title: Jury Convicts Cedar Rapids Man of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child and Destruction of Evidence

body_text: A man who attempted to solicit a minor to engage in prostitution was convicted by a jury on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, after a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Joshua Johnson, age 50, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was found guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a child and destruction of evidence. The evidence at trial showed that, in December 2023, Johnson responded to an ad on a website for prostitution. He exchanged text messages with a person who stated that she was 13 years old; she actually was an undercover law enforcement officer. Johnson sent messages describing sex acts he could perform with the minor, and he traveled to Hiawatha, Iowa, to meet with her. After meeting with officers, Johnson wiped his cell phone. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Johnson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $5,200 in special assessments, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Hiawatha Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is CR 24-38. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally  Reentering the United States After Being Deported Two Times

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison. Javier Santiz-Santiz, age 32, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 12, 2014, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported. At the guilty plea, Santiz-Santiz admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Santiz-Santiz was previously deported in January 2013 and February 2013. On May 2, 2024, immigration officials learned Santiz-Santiz had illegally returned to the United States and found Santiz-Santiz at the Tama County Jail following his arrest on state charges. Santiz-Santiz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Santiz-Santiz was sentenced to 98 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Santiz-Santiz is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 34-CR-36. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Central American Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally  Reentering the United States After Being Deported

body_text: A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison. Secundino Garcia-Lopez, age 37, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Ackley, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 13, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported. At the guilty plea, Garcia-Lopez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Garcia-Lopez was previously deported in August 2012. On April 23, 2024, immigration officials learned Garcia-Lopez had illegally returned to the United States and found Garcia-Lopez at the Mitchell County Jail following his arrest on state charges. Garcia-Lopez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Garcia-Lopez was sentenced to 102 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Garcia-Lopez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-2018. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: San Francisco Tow Company Operator Charged With Insurance Fraud And Money Laundering

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Vicente Badillo and Jessica Elizabeth Najarro appeared in federal court today to face mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering charges related to a scheme to defraud an auto insurance company, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; and IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office. The case has been assigned to the Hon. Rita F. Lin, United States District Judge. According to an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 9, 2024, Badillo, 28, and Najarro, 30, both of San Francisco, conspired to defraud an insurance company by submitting a fraudulent insurance claim on a wrecked car that Badillo purchased in June 2019. The indictment alleges that, when Badillo bought the car, it was undrivable, with severe front-end damage and a non-functioning engine. Nevertheless, the indictment says, Najarro obtained an insurance policy on, and later took title to, the car before falsely reporting to the insurance company in July 2019 that she had been in a single-car accident in it in San Francisco. The indictment further alleges that Najarro spoke with, and made materially false statements and misrepresentations to, an insurance representative in another state, after which the insurance company processed and approved her claim and sent her an insurance reimbursement check for $34,037.48. The indictment alleges that the full amount of the insurance reimbursement check was deposited a few days later into a Wells Fargo Bank account controlled by Badillo. The indictment also alleges that, at the time of the offenses in 2019, Badillo owned and/or controlled at least two companies engaged in the business of towing vehicles: Jose’s Towing, LLC, and Auto Towing, LLC, both of which operated out of San Francisco. Both defendants are charged with one count each of (i) conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; (ii) mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 2; (iii) wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2; and (iv) money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2. Badillo and Najarro were arrested in San Francisco on August 8, 2024, and released on a $50,000 bond at their initial appearances later that day. Both defendants are next scheduled to appear in court on August 12, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., before the Hon. Lisa J. Cisneros for arraignment and identification of counsel. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Badillo and Najarro each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, plus restitution, if appropriate, on each of Counts 1 through 3, which charge mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, 1349, and 2. They face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of criminally derived property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, plus restitution, if appropriate, on Count 4, which charges money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2. The court also may order an additional term of supervised release to begin after any prison term as part of the sentence for either or both defendants. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle F. Waldinger and Galen A. Phillips are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Carolyn Jusay Caparas. The prosecution is the result of a lengthy investigation by the FBI and IRS CI.


title: East Bay Man Charged With Illegally Smuggling Tropical Fish

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury in San Francisco has indicted Futseng “Dale” Chen and his company, Sealogic International, Inc. (Sealogic), on charges of smuggling and violations of the Lacey Act, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and United States Fish & Wildlife Service Special Agent in Charge Manisa Kung. According to the indictment, Chen, 53, of Hayward, California, and Sealogic are charged with knowingly filing false and fraudulent export records and documents and intentionally failing to file required export documents for its shipments of live tropical fish from the United States to buyers in Asia. Sealogic is a Hayward-based tropical fish importer and exporter, and Chen is the owner and chief executive of Sealogic. As alleged in the indictment, beginning in 2020, Chen and Sealogic knowingly failed to properly declare to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service the shipments of tropical fish being exported to a foreign buyer in Hong Kong. The indictment further charges that at other times Chen and Sealogic filed or caused to be filed export declarations with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that were knowingly false. Export declarations are required by law to ensure that wildlife is properly and safely imported into and exported out of the United States and to ensure that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can inspect the cargoes and collect appropriate export duties and fees. Chen was arrested today and made his initial appearance in San Francisco federal court before United States Magistrate Lisa J. Cisneros. Chen was released on bond and ordered to appear on September 13, 2024, at 11 a.m. before United States District Judge Susan Illston. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted of smuggling goods, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 554(a), Chen faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, and if convicted of false labeling under the Lacey Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 3372(d)(2), he faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. Additionally, a violation of each statute carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release, plus restitution and forfeiture. For a conviction under either charge, Sealogic faces a maximum fine of $250,000 and a three year period of probation, plus restitution and forfeiture. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. David Ward is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kathy Tat. The prosecution is the result of a three-year investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement; and with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.


title: Court of Appeals affirms conviction, prison sentence for Chinese government intelligence officer who committed espionage crimes involving local company

