title: Golden Valley Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing More Than 2,000 Fentanyl Pills

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Golden Valley man has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 2,000 fentanyl pills, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on February 1, 2024, Mason Harris Rosenblatt, 33, was the sole occupant of a hotel room in St. Louis Park when law enforcement executed a search warrant on the hotel room. As a result of the search, law enforcement seized 2,027 M-30 fentanyl pills that were in Rosenblatt’s possession. Rosenblatt pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Louis Park Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and Syngen Kanassatega are prosecuting the case.


title: Precision Lens Agrees to Pay $12 Million to the United States for Kickbacks to Doctors in Violation of the False Claims Act

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Precision Lens and the estate of its former principal, Paul Ehlen, have agreed to pay the United States $12 million to resolve a case involving kickback payments to ophthalmic surgeons in violation of the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. On February 27, 2023, a federal civil jury found that Precision Lens violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute by paying kickbacks to ophthalmic surgeons to induce their use of Precision Lens products in cataract surgeries reimbursed by Medicare. Precision Lens provided kickbacks to physicians in the form of travel and entertainment, including high-end ski trips, fishing, golfing, hunting, sporting, and entertainment vacations, often at exclusive destinations. For many of the trips, physicians were transported to luxury vacation destinations on private jets, including trips to New York City to see a Broadway musical, the College Football National Championship Game in Miami, Florida, and the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Precision Lens sold frequent flyer miles to its physician customers at a significant discount, enabling the physicians to take personal and business trips at well below fair market value. The jury found that Precision Lens’s conduct resulted in $43,694,641.71 in fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare. By operation of the statute, the court entered a $487,048,705.13 judgment against the company and its owner, which included treble damages and civil penalties under the False Claims Act. Following post-trial motions, the court reduced the judgment to $216,675,248.55. After the United States conducted a review of the defendants’ financial position and ability to satisfy the judgment, the parties entered into a settlement agreement which requires Precision Lens and the estate to immediately pay $12 million to resolve the United States’s claims. With this resolution, the United States has collected nearly $27 million as a result of the misconduct alleged in this case. The United States previously announced a $12 million settlement of related allegations with Sightpath Medical, Inc. and TLC Vision Corporation and their former CEO, James Tiffany. Dr. Jitendra Swarup also resolved claims that he had accepted kickbacks in a settlement agreement of more than $2.9 million. The civil settlement arises from a case brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Kipp Fesenmaier. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of a recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States of America, et al., ex rel. Fesenmaier v. The Cameron-Ehlen Group, Inc., d/b/a Precision Lens, et al., Case No. 13-cv-3003. The resolution obtained in this case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bahram Samie and Andrew Tweeten represented the government at trial and settlement.


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexual Exploitation of Two Child Victims

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for the sexual exploitation of two child victims. Travis Tyler Isham, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Isham to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration. Isham will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. On Dec. 13, 2023, Isham pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation of children. Isham admitted that he used two child victims to produce child pornography. Investigators found 276 images of child pornography on Isham’s cell phone. Those images were screen shots from a video of child pornography that was also found on Isham’s phone.\ Today’s sentence includes an enhancement for obstruction of justice because Isham tried to destroy and/or dispose of the cell phone that he used to commit the crime. Law enforcement officers contacted Isham at a cell phone store, where he was attempting to trade in his cell phone. The screen on the cell phone was shattered, and it appeared that the phone was bent. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Drug Mule Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine into Connecticut

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KARINA CINTRON SANTIAGO, 25, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 16 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine into Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 4, 2023, a search of a luggage bag that Santiago checked prior to boarding a JetBlue flight from San Juan Airport to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, revealed approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine. When Santiago arrived in Connecticut and discovered that her bag was not at baggage claim, she reported it lost. JetBlue personnel informed Santiago that when her bag was located they would deliver it to her, but she indicated that she would rather pick it up at the airport. On June 7, 2023, undercover investigators posing as JetBlue personnel contacted Santiago to inform her that her bag had been located and would be arriving on a flight to Bradley International Airport the next day. On June 8, 2023, investigators placed Santiago’s bag, which contained its original contents, on a luggage carousel at Bradley International Airport. Cintron Santiago was arrested after she arrived at the airport and removed her bag from the luggage carousel. On January 16, 2024, Santiago pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Santiago, who is released on a $75,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 23. This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard and Geoffrey M. Stone.


title: Eight Members of Lopez Human Smuggling Organization Operating in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States Indicted and Two Arrested

