title: Former Company CEO Charged in Alleged MJ Capital Funding, LLC Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A South Florida federal grand jury has charged Johanna Michely Garcia, the former Chief Executive Officer of MJ Capital Funding, LLC, with conducting an investment Ponzi fraud scheme, totaling approximately $190,700,000, from the business. The indictment, unsealed today, charges Garcia, 40, of Broward County, Florida with conspiring to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and multiple counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. According to the indictment, MJ Capital Funding, LLC was a Pompano Beach company that offered merchant cash advances, or MCAs, a type of short-term financing typically used by small and medium-sized businesses. The indictment alleges that from about October 2020 to August 12, 2021, Garcia, Pavel Ramon Ruiz Hernandez, and others fraudulently solicited money from investors purportedly to fund MJ Capital Funding, LLC’s MCAs. It also alleges that Garcia, Ruiz Hernandez, and their co-conspirators recruited others to solicit additional investors, typically paying the recruits about 10% of the money they raised. Garcia had her initial appearance in U.S. Magistrate Court today. A subsequent hearing in this matter will be held on August 28, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., in U.S. Magistrate Court. If convicted, Garcia faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison as to each conspiracy, money laundering and mail fraud counts, and ten years in prison as to each money laundering charge. A federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Ruiz Hernandez was charged in August 2022 and pleaded guilty in April 2023. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 7, 2023, in U.S. District Court, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. FBI Miami investigated this case. The U.S Securities and Exchange Commission, Miami Regional Office, and Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric E. Morales of the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling forfeiture. An indictment is a charging instrument containing allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 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-20350. ###


title: Readout from United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez’s Violent Crime Listening Session with Westgate Community Members

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and his staff met with members of the Westgate community on August 2 at the Westgate Community Center to discuss violent crime. Becky Davis from the Westgate Heights and Avalon Neighborhood Associations, Michael Parra, school-based coordinator for the School-Based Violence Intervention Program (VIP), Deputy U.S. Marshal Jim Glisson, Matthew Cross-Guillen, Health Promotion Specialist from the New Mexico Department of Health, Michele Torres, Principal of West Mesa High School, Sharay Hill, Community School Coordinator at West Mesa High School, Carolyn Brown, history teacher from West Mesa High School, and Stevie Maestas, a licensed Master Social Worker at West Mesa High School, presented statements. This listening session focused on community-based solutions and how to work with both parents and students to address issues affecting the community. This was the fifth and final listening session held with community members this summer. United States Attorney Uballez opened the session by explaining that the Attorney General directed United States Attorney’s Offices to focus on addressing violent crime through intervention and outreach efforts. Participants described how generational trauma creates a cycle of violence in Albuquerque. Others described systemic issues within the juvenile justice system that fail to address recidivism and provide resources to young offenders before they commit felonies. All participants agreed that adults and teachers need more support, education, and resources to help teens become productive members of society when they reach adulthood. Stevie Maestas started the session by sharing the effects violence in the community has on the schools. “This is my eighth year at West Mesa and I have never seen the violence and the amount of issues be this big,” Maestas said. “We have [no] less than 500 kids at any moment at high-risk who are getting behavior, attendance and course performance… those three indicators are very much indicating that our students need support and help.” (Behavior, attendance and course performance are strong predictors of high school completion and part of an early warning indicator system that identifies students who are in danger of dropping out and need help to keep them on track for graduation, thereby improving their chances of future success.) Michael Parra posed the idea that providers should shift the focus on prevention and education to elementary school-aged families. Parra explained that providers need to go to ‘the root’ because that is when parents begin to establish and grow their skills. Parra and Maestas explained that this was necessary so that parents and guardians could be proactive instead of reactive. Maestas posited that Head Start programs focusing on families with young children would help parents and guardians who are trying to break down generational trauma by making it normal for them to ask for help. Michele Torres shared that she had introduced “Coffee with the Principal” in order to connect with student’s families and that she has found it has a positive impact. Torres extended an invitation to USA Uballez to attend this and other school events so that he would have the opportunity to converse with students and their families, and to show the students that he and his staff are safe adults who want them to be successful. This would also show the teachers, parents and guardians that he and his staff are present in the community and listening. In response to USA Uballez’s question about how to most effectively reach families, Carolyn Brown explained that parents and guardians are not fully aware of what schools can and cannot do to address the root issues that can be indicators of future violence, and when they do become aware of the schools’ limitations, parents and guardians often recognize their part in the solution. Brown and other participants recommended that the USA employ a similar tactic by being transparent and taking steps to fully inform the community about the challenges it faces and his office’s role in addressing those issues. Carolyn Brown reiterated the importance of federal prosecutors going into the schools to reach students and families and being transparent about what issues they are seeing in the city as well as the effects on the community as a whole. USA Uballez agreed with the participants that it was important for him to hear from community members and that new tactics need to be employed by the Department. As a result, USA Uballez attended West Mesa’s first parents’ night of the new school year and spoke to families about the actions his office is taking to address violent crime. All participants expressed a tremendous passion for and commitment to improving their communities and came to the table with achievable, family-focused solutions. Sharay Hill summarized this best in her statement, “The kids have so much potential, even the kids that get in trouble. I think they are so smart and have so much passion and it breaks my heart to know that some of them are trapped under a system or are being exposed to things that they can’t get out of.” Hill added, “there’s a lot of conversation around wanting to provide the highest quality of education possible so that these students can move on and pursue life after high school, because there’s so much life, and hopefully [they] succeed at whatever that is.” USA Uballez convened this listening session as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. USA Uballez previously met with representatives from organizations that serve Albuquerque’s International District, community providers who serve the unhoused population, social justice activists, and addiction and treatment service providers. These sessions were an opportunity for the USA and his staff to recognize the vital role that these leaders, providers and advocates play in our community. Immediately following the first listening session in July, USA Uballez and his staff began implementing specific efforts to support the community based on the recommendations they received. Steps taken included assisting organizations with getting reimbursement for services provided to law enforcement agencies, participating in National Night Out, and equipping service providers with information, resources, and documents to help them more effectively serve their communities. In the coming months, USA Uballez and his staff will continue to focus on intervention and outreach efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven 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. In New Mexico, the United States Attorney’s Office pursues a community violence intervention approach. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based intervention, prevention, and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented. ### 23-202


title: Former attorney, convicted of stealing from client and defrauding friend, pleads guilty to defrauding taxpayers by falsely claiming COVID program benefits