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the conviction and 20-year sentence imposed against the first Chinese government intelligence officer ever to be extradited to the United States to stand trial. Yanjun Xu was convicted by a federal jury in Cincinnati in November 2021 on all counts: conspiracy to commit economic espionage, conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, attempted economic espionage and attempted trade secret theft. He was sentenced in November 2022 to 20 years in prison. “A jury declared at the end of Xu’s trial that the government had proven him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Now, the appellate court has upheld those decisions,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This office will continue to pursue justice at every stage of a case.” The government proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Xu targeted American aviation companies , recruited employees to travel to China, and solicited their proprietary information, all on behalf of China. Xu was a career intelligence officer, beginning in 2003 and rising to the rank of deputy division director at the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), the intelligence and security agency for China. On appeal, Xu claimed that the District Court should have granted his motion to dismiss the indictment, that that the District Court erred in allowing expert testimony related to his intent to obtain trade secrets, and that the Court improperly calculated his sentencing guidelines. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Xu’s arguments and affirmed the District Court’s judgment, upholding Xu’s conviction and 20-year prison sentence. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the appellate decision. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Koller represented the United States on appeal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan, Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter, and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie from the Department of Justice’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. U.S. Attorney Parker commended the integral cooperation of GE Aviation throughout the investigation and subsequent prosecution, as well as the DOJ Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and the District of Arizona. # # #


title: Former NFL Player Sentenced for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Nicholas Murphy, age 44, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced August 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for coercion and enticement of a minor. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Murphy to 57 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Murphy is released from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and restitution to the victim. Sometime in 2021, Murphy began a relationship with a 17-year-old who was a dancer at The Dance Authority, a studio in Omaha. Murphy’s wife was the former owner of The Dance Authority. Murphy had communication with the minor which developed into a romantic relationship. In October 2021, Murphy purchased the minor a first-class airline ticket after the minor’s mother, who did not know about the relationship, inquired if Murphy had any travel plans between Arizona and Nebraska, and if the minor could accompany Murphy. After flying to Arizona together from Omaha, Murphy had sex with the minor in his hotel. In Arizona, it is illegal to have sex with a minor under the age of 18 years of age. Murphy pleaded guilty to persuading and enticing the minor to travel in interstate commerce to engage in sex. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: McIntosh County Residents Sentenced For Federal Drug Crimes

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Doyle Lee Lafavor, age 53, and Jerry Eugene Teafatiller, age 40, both of Checotah, Oklahoma, were sentenced for federal drug charges. Lafavor was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Teafatiller was sentenced to 60 months for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The charges arose from investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, and the District 25 District Attorney’s Office Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. On October 11, 2023, Teafatiller pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. On October 12, 2023, Lafavor pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. According to investigators, during a traffic stop on April 17, 2023, law enforcement located approximately 430 grams of methamphetamine in a large plastic bag on the backseat floorboard and over 30 grams of methamphetamine on the center console of a vehicle occupied by Lafavor and Teafatiller. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Lafavor and Teafatiller will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


title: Two Tucson Men Admit to Conspiring to Travel to the Middle East to Fight for Isis

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Ahmed Mahad Mohamed, 26, and Abdi Yemeni Hussein, 25, both citizens of Somalia, who were living in Tucson at the time of the offense, pleaded guilty last week to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Sentencing is scheduled for October 11, 2024, before United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps. From late 2018 until their arrest on July 26, 2019, Mohamed and Hussein conspired with each other to travel to Egypt for the purpose of fighting for ISIS in the Sinai Peninsula. Beginning in at least August 2018, Mohamed sought out other ISIS supporters online, stating that he wanted to travel to ISIS-controlled territory to become “the beheading guy” and martyr himself. Mohamed also stated that his only dream was to go to Syria, join ISIS, and “fight jihad,” and he indicated that his friend, Hussein, also desired to travel to ISIS territory abroad. Mohamed and Hussein met in person in 2019 to discuss their plans. Mohamed reiterated that his goal was to fight for ISIS abroad. Hussein told Mohamed that they would either reach ISIS territory “or we go to jail,” and suggested attacking the White House if they were prevented from traveling. By June 2019, the defendants began making travel arrangements to join ISIS. They both sold their cars and purchased plane tickets from Tucson to Cairo. On the morning of July 26, 2019, the defendants checked in for their flight at the Tucson International Airport, went through security screening, and walked to the departure gate. Mohamed was carrying approximately $10,000 that he and Hussein planned to use for travel expenses and to buy firearms. Once in Egypt, the defendants intended to smuggle themselves into the ISIS-controlled area of the Sinai Peninsula so they could work under the direction and control of ISIS. Before Mohamed and Hussein could board their flight, the FBI arrested them. A conviction for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Both defendants have agreed to a judicial order of removal and will be removed from the United States to Somalia following any term of imprisonment. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-19-2162-TUC-JGZ RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-109_Mohamed, et.al. # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Former Fulton County Detention Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Using Excessive Force

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Former Fulton County Detention Officer Monique Clark has been sentenced for using excessive force against a pretrial detainee at the Fulton County Jail. “Instead of carrying out his mission to ensure the safety and security of detainees in his custody at the Fulton County Jail, Clark abandoned his oath of office when he used excessive force to strangle a pre-trial detainee without cause,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Law enforcement officers who violate their professional duties are not above the law. It is now Clark who will serve time in prison as a result of his reprehensible conduct.” “This defendant’s violent assault on a handcuffed arrestee rendered her unconscious and is simply inexcusable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As we have seen too many times, chokeholds and neck restraints can prove deadly. Using high-level force against a person in custody who poses no threat is plainly illegal, but using such a dangerous technique gratuitously is especially disturbing. The Department of Justice is committed to holding law enforcement officers accountable for use of excessive force and to protecting the rights of people in custody.” “By violating his sworn oath as a detention officer to protect people, Clark betrayed every honest, hardworking officer, and crossed the line to criminal behavior,” said Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Let this sentence be a reminder that the abuse of inmates by prison staff will not be tolerated by the FBI and will always be pursued for prosecution.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, information presented in court and other public information: At the time of the crime, Monique Clark was employed as a detention officer at the Fulton County Jail. On June 5, 2023, while Clark was working at the North Jail Annex in Alpharetta, Georgia, he strangled a pretrial detainee without any legal justification. The detainee lost consciousness and suffered bodily injury as a result of the assault. Monique Clark, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to using excessive force on March 26, 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Alec C. Ward prosecuted the case.


title: Recidivist Large-Scale Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Life in Prison Following Conviction at Trial for Violating Federal Kingpin Statute