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, and Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, announced the unsealing of an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2024, charging eight members of the leadership and middle management of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization, a transnational criminal organization operating in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. Law enforcement officials effected the arrest of two alleged members of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization in California and Florida in a coordinated, multistate enforcement operation. In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization today as part of its ongoing efforts to address the national security threat posed by human smuggling. Pursuant to Executive Order 13581, as amended, OFAC has taken action to freeze assets and limit financial transactions of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization. According to the indictment, Ronaldo Galindo Lopez-Escobar , aka “Tio Roni,” 46, of Malacatan, Guatemala, leads and oversees the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization from Guatemala. Elvis Bersai Lopez-Ambrosio , aka “Pepe,” and Whiskey Hans Lopez-Ambrosio , aka “Hands,” coordinated with Mexican human smugglers, including Jumilca Sandivel Hernandez-Perez and a La Linea Cartel member known as “Chikis,” “Chiquis,” “Enano,” and “Chicken” to cross undocumented aliens from Guatemala through Mexico, and into the United States through Southern New Mexico. Upon smuggling undocumented aliens into the United States through Southern New Mexico, Elvis and Whiskey would oversee and direct a network of mid-level smugglers including Eli Adonis Esteban-Lopez and Wenry Gabriel Gomez-Lopez , who assisted in carrying out the day-to-day operations of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization, and Karen Stefany Hernandez-Vanegas , who received deposits and made payments to co-conspirators through the United States banking system, peer-to-peer money transfer applications, and bulk cash that were derived from the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization. Furthermore, Elvis would instruct co-conspirators to open U.S. bank accounts in order to receive smuggling fees from smuggled aliens on Elvis ’s behalf and in a manner that would be untraceable to Elvis . Elvis would then instruct co-conspirators to withdraw the funds and either: give the funds to Elvis , convert the funds into assets including real estate, or send funds to Lopez-Escobar or his nominees in Guatemala, utilizing money service business money wires, to minimize the trackability of the funds to Lopez-Escobar . Federal investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting that the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization generated between $104 million and $416 million in illicit proceeds from their human smuggling activities between September 2020 and April 2023. “Border security is about neighbors taking care of neighbors, reaching across jurisdictional and agency boundaries to protect our community,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “With this indictment, we bring the fight across borders to the transnational criminal organizations and their leadership. No longer will you profit in safety while migrants suffer and load-drivers take the risks, and the fall, for your greed. We are coming for you and your bank accounts.” “HSI remains steadfast in vigorously using our broad investigative authority and international footprint to pursue transnational criminal organizations that not only put the lives of migrants at peril, but pose a threat to our national security,” said Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “This case exemplifies a coalesced commitment among our federal law enforcement partners to ensure public safety by locking up violent criminal elements associated with these networks. Our message is clear: Human smugglers will not operate with impunity in our communities.” “On behalf of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our local law enforcement partners for their role in this significant criminal apprehension,” said Anthony Scott Good, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector. “The successes in the investigation of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization represents our unified goal as law enforcement partners: protecting the very communities we live in. Border Patrol's mission extends beyond immigration; we strategically collaborate with local law enforcement to deter and address criminal threats.” If convicted of the current charges, Lopez-Escobar faces up to 20 years in prison. Lopez-Escobar and nine co-defendants were charged with conspiracy to bring in, transport and harbor illegal aliens on May 24, 2023 . Lopez-Escobar remains a fugitive. If convicted of the current charges, Elvis Bersai Lopez-Ambrosio faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of the current charges, Whiskey Hans Lopez-Ambrosio faces up to 10 years in prison. If convicted of the current charges, Hernandez-Perez faces up to 10 years in prison. If convicted of the current charges, Chikis faces up to 10 years in prison. If convicted of the current charges, Esteban-Lopez faces up to 10 years in prison. If convicted of the current charges, Gomez-Lopez faces up to 10 years in prison. If convicted of the current charges, Hernandez-Vanegas faces up to 10 years in prison. HSI El Paso led U.S. investigative efforts, with enforcement assistance from HSI in the Middle District of Florida and the Central District of California. HSI received investigative assistance from HSI Long Beach and San Jose, U.S. Border Patrol Deming, Lordsburg, Blythe, El Centro, Yuma, and Tucson, the U.S. Marshal Service’s Organized Crime and Gangs Branch, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. The Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the Department’s Criminal Division also provided support in this matter. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ramirez for the District of New Mexico. The indictment of these defendants is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Justice Department, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and most recently in the Darién to include Colombia and Panama. The task force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California. Dedicated support is also provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA, led by HRSP, and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), MLARS, the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), the Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 310 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; over 250 U.S. convictions; over 185 significant sentences of 30 years or more in prison imposed; and substantial seizures and forfeiture of substantial assets and contraband, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, real property, vehicles, firearms and ammunition, and drugs; multiple indictments and successful extradition requests against foreign leadership targets. View the Indictment T reasury Press Release An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brian E. Drake, 56, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,036,141.59 in restitution for tax evasion. Drake admitted to evading payroll and corporate income taxes while the owner and operator of River City Chem Dry (RCCD). According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least 2008 and continuing through 2021, Drake owned and operated RCCD, which provided general building and specialty contracting services throughout West Virginia. Drake admitted that as an employer, he had a legal responsibility to collect and pay over to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from his employees’ wages and complete and file IRS Form 941. Drake further admitted that he knew that after he reorganized RCCD as a C corporation in 2012, he was required to pay corporate income taxes on earned income and complete and file IRS Form 1120 on behalf of RCCD every year. Beginning no later than 2005, Drake amassed a significant tax debt due to unpaid personal income taxes. Drake admitted that while his tax problems began as personal in nature, they later extended to RCCD. Drake’s tax delinquencies grew exponentially from 2005 through 2016, despite IRS attempts to collect his outstanding balances and work with him to help him attain compliance. Drake admitted that he willfully evaded payment of $299,765 in payroll taxes, including federal taxes and the employer-due portion of Social Security and Medicare, for reported wages paid to RCCD employees from at least 2016 through 2019. Drake further admitted that he evaded the assessment of $347,054.87 in payroll taxes by routinely paying RCCD employees substantially in cash from at least 2017 and continuing through 2021. Employees would receive paychecks reflecting a portion of their hourly wages and withheld taxes each payday along with envelopes containing cash for the hours they worked for which no federal taxes were withheld or paid over to the IRS. Drake also admitted that he failed to report money earned by RCCD for tax year 2016 and continuing through tax year 2021. Drake further admitted that he did not file corporate income tax returns for RCCD for tax years 2019, 2020, and 2021 to evade payment of corporate income taxes. The $2,036,141.59 in court-ordered restitution reflects Drake’s unpaid taxes, interest, and penalties. “The defendant has a long and repeated history of failing to pay personal and business taxes that has persisted from 2005 until now,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The transferring of assets and attempts to conceal income show that his actions were not a series of neglectful mistakes, but willful, intentional, and deliberate conduct. I commend the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for their investigative work in this case.” "This is precisely the type of conduct IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners are committed to deterring," said Kareem Carter, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that we are committed to protecting the integrity of our tax system and holding those accountable who deliberately circumvent Unites States tax laws." United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-192. ###


title: Florida Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $2.4 Million in CARES Act Loans

