title: Department of Justice Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Request

component: Justice Management Division

body_text: Note: Read the Department of Justice FY2024 Budget Fact Sheets here . Today, the President submitted to Congress his Budget for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), which requests a total of $39.7 billion in discretionary resources, an increase of $2.3 billion, or 6 percent, over the Fiscal Year 2023 enacted level, and $9.7 billion in mandatory funding for the Department of Justice. “The Justice Department’s mission is to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This increase in resources to our law enforcement agencies, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and litigating and grantmaking components will enable us to build on our efforts to fulfill that mission. The Department will put these resources to work in communities across the country -- including to combat violent crime and gun violence, address the deadly fentanyl crisis, counter threats to our national security, investigate and prosecute hate crimes, safeguard voting rights, address environmental harm, advance economic fairness, and uphold the rule of law.” Key investments to keep our country safe include: More than $21 billion in investments to expand the capacity of the Department’s law enforcement and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to keep our country safe from a wide range of complex and evolving threats, including $11.3 billion for the FBI and $2.9 billion for the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to carry out their complex mission sets, including keeping our country safe from violent crime, cybercrime, hate crimes, terrorism, espionage, and the proliferation and potential use of weapons of mass destruction. The budget also includes: $11.4 billion to tackle violent crime. $2.7 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to continue the fight against dangerous drug trafficking gangs and cartels and to prevent the flow of deadly drugs into our communities. This includes $19 million in enhancements for the DEA and $696 million in grants for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to continue the fight against dangerous drug trafficking organizations, and doubles grant programs, including two new programs aimed at protecting America’s youth and identifying the next generation of psychoactive substances. $1.9 billion for the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to assist local law enforcement in apprehending violent fugitives from our neighborhoods and to protect our nation’s judges and courts. $1.9 billion for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for reducing gun violence and violent crime. Almost $7.7 billion for national security programs, including $32.7 million in program increases to expand the Department’s ability to counter terrorism and keep pace with rising national security threats, while protecting civil rights and civil liberties, and $179.7 million in program enhancements to support the Department’s efforts to respond to cybersecurity and cyber threats. $939.3 million to protect the most vulnerable by enforcing human smuggling laws, combating child exploitation, combatting gender-based discrimination and harassment, and protecting victims of violence and abuse. $300 million in mandatory funding over three years for COVID fraud enforcement. $1.5 billion in critical investments to support the Justice Department’s mission of protecting civil rights, including: $261 million to preserve, protect, and defend civil rights. The request prioritizes advancing racial justice, promoting equity for underserved communities, and enforcing civil rights across the Nation. This funding will support police reform, provide for the prosecution of hate crimes across the nation, defend voting rights, and other important civil rights activities. $89 million to support the department’s Body Worn Camera Initiative. $300 million for the Office of Justice Programs Accelerating Justice System Reform initiative to provide states the tools and incentives to address existing drivers of correctional rates, racial disparities, and adverse outcomes for civilians. $446 million for Office on Violence Against Women programs to combat domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and support survivors. $84 million in critical investments to uphold the Rule of Law, including: $8 million to enforce federal law related to voting. This funding would expand the Civil Rights Division’s ability to address language access obligations, rebuild enforcement capacity, and address violations of the National Voter Registration Act. The division will also expand its ability to review and resolve potential violations of the National Voting Rights Act. $21 million for Judicial Security and Protective Operations for the United States Marshals Service to enhance protective operations by funding two full-time protective services details to support high-threat mitigation throughout the Judicial and Executive Branches.


title: Jury convicts former Ohio House Speaker, former chair of Ohio Republican Party of participating in racketeering conspiracy

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A federal jury convicted former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, 63, of Glenford, Ohio, and former Ohio Republican Party chair Mathew Borges, 50, of Bexley, Ohio, of participating in a racketeering conspiracy. “As presented by the trial team, Larry Householder illegally sold the statehouse, and thus he ultimately betrayed the great people of Ohio he was elected to serve,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Matt Borges was a willing co-conspirator, who paid bribe money for insider information to assist Householder. Through its verdict today, the jury reaffirmed that the illegal acts committed by both men will not be tolerated and that they should be held accountable.” “The FBI’s top criminal priority is investigating public corruption to hold elected officials accountable when they commit illegal acts,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “I commend the special agents who investigated this historic case, the FBI analysts and staff who provided integral support, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their successful prosecution.” The verdict was announced today following a trial that began on Jan. 23 before Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black. The government proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Householder and his enterprise conspired to violate the racketeering statute through honest services wire fraud, receipt of millions of dollars in bribes and money laundering. The conspiracy involved nearly $61 million in bribes paid to a 501(c)(4) entity to pass and uphold a billion-dollar nuclear plant bailout. According to court documents and trial testimony, from March 2017 to March 2020, the enterprise traded millions of dollars in bribery campaign donations in exchange for Householder’s and the enterprise’s help in passing House Bill 6. The defendants then also worked to corruptly ensure that HB 6 went into effect by defeating a ballot initiative to overturn the legislation. In March 2017, Householder began receiving quarterly $250,000 payments from the related-energy companies into the bank account of his 501(c)(4), Generation Now. Team Householder spent millions of the company’s dollars to support Householder’s political bid to become Speaker, to support House candidates they believed would back Householder, and for their own personal benefit. The United States detailed that Householder spent more than half a million dollars of the dark money to pay off his credit card balances, repair his Florida home and settle a business lawsuit. Borges used approximately $366,000 for his personal benefit. Borges was budgeted $25,000 to bribe an Ohio Republican operative to try to save House Bill 6. Borges gave the man a $15,000 check in exchange for information on the number of signatures collected on the anti-House Bill 6 ballot referendum. Householder’s longtime campaign and political strategist, Jeffrey Longstreth, and lobbyist Juan Cespedes, both of Columbus, Ohio, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. FirstEnergy Corp. signed a deferred prosecution settlement in July 2021, agreeing to pay a $230 million penalty for conspiring to bribe public officials and others. The racketeering conspiracy as charged in this case is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced today’s verdict. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew C. Singer, Megan Gaffney Painter and Timothy S. Mangan represented the United States in this case. # # #


title: San Antonio Human Smuggler Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio today to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury or placing lives in jeopardy. According to court documents, Enrique Rodriguez, 21, fled in a pickup truck during an attempted traffic stop by a Dimmit County Sheriff’s deputy. Driving north on U.S. Highway 83 at speeds over 100 mph, Rodriguez narrowly avoided multiple collisions, including with oncoming law enforcement vehicles, and drove head-on into a guardrail. The occupants of the vehicle, including six undocumented noncitizens riding in the bed of the truck, were ejected as the truck rolled over. The responding deputy and U.S. Border Patrol agents observed that the vehicle occupants suffered serious injuries, including likely head trauma, broken legs, severe neck injuries, loss of upward mobility and loss of consciousness. Four of the six undocumented individuals required emergency room treatment. Rodriguez has remained in federal custody since his arrest on May 19, 2020. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2020. In addition to his prison sentence, Rodriguez was ordered to pay $205,827.97 in restitution. “This defendant failed to yield for a traffic stop and his numerous reckless decisions that followed resulted in a violent crash,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “His smuggling victims are very fortunate they survived. These smuggling attempts pose a very serious threat, not only to those directly involved, but to innocent civilians and our partners as well.” “Targeting smugglers who prey on human beings is a top priority for HSI," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. "Human smugglers show a callous disregard for the value of life. Because of this, we will continue to aggressively pursue these human smugglers who put the lives of others in jeopardy for financial gain." HSI, USBP, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister prosecuted the case. ###


