title: 63 Individuals Charged with Drug Trafficking in the municipality of San Germán, Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 3, 2023, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a six-count indictment charging 63 individuals with drug trafficking in the municipality of San Germán, Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) Mayagüez Strike Force are in charge of the investigation and completed the filing of charges and arresting processes with the collaboration of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC). This investigation and the arrest operation are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. “This case is a prime example of successful drug interdiction operations that result from collaborative work between federal and state agencies,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We can remove wrongdoers from the streets and bring stability and peace to our communities when we jointly apply our resources, personnel, and operational expertise to bear against extensive organized crime networks.” The indictment alleges that from 2015 through April 3, 2023, the defendants were members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), cocaine, marihuana, Fentanyl, Oxycodone (Percocet), and Alprazolam (Xanax) in the Manuel F. Rossy and El Recreo Public Housing Projects in San Germán, Puerto Rico (PHPs), and areas nearby for significant financial gain and profit. Court documents allege that the defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, including acting as leaders, enforcers, runners, sellers, and facilitators. The government also claimed that the co-conspirators conducted drug trafficking transactions at the basketball court of the PHPs in the presence of minors and used multiple vehicles to transport money, narcotics, and firearms. The acts alleged to have been performed in furtherance of the conspiracy included the delivery of heroin, cocaine, crack, marihuana, and prescription pills to clients. According to the indictment, some of the defendants also mixed the fentanyl into the heroin sold at the drug points. The charged conduct included the use of force, violence, and intimidation to maintain control of the drug trafficking operations and intimidate rival gangs. Accordingly, eight defendants were also charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The defendants are: [1] Orlando Medina-Pérez, a/k/a “Orlan” [2] Julio Cesar Santiago-Calvani, a/k/a “Yuca” [3] Raymond Omar Alameda-Ramos, a/k/a “Pipita/Reymon” [4] Luis Enrique Ramos-Feliciano, a/k/a “Luigui” [5] José Pagán-Casiano, a/k/a “Pito Cancio” [6] Carlos Claudio-Aquino, a/k/a “Carly Bemba” [7] Luis Diego Echevarría-González, a/k/a “Pulin” [8] Juan Carlos Colón-Cordero, a/k/a “Peca” [9] Brian Oniel Vega-Sáez, a/k/a “Pollito” [10] Alexander Arroyo-Lugo, a/k/a “Escobar” [11] Julio Cesar Santiago-Ramos, a/k/a “Yuquita/Goldo” [12] Jecksan Horrach-Pabón, a/k/a “Menor” [13] Jomar Joel Horrach-Pabón, a/k/a “Yomo” [14] Christian O. Montalvo-Casiano, a/k/a “Christian” [15] James Steven Cupeles-Salas, a/k/a “Yain” [16] Eniel Morales-Suárez, a/k/a “Liru/Lilu” [17] Gabriel Enrique Mora-Ruiz, a/k/a “Gaby” [18] Giovany Torres-Irizarry, a/k/a “Jova” [19] Miguel A. Rosario-Toro, a/k/a “Tiri” [20] Joachim Miguel Rosario-Toro, a/k/a “Tito” [21] Ángel Lionel Flores-Vélez, a/k/a “Toto” [22] Ángel L. Vázquez-Morales, a/k/a “Vazquez” [23] Sergio Yamil Mercado-Rodríguez, a/k/a “Sergio” [24] Luis Enrique Rodríguez-Reyes, a/k/a “Luisito” [25] John Michael Hernández-Rivera, a/k/a “Buster/John John” [26] Kelvin Joel Santana-Vega, a/k/a “Kelvin/Pimpollo/Pimpo” [27] Roberto Moises Irizarry-Ruiz, a/k/a “Robert/Robertito” [28] Hiram Ramón Sánchez-Ruiz, a/k/a “Hiram/Nene” [29] Ángel Jazquiel Chaulizant-Mercado, a/k/a “Jazquiel” [30] Javier Torres-Rodríguez, a/k/a “Guánica/Javy” [31] Carlos Alberto Ayala-Rodríguez, a/k/a “Lajas” [32] Ángel Rodríguez-Lugo, a/k/a “Cocolo” [33] Jesse Ruiz-Desarden, a/k/a “Jesse” [34] Andrés Moisés González-Ortiz, a/k/a “Andrés” [35] Luis Ángel Miró-Gregory, a/k/a “Pito Cuchilla” [36] Kevin Abel Santiago-Olivencia, a/k/a “Ñao” [37] Ángel Jireh Ruiz-García, a/k/a “Ángel/Angelito/Ángel Culebra” [38] Jesús Antonio Ruiz-Desarden [39] Tamara Flores-Valentín, a/k/a “Jamilet” [40] José Luis Vélez-Santana, a/k/a “Tuna” [41] Catherine Muñiz-Martínez, a/k/a “Kathy” [42] Jason Toro-Toro, a/k/a “Golin/Goline/Toto/Tubo” [43] José Manuel Santiago-Cotte, a/k/a “Flaco/Jose” [44] Julio Cesar Junior Cintrón-Collado, a/k/a “Jordan” [45] José Daniel Martínez-Pagán, a/k/a “José” [46] Joshua González-Muñiz, a/k/a “Jochi” [47] Yecelys Marie Ortiz-Horrach, a/k/a “Yecelys/Mary” [48] Diana Ruiz-Horrach, a/k/a “Diana/Titi” [49] Alberto Uriel Rivera-Ortiz, a/k/a “Albert/Papo” [50] Jonathan Quintana-Negrón, a/k/a “Cuajo/Cutino” [51] Carlos Pantojas-Rodríguez, a/k/a “Bebi” [52] Carolina Avilés-Rivera [53] Edison Ruiz-Garallúa, a/k/a “Bolocho” [54] Eliezer Avilés-Rivera, a/k/a “Papito” [55] Jan Acosta-Vélez, a/k/a “Jan Tatuaje” [56] Yadiel Javier Ortiz-Rivera, a/k/a “Yadiel Besito” [57] Josenid Martin-Gregory, a/k/a “Jossy” [58] Daisy Janet Sánchez- Ruiz, a/k/a “Daisy/Nena” [59] Jilmarie Jymmyan Lebrón-Cordero, a/k/a “Linda” [60] Karen Michelle Vega-López, a/k/a “Karen” [61] Cristian Rivera-Torres, a/k/a “Cristian” [62] Andrés Orlando Acevedo-Rivera, a/k/a “Andrés” [63] Jordan Lugo-Méndez, a/k/a “Jordan” If convicted, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life 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. Attorneys Pedro Casablanca and Cristina Caraballo Colón from the Gang Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting this OCDETF matter. 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. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Justice Department Announces Major Milestones Achieved in Policing Reform Efforts for the City of Albuquerque and Albuquerque Police Department

