title: Brothers Sentenced to More Than 35 Years Combined for Manufacturing and Distributing Machineguns Intended for ISIS

body_text: Moyad Dannon, 26, of Fishers, Indiana, was sentenced today to 200 months, equivalent to 16 years and eight months, in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to attempting to provide material support or resources, namely, firearms, to a designated foreign terrorist organization. His brother, Mahde Dannon, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in October 2021, after pleading guilty to the same charges. “The defendants in this case fused together two grave threats to Americans’ security by attempting to support a brutal terrorist organization through the illicit manufacture of ghost guns,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Just as we’ve done in the fight against terrorism, the Justice Department is committed to prevention — stopping gun violence before it happens by cracking down on the illegal production and trafficking of ghost guns.” “The defendant showed an absolute disregard for the rule of law and is being held accountable for his actions,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Working with his brother, the defendant produced large caches of privately made firearms and attempted to place them in the hands of ISIS members overseas to be used against U.S. service members and allies. The FBI and our partners worked tirelessly to prevent the weapons from reaching their intended destination, and ensured these defendants faced justice for their attempts to support a foreign terrorist organization. We will continue to aggressively investigate anyone who tries to help terrorists and endangers the lives of others.” “Violent extremists inspired by events abroad continue to pose a threat to our local communities and to our national security. Indiana is not immune from the poison of radicalization, fueled by terrorist propaganda available online,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “For nearly a year, these defendants worked persistently to arm murderous terrorists with deadly, illegal weapons. Cases like this demonstrate the need for law enforcement agencies to use all available lawful means to identify, disrupt, and prosecute national security threats here at home. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Fishers Police Department, these dangerous men have been held accountable for their actions and our communities will be safe from them for many years.” According to court documents, in June 2018, the Dannon brothers devised a scheme to deliver stolen firearms to a convicted felon who was cooperating with the FBI. Between July 2018 and December 2018, the Dannon brothers sold a number of illegally obtained firearms to the cooperating individual. Around the same time period, the Dannon brothers also began to manufacture untraceable “ghost guns” by purchasing firearms parts online and assembling those parts into fully-functioning, .223 caliber semi-automatic rifles, which they sold to an FBI undercover agent. In late 2018, the Dannon brothers began manufacturing untraceable, fully automatic, .223 caliber rifles, using much the same process they used to manufacture the semi-automatic rifles, and selling those to the undercover agent and confidential informant (CI). Shortly thereafter, Moyad Dannon accompanied the undercover agent to a location near the U.S. southwest border in an effort to market that rifle, and additional fully-automatic rifles, to a potential buyer who was also cooperating with the FBI. During that trip, Moyad Dannon learned that the potential buyer sought to ship the weapons to a location in the Middle East, where they would be used by ISIS. ISIS is a designated foreign terrorist organization pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Despite learning of the ultimate destination of the weapons, the Dannon brothers agreed to manufacture and sell at least 55 additional fully automatic “ghost guns” to the buyer from the American southwest border, believing those weapons would be shipped to the Middle East, to ISIS and its members. On May 15, 2019, the Dannon brothers manufactured five untraceable, fully automatic, .223 caliber rifles from parts they had purchased online. At that time, the Dannon brothers were fully aware that the plan was to send the five automatic rifles overseas to ISIS. After building the fully automatic rifles, the Dannon brothers sold all five weapons to undercover FBI agents posing as employees of the buyer from near the southwest border. The Dannon brothers were arrested immediately thereafter by the FBI. Between February and May of 2019, Moyad Dannon had numerous and extensive conversations with an undercover agent who he believed was a member of ISIS then fighting in Syria. During those conversations, Moyad expressed his desire to travel from Indiana to ISIS-controlled areas of Syria, where he sought to utilize his knowledge of firearms and other skills to provide direct military assistance to ISIS in its fight against the United States and Syrian government. In a search following his arrest, FBI agents located a flash drive on Moyad’s keychain containing approximately 16 gigabytes of ISIS propaganda, including graphically violent videos depicting ISIS fighters beheading civilians and hostages, and ISIS snipers killing U.S. military personnel. Identical ISIS propaganda videos were discovered on a laptop computer. The FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Fishers, Indiana, Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Rinka, Kate Olivier, and Kelly Rota for the Southern District of Indiana and Deputy Chief Paul Casey and Trial Attorney Kevin Nunnally of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case.


title: Worland man arraigned for unlawful possession of machineguns and an unregistered short-barreled rifle

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

body_text: Steven Shobert, 48, of Worland, Wyoming, was arraigned on Dec. 12 for unlawful possession of machineguns and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. Shobert pleaded not guilty. A trial has been set for Feb. 15, 2024, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl. Shobert was detained at the request of the government and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. If convicted, Shobert faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release and up to a $500,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This crime is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom. An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Case No. 23-CR-00153