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Jamaican national was sentenced in federal court on August 6, 2024, to life imprisonment for his conviction on six counts, including violating the federal “Kingpin” statute for leading a continuing criminal enterprise, as well as federal offenses involving cocaine trafficking, racketeering, and money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Racoco Williams, 43. A Pittsburgh jury found Williams guilty of the six counts in September 2023 following a three-week trial. Evidence introduced at trial established that Williams, who is originally from Jamaica, was the leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed more than 150 kilograms of cocaine between 2012 and 2018. Williams obtained cocaine from near the Southwest border through a base of operations in Phoenix, Arizona. He then arranged to transport the cocaine to various cities on the east coast of the United States, including Charlotte, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; New York City; and Pittsburgh. Although he relied on a variety of methods for transporting bulk cocaine, he regularly used young women—including a 16-year-old—as couriers, directing them to travel by bus or on domestic airlines with checked luggage filled with drugs. Williams then used many of these same women, who often faced dire financial circumstances, to transport cash proceeds of his cocaine trafficking back to Phoenix concealed in secret compartments in suitcases. To ensure the couriers’ obedience, Williams threatened them with violence, including threatening to kill one courier and her entire family if she cooperated with law enforcement. “Racoco Williams orchestrated a years-long, cross-country drug trafficking and money laundering organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of cocaine in various cities throughout the country, including communities in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Williams stayed behind the scenes, using couriers to transport bulk cocaine and cash to fuel his enterprise, and he maintained obedience through threats of violence, including a threat to kill a courier and her family. This prosecution makes clear yet again that our office and our law enforcement partners, here and across the country, are dedicated to identifying the most dangerous offenders and holding them accountable to the fullest extent of federal law.” “This sentence is the culmination of years of investigative and prosecutorial work, diligence, and expertise,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Sara Bay. “As a result of this investigation, special agents and prosecutors were able to dismantle a vicious transnational drug trafficking organization and free the young women who Racoco Williams controlled through threats of violence. The partnership that HSI Pittsburgh has developed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania is truly remarkable and continues to work to ensure the safety of communities in western Pennsylvania.” During the conspiracy, Williams was associated with multiple seizures involving large quantities of drugs, cash, and jewelry, with a total of approximately $895,000 in cash seized from Williams and his associates throughout the investigation. In 2012, for example, a search of the home he used for a drug transaction revealed $337,000 in cash concealed in secret compartments in eight suitcases. Although he pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal syndicate and received a sentence of two years of probation, Williams’s drug trafficking continued unabated. In 2014, he was again arrested in Arizona, and a search of two suitcases in his vehicle revealed approximately $160,000 in cash. Evidence at trial further established significant trafficking activity in 2017. In April of that year, a search of an acquaintance’s home in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, uncovered six kilograms of cocaine and $78,500 in cash. Williams previously had arranged for a courier to travel with the same suitcase filled with cocaine from Las Vegas two days earlier. Less than a month later, in May 2017, a traffic stop by the Swissvale Police and later search of Williams’s car and hotel room revealed approximately $120,000 in cash and valuable jewelry. About three months later, a search of Williams’s Monroeville, Pennsylvania, hotel room revealed 17 kilograms of cocaine concealed in two suitcases, and approximately $192,000 in cash and $150,000 in jewelry concealed in another suitcase. Williams’s cross-country operation involved other individuals, including co-conspirators working out of the Penn Hills area of Pennsylvania who distributed cocaine supplied by Williams. The evidence presented at trial further established that, even after he was incarcerated, Williams continued to arrange for shipments of cocaine from Phoenix to the Pittsburgh area. One such shipment in March 2018 comprised five kilograms of cocaine concealed inside a BMW sport utility vehicle on a car carrier destined for Pittsburgh that was seized by Arizona law enforcement officials. At trial, the jury further concluded that approximately $400,000 in cash, $200,000 worth of jewelry, and that BMW sport utility vehicle were forfeitable to the government. Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Karen Gal-Or prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Williams. Numerous other law enforcement agencies and departments in Pennsylvania and Arizona assisted in the investigation, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Allegheny County Police Department, Swissvale Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Maricopa County (Arizona) Sheriff’s Office, and Yavapai County (Arizona) Sheriff’s Office.


title: Mt. Lebanon Resident Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on August 6, 2024, to 23 years of incarceration, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, on his conviction related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Andrew Kalyl Foxx, a/k/a James Andrew Liles, a/k/a Andrew James Liles, 43. Foxx pleaded guilty to two counts on May 15, 2024. According to information presented to the Court, on or about March 3, 2023, Foxx secretly recorded himself sexually abusing a minor. On March 9, 2023, the defendant knowingly possessed this video file depicting the child sexual exploitation. Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, Allegheny County Police Department, and Mt. Lebanon Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Foxx. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Slidell Woman Sentenced for Railroad Retirement Fraud

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TONYA BUTLER (“BUTLER”) , of Slidell, La., age 55, was sentenced on August 5, 2024, to four years of probation and 150 hours of community service by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey for making false statements to the Railroad Retirement Board, in violation of Title 45, United States Code, Section 359(a). According to court records, from January 2022 to April 2022, BUTLER made false statements to the Railroad Retirement Board to obtain sickness benefits. In truth, BUTLER was working full-time for an interstate trucking company. Her false statements caused a loss of approximately $7,345.52. BUTLER also received short term disability benefits and COVID-19 related funds, to which she was not entitled, in the approximate amount of $62,000. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Amtrak – Office of Inspector General and the Railroad Retirement Board - Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.


title: Million-dollar PPP scheme sends Sugar Land man to prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 43-year-old man has been sentenced for submitting fake and fraudulent Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application documents and collecting the money for personal use, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Zain Khan pleaded guilty April 10. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Khan to serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that described how Khan almost immediately lost the money he stole in various stock trading maneuvers. Khan was further ordered to pay $1 million in restitution to the SBA. In handing down the sentence, Judge Rosenthal noted the severity of Khan’s criminal activity at a time when the country was suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In or around April 2021, Khan created a fictitious temporary workforce business and payroll documents to qualify for program funds. Khan then converted the program funds for personal use to be invested in stock trading. The federal government created the PPP under the CARES Act to protect jobs during the 2020 pandemic. The PPP allows entities to apply for low-interest private loans to pay for payroll and certain other related costs. The scheme caused a loss of more than $1 million. Khan was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig M. Feazel and Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.