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has joined with the City of Albuquerque in filing a motion seeking changes to the requirements of the consent decree regarding the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) after achieving compliance with a vast majority of the consent decree. The proposed modifications are based on the city and APD’s notable progress in implementing the consent decree and continued self-assessment of certain provisions of the decree. According to the Independent Monitor, APD has achieved compliance with 80% of the consent decree. These proposed changes will help APD improve how it investigates low-level uses of force; improve its process for investigating allegations that officers committed misconduct – a crucial component for APD to enforce the requirements of the consent decree in its day-to-day operations; and build on the successes of Albuquerque Community Safety, a city agency that sends trained civilians instead of police officers to 911 calls for mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness issues. This approach allows officers to focus on addressing violent crime, while also connecting people with the services they need. The Justice Department and the city agreed to critically consider areas where APD has not achieved full compliance in key areas – such as officers’ use of force – and develop strategies for improvement. “The Justice Department’s consent decree has provided the strong medicine necessary to remedy problems and improve the way policing is carried out across Albuquerque,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “After almost a decade of meaningful reform called for by our consent decree, we are ushering in a new day for people across the city. We are recognizing the progress that the Albuquerque Police Department has made towards achieving compliance with this consent decree for both the court and the public. Though challenges remain, the Justice Department is committed to supporting city leaders, community stakeholders and the police department as we work together to implement lasting institutional reform that makes constitutional policing a reality for everyone across Albuquerque.” “Together, we are building the effective and constitutional police department the Albuquerque community deserves,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “This is apparent both in technical compliance and in actual overall reductions in serious uses of force, which showed a 30% reduction last year. This is a credit to the hard work of the City of Albuquerque, the men and women of the Albuquerque Police Department and the relentless involvement of our community partners. We can now focus our efforts on the central mission of this journey: ensuring that APD conducts thorough, timely and reliable investigations of officers’ use of force. Our staunch commitment to this goal, as a community, will deliver a change in the culture of policing that centers the safety of all members of the public.” Over the past eight years, APD has made significant strides towards achieving compliance with the requirements of the consent decree. For example: Equipped All Officers with Body-Worn Cameras: APD provided all officers with body worn cameras, which must be activated during all law enforcement contact with community members. Created New Civilian Investigative Unit: APD launched a centralized unit of civilian investigators responsible for investigating low-level uses of force as part of a pilot program. Increased Crisis Intervention Training: The city and APD instituted programs and initiatives to minimize the use of force against individuals in crisis due to behavioral health issues. Approximately 54% of patrol officers serve as trained crisis intervention certified responders – far more than APD’s initial goal of 40% of patrol officers. New Data Collection Efforts: APD hired a Director of Analytics who oversees APD’s data collection and analysis efforts and develops evidence-based recommendations for policy and management strategies. New Policing Reform Office: APD created the Bureau of Police Reform to accelerate reform efforts, provide oversight for internal investigations of officers and ensure that officers receive discipline that is fair, consistent and commensurate with their misconduct. Successful Training Academy: The APD Training Academy has received consistently high ratings from the Monitor. The District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on its website at Special Litigation Section Cases and Matters . Additional information about implementation of the consent decree is also available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office at Investigation into Albuquerque Police Department .


title: Pharmaceutical Distributer Agrees to Pay $765,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Failure to Pay Customs Duties

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that Danco Laboratories, LLC (Danco), located in New York, has agreed to pay $765,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay certain customs duties, known as marking duties, on imported pharmaceutical products that lacked markings to identify their country of origin. The Tariff Act of 1930 requires companies that import foreign products into the United States to mark the country of origin on those products. Importers that fail to mark their products are subject to a 10% ad valorem duty. The settlement resolves allegations that, during the period 2011 through 2019, Danco failed to mark imported pharmaceutical products with the appropriate country of origin, and thereafter violated the False Claims Act by knowingly avoiding the marking duties owed to the United States for those imports. “The False Claims Act protects the public fisc by imposing liability not only on those who knowingly submit false claims to the United States, but also on those who knowingly avoid obligations owed to the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s commitment to ensure that importers properly pay all amounts due under our customs laws.” “Our office is committed to ensuring that importers are transparent with consumers and comply with customs laws and the False Claims Act,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We will continue to pursue aggressively those who seek to avoid their duties and obligations under the law.” “The United States has required imported goods to be marked with their country of origin for generations, so American consumers can use that information in their purchasing decisions,” said Director Frank Russo of the U.S. Customs and Broder Protection (CPB) New York Field Office. “CBP takes the marking laws very seriously, and is pleased to work with our partners to ensure importers adhere to all customs laws.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by the Life Legal Defense Foundation under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims. These provisions allow a private party, known as a relator, to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam action is captioned U.S. ex rel. Life Legal Defense Foundation v. ASD Specialty Healthcare, LLC, et al. , No. 21-cv-0088 (E.D. Tex.). As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblowers will receive approximately $115,000. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas with assistance from CPB. The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Daniel W. Kastner of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Adrian Garcia for the Eastern District of Texas. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Agreement With The City University Of New York To Remedy The Exclusion Of A Student With Visual Impairments

