title: Houstonian sent to prison after two violent armed robberies

body_text: HOUSTON – A 51-year-old man has been sentenced following his convictions for committing two armed robberies in 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury deliberated for approximately two hours after a three-day trial before convicting Hezron Benjamin Stuart, March 15 on two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now handed Stuart a 128-month term of imprisonment for the robberies. He also received 120 months for each firearms charge which must be served consecutively to the other sentence imposed. The total 368-month prison term will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about Stuart’s lengthy and violent criminal history, as well as three additional armed robberies he committed in 2019. “Bank robbery is not a victimless crime,” said Hamdani. “Mr. Stuart spent his entire life committing violent crimes in our city. In multiple armed robberies he shot a gun and seriously injured a store clerk. This sentence will ensure the citizens of Houston are protected from his brazen criminal conduct in the future.” The jury heard evidence that on May 18, 2019, Stuart robbed the Corner Food Mart located on Mangum Street and discharged his firearm. On May 23, 2019, Stuart robbed a Citgo Gas Station located at South Loop East. The store clerk refused to give up the cash and was ultimately shot. At trial, the jury heard from witnesses in both cases, including the surviving shooting victim. The victim identified Stuart as the person who robbed and shot at them. In addition, an examiner compared Stuart’s fingerprints to those left at the Citgo gas station robbery and ultimately determined them to be the same. Stuart represented himself during the trial and claimed he was not the individual who committed the robberies. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged. Stuart has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI conducted the investigation as part of the ATF Houston Crime Gun Strike Force with the assistance of the Houston Police Department (HPD) and the Houston Forensic Science Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Britni Cooper prosecuted the case. The ATF Houston Crime Gun Strike Force was created as a joint effort between the ATF And HPD to combat the growing trend in crimes involving firearms.


title: Brazoria man sentenced for producing and possessing hundreds of child pornography images and videos

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: GALVESTON, Texas – A 40-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for production and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Sean Michael Kriss pleaded guilty June 1, 2022, to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown has now sentenced Kriss to 360 and 120 months for the production and possession convictions, respectively. They will run consecutively for a total 480-month term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including a letter from the victim’s mother detailing how Kriss’ actions destroyed their family and has caused them a lot of stress and anxiety. She further detailed how his betrayal took away their sense of security. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted that Kriss committed these acts against the victim who was at a vulnerable age. Kriss was further ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Kriss will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. “Individuals, like Kriss, who produce child pornography and share it with perverted like-minded individuals need to be stopped,” said Hamdani. This sentence will help to do that. The exploitation of children has no place in our community and my office will vigorously pursue prosecution of anyone involved in the production and distribution of child pornography to the fullest extent of the law.” The investigation revealed Kriss had shared a video via Snapchat he created of a minor female from his cellphone. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence and seized his electronic devices. Forensic examination on those items resulted in the discovery of child pornography videos and images depicting the minor victim. In total, law enforcement found 408 images and two videos of child pornography Kriss had in his collection. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Pearland Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherin Daniel and Kimberly Leo prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Spokane Man sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Armed Robbery at Spokane Valley Motel

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Christopher Bruce Gooch, 46, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Robbery Affecting Commerce. U.S. Senior District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson imposed a sentence of 48 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. When imposing the sentence, U.S. Senior Judge Peterson noted Gooch’s lifelong criminal history beginning at age 11. According to court documents, on the night of August 2, 2022, Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) were conducting surveillance of suspected drug traffickers at the Oxford Suites in Spokane Valley. During that surveillance, just before midnight, agents observed one of the suspected drug traffickers arrive at the motel carrying multiple duffle bags. A short time later, surveilling agents observed a unique van arrive in the motel parking lot. A man, later identified as Dominic Shears, was observed getting out of the van and entering the front door of the motel. Shears then opened a side door to the motel. At this point, two other men, later identified as Christopher Gooch and Christopher Jones, got out of the parked van and went into the motel through the now open side entrance. A few minutes later, agents observed the same three men carrying what appeared to be the same duffle bags leave through a side door of the motel. All three men got into the van, and quickly left the area. Around the same time, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) received a 911 call from the motel reporting that a motel guest had been robbed at gunpoint. The caller also told Sheriff’s Deputies that three suspects with masks left the motel in a van. Believing the suspected drug trafficker may have been the victim of the robbery, The surveilling agents followed the van and advised SCSO and the Spokane Police Department (SPD) that law enforcement was following those believed to be involved in the robbery. SPD joined in the pursuit, and when the van reached downtown Spokane, the driver of the van briefly stopped and both Gooch and Jones got out of the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Jones was carrying a duffle bag as he attempted to flee the scene. Ultimately, both men were apprehended. Inside the duffle bag, SPD officers recovered approximately 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 400 grams of fentanyl-laced pills, and 150 grams of heroin. Around the time SPD officers apprehended and detained Gooch and Jones, SPD also attempted a to conduct a traffic stop on the van, which Shears was driving. Instead of stopping, however, Shears eluded police and ultimately fired shots at police, after crashing his van into a building in downtown Spokane. Shears then engaged in a multiple-hour stand-off with law enforcement. The standoff ended when Shears came out of the front windshield area of the vehicle and fired at the police. Police returned fire, and Shears died of his injuries. During interviews after the robbery, investigators learned Shears was a customer of the suspected drug trafficking law enforcement was surveilling. In fact, Shears placed a large order with the supplier, intending to rob the supplier. Shears then recruited Jones, who in turn recruited Gooch, to help with the robbery. When they arrived at the motel, all three men donned ski masks. Gooch remained in the hall, while Jones and Shears entered the supplier’s motel room and demanded the drugs. During the robbery, Shears had a black, semi-automatic firearm, which he put to the supplier’s head. Jones and Shears then grabbed two duffle bags from the room and left. A woman in the room was able to escape, run down the hall, and alert hotel staff. Jones pleaded guilty to one count of Robbery Affecting Commerce on May 2, 2023, and was sentenced to 63 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. “I am thankful for the dedicated members of law enforcement who put themselves in harm’s way every day to keep our streets secure and our communities safe. This case is a stark reminder of the dangerous nexus of drug trafficking and violent crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to partnering with our federal, state and local partners to prosecute violent offenders and build safer, stronger, and more resilient communities.” Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard, who prosecuted the case, stated, “Drug trafficking is most often characterized as a non-violent offense. However, based on my 15 years investigating and prosecuting drug trafficking crime, this not accurate. This case is a stark reminder of the violence that frequently occurs with the illegal distribution of controlled substances. The US Attorney’s Office is committed to supporting all our law enforcement partners and the important work they do for our community. Despite many obstacles, they put their lives on the line in pursuit of community safety. I applaud their dedication.” “This case is a chilling reminder of the violence that accompanies drug trafficking and resolve of the agencies to protect our communities from these violent offenders,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This is a well-deserved sentence,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “Mr. Gooch’s actions, along with those of his co-criminals, put the lives of area residents in great danger. We appreciate the support the Spokane Police Department and Sheriff’s Office’s support.” This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Spokane Police Department, and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard. 2:2022-cr-00135-RMP