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Florida man was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining over $2.4 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) payments, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Mohamed A. Awad, 61, of Ocala, Florida, pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2023, before Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Awad engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain over $2.4 million in PPP and EIDL loans through numerous misrepresentations to lenders. He submitted fraudulent loan applications that fabricated numbers of employees and misrepresented company information, to induce PPP and EIDL lenders to approve the loan applications that they otherwise would not have approved. Awad submitted falsified tax documents in support of PPP applications. According to IRS records, none of the purported tax documents that Awad submitted in support of the loan applications were ever in fact filed with the IRS. Awad thereafter transferred the loan proceeds among various bank accounts he controlled, withdrawing significant amounts in cash and transferring loan proceeds out of the country via wire transfers to banks based in Egypt. In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Awad to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $2.41 million and forfeiture of $1.49 million. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer I. Piovesan; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker special agents of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker; special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the charges. The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Albany Man Sentenced to Prison for Pandemic Relief Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Scott Solomon, age 38, of Albany, was sentenced today to 13 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for defrauding a loan program meant for businesses struggling with the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. In previously pleading guilty to two counts of bank fraud, Solomon admitted that in 2020, he fraudulently applied for and obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for two restaurants in Saratoga Springs, New York, that he had once operated. Solomon submitted false and forged tax documents as part of each loan application, and lied about each restaurant’s number of employees and payroll. At the time Solomon applied for the loans, neither restaurant was operational, and Solomon used the loaned funds, totaling $163,993, in ways he knew were prohibited by the PPP. Solomon also fraudulently obtained forgiveness of one of the loans, in the amount of $87,500, by falsely telling the lender that he used the loaned funds for payroll. PPP loans, which were issued by financial institutions in 2020 and 2021 and guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, needed to be used by the borrowing business only on certain, permissible expenses, such as payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also ordered Solomon to pay $163,993 in restitution and to forfeit that same amount as proceeds of his crimes. Solomon has two prior felony convictions for grand larceny, as well as a prior misdemeanor conviction for possession of a forged instrument. The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted this case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Utica Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Distributing, Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Dustin Smith, age 30, of Utica, New York, pled guilty yesterday to a four-count indictment charging him with distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office, and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement. In pleading guilty, Smith admitted that he has a 2013 conviction for Sexual Abuse in the First Degree in Oneida County Court, and that in 2022, while under parole supervision for that conviction, he possessed a cell phone which he used to send, receive, and possess thousands of images and videos of child pornography. Specifically, Smith admitted that he used the cell phone to exchange videos of child pornography with at least two identified minor children. At sentencing scheduled for November 20, 2024, Smith faces a statutory minimum term of imprisonment of at least 15 years, and a maximum of 40 years on each of the receipt and distribution counts, and a term of at least 10 years, with a maximum of 20 years imprisonment on the possession count. Additionally, Smith will be required to serve a post-imprisonment term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, must register as a sex offender upon release, pay restitution to the victims of his offenses, and forfeit the device he used to commit the crimes. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. HSI investigated this case with assistance from the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit, New York State Parole, and Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica N. Carbone is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Missouri Man Caught with Methamphetamine and Child Pornography Sentenced to 140 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a St. Charles County man caught with child pornography and methamphetamine to 140 months in prison. The case began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip that someone had been sharing child sex abuse material via a Kik Messenger account. A detective with the St. Charles County Cyber Crimes Task Force traced the account to Roman Van Stone’s home in O’Fallon, Missouri. A court approved search of the home revealed two handguns and an AR-15 rifle and bags containing a total of 68.5 grams of meth. He also had child pornography on his iPhone. Van Stone, now 52, pleaded guilty in April to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The FBI and the St. Louis County Police Department Special Investigations Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Bronx Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine Conspiracy

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nicholas Colon, age 37, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for conspiring to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute it. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. Colon previously admitted to driving in tandem with Kenny Gonzalez from Long Island to Queens, where they picked up approximately two kilograms of cocaine from their drug supplier. Colon and Gonzalez then drove north to Ulster County, where they were stopped with the cocaine. Colon admitted he and Gonzalez intended to distribute the cocaine in the Northern District of New York. United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 4-year-term of supervised release. Judge Suddaby previously sentenced Gonzalez to 60 months in prison and a 4-year-term of supervised release. The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted.


title: Wampum Resident Indicted for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Wampum, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of Production of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The three-count Indictment named Thomas Hyatt-Baney, 21, formerly of Wampum, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Hyatt-Baney, on or about May 28, 2023, and June 25, 2023, produced visual depictions of the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment also charges Hyatt-Baney with possessing, on or about September 9, 2023, videos and still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent and under the age of 12 years. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years or more than 30 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Pennsylvania State Police and Homeland Security Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 . An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: UnitedHealth Group Abandons Two Acquisitions Following Antitrust Division Scrutiny

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division released the following statement after UnitedHealth Group abandoned its proposed acquisitions of Stewardship Health Inc. and a related company following scrutiny from the Antitrust Division. “When you ask Americans what keeps them up at night, affording and accessing quality health care is too often at the top of their list. These transactions are among UnitedHealth Group’s latest proposed provider-related acquisitions, and they raised questions about quality of care, cost of care and working conditions for doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers. I am grateful for the Antitrust Division’s lawyers, economists, paralegals and professional staff who are tireless in their commitment to identify and address pressing antitrust problems in healthcare markets.”


title: Substance Use Disorder Treatment Clinics to Pay More than $850,000 to Resolve Allegations They Knowingly Overbilled Medicaid for Office Visits