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced a voluntary compliance agreement under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) with the City University of New York (“CUNY”) pursuant to which CUNY will provide individual relief to a student with visual impairments who was excluded from full participation in their academic courses and implement systemwide policies to ensure future compliance with the ADA across CUNY’s 25 colleges in the five boroughs of New York City, which collectively serve 243,000 students. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “It is simply unacceptable that any student should be denied equal access to an education because of a disability. We are pleased that CUNY has agreed to provide relief to the student whose education was compromised and that CUNY is committed to improving the accessibility of its courses, including online and digital content, for all future students.” Title II of the ADA prohibits public entities from discriminating against any individual on the basis of disability by excluding the individual from participation in services, programs, and activities. The ADA requires public entities to make reasonable modifications to avoid such discrimination and to administer their services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities, including by furnishing appropriate auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication. The out-of-court agreement resolves an investigation during which the U.S. Attorney’s Office determined that CUNY failed to provide reasonable accommodations required under the ADA for a student with visual impairments at CUNY’s John Jay School of Criminal Justice and identified shortcomings in CUNY’s accessibility and reasonable accommodation policies and procedures. Specifically, the investigation found, among other things, that CUNY failed to make qualified learning assistants available to ensure an integrated learning setting for the student in numerous science and mathematics courses. Additionally, John Jay instructors required students to use WebAssign, a third-party online learning product, to complete assignments, but that digital platform was not fully capable of reading out mathematical and scientific symbols and equations. Furthermore, John Jay repeatedly failed to make usable versions of required textbooks and other course materials available to the student by the start of courses. The student made a number of attempts to bring the deficiencies to the attention of staff at John Jay and CUNY, but neither John Jay nor CUNY had adequate policies and procedures to ensure that reasonable accommodation requests and related complaints are addressed in a timely and appropriate manner. As a result, the student received unduly poor grades and was forced to forgo taking other desired and required advanced courses for a number of academic years. CUNY has agreed to prepare and implement systemwide policies to ensure improved accessibility of educational content to visually impaired students, including digital learning content, proper training of staff and faculty, and effective reasonable accommodation and complaint procedures. Under the agreement, CUNY will permanently purge all of the affected student’s grades in the relevant courses in which reasonable modifications were not provided and pay the student $10,000 in compensatory damages. CUNY will also adopt systemwide policies and procedures to ensure: The prompt availability of qualified learning assistants, including by initiating an appropriate and timely search process, involving the relevant affected students in that process, and setting a reasonable level of compensation likely to attract qualified candidates; The prompt availability of accessible course materials by the start of the relevant course or as soon as practicable based upon early consultations with affected students; Reasonable accommodation and complaint mechanisms based on clear, short deadlines by which accommodation requests and complaints must be addressed and remaining concerns are promptly escalated to higher-level administrators as necessary; Information Technology accessibility consistent with the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, including via verification of the accessibility of third-party learning products and of instructors’ awareness of accessibility requirements for instructor-created content; and Training of faculty and accessibility-services staff on ADA requirements. * * * This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Cha-Kim is in charge of the case.


title: Providence Man Sentenced on Federal Drug and Firearm Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man found to be in possession of more than 500 grams of cocaine and 100 fentanyl pills, and who, as a previously convicted felon, was illegally in possession of several magazines of ammunition that he was legally prohibited from possessing, was sentenced today to twenty-six months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Henry Arnaut, 27, pleaded guilty on February 8, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and possession of ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. In November 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with the assistance of the FBI’s Rhode Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force, began a Project Safe Neighborhoods Investigation into the shipment of packages to Arnuat’s residence. A search warrant was obtained for a suspicious package addressed to Arnaut and it was found to contain a significant quantity of cocaine. Arnaut was arrested on February 8, 2021, shortly after claiming the package at the U.S. Post Office. A court-authorized search of Arnaut’s residence that day resulted in the seizure of an additional quantity cocaine, approximately 100 fentanyl pills, $1,180 in cash, several magazines, and ammunition. The total amount of cocaine seized from the package and from Arnaut’s residence exceeded 500 grams. Arnaut, previously convicted of a felony and sentenced to a term exceeding one year, was legally prohibited from possessing ammunition. U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., today sentenced Arnaut to twenty-six months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. ###


title: District of Columbia Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Shooting at Two Women in Southeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Michael Drummond, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in two felony matters by the Honorable Sean Staples to a combined 100 months in prison for shooting at two women in Southeast D.C. in June 2021, and subsequently possessing a “ghost gun” in July 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. A jury found Drummond guilty on February 10, 2023, of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, and related firearms offenses. According to the government’s evidence, on June 27, 2021, Drummond, a convicted felon who was on both supervised release for a 2020 federal gun and drug conviction and on pretrial release in a pending Superior Court case, shot at two women after having an angry exchange of words with them moments earlier. One bullet slammed into a car door, lodging itself in the rolled-down window inches away from the woman sitting in the front passenger seat. A month later, officers executed a search warrant at Mr. Drummond’s home and found a loaded ghost gun under his mattress. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Kimberly Nielsen, Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Section, Paralegal Specialists Crystal Waddy and Debra McPherson, Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist William Henderson. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Simmons and Colin Cloherty, who prosecuted and tried the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Gibbons, who initially investigated and indicted the case.


title: Serial Carjacker who Shot and Pistol-Whipped Victims Sent to Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for charges relating to three separate violent carjackings in June and July 2020, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced today. Worthy and Ison were joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Detroit Police Chief James E. White. Rayquan Sturgis, 23, had previously pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of carjacking, one count of carjacking causing serious bodily injury, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Sturgis was sentenced by United States District Judge Sean F. Cox. Sturgis was initially charged with one of the carjackings by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. However, Wayne County dismissed the carjacking charge so that it could be included with federal gun and carjacking charges in the federal case. “This is an example of the excellent collaboration between Prosecutor Worthy’s office and my office,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “This collaboration was critical in obtaining this significant federal sentence that was handed down today and will be critical in our approach to violent crime going forward.” According to the court documents, in three separate incidents, Sturgis carjacked three people after each of them had tried to help him in different ways. On June 10, 2020, the first victim offered him a ride after he was in a crash. After she drove him 15 minutes away, Sturgis pointed a gun at her and forced her out of her car and drove away. On June 18, 2020, Sturgis approached the second victim and asked for help jumpstarting his car. After driving Sturgis a few blocks, Sturgis got out of the car, walked around to the driver’s side and shot the victim multiple times without even giving him a chance to surrender. The victim suffered permanent injuries from the gunshot wounds. And on July 7, 2020, Sturgis was given a ride by the third victim from Inkster to Detroit. When they arrived in Detroit, Sturgis pistol whipped the victim while he was driving, stole his sunglasses, and then pistol whipped him again and forced him out of the car and drove off. Two of the carjackings, including where Sturgis shot the victim, went unsolved for nearly a year. The U.S. Attorneys Office, FBI, and Detroit Police continued to investigate the case and were able to identify Sturgis as the perpetrator after interviewing additional witnesses and collecting evidence from Sturgis’s social media accounts and phone records linking him to the crimes. “Individuals who assault and carjack the citizens of this district will not escape the dedicated and persistent employees of the Department of Justice, the Detroit Police Department, and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. This case is a prime example of how my office and our federal and local law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to prosecute those who use firearms to terrorize the citizens of our community,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “Sometimes it takes a village working together collaboratively to keep the community safe. These cases are a good example of this. A dangerous predator will no longer be free to prey on others,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “Armed carjacking poses an unacceptable danger to public safety and creates a climate of fear for residents in our community,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “This case serves as an example of the collaboration between the FBI and the Detroit Police Department to bring justice to bear upon violent criminals like Rayquan Sturgis who use firearms to victimize innocent people.” The investigation of the case was conducted by special agents and task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and officers with the Detroit Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Picek prosecuted this case for the United States.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Coercing Children to Engage in Sexual Activity