title: Bridgeport Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ZAN HAIRSTON, JR., 26, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for illegally possessing firearms. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2023, the Bridgeport Police Department received a report that Hairston had unlawfully entered a residence of a former girlfriend, searched through her belongings and, during a subsequent FaceTime call with her, threatened her by brandishing what appeared to be a firearm. When officers located and approached Hairston on Union Avenue in Bridgeport, he attempted to flee. He was apprehended a short distance away, and officers recovered from the ground near Hairston a Taurus TX .22 firearm equipped with a mounted laser and loaded with an extended magazine containing 20 rounds of ammunition, a Glock 26 Gen4 firearm loaded with one round, and a Glock magazine with 13 rounds of ammunition. Hairston’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree with a firearm, burglary in the second degree, criminal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Hairston has been detained since his federal arrest on February 22, 2023. On March 13, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Lauren Clark through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Bogalusa Man Sentenced on Federal Firearms and Drug Trafficking Charges

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –ROMERO MORRIS (“ MORRIS”) , age 34, a resident of Bogalusa, Louisiana, pled guilty on April 4, 2024, to Counts 4, 5, 9, 10, and 11 of the indictment pending against him announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Count 4 charged MORRIS with possession, with the intent to distribute, cocaine and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(b)(1)(C) and (b)(1)(D). Count 5 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Count 9 charged him with possession, with the intent to distribute, approximately 40 grams or more of fentanyl and, a quantity of methamphetamine and cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(b)(1)(B) and (C). Count 10 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Finally, Count 11 charged him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). On August 6, 2024, United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced MORRIS to a total of 160 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release and a $500.00 mandatory special assessment fee. This sentence included a term of 100 months as to Counts 4 , 5 , 9 , and 10 and 60 consecutive months as to Count 11 . During this investigation, MORRIS was identified as a large-scale distributor of fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana during 2022 and 2023. Law enforcement authorities also conducted search warrants at his residence and located drugs and firearms on several occasions. 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, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Louisiana Department of Probation and Parole, and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Suburban Chicago Man Guilty of Illegally Exporting Firearm Parts to Israel

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO —A suburban Chicago man has pleaded guilty to federal export-control charges for illegally shipping firearm parts to Israel. AMIN BETUNI admitted in a plea agreement that he shipped the firearm parts to individuals in Israel on at least three occasions in 2022. The parts included rifle barrels, gas blocks for rifles, and bolt carrier groups. Betuni put false information on the shipping labels and concealed the firearm parts in packages containing auto parts or George Foreman grills. The firearm parts were on the United States Commerce Control List and subject to federal export regulations. As such, their export from the U.S. to Israel required a license or written approval from the Department of Commerce, neither of which was obtained by Betuni prior to his shipments. During a court-authorized search of Betuni’s residence in Palos Hills, Ill., in December 2022, law enforcement discovered more than 1,200 rounds of assorted ammunition, a shotgun, rifle, and handgun, additional bolt carrier groups, and three firearm conversion devices, also known as “Glock switches,” which equip firearms to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger. Betuni, 37, pleaded guilty on Aug. 1, 2024, to a federal charge of knowingly and fraudulently exporting firearm parts in violation of U.S. laws and regulations. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John F. Kness set sentencing for Nov. 6, 2024. The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, and Aaron Tambrini, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Palos Hills, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn D. McCarthy. “Export-control violations are critically important because they undermine federal laws and regulations that seek to protect international security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue those who seek to exploit U.S. export-control laws for financial gain.” “Those who illegally export firearm parts will face consequences,” said SAC Fitzgerald. “Betuni’s actions not only violated international law but also undermined global security. HSI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to uphold justice and prevent such dangerous activities. Let this guilty plea serve as a stern warning: anyone who jeopardizes peace and safety through illicit arms transfers will be held accountable.” “The guilty plea is a testament to the excellent cooperation between our law enforcement partners effectively targeting the illegal export of firearm parts,” said SAC Tambrini. “Whether the export involves firearm parts or other controlled items, the Office of Export Enforcement is committed to vigorously investigating illegal exports and holding violators accountable.” Betuni plea agreement


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Being  a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Florida man pled guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, Arnett Jackson Bonner, 46, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on November 1, 2023. Bonner is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Border Patrol are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TRAVIS JACKSON (“ JACKSON ”) , age 34, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on August 6, 2024, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion, to conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a gun, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court records, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made several controlled purchases of drugs from JACKSON and his co-defendant. The FBI then conducted wire intercepts of two phones belonging to the co-defendant. During the wiretaps, the FBI heard multiple calls related to drug trafficking, including calls with buyers, calls with other larger-scale dealers, and calls warning other dealers of police activity. The FBI later executed search warrants, arresting the co-defendant with a gun and fentanyl and, also, arresting JACKSON with a gun. JACKSON’s prior felony convictions prohibit him from possessing a firearm. Judge Papillion set sentencing for November 12, 2024. On the drug conspiracy count, JACKSON faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000 and, at least four years of supervised release. On the felon in possession of a firearm count, JACKSON faces a maximum of fifteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. As to each count, he also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. 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. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.


title: Smuggler sent to prison after continuing to commit same crime while on bond

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced for conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Anthony Lenard Williams pleaded guilty April 28, 2023. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Williams to serve 96 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court found that while on bond, Williams continued to coordinate the smuggling of undocumented aliens. Williams was ultimately found responsible for smuggling at least 560 undocumented aliens – only accounting for those authorities have apprehended. The court also heard that the actual number is likely in the thousands. Some of the loads of undocumented aliens included as many 115 people in the back of a tractor-trailer, at times including unaccompanied minors. In one smuggling attempt, some of the people had to be treated for severe dehydration because of the dangerous way they were transported. Beginning in summer 2021, authorities began investigating an organization responsible for smuggling thousands of undocumented aliens in tractor-trailers. Through the course of that investigation, law enforcement identified Miguel Angel Hernandez and Williams as coordinators. Hernandez, 26, Donna, was previously sentenced to 108 months for his role in the organization but is believed to have held a a higher position of leadership than Williams. Previously released on bond, Williams was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña prosecuted the case.


