title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Narcotics and Firearms Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on January 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced DONTE EDWARDS (“EDWARDS”) , age 34, a resident of New Orleans, to 27 months imprisonment. According to court documents, EDWARDS and co-defendant, Carlos Jones, were charged in an 11-count indictment with violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act relating to narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses in New Orleans from January through June 2022. Specifically, EDWARDS pled guilty to Counts 1 and 7 of the indictment that charged him with violating 21 U.S.C. § 846, conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, controlled substances (crack) and 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Due to previous his felony convictions, EDWARDS is prohibited from possessing a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: United States Attorney's Office Collected More than $137 Million in Fiscal Year 2024

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee recovered $137,054,515 for American taxpayers and crime victims in Fiscal Year 2024. “The dedicated public servants in our office responsible for protecting the public fisc from fraud and disgorging criminal proceeds have once again done a fantastic job on behalf of taxpayers and crime victims in Middle Tennessee,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. Of the money collected, $135,738,858 was collected in civil cases, primarily through actions brought pursuant to the False Claims Act, which provides that the United States may recover up to three times the amount of money that had been fraudulently obtained from government programs. In the addition to the False Claims Act recoveries, over $59 million of the funds collected in civil cases came from civil penalties paid under the Controlled Substances Act, which governs controlled substances. The United States obtained money judgments totaling approximately $4,130,000 in criminal cases during Fiscal Year 2024. The United States Attorney’s Office also recovered $939,718 through forfeited criminal and civil assets during Fiscal Year 2024. The pursuit of recovery as a result of fraud committed against the United States through affirmative civil enforcement is a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office. This includes actions to recover monies lost due to fraud – including Medicare and TennCare fraud – or other misconduct against the United States and the pursuit of monetary penalties and injunctive relief to address ongoing violations of federal laws. One of the primary objectives of asset forfeiture is to take the profit out of crime. Both the proceeds and instrumentalities of crimes are subject to forfeiture. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also initiates legal proceedings and takes other necessary actions to enforce the collection of all federal debts in the Middle District of Tennessee. These debts include criminal fines, restitution orders and civil judgments filed against judgment debtors, as well as unsecured civil debts referred from federal agencies. # # # # #


title: St. Louis Woman Sentenced for Stealing Dead Grandmother’s Government Benefits

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday ordered a woman who stole government benefits intended for her dead grandmother to repay the money and sentenced her to five years of probation and 40 hours of community service. Shamari Jackson, 33, of St. Louis, used her grandmother’s debit card to access $13,047 in Social Security benefits that continued to be paid by direct deposit into her grandmother’s account after her death was not properly reported to the Social Security Administration. Jackson also used a $1,200 COVID-19-related stimulus payment intended for her grandmother, her guilty plea says. Jackson pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of theft of government money. This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke prosecuted the case.


title: Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to Nearly 13 Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking and Supervised Release Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 153 months of imprisonment on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and violations of federal supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Dirk Barfield Jr., 38. According to information presented to the Court, Barfield was the subject of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police in September 2022. The investigation revealed that Barfield would travel from a Pittsburgh residence in his Maserati to distribute cocaine. On September 13, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants upon Barfield and the Pittsburgh residence. When law enforcement announced their presence from outside the residence, Barfield threw bags of suspected controlled substances from a second floor window onto the yard. Law enforcement recovered the bags and made entry into the residence, where, following a waiver of his rights, Barfield admitted to throwing about two ounces of cocaine and one ounce of crack from the window. At the time Barfield committed this crime, he was serving a term of federal supervised release related to his last drug trafficking conviction in the Western District of Pennsylvania, for which he had been sentenced to 151 months of imprisonment. While on federal supervised release, Barfield was also the subject of an attempted traffic stop, during which he drove over a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper’s foot and hit a pedestrian who was crossing a street in the South Side of Pittsburgh. The pedestrian required surgery to fix his broken bones. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Barfield.


title: Beckley Man and Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Michael Dwayne Kelly II, 35, of Beckley, was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Savannah Elizabeth Todd, 32, of Beckley, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, each for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and heroin. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2022, Kelly sold approximately 6.9 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $700 at a residence in Beckley. Kelly admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 28 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant for $500 at the Beckley residence on February 10, 2022. On February 8, 2022, Todd sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl for $550 to a confidential informant at the Beckley residence. On February 17, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Beckley residence, where they found Kelly and Todd. Officers seized 189 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of heroin, a Ruger LCP .380-caliber handgun, a Taurus model 22LR handgun, a Sig Sauer model 1911 .45-caliber handgun, a Glock model 42 .380-caliber handgun and $13,046. Kelly and Todd admitted that each intended to distribute the seized drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-163. ###


title: Harrison County Man Admits to Methamphetamine Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Frederick Blaine Rinehart, Jr., age 54, of Clarksburg West Virginia, has admitted to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Rinehart was selling methamphetamine in Harrison County. Investigators linked more than 100 grams of methamphetamine to Rinehart, some distributed and some found in his home. Rinehart is facing up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Windsor, Vermont Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Gun Case

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on January 21, 2025, Ryan Buckley, 36, of Windsor, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 46 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Buckley previously pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm after previously having been convicted of a felony. According to court records, police found Buckley passed out with a loaded handgun in his lap while parked in his pickup truck at the community baseball field in Cheshire, Vermont. When police woke him, Buckley grasped the handgun and put his truck into gear before police successfully disarmed Buckley without anyone getting hurt. Buckley admitted that he had just smoked methamphetamine which police recovered in his pickup truck. As part of his plea agreement, Buckley also admitted to possessing another 18 firearms, some of them stolen. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Chester, Vermont Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Owyang. Buckley was represented by Michael Straub, Esq. 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Pearl River Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl River man was sentenced to 2 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. In January 2024, Bill Clemons, Jr., 37, was indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in the distribution of methamphetamine. In September 2024, Clemons pled guilty to the charge. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff of the Bureau of Indian Affairs made the announcement. The Choctaw Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and Law Enforcement Officials Announce Capture of Sex Trafficking Fugitive