title: Jury Convicts Gang Members in Murder Plot

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

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted three men yesterday on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and other crimes. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Ronald Jenkins, 42, of Franklin; Japree Brooks, 40, of Murfreesboro, North Carolina; and Malik Newsome, 30, of Ivor, participated in three shootings in 2017 and 2019 in Franklin. All three were members or associates of a Blood-affiliated gang that operated in Franklin. The group engaged primarily in narcotics trafficking, as well as some robberies and beatings to protect their territory. When a high-ranking member of their group was murdered by a rival Crip-affiliated gang, the group hunted down and shot several members of the Crip-affiliated group. One of the victims was shot in the hand and leg, two more victims received gunshots to their torsos, leaving each with colostomy bags and other permanent injuries. Jenkins faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 16, 2024. Brooks faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on April 18, 2024. Newsome faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on April 23, 2024. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations; Steve Patterson, Chief of Franklin Police; and Josh Wyche Sr., Southampton County Sheriff, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Taylor and Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. Significant assistance was provided by law student Madison Albrecht. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-101.


title: Seattle man convicted at trial of abusive sexual contact on Air France flight from Paris to Seattle

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 35-year 0ld Seattle man was convicted late Friday December 8, 2023, of abusive sexual contact on a flight from Paris to Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Milan Edward Jurkovic was convicted following a three-day jury trial. The jury deliberated about three hours before reaching its verdict. Jurkovic faces up to two years in federal prison when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik on March 21, 2024. “Last summer, I joined with our law enforcement partners to call attention to a spike in sexual misconduct on aircraft – crimes such as this one that are traumatizing for victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “This case should be a warning to anyone who thinks that in the confines of an aircraft cabin they can get away with unwanted sexual touching. We will prosecute and the penalties are significant.” According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, on July 3, 2022, Jurkovic was a passenger on an Air France flight from Paris to Seattle. Also on the flight was a school group from Western Washington. The students were returning from a class trip abroad. The 16-year-0ld victim was seated next to Mr. Jurkovic. About three hours into the flight, Jurkovic reached under the Air France blanket covering the victim and began groping the victim’s thigh. The victim was shocked and frozen with fear. Jurkovic proceeded to rub her thigh for an extended period of time, touching her inner thigh, before the victim was able to pull away and seek assistance from a classmate and then her chaperone. The chaperone traded places with the victim for the duration of the flight. The incident was reported to the flight crew, and Port of Seattle Police met the flight as it arrived at SEA Airport. The victim was interviewed by law enforcement. Jurkovic provided contradictory statements to different audiences. Initially, he told the chaperone he had been rubbing his leg due to bad circulation, suggesting that he inadvertently touched the victim. Later, after being told by a Port of Seattle officer that he was under investigation for allegedly assaulting the passenger seated next to him, Jurkovic said he did not hurt anyone. He later volunteered that he had an itch on his leg. He was indicted by a grand jury on January 4, 2023, and arrested January 30, 2023. In closing arguments, prosecutors told the jury, Jurkovic assaulted the girl “for his own sexual gratification . . . The defendant was counting on (the victim) not being strong enough and brave enough to stop him.” Abusive sexual contact is punishable by up to two years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Yemini and Brian Wynne.


title: Canadian/Lebanese Citizen Charged With Mail And Wire Fraud And Money Laundering Conspiracies Makes Appearance In Federal Court

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Nemr Hallak, a citizen of Canada and Lebanon charged with operating a telemarketing fraud and money laundering conspiracy, was extradited from Greece to the United States to face charges in the Northern District of California, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nunez, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Silva of the Oakland Field Office. Hallak was charged in a seven-count superseding indictment on April 21, 2016. The superseding indictment alleges that, between January 2010 and August 2014, Hallak and others operated a “business directory” telemarketing scam. Using a variety of means, including false and misleading cold calls and bogus invoices, Hallak and his co-defendants deceived churches, doctors’ offices, non-profits, mom-and-pop stores, and small businesses into paying for business directory services they neither ordered nor received. As part of the scheme, Hallak and his co-defendants caused shell companies to be formed in Florida and Delaware in the names of nominees, who were paid in cash to be listed as officers and directors of the shell companies. Many of the shell companies used the term “Yellow Pages” to suggest their operations were legitimate. The superseding indictment further alleges that Hallak and the co-defendants caused others to cold call victims and tell them that they had a pre-existing business relationship with a “Yellow Pages” or other entity formed by the defendants; that they had previously purchased business directory services from the defendants; and that they owed the defendants for those services. Victims were told that they owed the defendants anywhere between $400 and $1800 for a previously purchased business directory listing. When such initial misrepresentations were not sufficient to induce payment, victims were harassed and threatened with legal action and sent additional bogus invoices with additional charges. The superseding indictment alleges that, as a result of the conspiracy, Hallak and others collected at least approximately $10.8 million. The superseding indictment also charges Hallak with conspiracy to launder the proceeds of a separate telemarketing fraud, from March 2011 through in or about May 2013. Hallak was arrested in Greece pursuant to an Interpol Red Notice and made his initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco on December 11, 2023. On the government’s motion, Defendant was detained. The Court set a detention hearing for December 21, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim. The superseding indictment charges Hallak with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, four counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341, and one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,00 or twice the gross gain or loss, plus restitution if appropriate for each violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1349. The maximum sentence for violation of 18 U.S.C. §1956(h) is 20 years in prison, plus a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Leach is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Megan Pagaduan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS-CI. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the extradition of Hallak. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of Justice of the Hellenic Republic and the Hellenic Police which provided excellent cooperation in the arrest and re-arrest of Hallak and his subsequent extradition.