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to coercing multiple children to engage in unlawful sexual activity, including through online sextortion. According to court documents, Glenn Matthews, 33, used his Instagram account to communicate with multiple minors over several months in 2020. During that time, Matthews sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself to at least 10 different minors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16. He enticed at least one of the minors to create images of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Matthews also sought to meet up with the minors to engage in sexual activity. In some instances, Matthews took screenshots of his conversations with the minor victims and threatened to expose the minors to their friends if they did not comply with his demands. Matthews pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and second‑degree child sexual abuse in violation of D.C. law. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former Puerto Rico Mayor Pleads Guilty to Bribery Scheme

body_text: A former mayor of Humacao, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies. According to court documents, from January to July 2021, Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, 49, was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he accepted thousands of dollars in cash bribes from the owner of a construction company and the owner of a trash collection company. In exchange, Vargas-Rodriguez agreed to secure contracts for both companies. Vargas-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit and accept bribes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Nicholas Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation. This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matter, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the district for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.


title: Former Labor Union President Admits Involvement in $200,000 Embezzlement Scheme

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – The former president of the Alton chapter of the AFSCME labor union admitted involvement in the transportation of stolen money after he was caught embezzling more than $200,000 from the organization. Byron Clemons, Sr., 35, of Alton, pled guilty Tuesday in a U.S. District courtroom to one count of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Money. “Labor unions exist to promote the interests of the working men and women who make up their ranks. But instead of promoting the interests of his members, Clemons used his position to enrich himself and get cash to gamble at casinos,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Cutchin. “I commend the efforts of our partners at the U.S. Department of Labor for their diligent work in investigating this case and ensuring that Clemons is brought to justice.” “Byron Clemons, Sr. personally enriched himself at the expense of dues-paying AFSCME members. Tuesday’s conviction affirms the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s commitment to ensuring that labor organization funds are only used for lawful purposes. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate union officials that violate the trust placed in them by the membership they are supposed to serve,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Clemons was the president of AFSCME’s Local 124 in Alton from June 2017 through January 2022. According to court documents, Clemons withdrew a total of $202,100 from the Local 124’s U.S. Bank account from February 2021 to January 2022. The defendant used the funds to gamble at casinos and pay personal expenses. The defendant’s sentencing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on July 20, 2023, at the U.S. District Courthouse in Benton. Agents with the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General and the Office of Labor – Management Standards contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman is prosecuting the case.


title: Doctor Charged for Unlawfully Distributing Opioids

body_text: A doctor made his initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to face illegal distribution of opioids charges. According to court documents, Dr. Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, 63, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, allegedly distributed oxycodone to individuals outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose from his medical practice in Washington. Okafor allegedly performed only cursory evaluations of individuals, and further solicited and received cash inside the examination rooms of his clinic in exchange for opioid prescriptions. Okafor is charged with 16 counts of illegal distribution of opioids. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case, with assistance from the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and DEA. Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Kilby Macfadden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the New England Prescription Opioid (NEPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in late 2018, the NEPO and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Forces have partnered with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout New England and Appalachia to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. Over the past four years, NEPO and ARPO have charged over 115 defendants, collectively responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance dosage units. As a result, to date, more than 70 defendants have been convicted. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . Information about available treatment programs is available as follows: Maryland patients receiving care from this practice who wish to obtain information on how to find treatment for mental and substance use disorders, where to access naloxone and other harm reduction services, and information about crisis helplines can utilize these Maryland resources: Search for substance use treatment facilities through findtreatment.gov/ . 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org, a Maryland suicide and behavioral health crisis hotline. Public Overdose Response Programs in Maryland supply naloxone and may be found using this list. You can also visit health.maryland.gov/pha/NALOXONE/Pages/Home.aspx to see a locator map. Naloxone may also be found in your local pharmacy and billed to insurance and Medicaid. District of Columbia residents needing information about mental health or substance use disorder services can call the Department of Behavioral Health 24/7 Access Helpline 1-888-793-4357 or visit www.dbh.dc.gov . In addition, those needing access to opioid treatment service can contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359. Medications obtained illicitly are very dangerous as they are often not what they appear, and frequently contain contaminants and extremely potent substances such as fentanyl that greatly increase the risk of overdose and death. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: D.C. Doctor Arrested for Unlawfully Distributing Opioids

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON - A District of Columbia doctor made an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court on charges related to his alleged unlawful distribution of opioids in exchange for cash. Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 63, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland was arrested yesterday at his medical practice on 16 counts of illegal distribution of opioids. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Assistant Director David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division. According to court documents, Okafor allegedly distributed oxycodone to individuals outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose from his medical practice in Washington, D.C. Okafor allegedly performed only cursory evaluations of individuals, and further solicited and received cash inside the examination rooms of his clinic in exchange for opioid prescriptions. If convicted, Okafor faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey of the District of Columbia’s United States Attorney’s Office and Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Kilby Macfadden of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the DC-Office of Inspector General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). The Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division provided valuable assistance and served an Immediate Suspension Order (ISO) on Dr. Okafor’s DEA registration because it was determined that he posed an imminent danger to public health and safety due to the volume of unlawful distribution of opioids. The Fraud Section leads the New England Prescription Opioid (NEPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in late 2018, the NEPO and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force and has partnered with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout New England and Appalachia to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. Over the past four years, NEPO and ARPO have charged over 115 defendants, collectively responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance dosage units. As a result, to date, more than 70 defendants have been convicted. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . Information about available treatment programs is available as follows: Maryland: Patients receiving care from this practice that wish to obtain information on how to find treatment for mental and substance use disorders, where to access naloxone and other harm reduction services, and information about crisis helplines can utilize these Maryland resources: • Search for substance use treatment facilities through https://findtreatment.gov/ • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org, a Maryland suicide and behavioral health crisis hotline. • Naloxone: Public Overdose Response Programs in Maryland supply naloxone and may be found using this list. You can also visit https://health.maryland.gov/pha/NALOXONE/Pages/Home.aspx to see a locator map. Naloxone may also be found in your local pharmacy and billed to insurance and Medicaid. District of Columbia residents needing information about mental health or substance use disorder services, please call the Department of Behavioral Health 24/7 Access Helpline 1-888-793-4357 or visit www.dbh.dc.gov . In addition, those needing access to opioid treatment service can contact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359. Medications obtained illicitly are very dangerous as they are often not what they appear, and frequently contain contaminants and extremely potent substances such as fentanyl that greatly increase the risk of overdose and death. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


body_text: A former mayor of Humacao, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies. According to court documents, from January to July 2021, Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 49, was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he accepted thousands of dollars in cash bribes from the owner of a construction company and the owner of a trash collection company. In exchange, Vargas-Rodríguez agreed to secure contracts for both companies. Vargas-Rodríguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit and accept bribes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Nicholas Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation. This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matter, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the district for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.