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson joined with law enforcement officials today to announce the capture of Tiwan Robert Bailey, also known as “Quick,” 48, of Charleston, on federal charges related to the sex trafficking of multiple victims, including a minor victim, and his efforts to obstruct the investigation and prosecution of those crimes. Bailey was arrested on January 17, 2025, in Lexington, Kentucky. Bailey had been a fugitive since July 30, 2024, when federal law enforcement attempted to execute an arrest warrant that had been issued on July 23, 2024, based upon a federal grand jury indictment charging him with three felony counts. “This is, once again, a great example of what happens when agencies work together,” Thompson said. “This was a high priority of all the law enforcement involved and a result of the time, energy and resources they have committed to this case.” A six-count superseding indictment was handed up by a federal grand jury on October 16, 2024, against Bailey and two co-defendants: Carrie Roy, also known as “Carrie Ash,” 51, of Charleston; and David Lee White, 68, of Charleston and a former lawyer whose law license was annulled in 2018 by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. The superseding indictment was unsealed following Bailey’s arrest. It alleges Bailey and Roy aided and abetted each other to recruit, entice, harbor, provide, obtain, maintain, patronize and solicit a minor victim to participate in a venture that they knew would cause the minor victim to engage in a commercial sex act in December 2023 at or near Charleston and Rand. The indictment further alleges that Bailey and Roy conspired with others in the sex trafficking of the minor victim. The superseding indictment alleges that Bailey recruited, enticed, harbored, provided, obtained, maintained, patronized and solicited three other victims to engage in commercial sex through force and coercion in and around November 2023 through in and around January 2024 at or near Charleston and Rand. The indictment also alleges that Bailey, aided and abetted by White, obstructed, attempted to obstruct, and interfered with the sex trafficking investigation and prosecution from on or about May 20, 2024, through on or about October 15, 2024, at or near Rand and elsewhere. Bailey faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison if convicted. The superseding indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Thompson commended the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Marshals Service and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office for their investigative work in this case and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the West Virginia Fusion Center for the assistance they provided. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-118. A video of the press conference held for this announcement is available on the YouTube Channel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: Member of Transnational Criminal Street Gang ‘18th Street’ Sentenced to 40 Years for Rockville Triple Shooting Resulting in Death of 22-Year-Old Male Victim

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Cesar De La O Rodriguez, 21, a citizen of El Salvador and a member of the violent transnational criminal street gang known as 18th Street, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 40 years in federal prison in connection with the 2021 stalking and killing of an individual he suspected was a rival international gang member in Rockville, Maryland, a slaying committed to increase his standing in the 18 th Street gang. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., for the District of Columbia, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division. Rodriguez, aka “Lunatico,” pleaded guilty on February 9, 2024, to conspiring to participate in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO Conspiracy) and conspiracy to commit violent crime in aid of racketeering-murder. Days after making his plea, on February 18, Rodriguez participated in the jail house stabbing of a fellow inmate at the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Virginia. Rodriguez is facing additional charges in connection with the stabbing of attempted murder, malicious wounding resulting in significant physical impairment. In addition to the 40-year prison sentence, Rodriguez also will face deportation hearings at the completion of his sentence. The 18th Street gang engages in a variety of criminal activities to include acts of assault, robbery, kidnapping, murder, and firearms trafficking in the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions, both within United States and in foreign countries. 18th Street members are required to commit acts of violence to further the interests of the gang. These violent acts are often directed against rival gang members, 18th Street members who have violated gang rules or have otherwise disrespected the gang, and people who are suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. According to court documents, on December 19, 2021, at the command of a senior member of 18 th Street, Rodriguez and co-defendants followed the victim, Danis Alcides Salgado Mata, to Mata’s home on the 13700 block of Ashby Road in Rockville, Maryland. Rodriguez and his co-defendants believed that Mata was a member of the international gang MS-13. Upon arriving at Mata’s home, Rodriguez and another 18th Street member fired multiple gunshots at Mata, striking him multiple times in the torso. Mata eventually died from his injuries. During the shooting, Mata’s mother and stepfather were also struck by gunfire, but survived their injuries. Rodriguez and the other 18th Street gang member fled the scene and into the District of Columbia. At the time of the shooting, the Rodriguez was a low-ranking member of the 18th Street gang and was ultimately promoted to a full-fledged member or “homeboy.” This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Montgomery County Police Department, United States Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. This investigation is part of the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Northern Virginia Gang Initiative, which seeks to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations; reduce drug-related crime and violence; and identify and respond to emerging drug trends. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Korba, Sitara Witanachchi, and William Hart. 23cr43


title: Former Gilman Teacher Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Abuse

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Christopher Kenji Bendann, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 35 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. After a three-day trial, on August 28, 2024, a federal jury found the defendant guilty of five counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of possession of child-sexual-abuse material, and one count of cyberstalking. Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger. According to the evidence presented at trial, from approximately September 16, 2017, to February 9, 2019, the defendant — a former teacher at The Gilman School in Baltimore — produced multiple videos of a minor male. Additionally, Bendann engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the minor male who was one of his students. The victim was 16 and 17 years old at this time. Law enforcement found these same videos stored on the defendant’s iCloud, resulting in a possession of child-sexual-abuse-material charge. In addition, as detailed at trial, between May and December 2022, the defendant cyberstalked the same victim by sending him electronic cellphone messages. Bendann demanded that the victim remain in contact and send him explicit images of himself. The defendant threatened to make sexually explicit images of the victim public if he did not comply. Evidence at trial also established that on February 3, 2023, the date of the defendant’s arrest, he possessed multiple depictions of child-sexual-abuse material on multiple electronic devices. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Kim Y. Hagan, who prosecuted the federal case. He also recognized Paralegal Specialist Julie Jarman for her assistance. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Curtis Lavall Capers, 35, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of quantities of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 15, 2022, Capers sold quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a 7th Avenue residence in Huntington. Capers admitted to the transaction and to arranging it with the confidential informant beforehand. Capers is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-87. ###


title: Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowell

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Savion Garcia, 24, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2023, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a random search of Garcia’s prison cell. During the search, the staff member found two handcrafted weapons commonly known as “shanks” on Garcia’s person. One was a six-inch-long flat metal bar with a cloth wrapped around one end as a handle. The other shank was a piece of metal approximately six and three-fourth inches long, with one end sharpened to a point and a cloth wrapped around the other end as a handle. Garcia admitted to possessing the shanks, and further admitted that they were designed and intended to be used as weapons. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Today’s prison sentence will follow Garcia’s current term of incarceration, with the term of supervised release to commence upon Garcia’s release from prison. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-91. ###


title: New Brunswick Man Pleads Guilty to Crossing into U.S. Unlawfully Carrying Controlled Substance