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A disbarred attorney, sentenced last year to 18 months in prison for stealing from a deceased client’s estate and defrauding a friend, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and making false statements for her scheme to illegally claim COVID pandemic benefits, and lie to the government about her income, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Darlene Baker, aka Darlene Piper, 58 of Port Orchard, Washington, was sentenced in March 2022 to 18 months in prison for her scheme to steal a $500,000 bequest to a children’s hospital and then a second $500,000 stolen from a friend. Piper has officially changed her name to Baker. She is scheduled for sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan on December 1, 2023. Following the sentencing hearing for the original wire fraud case, prosecutors were alerted that Baker had lied to the court about her employment status. The investigation revealed that she had also lied to government agencies to obtain pandemic relief loans to which she was not entitled. In the plea agreement she admits that between March of 2020 and August of 2021, Baker sought to obtain $265,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). In the applications for the programs Baker falsely claimed that she would use PPP funds to meet payroll expenses for her business. In fact, Baker had no employees and she used $80,000 in PPP funds for her personal expenses. Baker claimed in her EIDL applications that her business had been shut down due to COVID. In fact, throughout that period Baker had worked as a bookkeeper for a Gig Harbor, Washington, investment firm earning as much as $145,000 during the relevant period. The Small Business Administration (SBA) did not pay out any funds to Baker based on her EIDL application. In her plea agreement Baker admits that she lied on financial disclosure statements required by the court in her earlier criminal case. In those statements Baker claimed to be out of work, when in fact she had substantial income working as a bookkeeper for the investment firm. Despite that income Baker made no attempt to repay the victim in the wire fraud case and claimed to have no resources to pay restitution. Darlene Piper was released from federal custody on March 16, 2023. Wire fraud in connection with a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Making a false statement is punishable by up to five years in prison. The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form


title: Jury Convicts Salem Man for Illegally Transferring a Machine Gun

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—On August 24, 2023, a federal jury in Portland found a convicted felon from Salem, Oregon guilty of illegally transferring a machine gun. Daniel Matthew Kittson, 61, was convicted of one count of illegally transferring a machine gun. He was found not guilty of illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, in December 2019, a special agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that an individual, later identified as Kittson, possessed and was attempting to sell a Russian PPSh-41, a machine gun capable of firing approximately 900 rounds per minute. After identifying Kittson, investigators learned that he had prior felony convictions for attempted murder, first degree manslaughter, and felon in possession of a weapon, making it illegal for him to possess any type of firearm. In early January 2020, investigators communicated with Kittson on two separate occasions to arrange a controlled purchase of the machine gun and, on January 10, 2020, completed the transaction. Following their purchase, investigators tested the firearm and confirmed that it was indeed a functional machine gun. On March 9, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Kittson with illegally possessing and transferring a machine gun and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On May 28, 2021, Kittson was arrested without incident by the U.S. Marshals Service and was released following his first appearance in federal court. In June 2022, Kittson absconded his pretrial supervision. Three months later, on September 27, 2022, he was located and arrested in Crook County, Oregon in possession of a firearm and small quantities of methamphetamine and heroin. Illegally transferring a machine gun is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. Kittson will be sentenced in December 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Karin J. Immergut. This case was investigated by ATF. It was prosecuted by Leah K. Bolstad and Nicole M. Bockelman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: Tampa Gang Member Sentenced To Ten Years In Federal Prison For Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Demetrius Lamar Rahmings (28, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a loaded firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Rahmings to forfeit a Taurus G2C 9mm Pistol and 19 rounds of 9mm ammunition traceable to the offense. Rahmings had been found guilty on May 30, 2023, following a bench trial. According to court documents, on October 8, 2020, Rahmings was wanted on several outstanding warrants for violent crime charges in state court. Deputies from the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Apprehension Unit and officers from the Tampa Police Department were monitoring a residence in Tampa that was known to be frequented by Rahmings’s associates. Law enforcement officers observed Rahmings at that residence and when they approached him, he fled on foot into the home. The officers pursued him into the residence, and once inside, Rahmings dropped a bookbag in the hallway and then hid in a bedroom. Rahmings was taken into custody. The officers recovered a Taurus 9mm firearm with an extended magazine loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition, plastic baggies, a digital scale, and an orange ski mask from the backpack. At the time of this offense, Rahmings had previously been convicted in state court in Florida of multiple felonies, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (2013); aggravated assault with weapon (2013); aggravated battery (2013); possession of a firearm as a felon (2019); and fleeing to elude law enforcement (2019). As a convicted felon, Rahmings is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. Rahmings had recently been released from Florida Department of Corrections on February 5, 2020. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Apprehension Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Sarasota Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing Multiple Firearms

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jonathan Kyle Eva (51, Sarasota) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Eva faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set. According to court documents, deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, after responding to 911 call, encountered Eva at the front door of his residence in the area of 59 th Street and North Tuttle Avenue in Sarasota. The deputies entered Eva’s residence and retrieved five firearms (three rifles and two pistols) from the closet in Eva’s bedroom. Among those were a SKS Norinco 7.62x3.99 rifle, a Marlin Firearms Co. Model 60 .22 caliber rifle, and a H&R Arms Co. .22 caliber pistol. During an interview conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Eva stated that he was a felon and that he had possessed the firearms. As a convicted felon, Eva is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Samantha E. Beckman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Cape Coral Resident Found Guilty Of Mail Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Devin Ryan Maresca (33, Newcastle, PA) guilty of 10 counts of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Maresca faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud count and a minimum of two years in federal prison on the aggravated identity theft count. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Maresca had been indicted on November 2, 2022. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, while living in Cape Coral, Maresca filed more than 2,200 fraudulent indemnity claims to the United States Postal Service (USPS) claiming that Priority Mail packages that he had mailed or received were damaged. Maresca fraudulently used his mother, father, and brother’s names to submit most of the claims. Further, Maresca forged his family members’ signatures on the backs of USPS claims checks to deposit them into a bank account he controlled. The checks were mailed to mailboxes that Maresca had set up at UPS and Pak-Mail locations in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Punta Gorda. Maresca’s fraud scheme caused the USPS to issue more than $100,000 in claims checks. IP address, bank, and email records, along with USPS data, linked Maresca to the fraudulent claims. In December 2021, a United States Postal Inspector and USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent interviewed Maresca at his home in Newcastle, PA. During the interview, Maresca admitted to submitting more than 2,200 fraudulent claims and forging his family members’ signatures on USPS indemnity checks. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Trent Reichling and Patrick Darcey.


