title: Justice Department Announces More Than $690 Million in Violence Against Women Act Funding

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, the Justice Department announced the awards of over $690 million in grant funding administered by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This funding will support services and justice responses for victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across all U.S. states and territories and in many Tribal nations. The funding was announced as part of the Justice Department’s commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which was the first comprehensive federal law focused on preventing and addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. “Thirty years ago, VAWA transformed our national response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today, officers, prosecutors, judges, families, and society at large understand what should have always been clear: these crimes cannot be cast aside as somehow distinct or private. Instead, we recognize that they are among the most serious crimes that our society faces and that we must continue to improve access to justice, safety, and services for survivors.” “I was privileged to work on the passage of the original Violence Against Women Act thirty years ago — landmark legislation that transformed how our nation responds to domestic violence and sexual assault,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Our country’s progress to prevent gender-based violence is not finished, but we have come a long way since 1994 thanks to the hard work of survivors, advocates, and members of law enforcement — including the women and men of the Justice Department — who work every day to hold perpetrators accountable and protect survivors. The grants we’re announcing today reaffirm our commitment to building safe communities for all, free from violence and fear.” “Thanks to the changes in VAWA over the last 30 years, we've explored additional pathways to justice, acknowledging that justice looks different for each survivor,” Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer said. “The right to live free from violence is fundamental, and our policies and resources must continue to evolve to protect this right fully. I commend OVW’s efforts to implement VAWA 2022’s expanded resources, including new funding to support and strengthen restorative practice programs addressing gender-based violence as well as to prevent and prosecute cybercrimes such as cyberstalking and the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.” VAWA was first enacted in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. It initially focused on providing resources and training to improve the responses and policies of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, to support victim services, and to address crimes historically treated as private matters. Recognizing that domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking require a coordinated community response that extends beyond the justice system, Congress subsequently reauthorized VAWA, enhancing its policies and expanding grant funding streams, in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022. Each reauthorization of VAWA has broadened the law and expanded available resources, reflecting an evolving understanding of these crimes and underscoring the need for comprehensive, holistic approaches to improve victims’ access to justice, safety, and supportive services while also improving offender accountability. Over the years, VAWA has supported enhanced comprehensive services for survivors and increased equitable access to funding and legal protections across all communities, particularly those facing additional challenges to attaining the services and support they need. “The power of VAWA is that it is centered on the lived realities and leadership of survivors. By identifying what works well that can be expanded and enhanced, and identifying gaps and barriers, we can continue to improve VAWA and ensure that we are supporting all survivors, including those from historically marginalized communities and underserved populations who often face multiple barriers to services and safety,” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “We remain committed to making progress toward ending domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, and to ensuring that all survivors have multiple pathways to safety, services, healing, and justice.” Created in 1995 to implement the provisions of VAWA and its subsequent reauthorizations, OVW provides national leadership on domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The office is comprised of dedicated advocates, experts, and survivors, many of whom have extensive experience in the field of domestic and sexual violence. OVW has distributed over $11 billion in funding authorized by VAWA since its enactment. Through its grant programs and partnerships, OVW helps strengthen local responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking and provides funding annually to all 50 states, six territories, and many Tribal nations. By funding essential services for survivors, OVW ensures that communities are better equipped to address these critical issues. Today’s announcement includes funding for numerous grant programs, including new programs launched in FY 2024 as a result of the most recent reauthorization of VAWA in 2022 and appropriations acts. Funding announced today includes: STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program: Grants totaling over $171 million will be distributed to all 50 states and six U.S. territories to support a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The STOP program was one of VAWA’s first grant programs and was authorized in the original enactment in 1994. Sexual Assault Services Formula Program: Grants totaling over $52 million will be awarded in each state and territory to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and nonprofit organizations, as well as Tribal programs that assist survivors of sexual assault. Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program: Grants totaling over $40 million will support programs that provide six to 24 months of transitional housing support for survivors who are homeless or in need of transitional housing and other housing assistance as a result of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. Grants to Improve the Criminal Justice Response (ICJR) Program: Grants totaling over $24 million will assist communities in improving their criminal justice response while seeking safety and autonomy for survivors. ICJR grantees are encouraged to develop, implement, or enhance a coordinated community response to bring together effective partners from the local government, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices and courts, nonprofit organizations, and population-specific organizations to address these crimes. This year for the first time, OVW is also awarding more than $14 million through a related initiative, the Enhancing Investigation and Prosecution of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative , to support effective policing and prosecution strategies by promoting and evaluating effective trauma-informed policing and prosecution responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program: Grants totaling over $19 million will support the critical work of state and territory domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, which includes coordinating victim services and collaborating with federal, state, and local entities. Indian Tribal Governments Program: Grants totaling over $45 million will support the development and enhancement of effective strategies by Tribal governments to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in Tribal communities consistent with Tribal law and custom. Additionally, $7.5 million is awarded under the newly established Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program: Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track to support Tribes who have not previously accessed the Tribal Government funding and seek additional support for capacity building. In addition, funding for new grant programs that were launched this year, made possible by VAWA’s 2022 reauthorization and expansion includes: Demonstration Program on Trauma-Informed, Victim-Centered Training for Law Enforcement (Abby Honold Program): Grants totaling $3 million will support the development and evaluation of enhanced, trauma-informed training for law enforcement to improve the response to victims. This new grant program, recently authorized through the 2022 VAWA Reauthorization, was championed by a former college student whose own experience as a survivor of sexual assault led her to want to improve the law enforcement response. National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals: New funding totaling $2.8 million will support the establishment of a national resource center to provide information, training, and technical assistance to improve the capacity of individuals, organizations, governmental entities, and communities to prevent, enforce, and prosecute cybercrimes against individuals. This includes addressing technology-facilitated abuse, such as the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, and cyber-stalking, among others. Local Law Enforcement Grants for Enforcement of Cybercrimes Program: Grants totaling $5.5 million will be distributed through this new grant program to support communities in preventing, enforcing, and prosecuting cybercrimes against individuals and providing training for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, victim services providers, and judicial personnel to address such crimes. Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program : Grants totaling over $15 million will be provided through this new grant program authorized by the 2022 Reauthorization of VAWA to support, strengthen, and expand existing restorative practice programs that address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking through a trauma-informed and survivor-centered approach. Additionally, OVW will award $8 million to fund research and evaluation of restorative practices in collaboration with the pilot sites. Earlier this year, OVW awarded grants to three entities to serve as national training and technical assistance providers and to work with the pilot sites. Healing and Response Teams: For the first time, OVW is providing more than $2 million through its Healing and Response Teams Special Initiative to support the development of practices using a Tribal-based model of care to respond to Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons cases related to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and sex trafficking. This initiative is in response to recommendations made by the Not Invisible Act Commission. View the LE for Enforcement of Cybercrimes Program Awards here. View the ICJR Awards here. View the NRCC Awards here. View the Restorative Practices Pilot Program Evaluation Award here. View the Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program Awards here. View the State Coalitions Awards here. View the STOP Awards here. View the TH Awards here. View the Abby Honold Awards here. View the EIP Awards here. View the HRT Awards here. View the SASP Awards here. View the TG START Awards here. View the Tribal Governments Awards here.