title: Jury Convicts Arlington Doctor of Illegal Opioid Distribution

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury today convicted an Arlington woman of illegally prescribing and distributing oxycodone pills, a controlled substance. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kirsten Van Steenberg Ball, 69, issued prescriptions for over one million oxycodone pills. Ball was a primary care physician who operated a medical practice out of her home in Arlington. She conspired with her office manager, Candy Marie Calix, 41, of Front Royal, to shield from law enforcement and regulatory authorities the fact that she was dispensing vast quantities of oxycodone to her patients—contrary to ordinary standards of medical care. “Dr. Kirsten Ball’s actions, as detailed by the evidence presented at trial and accepted by the jury, are a perversion of the role of medical practitioners in prescribing opioids,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Medication meant to be carefully provided to people in severe pain was instead prescribed excessively – with no regard for patients’ safety or where the pills would end up. For over a decade, Dr. Ball was at the epicenter of a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone via a network of individuals posing as patients who were prescribed over a million pills. She blatantly abused legitimate healthcare procedures, despite clear knowledge of the law and warnings from regulatory agencies of the danger her actions posed to patients. I am very grateful to the EDVA trial team and the FBI for their work to hold Dr. Ball accountable.” “Today’s verdict demonstrates the seriousness of illegal opioid distribution and the commitment of law enforcement to bring to justice those who chose to endanger the lives of others,” said David Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. “Kirsten Ball knew her actions were illegal yet, for years, she abused her position of trust by providing individuals in chronic pain with excessive amounts of oxycodone. Ball’s conviction affirms that a medical professional's disregard for their patient's well-being and the law will not be tolerated. I’m grateful for those who worked tirelessly to hold her accountable.” The Virginia Department of Health Professions (DHP) investigated Ball in 2014 and 2015, then again in 2021 for excessive and improper prescribing of oxycodone. Evidence and testimony presented at trial showed that Ball falsified records that she submitted to DHP to cover up the fact that she was prescribing oxycodone to patients for no legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice. Court records showed that Calix was herself a patient of Ball. Ball prescribed Calix approximately 50,000 oxycodone pills over a period of approximately 10 years. Following the first DHP investigation, Ball directed Calix to use a false name in her capacity as office manager to hide the fact that Calix was receiving oxycodone from Ball. Additionally, evidence presented at trial revealed that Ball directed Calix to recruit other individuals—including several of Calix’s immediate family members—to become pain patients of Dr. Ball’s so that she could prescribe similarly large quantities of oxycodone to them. Calix, in turn, then sold the tens of thousands of oxycodone pills that Ball prescribed to them. Evidence and testimony presented at trial showed that Ball prescribed oxycodone to drug traffickers and drug addicts in exchange for hundreds of dollars. In addition, several patients became addicted while receiving oxycodone. Ball generally did not accept new patients unless an established patient vouched for them. This was because, as Ball told Calix, she feared that an unvetted new patient could be an undercover law enforcement officer. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was able to introduce an undercover individual, purporting to be the nephew of an existing patient. In recorded conversations, the undercover told Ball that he was sharing pills with his family members. In response, Ball told the undercover that was “a felony,” that she would simply not write it down in his patient file, and not to tell anybody else. She continued to prescribe escalating quantities of oxycodone to the undercover. Additional evidence presented at trial from Ball’s own medical files revealed that, even after the Virginia Board of Medicine sanctioned Ball in 2015 for her prescribing practices, Ball continued to prescribe oxycodone to patients showing blatant signs of drug dependence, abuse, diversion, and addiction. For example, she continued to prescribe to multiple patients who submitted urine tests that were positive for illegal drugs, writing that the failed drug tests were caused by eating poppy seeds and using hand lotion containing cocaine. Ball also continued to prescribe to multiple patients that had been arrested and convicted for selling illegal drugs as well as for selling the oxycodone that she prescribed. Further, Ball continued to prescribe to multiple patients who asked for early refills of oxycodone based on unsubstantiated claims of lost or stolen pills. She prescribed multiple patients as many as 360 oxycodone 30-mg tablets per month, and prescribed similarly high quantities of oxycodone to multiple members of families, spouses, and close friends. Ball was also shown to have paid patients to perform manual labor on her home and vehicles, sometimes while concurrently prescribing the patients oxycodone, ostensibly for long-term pain. She had three of her patients providing unpaid cleaning services at her home bi-weekly for a number of years during the conspiracy. Evidence adduced at trial revealed that Ball told multiple patients that they would never be able to find another doctor who would prescribe as much oxycodone as she would, and told one that no other doctor would prescribe oxycodone for him at all. Ball was convicted on 20 counts and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison as to each count of conviction when sentenced on February 27, 2024. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Calix was sentenced to seven years in prison on September 28, 2022, for conspiring to distribute oxycodone. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Heather D. Call are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-80.


title: Convicted Felon Charged with Robbing Armored Vehicle Courier at Gunpoint While on Supervised Release for Bank Robbery

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An Inglewood man, who last year was granted compassionate release after serving 26 years in federal prison for armed robberies of armed couriers, was indicted today for allegedly robbing a Brinks courier at gunpoint in a bank parking lot in Westchester in August. Markham David Bond, 60, is charged in a three-count federal grand jury indictment with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), using a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Bond’s arraignment is scheduled for December 18 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to the indictment returned today and other court documents, on the morning of August 18, 2023, Bond stole approximately $145,000 in cash from a Brinks armored carrier outside a bank branch in the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles. The armored vehicle was parked in the bank parking lot as one of its employees got out of the vehicle with a blue duffle bag on a rolling cart and which contained the cash. Bond allegedly approached the driver, pointed a handgun at him and said, “I got you, bro” and “Don’t try nothing.” Fearing for his life, the Brinks employee dropped the duffle bag. Bond allegedly then ordered the victim to get down on the ground. After the victim complied with this order, Bond grabbed the blue Brinks duffle bag then fled the area, according to court documents. Police put out a crime alert after obtaining stills of the getaway car from surveillance footage. On August 27, patrol officers located the car – a Chevrolet Tahoe with distinctive rims and damage to a rear window. Police seized from the car, among other items, a blue Brinks duffle bag and a black baseball cap with the same Raiders NFL logo as seen on surveillance footage of the robber. Bond was arrested on November 22 and police seized at his residence a .40-caliber pistol containing 10 rounds of ammunition, a maroon-colored long-sleeve shirt similar in appearance to one used in the August 18 robbery, and crumpled cash totaling $9,005 that was located inside multiple plastic bags hidden inside of a mini-refrigerator. Bond has multiple felony convictions dating from 1985 and 1995 for Hobbs Act robbery, armed bank robbery, and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, among other crimes. As a convicted felon, Bond is not permitted to possess firearms or ammunition. In January 1995, Bond was sentenced to 562 months (46 years and 10 months) in prison after being convicted of bank robbery and firearms offenses, but in January 2022 he was granted a compassionate release. He was on supervised release for his 1995 conviction when he allegedly robbed the Brinks employee at gunpoint on August 18. A federal magistrate judge on November 28 ordered Bond jailed without bond. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law . If convicted of all charges, Bond will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery Homicide Division and the FBI investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Haoxiaohan H. Cai of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Fort Myers Felon Sentenced To More Than 33 Years In Prison For Carjacking Spree And Firearms Offense