title: Former Lawson Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lawson, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court today to distributing child pornography over the internet. Lance M. Berry, 37, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of distributing child pornography over the internet. Berry, the owner of a business in Lawson at the time of his offense, has a prior Ray County, Mo., conviction for the deviate sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, which requires him to register as a sex offender. By pleading guilty today, Berry admitted that he utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing program on June 1, 2022, to make images and videos of child pornography available to other users over the internet. On that day, an undercover officer with the Missouri State Highway Patrol was able to directly connect to Berry’s cell phone and download 14 videos of child pornography. According to court documents, Berry’s cell phone contained 944 unique images of child pornography, including 19 images of sadistic or masochistic violence against a minor, and 168 images featuring infants or toddlers. There were an additional 40 videos of child pornography, which also included depictions of sadistic or masochistic violence and/or infants and toddlers. Under federal statutes, Berry is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Wiggins Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute over 250 Grams of a Substance Containing Fentanyl

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Wiggins man was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 250 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. George Tavoris Moore, Jr., 28, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, on September 7, 2023, the Wiggins Police Department received information that Moore was expected to receive a package containing fentanyl at a Wiggins address. A subsequent investigation led to a search of the Wiggins residence and the package. The search yielded approximately 252 grams of pills containing fentanyl. Moore was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 19, 2023. He pled guilty on February 26, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl . U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans made the announcement. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Wiggins Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.


title: Owner of Spokane Valley Medical Supply Company Agrees to Pay $224,620 to Resolve Allegations of Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced Justin Leland has agreed to pay $224,620.88 to resolve allegations he participated in a kick-back scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment. Medicare provides health insurance to elderly and disabled United States citizens. Medicare pays for covered health services, including durable medical equipment, under certain conditions. Durable medical equipment are supplies ordered by a health care provider for a patient’s everyday or extended use, such as oxygen equipment, wheelchairs, crutches or blood testing strips for diabetics. In order for durable medical equipment to be covered under Medicare, it must be ordered by a physician who is treating the beneficiary for a specific medical problem and must be used as part of the course of treatment for that specific medical problem. According to court documents, in June of 2018, Leland registered US Professional Medical Supply LLC (USPMS) with the Washington Secretary of State. Leland also obtained a National Provider Identifier as a durable medical equipment and medical supply company and listed himself as the owner. In September 2019, Leland submitted approximately 400 durable medical equipment billing claims to Medicare from USPMS, which all listed Leland as the provider and were ordered by doctors who solicited and received kickbacks in exchange for ordering the durable medical equipment. In total, Medicare paid out $112,310.44 for these claims. During the investigation, Federal investigators learned patients received phone calls from telemarketers, provided brief statements to the callers, never actually saw or were examined by a provider, and received durable medical equipment that they did not actually need. “This settlement puts durable medical equipment suppliers on notice that they will be held accountable if they attempt to defraud the United States,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “These schemes compromise patient care and result in payment for services that are not medically necessary. Such services not only drive-up medical costs for everyone, but in some instances may even prove harmful to patients. My office is committed to stopping health care fraud, protecting the resources of the federal government, and protecting the well-being of patients.” “Durable medical equipment businesses that participate in illegal kickback schemes to boost their profits undermine the public’s trust and jeopardize the integrity of the Medicare program," said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement demonstrates HHS-OIG’s enduring commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to combat health care fraud and aggressively pursue those who exploit federal health care programs.” The settlement was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Seattle Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremey Kelley handled this matter on behalf of the United States. The settlement agreement can be viewed here: Leland Settlement Agreement


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Sentencing of Albuquerque Man for Series of Armed Robberies

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for committing a series of brazen armed robberies across Albuquerque in the span of just five days while on supervised release for a previous federal conviction. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, in 2020, Brandon Sanchez , 30, was charged federally for being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 27 months’ incarceration. During his subsequent term of supervised release, Sanchez committed the following robberies in Albuquerque over a five-day period in 2023: January 4, 2023: Shortly before 11:00 am, Sanchez entered the Little Caesar's restaurant at Montgomery and San Pedro in northeast Albuquerque. Handing an employee a note indicating he was armed, Sanchez demanded everything within five minutes, making off with approximately $60. January 4, 2023: Minutes later, Sanchez struck again at a nearby Subway at San Mateo and McLeod, threatening the cashier with an apparent firearm and leaving with $91 in cash. January 8, 2023: Just after 1:00 pm, Sanchez targeted the Little Caesar's at Montano and Fourth in northwest Albuquerque, drawing an apparent firearm and escaping with $100. January 9, 2023: Sanchez entered the Starbucks at San Mateo and Pan American around 9:00 am. He handed an employee a note, lifted his shirt to reveal an apparent firearm, and left with $100. A quick-thinking employee captured a photo of the getaway vehicle's temporary plate. January 9, 2023: At approximately 3:45 pm, Sanchez robbed the Big 5 Sporting Goods at Wyoming and Paseo del Norte, flashing an apparent firearm and taking $200. January 9, 2023: Just 15 minutes later, Sanchez robbed the Domino's restaurant at Holly and San Pedro, brandishing an apparent firearm and fleeing with $75. Law enforcement connected Sanchez to the string of robberies after reviewing surveillance footage from Big 5 Sporting Goods that provided a clear view of his face. On January 10, 2023, the Albuquerque Police Department tracked Sanchez to a Motel 6 on Pan American and executed a search warrant. Inside his room, authorities discovered a black Glock magazine, 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a demand note, a black wig, a toy BB gun, and two flannel shirts matching descriptions from the robberies. Upon his release from prison, Sanchez will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and Albuquerque Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico prosecuted the case. January 4, 2023: Brandon Sanchez robs the Subway at San Mateo and McLeod January 4, 2023: Brandon Sanchez robs the Subway at San Mateo and McLeod January 4, 2023: Brandon Sanchez robs the Subway at San Mateo and McLeod # # #