title: Waltham Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offense

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Waltham man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Robert Daigle, 48 was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 71 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In June 2024, Daigle pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. On Jan. 11, 2022, approximately 10 electronic devices belonging to the Daigle were seized during a search of his residence. The majority of those devices were located in Daigle’s bedroom. Daigle admitted to downloading hundreds to thousands of CSAM for approximately 20 years. A forensic examination of one device was found to have approximately 1,100 child pornography images and approximately 900 child pornography videos. A second device was found to have approximately 380 child pornography images. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .


title: Senior Fund Executives and Salespeople Charged in Connection with $60 Million Pre-IPO Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, a five-count indictment was unsealed charging John Cangialosi, Peter Girgis, Gene Sarabella, also known as “Jerry,” Enrico Carini, also known as “Ed,” and Caner Otar, also known as “John,” with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, and money laundering conspiracy in connection with their scheme to defraud investors in Max Infinity Management LLC, Elder Fund Management LLC, and a related series of funds (collectively, “Max Infinity”). The defendants’ fraudulent misrepresentations about the operation of the funds, including excessive and undisclosed share price markups charged to investors, allowed them to raise more than approximately $60 million from investors and divert approximately $27 million for the benefit of the defendants and other Max Infinity salespeople. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges. “As alleged, based on false promises the defendants bilked investors out of millions of dollars,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “They lied about how they made money and promised near-certain returns on investment when, in truth, they charged astonishing markups, at times greater than 95%, and defrauded investors. My office will vigorously prosecute those who seek to take advantage of the investing public for their own greed.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Washington, D.C. Home Office, for its significant cooperation and assistance during the investigation. “These five defendants allegedly charged undisclosed markup fees to defraud almost $60 million from investors of Max Infinity, routing nearly half of the proceeds to their personal wallets. Luring in investors based on false success stories and concealing additional expenses betrays their belief that the money is being handled appropriately. The FBI will continue to disrupt fraudulent schemes rooted in deceit and investigate anyone seeking to make an unlawful quick buck at the cost of another,” stated FBI Director Curtis. As set forth in the indictment, Max Infinity was a New York City based manager of investment funds that bought and sold stock issued by privately held companies that anticipated an initial public offering (IPO). Principals Cangialosi, Girgis, and Sarabella, along with sales team leaders Carini and Otar, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors and prospective investors in Max Infinity by misrepresenting, among other things, that Max Infinity took no upfront fees, was registered with the SEC, and sourced pre-IPO shares directly from the issuing companies. The defendants also fabricated Max Infinity’s track record – claiming on their website and to investors that Max Infinity had returned significant profits to investors in prior successful IPOs—when in reality, Max Infinity had no such previous investments. Additionally, Cangialosi and Girgis were both, at various times, under suspension by the Financial Industry National Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and hid their involvement in Max Infinity from investors. Even though investors were told that Max Infinity did not make money until customers made money, Cangialosi, Girgis, and Sarabella paid themselves distributions and paid salespeople commissions out of excessive, undisclosed markups charged to investors. From these distributions, Sarabella directed the purchase of more than a million dollars in luxury watches. Salespeople also utilized scripts that falsely assured investors that the firm had an impressive track record of success in prior IPO deals, conducted extensive due diligence, and had specialized access to top deals. At the principals’ direction, salespeople lulled investors into a false sense of security by falsely claiming SEC oversight over their fund and its investments. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) . As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including wire fraud, such as the crimes that defendants allegedly committed. If you believe that you or someone you know was victimized by the defendants, please contact the FBI by email at: maxinfinitytips@fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah M. Evans, Eric Silverberg, John O. Enright and Lorena Michelen are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Sarah Burn and Liam McNett. The Defendants : JOHN CANGIALOSI Age: 43 Manalapan, New Jersey PETER GIRGIS Age: 43 Staten Island, New York GENE SARABELLA (also known as “Jerry”) Age: 36 Monroe, New Jersey ENRICO CARINI (also known as “Ed”) Age: 39 Staten Island, New York CANER OTAR (also known as “John”) Age: 37 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-363


title: Administrator of Scam Telegram Channel Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham-area man has been sentenced to a decade in prison for his role running a Telegram channel that sold millions of dollars in stolen and fraudulent checks, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala sentenced Mekhi Diwone Harris, 25, of Birmingham, to 120 months in prison and ordered him to forfeit $160,000. In April 2024, Harris pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. “Check fraud is a growing national problem,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “That is in no small part due to Telegram channels like the one run by the defendant, which operated as a one-stop shop for other scammers to purchase stolen financial instruments. Thanks to the tremendous partnership from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama and our law enforcement partners who worked on this case, we were able to bring the administrator of the ‘Work Related’ channel to justice.” “Fraud poses a fundamental threat to our national security as well as to our everyday way of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Peeples. “The FBI is committed to coordinating with our partners and aggressively pursuing those who seek to victimize others for their personal gain. I hope this sentencing serves as a warning to others who might engage in these types of schemes.” According to the plea agreement, from April 2022 to August 2023, Harris acted as an administrator of the “Work Related” Telegram channel using the Telegram handle “@O1ihk.” During this period, more than one thousand stolen or fraudulent checks were sold on the channel. The victims included individuals, businesses, churches, schools, and non-profit organizations. The total value of the checks posted to the channel was more than $10 million. The FBI investigated the case with significant assistance from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Canter prosecuted the case.


title: Avilla Man Sentenced

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: FORT WAYNE –Justin M. Stevens, 30 years old, of Avilla, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to two counts of theft of mail and one count of receipt of stolen mail, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Stevens, who had been in federal custody since November 2023, was sentenced to time served followed by 30 months of supervised release. Following his release from incarceration, Stevens is required to report to a halfway house, residential treatment facility, or transitional living facility. According to documents in the case, between August and October 2021, the United States Postal Inspection Service received reports of residential mail thefts in the Fort Wayne and Huntertown areas. On October 16, 2021, Stevens was apprehended in the early morning hours attempting to steal mail from a mail receptacle in Huntertown, Indiana. At that time, his SUV contained approximately two hundred pieces of stolen mail. Bank records indicated a check stolen from a homeowner’s mail receptacle had been deposited in an account in his name on August 9, 2021. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin C. Sheridan.


title: St. Louis Man Caught with Guns and Drugs After Throwing Dog Out of Window Sentenced