title: Virginia Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: WACO – A Virginia man was sentenced in federal court today to 20 years in prison for distribution of sexual abuse material involving a minor. On November 9, 2021, Daniel Price, 37, of Galax, VA., was charged with two counts of knowingly distributing and attempting to distribute visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On August 29, 2023, Price pleaded guilty to both charges in federal court. According to court documents, in February 2021, a mother contacted the Waco Police Department and related her 11-year-old’s phone contained sexually explicit images and messages between her child and Price. Investigation determined Price coerced the child to send sexually explicit photos and videos. Price also sent images of his genitalia to the victim. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright ordered Price to pay $3,000 in restitution to his victim and to serve a lifetime of supervised release after he serves his prison term. “As this case demonstrates, those intent on harming our children don’t have to live in close proximity to their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza. “Price was over a thousand miles away from this minor when he perpetrated this crime. I applaud the victim’s mother for bringing these crimes to the Waco Police Department’s attention. As a community we all need to be vigilant in protecting our children from predators such as Price.” The Waco Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory S. Gloff prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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. ###


title: Man Who Sparked Police Standoff in Shrewsbury Sentenced to 13+ Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon caught repeatedly with a firearm, including after a standoff with police, to 13 years and nine months in prison. Stephen Joseph Diani, 49, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty in June to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and admitted being caught with a gun three times. On Sept. 8, 2021, St. Louis County Police Department officers were investigating whether the car Diani was driving was stolen because the license plate wasn’t registered to the vehicle. When Diani opened the driver’s door, they spotted a 9mm handgun between the door and the seat and what turned out to be cocaine base and heroin in plastic bags in the car. On Sept. 23, 2021, Diani was arrested after St. Louis County police responded to calls about someone walking through a neighborhood checking car door handles. After police spotted Diani inside someone else’s SUV, he ran but was caught. In his car, officers found a .223 caliber rifle and tools that had been stolen from a nearby resident’s truck that evening. In December of 2021 and January of 2022, police in Shrewsbury and St. Louis were investigating a series of burglaries in St. Louis near the Shrewsbury border and were monitoring Diani’s use of a storage unit in Shrewsbury. They also received a tip that Diani threatened to kill officers or himself rather than going back to jail. On Jan. 12, 2022, Shrewsbury police spotted Diani’s car at the storage unit, called for backup and attempted to detain him. Diani tried to close the door of the storage unit but was prevented from doing so by an officer, sparking a 38-minute standoff with police. Diani placed his hand on a handgun if police approached, constructed a makeshift barricade and repeatedly told police to kill him. Officers successfully negotiated with Diani to allow a man who had responded to an internet ad about tools for sale to leave the unit. As he left, officers leaped the barricade and tackled Diani, who continued to resist officers’ attempts to arrest him. At least one officer was injured when he jumped the barricade and landed among the stolen tools and equipment in the storage unit. The Shrewsbury Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel prosecuted the case.


title: Stockton Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Frank Jonathan Guzman, 31, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between November 2018 and December 2019, Guzman and co‑defendant Jose Cruz Ivan Aispuro, 38, of Stockton, conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 1 kilogram of heroin and at least 400 grams of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl. As part of this conspiracy, on three occasions Guzman sold heroin to an undercover agent and another person and also sold 500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to the undercover agent. Agents executed a search warrant at Guzman’s residence in Stockton and seized approximately 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and 2.8 kilograms of heroin. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the San Joaquin Metropolitan Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case. On Sept. 26, 2023, Aispuro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. Aispuro is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 9, 2024. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Former Social Media Stock Promoter in a ‘Pump-and-Dump’ Securities Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a San Pedro man in a “stock scalping” scheme in which he used his “TeamBillionaire” email list and his social-media accounts to deceive investors into buying penny stocks he recommended, while simultaneously selling off those same stocks for a profit. Michael M. Beck, 48, was charged in an indictment returned Tuesday afternoon with three counts of securities fraud and three counts of wire fraud, each of which carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment alleges that Beck purchased blocks of penny stocks and then promoted those stocks to his many followers on the social-media platform then-known as Twitter. Prior to promoting the stocks to the followers of the @BigMoneyMike6 handle on Twitter, Beck encouraged subscribers of his TeamBillionaire email group to buy the stock, thereby increasing the trading volume of the stock and making the stock look more attractive to potential investors. At the same time, Beck was secretly selling – or causing his associates to sell – shares of the very stock he was promoting into the artificially inflated market for a profit, often while falsely telling his Twitter followers that he was still buying shares. Investigators believe that Beck’s fraudulent scheme resulted in profits of at least $500,000. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission previously filed a civil complaint alleging that Beck committed violations of federal securities law. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Beck is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on the indictment on January 9. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn S. Small and Jenna Williams of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force are prosecuting this case. Created in October, the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force is focusing on complex corporate crimes, abuses by company insiders and offenses that impact the nation’s financial system.


title: Former Sacramento Resident Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Terence Aubrey Larker, 37, of Las Vegas, previously of Sacramento, was sentenced Tuesday to four years and 10 months in prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the Unemployment Insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, beginning in April 2020, and continuing through at least October 2020, Larker perpetrated a mail fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted the Unemployment Insurance benefit program that California administers through its Employment Development Department (EDD). Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, EDD was responsible for administering unemployment insurance benefits for qualifying residents who could no longer find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Larker obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of more than 80 individuals and filed fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit claims under their identities. EDD approved many of these applications and mailed benefits in the form of prepaid debit cards to addresses under Larker’s control, including at least 24 to his home address in Sacramento. Once received in the mail, he activated the cards and spent the benefits on himself, often appearing in ATM surveillance footage taking out large amounts of cash from these cards. In total, Larker’s conduct resulted in EDD and the United States paying out over $1.1 million in fraudulent claims. “Terence A. Larker used stolen identities to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to obtain over $1 million in benefits allocated for workers who lost their jobs as a result of the global pandemic. This sentence demonstrates the Office of Inspector General’s continued commitment to safeguard the Unemployment Insurance system,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Los Angeles Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. This case was the product of an investigation by the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, the California Employment Development Department, the Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.