title: Maine Man Charged With Participation In A Murder-For-Hire Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of HYUNKOOK KORSIAK for participating in a plot to commit murder for hire in Midtown Manhattan. Thankfully, and unbeknownst to KORSIAK, he plotted with undercover FBI agents and the intended victim was fictitious. KORSIAK was arrested last night in Tarrytown, New York, and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged in the complaint, Hyunkook Korsiak agreed to murder another person for the price of $50,000. Thanks to the work of our remarkable law enforcement partners, Korsiak now stands charged in federal court for his alleged role in this terrible crime.” FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: "As alleged, the defendant was willing to travel over three hundred miles in order to fulfill his depraved desire to be paid for taking another human’s life. The defendant displayed callous disregard for life and planned to conduct his act of violence in the middle of Manhattan. The FBI will not tolerate such acts of violence, and any individual willing to cold heartedly kill another person will be made to face the consequences in the criminal justice system." As alleged in the amended Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court and in other court papers and proceedings: [1] From in or about January 2023, through in or about March 8, 2023, KORSIAK participated in a scheme to murder a fictitious businessman in Manhattan in exchange for a payment of $50,000. The FBI began its investigation after communications KORSIAK sent expressing his desire to kill a person for money were intercepted by the Bureau of Prisons. Over the course of the last two months, KORSIAK met with an undercover FBI agent on multiple occasions in both New York and Boston and agreed to murder a fictitious businessman who was purported to be staying at a Midtown Manhattan hotel. During one of the meetings with the undercover agent, KORSIAK described how he intended to commit the murder and what weapons he planned on using, including an AR-15 rifle and a 9MM pistol that he possessed. KORSIAK asked the undercover agents to provide him with silencers for the two weapons and a latex mask so that he could defeat facial recognition technology. In another meeting, KORSIAK told agents that he would use a car to approach the victim as he walked on a Midtown Manhattan street and planned to shoot the victim from inside the car. KORSIAK’s plan also included the use of a police uniform in an effort to evade capture after he committed the murder. On March 8, 2023, KORSIAK traveled from Maine to Tarrytown, New York, where he intended to make his final preparations for the murder. Instead, Korsiak was apprehended by FBI agents. KORSIAK was found in possession of four firearms, including two AR-15 rifles and two 9MM semi-automatic pistols. In addition to the firearms, agents seized (i) a bullet resistant vest; (ii) hundreds of rounds of various caliber ammunition; (iii) a latex mask; (iv) rifle scopes; (v) high-capacity magazines; and (vi) latex gloves, many of the same items KORSIAK told the undercover agents he intended to use during the murder. These items are pictured below: KORSIAK has a 2017 federal felony conviction for theft from a licensed firearms dealer. * * * KORSIAK, 41, of Augusta, Maine, is charged with one count of murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of possession of a firearm following a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The prosecution if this case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic A. Gentile is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.


title: Former Goldman Sachs Investment Banker Sentenced in $2.7B Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former managing director of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (Goldman Sachs) was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a multibillion-dollar bribery and money laundering scheme involving Malaysia’s state-owned investment and development fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). “Today, Roger Ng was sentenced for his role in a massive and egregious bribery and money laundering scheme involving the bribery of high-level foreign officials in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates and theft of billions of dollars meant to benefit the Malaysian people,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department remains firmly committed to holding accountable individuals who engage in corruption, undermine the rule of law, and abuse our financial system to launder their illicit funds. This sentence sends a strong message to criminals around the world: if you violate our laws, we will bring you to justice.” According to court documents, between approximately 2009 and 2014, Ng Chong Hwa, aka Roger Ng, of Malaysia, and his co-conspirators laundered billions of dollars misappropriated and fraudulently diverted from 1MDB, including funds 1MDB raised in 2012 and 2013 through three bond transactions it executed with Goldman Sachs. As part of the scheme, Ng and his co-conspirators, including Tim Leissner, the former Southeast Asia Chairman and participating managing director of Goldman Sachs, conspired to and did pay more than $1 billion in bribes to 12 government officials in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates to obtain and retain lucrative business for Goldman Sachs, including the 2012 and 2013 bond deals. They also conspired to and did launder the proceeds of their criminal conduct through the U.S. financial system, including funding major Hollywood films such as “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and purchasing, among other things, a $51 million Jean-Michel Basquiat painting from New York-based Christie’s auction house, a $23 million diamond necklace from a New York jeweler, millions of dollars in Hermès handbags from a dealer based on Long Island, and luxury real estate in Manhattan. “Roger Ng was a central player in a brazen and audacious scheme that not only victimized the people of Malaysia, but also undermined the public’s confidence in governments, markets, businesses and other institutions on a global scale,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s sentence serves as a just punishment for the defendant’s crimes and a stern warning that there is a significant price to pay for corporate corruption.” Ng and his co-conspirators, including Low Taek Jho, aka Jho Low, a wealthy Malaysian socialite, used Low’s close relationships with high-ranking government officials in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates to obtain and retain business for Goldman Sachs through the promise and payment of more than a billion dollars in bribes. In the course of executing the scheme, Ng, with others at Goldman Sachs, conspired to and did circumvent the investment bank’s internal accounting controls. Through its work for 1MDB during that time, Goldman Sachs received approximately $600 million in fees and revenue, while Ng received $35 million for his role in the bribery and money laundering scheme. In total, Ng and his co-conspirators misappropriated more than $2.7 billion from 1MDB. “This sentencing sends a strong message that those who abuse the U.S. financial system for their own gain will be held accountable,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our domestic and international partners remain committed to combating international corruption and will continue to investigate and pursue those who perpetrate complex criminal schemes for profit.” “The 1MDB case and the sentencing of Mr. Ng highlight IRS Criminal Investigation’s enforcement efforts to abolish international bribery schemes,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher for the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “U.S. financial institutions have safeguards in place to combat these frauds and Mr. Ng intentionally circumvented these safeguards. This sentence is a testament to what happens when you break U.S. laws to bribe international government officials. This case represents a model for domestic and international cooperation in significant cross-border money laundering investigations and we are proud of our domestic and international law enforcement partners in this complex financial investigation.” In August 2018, Leissner pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money and conspiring to violate the FCPA. Leissner agreed to forfeit $43 million and shares of stock valued at more than $200 million and is awaiting sentencing. Low was indicted in November 2018 and remains a fugitive. In October 2020, Goldman Sachs and Goldman Sachs (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (GS Malaysia), its Malaysian subsidiary, admitted to conspiring to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA in connection with the scheme. Goldman Sachs entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. GS Malaysia pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Goldman Sachs paid more than $2.9 billion as part of a coordinated resolution with criminal and civil authorities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and elsewhere. In April 2022, Ng was found guilty by a jury of conspiring to violate the FCPA and conspiring to launder billions of dollars. The FBI’s International Corruption Unit and IRS-CI investigated the case. Chief Brent Wible of the Criminal Division’s MLARS, Chief David Last of the Fraud Section’s FCPA Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alixandra E. Smith, Drew G. Rolle, and Dylan Stern for the Eastern District of New York prosecuted the case. Former Chief of MLARS’ Bank Integrity Unit Jennifer Ambuehl also prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance. The department also appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System along with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The department also appreciates the significant assistance provided by the government of Malaysia, including the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia, the Royal Malaysia Police, NCB Interpol Malaysia, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. The department also appreciates the significant assistance provided by the Attorney General’s Chambers of Singapore, the Singapore Police Force-Commercial Affairs Division, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, the Judicial Investigating Authority of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Grand-Ducal Police of Luxembourg, the United Kingdom National Crime Agency, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority, the Attorney General's Chambers of the Territory of the British Virgin Islands, and the Attorney General’s Office of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Guernsey Economic Crime Division. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa . The Bank Integrity Unit in MLARS investigates and prosecutes complex, multi-district, and international criminal cases involving financial institutions. The unit’s prosecutions focus on banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.