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Edward James Bess III (29, Fort Myers) to 33 years and 4 months in federal prison for carjacking causing serious bodily injury, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and carjacking. The court also ordered Bess to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he used and illegally possessed. Bess pleaded guilty to the offenses on July 6, 2023. According to court documents, on the night of November 24, 2021, Bess approached Victim 1 in the parking lot of a business located on Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers while Victim 1 was standing near his pickup truck. Bess confronted Victim 1 and demanded Victim 1’s keys while brandishing a Cobra model CA380, .380 firearm. As Victim 1 moved towards the front driver door area of his vehicle to retrieve a firearm for protection, a struggle ensued, and Bess shot Victim 1 in his lower abdomen area. After being shot, Victim 1 ran to the other side of the vehicle and Bess entered Victim 1’s truck. Very shortly after, Bess exited the truck and chased Victim 1 while holding and pointing Victim 1’s firearm, a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson. Bess then shot Victim 1 in the leg using Victim 1’s firearm and retrieved Victim 1’s car keys. Bess entered the pickup truck again and fled the area. The next day, Bess abandoned Victim 1’s truck along I-75 in Sumter County. That evening, around 6:30 p.m., Bess approached Victim 2 as he was unloading luggage from his SUV in a hotel parking lot in Wildwood. Bess approached Victim 2, brandishing a black firearm, and demanded that Victim 2 hand over his wallet, phone, and car keys. Bess entered Victim 2’s SUV and fled the area. Deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) immediately responded to the area. Moments later, SCSO deputies located Bess driving Victim 2’s vehicle near County Road 229. As deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Bess sped off and a high-speed chase ensued. The stolen vehicle eventually came to a stop, after it crashed through a fence and drove into a wooded area. Bess exited the vehicle and eventually surrendered to SCSO deputies. The next day, a Cobra .380 firearm was found at the entrance of a residence near the area of the high-speed chase. The firearm did not have a magazine in its magazine well. A SCSO Crime Scene Specialist later located a .380 magazine under the front driver seat of Victim 2’s stolen vehicle. DNA evidence later linked Bess to the .380 firearm. Additionally, ballistic testing revealed a .380 casing recovered from the Fort Myers carjacking incident and shooting matched a test-fired cartridge casing from the Cobra .380 recovered in Sumter County. Additionally, DNA swabs taken from inside of Victim 1’s stolen truck, as well as items left in the truck, were also linked to Bess’s DNA. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling. 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: Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Causing Death

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger today sentenced Anna Parsons (38, Poinciana) to 15 years in federal prison for fentanyl distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Parsons had pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023. According to court documents, at approximately 1:00 a.m. on March 15, 2022, Parsons arrived at a homeless encampment to meet with an individual (C.J.). Parsons distributed fentanyl to C.J. and another individual living at the site, J.A. C.J. became unresponsive after using the fentanyl. Parsons attempted to get Narcan but did not call 911 until approximately 10:30 a.m. when C.J. stopped breathing. The Medical Examiner’s Office (District 9) later concluded that C.J. had died from fentanyl toxicity. When Parsons and J.A called 911, they initially lied to police and the Drug Enforcement Administration about the circumstances of C.J.’s death. The DEA searched Parson’s apartment and phone to find that she had been distributing fentanyl and that she possessed 158 grams of fentanyl, worth approximately $15,800 at the prices she was charging, at her apartment. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.


title: Two Indicted in Scheme that Allegedly Laundered over $2 Million Generated by ‘Grandparent Scams’ Targeting Elderly Victims

body_text: LOS ANGELES – FBI agents this morning arrested a West Los Angeles man who is one of two defendants charged in a federal grand jury indictment alleging a scheme that laundered at least $2 million in proceeds obtained from victims of grandparent scams who were defrauded with bogus claims that their relatives were in distress and urgently needed funds. James Wesley Jackson III, aka “Imperial,” 42, pleaded not guilty this afternoon to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The two-count indictment unsealed this afternoon also charges Christopher Fagon (who had several aliases, mostly variations of “Christopher Broker”), 45, who at the time of the alleged scheme lived in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles, and who is now believed to reside in or near Toronto, Canada. The indictment outlines how perpetrators of grandparent scams convince victims to send money – purportedly to help relatives, often their grandchildren, who are typically described as being in legal trouble – “to bank accounts, business entities, and physical addresses specified by the scammers, using interstate wires and cashier’s checks…, for the supposed purpose of assisting the relatives in distress.” The victims’ money often is initially handled by “money mules,” who allow their addresses or bank accounts to be used or agree to receive or negotiate cashier’s checks. Fagon allegedly was a manager of money mules, including Jackson, who also recruited his own money mules. The indictment further alleges that Fagon created business entities and opened bank accounts using information stolen from identity theft victims. Once money was in the accounts associated with the money mules or identity theft victims, Fagon and Jackson allegedly engaged in transactions designed to conceal the true nature of the funds, which had been obtained via wire fraud. The indictment specifically alleges that the scheme laundered funds obtained from victims of grandparent scams who reside in California and as far away as Pennsylvania. The bank fraud scheme alleged in the indictment involves fraudulently obtained funds that were held in suspense in an account that had been set up in the name of an identity theft victim. Fagon, Jackson and a co-conspirator allegedly worked together to contact the bank and impersonate the identity theft victim to secure the issuance of a check for nearly $83,000 that was remaining in the account. At his arraignment this afternoon, Jackson was ordered released on bond, and a trial was scheduled for February 6, 2024. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, and the charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a sentence of up to 30 years. The FBI is conducting the investigation in this case. The Toronto Police Service in Canada provided assistance in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Monica E. Tait of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case. This case is the product of an investigation by the Vulnerable Communities Task Force, which is focused on investigating and prosecuting individuals and entities that prey on communities that typically are less likely to report crimes to law enforcement and historically have had less legal recourse to address the offenders targeting them. These groups may include immigrants and migrant workers defrauded in immigration schemes, indigent individuals reliant on public benefits, the elderly, and those who have been reluctant to seek assistance from government authorities.


title: District Man Found Guilty After Trial on Enhanced Simple Assault  For October 6, 2020 Assault at Fort Totten Metro Station

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Kevin Brown, 39, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today by a jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of bias enhanced simple assault stemming from the October 6, 2020, attack at the Fort Totten Metro Station, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced. Brown is to be sentenced on December 13, 2023, at a hearing before Superior Court Judge Jason Park. Brown faces a maximum of 270 days in prison. According to the government’s evidence, on October 6, 2020, Brown approached the victim, who was with his husband and twelve-year-old nephew, on the Fort Totten Metro Station. Brown, never having met the victim before, inquired if the victim was homosexual and followed the victim and his family for several minutes while making homophobic slurs. Brown accused the victim of being a pedophile and having sex with his twelve-year-old nephew before asking the victim’s nephew if “these gays were hurting him.” Brown called the victim and his husband fa****s multiple times before striking the victim about the face with a closed fist three times. The defendant then fled on a southbound red-line metro towards Brookland Station where he was apprehended by Metro Transit Police. Brown was convicted by a jury after a four-day trial. Brown is subject to enhanced penalties based on the bias related nature of the assault. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Transit Police Department (MTPD). The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Dal Lago, Luke Albi, Samuel Ison. UPDATE: On December 13, 2023, Judge Park sentenced Brown to 270 days in prison after remarking that the government's evidence was overwhelming.


title: Wisconsin Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Manitowoc, Wisconsin man has been sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for producing images depicting his sexual abuse of a minor in Minnesota, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on or about June 7, 2019, Jason Lee, 28, used and coerced a prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. Lee pleaded guilty to one count of attempted production and production of child pornography on July 17, 2023. He was sentenced yesterday by Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Saint Paul Police Department, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin Police Department. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.