title: Former Shreveport Police Department Lieutenant Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Overtime Fraud Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown has announced the return of an indictment by a federal grand jury in Shreveport charging a former Shreveport Police Department Lieutenant with wire fraud. Jeffrey L. Peters , 55, of Shreveport, was indicted and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. The indictment alleges that on or about January 6, 2020, and continuing through at least January 19, 2021, Peters and others knowingly conspired to defraud the City of Shreveport out of funds which were designated to pay Shreveport Police Department (SPD) officers. It is alleged that Peters claimed overtime for which he had not worked and received payments for unworked overtime under the Community-Based Crime Reduction Program (CBCR). According to the indictment, Peters and a fellow SPD officer fraudulently obtained these monies by creating and submitting falsified Reports of Overtime to the SPD. These falsified reports stated that Peters had worked overtime hours for the SPD. Officer 1 would also submit falsified Reports of Overtime to the SPD which Peters would approve as his supervisor. As part of the scheme, Peters also created and submitted Activity Reports to the SPD which falsely claimed that Peters and Officer 1 were working assignments together in Shreveport’s Police District 3, which was located in downtown Shreveport and the surrounding area, which area included the SPD Headquarters. It is alleged that Peters himself submitted in excess of fifty (50) false reports of overtime. The indictment further alleges that while Peters was claiming overtime in District 3, he was actually not working and was instead at various bars and restaurants in Shreveport and Bossier. These establishments were all located outside District 3. The CBCR is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice and seeks to reduce crime and improve community safety in distressed, high-crime neighborhoods. As part of the program, CBCR awards grants to local and tribal communities to be used for, among other things, overtime for police officers. Officers at SPD were entitled to collect 1.5 times their regular rate of pay under the CBCR. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Peters faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg. # # #


title: Two Indicted for Fentanyl Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two New Bedford men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. One defendant was also charged with misuse of a Social Security number and aggravated identity theft. Yohenry Contreras-Lara, 29, and Vinicio DeJesus Marrero Arias, 39, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Contreras-Lara was also indicted on one count of misuse of a social security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. “Fentanyl is devastating communities across Massachusetts. We will continue partner with local police departments like the New Bedford Police Department and the Bristol County DA’s office to combat the distribution of this deadly drug on our streets,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Fentanyl is causing great damage to our communities,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office. “Those who distribute this drug are endangering the safety of the citizens of Massachusetts. Fentanyl continues to cause deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, county and state law enforcement efforts in Massachusetts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” “We will continue to pursue those who misuse the Social Security number of others. This individual allegedly misused the identity of another, remaining in this country unlawfully for two decades. This type of behavior harms innocent lives and damages the integrity of the SSN,” said Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Boston- New York Field Division. “I thank our law enforcement partners for working with us and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this case.” According to court filings, after Contreras-Lara entered the United States in 2002 on a tourist visa, he allegedly purchased the identity of a United States citizen and posed as that citizen for several years including applying for two Massachusetts drivers’ licenses under an identity that was not his in 2022. It is further alleged that, following an investigation into fentanyl trafficking in and around the Lord Phillips Apartments in New Bedford, Contreras-Lara and Arias were identified as fentanyl distributors in the area. A search of Contreras Lara and Arias’ residences, as well as an apartment that was being used as a stash location and two storage units, allegedly resulted in the recovery of more than 800 grams of fentanyl and $1.2 million in cash in suspected drug proceeds. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to life years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of misuse of a social security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a sentence of two years to be served consecutively with any other sentence, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, DEA SAC Boyle and SSA-OIG SAC MacDermott made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bristol District Attorney’s Office and the New Bedford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Patrick Malloy, 33, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that on June 24, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Malloy’s residence and several electronic devices were seized. The devices contained approximately 28,000 images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny. # # # #


title: Niagara Falls Man Going To Prison For Five Years On Gun Charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Lazarus R. Hayes, 34, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on June 19, 2021, the Niagara Falls Police Narcotics Unit and Niagara County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Hayes’s Pierce Avenue residence. During the search, they recovered from a bag belonging to co-defendant Gerald Harper approximately 93 grams of cocaine, 9 grams of fentanyl, 26 grams of amphetamine, 245 milligrams of hydrocodone, and 720 milligrams of oxycodone. In addition, within Hayes’s residence, investigators seized approximately 8 grams of cocaine, 20 clonazepam tablets, a digital scale, two loaded firearms, $3,958 in cash, which is proceeds of drug trafficking activities. Gerald Harper was previously convicted and sentenced. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent John Faso, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti. # # # #


title: Chautauqua County Man Arrested On Meth Charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Darin Butts, 30, of Celeron, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, a maximum of life and a 10,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that investigators conducting surveillance of a E. Duquesne Street residence in Jamestown observed Butts exit the residence, remove a white and black shopping bag from his vehicle and place it in a nearby vehicle, which belonged to his girlfriend, Nikita Benson. Benson gave investigators permission to search the vehicle. They recovered the white and black shopping bag, which contained a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine, packaged in smaller, individual-sized quantities, a scale, packaging materials, and cash. A backpack containing a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine was also recovered. All of the methamphetamine seized totaled 856 grams. Butts was taken into custody at that time. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss Jr., and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief David C. Ortolano. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Grandview Man Sentenced for $4.1 Million Meth Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a $4.1 million drug-trafficking conspiracy, which is linked to two murders, and which distributed approximately 400 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan areas. Gerald Lee Ginnings, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 520 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Ginnings to pay a money judgment of $86,750.00, which represents the proceeds he received from the drug-trafficking conspiracy. That forfeiture amount is based on the defendants specific unlawful distribution of approximately 7 kilograms of methamphetamine, based on an average street sale price of $500 per ounce. The overall conspiracy distributed at least 400 kilograms of methamphetamine in less than 2 years. On Oct. 21, 2022, Ginnings pleaded guilty to participating in conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine and launder drug proceeds from Jan. 1, 2017, Sept. 1, 2018, to possessing a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ginnings was arrested several times in 2018 in possession of methamphetamine and firearms. The drug-trafficking organization with which Ginnings was associated was responsible for two murders. In August 2018, James Hampton was seized in St. Louis by members of the same drug-trafficking conspiracy that supplied Ginnings with methamphetamine, although Ginnings was not in St. Louis, Mo., with this group when Hampton was seized. Hampton was seized because the drug conspiracy were convinced Hampton could help find the drugs and money stolen by co-conspirator David Richards. When they realized Hampton could not or would not help, Hampton was restrained and beaten. Hampton was then transported from St. Louis to Kansas City, in the trunk of his own car. Brittanie Broyles, who was with Hampton and witnessed him being beaten and restrained, was also taken to Kansas City, where she later sent text messages from a co-conspirator’s phone she secreted of her plight to family and friends in St. Louis. They were unable to locate her before she was murdered. On Aug. 6, 2018, Hampton’s car and body were discovered burning in Bates City, Mo. On Aug. 8, 2018, Broyles’s body was recovered near Super Flea in the Northeast area of Kansas City. She had been murdered by two gunshots to her head. Witnesses and video identified Ginnings being following by co-defendant Markus Michael A. Patterson, of Kansas City, Mo., in another co-conspirator’s car as Ginnings drove Hampton’s car to Bates City. Patterson was recently sentenced to 560 months on the same charges. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone involved in drug trafficking to possesses firearms related to that trafficking and it is also illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Ginnings has prior felony convictions for statutory rape, failure to register as a sec offender, and numerous assaults and car thefts. Ginnings is among 32 co-defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case and its companion case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Sni Valley Fire Department, the Jackson, Lafayette, Buchanan, and Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff’s Departments, the FBI, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the St. James, Mo., Police Department.