title: Detroit Gang Member Sent to Prison for Two Murders as Part of Racketeering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A former Detroit resident was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murdering a rival gang member and an innocent 13-year-old bystander as part of a racketeering conspiracy, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division. Carlo Wilson, aka “Los,” age 29, received the sentence from the United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith. At his guilty plea, Wilson admitted to being a member of the “6 Mile Chedda Grove” gang, which is a street gang that operated on the eastside of Detroit. 6 Mile Chedda Grove was a violent organization responsible for murders, assaults, robberies, and narcotics trafficking in the Detroit metropolitan area and in other states. The gang used violence to retaliate against rivals and to advance members’ positions within the gang. As a part of his plea, Wilson admitted to participating in the 2015 murder of a rival gang member and an innocent bystander. According to plea documents, Wilson was with another gang member, Edwin Mills, when they saw the rival in a car outside of a market on the eastside of Detroit. Wilson and Mills killed the rival gang member and an innocent bystander when they fired multiple shots at the vehicle. Wilson and Mills also seriously injured two children who had been sitting on the hood of the car driven by the rival gang member. Mills also pled guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing in the case. “Today’s sentence is a stark reminder of how gun violence devastates our community and is robbing innocent children of their future. It also serves as a warning to those who use guns to commit violence: I will use every resource of the federal government to seek justice for all of the people in this district,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “We are extremely proud of the outstanding work done by our Violent Gang Task Force, which is committed to countering violent crime, illegal drugs, and organized criminal activity in our communities by investigating gang members like Mr. Wilson, ”said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "The continued success and impact of this Task Force is persuasive evidence of how interagency collaboration results in tangible public safety benefits to the citizens who live in the Detroit metropolitan area." The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Moran and Andrew R. Picek.


title: Michigan Resident Indicted For Hate Crime of Threatening to Kill Jewish Government Officials

body_text: DETROIT – A Tipton, Michigan resident was indicted by a grand jury today for using Twitter to threaten to kill Jewish government officials in Michigan, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to the indictment, on February 17, 2023, Jack Eugene Carpenter, III, 41, of Tipton, Michigan, using Twitter while located in Texas, made threats against Jewish government officials in Michigan. Carpenter’s post read, in part: “I’m heading back to Michigan now threatening to carry out the punishment of death to anyone that is jewish in the Michigan govt if they don’t leave, or confess.” The indictment also alleges that the Grand Jury found that Carpenter intentionally selected Jewish members of the Michigan government as the objects of his threat because of the actual and perceived religion of those individuals. Carpenter is currently being held in detention pending trial in this case. “Hate and bias-related crimes poison our communities and make people afraid simply because of who they are or what they believe,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will not tolerate such actions, and we will prosecute those who engage in them to the fullest extent of the law.” “Investigating crimes based on religious bias is one of the FBI’s highest priorities because of the devastating impact they have on individuals and communities,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The victims in this case were specifically targeted because of their religion. The FBI is committed to working with our partners to detect and prevent violent incidents motivated by bias or hate. We also urge the public to report any suspected hate crimes to the FBI and local law enforcement.” Based on the charges in the indictment, Carpenter faces up to 5 years in prison if convicted. Carpenter is subject to aa Hate Crime Motivation penalty enhancement under the United States Sentencing Guidelines. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hank Moon and Frances Carlson.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Ginseng Trafficking

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: A West Virginia man today pleaded guilty to multiple charges of illegally trafficking in protected plants. According to court documents, Tony Lee Coffman, 59, of Birch River, purchased American ginseng roots that had been illegally transported in interstate commerce from Ohio to West Virginia and falsified records relating to the purchase of Ohio ginseng. American ginseng is protected in over 20 states due to heavy pressures from international trade and is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Coffman pleaded guilty to five Lacey Act violations. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Each of the Lacey Act violations has a statutory maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine whether to accept the plea agreement after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Marous for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.


title: Statement from Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on the RESTRICT Act

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today issued the following statement from Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on the RESTRICT Act: “The Department of Justice has no greater responsibility than protecting the American people. As our nation’s lead law enforcement and domestic counterintelligence agency, the department is a key first line of defense against foreign adversaries that seek to collect and weaponize Americans’ most sensitive data. These regimes are increasingly using untrustworthy information and communications technology products and services, along with the data they collect, against us. We — and the legal authorities we rely on to protect the American people — must evolve, just as these regimes and the technologies they exploit do. “The RESTRICT Act represents a crucial step forward. It recognizes that today we face acute threats from certain high-risk information and communications technology products and services sourced from foreign adversaries. It would modernize our tools to better address these threats and would enable the Administration to take new actions that are critical to protecting U.S. national security. It also recognizes that we face systemic threats from a range of technology products and services sourced from foreign adversaries and would enable regulation across entire categories of high-risk technology sectors. By directing a coordinated and analytic process across the federal government to evaluate risks, the RESTRICT Act would employ a forward-thinking, evidence-based approach in a constantly changing technology landscape. In giving the President and the Secretary of Commerce key authorities to protect the American people, the RESTRICT Act would provide the federal government a strong legal foundation to combat current and evolving threats. The RESTRICT Act would also ensure that the Department of Justice has the authorities we need to go after adversaries and enablers who violate the law and put our people and businesses at risk. “The Department of Justice commends the bipartisan group of senators working together on this significant legislation, in particular Senator Warner and Senator Thune, as well as their staff, whom the Administration was pleased to work with in support of this bill. We look forward to working with members on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation through Congress and send it to the President’s desk.”