title: Customs and Border Protection Officer Admits Using Unreasonable Force and Agrees to Resign from Law Enforcement

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 12, 2023 SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Andre Maurice Chevalier pleaded guilty in federal court today to using unreasonable force on an individual who had applied for admission to the United States from Mexico. Chevalier admitted in his plea agreement that on April 23, 2022, while he was on duty at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, he encountered a woman at a primary inspection booth. Chevalier admitted that he pulled the woman, identified in court documents by the initials Y.F., out of her vehicle and slung her into the booth. Her face struck the booth. She sustained injuries to her face and fell to the ground. Chevalier then picked up Y.F., shoved her against her vehicle and handcuffed her. Chevalier admitted that he acted willfully and intentionally and deprived Y.F. of her right to be free from an unreasonable use of force. Chevalier agreed to resign and not seek future employment with a federal law enforcement agency. “Mr. Chevalier’s conduct was inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “His guilty plea and resignation mean he no longer has authority over, or the opportunity to abuse, those entering the country.” “Federal law enforcement officers are expected to treat the public with courtesy and respect,” said Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari. “Those who fail to adhere to this standard will be held accountable.” Chevalier is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, 2024, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Askins and Jill Streja. DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr2510. Andre Maurice Chevalier Age: 41 Temecula, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law (misdemeanor) – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242 Maximum penalty: One year in prison and $100,000 fine AGENCY Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General


title: High-Level Trafficker Pleads Guilty to International Cocaine Trafficking

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 12, 2023 SAN DIEGO –Augusto Jean Carlo Castillo-Hernandez of Guatemala pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he and his co-conspirators coordinated the smuggling of multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America to Guatemala with an ultimate destination of the United States. Castillo-Hernandez was arrested on August 31, 2021, in Guatemala and extradited to the United States in February 2022 along with two others. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 23, 2024 at 9 a.m. before Chief U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw. Court documents described Castillo-Hernandez as an organizer and leader in the conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Guatemala and elsewhere. The conspiracy spanned at least 2017 to July 2020. The defendants were arrested as part of a multi-year investigation targeting high-level cocaine traffickers operating in northwest Guatemala and which exposed the inner workings of cocaine trafficking in that country. The probe involved multiple countries, multiple law enforcement agencies around the United States, and multiple federal districts. “This case demonstrates the impact of dedicated partnerships across the United States, reaching into Guatemala to prevent immeasurable amounts of cocaine from arriving on our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “While Mr. Castillo-Hernandez is being held accountable today, the bigger message is to the organizers who push this poison north. The long arm of American justice will reach across the globe to protect our communities.” “This guilty plea of a known drug trafficker is the culmination of years of collaborative efforts between HSI and our partners at the Department of Justice,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz, “The joint effort has significantly impacted this international criminal organization’s ability to import dangerous drugs into the United States.” The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendant. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari. DEFENDANT Case Number 20cr2242-DMS Augusto Jean Carlo Castillo-Hernandez Age: 34 Guatemala aka “Metal” aka “Joker” SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Intended for Unlawful Importation into the United States– Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, 963 Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine Criminal Forfeiture – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 853 AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations Homeland Security Investigations Attaché, Guatemala U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations Department of Justice, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)


title: Former Hollywood-Based Anti-Poverty Nonprofit CEO Sentenced to Six Months in Federal Prison for Embezzlement and Cheating on Taxes

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The former president and CEO of a Los Angeles-based anti-poverty nonprofit agency was sentenced today to six months in federal prison for embezzling money from the nonprofit for his personal benefit, failing to report these funds on his tax returns, and intentionally misapplying more than $600,000 in grant money to pay for unauthorized expenses. Howard Dixon Slingerland, 54, of Studio City, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who also ordered him to serve six months of home confinement, pay a fine of $10,000, pay $750,470 in restitution and to perform 200 hours of community service. Slingerland pleaded guilty on March 8 to one count of conversion and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal money and one count of subscribing to a false federal income tax return. From 1996 until he was fired in September 2019, Slingerland led the Youth Policy Institute Inc. (YPI), a Hollywood-based nonprofit agency that worked to eradicate poverty, eventually becoming president and CEO. YPI operated in some of the highest needs neighborhoods in Los Angeles, running programs aimed at supporting youth education, development, safety, job training, and health and wellness. As the head of YPI, Slingerland had check-signing authority over YPI’s bank accounts and was the personal guarantor of YPI’s credit card. From January 2015 to February 2019, Slingerland caused at least $71,533 of YPI funds to be spent on unauthorized expenditures, including Slingerland’s personal property tax bill that exceeded $14,000; a Slingerland family dinner at an upscale New York City restaurant costing more than $6,000; private tutoring for a family member costing nearly $11,000; and a home computer and software valued at nearly $2,000. Slingerland also caused federal grant money YPI had received under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, administered by the United States Department of Labor, to be used for unauthorized purposes. The grant was awarded to support a YPI education and training program designed to prepare young adults in Los Angeles for jobs in growing industries such as construction, customer service, food preparation and service. Instead, in July 2019, Slingerland caused approximately $401,561 of these funds to be used for the unauthorized payment of YPI payroll. That same month, he caused another approximately $201,466 of the federal grant money to be illegally used to pay off YPI’s credit card bill, including for expenses Slingerland had incurred. Slingerland underreported on his individual federal income tax returns more than $100,000 in income each year for the tax years 2015 through 2018. Slingerland did not report the money he obtained from YPI through the embezzlement or the value of benefits he received from YPI, including retirement plan contributions and a housing allowance and a vehicle allowance. Slingerland admitted to owing the United States Treasury a total of approximately $147,398 in unpaid taxes – not including penalties and interest – for these years. “Entrusted with the management of a large non-profit organization on which many community members had come to depend, [Slingerland] ignored the rules and used the organization’s money to pay for his own personal expenses, some of which were extravagant, even profligate,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. In November 2019, two months after Slingerland was fired, YPI declared bankruptcy. IRS Criminal Investigation; the FBI; the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Education Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Justice Office of Inspector General; and the Los Angeles Unified School District investigated this matter. The Office of the United States Trustee provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Ranee A. Katzenstein of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.


title: Georgia Man Sentenced for Misuse of a Social Security Number and for Stealing the Identity of a Syracuse University Graduate

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Gregory William Hill, age 39, of Georgia, whose many aliases include Gregory Allen Davis, Gregory William Davis, Gregory Davis Dutton, and John Martin Hill, was sentenced today to 45 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to misuse of a social security number and aggravated identity theft. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Hill previously pled guilty and admitted that in 2018 he impersonated a graduate of Syracuse University and fraudulently attempted to obtain copies of the victim’s final transcript and diploma from the university. In furtherance of his scheme, Hill sent the university a copy of a Virginia driver’s license displaying Hill’s picture and the victim’s name. Hill also fraudulently presented his own social security card as the victim’s and attempted to convince Syracuse University officials that the university needed to update its files with respect to the victim’s social security number. Hill also admitted that he applied for a job with a non-profit health care company based in Virginia while posing as the victim and falsely claiming to be a Syracuse University graduate. Hill never attended Syracuse University, and he is currently serving a 7-year prison sentence in Georgia for a serial romance fraud scheme that caused some to call him the “Sweetheart Swindler.” Hill’s federal sentence will run consecutive to the 7-year prison term he is currently serving in Georgia. Hill will be on federal supervised release for 3 years following his release from imprisonment. The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry prosecuted this case.