component: Civil Division

body_text: The United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia have reached an $863,934 civil settlement with certain substance use disorder treatment clinics serving patients from Virginia to resolve allegations that these clinics submitted false and fraudulent claims to the Medicaid program. The clinics – Crossroads Treatment Center of Petersburg P.C., ARS Treatment Centers of New Jersey P.C., Crossroads Treatment Center of Greensboro P.C. and Starting Point of Virginia P.C. – are part of a chain called Crossroads, which is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. The United States and the Commonwealth contended that, from 2016 through mid-2023, the clinics submitted claims to Virginia Medicaid containing code 99215, which signifies a meeting with a patient involving at least two of the following three components: a comprehensive medical history, a comprehensive medical examination, and medical decision making of high complexity. However, the clinics knew the meetings were regular check-ins during substance use disorder treatment and did not meet those criteria. Of the $863,934 civil settlement, the United States will receive $356,891 and the Commonwealth will receive $507,043. “Providers may bill only for the services that they actually provide,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to protect the vital services provided by federal health care programs, including substance abuse disorder treatments, against those who seek to abuse them.” “Submitting false claims to Medicaid undermines the integrity of the program and wastes valuable taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG remains committed to investigating providers who allegedly defraud federal health care programs.” The United States’ investigation was prompted by a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that defendants submitted false claims for government funds and to receive a share of any recovery. The settlement agreement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Diana France, a former Director of Network Management and Contracting for Crossroads, to receive $60,671 as her share of the federal recovery. The settlement agreement also provides for the whistleblower to receive a share of the Commonwealth’s recovery. The case is captioned United States ex rel. France v. Crossroads Treatment Ctrs., No. 6:21-cv-01263 (D.S.C.). Senior Trial Counsel Albert P. Mayer of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy G. Cote for the District of South Carolina handled the matter, with assistance from HHS-OIG and several state attorney generals’ Medicaid fraud control units. The United States’ allegations described above were allegations only. There was no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Salem Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Salem man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that manufactured and distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing narcotics. Kion Shepherd, 33, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On April 9, 2024, Solis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Shepherd was among 23 individuals charged in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The defendants were subsequently indicted along with two additional alleged co-conspirators in December 2022. According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. Shepherd is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in the case. During the investigation, Shepherd’s mothers’ home was identified as his residence as well as his stash location for controlled substances. During a search of Shepherd’s mothers residence, a backpack containing several hundred grams of fentanyl and cocaine as well as a handgun with an obliterated serial number were recovered. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

body_text: BOSTON – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for a child sexual exploitation offense. David Tweed, 46, of Kulpmont, Penn., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of a supervised release. In August of 2022, Tweed was arrested on one count of sexual exploitation of a child and was detained following an initial appearance in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “David Tweed’s conduct was horrific and deserving of the severe sentence that the Court imposed. Mr. Tweed sought out, groomed and then repeatedly sexually abused and exploited this very young and vulnerable girl. His criminal and depraved behavior has finally been stopped and his victim is finally free of his abuse. I applaud the victim’s bravery and the support and dedication of her family to see this case through,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The United States Attorney’s Office with our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate, prosecute and hold predators like Mr. Tweed accountable.” “David Tweed preyed on a child, first exploiting her online and later abusing her in person. This is a horrific example of how online threats become real danger,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI is working around the clock to keep kids safe online by bringing predators like Tweed to justice.” On various dates between September 2021 and December 2021, Tweed sexually exploited a 12 to 13 year old girl that he met online. During this time, Tweed repeatedly persuaded the victim to send sexual pictures and video of herself and to perform lewd acts on video calls. On more than one occasion, Tweed drove from Pennsylvania to places in New England where he met with and sexually assaulted the victim. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement. Significant assistance was provided by the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office and Monson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of Springfield Branch Office 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 .


title: Two Illinois Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Bank Fraud, and Money Laundering

component: Department of Justice

body_text: ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Two Illinois men – Erik Richard Jones, 46, and Mitchell Allen Melega, 38 – were sentenced on July 23, 2024, to multi-year prison sentences following their convictions for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. Jones, of Colona, Illinois, was sentenced to 54 months of imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release, and Melega, formerly of Orion, Illinois, was sentenced to 75 months of imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release. Both defendants were also ordered to pay $4,840,944.63 in restitution. At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that between 2016 and 2017 Jones and Melega devised and executed a scheme to provide false documents to First Midwest Bank in Moline, Illinois, to induce the bank to provide loans to Colona-based I-80 Equipment for vehicle purchases and improvements. Jones, the owner of I-80 Equipment, and Melega, the controller, then diverted loaned funds to other unauthorized uses and directed other employees of the business to provide false information in support of the conspiracy and scheme to defraud. In addition, they diverted real estate loan proceeds advanced by Northwest Bank in Davenport, Iowa – which were intended to finance renovations to an apartment complex Jones purchased – to other uses, including paying off an unrelated loan for Jones’s family members and unrelated business expenses of I-80 Equipment. Also at the sentencing hearing, Judge Shadid found the scheme – which involved both altering legitimate documents and completely fabricating false documents, included at least 110 vehicle purchases, and took place over an extended period of time – was particularly sophisticated. Both men were charged in October 2020 in a twelve-count indictment. The charges were conspiracy to commit bank fraud, (Count 1); bank fraud (Counts 2 through 9); and money laundering (Counts 10 through 12). Jones pleaded guilty in September 2023 to all counts of the indictment, and Melega pleaded guilty in March 2024 to the same charges. The statutory penalty for conspiracy to commit bank fraud is up to 30 years of imprisonment per count; for bank fraud the statutory penalty is up to 30 years of imprisonment per count; and for money laundering the statutory penalty is up to ten years of imprisonment per count. “Our office is dedicated to prosecuting these serious financial crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Actions like the defendants’ cause significant harm to banks and undermine the stability of our financial system. We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their commitment to these investigations and cases.” “The defendants in this case have been brought to justice for defrauding First Midwest Bank and using the obtained funds for unauthorized purposes,” said Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Chicago Region. “The FDIC OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable who commit such fraudulent offenses and threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation's banks.” “This sentence should serve as a warning to any potential fraudsters who think they can defraud banks and get away with it,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock. “The collective efforts of IRS CI, the FDIC-OIG, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office can follow the money trail and ensure those who engage in bank fraud and money laundering are vigorously investigated and brought to justice.” “The FBI, working with our federal and state partners, will vigorously investigate to uncover the truth and deliver accountability anytime anyone defrauds U.S. banks,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “The FBI remains committed to safeguarding our economic security from threats which could cause harm to American institutions.” The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; and the Illinois Secretary of State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Mehochko and Jennifer Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.