title: Former Georgia Jailer Who Strangled Detainee into State of Unconsciousness Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former detention officer with the Fulton County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for intentionally depriving a detained woman of her civil rights by using unreasonable force. Monique Clark, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, pleaded guilty last March to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. According to court documents, Clark strangled a handcuffed arrestee into unconsciousness while processing her for intake at the Fulton County North Annex Jail. As part of his plea, Clark admitted that he knew the woman posed no threat to officers and knew that Sheriff’s Office policy prohibited placing detainees in chokeholds or neck restraints except in life-or-death situations. “This defendant’s violent assault on a handcuffed arrestee rendered her unconscious and is simply inexcusable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As we have seen too many times, chokeholds and neck restraints can prove deadly. Using high-level force against a person in custody who poses no threat is plainly illegal, but using such a dangerous technique gratuitously is especially disturbing. The Justice Department is committed to holding law enforcement officers accountable for use of excessive force and to protecting the rights of people in custody.” “Instead of carrying out his mission to ensure the safety and security of detainees in his custody at the Fulton County Jail, Clark abandoned his oath of office when he used excessive force to strangle a pre-trial detainee without cause,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “Law enforcement officers who violate their professional duties are not above the law. It is now Clark who will serve time in prison as a result of his reprehensible conduct.” “Mr. Clark took a sworn oath as a detention officer to uphold the rights of others,” said Executive Assistant Director Michael A. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “He violated that oath when he abused and strangled a female inmate. Today’s sentencing is a reminder that the FBI will relentlessly work to hold accountable anyone who takes an oath to protect others.” The FBI Atlanta Field Office and Fulton County Sheriff’s Office’s Office of Professional Standards investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bret Hobson for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney Secures 23-Year Sentence in Child Exploitation Case Involving Army Soldier

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison for the sexual exploitation and abuse of 13-year-old victim. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, from November 2020 to January 2021, while stationed at Fort Riley, Adrian Dale Tsinnijinnie , 37, used Facebook Messenger to groom and coerce 13-year-old Jane Doe, who resided in Shiprock, New Mexico, into producing sexually explicit images. In return, Tsinnijinnie sent the victim explicit photos and videos of himself. In June 2021, while on leave, Tsinnijinnie traveled to Shiprock where he sexually abused Jane Doe on multiple occasions. The abuse was disclosed by Jane Doe to her father on July 5, 2021, leading to a medical examination and police report. Upon his release from prison, Tsinnijinnie will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McGinley and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC. # # #


title: Former Interim President of Puerto Rican Steel Distributor Pleads Guilty to Eight-Year Price-Fixing Conspiracy

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: A former executive of a steel distributor in San Juan, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with competitors to fix prices for sales of reinforcing bar, or rebar. According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court in San Juan, Juan Carlos Aponte Tolentino (Aponte), of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was Interim President of a steel distributor in Puerto Rico. The company was one of the leading wholesale distributors of rebar in Puerto Rico. Rebar is commonly required for residential and commercial construction projects on the island, and nearly all rebar distributed in Puerto Rico is imported from other countries or the continental U.S. Collectively, Aponte’s company and two other competitors controlled approximately 70% of the wholesale rebar market in the Commonwealth. Between 2015 and 2022, including the period of reconstruction following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, Aponte conspired with competing companies and individuals to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing prices for steel products, including rebar, which were distributed to hardware stores, building contractors and other businesses and individuals in Puerto Rico, resulting in substantial profits to the conspirators. Among other communications, Aponte and his competitors exchanged WhatsApp chat messages in which they agreed on specific rebar prices, including price increases. For example, in December 2020 an executive at a competing company sent Aponte a chat message with the price of Turkish rebar, and Aponte responded, “The position is the following: Platform $33.95, 10 bundles $34.50, Fewer than 10 bundles: $34.95” before asking, “The question is are we on the same page?” The competing executive responded, “Yes, that is what I am doing.” In the plea agreement filed today, Aponte admitted that more than $100 million in sales by his company were affected by the conspiracy. “In pleading guilty, this defendant admitted to fixing prices — for nearly a decade — on rebar, an essential part of the supply chain for the reconstruction of Puerto Rico following the 2017 hurricanes,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Manish Kumar of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This guilty plea demonstrates the Antitrust Division’s continued commitment to holding accountable individuals who collude to raise construction prices and harm consumers and businesses in Puerto Rico. We and our law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute the people responsible for this type of anticompetitive criminal conduct.” "We are satisfied with the outcome in this case as it sends a clear message that price-fixing and taking advantage of communities in crisis will not be tolerated," said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. "In the FBI, we remain committed to disrupting this illegal practice and bringing justice for all those affected by such unethical practices." Violating the Sherman Act, which is a federal criminal antitrust statute, is a felony. The maximum penalty for individuals convicted of violating the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The maximum penalty for corporations is a $100 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. The court set Aponte’s sentencing hearing for Nov. 8. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI San Juan Field Office. Trial Attorneys April Ayers-Perez, Alison Friberg and Taylor Bernhardt of the Washington Criminal Section, and Senior Litigation Counsel John Davis of the Antitrust Division’s Litigation Program, are prosecuting the case. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations .


title: Kalamazoo Man Indicted For Possessing  A Firearm As A Felon Before Fleeing Into Crowd Of Runners At Kalamazoo Marathon

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jaeontae Moore, 23, of Kalamazoo, with possessing a loaded handgun when he was ineligible to possess firearms because of a prior felony conviction, before fleeing into a crowd of runners at the Kalamazoo Marathon on Sunday, May 5, 2024 “This allegation is serious, and the circumstances of the defendant’s arrest are very troubling,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Every person, regardless of where they live, deserves to live their life and enjoy their community free from the fear of gunfire – especially at an event like the Kalamazoo Marathon that brings so many people together around a love of running.” The indictment charges Moore with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The maximum possible penalty for felon in possession of a firearm is 15 years in prison. Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers attempted to contact Moore while he was in a car during the Kalamazoo marathon in May. Moore fled from the scene and was apprehended a short distance away. Officers located the firearm he is alleged to have illegally possessed at that time. “I am extremely grateful to have such dedicated and committed officers who work hard every day to keep our community safe. Detective Ondreya Anderson was off-duty and was running in a marathon when she observed an armed individual who was extremely agitated. Instead of continuing with the marathon that she had worked and trained so hard for, she called herself to duty,” said KDPS Chief Dave Boysen . “Thanks to her quick actions, no one was injured. The suspect was safely taken into custody and the firearm that he illegally possessed was recovered. I am also grateful for our partnership with the ATF and U.S. Attorney's Office for helping to ensure that Mr. Moore will face the consequences for his actions.” The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney LaToyia Carpenter is prosecuting it. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Secures Guilty Plea in Family Shooting Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinehill man was pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of assault, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, admitting to a violent outburst that left two family members dead and another seriously injured. According to court documents, on the morning of December 22, 2023, Ellery Brent Yazzie , 37, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, woke up at his family home located within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation in Pinehill, New Mexico. He went downstairs to the kitchen with a holstered firearm in his waistband. In the kitchen, Yazzie pointed the firearm at his sister, Jane Doe 1, and threatened to shoot her and the rest of his family. This was not the first time he had made such threats. Yazzie then shot and killed his father, John Doe 1, and his brother, John Doe 2, using the firearm. He admitted to being angry and aware of the risk of causing death and to intending to do serious bodily injury. After killing his father and brother, Yazzie turned the firearm on his sister, Jane Doe 1, shooting her in her lower extremities approximately six times, causing life-threatening injuries. He then fired shots at his mother, Jane Doe 2, who was crawling on the kitchen floor trying to escape. Following the shootings, Yazzie went upstairs to retrieve another firearm and more ammunition before returning downstairs and shooting himself. At sentencing, Yazzie faces up to thirty (30) years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Yazzie will be subject to up to five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Jena Ritchey are prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Franklin County Man Admits Child Sex Trafficking