title: Former Major League Baseball Player and Co-Conspirator Convicted of Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Paul Seib, age 46 and a Canadian citizen, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms of cocaine after a four-day federal jury trial. In the same case, former professional baseball player Luther Hackman, 48, pled guilty to money laundering and conspiring to distribute cocaine. According to U.S. Attorney Ritz, the charges, and information presented in court, in October 2021 investigators with Homeland Security Investigations received information that “Pablo” was in search of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine for his clients. After a series of communications, investigators identified Seib as “Pablo” and arranged a meeting to transfer 10 kilograms of cocaine. Both Seib and Hackman were present during this meeting; however, the transfer did not occur because the individual responsible for paying for the narcotics did not arrive. In January 2022, Hackman provided a confidential source with $96,800 in cash and told the source about a shipment of multiple kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine coming from California. Investigators intercepted the 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 kilograms of cocaine and detained Hackman as he arrived to pick up the shipment. The sentencing hearing for Hackman is set for June 7, 2023, and Seib on July 12, 2023, both before United States District Judge Mark S. Norris. This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations and organized criminal enterprises, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and Joe Murphy, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.


title: Maryland Tax Preparer Convicted of Filing False Returns

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal jury in Greenbelt convicted a Maryland man today of preparing false tax returns on behalf of his clients. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ronald Eugene Watson, also known as Sabir Muhammad, owned and operated SW Accounting Associates, a tax return preparation business located in Largo. From 2015 through 2017, Watson willfully prepared and filed tax returns on behalf of his clients reporting to the IRS false information, including fictitious or overstated business expenses and sham unreimbursed employee expenses. The false deductions reduced clients’ tax liability, often resulting in large, inflated refunds to which they were not entitled. According to witness testimony, Watson varied his preparation fees depending on the amount of the refund requested, with fees typically ranging from approximately $500 up to approximately $1,500. Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each false return count, as well as a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Morgan, Jr. of the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.


title: Tilton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Drug and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – Jared Stottlar, 43, of Tilton, was sentenced to 144 months of imprisonment today for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced. According to court documents and statements made in court, during an investigation law enforcement learned that Stottlar was dealing in significant quantities of methamphetamine. Police executed searches and seized over approximately 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamine and 11 firearms, several of which were stolen, from Stottlar. Law enforcement also recovered over $100,000 from the defendant. Stottlar was arrested on federal charges on June 9, 2020 and has been detained since then. “The defendant, armed with firearms, trafficked methamphetamine into our communities for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “The sentence imposed by the court today demonstrates that such criminal activity will not be tolerated and will result in more than a decade of incarceration. Working with our law enforcement partners, this office will continue to actively prosecute armed criminals who traffic dangerous drugs into our communities.” The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Tilton, Franklin, and Sanbornton Police Departments. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski, Alexander S. Chen, and Seth R. Aframe. ###


title: Maryland Tax Preparer Convicted After Eight-Day Trial for Preparing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury today convicted Ronald Eugene Watson, also known as Sabir Muhammad, age 59, of Brandywine, Maryland, today on 23 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. According to the evidence presented at trial, Watson was a self-employed tax return preparer operating SW Accounting Associates (“SWAA”) in Largo, Maryland. The evidence proved that from at least 2015 to at least 2017, Watson prepared and electronically filed with the IRS fraudulent Forms 1040 and related Schedules A and C for his taxpayer-clients. Watson included inflated and fictitious tax deductions and fraudulent business profits and losses in order to obtain larger tax refunds to which the taxpayer-clients were not entitled. According to witness testimony, Watson varied his preparation fees depending on the amount of the refund requested, with fees typically ranging from approximately $500 up to approximately $1,500. “With filing season underway, the conviction of Mr. Watson is a timely reminder of the importance of choosing an honest, trustworthy preparer. This conviction should also put unscrupulous preparers on notice about the consequences that await those who do not play by the rules,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter. Watson faces a maximum of three years in federal prison for each of the 23 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. U.S. Attorney Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended the IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron and Mr. Goldberg also thanked Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Morgan, Jr. and Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former Wall Street Precious Metal Traders Sentenced for Wire Fraud

body_text: Two former Wall Street traders were each sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for engaging in a multi-year fraud scheme to manipulate U.S. commodities markets for publicly traded precious metals futures contracts. According to court documents, Edward Bases, 61, of New Canaan, Connecticut, a former senior trader employed at Deutsche Bank and Bank of America in New York, and John Pacilio, 59, of New York, a former senior trader employed at Bank of America and Morgan Stanley in New York, fraudulently pushed market prices up or down by placing large “spoof” orders in the precious metals futures markets that they did not intend to fill. Bases and Pacilio did so to manipulate prices for their own gain and the banks’ gain, and to defraud other traders on the Commodity Exchange Inc. and the New York Mercantile Exchange Inc., both of which are exchanges run by the CME Group Inc. Bases and Pacilio also taught other traders how to engage in the practice of spoofing. As a result of Bases and Pacilio’s scheme, other market participants were induced to trade at prices, quantities, and times that they otherwise would not have traded. On Aug. 4, 2021, Bases and Pacilio were convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution and multiple counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Pacilio also was convicted of commodities fraud. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. The FBI New York Field Office investigated the case. Deputy Chief Avi Perry, Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong, and Trial Attorney John J. Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.


title: Mississippi Man Sentenced for Federal Hate Crime for Cross Burning

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Mississippi man was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Halil S. Ozerden to 42 months* in prison followed by three years supervised release and restitution in the amount of $7,810 for burning a cross in his front yard with the intent to intimidate a Black family. According to court documents, in Gulfport, Mississippi, on Dec. 3, 2020, Axel Cox, 24, violated the Fair Housing Act when he used threatening and racially derogatory language toward his Black neighbors and burned a cross to intimidate them. After a dispute with the Black family victims, Cox wedged two pieces of wood together to form a cross, placed it in clear view of the victims’ residence, doused it in oil and set it alight. During this incident, Cox yelled threats and racial slurs toward the occupants of the house. Cox admitted that he lit the cross on fire because the victims were Black and that he intended to scare them into moving out of the neighborhood. “This cross burning was an abhorrent act that used a traditional symbol of hatred and violence to stoke fear and drive a Black family out of their home,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “While one might think cross-burnings and white supremacist threats and violence are things of the past, the unfortunate reality is that these incidents continue today. This sentence demonstrates the importance of holding people accountable for threatening the safety and security of Black people in their homes because of the color of their skin or where they are from.” “No one should endure such hatred and intimidation because of the color of his skin,” said U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This defendant has been held accountable. His sentence should permeate among his kind and declare that Mississippi and the Department of Justice will not tolerate this hateful behavior.” “Mr. Axel Cox sought to intimidate members of the community through his intimidating threats," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “The FBI prioritizes the protection of civil rights to ensure citizens remain safe without fear of any harm. We remain committed to tirelessly thwarting the nefarious actions of those, like Mr. Cox, who intended to impact fear upon citizens based on biases.” A federal grand jury indicted Cox on Sept. 20, 2022. Cox faced a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for interfering with the victims’ housing rights and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for using fire to commit a federal felony. Cox also faced a fine of up to $250,000 with respect to each charge. Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Fomby made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Cabell Jones for the Southern District of Mississippi and former Trial Attorney Noah Coakley II of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. For more information and resources on the department’s efforts to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes . * This has been corrected to reflect the correct sentencing time of 42 months


title: Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Distributing Methamphetamine in Dunn County