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Canadian national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to unlawfully entering into the United States from Canada and importing a controlled substance. According to court records, in September 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Van Buren station stopped Nathan Paul Curran-McQuade , 31, in Caswell for illegally entering the United States from Canada. Agents encountered Curran-McQuade while he was operating an ATV on a trail bordering Canada that was marked with international boundary signs. When stopped by the agents, Curran-McQuade had approximately 14 grams of methamphetamine on his person as well as marijuana in a mason jar in his backpack. He claimed to be traveling to a store in Caswell to get gas and that the drugs were for personal use. Curran-McQuade faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for the controlled substance charge and up to 180 days in jail and up to a $5,000 fine for crossing the border illegally. Any sentence would be followed up three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. ###


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Gary Neal Abbott, 52, of Chesapeake, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substances containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on Augst 9, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Abbott in Ashton, West Virginia. During the traffic stop, Abbott told the officer that he had a firearm in the vehicle and that there may be marijuana and “ice,” or methamphetamine, in the vehicle as well. The officer searched the vehicle and found approximately 8.7 ounces of methamphetamine in a black bag, small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana in a separate container, and a Glock model 30 Gen4 .45-caliber pistol in the front seat. Abbott is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-155. ###


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Drug Trafficking, Fatal Shooting

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today in two separate criminal cases for drug trafficking and fatally shooting another person. Austin A. Ball, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 25 years in federal prison without parole. On April 30, 2024, Ball pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to distribute marijuana and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. In a separate case, Ball also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Ball admitted that he went to a local gas station on April 19, 2020, to distribute marijuana. After he arrived at the gas station, Ball saw a person identified in court documents as “C.T.” approach his vehicle and feared that C.T. was going to rob him. Ball fired his .380-caliber firearm at C.T. through his driver’s side window. A bullet struck C.T. The injuries from that bullet caused C.T.’s death later that day. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ball’s residence and found the firearm that was used by Ball to cause the death of C.T. In the second federal criminal case, Ball admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from April 19, 2017, to Oct. 2, 2019. Ball admitted that he was in possession of 62 grams of methamphetamine, some clonazepam, alprazolam, $872 in cash, and three cell phones when he was stopped by a Springfield police officer while driving a motorcycle on April 11, 2018. Ball is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the second case. Two co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. They were investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case 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.


title: Texas County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal Firearms

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Texas County, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms. Richard D. Sims, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Sims to forfeit to the government $480,000, which represents the proceeds of drug trafficking. On Oct. 31, 2023, Sims pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. By pleading guilty, Sims admitted that he participated in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from March 9 to July 11, 2022. Sims also admitted to aiding and abetting his wife, co-defendant Billie J. Sims, 53, to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on three separate occasions. On July 8, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at the Sims’s residence. Agents found a bag that contained 95.9 grams of methamphetamine in the bathtub. Agents also found three firearms inside a safe – a Canik 9mm semi0-automatic pistol, a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and a Colt .38-caliber revolver – and an Armscor of the Philippines .38-caliber revolver in the garage. Billie Sims told investigators that Richard Sims had distributed approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine over the past five months. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Richard Sims has prior felony convictions for burglary, theft, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and operating a motor vehicle without a license. Richard Sims is the first defendant to be sentenced in this case. Billie Sims is among four co-defendants who have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon and Michael S. Oliver It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Texas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; the South Central Drug Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Licking, Mo., Police Department; the Dent County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; and the Salem, Mo., Police Department.


body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Demoreal Killebrew, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 29, 2023, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a search of Killebrew and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his left shoe. The shank was a metal rod approximately five and one-half inches long, with a sharpened point on one end and a plastic cap on the other end as a handle. Killebrew admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Today’s prison sentence will follow Killebrew’s current term of incarceration, with the term of supervised release to commence upon Killebrew’s release from prison. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-108. ###


title: Fresno Man Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl That Caused Overdose Death

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Christian Gonzalez, 25, of Fresno, was sentenced today to six years and eight months in prison for distributing fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on July 20, 2020, Gonzalez knowingly distributed 10 fentanyl pills to a person in Fresno, who then distributed one of those pills to a victim who took the pill, overdosed, and died. About a month later, an undercover law enforcement officer, posing as a drug-buying customer, ordered fentanyl pills from Gonzalez and met him in a parking lot for the purchase. Gonzalez brought fentanyl pills to the meeting and was arrested. On July 29, 2024, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl. This case was the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi‑agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.


title: Maine Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Harassing and Threatening Woman and Her Family Members

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Maine man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making repeated phone calls with the intent to harass and transmitting a threatening interstate communication. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Angelo Castigliola , 44, formerly of Biddeford, to 18 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. For the first year of his supervised release, he will be subject to stand-alone monitoring. He was also ordered to pay the victim restitution. Castigliola pleaded guilty on August 26, 2024. According to court records, from mid-July to early August 2023, Castigliola repeatedly called and texted the victim, including calling 57 times and leaving nine voicemails. He also sent the victim 40 text messages on one day alone. These repeated communications were harassing in nature. In the communications, Castigliola repeatedly threatened to harm an unidentified police officer with whom he believed the victim had a relationship, and repeatedly referenced the victim’s minor child. On July 28, 2023, Castigliola also made several telephone calls to the victim’s mother, often disguising his phone number, leaving two voicemails. In one voicemail, Castigliola threatened to kill three of her family members including the victim, and to rape two minor children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information to protect the victims’ privacy. The FBI investigated the case. ###


title: Massachusetts Men Face 10+ Years Following Guilty Verdict in Northern Maine Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Trial