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man caught with guns and fentanyl after throwing a French bulldog out of a window to 75 months in prison. On Oct. 19, 2023, police investigating the theft of two French bulldogs set up a meeting to “buy” the dogs. Officers arrested the seller outside of her apartment in St. Louis. As police approached the apartment to try and recover the dogs, a window opened and one of the dogs was thrown out. Police entered that apartment and found Landon Allen hiding in a closet. He had a baggie with 105 capsules containing fentanyl in his pocket. Nearby were empty capsules, a press used to make pills, an AR pistol and a handgun with an extended magazine. Allen admitted as part of his plea possessing one or more of the firearms in furtherance of fentanyl distribution. Allen, 24, pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The North County Police Cooperative, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine and Selling Firearms

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for trafficking cocaine and selling firearms in Rockford. ROGELIO IBARRA, 34, pleaded guilty earlier this year to distribution of cocaine and the unlawful possession of firearms. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Tuesday sentenced Ibarra to 76 months in federal prison. Ibarra, a leader of the Rockford chapter of the “Insane Unknowns” street gang, admitted in a plea agreement that in 2021 and 2022 he and other gang leaders would distribute cocaine to Insane Unknown members to sell on the streets and fund the gang’s criminal activities. Ibarra also admitted that despite prior felony convictions, he possessed five firearms and sold those firearms to another individual. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Rockford Police Department, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd. Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.


title: Lee’s Summit Neurologist Pleads Guilty to False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Mo., neurologist pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to report cash income from her practice on her federal tax returns. Maria Donato, 55, waived her right to a grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to a federal information that charges her with one count of making a false declaration under penalties of perjury. Donato owned and operated Forest Park Neurology, LLC, where she practiced as a neurologist from 2012 to 2019. Donato’s patients sometimes paid cash for her services from 2015 through 2019, but Donato failed to report the full extent of her cash income on her federal income tax returns. Donato specifically pleaded guilty to failing to report more than $120,000 in cash income in 2017. By pleading guilty today, Donato admitted that she filed her federal income tax returns, or caused her returns to be filed, knowing they were false. Each return included a written declaration whereby Donato acknowledged the return was being filed under penalties of perjury. Donato also failed to properly report her cash income on her Missouri tax returns during those years. Under federal statutes, Donato is subject to a sentence of up to three 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 Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: Michigan City Man Sentenced to 88 Months in Prison

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Demetrius Roberson, 51 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Roberson was sentenced to 88 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, between December 2022 and February 2023, Roberson sold cocaine on seven occasions, totaling approximately two ounces. A search warrant executed at Roberson’s house in February 2023, resulted in the recovery of almost 400 grams of cocaine, one pound of marijuana, two handguns, and over $5,000.00. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Michigan City Police Department, the Indiana State Police Laboratory, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.


title: Atlanta Promoter, Entrepreneur, and Former NFL Player Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program Fraud

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Travis Lee Harris has been sentenced to federal prison for wire fraud stemming from his fraudulent acquisition of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for nearly $1,000,000, during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Harris falsified a loan application to obtain PPP funds for his business that he then blatantly used to fund a lavish lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Harris has now been held accountable for his crime. Our office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute anyone who defrauds taxpayers out of COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.” “Fraudulent exploitation of SBA’s pandemic relief programs diverts critical resources from the small businesses that truly need them,” said Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the SBA OIG’s Eastern Region. “Our office is committed to protecting taxpayer funds and ensuring that individuals who attempt to defraud SBA programs are brought to justice. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and dedication to justice in this case.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In June 2020, Travis Harris, a former NFL player, signed a PPP loan application for his business, Atlanta Luxury Cars & Trucks LLC, in the amount of $968,405. Harris provided fraudulent information on his application about the number of employees, payroll, and revenue for the business. Based on Harris’ fraudulent representations, the lender deposited $968,405 into the bank account for Atlanta Luxury Cars & Trucks LLC. Harris soon began transferring the PPP loan funds into his personal bank accounts. In the following months, Harris posted to social media pictures of him holding a large stack of cash, buying a Rolex watch and other jewelry, and renting a room at a luxury hotel. Harris also used a portion of the PPP loan funds to finance other start-up businesses. Travis Lee Harris, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Victoria M. Calvert to one year, four months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $997,457.15. Harris was convicted on these charges on February 14, 2024, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth III and Alison B. Prout prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Former Massachusetts State Senator Convicted of COVID and Tax Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean A. Tran was convicted yesterday following a six-day trial for scheming to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and collecting income that he failed to report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Tran, 48, of Fitchburg, was convicted of 20 counts of wire fraud and three counts of filing false tax returns. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV, scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2024. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023. According to evidence presented at trial, Tran served as an elected member of the Massachusetts State Senate, representing Worcester and Middlesex Counties from 2017 to January 2021. After Tran’s State Senate term ended in 2021, Tran fraudulently received pandemic unemployment benefits while simultaneously employed as a paid consultant for a New Hampshire-based retailer of automotive parts (the Automotive Parts Company). While working as a paid consultant for the Automotive Parts Company, Tran fraudulently collected $30,120 in pandemic unemployment benefits. In addition, Tran concealed $54,700 in consulting income that he received from the Automotive Parts Company from his 2021 federal income tax return. This was in addition to thousands of dollars in income that Tran concealed from the IRS while collecting rent from tenants who rented his Fitchburg property from 2020 to 2022. “Dean Tran defrauded the government out of unemployment benefits he had no right to receive. His fraud and calculated deception diverted money away from those who were struggling to get by during a very difficult time,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding accountable public officials who lie and steal for personal gain.” “Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran stole taxpayer funds intended for those Americans who lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The jury’s verdict affirms the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General’s commitment to investigate allegations of fraud involving the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) unemployment insurance (UI) program. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the UI system from those who exploit this critical benefit program,” stated Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. “The conviction of Dean Tran demonstrates the IRS’s commitment to the prosecution of all who choose to break the law, even elected officials,” said Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Elected officials are held to a higher standard when they take an oath to serve but to Tran, his oath meant nothing when he chose to steal from the America taxpayers on two separate occasions. Tran stole from a pandemic unemployment program designed to help those most in need. Tran also showed great disdain for the American public when he willfully omitted his taxable income, the most basic of principles all Americans are expected to follow.” “Former State Senator Dean Tran was convicted of cheating taxpayers by cashing in on a public health crisis by diverting tens of thousands of dollars meant to support those out of work due to the pandemic to himself instead,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI simply won’t stand for opportunists thinking they can defraud the federal government, lie on their taxes, and get away with it. We will continue to aggressively pursue anyone foolish enough to do so.” The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, DOL-OIG SAC Mellone, IRS-CI SAC Chavis and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Office’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form .


title: Son Found Guilty After Shooting and Conspiring with His Mother to Corruptly Tamper with Witnesses