title: Oswego County Sex Offender Sentenced to 21 Months for Failing to Disclose his Email Address and Violating the Conditions of his Supervised Release

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Anthony Charles Howe, Sr., age 60, of Oswego County, New York, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for failing to disclose his email address to the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), and for violating the terms of his supervised release imposed as part of his 2012 conviction for distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement. The imprisonment term, imposed by United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, consists of 15 months in prison on the new criminal offense of failing to register the email account as required under SORNA, and a consecutive imprisonment term of 6 months for the supervised release violation of committing new criminal conduct, failing to truthfully answer questions from his probation officer, and having an undisclosed internet-capable device. The United States Marshals Service investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Tioga County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – David P. VanHousen, age 54, formerly of Newark Valley, New York, pled guilty today to possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). VanHousen admitted that, while civilly committed at the Central New York Psychiatric Center in Marcy, New York, following several sex offense and child pornography-related convictions, he possessed numerous images and videos of child pornography on a contraband phone. VanHousen was previously convicted in 2001 of sexual misconduct and rape in the third degree in New York State and transportation of child pornography in federal court. Sentencing is scheduled for April 18, 2024 before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. VanHousen faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. VanHousen will also be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison. This case was investigated by the FBI Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian S. LaRochelle and Jessica N. Carbone are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Nigerian Extradited to the District of Nebraska on Business Email Compromise Fraud Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced the extradition of Afeez Akinloye, 42, a Nigerian national, from South Africa to the District of Nebraska on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and access device fraud filed in July 2018. The United States requested Akinloye’s extradition in November 2021, and South African authorities arrested him based on the U.S. request in September 2022. Subsequently, a South African court ordered his extradition in May 2023, and the Minister of Justice ordered his surrender in September. In coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South African authorities ultimately surrendered Akinloye to the United States on December 8, 2023. Akinloye had an initial appearance on the Indictment on December 12, 2023. United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson ordered Akinloye remain detained pending trial. The Indictment charges Akinloye with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section, 1349 and with access device fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029. It is alleged that Akinloye participated in a business email compromise (BEC) scheme from September 2016 to June 2017. The BEC scheme involved real estate transactions. Akinloye and his co-conspirators would learn of a real estate transaction closing and send fraudulent emails to have the wire proceeds wired to accounts they could access. As a result of this scheme, business in Nebraska and elsewhere were defrauded of over $1,850,000. Akinloye is the first of the co-conspirators to appear on the Indictment. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Akinloye.


title: Grand Jury - December 2023

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned nine unsealed Indictments charging 11 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. * Ravier Olivas-Valenzuela , age 32, of Phoenix, Arizona, and Carlos Daniel Ruelas , age 21, of Phoenix, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Olivas-Valenzuela with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine on or about July 31, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Ruelas with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of a mixture of cocaine on or about July 31, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. * Jaime Ramos-Gonzalez , age 63, of Lexington, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine on or about September 20, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. * Brian I. Gonzalez , age 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charge Gonzalez with receipt and distribution of child pornography from between on or about March 27, 2023, and on or about November 15, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Gonzalez with possession of child pornography on or about November 15, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. * James L. Hatten, II, age 52 of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a five-count Indictment. Counts I and II charge Hatten with sex trafficking of a minor and production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct from on or about May 1, 2022, through September 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Hatten with sexual exploitation of children from on or about May 1, 2022, through September 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Counts IV and V charge Hatten with distribution of a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21 from on or about May 1, 2022, through September 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 1 year and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 6 years, and a $100 special assessment. * Gene Milton Jr., age 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Milton with possession with intent to deliver 400 grams or more of fentanyl on or about December 4, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Milton with possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about December 4, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 30 years’ up to life imprisonment consecutive, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Milton with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 4, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than three years, and a $100 special assessment. * Ronnie James Colvin, III , age 21, of Omaha, Nebraska and Jonathan Ayer , age 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, are charged in a five-count Indictment. Count I charges Colvin and Ayer with conspiracy to commit bank fraud from no later than January 31, 2023, and continuing to December 7, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than five years, and a $100 special assessment. Counts II and III charges Colvin and Ayer with bank fraud on or about May 5, 2023, and on or about May 12, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than five years, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Colvin with robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States on or about January 31, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 25 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than three years, and a $100 special assessment. Count V charges Colvin with using, carrying, or possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence on or about January 31, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 7 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than three years, and a $100 special assessment. * Neon Chang, age 41, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Counts I and II charge Chang with production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct on or about January 18, 2019, and or about February 17, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Chang with receipt or distribution of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct from at least on or about April 5, 2022, and continuing to on or about March 4, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Chang with possession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct on or about November 30, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.


title: Oahu Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Weapons Possession

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Cyrus Croskery, 29, of Oahu, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 25 years imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Judge Watson also imposed five years of supervised release consecutive to Croskery’s prison term. Croskery had been detained since his arrest and will begin serving his prison sentence immediately. According to information provided to the Court, Croskery, working with others, was responsible for bringing approximately 80 pounds of methamphetamine and 40,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl from California to Hawaii from June 2021 to February 2022. On January 31, 2022, Croskery shot an individual, who survived, for allegedly stealing six pounds of methamphetamine from Croskery. On February 3, 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), working in conjunction with the Honolulu Police Department, arrested Croskery at a hotel in Waikiki. At the time of his arrest, Croskery possessed at his hotel room, home, and other locations nearly two pounds of methamphetamine, over 2,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, one privately manufactured pistol, three additional pistols, two privately manufactured short-barrel rifles, one additional rifle, two firearm suppressors, a bump-stock device, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Among the firearms recovered was the pistol that Croskery used in the January 31, 2022 drug-related shooting. According to additional information provided to the Court, Croskery misrepresented fentanyl pills as oxycodone pills to drug purchasers. Some of his buyers included active-duty military members. As of 2023, 7 out of 10 pills recovered by the DEA nationally contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. “Our community continues to be plagued by the distribution of methamphetamine, and now increasingly, lethal doses of fentanyl,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “This defendant trafficked both drugs, and did so while possessing multiple firearms, making his conduct even more dangerous.” “The DEA, working alongside and in-conjunction with our local law enforcement partners, is committed to safeguarding the health and safety of our communities, and to keeping all Americans safe from illicit narcotics and its accompanying violence. Dangerous and highly addictive synthetic drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl are wreaking havoc on our communities and killing people at increasing rates. This case illustrates the collaborative work, alongside our local law enforcement partners, to target and hold drug traffickers accountable who drive addiction and threaten public safety,” said DEA Hawaii District Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Victor Vazquez. DEA, in partnership with the Honolulu Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to this conviction. Assistant U.S. Attorneys W. KeAupuni Akina and Michael F. Albanese prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Tahlequah Resident Of First Degree Murder In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Isaac Newman Sockey, age 39, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of First Degree Murder in Indian Country. The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, December 11, 2023, and concluded on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, with the guilty verdict. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on September 8, 2023, Sockey stabbed the victim in the head, neck, and back after a verbal altercation at a private residence. The victim was life-flighted to a Tulsa hospital but died from injuries sustained in the attack. The crime occurred in Tahlequah, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department, the Cherokee Nation Attorney General’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Sockey will remain in custody of the United States Marshal until sentencing. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Gross and Gregory Dean Burris represented the United States.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Resolve Disability-Based Discrimination Lawsuit