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

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: Two Massachusetts men were found guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for their role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl following a 10-day bench trial last month before U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann. According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Daquan Corbett , 30, Daviston Jackson , 28, and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Both Jackson and Corbett face 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine to be followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 10 of the defendants have been sentenced while 11 await sentencing: Sentenced: Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months Awaiting sentencing: Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.) Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.) Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25 John Miller (24, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25 Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/03/25 Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25 Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25 Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25 Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25 Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25 James Valiante, 42 (Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25 The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tairon Jordan Bradley, 25, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 7, 2023, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Bradley in Kenova. As the officer was collecting information, Bradley fled the traffic stop in his vehicle. Bradley drove onto Interstate 64 during the resulting pursuit and struck another vehicle as he entered Cabell County. Bradley’s vehicle came to a stop in the middle of I-64, and Bradley fled the vehicle on foot across the interstate and into a nearby wooded area where he was found and arrested. Officers found a loaded Weihrauch Hermann Model EA/R .38 Special/.357 magnum revolver in Bradley’s vehicle. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bradley knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery and conspiracy in Cabell County Circuit Court on January 17, 2019. Bradley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kenova Police Department, and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-83. ###


title: Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Meth Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally possessed three firearms and several ounces of methamphetamine pled guilty January 21, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. Felipe Alcaraz, Jr., 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of three counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Alcaraz, Jr. was previously convicted of eluding and possession of controlled substance – third or subsequent offense, which prohibit a person from possessing a firearm. At the plea hearing, Alcaraz, Jr. admitted that on a number of occasions he fled law enforcement’s attempts to conduct traffic stops of vehicles he operated, driving at high-speeds and in a reckless manner. During two traffic stops, law enforcement located Alcaraz, Jr. with firearms and ammunition, and on another occasion, drugs. One of the firearms seized had been reported stolen and another had an altered serial number. Alcaraz, Jr. further admitted to his involvement in the possession of at least 350 grams of methamphetamine which he intended to distribute to others in the Sioux City area. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Alcaraz, Jr. remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On each of the firearm convictions, Alcaraz, Jr. faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the methamphetamine conviction, Alcaraz, Jr. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4052. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: John J. Durham Appointed Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: John J. Durham has begun serving as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York as per the authority of Acting United States Attorney General James R. McHenry III. Mr. Durham was sworn in on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert. He will serve as Interim United States Attorney for a period of 120 days or until a Presidential nominee has been confirmed by the Senate. Mr. Durham has served as Chief of the Long Island Division and Chief of the Criminal Section of the Long Island Division since June 2024 to the present. “As someone who has served this Office for nearly 20 years, it is truly an honor to be appointed as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York,” stated John J. Durham. “Our mission remains steadfast and vital: to combat the greatest threats to this district – from violent crime, terrorism and drug trafficking to cybercrime, corruption, white-collar fraud and civil litigation – uphold the rule of law and pursue justice. I, along with my team of dedicated public servants in this great Office will never waver in our mission to protect the over eight million residents of this district, and the nation at large.” Mr. Durham joined the Office in October 2005 and has served in the General Crimes and Long Island Criminal Sections. He has been appointed to several leadership positions in the Office and the Department of Justice, including Deputy Chief for the Long Island Criminal Section, the Office’s Capital Case Coordinator, the Attorney General’s Review Committee on Capital Cases and Chair of the MS-13 Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force. In August 2019, Mr. Durham was appointed to serve as the Director of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), a Department of Justice initiative to combat La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), where he spearheaded indictments against MS-13’s highest-ranking international leaders. During his time in the Office, Mr. Durham has investigated, prosecuted, and supervised a broad range of federal offenses, including racketeering, murders, terrorism, civil rights, obstruction of justice, armed robberies, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, firearms and public corruption. Most significantly, he has directed the Office’s efforts to dismantle the operations of MS-13 in the EDNY, as well as nationally and internationally. In a series of EDNY indictments, he has led teams of AUSAs and investigators that have arrested and convicted hundreds of MS-13 leaders, members and associates on charges related to more than 70 murders committed in this district between January 2008 and the present. As the Director of JTFV, Mr. Durham led a team of prosecutors and law enforcement officers from across the country and secured significant indictments against MS-13’s command and control structure across the United States, Central America and Mexico, including the first use of national security charges against MS-13 leaders. In addition to his work combatting MS-13, Mr. Durham has prosecuted defendants who attempted to travel to Yemen for the purpose of joining al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and fighting jihad against United States allies, and members of numerous other violent criminal organizations, including the Bloods, 18th Street gang, Crips, Salvadorans With Pride and violent narcotics trafficking and robbery crews. In addition to his violent crime work, Mr. Durham has prosecuted several significant and sensitive public corruption and civil rights matters, including cases brought against the former Chief of Department for the Suffolk County Police Department, the former Suffolk County District Attorney and former Chief of Investigations and Chief of the Government Corruption Bureau for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, a then-sitting Nassau County Legislator, a New York City Police Department sergeant and a Food and Drug Administration official. Among other awards, John is the recipient of the Charles E. Rose Award; Henry L. Stimson Medal; EOUSA Director’s Award for Superior Performance; National Association of Former United States Attorneys Exceptional Service Award; and several Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Awards. John graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1998 and from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2001. He clerked for U.S. District Judge Stephen C. Robinson in the Southern District of New York.