title: Pakistani Doctor Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man has been sentenced to 216 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Muhammad Masood, 31, a licensed medical doctor in Pakistan, was formerly employed as a Research Coordinator at a medical clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, under an H-1B Visa. Between January 2020 and March 2020, Masood used an encrypted messaging application to facilitate his travel overseas to join a terrorist organization. Masood made multiple statements about his desire to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (“ISIS”), and he pledged his allegiance to the designated terrorist organization and its leader. Masood also expressed his desire to conduct “lone wolf” terrorist attacks in the United States. On Feb. 21, 2020, Masood purchased a plane ticket from Chicago, Illinois to Amman, Jordan, and from there planned to travel to Syria. On March 16, 2020, Masood’s travel plans changed because Jordan closed its borders to incoming travel due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Masood then agreed to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to meet up with an individual who he believed would assist him with travel via cargo ship to deliver him to ISIS territory. On March 19, 2020, Masood traveled from Rochester to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to board a flight bound for Los Angeles, California. Upon arrival at MSP, Masood checked in for his flight and was subsequently arrested by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Masood pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022, to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Masood was sentenced today before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter, and Dmitriy Slavin and Stephanie Sweeten of the National Security Division.


title: Group Charged in Forty-Count Indictment with Fourteen Armed Carjackings, One Attempted Carjacking, and Five Armed Robberies of Businesses

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

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 24, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a forty-count indictment charging Ángel Mercado-Aquino, Ferdinand Escobar-Castillo, Ismael Reyes-Rivas and Andro Bianchi-Montalvo with a series of armed carjackings and robberies of businesses, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. According to the Government’s allegations, between January 31 and March 6, 2023, the four defendants (acting together or as part of a smaller group) committed a series of armed robberies in Río Piedras, Río Grande, Guaynabo, Caguas, Canóvanas, Puerto Nuevo, Toa Baja, and Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The businesses that were targeted included Burger King and Shell gas stations. Most of the carjackings occurred early in the morning at gas stations, including a Gulf Gas Station in Río Grande, a Mobil Gas Station in Guaynabo, the Any Time Gas Río Cañas in Caguas, the Total Energies Gas Station in Canóvanas, and a Gulf Gas Station located at La Virgencita, Toa Baja. “Violent criminal street gangs are a constant threat to our communities. These arrests will not only make our neighborhoods safer but send a message to other gang members that the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue efforts to disrupt and dismantle organized crime groups such as these,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, commented: “This investigation is a testament to the commitment of the ATF San Juan Field Office in the fight against armed criminals who terrorize our communities with the plague of violent crime.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian Radzinschi of the Violent Crimes Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case. Special Agent Ivys Rosado-Díaz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is in charge of the investigation. If convicted on all counts, the defendants face over 100 years in prison. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Boyle County Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Danville, Ky., man, Steve Noonan, 46, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for receiving child pornography. According to his plea agreement, in 2020, Noonan was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor in North Carolina. After being released from prison, Noonan was placed on probation, the terms of which included monitoring of his electronic devices. In May 2022, the Boyle County Probation and Parole noticed suspicious searches on one of Noonan’s devices. This prompted Probation and Parole to search Noonan’s residence, where they found a cell phone that did not have the required monitoring software and that contained hundreds of images or videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Noonan then admitted to searching for and downloading these digital files. Under federal law, Noonan must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police (KSP); and Chief Parker Hatter, Perrysville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI, KSP, Perryville Police Department, and Boyle County Probation and Parole. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth. This case was prosecuted 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. -END-


title: Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- August 2023

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: Tulsa Okla. - United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the August 2023 Federal Grand Jury B. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Michael Robert Brown . Assault With a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Michael Robert Brown, 32, a Cherokee citizen from Skiatook, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to cause bodily harm in Indian Country. Brown allegedly stabbed the victim in the head with a pair of scissors during a domestic dispute. Skiatook Police Department and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Stacey Todd are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-274 Joseph James Burris & Chloe Jayde Burris. Child Neglect in Indian Country; Tampering with a Witness by Corrupt Persuasion and Misleading Conduct; Evidence Tampering. Joseph James Burris, 20, a Cherokee citizen is charged with child neglect in Indian Country, tampering with a witness by corrupt persuasion and misleading conduct, and evidence tampering. Chloe Jayde Burris, 20, is charged with child neglect in Indian Country and evidence tampering. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, Vinita Police Department, and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-276 Daniel Lawrence Charba. Unlawfully making a destructive device, Possession of an unregistered destructive device. Daniel Lawrence Charba, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with unlawfully making a destructive device and possession of an unregistered destructive device. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Michel is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-264 Clinton Dewayne Collins. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Clinton Dewayne Collins, 54, a Choctaw Nation citizen is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country . The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Cyran is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-265 *Update* The Defendant, Clinton Dewayne Collins, was acquitted of the charges alleged in the indictment. Steven Lee Hindman . Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Steven Lee Hindman, 57, a Cherokee Nation citizen from Delaware, Oklahoma, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder in Indian Country; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and for being a felon in possession of ammunition. . Nowata Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-278 Rolland James Miles. Attempted Carjacking; Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and two counts of Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence . Rolland James Miles, 20, a Muscogee Nation citizen is charged with attempted carjacking; assault with intent to commit a felony in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country, and two counts of carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence after allegedly firing shots at a Tulsa apartment complex. The Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Cyran and Dennis Fries are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-249 Christopher Ryan Stafford. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm, and felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Christopher Ryan Stafford, 40, a Muscogee Nation citizen from Tulsa is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias and Dennis Fries is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-269 Ladarion Deontrae Ladrue Tibbs. Possession of a Stolen Firearm; Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony. Ladarion Deontrae Ladrue Tibbs, 21, a Seminole Nation citizen from Tulsa is charged with possession of a stolen firearm and receipt of a firearm while under indictment for a felony. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias and John Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-261 Teresa Antonia Caceres- Rivera Unlawful reentry of a removed alien. Teresa Antonia Caceres- Rivera, 30, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about October 14,2019, at or near Houston, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-263 Jaime Delarosa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Jaime Delarosa, 40, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about May 26,2016, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-266 Mario Montes-Gallarza. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mario Montes-Gallarza, 60, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about May 26,2016, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-267 Cruz Morales-Gutierrez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien . Cruz Morales-Gutierrez, 45, a Mexican National, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about Jan. 18,2013, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-268