body_text: WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to coercing multiple children to engage in unlawful sexual activity, including through online sextortion. According to court documents, Glenn Matthews, 33, used his Instagram account to communicate with multiple minors over several months in 2020. During that time, Matthews sent , sexually explicit images and videos of himself to at least 10 different minors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16 years old. He enticed at least one of the minors to create images of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Matthews also sought to meet up with the minors to engage in sexual activity. In some instances, Matthews took screenshots of his conversations with the minor victims and threatened to expose the minors to their friends if they did not comply with his demands. Matthews pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and second degree child sexual abuse in violation of D.C. law. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, and FBI Special Agent in Charged Wayne A. Jacobs the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Man Who Robbed Bank in Laurel, Delaware Under Federal Indictment

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging a New Jersey man with one count of bank robbery. According to the indictment, during the afternoon of June 24, 2022, Justin Cabot, 50, robbed the Bank of Delmarva in Laurel, Delaware by presenting a note to the bank teller demanding cash. The indictment alleges that Cabot made off with $1,806.00 and a GPS device valued at $796.00. If convicted, Cabot faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, made the announcement. The Laurel Police Department is investigating this case with assistance from the FBI Violent Crime and Safe Streets Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli H. Klein is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER . An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.


title: Executive Pastor Pleads Guilty to Stealing $130,000 from Journey Baptist Church in Barrington

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – An executive pastor pleaded guilty in federal court to using Journey Baptist Church’s debit and credit cards without authorization, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Gregory Neal of Rochester, age 45, pleaded guilty to a one-count information alleging wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2023. The defendant’s employment entailed overseeing the church’s daily operations, including control over its finances. From January 2017 to March 2020, the defendant made unauthorized withdrawals of the church’s funds to pay off his own gambling debts and made unauthorized purchases with the church’s credit cards for his own personal benefit. These unauthorized transactions amounted to roughly $130,000. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three 3 years of supervised release, a maximum fine that is the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The U.S. Secret Service led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Federal Officials Meet with the Family of Shanquella Robinson

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Federal officials with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina and the FBI met with the family of Ms. Shanquella Robinson and family representatives today to offer their condolences and present the findings of the federal investigation into the death of Ms. Robinson. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Robinson has been a priority for federal prosecutors and the FBI. The FBI has worked diligently to conduct a detailed and thorough investigation of the evidence available in this case. In coordination with Ms. Robinson’s family, an autopsy was conducted in the United States by the Medical Examiner’s Office in Mecklenburg County. As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinson’s family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution. The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinson’s death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued. As in any case, the government is prepared to review and examine new information related to the investigation should it become available. ###


title: Two Minneapolis Men Indicted for Armed Carjacking, Kidnapping

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Two Minneapolis men have been indicted for violently carjacking, kidnapping, and holding a victim at gunpoint for several hours, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on the evening of February 14, 2023, a man called 911 to report that he had been kidnapped and robbed by three individuals, later identified as Jamal Timothy Funchess, 18, T’Shawn Teon Palton, 21, and a juvenile. The victim reported that he had made arrangements over Facebook Marketplace to buy a cell phone. The victim and the purported seller arranged to meet at a location in Columbia Heights. When the victim arrived at the location and was still in the car, Funchess and Palton approached, and one pointed a firearm at the victim. The men ordered the victim to the backseat of the car. The men then got into the victim’s car, drove a few blocks, and picked up the juvenile. The three individuals held the victim at gunpoint for the next several hours. Each of the three at some point held the firearm and pointed it at the victim. During this time, they demanded that the victim surrender his cell phone, wallet, credit cards, and banking information. They drove to several gas stations around the Twin Cities in an attempt to use the victim’s cards to withdraw money. At one point, one of the men struck the victim in the face with the firearm. Toward the end of the ordeal, the three men discussed what to do with the victim and openly talked about murdering him. Eventually, they dropped the victim on a road in St. Paul and drove away in the victim’s car. The victim ran to a nearby gas station and borrowed an employee’s cell phone to call 911. Officers were able to use the location of the victim’s stolen cell phone to find Palton, Funchess, and the juvenile kidnapper, along with the victim’s stolen car and possessions. The indictment charges Funchess and Palton with kidnapping, carjacking, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The defendants, who are currently in federal custody, previously made initial appearances on a related complaint in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Hudleston and Matthew D. Forbes are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Philipsburg Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Philipsburg, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 60 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on her conviction of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Kierston Bell, age 34, of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. According to information presented to the court, from July 2019 to June 2020, Bell did conspire to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Bell. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: California Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Pharmaceutical Drugs & for Firearms Offense

