplume , age 51, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served for failing to register as a sex offender. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 16. The defendant was required by a court order to register with the Wind River Sex Offender Registration & Notification Act office personnel as well as Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation. He failed to do so and was arrested on Jul. 21, 2023. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist. Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien Jorge Sanudo Zavala, age 43, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. The defendant will be deported to Mexico upon his release. According to court documents, on Aug. 3, 2023, the defendant was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol, in Johnson County, Wyoming, for speeding and not having a drivers license. The defendant claimed to be a citizen of Mexico. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement verified that Sanuda Zavala had been previously deported and was in the United States illegally. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jan. 24. 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: Homestead Man Indicted on Firearms Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Pittsburgh man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of illegally possessing a machine gun and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The two-count Indictment named Michael William Horvwalt, 37, a resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about May 26, 2023, Horvwalt, a convicted felon, was found to be in possession of a machine gun with a round in the chamber. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Brown is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Charleroi Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm Violations

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Charleroi, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on January 25, 2024, to federal drug and firearm charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Rashawn Ford, 28, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William S. Stickman to one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing detectable amounts of heroin and fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. According to admissions made during Ford’s plea hearing, on March 13, 2021, a trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Ford in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. During the stop, the trooper recovered from Ford’s person packaged heroin and fentanyl, in addition to a loaded handgun. Subsequently, law enforcement learned that Ford was staying at a hotel in Westmoreland County and that additional controlled substances were located in Ford’s hotel room. On March 14, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant upon Ford’s hotel room, with the search resulting in the seizure of packaged heroin and fentanyl, a handgun loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition, and over $8,600. Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2024. The maximum penalty for the drug charge is a term of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. The maximum penalty for the firearm charge is a term of not less than five years and up to life imprisonment and a $8,000,000 fine. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution in this case.