title: Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to  Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: Uriah Jordan Buffalo Chief-Torrez, II of Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court January 21, 2025, to receipt and possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Buffalo Chief-Torrez pled guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. In an interview with law enforcement, Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted individuals on several social media platforms had tried to show and sell him child pornography. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted that individuals on Telegram would sell him “CP” for $65. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted that he viewed 15 or 16 videos of child pornography. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted he downloaded child pornography on nine separate occasions and had streamed others on social media. The images and videos contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or the sexual abuse and exploitation of an infant or toddler. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Buffalo Chief-Torrez will remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Buffalo Chief-Torrez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-4029. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Chinese National Sentenced for Bankruptcy Fraud and Violations of Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHI GANG ZHENG (“ZHENG”) , age 55, a Chinese national residing in New Orleans, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe. According to court documents, ZHENG was sentenced to 27 months of imprisonment, three (3) years of supervised release, and payment of a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty, to making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding (18 U.S.C. § 152(2), possession with intent to distribute marijuana (21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8)). ZHENG is a Chinese national who illegally entered the United States in 1991. Although he was ordered removed, the government of China declined to facilitate his removal, causing him to remain in the United States illegally. In July 2018, ZHENG filed a petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in which he falsely stated that he did not own any firearms, significant jewelry, or other assets. Thereafter, the United States Trustee determined that numerous Chapter 7 bankruptcy documents submitted by ZHENG were fraudulent. Further, the Trustee located unreported assets, including numerous firearms. ZHENG admitted ownership of those firearms and learned he was prohibited to possess firearms due to his immigration status. In September 2023, members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office saw ZHENG conduct a drug transaction. Subsequent searches of ZHENG’s vehicle, residence and his arrest yielded, in combination, approximately 51 kilograms of marijuana as well as a firearm, which was prohibited due to his immigration status. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey N. Knight, Chief of the Criminal Division.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of Espanola Man for Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A repeat offender from Espanola was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison for drug trafficking charges after being found in possession of multiple controlled substances. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on April 19, 2023, Jeremy Isaac Lopez , 29, was apprehended at the Cities of Gold Casino by the Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Police Department on a bench warrant that had been issued, after Lopez removed his GPS ankle monitor in violation of the pretrial release conditions put in place for his State of New Mexico charges related to an armed robbery. As officers approached, Lopez attempted to flee, crashing into a parked vehicle. A search of the vehicle he was driving revealed Lopez was in possession of pure methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, suspected suboxone, , and dozens of small clear baggies. Upon his release from prison, Lopez will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Police Department, Chief Freddie Trujillo of the Pojoaque Tribal Police Department, and the Espanola Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Orleans Parish Man Guilty of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DEVIN HILLIARD (“HILLIARD”) , age 49, of New Orleans, pled guilty on before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, to selling drugs and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. Sentencing is set for April 24, 2025. According to court documents, HILLARD was engaged in drug trafficking in the New Orleans area and was apprehended carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. HILLIARD faces up to life imprisonment on the charges, a fine of up to $1,000,000, followed by up to five years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of three hundred dollars. 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. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: St. Louis Man Admits Carjacking and Shooting Incidents

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted committing an armed 2018 carjacking, a 2021 shooting and two other incidents involving guns. Darnell L. Clemons, 38, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of carjacking, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. On May 16, 2018, Clemons and another man carjacked the manager of a University City, Missouri restaurant, stealing her 2015 Toyota Corolla, cash and her phone. On July 29, 2021, after Clemons’ nephew tried to steal someone’s gun at a convenience store, Clemons shot the man in the back while the victim struggled with Clemons’ nephew. On Aug. 4, 2021, following an apparent shootout with unknown individuals in a car, Clemons jumped through a stranger’s window in the O’Fallon neighborhood in St. Louis. Police found an empty, stolen 9mm pistol with him. On Dec. 8, 2021, he was arrested on outstanding warrants and officers found a 9mm Glock loaded with a large capacity drum magazine. Clemons is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24. The carjacking charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The firearm and ammunition charges each carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the University City Police Department, the Florissant Police Department and the St. Louis County Crime Lab investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bluestone and Matthew Martin are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Ecuadorian Man Sentenced for Introducing Misbranded Prescription Drugs Without a License in the United States

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Mauricio Sarmiento, 35, of Ecuador, was sentenced today to one year of non-reporting probation, a $500 fine, and a $100 special assessment by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. On November 20, 2024, Sarmiento pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with that offense. Since in or about 2022, Sarmiento, an Ecuadorian physician, made regular trips to the United States to provide medical care and prescription drugs in return for payment. Sarmiento did so even though he was not licensed to practice medicine or prescribe drugs in the United States. He also caused some of the drugs he dispensed while in the United States to be shipped from Ecuador. On September 10, 2024, law enforcement encountered Sarmiento and seized misbranded drugs and medical equipment, including intravenous medications and a centrifuge used to provide plasma therapy. “Medical care and treatments are tightly regulated in this country, to keep people healthy and safe,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Sarmiento was well aware that he wasn’t licensed to practice here and that the drugs he dispensed were misbranded. This office and the FBI will continue to work on the public’s behalf to prosecute such medical malfeasance.” "Protecting the safety of our community is our highest priority," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI is steadfast in its commitment to investigating fraud, safeguarding the integrity of our healthcare systems, and ensuring those who exploit them are held accountable." The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia.