title: United States Sues National General Holdings Corp. and Subsidiaries for Falsely Placing Insurance on Hundreds of Thousands of Borrowers’ Vehicles

body_text: The United States has filed a civil complaint under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) against National General Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries, National General Insurance Company, National General Lender Services Inc. and Newport Management Corporation (National General), alleging that, for over a decade, National General erroneously force-placed its Collateral Protection Insurance (CPI) product on vehicles financed through Wells Fargo, despite borrowers already having insurance through other carriers. “Companies must deal fairly and honestly with consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s lawsuit demonstrates that the department will use all of the tools at its disposable to protect the American public against deceptive and fraudulent business practices.” “Today’s complaint alleges a long-running scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of car buyers,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “For years, these defendants saddled ordinary Americans, including residents of this district, with allegedly unnecessary insurance, leading to dire real-world consequences like repossessed vehicles and other unwarranted collection activities. This enforcement action reinforces an important message: our office, together with our law enforcement partners, will take decisive action to combat fraud in the insurance industry, protect consumers and hold companies accountable for their wrongdoing under federal law.” The government’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, alleges that, from at least 2008 and through the latter part of 2016, National General systemically failed to accurately track whether cars financed by Wells Fargo had the requisite insurance coverage from an outside carrier, and thereby knowingly or recklessly force-placed its own, much costlier CPI on at least 655,000 vehicles that already had outside insurance. In particular, the United States alleges that National General’s tracking efforts were deficient for a variety of reasons, including that National General repeatedly mailed letters seeking insurance information to borrowers at addresses that had previously been returned as undeliverable; in many instances, National General made no phone calls to insurance carriers, agents or borrowers to obtain outside insurance information, despite internal requirements to make a certain number of phone calls; and National General often failed to match insurance information in its possession to financed vehicles. According to the complaint, National General knew for years that its so-called tracking system was wholly ineffective and that it was routinely imposing force-placed CPI on hundreds of thousands of borrowers in error. National General allegedly received thousands of complaints from borrowers and tracked and reported, both internally and to Wells Fargo, its high “false placements” rates throughout the relevant period. The complaint further alleges that, as a result of falsely placing CPI, borrowers were charged duplicative and unnecessary CPI premiums in connection with their loans, often without adequate notification to the borrowers. The United States also contends that National General’s conduct had a range of additional negative consequences for borrowers, including improper charges for late fees and interest, negative effects on credit scores and improper repossession of some financed vehicles. FIRREA authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action for penalties for violations of certain criminal predicate offenses — as established by a preponderance of the evidence — that involve financial institutions or particular government agencies. The United States’ complaint alleges that National General violated FIRREA by committing the predicate acts of mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud. The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania handled the matter. The United States is represented in this matter by Trial Attorneys Lindsay DeFrancesco and Laura Hill of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Fischer for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Pearl River Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Incest on the Choctaw Indian Reservation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Pearl River man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for incest on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. According to court documents, Ronnie Reed, Sr., 52, had a sexual relationship with a family member in the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Reed was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023, and pleaded guilty to the charge in April 2024. U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.


title: Starkville man sentenced to prison for illegal possession of a firearm

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

body_text: Greenville, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced today to more than three years in prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, Nicholas Monroe, 31, pled guilty in April to a charge of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Monroe was arrested in September of 2022 after law enforcement officers responded to reports of someone firing a gun in downtown Starkville during a confrontation and encountered Monroe, who was in possession of a Glock 9mm handgun. Today, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Monroe to 41 months in prison for his illegal possession of that firearm. Upon release from prison, Monroe will serve a three-year term of supervised release. Monroe was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing. Following the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner and federal law enforcement officials noted that this investigation and the sentence imposed was significant in ongoing efforts to fight violent crime. “When felons illegally possess and use guns to commit crimes or disrupt the community, we will respond,” remarked Joyner. “This office will continue to work alongside our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to hold accountable individuals who choose to illegally possess and use firearms in our District.” “Mr. Monroe’s sentencing should serve as a warning to those bad actors who unlawfully possess firearms,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners, through impactful programs such as Project Safe Neighborhoods, will continue to identify, investigate, and deliver justice to anyone violating federal laws designed to protect our communities.” “In our effort to disrupt violent gun crime in our community, ATF will continue to focus efforts on prohibited individuals who unlawfully possess firearms,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed today sends a message to convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing firearms that we will continue to work to keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF.” This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the FBI, and the Starkville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Mims. 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: Two Men Plead Guilty to Acting as Illegal Agents of Chinese Government and Bribery