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Last night, a federal jury found a son and his mother guilty of crimes related to a 2023 shooting. Marco Dionte Atkins , 19, of Tulsa and a citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, was convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Tampering with a Witness by Corrupt Persuasion. Sidney Brook Mayfield , 39, was convicted of Retaliating Against a Witness, Victim, and Informant; and False Declaration Before a Grand Jury. They were both found guilty of Conspiracy to Tamper with a Witness, Victim, and Informant by Corrupt Persuasion; Corruptly Tampering with a Witness, Victim, and Informant; and Corruptly Obstructing the Due Administration of Justice. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, shortly after 8 pm on Nov. 26, 2023, Sidney Mayfield pulled into a convenience store directly across from the street from a high school. Five teenagers were in the car, including Marco Atkins, Mayfield’s then 18-year-old son. The teens, Mayfield and Atkins, were seen entering the store on video surveillance. After a few minutes inside the store, a verbal altercation began between the teens and the victim. The teens, Mayfield and Atkins, left the store. The teens continued to argue with the victim outside. The video shows Atkins inside the vehicle, firing multiple rounds towards the victim, eventually hitting him. Another person was seen exiting the vehicle to grab something on the ground before Mayfield sped off. Evidence presented to the jury showed that shortly after Atkins was arrested in January 2024, Mayfield and Atkins began tampering with witnesses, obstructing the investigation, and commenting about retaliation. Atkins original trial was set to begin in June of 2024 but was forced to be continued due to their obstruction and witness tampering. After the trial was continued in June, evidence showed Mayfield ranting on social media about a witness being a “snitch,” announcing the witness's full name and where the family resided. In the video played for the jury, Mayfield stated that she would “kill anybody” that went against her or her son and that she would “ride with Marco until the [explicit] wheels fell off.” Shortly after she posted that video, Mayfield was indicted and arrested, and Atkins was charged with additional counts. The victim testified that he was shot once in the stomach. He did have a firearm on him, but he did not pull the gun out of his pocket. After being shot, the victim believes he fell backward, and the gun fell out of his pocket. He testified about passing out on the way to the hospital, where it took several days for him to recover from the gunshot wound. Officers testified they did not find a gun on the victim. During the trial, Atkins testified that the victim made threats towards him and his friends. Atkins said the victim pointed a gun directly at him, and that is why he shot. Atkins described the victim falling backward after being shot and dropping his gun. He said that someone from his vehicle grabbed the victim's gun before they drove off. At the trial, prosecutors questioned Atkins about his testimony and evidence presented regarding obstruction and witness tampering. Atkins denied any involvement. Atkins and Mayfield will remain in custody until sentencing at a later date. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Dowdell and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Assault with steel-toe boots on Crow Indian Reservation sends man to prison for more than three years

body_text: BILLINGS—A Crow Agency man who admitted to punching another man in the face and then kicking him with steel-toe boots in a residence in Wyola, on the Crow Indian Reservation, was sentenced today to three years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Jordale Thomas Redwolf, 36, pleaded guilty in May to assault with a dangerous weapon. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents, the government alleged that on Dec. 8, 2023, Redwolf and the victim, identified as John Doe, were drinking alcohol at a house in Wyola, on the Crow Indian Reservation. Doe reported that for no apparent reason, Redwolf repeatedly punched him in the face. When Doe fell to the floor, Redwolf kicked him in the face and torso with boots. Doe was treated at the Crow Indian Health Service Hospital for injuries. In an interview the next day, Redwolf admitted he beat up Doe because both were drunk, and Doe was “mouthing off” because Redwolf had just been released from prison. Redwolf kicked Doe with his prison-issued boots. Law enforcement seized steel-toe boots that had blood on them from Redwolf’s home. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. XXX


title: U.S. Citizens Convicted of Conspiring to Act as Illegal Agents of the Russian Government

body_text: A jury today convicted Omali Yeshitela, 82, Penny Hess, 78, Jesse Nevel, 34, all of St. Louis, and Augustus C. Romain Jr., 38, of Atlanta, of conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government. The defendants were charged in a superseding indictment on April 13, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial, from at least May 2015 until July 2022, Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel agreed to act on behalf of the Russian government within the United States. Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a resident of Moscow, was the founder and president of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), an organization headquartered in Moscow, Russia, and funded by the Russian government. Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel were leaders of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) or components thereof. Augustus C. Romain was a high-level leader of the APSP who, in November 2018, left and formed a Georgia-based group called the Black Hammer. Ionov’s influence efforts were directed and supervised by Moscow-based Federal Security Service (FSB) officers, including indicted defendants Aleksey Borisovich Sukhodolov and Yegor Sergeyevich Popov. In May 2015, Ionov invited Yeshitela to Russia for an all-expenses paid trip to “communicate on future cooperation.” Prior to this trip, Hess relayed a request to Ionov to ensure that Yeshitela would be able to meet with an “official representative of the Russian government.” According to subsequent email communications, which were shared with Hess, Nevel and Romain, Yeshitela explained that it was “clear” that Ionov was an instrument of the Russian government. In these same communications, Yeshitela further explained that Ionov represented “a method by which the Russian government is engaging the U.S. and Europe in serious struggle” by utilizing “forces inside of the U.S. to s[o]w division inside the U.S.” In a subsequent meeting, at which Hess and Nevel were present, Yeshitela explained that Ionov would only provide resources for actions that would support Russia’s efforts to “undermin[e] the U.S.” Acting under Ionov’s direction, the defendants took several actions within the United States. For example, in August 2015, Ionov requested that Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel draft and publish a petition to the United Nations charging the United States with actively committing genocide against African people. When Hess resisted, Ionov insisted that the APSP had to publish the petition because Ionov and his Russian backers were “not exactly Black to demand it for ourselves.” Hess subsequently drafted and published the requested petition, which Ionov promoted in Russian media. In January 2016, Ionov provided a $12,000 guarantee letter to fund a four-city tour to promote the genocide petition that the APSP had published at his direction. Yeshitela and Hess oversaw the tour and reported information about the tour to Ionov. After the tour, Yeshitela explained in an APSP meeting that the APSP had “developed a relationship with forces in Russia who are involved in their own struggle with the US.” In 2017, and again in 2019, Ionov attempted to influence local elections in St. Petersburg, Florida, on behalf of the FSB, although there is no evidence that he succeeded in doing so. For example, in July 2017, Ionov reached out to Nevel —who was a candidate for Mayor in St. Petersburg — to offer support, including “campaign finance.” In 2019, Ionov regularly reported to the FSB concerning an election for local office in St. Petersburg, referring to one candidate as the candidate “whom we supervise.” And, in January 2020, FSB Officer Popov directed Ionov that the United States’ 2020 Presidential election was the FSB’s “main topic of the year.” In April 2020, Ionov invited Nevel and Yeshitela to speak at a conference to promote the right of self-determination for Russian-backed secessionist movements in eastern Ukraine. Shortly thereafter, Yeshitela provided a video-recorded statement of support for the Russian-backed secessionist group. Ionov reported to the FSB concerning these activities. In late February 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ionov complained to FSB Officer Sukhodolov concerning Russia’s failure in the information war surrounding the invasion. Sukhodolov directed Ionov to “join in” in the information war. Ionov then directed Yeshitela and Romain to engage in demonstrations at a social media company headquarters in California to demonstrate against suppression of pro-Russian viewpoints. Ionov paid for Romain and three other members of Black Hammer to fly to California to conduct the demonstration, and Yeshitela directed members of the APSP located in California to conduct a similar protest a few days later. After the Black Hammer demonstration, Romain messaged Ionov: “This is great! That was fun! Who we attacking next? With more time I can get a bigger crowd.” In May 2022, at Ionov’s direction, Romain demonstrated at a media company in Atlanta, Georgia, to celebrate Russia’s “Victory Day.” In June 2022, at Ionov’s direction, Romain demonstrated at the Georgia state capitol in support of Russia. During the demonstration, Romain stated that he was “not ashamed to say that the Black Hammer Party has relationships with the Kremlin,” in reference to Ionov. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: North Carolina Native Pleads Guilty to Gun Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth Locke, age 23, who currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pled guilty today to conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer by making false statements, also known as “straw purchasing” firearms. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. Locke, a native of North Carolina, admitted that he entered into an agreement with Rylan Peterson, a Kingston native and former Marine then living in North Carolina, to acquire six semi-automatic handguns on behalf of Oryin McLeod and others residing in Kingston, New York. After McLeod paid Locke through Peterson, Locke purchased the firearms from a licensed dealer in North Carolina, falsely representing at the time of the purchase that he was acquiring the firearms for himself. Peterson later transported the firearms from North Carolina to New York where he provided them to McLeod and others. McLeod was subsequently arrested for unlawful possession of two of the firearms acquired through the straw purchasing scheme. Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2025, before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. Locke faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. McLeod and Peterson previously pleaded guilty to charges related to their unlawful acquisition of the firearms. ATF and the Kingston Police Department are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon prosecuted the case.