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jamal D. Holdman, 27, of California, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiring to distribute pharmaceutical controlled substances and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Holdman to imprisonment for 65 months. Upon release from prison Holdman will be required to complete a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In the fall of 2019 investigators accessed an online dark net marketplace called “Empire Market” where they observed vendor “norco_king” advertising the sale of pharmaceutical controlled substances such as Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. Over the course of the investigation, investigators made a series of controlled buys of pharmaceutical controlled substances from norco_king on the dark net using an undercover identity. Norco_king accepted payment via Bitcoin and later Monero, both cryptocurrencies. The parcels containing the drugs were mailed from California to an undercover address in Omaha, Nebraska. Investigators reviewed surveillance video from the originating post offices in the vicinity of Desert Hot Springs, California, and identified Jamal Holdman as a suspect. On June 21, 2021, investigators served a warrant to search Holdman’s residence in Desert Hot Springs. Upon searching the residence, investigators seized approximately 21,000 pills including a significant number of pharmaceutical controlled substances in Holdman’s bedroom including opioids Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Morphine Sulfate, Hydromorphone, Tapentadol, Methadone, and Tramadol, several amphetamines including Lisdexamfetamine (commercially known as Vyvanse), and several benzodiazepines such as Lorazepam and Alprazolam. In addition, investigators seized 420 pressed “M30” pills, as well as postal service priority mailboxes and pre-paid labels for orders to include one that was addressed to be shipped to Nebraska. Although the color and markings on the “M30” tablets indicated they contained Oxycodone, they were later confirmed through laboratory testing to contain Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Investigators also seized two firearms from Holdman’s bedroom near where the drugs were kept. Holdman told investigators that he packaged and shipped the controlled substances and named Nicolas Decosta as the supplier of the drugs and dark net site vendor. Investigators corroborated this information and arrested Decosta, who will be sentenced on June 1, 2023. This case was investigated by the United State Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Nebraska Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Douglas Schmidt, 40, of Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Schmidt to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release. On April 20, 2021, Hastings Police Department conducted a traffic stop. Schmidt’s co-defendant, Raquel Bloom, was the driver, and the passenger initially said his name was “Doug Wilson” but was later identified as Douglas Schmidt. Schmidt had an active warrant out of Merrick County and was detained. Law enforcement could smell a distinct odor of marijuana coming from a backpack from behind the driver’s seat. Bloom claimed the backpack was Schmidt’s. A search of the backpack located 426 grams of methamphetamine, 80 grams of marijuana, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Bloom has pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on May 17, 2023. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Hastings Police Department.


title: Former Erie County Deputy Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force

body_text: TOLEDO – Today, Adam Bess, 35, pleaded guilty to a felony for depriving an inmate at the Erie County Jail of her constitutional rights by using excessive force. According to court documents, on November 1, 2021, Bess was working as a sergeant at the Erie County Jail. During the booking process of a new arrestee, Bess repeatedly choked her causing her vision to pixelate and have lasting bruising. The inmate can be heard yelling, “He’s about to kill me, he’s about to kill me” during the assault. Bess faces up to ten years imprisonment and it will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum. A sentencing date has not yet been set before United States District Judge Jack Zouhary. This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Freeman and Tracey Tangeman.


title: Arnold, PA Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possessing Fentanyl

body_text: Editor's Note: An updated outcome to this matter as a result of post-trial litigation can be viewed here . PITTSBURGH - A Westmoreland County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years of imprisonment on his conviction of Possession with the Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Kevin Watson, age 33, of Arnold, Pennsylvania. According to information presented to the court, Watson was pulled over by the Pennsylvania State Police for traffic violations. Watson had been smoking marijuana and had a young child in the back seat of his vehicle. When the Pennsylvania State Police asked him to get out of his vehicle, Watson sped away from the traffic stop and led the Pennsylvania State Police on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of 115 miles per hour on Route 28. Eventually, Watson crashed and fled on foot. The child was not seriously injured. Later, the Pennsylvania State Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle, which revealed more than $100,000 of fentanyl in the trunk of the vehicle. Watson has an extensive criminal history that includes, among other convictions, three previous drug trafficking convictions, and he was on parole at the time of this offense. Also, as part of the sentencing proceeding, the government informed Judge Hardy that Watson, one of his brothers, and a third individual were implicated in a scheme to murder a witness who had testified against another brother. On May 14, 2009, Luzay Watson shot and killed Davon Young, and on June 4, 2009, Luzay Watson was arrested for that offense. On July 24, 2009, there was a preliminary hearing involving the homicide charge against Luzay Watson in which Monique Gray testified. In the aftermath of the preliminary hearing, Luzay Watson engaged in a series of telephone calls from jail with Kevin Watson. The jail recorded those telephone calls. During those calls, Luzay Watson encouraged Kevin Watson to kill Gray. In recorded conversations in July and August of 2009, Luzay Watson angrily and bitterly complained to the Kevin Watson and Luzay Watson’s then girlfriend, Chrissy Stubbs, that nothing was being done about eliminating the witnesses in his case. However, he was repeatedly assured by Kevin Watson and Stubbs that the matter would be taken care of. In one conversation, Stubbs informed Luzay Watson that Charles Cabiness was “posted up” on the Cresswell Street home of Monique Gray's sister, Donneika Gray, to await an opportunity to kill Monique Gray when Monique Gray visited Donneika Gray's home. In the late morning of August 22, 2009, Charles Cabiness shot and killed Monique Gray while she was outside of Donneika Gray's house, in the company of multiple neighbors and young children. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy granted a ten-year reduction from the advisory Sentencing Guideline range, which called for a sentence of 30 years to life imprisonment. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway and former Assistant United States Attorney Brian Czarnecki prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Watson.


title: Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison Following Third Conviction for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Images

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Jasmine Marshall, 41, of Indianapolis, Indiana, formerly known as Wesley Marshall, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, in 2011, Marshall was convicted of possession of child sexual abuse material in Hamilton County and was sentenced to 3 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. In 2014, Marshall was again convicted of possession of child sexual abuse material and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Marshall has been a registered sex offender since December of 2011. On, October 29, 2021, Marshall was released from federal prison to lifetime supervision. On August 25, 2022, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Task Force Officers assisted Marion County Probation officers, State Parole Agents, and Federal Probation Agents in a search of apartments of sex offenders living in Indianapolis. At the time of the search, Marshall was living in a halfway house. During a search of Marshall’s apartment, agents located a Motorola cell phone hidden inside a bag on the floor of a closet. At the time of this search, Marshall was prohibited from owning a computer or internet-enabled device that did not comply with the U.S. Parole & Probation Office’s Computer Restriction and Monitoring Program. When questioned by agents, Marshall admitted using the cell phone to view and download child sexual abuse material. Specifically, Marshall described a hidden folder on the phone that was only accessible by her fingerprint. The folder contained pictures of the sexual abuse of children as young as nine-years-old. Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Randall Taylor, Chief of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement. “Undeterred by two prior prison sentences, this defendant persisted in seeking out these vile images of child sexual abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “Pedophiles traffic in child sexual abuse materials online because gratifying their sexual interest in children is more important to them then the safety or dignity of survivors. Circulation of abuse images exacerbates the trauma already inflicted on child victims and is deserving of significant punishment. The sentence imposed today demonstrates the commitment of our Office, the FBI, and IMPD, to make our children safer by ensuring that these dangerous offenders are in prison where they belong.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Marshall be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for life following her release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc ###