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has agreed to pay $32,600 to resolve allegations that it violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by refusing to allow four people with mental health disabilities to reside together in a single-family home in the city under the same terms and conditions as residents without disabilities. The department’s lawsuit alleged that the city unnecessarily required Quality Lifestyle Service Inc. (Quality Lifestyle), a nonprofit housing provider, to apply for a special use permit to manage a four-person transitional home in the city’s R-1 residential zoning district. Under the city’s own zoning ordinance and state law, the home was an allowed use in that neighborhood. The lawsuit further alleged that the city denied the permit without any legitimate reason. “Federal civil rights laws protect the rights of people with disabilities to live in the housing of their choice,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement sends a clear message that the Justice Department will vigorously protect the rights of people with disabilities. All Americans, regardless of disability, have a right to fair housing in their communities.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends the complainant for sharing their experience to improve housing opportunities for persons with disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “Further, we commend the city of Chattanooga for cooperating in the investigation and working to reach a resolution that promotes accessible housing in East Tennessee.” “Preventing persons with disabilities from accessing housing through discriminatory housing policies has no place in our society,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Demetria L. McCain of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “This agreement sends a strong message that HUD and the Justice Department will continue to work together to enforce our nation’s fair housing laws.” Under the agreement, which was approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, the city agreed to amend its zoning ordinance to ensure that persons with disabilities are not illegally denied housing opportunities or excluded from participation in the city’s services or programs. The city also agreed to pay a civil penalty to the government of $5,000, to train officials and employees about their fair-housing obligations under federal law, designate a fair-housing compliance officer and file periodic reports with the department. The case began when Quality Lifestyle filed a complaint with HUD. HUD referred the complaint to the Justice Department, which conducted an investigation. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. The division also enforces the ADA, which protects persons with disabilities’ access to state and local governments’ programs and services. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt . Individuals may report disability discrimination or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov . Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint online . consent_decree_chattanooga_entered_2023-12-08.pdf


title: Justice Department Announces Release of Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today the release of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap , a one-stop shop to assist local jurisdictions in developing, implementing, and evaluating strategies to prevent, intervene in, and respond to violent crime. The Roadmap helps connect jurisdictions with the information and resources they need to meet the complex and evolving challenges to help reduce violent crime. The announcement came during the opening session of the Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Summit, which brings together federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners across the country to identify evidence-informed practices to increase public safety, enhance partnerships in the participating communities, and reduce violent crime. The Summit is convening executive leaders and key stakeholders from Project Safe Neighborhoods and National Public Safety Partnership sites, as well as grantees from several violent crime reduction programs including the Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative, Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, and the Rural and Small Department Violent Crime Reduction Program. Also in attendance at the Summit are top Justice Department officials, including Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta and leaders of offices and federal law enforcement agencies across the Department. The Roadmap is part of a comprehensive Justice Department strategy to reduce violent crime. “We have spent two and a half years using every available resource to combat the violent crime spike we saw during the pandemic, and this is a guide to the programs and strategies that we have seen work,” said Attorney General Garland. “But this is not a time to relax our efforts. We know that the only way to replicate what is working and to bring violent crime down in every community is by learning from each other and by investing in our partnerships.” The dozens of Justice Department resources available from the Roadmap are organized around actions outlined in Saving Lives: Ten Essential Actions Cities Can Take to Reduce Violence Now , developed by the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank for the criminal justice field. These strategies were identified by the Council on Criminal Justice’s (CCJ)’s Violent Crime Working Group, which included experts from community organizations, law enforcement, the public health sector, and academia. “Effectively addressing violent crime requires partnerships and investments at every level — federal, state, and local law enforcement, and the communities we serve,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta. “This Roadmap is a one-stop shop for Justice Department resources — from funding to training to publications — that can help law enforcement, local leaders, and community members tackle this problem together.” “This Roadmap lifts up proven solutions and the resources we have available for communities across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP). “The effort to address violent crime will require continued collaboration and engagement between all stakeholders, and communities themselves. OJP is pleased to identify resources available here and, eventually, across the federal government that can support city leaders to implement these essential actions to save lives.” The Police Executive Research Forum , funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, will provide local jurisdictions with tailored training and technical assistance on how to implement the 10 essential actions and utilize the Justice Department’s resources identified in the Roadmap, to reduce violent crime while building community trust. Training and technical assistance offerings include specialized expertise to help organizations solve problems and build capacity, and they provide direct connections to subject matter experts as well as how-to materials.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violation of the Federal Gun Control Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ULYSSES MERCADEL , age 25, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on December 5, 2023, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, New Orleans Police officers detained MERCADEL at the Walmart Supercenter on Tchoupitoulas Street, in New Orleans. During a struggle to detain MERCADEL , officers removed a Plum Crazy Firearms Mod-M, .556/.223 caliber pistol from MERCADEL’s possession. This firearm was loaded, with one live round in the chamber and nineteen live rounds in the magazine. MERCADEL had been previously convicted of felonies, which prohibited him from possessing a firearm. MERCADEL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following imprisonment, as well as payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2024. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.


title: Dover Man Arrested and Charged with Threatening to Kill a Presidential Candidate

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Dover man has been arrested and charged in connection with sending text messages that threatened a presidential candidate and attendees at a campaign event scheduled to take place in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Tyler Anderson, 30, was charged with transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure the person of another. Anderson will make an initial appearance in federal court in Concord today, December 11, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. According to the charging documents, Anderson received a text message from the victim’s campaign notifying him of a political event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Anderson responded to the text message on December 8, 2023, stating: “Great, another opportunity for me to blow his brains out!” and “I’m going to kill everyone who attends and then f*** their corpses.” The charge provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Dover and Portsmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarad Hodes and Matthew Hunter are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Travel for the Purpose of Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with Fourteen-Year-Old Female