title: Sue Fahami Named Acting United States Attorney For The District Of Nevada

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Under the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant United States Attorney Sue Fahami is the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Nevada. As the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of Nevada, which covers all 17 counties in the Silver State, Ms. Fahami leads a team of over 100 prosecutors and staff professionals with offices located in Las Vegas and Reno. Prior to joining the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Nevada in 2001, Ms. Fahami served as the elected District Attorney in White Pine County, Nevada. Ms. Fahami earned her LL.M. from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1996, J.D. from Whittier Law School in 1995, and B.A. from the University of Southern California in 1991. The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all of the litigation involving the United States in Nevada. ###


title: Three Beckley Men Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Today, Tilford Joe Bradley Jr., 47, of Beckley, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and Mark Anderson Staples, 53, of Beckley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Bradley and Staples each admitted to roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and crack in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia. A co-defendant, Talbert Mazell Pannell, 42, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense in a separate case. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Bradley in Beckley. Officers searched Bradley’s vehicle during the traffic stop and found 2 ounces of methamphetamine in a magnetic box hidden in the vehicle’s engine bay, a Colt model MK IV .45-caliber pistol and a Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol. Bradley admitted that he intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine. Bradley further admitted to discussing and arranging multiple drug transactions with Staples and other co-conspirators. Bradley admitted that he and Staples spoke by cell phone on April 6, 2024, about exchanging controlled substances for cash and discussed $850 per ounce of cocaine as the purchase price. On April 9, 2024, Bradley spoke with co-conspirator Ronald Lavaughn Mason and arranged to buy a half-ounce of controlled substances from Mason that day. On April 12, 2024, Bradley arranged to buy a quantity of fentanyl from co-conspirator Demetrius Terrell Burns for $1,800 after Burns received a shipment of “raw” fentanyl. On April 24, 2024, Bradley arranged to trade 8.5 grams of fentanyl for 8.5 grams of heroin with co-conspirator Christopher Michael Shepherd, and conducted the transaction that day at a gas station near Beckley while under surveillance by law enforcement officers. Bradley admitted that he and Staples arranged a drug transaction by phone on May 2, 2024, and conducted the transaction that day. Bradley initially asked Staples for a half-pound of methamphetamine, and then asked for an additional pound of methamphetamine in exchange for Staples’ supplier holding the title to Bradley’s truck. Law enforcement officers observed Bradley arrive at Staples’ Beckley residence to pick up the 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine. On June 28, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bradley’s residence and seized 38 grams of fentanyl, 6 grams of cocaine, multiple digital scales, a money counter, a large quantity of small plastic bags, and a blender containing white residue. Staples participated in the DTO conspiracy between April and May 2024. Staples obtained methamphetamine from other individuals that he distributed to customers who also intended to distribute the methamphetamine, and used his cell phone to set up these transactions. Pannell admitted to receiving fentanyl and cocaine at his Beckley residence from his Beckley supplier throughout May 2024, and to using his cell phone to arrange these transactions. On May 12, 2024, Pannell called his supplier and asked for approximately 1.75 grams of fentanyl. Bradley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2025, and Staples is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2025. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. Pannell is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Mason, 46, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on October 24, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack. Burns, 32, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base. Shepherd, 48, of Fayetteville, pleaded guilty on September 26, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Mason, Burns and Shepherd each await sentencing. Bradley, Staples, Pannell, Mason, Burns, and Shepherd are among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. Bradley, Staples, Pannell, Mason, Burns, and Shepherd are also among eight defendants who have pleaded guilty. The charges against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the cases. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:24-cr-90 (Bradley and Staples) and 5:24-cr-199 (Pannell). ###


title: Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Joseph Mitchell, age 38, of Nelliston, New York, pled guilty on Friday to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm as a felon. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. Mitchell admitted to working with another person to distribute over 350 grams of methamphetamine throughout August 2024. A search warrant executed at Mitchell’s home on September 5, 2024, led to the recovery of two rifles and one shotgun, which the defendant agreed to forfeit as part of his plea agreement. As a result of his prior felony convictions for attempted robbery and narcotics possession, Mitchell could not lawfully possess the firearms. Mitchell faces a mandatory prison term of at least 10 years and up to life, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. 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. The DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.


title: Georgia Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm Charges

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Georgia man was sentenced today to 300 months in federal prison for possessing distribution quantities of meth, fentanyl, and heroin, and a firearm. According to public court documents, Taft Cornelius Burtton, 32, fled from law enforcement who were attempting to traffic stop his car on April 20, 2023 within Adair County. Burtton drove over 112 miles per hour on I-80, exited and re-entered the interstate, and made a U-turn in the median. Law enforcement disabled Burtton’s vehicle and he fled on foot and was not apprehended. Inside Burtton’s vehicle was 884 grams of methamphetamine and more than $42,000 in drug proceeds. On December 7, 2023, law enforcement searched Burtton’s Des Moines residence and found him in possession of more than 50 grams of fentanyl, 150 grams of heroin, 150 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of crack, 300 grams of marijuana, and a loaded Ruger pistol. Burtton is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a felon, including a 2016 conviction in the Illinois Circuit Court for Cook County for delivery of cocaine at a public high school. After completing his term of imprisonment, Burtton will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Adair Police Department, Des Moines Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: 8 defendants in Puerto Rican cocaine trafficking organization sentenced in federal court

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – The final three of eight defendants in related cocaine conspiracy cases were sentenced in U.S. District Court throughout the last two weeks, including lead defendant Herminio Gonzalez-Quintana, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The drug trafficking organization shipped tens of kilograms of cocaine into Ohio from Puerto Rico. Gonzalez-Quintana and several coconspirators were indicted in November 2023 and charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute bulk amounts of cocaine. According to court documents, in 2021, the DEA began investigating the drug trafficking organization that was transporting large volumes of cocaine into the Southern District of Ohio. The defendants sourced cocaine in and through Puerto Rico and shipped the drugs in 2-to-3-kilogram increments through the United States Postal Service to the Columbus area, often to the addresses of friends and family members, using fictitious recipient names. Conspirators then received and redistributed the cocaine from central Ohio. The drug trafficking organization was responsible for a steady stream of illicit drugs into Ohio and elsewhere. In total, law enforcement seized nearly 20 kilograms of cocaine that were tied to this drug trafficking organization. The defendants and sentences imposed include: Name Sentence imposed Herminio Gonzalez-Quintana 120 months in prison Abdel Padilla-Montero 108 months in prison Josaias Vazquez-Pinero 60 months in prison Jonathan Vega-Iglesias 66 months in prison Jesus Maldonado-Ortiz 60 months in prison Rafael Alicea-Ruiz 60 months in prison Anthony Miranda-Gonzalez 12 months and one day in prison Pablo Joel Velazquez-Torruella Time served Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall and Jennifer M. Rausch represented the United States in this case. # # #


title: Felon Who Hid Loaded, Fully Automatic Handgun In 6-Year-Old Nephew’s Pants Found Guilty Of Unlawful Firearm Possession