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Franklin County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted exchanging cash and other items of value for sex with a 14-year-old girl. Theodore “Ted” John Sartori Sr., 63, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to a felony charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He admitted that from the winter of 2013 to the summer of 2016, he provided cash, a car, a motorcycle, Christmas presents and vacations to a friend in exchange for access to the victim, a 14-year-old girl. As part of his plea, Sartori has also agreed to pay more than $25,000 in restitution to his victim. Sartori is scheduled to be sentenced November 6. The charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated jointly by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, with assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Houston resident sentenced for having pornographic images of children

body_text: HOUSTON – A 32-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Cody Wayne Burke pleaded guilty April 15. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now sentenced Burke to 180 months for both convictions to be served concurrently. At the hearing, the court heard additional information about the vast collection of child pornography discovered on electronic devices seized during a March 2022 search. Burke will be ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date to identified victims and must serve rest of his life on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Burke will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Burke came to the attention of law enforcement based on a cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. An IP address appeared to be uploading child pornography to cloud storage servers. The investigation led to Burke and his residence in Houston. Law enforcement executed a search warrant and seized electronic devices to include cellphones. Further analysis ultimately revealed Burke possessed a total of 850 images depicting child pornography. His collection included prepubescent minors, bondage and bestiality involving minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S Bureau of Prisons facility in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherin Daniel is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Baltimore County Man Sentenced For Bank Fraud Scheme Involving Over $1.8 Million In Fraudulent Bank Transactions

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today sentenced Damilola Ojo, age 31, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, to 48 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for charges related to a bank fraud scheme totaling more than $1.8 million. As part of his plea, Ojo also admitted to obtaining a fraudulent $475,000 COVID-19 CARES Act loan. Judge Rubin ordered Ojo to forfeit $20,000 and to pay restitution of $546,000. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (“TIGTA”). According to his guilty plea, from April 2016 through August 2019, Damilola Ojo conspired with Jamelia Thompson, Victor Ojo, Raissa Kaossele, and others to commit Bank Fraud using the Internal Revenue Service’s (“IRS”) Modernized Internet Employer Identification Number (“Mod IEIN”) system. Mod IEIN is the IRS system that allows users to register for a unique Employer Identification Number (“EIN”). It requires users to enter the valid name and Social Security number of a real living person in order to obtain an EIN for a business. The co-conspirators, including Damilola Ojo, created and used various EINs (or caused various EINs to be created and used) in furtherance of a scheme to defraud. Many of these EINs were obtained from the IRS using stolen Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”). These EINs, in conjunction with fraudulently obtained state business certificates, allowed the co-conspirators to open bank accounts at various financial institutions for the purpose of depositing stolen and/or altered checks or for receiving fraudulently obtained wire transfers. Once obtained, the proceeds of this fraudulent activity were rapidly withdrawn and/or transferred to other bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators. A co-conspirator’s Google account was the source of many of the fraudulent identification and business documents – packaged together as “work kits” – utilized throughout the conspiracy. M any of these emails were sent to electronic accounts linked to Damilola Ojo, who would then forward them to Thompson, Victor Ojo, Kaossele, and other co-conspirators – in addition to utilizing work kits himself. These co-conspirators would then open bank accounts using these work kits, they would send Damilola Ojo evidence of the fraudulent transactions that occurred using these bank accounts. Damilola Ojo would often receive portions of these transactions’ proceeds as they were rapidly dispersed. From the point Damilola Ojo joined the conspiracy, it had an intended loss of at least $1.8 million. Upon his arrest, Damilola Ojo shared a residence with co-conspirator Thompson. In this shared residence, the Government located evidence of ongoing fraud: numerous ETN documents, business documents in other people’s names, numerous IDs in the names of individuals other than those who lived in the home, identification documents with authentication features, and bank cards in the name of other individuals. In the plea agreement, Damilola Ojo also admitted to additional fraudulent activity involving a pandemic relief program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, in this case through Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”). On November 21, 2021, Thompson opened a bank account at Woodforest National Bank in Maryland in the name of her business “Jamaria Empire LLC.” On February 14, 2022, a $475,000 EIDL from the SBA was deposited into bank account xxxxxx2866. The intended recipient of this EIDL was the Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation. Once deposited into bank account xxxxxx2866, these funds were depleted through checks to Damilola Ojo, Thompson, and Certified Promotions Ent LLC (a business registered in Maryland to Damilola Ojo). Upon Thompson’s and Damilola Ojo’s arrest, the EIN application and EIN documents for Jamaria Empire LLC were recovered from their shared residence. Images of a Woodforest Bank Card for Jamaria Empire LLC and a screenshot of the Jamaria Empire LLC bank account transaction history were recovered from Damilola Ojo’s phone, along with an image of the approved $475,000 EIDL. This fraudulent transaction caused $475,000 in actual loss that was reasonably foreseeable to Damilola Ojo. Co-conspirator Jamelia Thompson, age 30, of Jamaica, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. Another co-conspirator, Raissa Kaossele, age 23, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 8 months in home confinement. Co-conspirator Victor Ojo has pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and remains to be sentenced. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Barron commended the TIGTA for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph L. Wenner and Paul Riley who prosecuted the federal case. He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Albuquerque Woman Admits Guilt in Multi-Year Cyberstalking and Identity Theft Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman pleaded guilty in federal court to a series of crimes involving cyberstalking, computer intrusion and false reporting to law enforcement that spanned several years. According to court documents, from March 2016 to December 2019, Kalani S. Uehara , 26, engaged in a campaign of harassment and intimidation against multiple victims. Uehara assumed the identities of various individuals to send numerous threatening and harassing electronic communications to individuals, schools, and law firms. Uehara threatened to kill, harm, or extort her victims, and took steps to assume others' identities, open false email accounts in their names, make false accusations, and persistently send vulgar, harassing, and terrifying messages. Specifically, Uehara admitted to engaging in a cyberstalking campaign against N.C., a former Albuquerque Public Schools student. Uehara admitted to: Gaining unauthorized access to N.C.'s Google and Twitter accounts; Creating fake accounts in N.C.'s name; Sending hundreds of threatening and harassing messages impersonating N.C.; Obtaining a restraining order against N.C. using fabricated evidence; and Falsely reporting N.C. to law enforcement, resulting in N.C.'s arrest. Uehara also admitted to making false statements to the FBI on July 28, 2016, and July 27, 2018, regarding the cyberstalking activities and use of the TextNow app. At sentencing, Uehara faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of conviction. Upon her release from prison, Uehara will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, Albuquerque Police Department and Albuquerque Public Schools Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Brawley, Jaymie L. Roybal and Eva F. Fontanez are prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Sentencing of Convicted Felon for Illegal-Firearm Possession Following Fatal Shooting