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – ERIC SCOTT ALFORD , age 38, from Clinton, Mississippi, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, ALFORD was an adult male living in Clinton, Mississippi. On about July 26, 2023, ALFORD contacted an undercover law enforcement officer purporting to be an adult female with a fourteen-year-old daughter (FA1) on a social network and messaging application designed for individuals interested in various “kink,” “fetish,” and alternative sexual practices. ALFORD asked what “kinks” FA1 had. Over the next several days, in his correspondence with FA1, ALFORD expressed the desire and intent to engage in various forms of sexual contact with FA1 and her fourteen-year-old daughter, both individually and collectively, on multiple occasions. ALFORD reinforced his intent to FA1 by providing graphic descriptions of the sexual acts he desired. ALFORD also frequently discussed and planned face-to-face meetings with FA1 and her daughter for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with each of them. This included suggesting that they travel to his residence. Separately, ALFORD directly communicated, via an instant messaging application, with the person he believed to be FA1’s minor daughter. During that conversation, ALFORD again described sexual acts he intended to perform on and with FA1 and the child, individually and collectively. On August 2, 2023, ALFORD told FA1’s minor daughter that he was travelling to Hammond, Louisiana that evening for the purpose of first engaging in sex acts with FA1 and then engaging in sex acts with both FA1 and her daughter. That evening, ALFORD drove his automobile from Flowood, Mississippi to Hammond, in furtherance of his intent to engage in sexual acts with FA1 and her minor daughter. ALFORD faces a maximum term of imprisonment of thirty (30) years followed by between five (5) years and a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. ALFORD may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Ashe has been scheduled for March 28, 2024. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Bradenton Convicted Felon Sentenced To Seven Years’ Imprisonment For Possessing Ten Firearms

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Terrence Johnson, Jr. (28, Bradenton) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Johnson had pleaded guilty on June 26, 2023. According to court documents, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting near 31 st Avenue East in Bradenton and discovered several spent cartridge casings in the roadway in front of a residence where Johnson resided. There were also several bullet holes in a window of the home facing the street. During a search of the residence, the deputies discovered spent cartridge casings on the floor in the front room of the home, narcotics, approximately $27,000 in cash, and equipment for a digital video recording (DVR) system. The deputies also searched a sedan that was parked in the driveway of the residence. Inside the vehicle’s trunk, the deputies located 10 firearms, including an AK-style 7.62 mm caliber “MAK90 Sporter” Norinco rifle. Recovered footage from the contents of the DVR system showed that on the morning of February 19, 2023, Johnson exited the residence carrying the above-described Norinco rifle which he placed inside the trunk of his sedan. During an interview with ATF agents, Johnson confessed to possessing the rifle as a convicted felon. Johnson identified himself as holding the same rifle as depicted in a screenshot taken from the DVR on the same date. This case was investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Samantha J. Newman. 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: Former Claims Adjuster Sentenced To Five Years In Federal Prison For Providing Assistance To Individuals Who Carried Out Robberies, Shootings, While Dressed As Police Officers

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew has sentenced Jasmine Weber (28, Tampa) to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. Weber had pleaded guilty on January 20, 2023. According to the plea agreement, between December 2020 and April 2021, Weber was aware that a group of individuals had conspired with each other to commit armed robberies throughout Pasco, Polk, Lee, and Hillsborough Counties. Weber knew that members of this conspiracy carried out their crimes by pretending to be law enforcement officers. Members of this conspiracy provided Weber with identifying information on their potential victims. Using her employment as a claims adjuster and knowing the co-conspirators’ goal, Weber researched those individuals on her Lexus Nexus account and located their home addresses. Members of this conspiracy then committed robberies at those residences, some of which resulted in victims being beaten, pistol whipped, and shot. Additionally, Weber purchased equipment for co-conspirators to use in the commission of these robberies, including Sheriff’s vests, law enforcement patches, and light bars. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Bartow Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, the Dade City Police Department, the Cape Coral Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Distribution Of Over $158 Million To Nearly 25,000 Victims Of Madoff Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Nicole M. Argentieri, the Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, announced today that the Madoff Victim Fund (“MVF”) began its ninth distribution of approximately $158 million in funds forfeited to the U.S. Government in connection with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (“BLMIS”) fraud scheme. In this distribution, payments will be sent to 24,875 victims across the globe, bringing their total recoveries to 91% of their fraud losses. Through its nine distributions, MVF has paid over $4.22 billion to 40,843 victims as compensation for losses they suffered from the collapse of BLMIS. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “In 2009, when the Southern District of New York charged Bernie Madoff for his $64 billion securities fraud ‘Ponzi’ scheme, it was one of the most prolific financial crimes in American history. Among Madoff’s many victims were not only wealthy and institutional investors, but charities and pension funds alike – some of which invested money with Madoff on behalf of individuals working paycheck-to-paycheck who were relying on their pension accounts for their retirements. The financial toll on those who entrusted their money with Madoff was devasting, and this Office’s unprecedented efforts to return money to Madoff’s victims has now resulted in clawbacks of 91% of fraud losses to their rightful owners. I commend the career prosecutors of this Office for today’s distribution of over $158 million and for their relentless pursuit of justice for victims of Wall Street fraudsters, like Bernie Madoff.” Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri said: “The department’s Madoff Victim Fund has exceeded expectations in the level of recovery provided to victims of the fraud committed by Bernard Madoff, which devastated thousands of lives. To date, the Madoff Victim Fund has assisted more than 40,800 individual victims in recovering over 90% of victim losses. The department continues to prioritize the use of civil asset forfeiture to ensure compensation is available for victims of fraud.” According to court documents and information presented in related proceedings: For decades, BERNARD L. MADOFF used his position as chairman of BLMIS, the investment advisory business he founded in 1960, to steal billions of dollars from his clients. On March 12, 2009, MADOFF pled guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle. On June 29, 2009, MADOFF was sentenced to 150 years in prison for running the largest fraudulent scheme in history. Of the over $4 billion that has been made available to victims, approximately $2.2 billion was collected as part of the historic civil forfeiture recovery from the estate of deceased MADOFF investor, Jeffry Picower. An additional $1.7 billion was collected as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. and civilly forfeited in a parallel action. The remaining funds were collected through a civil forfeiture action against investor Carl Shapiro and his family and from civil and criminal forfeiture actions against MADOFF, Peter B. Madoff, and their co-conspirators. * * * The MVF’s payouts would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the prosecution of MADOFF’s crimes and the recovery of assets supporting the forfeiture in the case. The MVF is overseen by Richard Breeden, former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, who serves as Special Master appointed by the Justice Department to assist in connection with the victim remission proceedings. Breeden and his team at MVF provided essential assistance to evaluate over 68,000 remission petitions involving billions in cash flows and to compute each victim’s fraud losses to enable payments to be made. The case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. The remission of these forfeited funds is being handled by the Office and the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. More information about MVF and its compensation of BLMIS is available on the MVF website at www.madoffvictimfund.com , such as eligibility criteria, process updates, and frequently asked questions. Further questions may be directed to the MVF at 866-624-3670 or info@madoffvictimfund.com .