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Richard Skramstad, 60, Prescott, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 60 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Skramstad pleaded guilty to this charge on December 1, 2022. In March 2021, the West Central Drug Task Force began investigating Skramstad as a suspected methamphetamine dealer in the Menomonie, Wisconsin area. Officers utilized a confidential informant to purchase approximately 52 grams of pure methamphetamine from him on April 13, 2021. In an interview following his arrest on May 13, 2021, Skramstad admitted to selling methamphetamine on multiple occasions. At sentencing, Judge Conley stated that a sentence of 60 months was warranted because of Skramstad’s lengthy criminal history, which included crimes of violence, domestic abuse, drunk driving, and the possession and distribution of controlled substances. The charge against Skramstad was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.


title: Sitka Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: JUNEAU – Joshua Kane Wehnes was sentenced on March 7, 2023, to 90 months in prison and five years of supervised release for federal drug trafficking and firearm charges. According to court documents, Joshua Kane Wehnes, 34, of Sitka, was arrested by Sitka Police Department (SPD) in conjunction with an investigation involving the violation of a domestic protective order. In Wehnes’ possession at the time of his arrest was $954.00 in drug proceeds and heroin. As SPD continued their investigation, they obtained two search warrants for Wehnes’ residence and vehicle. Inside the residence, SPD located a loaded and chambered 9mm firearm in Wehnes’ bedroom drawer, as well as drug paraphernalia, dime bags, scales, an additional $882.00 in drug proceeds, over 400 grams of methamphetamine, and 8 grams of heroin. A subsequent search of Wehnes’ vehicle located a .40 caliber firearm. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement. The Sitka Police Department, a member of Southeast Cities Against Drugs (SEACAD), which is a joint drug taskforce of various city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies who investigate drug trafficking cases in Southeast Alaska, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case.


title: Iranian National Charged With Illegally Exporting Electrical Equipment to Iran

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today charging an Iranian national with the unlawful export of electrical cables and connectors from the United States to Iran, through Hong Kong. According to court documents, Mehdi Khoshghadam, a.k.a. “David Lei,” and “Pouyan,” an Iranian national residing in Tehran, Iran, was indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on one count of conspiracy, one count of violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds of the alleged crimes. A warrant has been issued for Khoshghadam’s arrest and he remains a fugitive. The charges were announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald of the Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini of the Department of Commerce’s Chicago Field Office, Office of Export Enforcement. According to the indictment, Khoshghadam is the Managing Director of Pardazan Systems Namad Arman, an Iranian importer of electronics and other goods. In 2016, Khoshghadam began purchasing electrical connectors and cables from a U.S. Company, which were shipped to a freight forwarding company located in Hong Kong and then shipped to Iran. Khoshghadam used an alias of “David Lei” when communicating with the U.S. Company and a front company called Merlin International Trading Company, purported to be located in Singapore, to order the goods from the U.S. company. During one of the initial purchases of goods from the U.S. Company, Khoshghadam attempted to pay for the goods using a different name, but the U.S. Company informed him that its bank had rejected the payment because the payor name needed to be the same as the company submitting the order. Khoshghadam then contacted a co-conspirator located in China and had that person inform the U.S. Company that the co-conspirator was Khoshghadam’s agent and would handle payment for the goods. As alleged in the indictment, between January of 2016 and May of 2018, Khoshghadam, posed as a representative of the Singapore front company and submitted orders for the cables and connectors on at least three occasions to the U.S. Company. Khoshghadam and a co-conspirator used front companies located in China and Malaysia to make payments to the U.S. Company for the goods in order to conceal the true identity of the purchaser as Khoshghadam and that that the goods were destined for Iran. At the direction of Khoshghadam, the U.S. Company shipped the goods to a freight forwarding company located in Hong Kong, at which time the goods were repacked with falsified shipping records that listed a non-U.S. company as the shipper and the end destination as Iran. As further alleged in the indictment, on at least one occasion, Khoshghadam falsified a Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security form BIS-711, which requires the purchaser of U.S. goods to specify the identity and location of the true end user of the purchased goods. Khoshghadam falsely listed a China based company as the end user of the goods instead of listing that the true end user was located in Iran. “Those who damage our national security by doing end-runs around sanctions and illegally exporting U.S. goods will find themselves facing serious charges,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and our federal law enforcement partners will zealously pursue those who break these vital national security laws, regardless of where in the world they operate." "It is important that the public understands the seriousness of these types of crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Fitzgerald. “This isn’t a case of small illegal purchases of harmless products, but instead an attempt to conceal much larger criminal activities; activities that could funnel funds to other organized criminal networks.” "The diversion of U.S.-origin goods to Iran, including through front companies in third countries, and falsifying end-user information enabling shipments to prohibited end users, will be vigorously investigated,” said Special Agent in Charge Tambrini. “The Office of Export Enforcement, working with our interagency law enforcement partners, is committed to investigating violations of BIS export control rules and prosecuting the individuals involved, as appropriate, whether in the U.S. or abroad.” The cables and connectors purchased by Khoshghadam required a license from the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) to be exported from the United States to Iran. No license authorizing the export of the cables and connectors was ever issued by OFAC to Khoshghadam or any other person or entity associated with these transactions. Khoshghadam also made, or caused to be made, three separate money transfers from bank accounts located in China, Malaysia, and elsewhere to bank accounts in the United States or by using U.S. correspondent banks with the intent to promote the unlawful exports to Iran described above. Charges of conspiracy carry a statutory maximum of five years in prison. Violations of the IEEPA and the money laundering conspiracy charge carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago Field Office and the Chicago Field Office of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Gillice. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Anchorage Man Sentenced for 2022 Robbery of Wells Fargo Bank

body_text: ANCHORAGE – Robert Marley Chapas was sentenced on March 8, 2023, to 60 months in prison for bank robbery. According to court documents, on April 27, 2022, Chapas entered an Anchorage Wells Fargo branch. Chapas approached a teller window and passed a note to the teller that stated: “This is a robbery, I have a gun. Empty your drawer & let me leave like a normal transaction. I am not alone, there are other people with me. Do not try to be a hero & get someone hurt. Do not call police or alert anyone! Until I leave the building or I will shoot, This can be easy your choice.” Chapas then obtained $2,450 from the teller. In sentencing Chapas to a term of 60 months, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Judge Timothy M. Burgess noted the terrifying nature of the crime and Chapas’ history of committing other serious crimes, including a 2018 assault conviction from the State of Alaska that involved Chapas pointing a gun at a fellow motorist. The Court also ordered Chapas to pay $2,450 in restitution for the loss to Wells Fargo. Chapas was indicted along with co-defendant, Isiah Ishom Perry. In January 2023, Perry pleaded guilty to his part in the Wells Fargo bank robbery. Perry is set to be sentenced in April 2023. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey prosecuted the case. ### usao/ak/23-016


title: 26-Year-Old Fraudster Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison Following Boasts About Criminal Conduct