title: Shasta County Resident Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Tax Fraud

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Deborah Gwen Orrey, 54, of Anderson, was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for making and subscribing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Orrey was the owner and operator of Affordable Tax, Bankruptcy, and Bookkeeping. For tax years 2013 to 2016, Orrey submitted tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service that contained incorrect information including, education credits, inflated medical expenses, and other inflated or non-existent business expenses. Orrey owed to the IRS an additional $112,083 for these years. Orrey also willfully falsified information on tax returns that she filed on her clients’ behalf. She split the refunds due to her clients without their knowledge, causing a portion of the clients’ refunds to be deposited to her own bank account. Eight of her clients suffered an actual loss of a total of $3,729. Orrey was ordered to pay $115,362 in restitution, which is the total loss to the IRS. This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.


title: Portland Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court for Role in Overdose Death of Portland Teenager

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A local man pleaded guilty in federal court today for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a Portland teenager. Tanner Welsh, 20, a Portland resident, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing fentanyl to a person under the age of twenty-one. According to court documents, on November 10, 2022, officers from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) responded to a fatal overdose of a 17-year-old teenager. Investigating officers located several small blue pills near the teenager’s body they believed were counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. An autopsy later confirmed the teenager died from fentanyl poisoning. Further investigation revealed that the teenager had exchanged several text messages with Welsh shortly before overdosing in response to an online ad posted by Welsh offering the sale of controlled substances. Investigators also learned that Welsh had personally traveled to the teenager’s house to deliver the fentanyl pills. On January 24, 2024, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) located and arrested Welsh who admitted selling fentanyl and Xanax pills to the deceased teenager. On February 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Welsh on one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. Later, on November 30, 2023, he was charged by superseding criminal information with distributing fentanyl to a person under the age of twenty-one. Distributing fentanyl to a person under the age of twenty-one is punishable by up to 40 years in prison, a $2 million fine, and six years of supervised release. Welsh will be sentenced on March 13, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson. As part of his plea agreement, Welsh has agreed to pay restitution in full to a designated family member of his deceased victim as requested by the government and ordered by the court. This case was investigated by PPB and HSI and was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.


title: Former Ithaca Postal Employee Sentenced for Stealing Money Orders

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Stephen Perrine, age 40, of King Ferry, New York, was sentenced today to 12 months of probation for stealing money orders from the United States Postal Service (USPS). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Northeast Area Field Office, made the announcement. Perrine previously pled guilty and admitted that while working for the USPS in Ithaca, New York, he stole 10 money orders totaling $2,480, by issuing them to himself and entering fraudulent justifications in a USPS accounting system. For example, Perrine admitted that he stole and cashed a $400 money order on or about September 13, 2022, and that he documented the money order as having been issued as payment for “local transport.” Similarly, Perrine admitted that on November 15, 2022, he stole and cashed a $200 money order, which he fraudulently documented as having been issued as payment for “office supplies.” Perrine was ordered to pay full restitution of $2,480 to the USPS. Perrine no longer works for USPS, as he resigned his position after he was charged in this case. USPS-OIG investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry prosecuted this case.


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

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Tyler Ager, age 30, of Oswego County, New York, pled guilty today to possession of child pornography. 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. Ager admitted that in May 2023 and June 2023, he possessed child pornography on his phone and that he uploaded a child pornography file to a public website where adults chat with other adults. He also admitted that, in April 2021, he was convicted of sexual abuse in the second degree in Parish Town Court. His offense conduct in that case involved him having a 4-year-old minor touch his penis. He received a term of probation, which he was serving when he committed the offense to which he pled guilty today Sentencing is scheduled for April 17, 2024, before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. Ager 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. Ager also will have to pay restitution to any identified victims, forfeit the property he used to commit the offense, and will be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. 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. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is 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: Honduran Citizen Sentenced to 78 Months for Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – David Rivera-Mejia, age 33, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced today to serve 78 months (6.5 years) in federal prison for possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Chief Border Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Rivera-Mejia admitted that he is a citizen of Honduras, and on March 24, 2021, he illegally entered the United States from Canada by walking across the international border near Mooers, New York. United States Border Patrol apprehended Rivera-Mejia and seized his cell phone. Rivera-Mejia’s phone contained approximately 38 videos and 12 images depicting child pornography. United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release, which will start when Rivera-Mejia is released from prison, and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment and restitution to victims in the amount of $6,000. Rivera-Mejia will also be required to register as a sex offender. Upon his release from prison, Rivera-Mejia may be removed/deported from the United States. Border Patrol and HSI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carling Dunham and Tamara Thomson prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/ .


title: Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Javier Bachiller, age 32, of Syracuse, New York, pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Carla Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division. Bachiller admitted that on October 19, 2023, he possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in a Syracuse garage he was renting. Sentencing is scheduled for April 11, 2024, in front of United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Bachiller faces a minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. This case is being investigated by the DEA, with assistance from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown is prosecuting this case.


title: Eight People Indicted in Connection with Nationwide Conspiracy Targeting Credit Unions

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Two leaders of a nationwide bank fraud conspiracy have been arrested in connection with a scheme that has targeted credit unions all over the country since at least December 2021. 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. According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made by prosecutors in court, beginning in at least December 2021, Oluwaseun Adekoya, a/k/a “John Calling,” age 38, a Nigerian citizen residing in Newark, New Jersey, and David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Tajudeen Dosunmu,” a/k/a “David James,” a/k/a “Tony James,” a/k/a “James Bush,” age 59, a Nigerian citizen residing in Brooklyn, New York, obtained the personal identifying information of scores of individuals who banked at credit unions throughout the United States. The credit unions were members of a shared branching network that allowed customers of member credit unions to withdraw funds from their accounts at other member credit unions by presenting an identification with their photograph, their account number, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. The network was designed to allow customers of localized credit unions easier access to their accounts when traveling throughout the country. According to the indictment, the defendants exploited this network by creating fake identifications in the names of real credit union customers, but with photographs of other individuals, whom they employed to conduct fraudulent transactions at credit unions all over the country. In total, the indictment charges Adekoya and Daniyan with orchestrating over 200 fraudulent transactions, and fraudulently obtaining more than $900,000, which they allegedly used to purchase luxury items including watches, a vehicle, and high-end clothing and apparel. The fraud was perpetrated in Albany, Clinton, Rensselaer, and Saratoga Counties in the Northern District of New York, and all over the country. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Adekoya was arrested and appeared yesterday in federal court in the District of New Jersey. He was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for December 14, 2023. Daniyan was arrested and appeared yesterday in federal court in the Eastern District of New York, and was ordered detained pending transfer to the Northern District of New York. Also arrested yesterday were Gaysha Kennedy, age 45, of Brooklyn, and Danielle Cappetti, 45, of the Bronx, New York. The arrests of four additional defendants are pending. Law enforcement has seized over $45,000 in proceeds of the conspiracy, and an estimated tens of thousands of dollars in luxury jewelry and merchandise. The following charges were unsealed yesterday: Adekoya is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft; Daniyan is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft; Kennedy is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and Cappetti is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The bank fraud conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 30 years in prison and the aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory term of 2 years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed on the bank fraud charge. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. FBI is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Traveling to Minnesota to Have Sex with a Minor

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Michigan man has been sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release, required to pay restitution to the victim, and ordered to pay $5,000 to the Domestic Victim Trafficking Fund for interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to his plea agreement, in late 2022, Maxwell Winston Beardsley, 22, met a young teenager on Omegle, a free online chat website that does not require user registration. Although the minor immediately identified as such, Beardsley lied and said he was 16 years old and then proceeded to pursue a romantic relationship with the minor victim. Over the course of several months, Beardsley exchanged sexually explicit materials with the minor victim and engaged in sexually explicit conversations. On January 27, 2023, Beardsley drove from Michigan to Minnesota for the express purpose of meeting the minor victim to engage in sex. On July 19, 2023, Beardsley pleaded guilty to one count of interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel on December 11, 2023. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Lakeville Police Department in Minnesota, and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office in Michigan. 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 Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case.


title: Former Police Officer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Sex Abuse Materials

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: FLORENCE, S.C. — Douglas Perdick, 47, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child sex abuse materials. Evidence presented to the Court showed that on Nov. 23, 2020, an FBI online covert employee accessed a group on a mobile application while working in an undercover capacity and observed a link which had been posted by another user. The FBI employee accessed the link, which ultimately led to a folder containing multiple videos of child sex abuse materials. During the investigation, FBI discovered that the user was Perdick, who was a former police officer. FBI obtained the IP address used by Perdick to share the link to the child sex abuse materials and linked the IP address to his residence in Conway, South Carolina. FBI executed a search warrant at Perdick’s residence, and during execution of the search warrant, Perdick admitted to sharing child sex abuse materials from his phone multiple times. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Perdick to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Perdick was court-ordered to pay $9,000.00 in restitution to the victims. “The production and distribution of child sex abuse materials is egregious child exploitation,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will prosecute those who put our children at risk.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Florida attorney convicted at trial for role in COVID-19 fraud scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A Florida attorney has been convicted at trial for participating in a scheme to illegally obtain funding from a federal COVID-19 small business relief program. Shaquandra Woods , 40, of Jacksonville, Fla., was convicted after a four-day trial in U.S. District Court on a charge of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The conviction subjects Woods to a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Congress provided more than $6 billion in funding for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as a lifeline in the midst of a generational catastrophe for struggling small businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This year alone, our office has prosecuted defendants responsible for more than $11 million in CARES Act fraud, and with our law enforcement partners we continue to identify and hold accountable those who illegally enrich themselves through these programs.” As authorized by the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) provided Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Woods, an attorney licensed to practice law in Florida and Georgia, completed at least nine applications for EIDL funding for herself and others, fabricating and submitting false documents to support the applications. As a result of the fraudulent applications, Woods attempted to secure nearly $800,000 in COVID-19 funding for herself and others in the conspiracy and was successful in obtaining more than $300,000 for herself. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker will schedule sentencing for Woods upon completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services. “Fraud in and against the CARES Act amounts to theft from American taxpayers,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and prosecute those who take advantage of these programs designed to help struggling Americans.” “Conspiring to fraudulently obtain federal pandemic relief funds that are meant to provide assistance to nation’s small businesses is unacceptable,” said SBA-OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent-in-Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.” The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and prosecuted for the United States by Senior Litigation Counsel Jennifer G. Solari and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan C. Grover. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Two Men Charged for Operating $25M Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A superseding indictment was unsealed yesterday charging an Australian national and a California man with operating a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded victims of more than $25 million. According to court documents, David Gilbert Saffron, 51, of Australia, and Vincent Anthony Mazzotta Jr., 52, of Los Angeles, allegedly conspired to operate a fraudulent scheme to induce victims to invest in various trading programs that falsely promised to employ an artificial intelligence automated trading bot to trade victims’ investments in cryptocurrency markets and earn high-yield profits. Saffron and Mazzotta promoted the investment programs under various names including Circle Society, Bitcoin Wealth Management, Omicron Trust, Mind Capital, and Cloud9Capital. Rather than investing victims’ funds in cryptocurrency, Saffron and Mazzotta allegedly misappropriated victims’ funds to pay for personal expenses including private chartered jet flights, luxury hotel accommodations, private mansion rentals, a personal chef, and private security guards. To execute the scheme, Saffron and Mazzotta allegedly created a fictious entity called the Federal Crypto Reserve. The indictment alleges that, after inducing victims to invest in one of the cryptocurrency investment programs, Saffron and Mazzotta fraudulently solicited victims to pay the Federal Crypto Reserve to investigate and recover the victims’ losses. To conceal his identity, Saffron often allegedly solicited victims under various aliases, including David Gilbert and Dave Gabe, and under various online personas, including the Blue Wizard and Bitcoin Yoda. Saffron and Mazzotta also allegedly conspired to obstruct official proceedings by concealing assets, concealing or destroying evidence, and falsifying records. The defendants also allegedly conspired to conceal the source and location of victims’ cryptocurrency investments through various means, including using methods known as “blockchain hopping” and through services known as “mixers” or “tumblers” that are designed to prevent cryptocurrency tracing. Saffron and Mazzotta are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Saffron is also alleged to have committed felonies while on pre-trial release. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, 10 years for each money laundering count, and five years for conspiracy to obstruct justice. Saffron also faces up to 10 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence for committing felonies while on pre-trial release. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement. IRS:CI is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Theodore Kneller and Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Hughes for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission previously charged Saffron by complaint . If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov . To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: St. Petersburg Man Found Guilty Of Distributing Fentanyl Resulting In Death

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Kavon Jackasal (34, St. Petersburg) guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it. Jackasal faces a minimum mandatory 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 19, 2024. Jackasal had been indicted on June 28, 2022. According to evidence presented at trial, a series of text messages showed that Jackasal had sold fentanyl to the victim multiple times between July and October 2020, when the victim resided in Pinellas County. In October 2020, the victim informed Jackasal that she had violated her probation and would be going to jail. She was released from jail on May 9, 2021, and moved to a residence in Tampa. Beginning on May 25, 2021, the victim began texting several people looking for drugs. In one of the texts to another individual, the victim requested fentanyl. After her attempts to get fentanyl from other sources were unsuccessful, she texted Jackasal. The victim told Jackasal she was out of jail and sent him an address. She sent him a text (“$$”) and indicated that she had cash, but she did not specify that she wanted fentanyl. Based on their previous text history, however, it was apparent that Jackasal knew she wanted fentanyl. The text messages exchanged between Jackasal and the victim indicated that Jackasal had delivered a substance to the victim shortly after 1:00 a.m. on May 26, 2021. The victim’s cellphone call log and testimony from a roommate showed that the victim was talking on the phone at 10:00 a.m. that morning. Her roommates left the residence to run errands, and when they returned, they found her dead in her bedroom at approximately 1:25 p.m. The evidence showed that she died of an overdose caused by the use of fentanyl. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded and investigated the death. Investigators reviewed the victim’s message history and were able to determine, by process of elimination, that someone identified in her contacts as “Neq York” was likely the person that had delivered the fentanyl to her. Her text history with Jackasal showed that she referred to him as “New York.” Investigators lured the seller back to the residence by texting Neq York and asking for the “same from yesterday.” After responding and agreeing to another delivery, Jackasal arrived at the residence and was arrested. Inside his vehicle, investigators found a plastic bag containing fentanyl inside a cigarette box. DNA evidence was consistent with Jackasal’s touch DNA being present on the cigarette box. Laboratory analysis confirmed that the substance in the cigarette box was fentanyl. A small amount of fentanyl was also found in a small baggie inside the victim’s bedroom. Despite differences in the color and compounds between the mixtures containing fentanyl from the cigarette box and from the victim’s bedroom, and differences in the packaging, the evidence from the victim’s cellphone made it clear that Jackasal was the only person who had agreed to bring her fentanyl the night before her overdose, and she did not attempt to acquire more fentanyl after the delivery from Jackasal. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Samantha Newman.


title: Eight-Time Felon Convicted at Trial for Drug Trafficking and Possessing an Illegally Modified Machinegun in Furtherance of Drug-Trafficking Crimes

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A federal jury convicted a Mobile man last week for drug conspiracy, possessing bulk marijuana with intent to distribute it, possessing an illegally modified machinegun in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, illegally possessing firearms as an eight-time convicted felon, and illegally possessing an unregistered machinegun. According to court documents and evidence presented at a three-day trial, Hassan D. Jones, 25, conspired with several individuals to distribute bulk marijuana in the Mobile area and elsewhere from at least March 2021 through February 2023. In May 2021, deputy sheriffs in Louisiana arrested Jones and two of his coconspirators following a traffic stop of a car they were using to return to Mobile from a drug pickup in Houston, Texas. In the car, police found a loaded Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine, marijuana, promethazine syrup, and more than $5,000 in cash. In February 2023, narcotics detectives with the Mobile Police Department executed a search warrant at Jones’s apartment in Eight Mile. During the search, detectives seized, among other things, four pounds of vacuum-sealed bulk marijuana, two loaded Glock pistols equipped with extended magazines, and two of Jones’s cell phones. One of the pistols was equipped with a machinegun-conversion device, commonly known as a “Glock switch,” which illegally converted the semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic machinegun. The jury also heard from a DNA expert who located Jones’s DNA on the Glock pistols seized from his apartment. Jones’s phones and social media accounts contained dozens of videos, photos, and messages regarding Jones’s drug dealing and his illegal possession of firearms, including illegally-modified machineguns. Jones will be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock in March 2024. Jones is subject to a mandatory 30-year prison sentence for possessing a machinegun in furtherance of his drug-trafficking crimes. That 30-year sentence must run consecutively to any other sentence he receives. Jones faces up to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms, up to 10 years in prison for illegally possessing an unregistered machinegun, and up to five years in prison for each of his drug convictions. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mobile Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Jessica Terrill are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm After Prior Convictions

body_text: U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Jacob Nolan Jessup, 35, a citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, to 71 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. Jessup was indicted in October of 2022 and ultimately plead guilty to two separate counts for felon in possession of a firearm. Both counts included violations that occurred within four and a half months of each other. In March of 2022, Tulsa Police Department responded to a 911 call of a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot. When officers arrived to investigate, they found Jessup asleep in his vehicle. Officers woke Jessup who then opened the door and then closed it on officers. After being asked again to step out of the vehicle, Jessup got out of the vehicle. Jessup provided officers with an ID card and admitted that his driver’s license was suspended. A record check that revealed Jessup had outstanding felony warrants. Jessup was searched and an empty holster was found on his waist band. Officers then searched the vehicle and found a loaded handgun. The firearm was reported stolen out of Broken Arrow. The second charged offense occurred in August of 2020. In that incident, Tulsa Police officers responded to a 911 call of an assault in process. Officers arrived to see Jessup walking away from the area. The 911 caller had observed Jessup throwing something into a nearby dumpster nearby. Officers found the discarded loaded firearm in the dumpster. Jessup will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn prosecuted the case. This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.


title: Maximum Sentence for Crowbar Attack

body_text: U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Christopher Travon Brown, 32, a citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation from Tulsa to a statutory maximum term of 120 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Brown was sentenced on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country. According to court documents, in June 2022, Christopher Brown drove himself and another person to the victim’s house. After arriving at the residence, Brown entered the victims’ garage, grabbed a 24-inch, steel crowbar, broke down a locked bedroom door and beat the victim and victim’s girlfriend with the crowbar. Brown assaulted the male victim with repeated blows to the body and head. At one point during the attack, Brown wielded the crowbar over his head and hit the top of the male victim’s skull and fractured it. Brown also assaulted the victim’s girlfriend with the crowbar and struck her repeatedly, causing blunt force trauma to her arm. The male victim sustained injuries to his head, including a fractured skull, a subdural hematoma, a subarachnoid bleed, a laceration to the scalp, and a laceration to the right hand. He was transported to a hospital where he was placed in intensive care. After the assault, Brown wiped the blood off of the crowbar and fled from the scene. He was later found and arrested. At first, Brown claimed self-defense, but once he was confronted with evidence, he admitted to police that he broke through the door, assaulted both victims with a crowbar, and fled the scene. Today at sentencing, the United States argued that Brown was a threat to public safety. Further, that because of Brown’s extensive criminal history, including both drug and assault convictions, the seriousness of the instant offense, the need to provide just punishment, and to deter future criminal conduct by Brown, the statutory maximum sentence of 120 months imprisonment was appropriate. Brown will remain in federal custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case.


title: Final Defendant Sentenced in Large-Scale Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Somerset, Ky., man, Dennie Smith, 50, was sentenced to 217 months on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Smith is the last of six defendants sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. According to his guilty plea agreement, between November 2021 and May 2022, Smith developed a relationship with a methamphetamine supplier from Pulaski County and regularly obtained pound quantities of methamphetamine, for resale. Smith also assisted this supplier in obtaining multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine from another source for drugs, in Fayette County. In February 2022, law enforcement seized a safe from a residence Smith shared with his co-defendants and located more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, three loaded firearms, and a large amount of cash. Smith admitted that these items belonged to him, that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine, and that he possessed the firearms to protect his drug trafficking operation. Then, in May 2022, Smith travelled to Fayette County to obtain methamphetamine. On his return, he was stopped by law enforcement, who seized more than nine kilograms of high purity methamphetamine. Smith’s co-defendants have previously received the following sentences: Wesley Calhoun: 240 months and five years of supervised release; Timothy Grundy: 235 months and five years supervised release; Michael Henderson: 104 months and three years of supervised release; David Upchurch: 78 months and three years of supervised release; and Autumn Smith: 76 months and three years of supervised release. Under federal law, Smith and his co-defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon his release from prison, Smith will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief William Hunt, Somerset Police Department, announced the sentences. The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Somerset Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Trimble prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. — END —


title: Waterville Man Sentenced to 9 Months Time Served, $38,000 Restitution for Downloading Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man was sentenced on Monday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Terrence Talbot , 57, to time served followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $38,000. Talbot was in custody for nine months. According to court records, Talbot used a government computer to search for and obtain child sexual abuse material. He admitted to investigators that had used a government computer to seek out and download child pornography and provided the digital storage device to investigators from his car. Another device was found inside Talbot’s home during the execution of a search warrant. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Inspector General and the Waterville Police Department investigated this case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Readout from Multi-Agency United Against Hate Webinar

component: Community Relations Service

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – On December 5, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, Albuquerque Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, New Mexico Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service, and City of Albuquerque’s Office of Equity and Inclusion convened a United Against Hate webinar on identifying, reporting, and preventing acts of hate. The online event aimed to provide nonprofits, community leaders, businesses, educators and religious leaders with information on how to prevent and respond to hate crimes and bias incidents, including the definitions of each and the process for investigation, as well as highlighting the resources available to the public to help protect against these crimes and incidents. The Department of Justice’s United Against Hate program connects federal, state, and local law enforcement with local communities, including those that have been historically marginalized and may be especially vulnerable to hate crimes and bias motivated incidents. The program not only educates community members about hate crimes and hate incidents, but also helps to build trust between community and law enforcement and strengthens local networks to combat unlawful acts of hate. In his opening statement, U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez said “…we are a single community that has to figure out how we live together in peace. The truth is that the answers are never simple, they are never one sided. The truth is punishment alone doesn’t work, but neither does leniency alone. There must be both consequences and forgiveness. Penance and reconciliation.” USA Uballez continued, saying, “We need to rise together as a community. We need to see no strangers. Never miss an opportunity to demonstrate who we can be. That’s why you’re here today. Be safe. Be brave. We do this together.” Assistant United States Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito presented an overview of hate crime laws, explaining the federal statutes that protect against offenses that are motivated by “an individual’s bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity.” AUSA Tapia-Brito cautioned that it can be hard to tell if a given set of facts will result in successful prosecution, but that it is critically important for community members to report all hate crimes or bias incidents because information about these incidents help law enforcement recognize trends and patterns. AUSA Tapia-Brito stressed that just because law enforcement cannot prosecute an incident as a hate crime does not mean nothing can be done, and that other remedies may be available to victims under civil statutes. Next, APD Deputy Chief Cecily Barker and Commander Kyle Hartstock highlighted the steps the Department takes to combat hate crimes and community resources, like APD’s Ambassador Program, which assigns officers to different communities, including faith-based, LGBTQ2+, Hispanic, Native American, refugees, veterans, senior citizens, African American, Americans with disabilities and youth groups. Ambassadors focus on building points of contact within the community and provide them with resources to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement. Commander Hartstock provided examples of two recent cases where contact with community members and organizations proved to be critical to solving the cases and explained how they used the Department’s Ambassador Program, Crime Prevention Specialists and Language Access Coordinators to connect with the community. Deputy Chief Barker highlighted how they were able to leverage federal law enforcement partnerships throughout the investigation. Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office Raul Bujanda talked about the FBI’s responsibilities as the lead federal investigative agency for civil rights matters and hate crimes. Special Agents stressed that it is more important to report a potential hate crime immediately than it is to report it to the correct agency, especially in the event of an imminent threat. They provided the two ways that people can report suspected hate crimes and/or bias incidents to the FBI: online via tips.FBI.gov or by phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Marcella Benton from the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management discussed the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which provides funding for physical and cyber security enhancements and other security-related actives to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of being the target of a hate crime. Eligible nonprofits include houses of worship, private education facilities, medical facilities and other 501(c)(3) organizations. Lastly, Kim Milstead from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS) explained CRS’ mission: to work with community groups to resolve community conflicts and prevent and respond to alleged hate crimes arising from differences of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or disability. CRS provides impartial, voluntary, confidential and free services like mediation, consultation and training in partnership with federal, state, local, nonprofit, educational and community organizations. CRS’ work aims to leave a community better equipped to address incidents. Executive AUSA Aja Brooks concluded the webinar by thanking both the presenters and participants for attending, stating that those in attendance were already part of the solution. The webinar can be viewed here . # # # 23-281


title: Springfield Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court today to receiving child pornography, which was discovered on his cell phone during an investigation into threats he made to a sheriff’s department employee. Joshua Emanuel Wood, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Wood is required to register as a sex offender due to his 2018 conviction of possessing child pornography. The investigation began when Wood left 41 threatening voice mail messages on May 29 and 30, 2022, for the employee of the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department who was in charge of registering sex offenders. The sex offender registrar reported those threats and law enforcement officers arrested Wood on May 31, 2022. Wood had a Google Pixel cell phone in his possession when he was arrested. Investigators found child sexual abuse material on the phone, including 107 images of child pornography, web searches for child pornography, and visits to suspected child pornography websites. Under federal statutes, Wood is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.