title: Readout of Justice Department Leadership’s Meeting with Civil Rights Groups Ahead of 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division met with civil rights organizations today at the Justice Department. Leaders from over a dozen organizations discussed an array of critical topics including voting rights, constitutional policing, and the Department’s redlining initiative. “When I became Attorney General, I laid out three co-equal priorities for this Justice Department: to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland told the civil rights leaders. “I have also made clear that protecting civil rights is not only the responsibility of one storied Division in our Department – it is the responsibility of every Justice Department employee, every single day. It is central to the mission of every component, every team, every agent, and every prosecutor in this Department.” Attorney General Garland highlighted recent significant civil rights work including the Department’s work to secure a ruling that portions of Texas Senate Bill 1 violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ; the opening of a civil pattern or practice investigation of the Memphis Police Department and the City of Memphis; and the Department’s efforts to combat unlawful discriminatory practices in the housing market, including by securing the largest redlining settlement in the Department’s history earlier this year. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco spoke about some of the Department’s other work to promote civil rights, including the Department’s implementation of Executive Order 14074, Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety and the establishment, in this regard, of the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database. She also discussed the Department’s ongoing efforts to reform the Federal Bureau of Prisons, including by holding employees who commit sexual abuse against adults in custody accountable for their crimes and improving access to counsel. Assistant Attorney General Clarke discussed additional issues that the Civil Rights Division is aggressively working to address, including hate crimes prosecutions across the country, Department efforts to intervene in lawsuits challenging gender-affirming care, and a new proposed rule to improve web and mobile application accessibility for people with disabilities. She also discussed the Department’s joint resource document issued with the Department of Education to help colleges and universities understand the Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. University of North Carolina et al. (collectively SFFA ). The meeting comes in advance of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington. Department leadership recognized that this year’s theme, “Not A Commemoration, A Continuation,” is a reminder that more work remains to be done. That theme aligns with the Attorney General’s commitment to fulfill the Department’s founding purpose and historic responsibility to protect civil rights. When the Department was founded in 1870, in the wake of the Civil War and in the midst of Reconstruction, its first principal task was to protect the civil rights guaranteed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. This meant confronting white supremacists who used violence and threats of violence to prevent Black Americans from exercising their voting rights. Despite important progress since then, protecting civil rights remains a cornerstone of the Department’s work. Department leadership thanked the civil rights leaders for their hard work and partnership towards protecting civil rights.


title: Former FMC Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Ward

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Gregory D. Barrett, 51, pleaded guilty on Friday, before Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to sexual abuse of a ward. According to his plea agreement, beginning on June 22, 2022 through July 5, 2022, while employed as a Senior Officer Specialist at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Barrett knowingly engaged in a sexual act with an inmate. The plea agreement also explains that Barrett later threatened and intimidated another inmate who was aware of his crime and could be a witness against him. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Office, jointly announced the guilty plea. The investigation was conducted by DOJ-OIG. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Dembo. Barrett is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes. — END —


title: Former Alabama Deputy Sheriff Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Woman in His Custody

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former deputy sheriff with the Dallas County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office was sentenced today in the Southern District of Alabama to 12 and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman while he was on duty. According to the superseding information and plea documents, on Jan. 30, 2020, Joshua Davidson, 33, while on duty as a Dallas County deputy sheriff, placed the victim in custody and drove her down a dark road to a desolate location where the victim performed oral sex on him against her will. The victim, who reported the assault immediately, was in fear that Davidson would shoot her if she did not cooperate. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that officers who abuse their positions of power to sexually assault women in their custody will face significant prison time for their unlawful actions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will not tolerate sexual misconduct committed by law enforcement officers who were sworn to serve and protect their communities.” “The citizens of Dallas County rightfully rely on their law enforcement officers to serve and protect them, not assault and abuse them,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello for the Southern District of Alabama. “Some criminals wear a badge, and we will continue to hold accountable those who violate the law and erode the trust of our community.” “All law enforcement officers must adhere to the highest standard of professional conduct,” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown for the FBI Mobile Field Office. “Whenever someone chooses to violate the civil rights of the people they are sworn to protect, they will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” The FBI Mobile Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Arrington for the Southern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Maura White and MarLa Duncan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Ringleader of a Child Porn Enterprise Gets Life

body_text: TULSA Okla. – A Broken Arrow man who sexually exploited a young child and was an administrator for a transnational child exploitation chat group was sentenced to life in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Chief Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Cameron Kelly McAbee, 33, to life in federal prison. “McAbee was the ringleader in a child porn enterprise identified through an investigation by the FBI and our task force partners. In addition to McAbee a group of 47 other predators were identified and have or will face justice in their respective jurisdictions for the trauma they have caused to children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in Oklahoma and across the nation will continue to identify, track, arrest and prosecute pedophiles who harm the most vulnerable among us.” On July 26, 2021, the FBI linked the administrator of an online account engaged in child porn activities to McAbee and his Broken Arrow address. The FBI executed a search warrant of the residence and McAbee was taken into custody that same day. In his plea agreement, McAbee admitted that from July 1, 2019, to July 26, 2021, he knowingly engaged in a child exploitation enterprise, taking part in a series of felony violations comprised of more than three separate incidents, involving more than one victim, and in concert with more than three other people. McAbee admitted to being an administrator of an online messenger platform and group chats where members of the group exchanged numerous images and videos depicting the rape and molestation of children. He stated that the groups involved at least 21 members and at least eight child victims. As part of gaining access to one of the groups, McAbee required members to show proof of access to a child victim and they were expected to share images and videos of the sexual abuse of that child to maintain access to the group, as well as share other images and videos of child sexual abuse obtained elsewhere. McAbee admitted to being partly responsible for confirming a prospective member’s access to a child victim and admitting them to the group. McAbee also admitted that from July 1, 2019, to July 26, 2021, he had a minor engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions that he would share online in these group chats. The investigation into McAbee and the chat groups, led to the identification of 47 other alleged child predators from the United States, Australia, Canada, and Norway and led to the rescue or identification of more than 100 child victims. McAbee will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office (Tulsa Resident Agency), FBI Atlanta Field Office, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Ashley M. Robert are prosecuting the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Led by United States Attorney’s 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 .