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A young man who turned to fraud to fund the lavish lifestyle he craved was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. J. Nicholas Bryant, 26, of Slaton, Texas, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in November 2022. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who handed down a sentence five years longer than the guideline range based on the defendant’s cavalier attitude and the egregious nature of the scheme. Mr. Bryant engaged in various wire fraud schemes to defraud at least 56 unsuspecting individuals and small businesses during an 18-month crime spree that spanned multiple states. The fruits of his crimes brought him luxury goods and services – including private jet rides, private yacht excursions, and extravagant meals complete with champagne and steak. In many instances, Mr. Bryant manipulated online payment platforms like QuickBooks and Veem to make it appear that payments were forthcoming. Knowing that the software would generate payment confirmations immediately but would take several days to notify victims of cancelled payments, Mr. Bryant satisfied vendors and business owners that payments were forthcoming when due, he admitted in plea papers. The payments never funded. In all, he defrauded and attempted to defraud victims of more than $3.5 million, and successfully racked up nearly $1.2 million in actual losses to the victims, prosecutors said at Thursday’s sentencing hearing. In one fraud scheme, Mr. Bryant convinced small businesses to front money and equipment to reopen an oil well. In the process, he exploited the trust of former colleagues, friends, and acquaintances who worked in the West Texas oil and gas industry, where business is often conducted with a handshake, the government said. In several others, he defrauded small business owners who were eager for business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Bryant did so for pretention, ostentation, and Instagram moments, the government noted at sentencing. The government also observed that rather than expressing remorse for targeting companies that were struggling to survive in the midst of a pandemic that had gutted their business models, Mr. Bryant reveled in his notoriety, bragging about his crimes to media outlets and to his friends. Judge Hendrix determined that Mr. Bryant had failed to accept responsibility for his crimes and revoked the credit he was set to receive based on acceptance of responsibility. Judge Hendrix also ordered Mr. Bryant to pay $1,185,691.38 in restitution to his victims. The U.S. Secret Service’s Lubbock Resident Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division, the Lubbock Police Department, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office, the Brownwood Police Department, Texas Parks & Wildlife of Coleman County, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana, and the Cody Police Department in Wyoming conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey prosecuted the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly Chapman.


title: Saltillo, Mississippi Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for  Possession of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: OXFORD, Miss. – A Saltillo, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his possession of child sexual abuse pictures and videos. Court documents indicate that in April 2020, Dennis Gene Sullivan, 46, was setting up a computer system for a local business when he arranged for the computer to download and save computer files containing images and videos of child sexual abuse. Sullivan used a peer-to-peer software program to make those files available to other users. Sullivan has a prior 2004 Federal conviction for possession images and videos of child sexual abuse. Sullivan appeared for sentencing on these offenses in federal court in Oxford on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Sullivan to a total of 120 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Sullivan was also ordered to pay $28,000 worth of restitution to eight individuals who were victims of the abuse depicted in those images or videos. “This is a repeat offender who has an obvious sexual interest in children,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Individuals like this defendant deserve every minute of every day that they can be incarcerated, and our office will always prioritize the safety of the most vulnerable in our society.” “Safeguarding our society’s future begins with protecting underage citizens of our communities from predatory individuals like Dennis Sullivan,” remarked FBI Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby. “Those who commit these heinous crimes against our youth deteriorating the safety of our society, will be aggressively sought after and brought to justice. The FBI is committed to supporting our local and DOJ partners in protecting the innocence of our minors, ensuring offenders are brought to justice.” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch also commented about the case, noting "This case is a textbook example of the difference we can make when law enforcement and community members work together as a team. This investigation started with a simple tip that led us to investigate and discover this horrendous crime. I am grateful for the cooperation and dedication of our ICAC partners that help us protect our most vulnerable citizens. If you suspect a child is in danger, please report it. Your assistance could be the key to protecting others.” The Oxford Field Office of the FBI, along with Ripley, Mississippi Police Department, and the Mississippi Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Roberts. This case is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to protect children on the Internet. The Mississippi ICAC Task Force includes local, state, and Federal law enforcement and is managed by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.


title: U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary Takes Oath of Office at Community  Investiture Ceremony

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary took the oath of office at a community-attended formal investiture ceremony at the William Augustus Bootle Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Macon this afternoon. Approximately 150 community members, law enforcement, judges and civic leaders attended today’s investiture ceremony honoring U.S. Attorney Leary, who was officially sworn-in to serve as the presidentially-appointed and U.S. Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney on Dec. 12, 2022. Today’s investiture is a traditional ceremonial event, which included participation from Mr. Leary’s family, colleagues, members of the Court, as well as faith-based and civic groups. “I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity to serve the people of Middle Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “There is much work to be done to curb violent crime and ensure equal justice for all. Our office commits wholeheartedly to these goals with our law enforcement and community partners.” The investiture ceremony, which began at 2:30 p.m. today inside Courtroom One, was opened by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell and included an introduction of the judicial officers present representing the U.S. District Court, U.S. Magistrate Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Middle District of Georgia: Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III, Senior Judge Hugh Lawson, Judge Charles H. Weigle, Chief Judge Austin E. Carter, and Judge James P. Smith. The Reverend Arthur W. Villarreal of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta gave the invocation. Mr. Leary’s daughter, Fiona Leary, and Sophie Leigh of the Girl Scouts of America, Historic Georgia Council, Troop 60043, and Carter Sparks of the Boy Scouts of America, Central Georgia Council, Troop 10, presented the colors. Mr. Leary’s daughter, Bea Leary, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and his son, Declan Leary, performed a violin rendition of The National Anthem. Ryan K.J. Dickey, Senior Counsel with the Department of Justice, and Brian P. Adams, an attorney with the Adams Law Firm, gave remarks. The Honorable Hugh Lawson administered the oath of office to Mr. Leary while his wife, Bridget Leary, held the family’s bible. Their son, William Bere Leary, read an excerpt from Berger v. United States . For more information about Mr. Leary, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/meet-us-attorney .


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced To 120 Months In Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Calvin Brantley, age 25, of Fort Wayne, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin along with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Brantley was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. According to documents in this case, from September to October 2020, Brantley sold fentanyl and heroin to law enforcement on multiple occasions. A search warrant executed on his residence resulted in the recovery of approximately 200 grams of heroin,180 grams of fentanyl, over 1000 grams of marijuana and $1,600 in U.S. currency. Two firearms were also located in the residence; a loaded Glock, extended magazine and drum magazine were found in Brantley’s bedroom by his drug stash. The estimated street value of the drugs located in the residence was approximately $48,000. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent A. Ecenbarger. 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: Akron Man Charged With Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: AKRON - Romeo Travis, 39, of Akron, Ohio, was charged by way of information on one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of wire fraud. The information alleges that Travis impeded, impaired, and obstructed the lawful government functions of the Internal Revenue Service of the Department of the Treasury in computing, assessing, and collecting his individual income taxes. The information further alleges that, with Travis’ knowledge and consent, his professional sports agent altered Travis’ basketball contracts with overseas teams by understating his income, prior to sending those contracts to Travis’ tax preparer. As a result, Travis reduced his tax liability. The wire fraud count alleges that the false tax returns from the above scheme, that falsely under-reported Travis’ income, were used to reduce Travis’ child support payments to an unidentified individual as managed by the Stark County Child Support Enforcement Agency. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. The investigation preceding the information was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel for Tax, Robert J. Patton. A information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: CEO of Major Defense Contractor Charged with Bribery