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Darneko Yates, 30, of Richmond, Calif., was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, following a one-day bench trial on Jan. 17, 2025, before the Honorable Araceli Martínez-Olguín, U.S. District Judge. The evidence at trial established that on Aug. 27, 2023, San Pablo Police Officers attempted to stop Yates for a vehicle infraction. Yates drove for several blocks before pulling up partially onto the sidewalk in front of a relative’s house. Yates had his young nephew and niece in the backseat of his car. At the time, Yates was on parole following three felony convictions for carjacking, solicitation to commit murder, and possessing a loaded firearm. Upon learning that Yates was on parole with a search condition, officers searched his person but did not find anything. When Yates’s six-year-old nephew got out of the car, Yates urged the child to go inside the house. The child moved slowly and kept his back to the officers. When officers looked at the front of the child, they saw an object tucked into the front of his pants. Upon further inspection, officers located a Glock firearm loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition inside the six-year-old’s pants. The gun had a “Glock switch” or “machinegun conversion device,” which allows a shooter to fire an endless stream of bullets with one pull of the trigger. During the traffic stop, Yates sent text messages telling an individual to come get the child out of the car before the police searched the vehicle, and admitting that the child had Yates’s gun on him. “Defendant’s actions inexcusably endangered a young child. Thanks to the careful work of the officers on the scene, this did not turn into a tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “My office will continue to use all resources available to reduce violent crime and gun violence in our communities.” “Using a child to conceal a loaded, fully automatic firearm shows an alarming disregard for their safety and well-being,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin. “The FBI, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to holding dangerous offenders accountable and removing illegal firearms from our streets.” Yates was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). He faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison. Defendant’s sentencing is scheduled for April 28, 2025. 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 of Justice 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. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leif Dautch and Richard Ewenstein are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Madeline Wachs. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Pablo Police Department.


title: Maui Police Officer Indicted for Deprivation of Civil Rights

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Carlos Frate, age 40, of Kihei, Hawaii, was arrested today on a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on January 16, 2025. An arraignment in federal court is set for January 22, 2025. The indictment alleges that Frate, while acting under color of law as an officer of the Maui Police Department, deprived another person of the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by tasing that person without legal justification. The indictment also alleges that Frate falsified a police incident report with the intent to obstruct the investigation of the use of force. If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendant would face up to ten years in prison on the deprivation of civil rights charge, and up to twenty years in prison on the false report charge. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. The Maui Police Department made the initial referral to the federal government, and the charges resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Maui Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese.


title: Tara M. Lyons named Acting U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Georgia

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: As of January 18, 2025, and by virtue of the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons is officially Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. She is the first Black woman to serve in the role as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Georgia. A resident of Evans, Georgia, Acting USA Lyons has served as a law clerk for the Honorable Henry F. Floyd; as a Public Defender in Richland County, South Carolina; an attorney advisor for the Executive Office for United States Attorneys; as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division, District of South Carolina; and Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division, Southern District of Georgia. She served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney since April 2023. During Acting USA Lyons’ 20-year career with the Department of Justice she has handled a wide range of federal cases related to violent crimes, human trafficking, child pornography and civil rights violations. In the District of South Carolina she served as the Project Sentry Coordinator, related to the prevention of gun violence; and in Southern District of Georgia, she served as the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, responsible for the prosecution of childhood exploitation cases, and as the Civil Rights Coordinator, responsible for the prosecution of color of law and civil right violations. As Acting U.S. Attorney, Lyons serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Georgia, which covers 43 of Georgia’s 159 counties with a population of more than 1.6 million people and includes the cities of Savannah, Augusta, and Brunswick. She leads a team of more than 70 attorneys and staff in prosecuting federal crimes in the District and defending the United States in civil cases and collecting debts owed to the United States.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement to Resolve Discrimination Claims in Student Loans Against SouthEast Bank

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Note : View the complaint here and the consent order here . The Justice Department announced today that SouthEast Bank agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by disproportionately discouraging and denying Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) graduates seeking to refinance their student loans. “Everyone in our country should have a fair chance and equal opportunity to refinance a school loan. By rejecting graduates based on where they obtained their degree, SouthEast Bank’s policy denied and discouraged Black, American Indian and Alaska Native graduates seeking to refinance student loans for reasons that were wholly unrelated to their personal merit or ability to repay their loans,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This is a reminder of how historic inequities in lending and refinance opportunities for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native students persist today, and why combating these inequities is an essential part of the Justice Department’s work.” The complaint, which was filed on Jan. 18, in the Eastern District of Tennessee, alleges that, between December 2015 and April 2021, the refinance program’s eligibility criteria automatically denied graduates of schools with school-based default rates above thresholds SouthEast established. Under this policy, for example, Black bachelor’s degree recipients were as much as 4.3 times more likely to be excluded than bachelor’s degree recipients who were not Black. Similarly, AI/AN Bachelor’s degree recipients were as much as 3 times more likely to be excluded than bachelor’s degree recipients who were not AI/AN. The department’s complaint further alleges that SouthEast’s policy disproportionately excluded graduates of as many as 84.4% of majority-Black schools, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but no more than 21.1% of colleges and universities whose student bodies were not majority-Black. The consent order, which is subject to court approval, requires SouthEast Bank to spend a total of $1.5 million to: Compensate applicants who were denied the ability to refinance their student loans by the policy; Increase access to student loan refinancing for qualified graduates of schools that were previously excluded under the policy; and Provide consumer financial education to students and graduates of those previously excluded schools. The department’s investigation into SouthEast’s student loan refinancing program originated from a referral by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. SouthEast cooperated with the investigation and worked with the Justice Department to resolve the allegations. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect civil and constitutional rights is available at justice.gov/crt . Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov .


title: Indianapolis Drug Dealer Sentenced to Thirteen Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Crimes, Including Possession of a Murder Weapon