title: Wagner Woman Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Wagner, South Dakota, woman convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on August 21, 2023. Chelsea Andersh, age 29, was sentenced to four years of probation and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Andersh was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. She pleaded guilty on May 31, 2023. The conviction stemmed from an incident on September 11, 2021, when Andersh, after smoking methamphetamine and marijuana, gave her five-month old son a bottle and put him back in the bed with her. Later that day, the baby was discovered on his side, his face into Andersh’s body, under her arm, deceased. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was “asphyxia due to smothering due to bed sharing with mother.” The contributing cause was “maternal methamphetamine use.” 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 Yankton Sioux Law Enforcement, Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office, Wagner Police Department, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child Pornography

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on August 21, 2023. Tyson Thill, age 45, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from custody, Thill must register as a sex offender. Thill was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2021. He pleaded guilty on May 30, 2023. The conviction stemmed from incidents between February 8, 2019, and July 28, 2021, when Thill downloaded an application to use a camera from a remote location on his cell phone. Thill used the app to control the camera of another phone that he hid in a bedroom for the purpose of taking photographs of a minor getting dressed. Thill knew the minor was underage. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Thill was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Drug Dealer Sentenced to 210 Months  in Fentanyl Overdose Death

component: USAO - California, Southern

number: CAS23-0825-Busse, et al

body_text: SAN DIEGO— David Michael Busse of Temecula was sentenced in federal court today to 17 1/2 years in prison for supplying the fentanyl that led to the fatal overdose of 35-year-old Brook W. Jacoby on May 20, 2021. Two drug couriers for Busse - Roger Bionogers Santiago of Valley Center and Vanessa Lanae Lathan of Spring Valley - were also sentenced today to 78-months and 68-months, respectively, for their roles in delivering the deadly dose of fentanyl to the victim. In imposing sentence on Busse, Judge Bashant emphasized that he clearly “knew the dangers of fentanyl” and given his drug dealing history, this outcome “was just a matter of time.” According to the government’s sentencing papers, Jacoby was the father of a young daughter and had become engaged to be married five days before his death. He was a high-performing salesperson who was training for an upcoming triathlon. One of his siblings described him as a “beautiful and selfless soul” who had a “lingering positive impact on everyone.” He was memorialized in a June 2021 celebration of life. The video may be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v+ivSeUuQzS-0 . San Diego Police officers found Jacoby deceased at the kitchen table in his San Diego apartment. Next to him was suspected drug paraphernalia. Officers examined his cellular phone and found text messages between Busse and Jacoby related to the sale. Those messages revealed that the victim told Busse he had been “clean” for some months and had no experience with fentanyl when Busse sold him the drug Jacoby, who clearly had some trepidation about fentanyl, asked Busse whether he should only “do an extremely small amount…I will be OK?” Busse responded by asking if Jacoby had Narcan “just in case.” The messages between Busse and Jacoby demonstrate that Busse understood the fentanyl he was selling was particularly potent. Busse sent Jacoby a screen shot of another conversation between Busse and another customer during which the customer told Busse, “Damn that shit was strong” and “that shit was crazy” and it “took my vision away for like five minutes….” Busse told Jacoby: “I’ve had people go out off [sic] smoking it….” Through the investigation, law enforcement determined that Busse was advertising the fentanyl via the “Offer Up” app. As the prosecutor pointed out at sentencing, Busse has a lengthy drug-related criminal history dating back to 2009. Through his plea agreement, Busse admitted to selling the fatal dose and participating in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy involving 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lathan and Santiago, who were themselves fentanyl customers of Busse, each admitted that they transported and delivered fentanyl they obtained from Busse to the victim in exchange for additional fentanyl or other limited compensation. "It is very clear that this defendant recognized the potential - if not inevitable - consequences of continuing to deal this deadly drug,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Because of his callous actions, another life has met the tragic end that fentanyl brings, and a family has lost its father, fiancé, son and brother. We will continue to prosecute these cases in the hope of sparing another family this tragic consequence." “This case reminds us that drug dealing is not a victimless crime,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “Another family is suffering an unnecessary loss and DEA, along with our partners, will continue to find justice for these victims.” This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. Investigators from the DEA Overdose Response Team led the investigation into Jacoby’s death. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys Larry Casper and Sean Van Demark. DEFENDANTS Case Number 21-CR-2158-BAS David Michael Busse Age: 33 Temecula, CA Vanessa Lanae Lathan Age: 31 Spring Valley, CA Roger Bionogers Santiago Age: 36 Valley Center, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2 Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration San Diego Police Department


title: Leader and Chief Financial Officer of Human Smuggling  Transportation Cell Sentenced to Prison