component: Criminal Division

body_text: UPDATE This press release has been updated to reflect the current charges against Rafaraci. The chief executive officer (CEO) of Company 1, a multi-national corporation headquartered in Malta and with operations in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and the United States was charged with bribery in an indictment returned on September 30, 2019. According to the indictment, between 2013 and 2021, Rafaraci gave, offered, and promised money to Public Official 1, a Marine Liaison Officer for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain, in exchange for Public Official 1 using his official position to take action benefitting Company 1 as opportunities arose. “Frank Rafaraci allegedly bribed a Navy official for years,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division remains committed to combating corruption in defense contracting around the world.” “This defendant is alleged to have engaged in a long-running scheme to bribe a public official for his own gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue and hold accountable those that seek to take advantage of our military through corruption.” “The criminal case against Rafaraci is the result of painstaking investigative efforts by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) agents, and our partner agencies,” said Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the DCIS Transnational Operations Field Office. “Let today’s action serve as a sobering reminder to those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of the U.S. military and American taxpayers. DCIS is resolutely committed to ensuring the integrity of the DoD’s global procurement operations.” “Rafaraci’s alleged long-running criminal scheme cheated the U.S. taxpayer and wasted tremendously valuable resources,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Maddox of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to root out bribery and corruption that threaten to diminish the operational readiness and warfighter superiority of the Navy and Marine Corps.” If convicted of bribery, Rafaraci faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Rafaraci was provisionally arrested in Malta on Sept. 27, 2021, at the request of the United States. Proceedings in Malta concluded upon his voluntary return to the United States on Oct. 18. DCIS, NCIS, IRS-CI, and Army Criminal Investigative Division are investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Malta Police Force, Malta Office of the Attorney General, Essex Police, and U.K. International Crime Cooperation Center. Principal Assistant Chief Justin Weitz, Trial Attorney Michael P. McCarthy of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda R. Vaughn are prosecuting the case. Former Deputy Chief Brian R. Young of the Fraud Section participated in the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance. Anyone with information relating to fraud or corruption should contact the NCIS anonymous tip line at www.ncis.navy.mil or the DoD hotline at www.dodig.mil/hotline , or call (800) 424-9098. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Rafaraci Indictment Rafaraci Affidavit


title: Fulton Man Indicted for Receiving, Distributing, and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Austin Tennant, age 28, of Fulton, New York, was indicted last week for receiving, distributing, and possessing child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. The indictment alleges that, on January 16, 2023, Tennant sent multiple images depicting child pornography to another individual using an online messaging application installed on a tablet device. On that same device, in addition to the child pornography files Tennant distributed, Tennant also possessed thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography. Tennant received, distributed, and possessed the child pornography while on pre-trial release from an August arrest involving New York state charges for promoting a sexual performance from a minor. Tennant has been ordered detained pending trial. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. For the charges in the indictment, Tennant faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted, Tennant will also be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Homeland Security Investigations and the Oswego County Sherriff’s Office are investigating the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Tuck and Adrian LaRochelle 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: Maryland Man Sentenced To 21 Months In Prison For Firearms Offense

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Zyeaire Brent, age 26, of Salisbury, Maryland, was sentenced on March 3, 2023, to 21 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brent previously pleaded guilty to possessing a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol on November 19, 2020, in Susquehanna County, while knowing that he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case. This case is also 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: Lebanon County Woman Sentenced For Making Interstate Threats

body_text: HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lisa Marie Famiglietti, age 42, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 3, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to a period of time-served, consisting of 35 days’ incarceration, for making interstate threats. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between October and December 2021, Famiglietti sent multiple explicitly threatening messages to two victims through fake Instagram and Twitter accounts. The threats included burning down the victim’s house with the victim inside, throwing the victim into a fire pit, and using an ax to break the victim’s arms, legs, and head. Famiglietti’s cyberthreats continued even after she was confronted by the FBI in November 2021. As argued by the government at sentencing, Famiglietti’s anonymous interstate threats were particularly alarming and unsettling to the victims, because the victims did not know who was making the threats and what steps, if any, were being taken to carry out the threats. In addition to her five weeks in prison, the Court ordered Lisa Famiglietti to serve one year of supervised release to include computer monitoring software on all her electronic devices. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Dalke prosecuted the case. # # #


title: POSTPONED - MEDIA ADVISORY Marion County Man to be Sentenced in Federal Court for Kidnapping, Carjacking, and Murder of 80-Year-Old Victim

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — The sentencing of Dominique Brand, 31, of Marion, for kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder—which was scheduled for Wednesday, March 8, at 10:00 am—has been postponed. A new date for sentencing will be set after the Supreme Court issues an opinion in Lora v. United States .


title: DeSoto County Career Criminal Sentenced To More Than  Twenty Years In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Robert Steven Harrelson (45, Arcadia) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The court also ordered Harrelson to forfeit a firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Harrelson had pleaded guilty on November 30, 2022. According to court records, on April 28, 2019, deputies from the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Harrelson in the Forest Pines area of Arcadia. Instead of stopping his vehicle, Harrelson accelerated away from deputies until his vehicle became disabled after striking a power pole and a tree. Harrelson then ran from his vehicle before he was apprehended and arrested by pursuing deputies. Inside his vehicle, deputies located several large plastic bags filled with more than 100 grams of crystal methamphetamine and a loaded handgun. At the time of his offense, Harrelson was a previously convicted felon, including having two prior convictions for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.


title: Career Offender Sentenced To 14 Years In Federal Prison For Selling Fentanyl

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Demetrius Haynes (37, Tampa) to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Because of Haynes’s lengthy criminal history, he was designated a Career Offender for purposes of sentencing. The court also ordered Haynes to forfeit $6,000 received from the sale of a Nissan Maxima which had been used by Haynes to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had previously administratively forfeited approximately $46,161 that was traceable proceeds of the charged offenses, a Jimenez Arms pistol, and 34 rounds of ammunition. Haynes had pleaded guilty on August 29, 2022. According to court documents, in January 2021, state and federal law enforcement began an investigation targeting fentanyl distribution in the Tampa area. During that investigation, agents identified Haynes as one of those distributors. As part of the investigation, law enforcement engaged in multiple undercover narcotics transactions with Haynes where they purchased fentanyl and cocaine from him. They made purchases of fentanyl and cocaine directly from Haynes on two occasions in January 2021 and four occasions in February 2021. On February 12, 2021, the day of the final drug sale and Haynes’s arrest, ATF agents, assisted by the Tampa Police Department, executed a search warrant at Haynes’s residence. During the search, agents seized additional amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, a safe that contained approximately $34,000, a Jimenez Arms .380 caliber firearm, currency totaling approximately $6,850, approximately 30 rounds of ammunition, and an extended magazine. This case was investigated by ATF and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale. 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: Middle Georgia Man with Prior Voluntary Manslaughter Conviction Sentenced to Prison on Gun Charge