title: Kennewick Man Sentenced to Over 22 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Richland, WA – Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced James Patrick Wertman, age 53, of Kennewick, Washington, to 270 months in federal prison today for Production of Child Pornography. At the conclusion of his prison term, Wertman will spend the rest of his life on federal supervision. Chief Judge Bastian ordered restitution to the victims of Wertman’s offenses in the amount of $19,601.10. Wertman had entered a guilty plea to two counts of Production of Child Pornography, on January 10, 2023. In announcing today’s sentence, Chief Judge Bastian observed that Wertman victimized a young child for several years and that in victimizing the child, he also victimized her family. Judge Bastian further indicated his sentence needed to recognize for the victim, the victim’s family, and the public that Wertman’s crime was serious and deserving of a serious sentence. According to publicly available court documents, this case stemmed from a complaint from Defendant’s former fiancé, who reported she had located an iPad containing naked images of children, including the fiancé’s daughter, who was seven years old at the time. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant and searched all of Wertman’s devices to include the iPad provided by the child’s mother and the iCloud account associated with that device. The search revealed child pornography images and videos Defendant produced of the child from the time she was 4 years old, up through the date her mother located the images, when the child was 7. During the investigation, law enforcement interviewed Wertman, who stated he had been in a dating relationship with the child’s mother for several years. Wertman further claimed that he believed he had deleted the nude photographs of the child. The videos recovered from the iPad and Wertman’s iCloud depict him setting up a recording device (a phone) prior to capturing the child, who was not wearing any clothing. Wertmen then proceeded to sexually molest the child. These images and videos are the subject of the federal case against Wertman for which he was sentenced today. Following today’s sentencing, Wertman will be transferred to Benton County Superior Court, where he has agreed to plead guilty to two counts of first-degree child molestation. While the gravity of Wertman’s crimes and the impact on his victim are immediately apparent, Wertman’s actions also have impacted, and will continue to impact, the victim’s family. Wertman’s crimes left a mother believing she is incapable of protecting her own children. As the victim’s mother explained in a victim impact letter, she now questions every relationship, distrusts everyone, and lives in a state of constant worry and fear, all as a result of Wertman’s betrayal of trust. This grieving mother further notes she thought she was doing all of the right things to protect her children, but believes she failed her daughter. The victim’s other family members expressed the same feelings regarding the harm they experienced as a result of Wertman’s crimes against an innocent child. After today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref stated, “Child abuse devastates entire families and our community. While we all need to take great care in selecting our children’s caretakers, this crime was the fault of one man only, the Defendant, James Wertman, who chose to victimize an innocent child who trusted him.” U.S. Attorney Waldref reiterated, “My office prioritizes these offenses against our community’s youngest and most vulnerable and will continue to aggressively prosecute those who harm children.” “Mr. Wertman exploited a position of trust to abuse an innocent child. I applaud the investigative work to put this child predator behind bars,” said SAC Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Child exploitation cases will remain a priority for HSI, and we ask that parents remain alert to anyone that would pose a threat to children.” This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States 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. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components: · Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children; · Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives; · Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases; · Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and · Community awareness and educational programs. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” The federal case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations through the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes detectives from the Kennewick and Richland Police Departments as well as the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Alison L. Gregoire, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, and Laurel Holland, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Benton County. 4:21-CR-06024-SAB


title: Former Investment Banker and Registered Broker Charged with Operating Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Rashawn Russell, a former investment banker and registered broker, will be arraigned on an indictment charging him with perpetrating a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme. Russell was arrested yesterday in Brooklyn and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Eric Shen, Inspector-in-Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS), announced the arrest and indictment. “As alleged, Russell turned the demand for cryptocurrency investments into a scheme to defraud numerous investors in order to fund his lifestyle,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will continue to aggressively pursue fraudsters perpetrating these schemes against investors in the digital asset markets.” As alleged in court documents, Russell engaged in a scheme to defraud multiple investors by falsely promising that their money would be used for cryptocurrency investments that would generate large—and sometimes “guaranteed”—returns. In truth, much of the investors’ money was misappropriated by Russell and used for his personal benefit, to gamble, and to repay other investors. Russell formerly worked as an investment banker and was a registered broker with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. As part of the scheme, Russell lied to investors about the status of their investments and fabricated multiple documents that he sent to investors. As alleged, Russell sent one investor an altered image of a bank balance displayed on a bank website that purported to show Russell’s substantial liquidity. When another investor sought to recoup their investment, Russell never sent the money and instead sent the investor a fabricated bank wire transfer confirmation that purported to show the return of the investor’s money. The charge in the indictment is an allegation and Russell is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov . The government’s case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Drew Rolle from the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and. Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong and Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford from of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section. The Defendant: RASHAWN RUSSELL Age: 27 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 23-CR-152 (HG)


title: Black Hawk Man Sentenced on Drug and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Black Hawk, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on April 7, 2023. Gregory Martin, 35, was sentenced to six years in federal prison on each charge, to be served concurrently, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Martin was indicted for Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty on December 8, 2022. In November of 2021, in Box Elder and Black Hawk, Martin knowingly distributed methamphetamine. Additionally, when law enforcement executed a search warrant in December of 2021 at a residence where Martin was staying, he was found in possession of several firearms, including a Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18 inches. The shotgun was not registered to Martin in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as is required by law. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Mellette County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. Martin was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Dupree Woman Sentenced for Larceny

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Dupree, South Dakota, woman convicted of Larceny. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2023. Sophie Little Wounded, a/k/a Sophie Dupris, age 35, was sentenced to time served from her arrest on October 18, 2022, through May 1, 2023, equal to approximately six months of incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $700 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Little Wounded was indicted for Larceny by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. She pleaded guilty on January 4, 2023. Little Wounded took a 2013 Ford Mustang from the driveway of a residence in Sioux Falls on the evening of October 18, 2022, or the early morning hours of October 19, 2022, without the owner’s consent. Little Wounded had been visiting at the owner’s residence prior to the theft. Little Wounded also took $700 in cash belonging to the victim. The vehicle was reported stolen on the morning of October 19, 2022, to the Sioux Falls Police Department. The victim also contacted the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, assuming that Little Wounded was headed towards Dupree. At approximately 9:30 a.m. on the morning of October 19, 2022, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services recovered the vehicle by performing a traffic stop on Little Wounded a short distance outside of Eagle Butte. The $700 in missing money was not recovered. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case. Little Wounded was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on April 7, 2023. Sonny Ray Escarsega, a/k/a Sonny Ray Ruiz, age 40, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Escarsega was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. He pleaded guilty on January 9, 2023. Escarsega was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in 2003. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. In August of 2022, Escarsega was released from prison and began a period of supervised release. Escarsega initially registered and resided at an address in Rapid City, but he subsequently moved from his registered address and did not update his registration. His whereabouts were unknown until his arrest near Mission, South Dakota, on October 25, 2022. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Escarsega was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Pine Ridge Man Charged with Second Degree Murder