title: Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced To More Than 11 Years In Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Christopher DeShawn Nelson, 42, of Asheville, was sentenced to 141 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Nelson after learning he was trafficking drugs and guns in and around Hillcrest Apartments in Asheville. Beginning in late June 2022, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant (CI) to conduct drug and gun purchases from Nelson. For example, on July 19, 2022, the CI communicated with Nelson about purchasing a 9mm firearm and methamphetamine. The same day, the CI traveled to Hillcrest Apartments where he purchased a firearm and methamphetamine from Nelson in exchange for $1,130. Court records show that from June 28 to August 18, 2022, Nelson sold the CI more than 88 grams of methamphetamine and three firearms. On August 25, 2023, Nelson pleaded guilty to distributing five grams or more of actual methamphetamine. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger ordered Nelson to begin serving the federal sentence after the defendant completes the 30-month state sentence he is currently serving for a drug conviction. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, the DEA, and the Asheville Police Department. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.


title: Tennessee Man Convicted Of Armed Bank Robbery Is Sentenced To Over 12 Years In Prison

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Paul Gordon Day, 37, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 147 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for the armed robbery of a bank in Asheville, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and evidence presented at Day’s trial, on November 9, 2022, at approximately 4:20 p.m., Day rode a bicycle to the PNC Bank branch located at 8 O’Henry Avenue, in Asheville, which is across the street from the federal courthouse. Day parked the bicycle and entered the bank wearing a blue cap, sunglasses, a blue surgical mask, a grey sweatshirt, and gloves. Upon entering the bank, Day drew from his waistband a firearm wrapped in a black plastic bag secured to the barrel with rubber bands and approached the bank tellers. Day held up a firearm, ordered a customer who was in the bank to the ground, and demanded money from tellers. The tellers complied and gave Day the cash, including a GPS tracking device concealed within the money. Day then fled the scene on the bicycle. Court documents show that law enforcement tracked the GPS device and determined it was located inside a vehicle traveling on Interstate 26 toward Weaverville, North Carolina. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and arrested Day, who was alone in the vehicle. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and recovered the firearm Day used during the robbery, the stolen cash and the GPS tracking device, the bicycle, and numerous articles of clothing worn by Day during the commission of the robbery. On January 10, 2024, a federal jury found Day guilty of bank robbery using a dangerous weapon, and possessing and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Day remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI, the Asheville Police Department, and the Weaverville Police Department for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Northern California Man Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging He Assaulted Attendants on Flight Bound for San Francisco

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – An Alameda County man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he assaulted flight attendants shortly after his flight from Orange County to San Francisco took off, causing the flight to divert to Ontario for the safety of passengers and crew, the Justice Department announced today. Charles Angel Salva, 30, of Fremont, is charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants. Salva, who was arrested on Wednesday, is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Salva was on a Frontier Airlines flight bound from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana destined for San Francisco International Airport on September 9. Shortly after takeoff, while the airplane was climbing and under 10,000 feet, flight attendants saw that the oxygen masks in one row of the middle of the aircraft were out of the overhead compartment. Flight attendants investigated and discovered that Salva had his hand in the overhead compartment. One passenger later told law enforcement that Salva appeared claustrophobic and seemed like he wanted to get off the plane. Salva then pulled down the oxygen mask from the overhead compartment, getting his hand stuck there in the process before a passenger helped him free his hand. Salva allegedly began yelling obscenities at flight attendants and said, “We are all going to hell,” and “This airplane is going down!” Salva then grabbed at fellow passengers and ran towards the rear of the airplane when flight attendants tried to restrain him. Salva allegedly then attempted to choke a flight attendant, leaving two small marks on the victim’s neck. Salva then pushed another flight attendant and said he was going to kill everybody, the affidavit alleges. Passengers helped restrain Salva, who broke out of flex cuffs and had to be restrained by a seatbelt. During the incident, Salva kicked one flight attendant approximately six times in the leg, causing apparent bruising and swelling, which required medical attention. The flight was diverted to Ontario International Airport because the flight attendants did not feel safe trying to put Salva back in his seat. A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, Salva would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The FBI and the Ontario Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Cory L. Burleson of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: Jamaican National Admits Illegally Reentering U.S.