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni Pueblo man was sentenced to 27 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm following a deadly confrontation that left one man dead. According to court documents, on November 7, 2021, Daryl Jay Dickson , 38, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, shot and killed 32-year-old T.B. when T.B. and three others arrived unannounced at Dickson ’s location and threatened him as he repaired his bicycle. After the incident, Dickson fled the scene with the firearm. He was apprehended three days later by Zuni Police at a friend’s home. During a subsequent police interview, Dickson admitted to possessing the handgun used in T.B.’s death. He explained that he had obtained that handgun in July 2021 after he wrestled it from an attacker in an unrelated incident. Despite knowing he was not legally permitted to possess a firearm due to his criminal history, Dickson still kept the handgun for self-defense purposes. The handgun used in the shooting was later recovered by Zuni Police after it was subsequently used by another individual in a separate domestic-violence incident on November 15, 2021. The firearm remains in Zuni Police evidence. The rusted nine-millimeter handgun recovered, with its obliterated serial number highlighted in orange Dickson has a 2010 felony conviction in the State of New Mexico for breaking and entering in which he was sentenced to an 18-month deferred sentence with supervised probation. That sentence was revoked multiple times due to probation violations. Following release from prison, Dickson will be subject to three years of supervised release. While on supervised release, Dickson must undergo alcohol and substance-abuse testing, treatment, and counseling. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Zuni Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of Zuni Fish and Wildlife and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Phoenix Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Threatening to Kill a Federal Judge

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Clinton Mark Lewis, 52, of Phoenix, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash, to 51 months in prison. Lewis pleaded guilty to one count of Influencing, Impeding, or Retaliating Against a Federal Official by Threat on May 8, 2024. On July 25, 2022, Lewis was in federal court for sentencing after a jury found him guilty of possessing child pornography. As the district judge was pronouncing his sentence, Lewis erupted in court, shouting profanities and racial slurs at the judge. During his tirade, Lewis threatened to kill the judge and the judge’s grandchildren. As a result, Lewis was removed from the courtroom. On April 27, 2023, Lewis was indicted on three separate charges: Influencing, Impeding, or Retaliating Against a Federal Official by Threat, Obstruction of Justice, and Contempt. On May 8, 2024, Lewis pleaded guilty to Influencing, Impeding, or Retaliating Against a Federal Official. At the sentencing hearing, Lewis was sentenced to 51 months in prison, which the court ordered to run consecutive to the 151 months in prison Lewis is currently serving for possession of child pornography. “Due process demands that a defendant have a meaningful opportunity to speak with a District Judge at sentencing,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “But the right to allocute is not a license to antagonize or intimidate. We will continue to separately charge those who threaten judicial officers during court proceedings, and to seek additional, consecutive sentences to discourage and deter this criminal behavior.” “The sentence handed down today underscores the seriousness of threatening a U.S. Marshals Service protectee,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Van Bayless. “Our very democracy is based on the premise that the Judiciary operate free from harm and intimidation of any type. I am grateful to our investigators and the U.S. Attorney’s prosecutors for their continued dedication and diligence in the protection of the judicial process.” The United States Marshals Service Judicial Security Unit conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-583-TUC-SHR RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-110_Lewis # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Las Vegas Man Indicted For Sending Threatening Text Messages

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A federal grand jury in Las Vegas returned an indictment Tuesday charging a Las Vegas resident with sending threatening text messages to injure and kill two people and their families in California. Idriss Qibaa, 28, is charged with two counts of interstate communications. An arraignment and plea hearing is scheduled before United States Magistrate Judge Brenda N. Weksler on Friday, August 16, 2024. He was previously charged by a criminal complaint on July 23, 2024; and he remains in custody. According to allegations contained in court documents, on July 19, 2024, Qibaa sent text messages containing threats to injure and kill a victim and members of the victim’s family. Later, on July 24, Qibaa sent text messages containing threats to injure and kill another victim. If convicted, Qibaa faces a maximum sentence of five years confinement and a $250,000 fine on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Las Vegas Field Office and the Beverly Hills Police Department are investigating the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Refund Claims

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Florida woman pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns with the IRS to fraudulently obtain tax refunds. According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and 2020, surgical technologist Yolanda Dewar, of Sunrise, created a trust and sought fraudulent refunds from the IRS. Dewar filed four false tax returns on behalf of the trust she created to seek nearly $2 million in tax refunds. Dewar continued filing such returns even after the IRS notified her that her claims were frivolous and had no basis in law. In total, the IRS issued nearly $500,000 to the trust in response to Dewar’s false claims. According to the indictment, Dewar allegedly used a portion of those tax refunds to purchase a car for a family member, get plastic surgery and renovate her home. Dewar is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 24. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Kavitha Bondada of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.


title: Carbon County Man Charged With Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ignacio Salcido-Lopez, age 19, of Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between August 4, 2023, and April 29, 2024, in Carbon County, Salcido-Lopez received and distributed multiple images of child pornography. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #