title: Willowbrook Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Bank Robberies He Committed While on Supervised Release for Bank Robbery

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Willowbrook man was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for robbing three banks during a six-day crime spree while he was on supervised release for bank robbery convictions over a decade ago. Rickey Lewis, 54, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder, who also ordered him to pay $4,035 in restitution. Lewis pleaded guilty in September 2022 to three counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. From January 22 to January 28, 2019, Lewis stole a total of $4,035 in cash by robbing two JPMorgan Chase bank branches in Gardena and an International City Bank branch in Long Beach. Lewis also attempted to rob a Bank of America branch in Downey. During the robberies, Lewis threatened to shoot bank tellers – though it was not apparent that he was carrying a firearm – and he had clear tape on his fingers. In fear for their lives, the bank tellers handed over the cash. According to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case, law enforcement recovered a partial palm print recovered from the Long Beach bank robbery that matched Lewis’ palm print. While he committed the January 2019 bank robbery spree, Lewis was on supervised release for bank robbery convictions he sustained after he pleaded guilty in February 2006 to a month-long spree in which he robbed six banks in South Los Angeles and Inglewood. The FBI investigated this matter with the assistance of the Long Beach Police Department, the Downey Police Department, the Gardena Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.


title: Two Nigerian Nationals Sentenced in Online Romance Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two Nigerian nationals have been sentenced to prison, probation, and and ordered to pay $356,671 in restitution for their involvement in the theft of thousands of dollars from victims in romance fraud schemes, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, beginning in 2016 through 2019, Charles Emeka Obije, 40, served as a “money mule” for a group of individuals who used fictitious identities to contact victims throughout the United States via email, social media, and online dating applications. The group pursued these romantic relationships online with the intent of using the relationships to defraud his victims. Obije’s sister-in-law and co-conspirator, Ijeoma Miriam Chanthavong, 36, helped launder the financial proceeds of these schemes. Together, they conspired to transfer the proceeds of the online romance fraud scams to bank accounts under the group's control in Nigeria. In total, Obije and Chanthavong pleaded guilty to defrauding victims out of $356,671. Obije, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit international money laundering, was sentenced on September 13, 2023, by Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank to 14 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay $356,671.00 in restitution. Chanthavong also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit international money laundering and was sentenced on April 19, 2023, to three years of probation and ordered to pay $148,500.00 in restitution. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.


title: Foreign National Extradited from Mexico to the United States to Face International Cocaine and Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Mexican national made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today to face international cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking and weapons charges. On July 19, 2021, a grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment against Edgar Fabian Villasenor Garcia, aka Gary and el Monje, 52. At the time of his indictment, Villasenor Garcia was already in Mexican custody, having been arrested by Mexican authorities on April 2, 2020, based on local charges. While in Mexican custody, Villasenor Garcia was served with a separate warrant based on a U.S. extradition request, and he remained detained in Mexico pending his extradition. He was extradited from Mexico to the United States on Sept. 15. Villasenor Garcia is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, knowing and intending and having reasonable cause to believe that those controlled substances would be unlawfully imported into the United States. He is also charged with knowingly and intentionally using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in the furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. If convicted, Villasenor Garcia faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram made the announcement. The DEA’s Los Angeles Division investigated the case. Trial Attorney Kate Naseef of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the U.S. Marshals Service provided substantial assistance in the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Bloomington Fugitive Arrested, Extradited on Child Pornography, Enticement, and Identity Theft Charges

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Bloomington fugitive has been arrested and extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on child pornography, child enticement, and identity theft charges, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between October 2020 through September 2022, Ibrahim Ghassan Sleyman, 30, used Snapchat and other messaging apps to solicit sexually explicit material and sex acts from minors, some as young as nine-years-old. Additionally, Sleyman groomed and enticed a minor victim to produce child pornography and engage in sexual activity with Sleyman by providing the minor with drugs and gifts. Once Sleyman became aware of law enforcement’s ongoing investigation, he fled to Abu Dhabi, UAE, on September 6, 2022. On September 15, 2023, upon his return to the United States, Sleyman was taken into federal custody by the FBI. The indictment charges Sleyman with production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, enticement of a minor, transfer of obscene material to a minor, and identity theft. He made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Jon Huseby and was ordered to remain in custody pending trial. To date, law enforcement has identified several minor victims, and is actively attempting to confirm the identity of many others. If you believe you or your minor dependent(s) have been victimized by Ibrahim Sleyman, please contact the FBI Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Elk River Police Department, and the Pleasant Hill, Missouri Police Department, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the State Department, the Ministries of Justice and Interior of the United Arab Emirates, UAE Interpol, Abu Dhabi Airport Police and Abu Dhabi International Airport – Airport Security provided significant support and assistance in Sleyman’s extradition from the United Arab Emirates. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for  Federal Narcotics and Illegal Possession of Firearms Violations

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – CALEB PUNCH , age 32 of New Orleans, was indicted on September 15, 2023 announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. In Count 1, PUNCH is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 2 charges PUNCH with Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 3 charges PUNCH with Possession of Firearms during a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). Count 4 charges PUNCH with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 5 charges PUNCH with Maintaining a Drug-involved Premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856(a). If found guilty of either Counts 1 and 2, PUNCH faces a minimum sentence of 5 years up to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release. As to Count 3, he faces a minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, to be served consecutively to any other counts, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 five years of supervised release. As to Count 4, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to Count 5, he faces up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. All five counts also carry a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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. United States Attorney Evans also praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Ringleader Sentenced to 25 Years for Counterfeit Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston man who led a counterfeit drug trafficking scheme has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and money laundering violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Byron A. Marshall, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit drugs, and money laundering conspiracy and was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. According to the indictment, from April 2014 until August 2021, Marshall conspired with ten others including Adam P. Runsdorf, the owner and president of Woodfield Pharmaceutical LLC based in Boca Raton, Florida. According to information presented in court, Marshall utilized Woodfield Pharmaceutical’s manufacturing facility and employees in Houston to produce more than 500,000 pints of counterfeit cough syrup. Marshall’s drug trafficking organization sold the counterfeit drugs across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, California, Florida, Arkansas, and Ohio. Prices generally ranged from $100 to more than $1,000 per one-pint bottle. Depending on the market and brand of cough syrup, prices went as high as $3,800 to $4,000 per pint. During the conspiracy, Marshall communicated directly with Runsdorf regarding production of the counterfeit cough syrup. At Runsdorf’s request, Marshall paid Woodfield Pharmaceutical in cash only, and Woodfield employees mailed the cash directly to Runsdorf in Boca Raton. “Mr. Marshall was the ringleader of a drug trafficking organization responsible for selling counterfeit drugs across most of the southeastern United States and many other states,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “Drug trafficking organizations like this are a cancer to our nation and present a substantial threat to our communities. Today’s significant sentence should send a clear message to such organizations that the Eastern District of Texas along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will remain laser-focused on crippling drug trafficking organizations that choose to distribute drugs and other poisons in our communities.” All eleven defendants charged in the indictment pleaded guilty. Eight have been sentenced including Marshall. Adam Runsdorf and Tunji Campbell pleaded guilty to conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit drugs, and money laundering conspiracy. Campbell, who partnered with Marshall to hatch the scheme, was sentenced to 135 months imprisonment. Runsdorf was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $5 million and a McLaren sportscar. Chauntell D. Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy and trafficking in counterfeit drugs and was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment. Cheryl A. Anderson, Ashley A. Rhea, Maria Anzures-Camarena and Kalpen Patel, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy and were sentenced to 60 months imprisonment. Three others are awaiting sentencing. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Marshals Service; Houston Police Department; Galveston Police Department; Galveston County Sheriff’s Office; Dickinson Police Department; League City Police Department; Pearland Police Department; Pasadena Police Department; Texas City Police Department; Harris County Precent #2; Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office; Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office; Liberty County Sheriff’s Office; and the Texas National Guard. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ross, Jonathan C. Lee, and Robert A. Wells. ###


title: Renton, Washington, man sentenced to 3+ years for bringing box of Molotov cocktails to protest march in summer of 2020

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: Seattle – A 35-year-old Renton, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 40 months in prison for his role in a plot to burn the Seattle Police Officers Guild building in downtown Seattle in September 2020, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Justin Christopher Moore pleaded guilty in September 2022. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, “What you did showed a complete disregard for human life. Our ability to peacefully assemble is a fundamental right to our society. Your acts of violence can deter people from exercising that fundamental right.” According to records filed in the case, Moore made and carried a box of 12 Molotov cocktails in a protest march to the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) building on Labor Day, September 7, 2020. Ultimately the marchers were moved away from the building in downtown Seattle. Police smelled gasoline and grew concerned about the intentions of protestors. The box containing the 12 gasoline devices was found in the parking lot next to the SPOG building. Using video from that day and from other protests, as well as information from the electronic devices of other co-conspirators, Moore was confirmed as the person seen carrying the box of destructive devices. In June 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Moore’s residence. They seized clothing that is consistent with the images of what Moore was wearing when he carried the Molotov cocktails. From the basement storage area, they also recovered numerous items that are consistent with manufacturing explosive devices. Law enforcement recovered a notebook in which Moore had made entries related to the manufacturing of destructive devices and the ingredients necessary. In asking for a 41-month sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg noted that carrying and leaving the box of explosive bottles was inherently dangerous. “Moore’s offense was extremely dangerous and created a substantial risk of injury to numerous bystanders…. Moore carried the box of twelve Molotov cocktails in a crowd of over 1,000 people who were participating in the protest march. All of them were in harm’s way if one of the devices had exploded.”. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and the Seattle Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.


title: Former Pittsburgh Health Services Company Executive Sentenced To Prison For Tax Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States. Nocito, former CEO and President of Pittsburgh-based Automated Health Systems (AHS), will serve – in addition to his prison sentence – 3 years of supervised release, which includes six months on home detention, and pay approximately $15,824,056 in restitution to the Government. United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Chief Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Joseph Nocito, age 81, of Sewickley, PA. Court documents and statements outline Nocito’s scheme between 2006 and 2012 to illegally classify millions of dollars of personal expenses as deductible business expenses and finance construction of a 51,000-square-foot mansion valued at approximately $30 million. Nocito named the home “Villa Noci.” The falsified expenses included interior and exterior construction costs; design and furnishings; an outdoor pool and pool house; tennis, basketball and bocce courts; and landscaping for the grounds. Nocito also fraudulently expensed millions of dollars for other personal expenses such as luxury vehicles, artwork, country club memberships, homes for his children and private school tuition for grandchildren. In addition to filing false personal returns, Nocito underreported AHS’s profits by shuffling millions of dollars of income through other entities in fraudulent transactions designed to conceal AHS’s true income and tax liability. Among other things, Nocito made recurring, sham payments from AHS to other entities he controlled, falsely characterizing the transactions as payments for management, administrative or consulting expenses. He then deducted the expenses in AHS’s corporate income tax returns. “The defendant diverted millions of dollars that should’ve gone to the IRS and used it to build a 51,000 square foot mansion in the Pittsburgh suburbs, amounting to the largest tax fraud ever perpetrated in our District,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “This crime is an affront to every hardworking, tax-paying individual in this country. We commend our partners with IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their thorough and tireless efforts to hold this defendant accountable for his egregious conduct.” “Today’s sentencing brings Mr. Nocito’s massive scheme to defraud the IRS to a conclusion,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “Tax fraud of this magnitude, never before seen in this Judicial District, deserves to be punished and today was Mr. Nocito’s day of reckoning. Honest taxpayers suffer when self-admitted criminals like Mr. Nocito swindle the government. The Special Agents of IRS-CI, our law enforcement partners, and the Department of Justice remain steadfast in our dedication to prosecuting those who carry out schemes that cheat the government and hurt those who pay their fair share.” United States Attorney Olshan commended the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service who investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory C. Melucci and Nicole A. Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Testifies Before D.C. Council In Support of the Accountability and Victim Protection Amendment Act of 2023

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia will testify today at a committee hearing before the Council of the District of Columbia on proposed legislation, Bill 25-0345, the "Accountability and Victim Protection Amendment Act of 2023." USAO-DC strongly supports the "Accountability and Victim Protection Amendment Act" because it will provide additional tools to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our community and hold accountable those who harm them. Our Office is committed to aggressively prosecuting all forms of violence, including sexual assault and domestic violence against adults, teens, and children, and to protecting our community from these often life-changing acts of violence. In addition to appearing before the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Elana Suttenberg, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, provided written remarks, available in the accompanying attachment. The testimony is available in the attachment below.