body_text: John Chen, 71, of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Los Angeles, California, and Lin Feng, 44, a PRC citizen and resident of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty to acting as unregistered agents of the PRC and bribing an IRS agent in connection with a plot to target U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC. According to court documents, from at least approximately January 2023 to May 2023, Chen and Feng worked inside the United States at the direction of the PRC government, including PRC government official identified as PRC Official-1, to further the PRC's campaign to repress and harass Falun Gong practitioners. The PRC designated the Falun Gong as one of the “Five Poisons,” or one of the top five threats to its rule. In China, Falun Gong adherents face a range of repressive and punitive measures from the Chinese government, including imprisonment. As part of the PRC's campaign against the Falun Gong, Chen and Feng engaged in a PRC government-directed scheme to manipulate the IRS’s Whistleblower Program in an effort to strip the tax-exempt status of an entity run and maintained by Falun Gong practitioners (Entity-1). After Chen filed a defective whistleblower complaint with the IRS, Chen and Feng paid $5,000 in cash bribes and promised to pay substantially more to a purported IRS agent (Agent-1) who was, in fact, an undercover officer, in exchange for Agent-1’s assistance in advancing the complaint. Neither Chen nor Feng notified the Attorney General that they were acting as agents of the PRC in the United States. In the course of the scheme, Chen, on a recorded call, explicitly noted that the purpose of paying these bribes, which were directed and funded by the PRC, was to carry out the PRC government’s aim of “toppl[ing] . . . the Falun Gong.” During a call intercepted pursuant to a judicially authorized wiretap, Chen and Feng discussed receiving “direction” on the bribery scheme from PRC Official-1, deleting instructions received from PRC Official-1 in order to evade detection, and “alert[ing]” and “sound[ing] the alarm” to PRC Official-1 if Chen and Feng’s meetings to bribe Agent-1 did not go as planned. Chen and Feng also discussed that PRC Official-1 was the PRC government official “in charge” of the bribery scheme targeting the Falun Gong. As part of this scheme, Chen and Feng met with Agent-1 in Newburgh, New York, on May 14, 2023. During the meeting, Chen gave Agent-1 a $1,000 cash bribe as an initial, partial bribe payment. Chen further offered to pay Agent-1 a total of $50,000 for opening an audit of Entity-1, as well as 60% of any whistleblower award from the IRS if the Chen whistleblower complaint were successful. On May 18, 2023, Feng paid Agent-1 a $4,000 cash bribe at John F. Kennedy International Airport as an additional partial bribe payment in furtherance of the scheme. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York and Executive Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement. Chen and Feng each pleaded guilty to one count of acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government and one count of bribing a public official. Chen pleaded guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 30. Feng pleaded guilty today and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 31. Chen and Feng each face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary, Michael D. Lockard and Kathryn Wheelock for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Fentanyl Dealer Implicated in Two Fatal ODs Sentenced to 22+ Years in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: A fentanyl dealer who admitted he was involved in at least three overdoses, two of them fatal, was sentenced Thursday to nearly 23 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Rhett Barclay, 23, was indicted in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced Thursday to 275 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman. “This defendant is implicated in multiple deaths, including the tragic demise of his unborn child,” said U.S Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Those who traffic in fentanyl should know that the poison they peddle can take the lives of anyone who ingests it – even their nearest and dearest. Once again, this case proves that even half of one pill can kill.” “Overdose deaths from fentanyl continue to have a devastating impact on communities across North Texas,” said DEA Fort Worth Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “We are directing all our available resources to investigate those who distribute this deadly, illicit poison to our friends and family. Mr. Barclay, while responsible for the deaths of these individuals, also impacted countless others by his callous disregard for life. May others see this as a warning that DEA Fort Worth and our law enforcement partners across North Texas will continue to investigate drug distributors and seek significant jail sentences for their criminal activity.” In plea papers, Mr. Barclay admitted that the fentanyl he obtained led to two fatal overdoses in less than two years. On Jan. 24, 2021, Mr. Barclay distributed a single fentanyl pill to two women, identified in court documents as A.R. and T.M. The women split the pill. Both overdosed. Medics were able to resuscitate T.M., but A.R.'s overdose was fatal. Less than two years later, on Jan. 12, 2023, Mr. Barclay obtained approximately 40 fentanyl pills. His girlfriend, identified in court documents as K.H., ingested one of the pills and suffered a fatal overdose. At Thursday's sentencing hearing, prosecutors noted that K.H. was pregnant at the time. She passed away as their toddler watched. The Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation with the help of the Wise County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Montes prosecuted the case. Illicitly produced fentanyl pills – often referred to as “M-30s” because of their resemblance to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet – are highly dangerous. According to the DEA, six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill .


title: Two Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Using U.S. Postal Service Arrow Keys To Steal Mail in Chicago

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — Two men have been sentenced to federal prison terms for using U.S. Postal Service arrow keys to steal parcels from the mail in Chicago. JOSEPH T. SOLOMON and THADDEUS J. HARPER were convicted as part of “Operation Broken Arrow,” a federal investigation into the thefts of mail using stolen arrow keys, which unlock doors and entry systems to nearly every apartment and office building in Chicago and several suburbs. Solomon used an authentic arrow key in 2022 to open a panel of mailboxes in an apartment building in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. Solomon stuffed pieces of mail into a trash bag and fled the area. He was later arrested in Indiana while driving a stolen U-Haul truck and leading police on a high-speed chase. Solomon crashed into several vehicles in Hammond, Ind., before being apprehended. Harper used a reproduced arrow key to enter multiple residences in Chicago in 2021 and steal mail and parcels from at least ten victims. In one of his thefts, Harper used the key to gain entrance to an apartment building in Chicago’s River West neighborhood, where he took a piece of mail containing two checks totaling $2,500. Harper also took other packages addressed to the same victim that were valued at more than $6,600. Harper, 44, of Country Club Hills, Ill., and Solomon, 39, of Norridge, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal charges of unlawful possession of a U.S. Postal Service key. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall on Wednesday sentenced Solomon to two years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman on Tuesday sentenced Harper to 20 months in federal prison. The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Substantial assistance was provided the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Minje Shin, Michael Maione, and Adam L. Rosenbloom. “It is illegal under federal law to possess a stolen or reproduced key suited to a U.S. Postal Service lock,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “We will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who unlawfully possesses such a key or steals from the mail.” “The safety and security of the U.S. mail and its customers are core to the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Inspector-in-Charge Mendonça. “This case is a tremendous example of how postal inspectors protect the integrity of the U.S. mail and aggressively investigate those individuals who steal or defraud individuals or businesses of money and property.”


title: Central Oregon Repeat Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Child

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Deschutes County, Oregon sex offender with a prior felony conviction for encouraging child sex abuse was sentenced to federal prison today after he requested a sexually explicit image online from an individual he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Roger Clint Lee Vanwormer, 30, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and a life term of supervised release. According to court documents, while on supervision and wearing an ankle monitor, Vanwormer requested a sexually explicit image online from an individual he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Vanwormer further engaged in explicit discussions with the purported minor and arranged to meet. On July 27, 2021, Vanwormer was arrested in Bend when he showed up at the arranged meeting location. On February 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Vanwormer with attempted sexual exploitation of a child, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission of a felony involving a minor by a registered sex offender. Vanwormer pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child. This case was investigated by the Bend Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov . This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Supporting Private Parties’ Right to Bring Voting Rights Act Challenge to Robocalls

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today filed a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire supporting the right of private plaintiffs to bring a lawsuit challenging robocalls as intimidating, threatening or coercive in violation of Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act. This brief is one of several filed by the Justice Department explaining the prohibition against voter intimidation in Section 11(b) and supporting the longstanding principle that private plaintiffs can sue to vindicate important rights protected by the Voting Rights Act. “Voter intimidation, whether carried out in person or by way of robocalls, disinformation campaigns, or other tactics, can stand as a significant barrier for voters seeking to exercise their voice in our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Every voter has the fundamental right to cast their ballot free from intimidation, threats and coercion. Since enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, impacted voters, advocacy groups and organizations, have had full ability to turn to the courts to enforce the Act’s ban on voter intimidation across the country. The Justice Department has vigorously enforced this ban and will continue to challenge voter intimidation and defend the right of private citizens and organizations to do the same.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Hampshire remains committed to protecting voting rights using all enforcement tools available to us. Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act is a valuable aid in this effort, as it allows for voters to assist in the enforcement process by bringing private suits against anyone that intimidates, threatens or coerces another person in the exercise of their fundamental right to vote,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young for the District of New Hampshire. “Robocalls in particular can violate voting rights by incentivizing voters to remain away from the polls, deceive voters into believing false information and provoke fear among the targeted individuals. The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends any private citizen willing to stand up against these aggressive tactics and exercise their rights to participate in the enforcement process for the Voting Rights Act.” The department filed its statement of interest in League of Women Voters of New Hampshire v. Kramer , a lawsuit filed by private plaintiffs who seek a preliminary injunction against a violation of Section 11(b) in connection with robocalls in the 2024 New Hampshire presidential primary election. Defendants moved to dismiss arguing among other things that there is no private right of action under Section 11(b) and that robocalls do not violate Section 11(b). The statement of interest affirms that private parties may enforce Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act. It further explains that conduct violates Section 11(b) if it is objectively intimidating, threatening or coercive to a reasonable voter. That conduct may include robocalls containing false information about the time, place or manner of voting. Whether such robocalls violate the Voting Rights Act depends on such factors as the content and any deceptive features of the calls, the context and timing of the calls, the targeting of any particular group and other historical and social conditions. Federal law prohibits intimidation, threats and coercion throughout the voting process, including registration, casting a ballot and counting or tallying votes. Furthermore, federal law protects against both actual and attempted intimidation, coercion and threats. More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Individuals can report possible violations of the federal voting rights laws through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone toll-free at 800-253-3931.


title: Sex offender pleads guilty to new charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jeffrey Paden, 57, of Kennedy, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2015, Paden was convicted on a federal charge of possession of child pornography and sentenced to serve 57 months in prison and five years’ supervised release. On August 29, 2023, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at Paden’s residence based on information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Several electronic devices were seized, including a thumb drive and a laptop computer. Approximately 83 images of child pornography were stored on the thumb drive and approximately 468 images on the laptop computer. Some of the images depicted prepubescent minors, and violence against children. The plea 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 New York State Police, under the direction of Major Stanley Edwards III, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Federal jury convicts Jamestown man of multiple drug charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal jury has convicted Jose Caceras, 39, of Jamestown, NY, of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of MDMA, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and maintaining a drug involved premises. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan K. Glaberson and Louis A. Testani, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on February 27, 2023, Caceras was stopped and arrested by Jamestown Police officers working with U.S. Probation. After his arrest, Caceras attempted to discard a bag of fentanyl hidden in his pants while being transported to the Jamestown City Jail. As a result, the Jamestown Police officer transporting Caceras was exposed to fentanyl and received treatment for the exposure at a local hospital. During a subsequent search of Caceras’ stash house in Jamestown, U.S. Probation officers found over 50 grams of methamphetamine, a bag of MDMA, and drug paraphernalia. The verdict is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Timothy Englert, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo, who presided over the trial of the case.


title: Aurora Man Sentenced For Dealing Firearms Without License

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Timothy Taconi, age 70, of Aurora, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of dealing a firearm without a license. Taconi also voluntarily agreed to pay more than $190,000 in restitution for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans he received for the illegal firearms business. According to the plea agreement, from August 2020, through February 5, 2023, the defendant, not being a licensed dealer of firearms, engaged in the business of dealing in firearms. The defendant also admitted to selling unregistered silencers. ATF previously revoked the federal firearms license of the dealer owned by Taconi, finding that his business had committed hundreds of violations of the Gun Control Act. A federal judge affirmed the revocation in 2021. “Laws regulating the sales of firearms help keep our communities safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute people violating those laws, especially repeat offenders.” "Despite multiple warnings, Taconi intentionally and repeatedly chose to illegally sell firearms and manufacture ghost guns, what we call Privately Made Firearms, nationwide, particularly along the US-Mexican border," said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. "His actions significantly increased the risk of violent gun crime, putting our families and communities in great danger." The defendant was sentenced by Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney on July 24, 2024. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Denver Division handled the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak and Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Weber handled the prosecution. 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. CASE NUMBER: 23-cr-00058


title: Former Orange County Education Official Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $16.6 Million from School District

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – The former senior director of fiscal services at an Orange County public school district was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison for embezzling nearly $16.7 million from the district over several years. Jorge Armando Contreras, 53, of Yorba Linda, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter, who also ordered him to pay $16,694,942 in restitution. Contreras pleaded guilty on March 28 to one count of embezzlement, theft, and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal funds. “Instead of using his job at a public school district to help socio-economically disadvantaged children, Contreras embezzled millions upon millions of dollars, which he flagrantly spent on a luxury home, car, and designer clothes and accessories,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Today’s sentence highlights my office’s determination to prosecute and punish those who betray the public trust – especially when their behavior affects some of our community’s most vulnerable members.” Contreras was the senior director of fiscal services at Magnolia School District, which serves students in Anaheim and Stanton. In this role, Contreras, whom the school district hired in 2006, managed the district’s fiscal operations. The schools in this district educate children from preschool through sixth grade – 81% of whom are classified as socio-economically disadvantaged. He managed and had access to various school district bank accounts as well as the student body bank account. He caused checks from these accounts to be deposited into his personal bank account. Contreras wrote checks in small dollar amounts written to “M S D,” with the letters spaced out, and, after receiving the proper signatures from others, would include fictitious names and increase the amounts of the checks and deposit the checks into his personal bank account via ATMs. To conceal his fraud, Contreras provided bank reconciliation packets to others at the school district with falsified bank statements and records. In total, Contreras embezzled approximately $16,694,942 from the school district. The school district placed Contreras on administrative leave in August 2023 and filed a lawsuit against him in Orange County Superior Court. Law enforcement so far has seized approximately $7.7 million in personal and real property traced to the scheme, including a home in Yorba Linda, a 2021 BMW automobile, 57 luxury designer bags (mostly Louis Vuitton), various pieces of jewelry, designer clothes and shoes, and eight bottles of Clase Azul Ultra luxury tequila. The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Education Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Billy Joe McLain of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, Brett A. Sagel of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force, and James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section prosecuted this case.


title: Defendants with Ties to White Supremacy Sentenced in Connection with Plot to Destroy Energy Facilities

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Three men were sentenced today for various conspiracy and firearms offenses in connection with a racially-motivated scheme to destroy an energy facility. Paul James Kryscuk, 38, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for conspiracy to destroy an energy facility. Liam Collins, 25, of Johnston, Rhode Island, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of unregistered firearms. Justin Wade Hermanson, 25, of Swansboro, North Carolina, was sentenced today to one year and nine months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture firearms and ship interstate. “As part a self-described ‘modern day SS,’ these defendants conspired, prepared, and trained to attack America’s power grid in order to advance their violent white supremacist ideology,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These sentences reflect both the depravity of their plot and the Justice Department’s commitment to holding accountable those who seek to use violence to undermine our democracy.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, Kryscuk, Collins, and Hermanson researched, discussed and reviewed at length a previous attack on the power grid by an unknown group. The group depicted in the attack used assault-style rifles in an attempt to explode a power substation. Between 2017 and 2020, Kryscuk manufactured firearms while Collins stole military gear, including magazines for assault-style rifles, and had them delivered to the other defendants. During that time, co-defendant Jordan Duncan gathered a library of information – some military-owned – regarding firearms, explosives, and nerve toxins and shared that information with Kryscuk and Collins. In October 2020, a handwritten list of approximately one dozen intersections and places in Idaho and surrounding states was discovered in Kryscuk’s possession, including intersections and places containing a transformer, substation, or other component of the power grid for the northwest United States. Previously filed charges alleged that Collins and Kryscuk were members of and made multiple posts on the “Iron March” forum, a gathering point for young neo-Nazis to organize and recruit for extremist organizations, until the forum was closed in late 2017. Collins and Kryscuk met through the forum and expanded their group using an encrypted messaging application as an alternate means of communication outside of the forum. Collins and Kryscuk recruited additional members, including Duncan, Hermanson, and co-defendant Joseph Maurino, and conducted training, including a live-fire training in the desert near Boise, Idaho. From video footage recorded by the members during the training, Kryscuk, Duncan and others produced a montage video of their training. In the video, the participants are seen firing short barrel rifles and other assault-type rifles, and the end of the propaganda video shows the four participants outfitted in Atomwaffen masks giving the “Heil Hitler” sign, beneath the image of a black sun, a Nazi symbol. The last frame bears the phrase, “Come home white man.” Prior to their arrests, Collins and Duncan had relocated to Idaho from North Carolina and Texas, respectively, to be near Kryscuk. The FBI, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Kocher and Gabriel Diaz for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Idaho, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, and the District of Rhode Island.


title: Maryland man pleads guilty to illegally purchasing firearms in Virginia

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man pled guilty today to making false statements to federal firearms licensees (FFLs) while purchasing firearms in Virginia. According to court documents, between Aug. 30, 2021, and Nov. 10, 2022, Jalen Jabrielle Sweet, 24, resided in College Park, Maryland. During that time, Sweet purchased 20 firearms from FFLs in Virginia. For each of these firearm purchases, Sweet completed an ATF Form 4473, as required by federal law. In total, Sweet completed a total of 15 ATF Form 4473s, and on each of the forms Sweet listed his current address as an apartment in Woodbridge, Virginia. The Woodbridge address Sweet used on the forms was his father’s address, where Sweet only stayed periodically. Sweet signed and dated each form by hand, certifying that his answers were “true, correct, and complete” and acknowledged that “making any false… written statement or exhibiting any false or misrepresented identification with respect to this transaction, is a crime punishable as a felony under Federal law[.]” One of the firearms Sweet purchased using the false address was a Glock 43x pistol, purchased from Trojan Arms & Tactical Inc., at the Dulles Expo in Chantilly, Virginia, on Jan. 2, 2022. That firearm was recovered by law enforcement in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in the possession of another individual on Feb. 9, 2023. Sweet is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-36.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Making Threats to Arizona Election Office

body_text: An Alabama man pleaded guilty today to sending threatening messages to election workers with Maricopa County Elections in Phoenix. “The functioning of our democracy requires that our country’s public servants be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We have no tolerance for this kind of heinous criminal conduct and the danger it poses to people’s safety and to our democratic process. Threats and acts of violence targeting those who serve the public will be met with the full force of the United States Justice Department.” “Violent threats to election workers are threats to our democracy and democratic process. We cannot allow threats of violence against public servants to become normalized,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI takes seriously all threats of violence against public officials and will continue to pursue threats and acts of violence aimed at election workers. “Brian Ogstad repeatedly threatened to kill Maricopa County election workers and officials,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As today’s guilty plea demonstrates, the Department is committed to holding accountable those who target election workers and officials with threats of violence. I am especially grateful to the Election Threats Task Force, which continues to spearhead the Department’s efforts to ensure that public servants who administer our elections can do their jobs free from threats and intimidation.” “This guilty plea should send a message to anyone who tries to take the rule of law into their own hands through vigilante justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “But it also showcases the resilience of public servants. Thanks to the election professionals in Maricopa County who have worked courageously to maintain free and fair elections in spite of the threats received.” According to court documents, on Aug. 2, 2022, Arizona held primary elections for federal and state officeholders, including a gubernatorial primary election that received nationwide media coverage. From the day of the election through Aug. 4, 2022, Brian Jerry Ogstad, 60, of Cullman, sent multiple threatening direct messages to an Instagram social media account maintained by Maricopa County Elections. For instance, on or about Aug. 3, 2022, Ogstad stated, (1) “You did it! Now you are [expletive]. Dead. You will all be executed for your crimes”; (2) “[expletive] you! You are caught! They have it all. You [expletive] are dead”; (3) “You are lying, cheating [expletive] . . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are [expletive] stupid if you think your lives are safe”; and (4) “You [expletive] are so dead.” On or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad also stated, “[Y]ou people are so ducking [sic] stupid. Everyone knows you are lots [sic], cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang [expletive]!” Ogstad pleaded guilty to one count of making a threatening interstate communication. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Phoenix Field Office is investigating the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Birmingham Field Office. Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers—whether elected, appointed, or volunteer—are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun. The task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo . To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/ . You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.