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JASON CASTON WILLIAMS, also known as Jason Fitzgerald and Terry Barrington Stewart, 50, a citizen of Jamaica, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to illegally reentering the United States after being deported. According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams was admitted to the U.S. as a Lawful Permanent Resident in October 1982. In June 1991, Williams was convicted in Connecticut state court of robbery in the second degree. He received a sentence of 10 years of imprisonment, execution suspended, and five years of probation for that offense. He subsequently violated his probation and, in March 1997, was sentenced to three years of imprisonment. In September 1997, Williams was convicted in New York of burglary second degree and criminal possession of a weapon, and received a sentence or 30 months to five years of imprisonment. In May 2001, after an immigration judge ordered Williams removed, he was deported to Jamaica. Williams unlawfully returned to the U.S. and, on October 20, 2022, was arrested by Norwalk Police and charged with second-degree assault related to his use of a knife to assault another individual. On October 11, 2023, he was convicted of that charge and sentenced to five years of imprisonment, suspended after two years, and three years of probation. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for illegal reentry. He is currently detained. This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Role in Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday for his for his participation in a money laundering conspiracy. Robert Hueton Colespring, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Colespring was also ordered to pay a fine of $5,000. In May 2024, Colespring pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conducting substantive money laundering transactions. Beginning in 2016 and continuing until 2022, an investigation into a money laundering organization based primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia was conducted. An undercover agent infiltrated the organization by portraying himself as an international money launderer able to pick up bulk cash throughout the world, launder the proceeds through his United States-based accounts and send the money to Colombia through the Black Market Peso Exchange – a common method of trade-based money laundering used to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking to Colombia. Throughout the course of the investigation, members of the money laundering organization would contact the undercover agent and arrange meetings for him and his purported associates to collect cash for laundering. Individuals, such as Colespring, performed the role of money courier. On two occasions in Florida, Colespring delivered bulk cash which was then deposited into the undercover agent’s bank account in Massachusetts and then subsequently wired to accounts and repatriated back to drug traffickers in Colombia. Over the course of the conspiracy, Colespring was responsible for the laundering of approximately $599,990 in drug proceeds. Colespring was charged in a 50-count indictment along with 19 other individuals in March 2022. Colespring is the eighth defendant to be sentenced in the case. Four other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Acting United States Attorney Joshua R. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tioga County Man Sentenced To 180 Months In Prison For Receipt Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Young, age 43, of Elkland, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann to a term of 180 months of imprisonment for the receipt of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Young pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography on March 26, 2024. Young was previously identified by the FBI in 2022 as participating in a website that engaged in the file sharing of child pornography. After his arrest in January 2022, Young was placed on supervised release pending trial. In July 2023, Young was found to have downloaded additional images of child pornography. This case was by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted 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. # # #


title: Members Of A Luzerne County Family Each Sentenced To Serve 10 Years Imprisonment For Drug Trafficking

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Disabella, age 35, James Disabella, Jr. age 60, and James Disabella, III, age 36, all of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced by United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley to serve 10 years’ imprisonment for their role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of pure methamphetamine in the Hazleton area between August 2022 and December 2022. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the Disabellas each previously pleaded guilty before Judge Munley to distributing over 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. Throughout the time period of the conspiracy the Disabellas distributed at least 500 grams of pure methamphetamine to other street level distributors and drug addicts. 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 (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion, Money Laundering and Operating an Illegal Gambling Business

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Ohio man was sentenced to over seven years in prison today for tax, money laundering and gambling crimes arising out of his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses and related misconduct. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2009 through 2022, Steven Saris owned and operated multiple illegal gambling businesses in Northeast Ohio — including Café 62, Lucky’s, Winner’s World, Spin City and another business in Springfield, Ohio — as well as in Florida. Saris concealed his involvement in and income from these businesses by having others serve as nominee owners, and by destroying and directing others to destroy business records. For tax year 2015, Saris filed a false tax return that did not report more than $1.4 million in income he received from his illegal gambling businesses. For tax years 2016 through 2021, Saris did not file tax returns or pay all the tax that he owed despite earning more than $9 million in income from his gambling businesses. During that time, Saris made only two nominal payments to the IRS in 2018 when he filed an application for an extension of time to file his 2017 return. Saris used his proceeds from the businesses to gamble millions at legal casinos and to acquire and renovate at least two residential properties located in Canton, Ohio. Saris’s conduct caused a tax loss of $2,823,391. In July 2018, law enforcement executed search warrants at multiple illegal gambling businesses and associated locations in Northeast Ohio. Following those search warrants, Saris made false statements to law enforcement. At the same time, Saris continued operating the illegal gambling businesses and did not disclose that to law enforcement. In August 2022, law enforcement executed a court authorized search warrant at Saris’ residence and for his cell phone. Upon learning of the search warrant for his cell phone, Saris told law enforcement that he did not know the location of his cell phone. Law enforcement recovered Saris’ cell phone from the water tank of a toilet in Saris’ residence. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Saris to serve three years of supervised release and pay $2,823,391 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation; the Stark County, Ohio, Prosecutor’s Office; the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.


title: Colombian Nationals Sentenced for Plot to Murder American Soldiers

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Colombian nationals Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez, 40, and Ciro Alfonso Gutierrez Ballesteros, 31, were sentenced today to 35 and 30 years in prison, respectively, for conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. soldiers by detonating a car bomb outside a military base near the Colombia-Venezuela border. According to court documents, Medina Rodriguez and Gutierrez Ballesteros, in concert with members of the 33rd Front, an extremist faction of Las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias (FARC), specifically targeted American troops stationed at the Colombian 30th Army Brigade Base in Cúcuta, Colombia. Co-conspirator Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez used his status as a medically discharged Colombian army officer to gain access to the base, where he conducted photographic and video surveillance of the areas where the U.S. soldiers were primarily located. Approximately 10 days before the attack, Medina Rodriguez and Gutierrez Ballesteros delivered a white SUV to their co-conspirators in the 33rd Front, who loaded it with an improvised explosive device. On June 15, 2021, Medina Rodriguez drove the bomb-laden SUV to the 30th Army Brigade Base, eventually parking it in front of the location where U.S. and Colombian military personnel worked. Gutierrez Ballesteros, riding a motorcycle, escorted Medina Rodriguez. Once inside, Medina Rodriguez activated the bomb’s timer device and left the area on foot before fleeing on the motorcycle driven by Gutierrez Ballesteros. Three U.S. Army soldiers and 44 Colombian military personnel were injured in the blast. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch made the announcement. The FBI with assistance from the FBI Legal Attaché in Bogotá, the Fiscalía General de la Nación de Colombia and the National Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Browne and Abbie Waxman for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney David C. Smith for the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy A. Hummel and Andy R. Camacho for the Southern District of Florida also contributed significantly to the investigation and prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá worked with Colombian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Gutierrez Ballesteros and Medina Rodriguez.