number: CAS23-0721-Barojas-Saavedra, et al

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Lourdes Ortiz Castaneda was sentenced in federal court yesterday to 34 months in prison for her role as the chief financial officer of a vast alien-smuggling organization operating in Southern California for several years. The organization’s leader, Gerardo Rigoberto Barojas-Saavedra, was previously sentenced to 71 months in custody for his running one of the most prolific smuggling operations in Southern California from 2019 through 2021. According to their plea agreements, Barojas, known as “El Jefe” (“The Boss”), admitted that he, along with Ortiz and others, smuggled more than one hundred undocumented migrants from Mexico into the United States, including some minors, through the southern border to Orange County and as far as the east coast. According to their plea agreements, Barojas and Ortiz charged migrants between $7,000 and $8,000 per person to be smuggled to Orange County, receiving the majority of smuggling fees in cash. According to their plea agreements, Barojas received approximately $216,925 in wire transfers and Ortiz received payments in cash, check, and wire transfers totaling approximately $480,465. U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Boulevard Border Patrol Station led the investigation into the smuggling organization, resulting in the interdiction of approximately 150 alien smuggling events and the prosecution of three couriers, according to the complaint. The plea agreements reflect that the organization operated by renting vehicles and recruiting drivers to pick up illegal aliens along the Interstate 8 corridor in Imperial and San Diego counties, after the aliens had crossed illegally into the United States. Several of these smuggling events involved substantial risk to the migrants, including, for example, one event in which three were transported in an unsafe manner concealed within the trunk of a vehicle. According to publicly filed documents, on or about November 9, 2020, the Anaheim Police Department arrested Barojas for allegedly kidnapping one of the minor migrants he smuggled into the United States and holding the minor at gunpoint. Officers found nine migrants, including the minor, in Barojas’ stash house, and seized four Glock handguns, one shotgun, two AR-15 rifles (including Barojas’ personal rifle bearing punisher logo), high-capacity magazines, a suitcase containing ammunition, hand-drawn maps depicting smuggling routes and locations to pick up aliens in the Southern District of California, electronic devices, a ledger, pay/owe sheets, and over $20,000 in cash. Barojas pleaded guilty to assault with a semi-automatic firearm in violation of California Penal Code 245(b) and Human Trafficking for Forced Labor in violation of California Penal Code 236.1(a) in 2021. The plea agreements revealed that while in custody on the state charges from 2020 to 2021, Barojas continued running the Barojas alien smuggling organization from custody with the help of Ortiz and others. Ortiz handled day-to-day operations during this time, and also continued managing the financial operations of the smuggling organization until her arrest in September 2021. The sentences, handed down by U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz, included enhanced penalties for the substantial risk that the Barojas organization’s drivers caused; the illegal transportation of an unaccompanied minor; the possession of firearms in furtherance of the offense; the transportation of more than 100 aliens; and their aggravated roles within the transportation cell’s alien smuggling activities. “We cannot emphasize enough that human smugglers only care about money and have very little regard for the safety and well-being of their customers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “I urge anyone considering this perilous journey: Please do not trust a smuggler with your life.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Loren G. Rene. DEFENDANTS Case Number 21-cr-02922-BTM Gerardo Rigoberto Barojas-Saavedra Age: 35 Anaheim, CA Lourdes Ortiz Castaneda Age: 28 Anaheim, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Transport Aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(v)(I) Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count AGENCY U.S. Border Patrol *************************************** The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California helps lead Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorney’s Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and Border Patrol. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are also part of the Task Force.


title: San Francisco Man Charged With Tax Evasion And Embezzling $2.7 Million From San Francisco Company

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Aubrey Jackson Shelton II with bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion in connection with his scheme to embezzle more than $2.7 million from his employer, a San Francisco technology company, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. Shelton was arrested today and appeared in federal court to face the charges. According to the indictment, filed August 15, 2023, and unsealed today, Shelton, of San Francisco, Calif., allegedly embezzled approximately $2.7 million from his employer, a San Francisco-based automobile services and technology company where Shelton worked as the Senior Vice President of Finance. According to the indictment, from November 2013 and through December 2021, Shelton used his exclusive control over the company’s payroll processing software to inflate his salary and bonuses over the authorized amounts and to direct the payroll processor to cause the company to pay him large amounts categorized as “Executive Loan,” “Misc Reimbursement,” “Mileage Reimbursement,” or other reimbursements that were not authorized or expended by Shelton. In November 2013, Shelton submitted false information to the payroll processor about his salary, causing the gross amount to double despite the fact that his authorized salary had not changed. Then, in 2014, Shelton falsely submitted to the payroll processor that he was entitled to $5,000 mileage reimbursements on twelve consecutive semi-monthly paychecks while reducing his gross salary to the authorized amount. Shelton’s use of mileage reimbursement rather than increased salary resulted in less tax being withheld from his paycheck and the embezzled amounts not being reported to the IRS. Shelton then began submitting false information to the payroll processor claiming he was entitled to amounts described as “Executive Loan” and, later, amounts described as “Misc Reimbursement,” including during irregular payroll cycle runs. During this time, Shelton again increased his salary above the authorized amount and defrauded the company of even more money through misuse of the “Executive Loan” and reimbursement payment categories. Taxes were not withheld from both of these categories, nor were the amounts reported to the IRS. To accomplish his scheme, Shelton submitted false payroll approval documentation to the company’s CEO and submitted false payroll information to auditors, in addition to the false information he submitted to the payroll processor in connection with processing payroll. Shelton submitted false tax returns to the IRS that falsely reported his income by not including the amounts he embezzled from the company. In sum, the indictment charges Shelton with three counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2); five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and four counts of tax evasion in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201. Shelton was scheduled to appear today in court for identification of counsel and his initial San Francisco federal district court appearance is scheduled for October 18, 2023. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Shelton faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and a fine of $1,000,000, plus restitution, if appropriate, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344. Shelton faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, if appropriate, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Shelton faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and a fine of $100,000 for each violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201. The court also may order an additional term of supervised release to begin after a prison term as part of any sentence. 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah Stern is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Elizabeth Kim. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.


title: Software Development CEO Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Tax And Conspiracy Charges

body_text: SAN JOSE – Kishore Kethineni, the CEO of multiple software development and IT services companies in the Bay Area, was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud and for his failure to pay over more than $2 million in employment taxes, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian of the Oakland Field Office. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge. Kethineni, of Dublin, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charges on February 21, 2023. In pleading guilty, Kethineni admitted that he conspired with his two brothers to engage in a scheme in which they fraudulently obtained over $3.1 million in loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP is a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans through third-party lenders to small businesses for payroll and certain other expenses. Kethineni was the sole owner and CEO of four of the companies involved in the scheme: BiteGate, Inc., Dinenamics, Inc., Neelinfo, Inc., and TechPMC, Inc. His brothers were the owners of the three other companies involved: Boxstertech, Inc., Hiretechforce, Inc., and TechGlobalSystems, Inc. From April 2020 through May 2021, Kethineni and his brothers submitted multiple PPP loan applications on behalf of their various respective companies, in which they made fraudulent representations and provided falsified payroll data and records to obtain loans and loan forgiveness under the program. Collectively, Kethineni and his brothers submitted at least twelve PPP loan applications on behalf of their seven companies. The applications sometimes were virtually identical. The applications resulted in the approval and funding of nine loans totaling over $3.1 million in PPP funds. Upon receipt of the PPP loan funds, Kethineni redirected significant amounts to himself and his family members instead of using the funds for payroll and other authorized business expenses under the program. Kethineni also admitted to willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes that his company, Neelinfo, Inc., had withheld from the pay of its employees, incurring an employment tax liability of over $2 million over the course of five years (from 2014 through 2018). Kethineni acknowledged that he used a payroll service company to process Neelinfo’s employee payroll and track its employment tax obligations. Every quarter, the payroll service company provided Neelinfo with a prepared Form 941 that reflected the taxes withheld from Neelinfo’s employees, which Neelinfo was required to pay over to the IRS. Despite receiving these prepared tax forms each quarter, Kethineni did not file them with the IRS, nor did he pay over any employment taxes on behalf of Neelinfo, while still causing Neelinfo to make thousands of dollars in other expenditures. At the end of each year, the payroll service also provided Neelinfo with its employees’ Forms W-2, which were used by the employees to file their personal income taxes. However, due to Kethineni’s failure to file any employment tax forms or pay over Neelinfo’s employment taxes as required, some of Neelinfo’s employees were subject to audits and inspection by the IRS after filing income tax returns based on income that Neelinfo never reported. On February 15, 2023, Kethineni was charged by Superseding Information with one count of failure to pay over employment tax in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202 and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. Kethineni pleaded guilty to both counts. In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila also ordered Kethineni to serve two years of supervised release—to begin after the prison term—to pay $3,295,514.25 in restitution, and to pay a $15,000 fine. The court also ordered entry of a money forfeiture in the amount of $3,186,315.00. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annie Hsieh is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Maryam Beros and Lance Libatique. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by IRS-CI and the FBI.