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man has been charged with Second Degree Murder. Trent Brewer, age 20, was recently charged, and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollman on April 7, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, five years supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. In April of 2023, at Pine Ridge, Brewer shot and killed another man during an argument. The charge is merely an accusation and Brewer is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case. Brewer was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been scheduled for June 13, 2023.


title: Former St. Louis Letter Carrier Sentenced to Probation, Restitution for Stealing Checks

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Tuesday sentenced a former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier who stole two checks in St. Louis, Missouri to five years of probation and ordered him to repay $33,996. Judge Fleissig also ordered Marquan Long, 28, to complete 40 hours of community service. The advisory sentencing guidelines ranged from probation to six months behind bars. Long pleaded guilty in January to theft of mail by an employee of the U.S. Post Office. He admitted that on May 30, 2019, while working as a carrier in St. Louis, he stole two envelopes containing checks from the mail. A Long associate deposited a $29,019 check into an account belonging to Long’s girlfriend at a credit union. That check was mailed to an address in south St. Louis. The second check, for $4,977, was originally mailed by a St. Louis woman and deposited into an account in Chicago about two weeks later. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane, who prosecuted the case, told Judge Fleissig in court Tuesday that Long had violated the trust of the public, who rely on the mail to conduct business. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.


title: Artistas Asesinos Cartel leader sentenced to 27 years for drug trafficking

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Gregory M. Millard, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA El Paso Division, announced today that Jorge Marquez was sentenced to over 27 years in prison. Marquez, 43, of Chaparral, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on May 17, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, and six counts of distributing 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. On April 4, 2023, Marquez was sentenced to 327 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Marquez will be subject to 5 years of supervised release. The case against Marquez was part of a five-year investigation into a transnational criminal organization known as the Artistas Asesinos, or Doble A Cartel, which dually operates as a drug trafficking organization and the enforcement arm of the Sinaloa Cartel in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and Southern New Mexico. Between 2017 and 2021, Marquez personally delivered, attempted to deliver, or directed others to deliver more than three pounds of methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement agents. In so doing, Marquez recruited couriers and distributors in the United States to include his codefendants in the case – Samantha Bailon, Vanessa Bailon, Jasmine Barradas, and Veronica Rivera – and coordinated the logistics of the Artistas Asesinos drug trafficking activity while in and out of custody in Mexico. Marquez was ultimately arrested on February 24, 2021, when he and a passenger presented in a vehicle at the United States Border Patrol checkpoint south of Alamogordo, New Mexico, and was found in possession of 105.1 grams of methamphetamine concealed in the dashboard of the vehicle. “This is a fine example of how our agents in collaboration with our law enforcement partners work diligently to keep our community safe from dangerous drugs,” said Miguel Dominguez, Chief of Police for the Las Cruces Police Department. “It proves how critical our law enforcement partnerships are, we will continue to work together to hold drug trafficking organizations accountable for their actions.” "Illegal drug activity brings danger to our communities—it will not be tolerated,” said Raul Bujanda, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “Collaborative law enforcement efforts will continue to identify and disrupt drug trafficking organizations bringing violence to our streets. Investigations like this prove the essential value of strong law enforcement partnerships and working together to meet a common goal.” “This case demonstrates the lengths the Sinaloa Cartel will go to bring their poison into our communities,” said Greg Millard, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “But any person or organization affiliating themselves with Sinaloa will discover the men and women of the DEA will also go to great lengths to bring them to justice.” “The Sinaloa Cartel uses gangs like Artistas Asesinos to push their drugs, collect their debts, and inflict their violence,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “Local, state, and federal law enforcement, working shoulder-to-shoulder, will proactively target and bring to justice groups who profit off of the addiction, suffering, and misery of others.” The investigation of the Artistas Asesinos was led by the Las Cruces/Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. Metro Narcotics is the leading task force combating drug trafficking in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. Metro Narcotics operates as a joint agency composed of investigators from the Las Cruces Police Department, the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office, and New Mexico State Police. Metro Narcotics was also supported in the investigation by agents from the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Las Cruces District Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Selesia L. Winston and Matthew Ramirez are prosecuting the case. # # # 23-75


title: East Hartford Man Admits Role in Catalytic Converter Theft Ring

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that BRYANT BERMUDEZ, 31, of East Hartford, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to offenses related to his participation in a stolen catalytic converter trafficking ring. According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement has been investigating the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut. A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves. The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component. In November 2021, Bermudez began working at Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford. At Downpipe Depot, Bermudez and a co-conspirator purchased stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves, with some of the transactions occurring late at night, and then transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey. On at least a bi-weekly basis, Bermudez or a co-conspirator transported van loads of catalytic converters to New York or New Jersey. Some of the trips yielded payments in excess of $200,000. Bermudez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and three counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for July 12. Bermudez is released on a $150,000 bond pending sentencing. This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham.


title: Social Security Benefit Fraud Ring Participant from Florida Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jenice Nicholas, 35, of Pompano Beach, Florida, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for her participation in a conspiracy to steal from the Social Security Administration (SSA), U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between February 2018 and June 2021, Nicholas participated in a conspiracy that sought to steal Social Security benefits intended for beneficiaries. Her co‑conspirators contacted SSA customer service representatives posing as Social Security beneficiaries by using personally identifiable information. They would convince the customer service representative to change the direct deposit account number associated with the true beneficiary’s account to that associated with drop accounts, i.e., expendable accounts used to funnel or transfer proceeds of a crime. For many of the direct deposit account changes that her co-conspirators caused, the SSA deposited monthly payments into the drop accounts, thus depriving the actual beneficiaries of their monthly benefits. Debit cards connected to these drop accounts were then mailed to Nicholas and other co‑conspirators. On several occasions, Nicholas withdrew the stolen Social Security benefit payments from the drop accounts and deposited at least a portion of the money into one or more bank accounts that were accessible to her co-conspirators. The loss to the SSA and the United States resulting from the conspirators’ offenses exceeded $234,000. As part of her sentence, Nicholas was also ordered to pay $234,378 in restitution to the SSA. This case was the product of an investigation by the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma prosecuted the case.