title: Guilty Pleas Entered in Two Homicide Cases in the District

body_text: WASHINGTON – Joseph Brown, 33, pleaded guilty today to second degree murder while armed, and Rondell McLeod, 30, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the shooting death of 21-year-old Amari Jenkins, on Aug. 18, 2015, in front of St. Luke’s Catholic Church, located at 4925 East Capitol Street, N.E. The pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The defendants, both of Washington, D.C., admitted that on the day of the murder, they emerged from a blue van that pulled in front of the church, and fired 28 rounds at Jenkins, before reentering the van and making their escape. In a separate case, Joseph Brown pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for the shooting of 29-year-old Antwan Baker, on Nov. 12, 2015, in the 5300 block of Clay Terrace, N.E. In that homicide, Brown admitted he emerged from a vehicle and shot Baker six times in the back of the head and neck before fleeing the scene. Both defendants will be sentenced on Dec. 4, 2023, by D.C. Superior Court Judge Marisa J. Demeo. McLeod is currently serving an 11-year sentence for federal robbery charges brought in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, and the government will argue at sentencing that McLeod’s voluntary manslaughter sentence should run consecutive to the federal robbery sentence. In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of the officers and detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Spence and Andrea Coronado, who prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding D.C. Mortgage Assistance and Foreclosure Prevention Program

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: WASHINGTON – Maron Moss, Jr., 49, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to one count of first-degree fraud for a scheme in which he stole more than $31,920 from the District of Columbia’s HomeSaver program, a foreclosure prevention program administered by the D.C. Housing Finance Agency and funded by the U.S. Department of Treasury. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Inspector General Melissa Bruce, of the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), and Inspector General for the District of Columbia Daniel W. Lucas made the announcement. According to the government’s evidence, Moss, a former DC resident, applied for mortgage assistance for his Washington, D.C. home in 2018, and then submitted recertifications for continued program eligibility on six separate occasions between 2018 and 2019. Moss represented that he was suffering from financial hardship, was unemployed, and that his only source of income was unemployment benefits. Based on these representations, the D.C. Housing Finance Agency made more than $31,920 in monthly mortgage payments directly to Moss’s mortgage service companies. But Moss was, in fact, employed when he applied for the program, as well as during the entire period that he recertified his program eligibility, earning approximately $239,743 in income from at least five different employers during the relevant 20-month period. The Honorable Heidi Pasichow accepted Moss’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for December 5, 2023. As part of the plea agreement, Moss agreed to pay full restitution. In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Principal Deputy Inspector General Bruce, and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from SIGTARP and the Office of Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin D. Bleiberg and Brian P. Kelly who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: US World Gang Member Convicted of Assaulting FBI Agent in 2022 Shooting

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. –A Columbus resident and member of a criminal street gang who—along with a co-defendant—shot multiple rounds at an FBI agent in Columbus last year was found guilty of assault on a federal officer along with additional charges for armed drug trafficking by a federal jury this evening. Joshuia Johnathon Luke Brown aka “Black,” 25, was found guilty of one count of forcible assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime following a trial before U.S. District Judge Clay Land that began on Monday, Sept. 11. Brown is facing a maximum of life in prison. Brown’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2023. Co-defendant Jarvis Smith, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault on a federal law enforcement officer, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on Aug. 9. Smith is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison. Smith’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19. Neither Smith nor Brown are eligible for parole. “As if out of a movie, Joshuia Brown and Jarvis Smith stepped out of their car in the middle of a Columbus street and brazenly shot at an FBI agent, narrowly missing the agent and shooting through a citizen’s home. This type of lawlessness cannot be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement at every level is putting their lives on the line in a collaborative effort to reduce violence and hold the most dangerous individuals in our communities accountable for their criminal actions.” “Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer is dangerous and an extreme threat to public safety. Stopping violent criminals, like Brown, is one of the most important things we can do to protect our communities,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "Thankfully, no one—including our Special Agent—was injured during Brown's act of terror. Columbus is a safer community with him off the streets." “We will not tolerate this kind of violent conduct in Columbus. Joshuia Brown and Jarvis Smith displayed cowardly and heartless conduct toward law enforcement, who are real people that choose to devote themselves to serve and protect our community so all of us can enjoy a better quality of life,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “Law enforcement doesn’t get a lot of thank-yous, but I want to thank everyone involved in this case who ensured that justice was served, and that these men are held accountable for their violent actions.” According to facts presented in court, federal agents were surveilling Brown and Smith in July 2022 as part of a larger and ongoing investigation into armed drug trafficking in the Columbus community. Through surveillance, agents observed a drug transaction involving Smith and Brown on July 28, 2022, in the vicinity of 1049 Winston Road in Columbus. At 4:35 p.m., Smith departed the scene in his car with Brown. FBI Agent S.A. conducted mobile surveillance as Smith traveled down Wade Street, turning south on Sheridan Avenue. Smith, who was driving, stopped his car in the middle of the road and he and Brown, who was a passenger, stepped outside of the car with weapons pointed in the agent’s direction and fired multiple rounds at the agent’s car, hitting the passenger door, the roof and the rear bumper of the FBI vehicle. One round traveled through the back of the FBI agent’s passenger seat, hitting a small bag on the front passenger side. Another round entered a private residence’s living room window, shattering a painting on the wall. The FBI agent was not injured during the shooting. FBI and Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office units attempted to stop Smith’s car; Smith and Brown were able to elude law enforcement in a lengthy pursuit by car and on foot. Smith was taken into custody on July 28. After a manhunt that last several days, Brown turned himself in on Aug. 10. A bag dropped by Brown during the pursuit contained a fully loaded Glock 19X handgun with an extended magazine. Two bullets recovered from the FBI agent’s vehicle matched the Glock 19X found inside Brown’s discarded bag. Law enforcement recovered a camo backpack dropped by Smith during the pursuit that held a fully loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine, a fully loaded .380 semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Also, several baggies containing methamphetamine, pills and other illegal drugs were found inside Smith’s backpack. Both the Glock 19X and the Glock pistol were modified to operate as machine guns. Brown is a member of US World, a hybrid criminal street gang based out of Columbus that is affiliated with other national criminal gangs. Smith is a confirmed member of the Bloods criminal street gang and has a prior conviction of aggravated assault, burglary and robbery in Muscogee County, Georgia, Superior Court, Case No. SU-13-Cr-1336. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is being 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. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies including the DEA, the Columbus Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Phenix City Police Department and the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Williams and Crawford Seals are prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Starkville Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of a Gun

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Oxford, Mississippi – A Starkville man was sentenced on Friday to more than 5 years in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, Antonio Hill, 38, previously pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. On September 15, U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson sentenced Hill to 65 months imprisonment followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI made the announcement. This matter was investigated by the FBI and the Starkville Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Canadian Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christopher Frater, 30, of Ontario, Canada, was sentenced on September 14, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Frater to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On July 13, 2022, Omaha Police Department officers working on I-80 in Sarpy County observed a 2021 Nissan Maxima with Virginia license plates commit several traffic violations. As a result, officers pulled over the vehicle driven by Frater. During the traffic stop, the officer learned that the defendant was driving a rental vehicle, one way from Los Angeles, California, to New York. Frater made inconsistent statements about the purpose and timing of his travel which raised the officer’s suspicions. As a result, a K-9 sniff of the rental vehicle occurred and the K-9 positively alerted to the scent of narcotics in the vehicle. In the trunk of the car, officers found three Home Depot boxes containing more than 125 pounds of cocaine that was laboratory confirmed as to both weight and substance. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Field Division, and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Fremont Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jarrett Chappelear, 26, of Fremont, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 15, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distributing methamphetamine while possessing a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Chappelear to 96 months’ imprisonment for the distribution and 60 months’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm during a drug transaction, for a total of 156 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Chappelear will begin a 4-year term of supervised release. On October 29, 2021, the Nebraska State Patrol in Norfolk, Nebraska, utilized a confidential informant to purchase 1,245 grams of pure methamphetamine from Chappelear. Shortly after the controlled buy, troopers stopped Chappelear driving away. Chappelear was found to be in possession of an FNS 9mm handgun with two spare magazines of ammunition. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.


title: Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender for the Second Time

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Sire English, 31, was sentenced on September 15, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for failing to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced English to imprisonment for 30 months in the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from federal prison, English will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On March 18, 2012, English was convicted of Child Enticement in the State of Iowa. He was sentenced to probation for two years and was thereafter required to register as a sex offender in any state in which he resided pursuant to the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), a federal law. Records obtained from the Iowa Sex Offender Registry indicate that on August 9, 2022, English registered as a sex offender in the State of Iowa and listed an address at an apartment in Council Bluffs, Iowa. English was previously convicted of a SORNA felony in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska on October 15th, 2018. At that time, he was sentenced to imprisonment for 15 months and a 5-year term of supervised release. On October 13, 2022, English was arrested on a federal warrant for violating the conditions of his supervised release from the prior case. At the time of his arrest, English was found by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to be residing at an address at an apartment on Hamilton Street in Omaha. The USMS confirmed through additional investigation that English had been living in Omaha since April 8, 2022, and had moved out of his registered address in Council Bluffs in December of 2021. English did not register or attempt to register, nor did he update his sex offender registration to show that he was residing in Omaha pursuant to the requirements of SORNA between approximately April 8, 2022, and October 18, 2022, when he was arrested. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.


title: Man Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Lorenzo Gonzalez-Perez, 25, was sentenced on September 15, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for his participation in a methamphetamine and fentanyl drug conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Gonzalez-Perez to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. Beginning in August 2021 and continuing to November 4, 2021, Gonzalez-Perez agreed with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine actual and over 100 grams of fentanyl analogue. On October 18, 2021, Utah Highway Patrol troopers stopped a red Dodge Charger due to a malfunctioning rear license plate light and illegal window tint. The car was driven by co-defendant Giovanna Cisneros and Gonzalez-Perez was a passenger. Troopers conducted a free air sniff with a K-9 who alerted to the smell of narcotics. As a result, a probable cause search of the Charger was conducted by the state trooper. Inside the trunk was a luggage bag that contained two tin foil wrapped packages. Those packages contained round blue pills stamped ‘M 30.’ The bags weighed approximately 5 pounds and lab tested positive for fentanyl. Cisneros admitted to the trooper that she was transporting the pills and would receive between $6,000-$7,000 for the trip. She further admitted she was transporting the narcotics for others. Cisneros also advised officers that Gonzalez-Perez was not to receive money for the trip due to being in trouble with others involved in the conspiracy. Prior to the trip, intercepted phone calls on October 13, 2021, indicated that Cisneros and Gonzalez-Perez were working at the direction of Mayra Rendon. During the phone calls, Rendon informed Emidio Becerra that she was looking for Gonzalez-Perez after he failed to answer his phone after a drug proceeds pick up. Rendon told Becerra she needed someone to drive to California to pick up the pills. Ultimately, Cisneros and Gonzalez-Perez were instructed to make the trip. Mayra Rendon pled guilty to drug conspiracy and was sentenced on September 15, 2022, to 210 months custody followed by 5 years of supervised release. Colleen Wiand pled guilty to drug conspiracy and was sentenced on October 28, 2022, to 97 months custody with 3 years of supervised release to follow. Darbelio Lorenzo-Genchi and Iris Gallardo-Salado each pled guilty to drug conspiracy and were sentenced on March 6, 2023, and February 17, 2023, respectively, to 96 months custody with 2 years of supervised release to follow. Samantha Cawyer pled guilty to drug conspiracy and was sentenced to 72 months with 3 years of supervised release on August 25, 2023. Giovana Cisneros pled guilty to drug conspiracy. Sentencing is scheduled for October 12, 2023. Emidio Becerra and Oscar Ulises Quiroz Ayon are scheduled for trial on September 25, 2023. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that James E. Williams, 50, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 15, 2023, in Omaha by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Williams was sentenced to 60 months in prison and will also serve two years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. On April 12, 2021, Williams sold to a cooperating witness working with law enforcement 3.6 grams of cocaine and two firearms, a Colt M4 Carbine .22 caliber rifle and an Iver Johnson .38 caliber revolver. The transaction, which was audio and video recorded, occurred inside a garage of an Omaha residence. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


title: Alleged High-Ranking Member of Sinaloa Cartel Arraigned on Federal Charges Following Extradition From Mexico to the U.S.

component: Criminal - Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section

body_text: CHICAGO – OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, 33, of Culiacan, Mexico, was arraigned in federal court in Chicago today after his extradition last week from Mexico to the United States. Guzman Lopez was arrested in Mexico earlier this year pursuant to a U.S. request for his provisional arrest with a view toward extradition. Guzman Lopez, also known as "El Raton" and "Raton Nuevo," is charged in the Northern District of Illinois with five-counts in a nine-count superseding indictment alleging that from 2008 to 2021, he engaged in a drug trafficking Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE), along with additional drug, money laundering, and firearm offenses. Guzman Lopez is charged with conspiring to distribute narcotics from Mexico and elsewhere for importation into the U.S. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment today before U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman in Chicago. He waived his right to a detention hearing and was ordered to remain detained without bond. The charges stem from a decades-long collaboration between the Justice Department's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and prosecutors from the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of California, as well as their law enforcement partners. Guzman Lopez is one of the sons of Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as "El Chapo," who was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of New York for his role as the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. Following Guzman Loera’s arrest in January 2016 and his subsequent extradition to the United States, Guzman Lopez and his three brothers and co-defendants - IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, and JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ, collectively known as “the Chapitos” - allegedly assumed their father’s role as leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Chapitos subsequently amassed greater control over the Sinaloa Cartel by allegedly threatening and causing violence, the indictment alleges. Under the terms of the U.S.-Mexico extradition treaty, the United States had up to 60 days to present a fully supported request, one in compliance with the terms of the treaty. The United States submitted that request in February 2023. A Mexican court reviewed the U.S. request and last month favorably recommended his extradition. The Foreign Ministry reviewed the decision and similarly concluded that Guzman Lopez should be extradited to the United States. The three co-defendants remain at large. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Luis Quesada, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Katrina W. Berger, Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations, and Anne Milgram, Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine and Erika Csicsila of the Northern District of Illinois, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. The Justice Department thanks the Government of Mexico, including the Mexican Foreign Ministry and the Mexican Attorney General’s Office, for the extradition of Ovidio Guzman Lopez. Earlier today, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland spoke by phone with Mexico’s Attorney General, Alejandro Gertz Manero, to personally express his gratitude. The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Guzman Lopez et al indictment


title: Heavener Resident Sentenced For Possessing Child Sexual Exploitation Material

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Carl Robert Kannady, age 67, of Heavener, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, followed by mandatory registration as a sex offender and a lifetime term of supervised release, for the Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department. On June 14, 2022, Kannady pleaded guilty to possessing certain material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. According to investigators, LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alerting them to images of child exploitation posted by Kannady. A search warrant executed on Kannady’s home returned over 8,000 images depicting child sexual exploitation on DVDs, USB drives, and a computer hard drive. The Honorable Judge John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Kannady will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab ‘Resources.’ If you have information about the physical or online exploitation of children, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov . You can also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE–LOST (1-800-843-5678) or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org .


title: Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Homemade Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who was found in possession of a homemade firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Som Boun Cam, age 56, from Council Bluffs, Iowa, was convicted of possessing a smooth bore, .410 gauge pistol, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. In a plea agreement, Cam admitted that on April 14, 2022, he was in the Meskwaki Casino hotel when he was involved in a scuffle with another guest and misplaced his backpack. Hotel staff subsequently found the backpack, and when they looked in it, they found methamphetamine and a homemade smooth bore .410 gauge pistol. On April 19, 2022, Cam returned to the hotel to claim his property. Cam admitted he had manufactured the firearm. This was a firearm that was required to be registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, but it was not registered to him. Cam has a 1995 felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and methamphetamine, a 2017 felony conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, and multiple assault convictions. 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. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Cam will remain in custody pending sentencing. Cam faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Meskwaki Nation Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-00050. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Niagara Falls Man Going To Prison For 20 Years For Production Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jessy Santos, 30, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of production of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the case, stated that on June 23, 2016, Santos produced a digital recording of himself engaged in sexual conduct with an eight-year-old minor victim in his care. Santos used a cellular telephone to record the conduct. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould, and the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger. # # # #


title: Jamestown Man Arrested, Charged With Possession Of Methamphetamine

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Andre Richards, 23, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $10,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, since January 2022, law enforcement has been investigating the drug trafficking activities of Richards in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties in NY, and in Warren, PA. During the investigation, Richards was charged with several New York State felonies involving the possession and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl as well as criminal possession of a loaded firearm. Despite these pending felony charges, Richards continued to operate a significant drug trafficking organization. The complaint states that Richards utilized a North Main Street residence in Russell, PA, as well as a residence on South Work Street in Falconer, NY. In March 2023, after investigators conducted surveillance of Richards driving around Jamestown, NY, and observed him engaging in activity consistent with narcotics dealing, including a brief meeting with an individual that involved a hand-to-hand exchange, search warrants were executed on his vehicle and the residence in Falconer, NY. During the searches, law enforcement seized approximately 84 grams of crystal methamphetamine, approximately $6,600.00 of United States currency, a digital scale, a drug processing press, a 9mm magazine, and bullets. During a search of the Russell, PA, residence, law enforcement seized approximately 20 lbs. of crystal methamphetamine. Richards made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained. The complaint is the result of a joint investigation by the Jamestown Police Department Drug Task Force, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Warren County, PA, Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Brian Zeybel. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Wilson Man Pleads Guilty To Drug And Gun Charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Kevin S. Wise, Jr., 33, of Wilson, NY, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, being a user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms, and being a felon in possession of firearms. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. On September 6, 2020, Wise was arrested following a traffic stop on a domestic complaint for two counts of Aggravated Harassment. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at his two residences on Youngstown Road in Wilson, including vehicles located on the properties. During the searches, investigators recovered 23 firearms, 18,446 rounds of ammunition, ammunition, firearms parts, approximately 374 grams of marijuana, a quantity of MDA, psilocybin mushrooms, two digital scales, and $2,717.00 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement also located 11 marijuana plants and observed multiple trail cameras positioned throughout the back yard, woods, and location of the marijuana plants. Wise admits that, at the time of his possession of the firearms, he was an unlawful user of marijuana and methamphetamine. On August 1, 2022, investigators executed another search warrant at one of Wise’s Youngstown Road residences in Wilson. Wise was on federal pre-trial release at the time of the search. During the search, law enforcement recovered seven additional firearms, approximately 3,692 rounds of ammunition, numerous firearms parts and accessories, drug paraphernalia and suspected marijuana and THC products. Wise was convicted of a felony in Niagara County in October 2014 and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The plea is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpinato. Sentencing is scheduled for December 13, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny. # # # #


title: Lyons Man Arrested On Multiple Child Pornography And Enticement Charges

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Randall Seeley, Jr., 45, of Lyons, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, and online enticement of a minor. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in, a maximum term of life, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in July 2023, the New York State Police in Lyons received a report that Seeley had been involved in sexually explicit online communications with a 13 to 14-year-old minor. An investigation led to the execution of a search warrant in August 2023, at Seeley’s residence. A review of the minor’s social media accounts revealed sexually explicit communications between Seeley and the minor going back as far as July 2022. A preliminary forensic analysis of Seeley’s electronic devices recovered hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, depicting the minor and other, unknown children. Seeley made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and is being held without bail. The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Regina A. Rodriguez, 46, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 18, 2023, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 20 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, resulting in the death of another person. Following her release from prison, Rodriguez will serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. On the morning of June 21, 2022, a Lincoln man was found dead at a Lincoln halfway house. A spoon containing a blue/white substance, a broken pill, and a syringe were found in the man’s room. Two additional blue pills were found in his wallet. Testing at the Nebraska State Patrol laboratory showed the two pills found in the victim’s wallet and the substance on the spoon contained fentanyl and another drug, 4-ANPP. After an autopsy was conducted, it was determined the cause of death was fentanyl toxicity. Text messages in the victim’s phone led investigators to suspect Rodriguez, and her husband/co-defendant, Arnaldo Rodriguez-Santini, were the sources of the fentanyl. In August of 2022, Rodriguez was contacted by narcotics investigators. She admitted knowing the victim. She admitted she and her husband were addicted to opioids and used pills which she knew contained fentanyl. When asked about messages from the victim asking to buy pills at his workplace on June 20, 2022, Rodriguez said she did not specifically remember going there on that date but admitted it was likely she and her husband had met with the victim and delivered five pills to him. The case against Arnaldo Rodriguez-Santini is scheduled for a status hearing on September 26, 2023. This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force (Lincoln Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and UNL Police Department).


title: North Dakota Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mandan, North Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on September 11, 2023. Sarah Jahner Clifford, age 45, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Clifford was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. She pleaded guilty on December 8, 2022. The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in January of 2021 and continuing until July of 2022. Clifford was involved in an extensive conspiracy with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation and the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Clifford received significant quantities of methamphetamine from sources in Denver, Colorado. Clifford and others would transport the methamphetamine back to South Dakota where it was sold by Clifford and those working for her. As part of the conspiracy Clifford possessed various firearms, including a Stevens Arms shogun and a Raven Arms pistol. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) confirmed the shotgun has a barrel length of 14 inches and is not registered to Clifford in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law. Further, Clifford is a felon and prohibited from possessing any firearms. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Northern Plains Safe Trains Drug Enforcement Task Force, and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Clifford was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: St. Francis Man Sentenced for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on September 12, 2023. Albert Guerue, age 43, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Guerue was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2022. He pleaded guilty on June 14, 2023. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on April 7, 2022, in Todd County, South Dakota. On that date, Guerue was consuming alcoholic beverages at the residence of the victim, an adult woman. Guerue became angry and threatened to kill the victim. Guerue then assaulted the victim by punching her with his fists, kicking her legs with shod feet, and striking her with a metal bar. The victim suffered lacerations to her head and face that required medical attention. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Guerue was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


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

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on August 28, 2023. William Dean Locke, age 35, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Locke was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on June 5, 2023. The conviction stems from Locke failing to register as a sex offender as required by state law between December 30, 2021, and October 19, 2022. Locke had previously been convicted of a sex offense in state court which requires him to register for the rest of his life. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman 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 . Locke was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Yankton Woman Sentenced for Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Forgery, Deception, and Subterfuge

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Yankton, South Dakota, woman convicted of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Forgery, Deception, and Subterfuge. The sentencing took place on September 11, 2023. Lisa Merrigan, age 55, was sentenced to two years of probation and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Merrigan was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. She pleaded guilty on July 5, 2023. The conviction stemmed from incidents between June 19, 2021, and September 11, 2021. Merrigan, worked as a registered nurse at a hospital in Chamberlain, South Dakota, during that time period. Merrigan tampered with a vial of fentanyl citrate for injection properly stored within the hospital, by removing the fentanyl citrate for injection from the vial and replacing the majority of it with saline solution. Merrigan then returned the tampered vial to storage, knowing that the diluted fentanyl citrate for injection could be dispensed to surgical patients at the hospital. Fentanyl citrate is a Schedule II controlled substance that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use to relieve severe pain during and after surgery. The fentanyl in the tampered vial was so diluted that had the vial been dispensed to a surgical patient, the pain management would have been minimal or unsuccessful. This case was investigated by the FDA, Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Brandishing a Firearm During a Federal Crime of Violence. The sentencing took place on September 11, 2023. Samuel Oreoluwa Roberts, 24, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Roberts was indicted for Interference with Commerce by Threats and Violence as well as Brandishing a Firearm During a Federal Crime of Violence by a federal grand jury in July of 2022. He pleaded guilty on July 3, 2023. Roberts robbed the Get-n-Go gas station and convenience store on March 29, 2022, using a pistol to demand money from the store employees. Roberts stole $245 in cash. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert, who also serves as a prosecutor with the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office. Roberts was ordered to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for transport to the Bureau of Prisons.


title: Todd County Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Todd County, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact With a Child. The sentencing took place on September 12, 2023. Kevin Sharkey, age 46, was sentenced to 10 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. Sharkey was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2022. He pleaded guilty on June 14, 2023. The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between March 1, 2017, and August 31, 2017, in Todd County, wherein Sharkey engaged in a sexual contact with a child who had not attained the age of 12 years. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was 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 . This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Sharkey was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Nebraska Woman Sentenced for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Winnebago, Nebraska, woman convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on August 28, 2023. Trista Whitewater, age 33, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Whitewater was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. She pleaded guilty on June 23, 2023. The conviction stemmed from an incident on June 8, 2023, when Whitewater, who was booked at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Yankton Sioux Correctional Facility in Wagner for several tribal charges, assaulted a Lead Correctional Officer. After causing a disruption in her pod, Whitewater threatened to hit the Lead Correctional Officer and then fought with the Lead Correctional Officer and other correctional officers, including swinging her fists and scratching the officers, resulting in scratches on the Lead Correctional Officer’s face and her glasses being broken. This case was investigated by the BIA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. Whitewater was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Wounded Knee Man Found Guilty of Murder

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Spencer High Hawk, age 27, of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, of Aiding and Abetting Second Degree Murder, following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on September 8, 2023. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. High Hawk was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2022. Evidence at trial established that High Hawk beat another man to death near Wounded Knee, South Dakota, in June of 2022. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Lindrooth and Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for December 1, 2023. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to 2021 Homicide of  30-Year-Old Woman

body_text: WASHINGTON – Christian Monge, 26, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty on September 13, 2023, to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the fatal stabbing of 30-year-old Brittanie Clark, mother of three children, on August 31, 2021, in the Fort Totten neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. As part of his plea, Monge admitted that his girlfriend accused Ms. Clark of inquiring about the defendant in a romantic way. Mr. Monge’s girlfriend assaulted Ms. Clark in front of bystanders, including several children. After the assault ended between the two women, Mr. Monge stabbed Ms. Clark 13 times in front of two children, including Ms. Clark’s young daughter. Mr. Monge will be sentenced on November 20, 2023, by Judge Robert Okun. In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Sean Williams Indicted For Production Of Child Pornography

body_text: GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On September 12, 2023, a federal grand jury in Greeneville returned a three-count indictment against Sean Williams, 51, of Johnson City, Tennessee, for producing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Williams appeared in federal court on September 14, 2023, before the Honorable Cynthia Richardson Wyrick, United States Magistrate Judge, and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. The trial has been set for January 23, 2024, before the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, United States District Court Judge, in United States District Court, in Greeneville, Tennessee. If convicted, Williams faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison as to each count of the indictment. Williams also faces a maximum of a life term of supervision and $250,000 fine as to each count of the indictment. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico made the announcement. This indictment is the result of an investigation by FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigation, and First Judicial District Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Lynn Gomez and Emily Swecker will represent the United States. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. ###


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud in Connection with Fraudulent Scheme to Obtain Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Chaz Ryan Watkins, age 35, of Springfield, Louisiana, to 48 months in federal prison following his conviction for wire fraud in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain pandemic unemployment benefits. The Court further sentenced Watkins to serve two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $178,620.00 to victims, including the Louisiana Workforce Commission (“LWC”), Texas Workforce Commission (“TWC”), Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (“FEMA”). According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, between December 2019, and continuing through at least September 2021, Watkins obtained the personal identifying information (“PII”) of inmates incarcerated in Louisiana prisons and of other individuals, including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers. Watkins submitted claims for pandemic unemployment assistance (“PUA”) benefits to the Louisiana Workforce Commission (“LWC”) in the names of the inmates, who were ineligible for such benefits, and in the names of other individuals, often without the individual’s knowledge or consent. In these applications, Watkins requested that the PUA benefits be transmitted via direct deposit to his financial accounts or via pre-paid debit cards mailed to addresses under his control. Once the funds were received, Watkins withdrew the funds as cash from ATMs at various financial institutions in the Middle District of Louisiana. Watkins received over $95,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits. Louisiana Inspector General Stephen Street commented, “Anyone audacious enough to steal taxpayer money during a state of emergency should expect to wind up in prison. Hopefully the sentence imposed upon Mr. Watkins today will make that clear to other aspiring fraudsters. The Louisiana OIG remains committed to pursuing criminal outcomes for individuals who commit fraud during public emergencies.” Street added, “I want to thank United States Attorney Ron Gathe and his staff, and our partners at the US Department of Homeland Security OIG and US Department of Labor OIG for our continued successful partnership.” This matter was investigated by the Louisiana Office of State Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.


title: Gonzales Woman Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: A federal grand jury recently returned a four-count indictment charging Hannah Kinchen, age 39, of Gonzales, Louisiana, with conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, conspiracy to distribute child pornography, and distribution of child pornography. Kinchen appeared for her arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges. According to the indictment, between approximately July of 2020 and at least October of 2020, Kinchen conspired with others to produce and distribute child pornography. If convicted of these charges, Kinchen faces a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig and Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (“CEOS”). This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.


title: Florida Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Illegally Transporting an Alien

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Gerardo Hernandez Anselmo, 34, of Kissimmee, Florida, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 30 months in prison for illegally transporting an alien. Hernandez Anselmo pleaded guilty to this charge on June 9, 2023. On June 10, 2022, an officer in the Colby-Abbotsford Police Department received information from a relative that R.E. had not returned home from work the day before. The complainant reported that he went to R.E.’s place of employment to find him, and while there, learned there was a video of the parking lot that showed R.E. getting into the backseat of a car that had parked next to R.E.’s car. Citizens familiar with R.E. told law enforcement that they suspected R.E. had been driven to Florida to work off a debt he owed to Gerardo Hernandez Anselmo and his wife because they helped R.E. enter the country illegally. Law enforcement in Florida went to an address in Kissimmee, Florida where they found the defendant and Felipe Engracia-Gonzalez. They also recovered R.E. and interviewed him. R.E. identified the defendant and Engracia-Gonzalez as the people who drove him from Abbotsford, Wisconsin to Kissimmee, Florida against his will. On September 7, 2023, Judge Conley sentenced Engracia-Gonzalez, who had been in custody since June 2022, to a sentence of time served. Engracia-Gonzalez was illegally in the United States and was deported upon his release from federal custody. The charge against Hernandez Anselmo was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Colby-Abbotsford Police Department, and the Kissimmee (Florida) Police Department, with assistance from the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Altman and Chadwick Elgersma prosecuted this case.


title: Western Union Remission Fund Distributes Approximately $40M to Victims in the United States and Abroad

body_text: The Justice Department today announced that the Western Union Remission Fund began a distribution of approximately $40 million in funds forfeited to the United States from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to approximately 25,000 victims located in the United States and abroad. These victims stand to recover the full amount of their losses. This is the first distribution in the second phase of the Western Union Remission distributions. The first phase of distributions paid more than $365 million to over 148,000 victims, all of whom received full compensation for their losses. The Justice Department anticipates authorizing more distributions for victims in the coming months. The second phase of the Western Union Remission was opened in March 2022 to provide victims who had not filed petitions in the first phase of distributions an opportunity to file for remission. The Justice Department continues to accept petitions for remission from those victimized by the scheme. “The latest distribution of the Western Union Remission Fund compensated thousands more victims harmed by predatory schemes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Victim assistance is a primary goal of the Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program, and this latest distribution is a testament to the impact asset forfeiture can have in compensating and making victims whole.” “Today’s distribution of $39.6 million to thousands of victims to compensate them for their losses demonstrates our commitment to hold all responsible parties accountable and to ensure justice for the victims who were financially harmed,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “We thank our law enforcement partners who continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the victims.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to protecting victims of fraud and will continue to investigate those perpetrating such schemes,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division. “This $39 million disbursement to 25,000 victims brings the total disbursed to over $404 million to over 174,000 victims in the Western Union Remission process. We would like to thank our partners in this extraordinary effort especially the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.” In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the United States. Pursuant to the DPA, Western Union acknowledged responsibility for its criminal conduct, which included violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and aiding and abetting wire fraud, and agreed to forfeit $586 million, which has been made available to compensate victims of the international consumer fraud scheme through the remission process. Western Union simultaneously resolved a parallel civil investigation with the Federal Trade Commission. In this scheme, fraudsters targeted consumers, including seniors, through multiple scams. Three specific scams directed towards seniors include the grandparent scam, where the fraudster would pose as the victim’s relative in need of immediate money to avoid personal harm, lottery, or sweepstakes scams; where the fraudster would tell the victim that they had won a large cash prize but had to pay fees such as taxes to claim the prize; and romance scams, where the fraudster would pose as an online love interest and request funds for a visit or for another purpose. In each of these scams, the fraudsters convinced their victims to send money through Western Union. Certain owners, operators, or employees of Western Union agent locations were complicit in the schemes. Western Union aided and abetted the fraud scheme by failing to suspend or terminate complicit agents and by allowing them to continue to process fraud-induced monetary transactions. Western Union fulfilled its obligations under the DPA and the court granted the motion to dismiss the information. The Justice Department, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to restore lost funds to victims of crime and acknowledges the significant assistance of the USPIS Philadelphia Division’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Office in the Western Union remission. The victim compensation payments in the Western Union case would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Southern District of Florida. The FBI Los Angeles Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, the Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, and the Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General provided valuable assistance. More information about the Western Union Remission Fund and its compensation to victims is available at www.WesternUnionRemissionPhase2.com. Further questions may be directed to the Western Union Remission Administrator by phone at (855) 786-1048 or by email at info@WesternUnionRemissionPhase2.com .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Celebrates Funding Awarded For Community Responses To Gender-Based Violence

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”), the Justice Department yesterday announced nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. For nearly three decades, VAWA has provided tools and resources to protect and serve survivors. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio is proud to announce that the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (“OVW”) has awarded $607,500.00 to local organizations to support community responses to gender-based violence. Specifically, the Northern District of Ohio has received the following funds for the 2023 fiscal year: OVW awarded $607,500.00 to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center under Grants for Training and Services to End Violence Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program (Disability Grant Program). This grant will support services for individuals who have disabilities or are deaf. Funding will provide specialized training, outreach, and cross-training for various agencies, and will support developing model programs to strengthen organizational capacities in assisting survivors. “I am pleased to announce that the Northern District of Ohio has been awarded funding from the Office on Violence Against Women. This grant will allow the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center to collaborate with Cleveland Hearing and Speech in a meaningful way to strengthen partnerships with Deaf Pathways and increase services to deaf victims and survivors of sexual assault,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers.” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory.” OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw


title: Seven Area Men Arrested After Being Charged in a 16 Count Indictment Alleging Mail Theft, Mail Fraud, and Conspiracy

body_text: CLEVELAND – Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a sixteen-count indictment charging seven men with Mail Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Wire Fraud. A joint investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Highland Heights Police Department, North Royalton Police Department, Brooklyn Heights Police Department, Shaker Heights Police Department, and USPS Office of Inspector General led to the arrests on September 11, 2023, of Nathaniel Sturdivant, 23, Euclid; Marcus Winn, 20, Cleveland; Dashawn Dumas, 24, Cleveland; Mohamed Mohamed, 21, Willoughby Hills; and Jayland Ware, 21, of Shaker Heights. On September 13, 2023, Larry Reynolds, 21, Maple Heights; and Lorenzo Nettles, 20, of Euclid, turned themselves in to the U.S. Marshals. The seven individuals were indicted for their roles in a check-fraud scheme in which checks were stolen from the U.S. mail and altered or forged, then deposited into various accounts for withdrawal. These arrests follow guilty pleas by eleven other defendants involved in similar criminal activities throughout the Northern District of Ohio. The United States Postal Inspection Service is aggressively investigating cases involving theft from postal carriers and the U.S. Mail. “Offenses like these compromise the integrity of our mail system and harm not only the individuals whose mail is stolen, but the public at large,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the United States Postal Inspection Service and other state and local partners to aggressively prosecute criminals who steal from the U.S. Mail and abuse our community’s banks.” “These recent arrests should serve notice to would be criminals that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to defending the nation’s mail system from criminal activity, preserving the integrity of the U.S. Mail, and protecting United States Postal Service employees and customers”, said Inspector In Charge Lesley Allison. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners for supporting our mission to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail.” An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, 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. The investigation was conducted by United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo. The Postal Inspection Service is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating crimes against postal carriers and crimes involving the U.S. Mail. Anyone having information about blue collection box thefts should contact USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. All information will be kept confidential.