title: Rapid City Woman Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 25, 2023. Amanda Vu, 36, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Vu was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. She pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023. Starting around January of 2020 and lasting until her arrest in November of 2022, Vu obtained methamphetamine from Colorado, which she then transported to South Dakota. Vu sold the methamphetamine to people in South Dakota for use or to further distribute. Although exact quantities are unknown, law enforcement estimates she brought back approximately 60 kilograms of methamphetamine. During the conspiracy, the defendant also rented multiple vehicles, a storage unit, and short-term house rentals to facilitate her organization and avoid detection by law enforcement. This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is a local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case. Vu was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: District Man Sentenced to Six Year Prison Term For Armed Robberies in Howard University Area of NW D.C.

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Marquis Funderburk, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for two separate gunpoint robberies that took place within 30 minutes of each other in the neighborhood near Howard University in January 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. A jury found Funderburk guilty of two counts of Robbery While Armed in May 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, on January 18, 2022, at about 11:35 a.m., Funderburk and two associates grabbed Victim 1, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. As one man pointed a gun at Victim 1’s stomach the other two went through Victim 1’s pockets, taking his AirPods, iPhone, wallet, and keys. About noon the same day, approximately two blocks from the first robbery, Funderburk and three associates grabbed Victim 2, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. Funderburk’s associate pressed a gun, concealed inside a fanny pack, into Victim 2’s chin while demanding Victim 2 give them his property. Funderburk punched Victim 2 in the face. Then the group proceeded to punch and kick Victim 2 repeatedly until he fell to the ground bleeding, ultimately resulting in a concussion. As they demanded Victim 2’s account passwords, Funderburk commanded his armed associate to shoot Victim 2. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Carlton, Luca Winer, and Dan Lenerz, Paralegal Specialist Richard Cheatham, Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth, and IT Specialist William Henderson. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna Payyappilly and Katie Sessa, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Police Officer Found Guilty on Two Felony Counts  Involving Paycheck Protection Program Loans

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, a federal jury found Roberto Adams, 36, of Hyattsville, Maryland, guilty of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled a sentencing hearing for December 8, 2023. According to the evidence at trial, Adams, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of at least $18,350. Adams applied for and obtained PPP loans on behalf of his business SuperKlean LLC, a Maryland Corporation. At the time of the loans, SuperKlean LLC had no employees, no clients, and no income. Adams spent the funds at casinos in Maryland and at hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, on airfare, hotels, high-end sneakers, and personal debt. In addition, he spent $12,110 of the stolen disaster relief funds to pay several months of back rent on his personal residence. The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, with the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. Adams faces a statutory maximum sentence for wire fraud of 30 years in prison and for expenditure money laundering of 10 years in prison. A federal court judge will determine the appropriate sentence based on the guideline range and other factors. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the agencies who investigated the case, including the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance by the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Sonalika Chaturvedi, and financial analyst Bryan Snitselaar. Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Rothstein and Madhu Chugh, who prosecuted the case at trial. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sent to Prison After a Woman Was Shot with a Gun He Possessed

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a gun was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison. Gregory Scott, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 8, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. In a plea agreement, Scott admitted he possessed a firearm in June 2021. On June 8, 2021, a woman was shot by that gun while at Scott’s residence. Scott agreed that his sentence should be enhanced because he possessed the firearm in connection with the crime of reckless discharge of a firearm. Scott has multiple felony convictions, including convictions for manufacturing or delivery of cannabis and a prior conviction for felon in possession of a firearm. Scott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Scott was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-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. Scott is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department with assistance from 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 22-cr-00075. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Joseph Harris, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Omaha by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual). Harris was sentenced to 151 months in prison and will also serve 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Starting on March 1, 2021, Harris sold more than 500 grams of methamphetamine to a witness cooperating with law enforcement. On April 20, 2021, a different cooperating witness working with law enforcement purchased 415 grams of methamphetamine from Harris in Omaha. Over the course of the next month, the cooperator met with Harris on several occasions and made payments to him for the methamphetamine. During these visits the two discussed possible future transactions but they never materialized. This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Man Sentenced for Selling Firearms to a Felon

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Roger Hudson, 41, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for selling firearms to a felon and possessing unregistered firearms. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hudson to 41 months in the Bureau of Prisons on each charge to run concurrently. After completing his prison term, Hudson will begin a two-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Between March 24, 2022, and November 9, 2022, a source working with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) purchased three firearms from Hudson: a .40 caliber handgun and two AR15 rifles. Before the buys, Hudson knew that he was selling the firearms to a felon who is prohibited from possessing gun. Each of the controlled buys took place in Omaha and were audio and video recorded by the ATF. On November 9, 2022, Hudson sold an AK-47 rifle with a 30 round high-capacity magazine attached to the rifle to the confidential source. This buy took place in Omaha and was witnessed by law enforcement officers as well as audio and video recorded. On December 7, 2022, the confidential source made a controlled buy from Hudson of a fully operational, defaced sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun. The shotgun had an overall length of less than 26 inches and a barrel of less than 18 inches thus rendering it classified as a “short barreled shotgun” under the National Firearms Act. A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record by agents determined that the firearm was not registered to Hudson and no tax stamp had been issued for the gun. The firearm’s serial number was also defaced. 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.