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— Marvin T. Golden Jr., 26, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to thirteen years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, on October 26, 2022, Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies observed Marvin Golden, Jr. sell 55 grams of methamphetamine while his children were sitting in the back seat of his car. On November 3, 2022, Golden sold another 20 grams of methamphetamine and a gram of fentanyl in Shelby County. In the early hours of March 25, 2023, Anthony Shelman was shot to death in Marion County. At approximately 3:25 a.m., Shelman was driving east on I-70 with a passenger in his car. As they approached the Emerson Avenue exit, multiple rounds were fired at their vehicle. Shelman was shot in the chest, his passenger was shot in the hand, and the vehicle crashed into a light pole at the intersection after the Emerson Avenue exit, and two other nearby vehicles fled the scene at high speed. Shelman was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital, and his passenger survived. Police later identified multiple gunshot holes in the windshield and passenger side of the vehicle. The Indiana State Police began an extensive investigation of the killing, including extensive review of video evidence from traffic and surveillance cameras. Troopers discovered that Shelman, his passenger, Marvin Golden, and another individual were all at the Sunset Strip Club in Indianapolis, immediately prior to the shooting. Golden and the other individual were waiting outside the club when Shelman and his passenger drove away. Golden and the other individual each followed Shelman in their own vehicles. The two vehicles followed Shelman for more than ten minutes and over seven miles before exiting I-70 at Emerson Avenue at the same time the shots were apparently fired, and fled at high speed after the shooting. At approximately 7:00 that same morning, Golden is seen on video extensively cleaning his car for ten minutes in the pouring rain, including moving the seats and shining a light in an apparent effort to locate objects in the car. On May 3, 2023, Troopers conducted a court-authorized search of Golden’s home and seized a .40 caliber Glock 27 handgun. The gun was previously possessed by a relative of Golden’s, and forensic testing found that it was the gun used to kill Shelman. DNA testing identified Golden’s DNA on multiple parts of the gun. At Golden’s federal sentencing hearing, the judge enhanced his advisory sentencing range after finding that Golden possessed the murder weapon in connection with a felony offense related to Shelman’s murder. On August 28, 2023, Indiana State Police Troopers and two Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Golden and seized a loaded Glock 9mm handgun from his person. Unsealed court records demonstrate that Golden was previously a member of a street gang referred to as the Mob. He was charged as a juvenile in federal court for his role in a series of armed robberies of pharmacies committed when he was 17 years old. Golden and his co-conspirators stole drugs from the pharmacies at gunpoint and then sold the stolen drugs. Golden brandished firearms and pointed them at victims’ heads during multiple robberies. At one of the robberies Golden participated in, two members of the conspiracy got into a dispute, and one shot the other in the head, killing him. The following day, Golden robbed another pharmacy at gunpoint. In 2019, Golden was sentenced as a juvenile to time served, the maximum penalty available under the law, and given one year of juvenile probation. His co-conspirators were charged and convicted in federal court under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. He was later convicted of additional drug and gun offenses as an adult and was a felon when he conducted both drug deals and possessed both firearms, including the murder weapon. As a previously convicted felon, Golden was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. “Anthony Shelman should be alive today, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family and all who loved him,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Marvin Goldman has repeatedly demonstrated that he is a violent, vicious criminal who has an utter disregard for the law. As we work to urgently reduce gun violence, investigation and federal prosecution of the most dangerous armed criminals is a top priority. We are grateful to our partners at ATF, ISP, and in Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, as well as our federal prosecutor, for ensuring that this measure of justice is done and this menace to our community will be off of our streets for years to come.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Indiana State Police, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this 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: Utica Man Sentenced to 96 Months on Drug and Money Laundering Convictions

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Willie Alvarado, Jr., 34, of Utica, New York, was sentenced last week to serve 8 years in federal prison for attempted possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and money laundering. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Division, made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Alvarado admitted that, as early as October 2022, he began using the United States Postal Service to receive drug parcels from Puerto Rico. In May of 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package shipped from Puerto Rico, intended for Alvarado, which contained two kilograms of cocaine. Alvarado admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine in the package. Alvarado further admitted that, in September of 2023, he used another individual to launder at least $9,940 of his drug proceeds. Senior United States District Court Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a four-year term of supervised release to begin after Alvarado is released from prison. The DEA, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Utica Police Department, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, and Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.


title: Gladwyne Investment Adviser Charged With Misappropriating More Than $17 Million From Clients Through Two Long-Running Fraud Schemes

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Scott Mason, 66, of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal information with wire fraud, securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, and filing false tax returns, arising from two fraudulent schemes that Mason, through his investment advisory firm Rubicon Wealth Management LLC, orchestrated to divert millions of dollars in client funds in order to finance his lavish lifestyle. The information alleges that between 2016 and 2024, Mason — who had a fiduciary duty to make investment decisions in his clients’ best interests — transferred more than $17 million from 13 Rubicon clients to an entity that he owned and controlled, and ultimately used that money to finance his personal expenditures, including international travel, country club membership dues, credit card bill payments, and the purchase of an ownership stake in a Jersey Shore-based miniature golf course. The information further alleges that Mason targeted clients with whom he had a longstanding relationship and who trusted him implicitly, including longtime friends and family members, and he often liquidated those clients’ securities holdings in order to finance the fraudulent transfers. Mason allegedly either forged client signatures on distribution authorization forms or omitted all pertinent details of the so-called “investments” when seeking client authorization for the transfers and instead falsely represented that he was investing client funds in diversified short-term bonds. In reality, as the information alleges, Mason was converting client funds to his own personal use. He also used a portion of the fraud proceeds to repay another Rubicon client from whom Mason had allegedly misappropriated an additional several million dollars dating back to at least 2014, in order to avoid detection by that victim. Finally, the information alleges that Mason failed to report any of his fraud proceeds on his personal income tax returns, generating a tax loss of approximately $3.225 million. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $6,760,000. The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice. In a parallel matter, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against Mason today. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.