component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – A jury today found Omali Yeshitela, 82, of St. Louis, Missouri, Penny Hess, 78, of St. Louis, Missouri, Jesse Nevel, 34, of St. Louis, Missouri and Augustus C. Romain, Jr., 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, guilty of conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. The defendants were charged in a superseding indictment on April 13, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial, from at least May 2015 until July 2022, Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel agreed to act on behalf of the Russian government within the United States. Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a resident of Moscow, was the founder and president of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), an organization headquartered in Moscow, Russia, and funded by the Russian government. Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel were leaders of the African People’s Socialist Party or components thereof (APSP). Augustus C. Romain was a high-level leader of the APSP who, in November 2018, left and formed a Georgia-based group called the Black Hammer. Ionov’s influence efforts were directed and supervised by Moscow-based Federal Security Service (FSB) officers, including indicted defendants Aleksey Borisovich Sukhodolov and Yegor Sergeyevich Popov. In May 2015, Ionov invited Yeshitela to Russia for an all-expenses paid trip to “communicate on future cooperation.” Prior to this trip, Hess relayed a request to Ionov to ensure that Yeshitela would be able to meet with an “official representative of the Russian government.” According to subsequent email communications, which were shared with Hess, Nevel and Romain, Yeshitela explained that it was “clear” that Ionov was an instrument of the Russian government. In these same communications, Yeshitela further explained that Ionov represented “a method by which the Russian government is engaging the U.S. and Europe in serious struggle” by utilizing “forces inside of the U.S. to s[o]w division inside the U.S.” In a subsequent meeting, at which Hess and Nevel were present, Yeshitela explained that Ionov would only provide resources for actions that would support Russia’s efforts to “undermin[e] the U.S.” Acting under Ionov’s direction, the defendants took several actions within the United States. For example, in August 2015, Ionov requested that Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel draft and publish a petition to the United Nations charging the United States with actively committing genocide against African people. When Hess resisted, Ionov insisted that the APSP had to publish the petition because Ionov and his Russian backers were “not exactly Black to demand it for ourselves.” Hess subsequently drafted and published the requested petition, which Ionov promoted in Russian media. In January 2016, Ionov provided a $12,000 guarantee letter to fund a four-city tour to promote the genocide petition that the APSP had published at his direction. Yeshitela and Hess oversaw the tour and reported information about the tour to Ionov. After the tour, Yeshitela explained in an APSP meeting that the APSP had “developed a relationship with forces in Russia who are involved in their own struggle with the US.” In 2017, and again in 2019, Ionov attempted to influence local elections in St. Petersburg, Florida, on behalf of the FSB, although there is no evidence that he succeeded in doing so. For example, in July 2017, Ionov reached out to Nevel —who was a candidate for Mayor in St. Petersburg — to offer support, including “campaign finance.” In 2019, Ionov regularly reported to the FSB concerning an election for local office in St. Petersburg, referring to one candidate as the candidate “whom we supervise.” And, in January 2020, FSB Officer Popov directed Ionov that the United States’ 2020 Presidential election was the FSB’s “main topic of the year.” In April 2020, Ionov invited Nevel and Yeshitela to speak at a conference to promote the right of self-determination for Russian-backed secessionist movements in eastern Ukraine. Shortly thereafter, Yeshitela provided a video-recorded statement of support for the Russian-backed secessionist group. Ionov reported to the FSB concerning these activities. In late February 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ionov complained to FSB Officer Sukhodolov concerning Russia’s failure in the information war surrounding the invasion. Sukhodolov directed Ionov to “join in” in the information war. Ionov then directed Yeshitela and Romain to engage in demonstrations at a social media company headquarters in California to demonstrate against suppression of pro-Russian viewpoints. Ionov paid for Romain and three other members of Black Hammer to fly to California to conduct the demonstration, and Yeshitela directed members of the APSP located in California to conduct a similar protest a few days later. After the Black Hammer demonstration, Romain messaged Ionov: “This is great! That was fun! Who we attacking next? With more time I can get a bigger crowd.” In May 2022, at Ionov’s direction, Romain demonstrated at a media company in Atlanta, Georgia, to celebrate Russia’s “Victory Day.” In June 2022, at Ionov’s direction, Romain demonstrated at the Georgia state capitol in support of Russia. During the demonstration, Romain stated that he was “not ashamed to say that the Black Hammer Party has relationships with the Kremlin,” in reference to Ionov. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Colombian Nationals Sentenced to 35 and 30 Years in Prison for Plot to Murder American Soldiers

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI –Colombian nationals Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez, 40, and Ciro Alfonso Gutierrez Ballesteros, 31, were sentenced today to 420 and 360 months in prison, respectively, for conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. soldiers by detonating a car bomb outside a military base near the Colombia-Venezuela border. “Our most urgent mission and highest priority is to hold those accountable who target Americans, to include the brave men and women who serve as members of our uniformed services domestically and around the world,” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “As seen by the prison sentences imposed upon defendants Medina Rodriguez and Gutierrez Ballesteros today, individuals who threaten the safety and security of the United States and our fellow Americans will face the full force of our nation’s criminal justice system.” “Crime doesn’t stop at our borders and neither does the FBI’s commitment to investigate criminal acts against our military overseas,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI’s Miami Field Office. “We work closely with our international partners and security services around the globe to conduct complex investigations and acquire evidence from abroad for criminal prosecutions in the United States. This capability is vital to our work. In this case, I especially want to thank the Fiscalía General de la Nación de Colombia, the Colombian National Police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the DOJ Office of International Affairs, the DOJ Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Embassy Bogotá for their diligence and professionalism throughout this investigation.” According to court records, Medina Rodriguez and Gutierrez Ballesteros, in concert with members of the 33rd Front, an extremist faction of Las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias (“FARC”), targeted American troops stationed at the Colombian 30th Army Brigade Base in Cúcuta, Colombia. Medina Rodriguez used his status as a medically discharged Colombian army officer to gain access to the base, where he conducted photographic and video surveillance of the areas where the U.S. soldiers were located. Approximately ten days before the attack, Medina Rodriguez and Gutierrez Ballesteros delivered a white SUV to their co-conspirators in the 33rd Front, who loaded it with an improvised explosive device. On June 15, 2021, Medina Rodriguez drove the bomb-laden SUV to the 30th Army Brigade Base, parking it in front of the location where U.S. and Colombian military personnel worked. Gutierrez Ballesteros, riding a motorcycle, escorted Medina Rodriguez. Medina Rodriguez activated the bomb’s timer device and left the area on foot before fleeing on the motorcycle driven by Gutierrez Ballesteros. Three U.S. Army soldiers and forty-four Colombian military personnel were injured in the blast. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Legal Attaché in Bogotá, Department of Defense, Fiscalía General de la Nación de Colombia, and Colombian National Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Browne and Abbie D. Waxman of the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorney David C. Smith from the Justice Department’s National Security Division represented the United States at sentencing. Former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy A. Hummel and Andy R. Camacho contributed significantly to the investigation and prosecution of this matter. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá worked with Colombian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Gutierrez Ballesteros and Medina Rodriguez. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-20054. ###


title: Federal Jury Finds Lookout In Ellenton Armored Truck Robbery Guilty At Trial