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident who was previously convicted and sentenced to ten years imprisonment for voluntary manslaughter was sentenced to federal prison after he was caught trying to sell a firearm and ammunition in the community. Jeffery Maurice Willis, 45, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 33 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on March 7 after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is holding individuals with prior violent felonies accountable at the federal level when they are caught with firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working with law enforcement, we are using every resource available to protect our communities from the threat of firearms in the hands of criminals.” “ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources in conjunction with crucial federal and local law enforcement partners to the pursuit of eradicating and forestalling criminal activity in the communities we serve,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “This case is an example of how a felony conviction for a violent crime as a young adult will carry federal consequences when that individual chooses to illegally take up a firearm later in life,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. According to facts entered in court, ATF agents conducted several controlled buys of firearms and ammunitions in May 2021 as part of a larger investigation into gun trafficking and drug distribution in Macon and the surrounding areas. ATF agents observed and recorded Willis sell a .44 revolver and five rounds of ammunition in Macon on May 6, 2021. Willis was previously convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the Superior Court of Bibb County, Georgia, in 1997. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is the result of Operation United Front, an ongoing ATF-led investigation into illegal gun possession and drug distribution in Middle Georgia utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Keyes prosecuted the case.


title: Jury Finds Uzbek National Guilty of Making False Statements

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: A federal jury in Bridgeport has found SIDIKJON MAMADJONOV, 36, a citizen of Uzbekistan formerly residing in New Britain, guilty of making false statements to federal law enforcement and in immigration proceedings. The trial before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden began on March 1 and the jury returned the guilty verdicts yesterday. U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Division, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew B. Millhollin of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. According to the evidence disclosed during the trial, Mamadjonov immigrated to the U.S. in February 2009 and became a lawful permanent resident in September 2010. On May 27, 2013, Mamadjonov departed the U.S. on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. During or before this trip, he learned that his brother, Saidjon Mamadjonov, had been killed while fighting in the civil war in Syria. Sidikjon Mamadjonov returned to the U.S. on June 11, 2013. In early July 2013, he received a DHL package that contained an iPhone 4. On the phone were several videos and photographs depicting Saidjon in Syria, including videos of Saidjon cleaning weapons in military dress while armed with a weapon, and a photograph of Saidjon after he was killed. During three interviews with FBI special agents in 2014, Mamadjonov responded to questions about the trip he took to Turkey in 2013, and questions about his brother. Mamadjonov made multiple false statements, including that his brother was alive and living in Turkey or Dubai, that he met with his brother while he was in Turkey in 2013, and that his brother sent him a package after he returned from his trip. In August 2016, Mamadjonov stated to FBI special agents that he had a received a package from Sidikjon, did not know the whereabouts of Saidjon, had not overheard any discussions of Uzbeks in the U.S. going over to Syria to fight, and was not aware of any Uzbeks travelling to Syria. At that time, Sidikjon knew that Saidjon was an Uzbek who had traveled from the U.S. to Syria and had died while fighting in the civil war, and that he died prior to the date the package was sent. On October 27, 2016, in an interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer regarding his U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services an Application for Naturalization, Form N-400 that he had submitted in September 2014, Mamadjonov again provided false statements about his brother and whether he had previously lied to the FBI. Mamadjonov was arrested on December 22, 2017. The jury found Mamadjonov guilty of three counts of making a false statement to law enforcement, and one count of making a false swearing in an immigration matter. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Mamadjonov faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years. Mamadjonov is released on a $200,000 bond and residing in Pennsylvania pending sentencing. This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, New Britain Police Department and Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang and Trial Attorney Steven Ward of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than 17 Years For Robbery And Discharging A Firearm During A Violent Crime

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Mizelle has sentenced Marques Howard (31, Tampa) to 17 years and 3 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to commit that robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. As a part of the sentence, Howard was also ordered to forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offenses. Howard had pleaded guilty on December 5, 2022. According to court documents, on April 20, 2022, Howard robbed an individual at their residence in the Tampa area. During the robbery, Howard discharged his firearm, shooting the victim in the leg. Howard has a prior conviction for robbery, and as a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky. 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: Hampstead Woman Sentenced to Prison for Disaster Fraud

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Hampstead woman was sentenced today to 12 months and 1 day in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for fraudulent disaster assistance claims following Hurricane Florence. On November 17, 2022, Dishawn Batts pled guilty. As part of the judgment, Batts was also ordered to pay $24,835.50 in criminal restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "This defendant schemed to steal from a taxpayer-funded program that was intended to help displaced families recover from a natural disaster by providing necessary housing and utility assistance,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Now, she will be housed in a federal prison and required to repay every penny she stole." Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General, Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, said, “I appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and the Justice Department. Defrauding the U.S. government is unconscionable. This guilty plea should serve as a deterrent to individuals intent on fleecing our federal system.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, in an application for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance, Batts falsely claimed she had been displaced by Hurricane Florence and was living in a temporary rental residence. Her initial application was approved, and Batts was awarded funds for personal property damage and two months of rental assistance. From September 15, 2018 to November 27, 2019, Batts submitted a series of claims for continued rental assistance wherein Batts falsely represented that she remained displaced and unable to return to her primary residence. In support of these claims, Batts submitted fraudulent documentation including phony lease agreements, rental receipts, utilities records, and Social Security Administration records. As a result, Batts received $24,835.50 in assistance for which she did not qualify. The FEMA is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. FEMA administers disaster assistance to individuals in areas declared by the President as an emergency or major disaster. FEMA offers different types of assistance to people in disaster areas, including through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), which provides for financial assistance and other services to eligible individuals for losses caused by a disaster that were not covered by insurance or other assistance programs. One component of IHP, Financial Housing Assistance, provided funds to eligible applicants who lack the means to meet serious needs, including housing-related expenses such as home repair and replacement costs, and rental assistance for temporary housing accommodations while an applicant was displaced from their primary residence. Individuals awarded rental assistance through IHP can reapply for continued temporary rental assistance. Between September 12, 2018 and September 15, 2018, Hurricane Florence impacted the coast North Carolina, resulting in Major Disaster Declaration [DR-4393] for Eastern North Carolina counties. As a result of the declaration, individuals in areas affected by Hurricane Florence were eligible to apply for disaster assistance from FEMA. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00068-D. ###


title: New Britain Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ROBERTO MERCEDES-RODRIGUEZ, 43, of New Britain, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for fentanyl distribution and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Britain Police Department determined that Mercedes-Rodriguez and others were selling fentanyl throughout the greater New Britain area. In February 2021, New Britain Police arrested Mercedes-Rodriguez on state charges after he was found in possession of a quantity of packaged fentanyl, a loaded stolen 9mm handgun, and two loaded high capacity magazines. Investigators continued to investigate Mercedes-Rodriguez while he was released on bond in his state case and, between August 2021 and February 2022, observed him conducting hand-to-hand drug transactions. Mercedes-Rodriguez was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on February 24, 2022. On that date, a court-authorized search of his Cottage Place residence revealed 2,000 wax paper folds containing fentanyl. Mercedes-Rodriguez’s criminal history includes felony convictions for narcotics, robbery, assault, failure to appear and domestic violence-related offenses, and multiple probation violations. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. On December 12, 2022, Mercedes-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Mercedes-Rodriguez has been detained since March 11, 2022, when his bond was revoked. This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Britain Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens and John T. Pierpont, Jr.