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Jorge Serrano Espinoza (20, Clearwater) guilty of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Espinoza’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 12, 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, on the morning of June 9, 2023, James Battle, Jr., Carlos Keanu Smith, and Jorge Espinoza met for the purposes of robbing an armored truck. They followed the armored truck along its route from Pinellas County to eastern Hillsborough County before eventually reaching a gas station in Ellenton. Toll records from the Florida Department of Transportation show Battle’s vehicle following seconds behind the targeted armored truck that morning. Surveillance video showed the vehicle also following the armored truck to other locations before conducting the robbery at the gas station in Ellenton. As the driver returned to the armored truck, Battle and Smith approached pointing pistols at the victim, forcing him to the ground. Espinoza was the lookout, who warned them when the armored truck driver attempted to reach for his firearm. Espinoza also supplied one of the firearms used in the robbery and surveilled the driver at one of the earlier stops on his route. The defendants stole more than $150,000 from the armored truck. Battle previously pleaded guilty for his role in the case and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Smith also pleaded guilty; his sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 10, 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench. 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: Securities Trader Pleads Guilty to Market Manipulation Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A securities trader pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a sophisticated, multi-year market manipulation conspiracy involving securities traded on exchanges within the United States, including the New York Stock Exchange and NADSAQ. Xiaosong Wang, 36, of Upton, Mass. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2024. Wang was initially charged in October 2019 . Pursuant to a plea agreement, Xiaosong Wang agreed to forfeit $1,041,084 in illicit proceeds from the conspiracy and agreed to an order removing him to China upon completion of his sentence. From approximately 2013 through at least 2018, Wang participated in the manipulative trading activity of a group of securities traders located in China and, at times, in Massachusetts. Specifically, Xiaosong Wang and his co-conspirators, including Jiali Wang, used multiple brokerage accounts in their names, and in the names of others with whom Xiaosong Wang and Jiali Wang had relationships, to artificially depress or inflate the prices of thinly traded securities. They did so by repeatedly placing relatively small sell (or buy) orders designed to send a false signal about a security’s supply (or demand) and to depress (or inflate) the security’s price. Xiaosong Wang and his co-conspirators then immediately placed relatively large buy (or sell) orders on the other side of the market to take advantage of their manipulations. Once the large orders executed, Xiaosong Wang and his co-conspirators cancelled their outstanding manipulative orders. Jiali Wang pleaded guilty in August 2022 and was sentenced in December 2022 to time served (three months in prison) and nine months of home detention. Jiali Wang was also ordered to forfeit $7.75 million in illicit proceeds. The charge of conspiracy to commit securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Providence Resident Admits to Role in Schemes to Defraud Unemployment Benefit Programs, Property Title Company

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man has admitted to a federal judge that he participated in an international fraud scheme to defraud the federally-funded pandemic unemployment compensation program of more than $70,000, and to defraud an Alabama-based property title company of an additional $80,000, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Obryan Poku, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count each of theft of public funds and money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024. As reflected in court documents, after living in Texas for two years, Poku returned to Rhode Island in June 2021, while continuing to collect pandemic unemployment insurance benefits from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). On approximately 10 occasions, Poku made fraudulent statements in the course of recertifying online benefits applications, falsely attesting that he was not receiving any other income, when in fact he was. Poku subsequently received pandemic unemployment benefits totaling $14,042 that he was not entitled to receive. Additionally, Poku conspired with individuals in Ghana to launder $70,644 in pandemic unemployment benefits received from the Illinois Department of Economic Security; those benefits were obtained by individuals working with Poku, using the stolen personal identification information of three individuals. The Illinois benefit payments were directed to a bank account controlled by Poku, who then wired a portion of the ill-gotten proceeds to his co-conspirators in Ghana, while keeping a portion for himself. In yet another scheme detailed in court filings, Poku conspired with individuals in Ghana in an attempt to defraud an Alabama-based title company. To carry out the scheme, Poku or a member of the conspiracy sent an $80,000 check to the title company, purportedly as earnest money for a pending real estate transaction. Approximately two weeks after the check was placed in escrow by the title company, the co-conspirators sent the company an email stating that the property purchase had fallen through, and requesting that the $80,000 earnest payment be reimbursed to an investment company. It was later determined by investigators that the investment company had been created by Poku just days prior to the request for reimbursement. Shortly after the funds were transferred to Poku’s company account, the title company was notified that the original check was fraudulent and that the funds in Poku’s company’s account had been frozen. Poku then attempted to access the funds by repeatedly calling the bank and falsely stating that the funds were sent from business partners, and later, by family members. Poku is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman. The matter was investigated by the FBI’s Rhode Island Complex Financial Crimes Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and members of the Providence Police Department, North Providence Police Department, and the Rhode Island State Police. ###


title: Two Miramar Men Sentenced To Federal Prison For Armed Robbery Of A U.S. Postal Service Mail Carrier

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Christopher Raymond (20, Miramar) to nine years in federal prison and Andre Hylton (20, Miramar) to eight years in federal prison for committing an armed robbery of a postal carrier and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to that crime. The court also ordered Raymond and Hylton to forfeit a Glock 23 firearm and assorted ammunition, which were involved in the commission of the offense. Raymond and Hylton entered guilty pleas in May 2024. According to court documents, on September 21, 2023, Raymond and Hylton traveled to Tampa in a rental vehicle. Around 3:40 p.m. that day, they spotted a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier who was delivering mail outside of his truck. Raymond entered the USPS truck, stole the keys from inside, and fled in the rental vehicle driven by Hylton. Later, around 4:30 p.m., they encountered another mail carrier delivering mail approximately one mile away from the earlier theft. Raymond approached the mail carrier, pulled a firearm from his waistband, and pointed it at the mail carrier. Raymond demanded USPS serialized keys (master keys that can be used to open several USPS mailboxes). The mail carrier handed two serialized keys to Raymond, who then ran into the vehicle driven by Hylton, and they fled the area. The next day, police in Miramar encountered the rental vehicle, which Raymond was now driving, and conducted a traffic stop. Police searched the car and found a Glock 23 firearm with an extended magazine loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition, a general USPS key (not a serialized key), a black ski mask, and mail. “The sentencing of these two individuals demonstrates the commitment of the United States Postal Inspection Service to the safety of Postal Service employees and customers,” said Miami Division Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas. “However, our work is not done, we will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer by continuing to arrest those accountable for these crimes.” This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department, the Miramar Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Ross Roberts.


title: Gregg County man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for fentanyl overdose death

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Longview man who sold fake prescription pills containing fentanyl has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Don Paul Rickman, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on September 12, 2024. According to information presented in court, Rickman admitted to selling the victim what were purported to be prescription pills, after which the victim’ mother found him dead in his bedroom. The pills sold by Rickman were later determined to be laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid commonly used as an analgesic or anesthetic that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. An autopsy of the victim confirmed the cause of death to be a fentanyl overdose. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a public safety alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The public safety alert coincides with the launch of DEA’s One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to educate the public of the dangers of counterfeit pills and urges all Americans to take only medications prescribed by a medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in fake pills that are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate prescription pills, and are killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate. For more information, please visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill. This case was investigated by the DEA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Longview Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###