title: North Carolina Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing 3 Connecticut men in 2015

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: EDWARD MICHAEL PARKS, also known as “Lee” and “Trouble,” 37, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to three consecutive life sentences for federal offenses related to his kidnapping and murdering of two individuals in Hamden, and his killing of a third man in New Haven to stop him from notifying law enforcement. Today’s announcement was made by United States Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, New Haven State’s Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hamden Police Chief Edward Page Reynolds, and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson. According to the evidence presented during his trial, on November 16, 2015, Parks was in an apartment on Shelton Avenue in New Haven to conduct an illegal sale of firearms. Damian Connor and Tamar Lawrence were also present in the apartment. When another individual left the apartment with firearms that he had not paid for, Parks, who was armed, held Connor and Lawrence against their will. Parks collected money and valuables from Connor and Lawrence, and then forced them to travel in Connor’s car to Hamden where Connor said he could get more money. They were followed in another vehicle by Devante Williams and another individual. After the vehicles arrived at 676 Mix Avenue in Hamden, Parks shot and killed Connor and Lawrence. Parks then left the scene with Williams and others in the second vehicle and returned to New Haven. When Parks perceived Williams as being anxious about the murders of Connor and Lawrence, Parks shot and killed Williams in the area of Sherman Court in New Haven. On January 19, 2023, Parks was found guilty of two counts of kidnapping resulting in death, and one count of witness tampering by killing. “This is a necessary and appropriate sentence that provides justice for the victims and their loved ones, and will protect society from a ruthless killer,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Our office prioritizes the prosecution of those who illegally traffic, possess, and use guns, which wreaks havoc in our communities, especially our cities. I thank our partners in the FBI, Hamden Police Department, New Haven Police Department and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office for their dedicated and collaborative efforts in this critically important investigation.” “Today’s sentence is appropriate for the level of violence and murder this individual was responsible for while on our streets,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. “It is our sincere hope that this sentence brings the victim’s families one step closer to some degree of closure.” “The New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office, the FBI, and the Hamden and New Haven Police Departments for their work in this case,” said New Haven State’s Attorney Doyle. “This sentencing reflects that strong partnerships between law enforcement are invaluable in the pursuit of justice for victims and their grieving families. We look forward to this continued collaboration as we all strive each day to make our communities in greater New Haven safer.” “I hope and pray that the families of these victims will be able to find some closure and peace,” said Hamden Police Chief Reynolds. “I thank and commend Hamden Sergeant Jomo Crawford, New Haven Assistant Chief Bertram Ettienne, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the New Haven State’s Attorney Office including now Chief State’s Attorney Pat Griffin and current New Haven State’s Attorney Jack Doyle, Raleigh Detective I.O. Smith, and so many other law enforcement partners who assisted. I would also like to thank the Hamden and New Haven communities who worked with law enforcement to provide valuable information pertaining to these three homicides. This case demonstrated that by successful collaboration at the highest level and working together we were able to get a violent individual off the streets.” “The New Haven Police Department is extremely grateful to our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s office, FBI, DEA, ATF, and the State’s Attorney’s office,” said New Haven Police Chief Jacobson. “A case like this cannot be brought to justice without this collaboration. I also want to thank then Detective and now Assistant Chief Bertram Ettienne, who was the NHPD lead, and then Detective Jomo Crawford, who is now Sergeant Crawford. These two and this team committed themselves to justice for the three victims. This shows a strong resolve to help stop the violence in our cities.” Parks has been in custody since January 2016 and was previously convicted of federal drug and firearm offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hamden Police Department and New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Gentile and A. Reed Durham, and Assistant State’s Attorney Seth Garbarsky, who was cross-designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in this matter.


title: Lorain Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine and Being a Felon In Possession of a Firearm

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: CLEVELAND - U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced today that Brandon O. Chambers, 41, of Lorain, Ohio, was sentenced to 168 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver after a jury convicted Chambers of one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and trial testimony, on October 28, 2021, Avon patrol officers stopped Chambers’ vehicle for speeding and having no license plates. Following his arrest, police found a firearm in Chambers vehicle along with approximately 218.7 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine. Chambers has multiple prior felony convictions and is therefore prohibited from possession of firearms. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by Avon Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Payum Doroodian and Vanessa Healy.


title: 21 People Indicted for Trafficking Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Other Drugs in Western Tennessee

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – Twenty-one people in western Tennessee are facing federal charges for their involvement in an organized drug trafficking scheme, according to recently unsealed indictments. U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee announced the unsealing of the indictments today. The charges are the culmination of a yearlong investigation by FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives—in conjunction with the Selmer Police Department, Bolivar Police Department, Lexington Police Department, and the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office. “Western Tennessee will not be a haven for traffickers, organized criminal enterprises, and others who would bring illegal drugs and firearms into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ritz. “We plan to use every tool at our disposal – including our close partnerships with local law enforcement – to root out traffickers and restore safety. I commend the investigative efforts of our law enforcement partners in bringing this important and impactful case.” "This collaborative effort reflects the commitment of law enforcement agencies to safeguard our communities from the adverse effects of drug trafficking,” said Bolivar Police Department Chief Mike Jones. “We stand united in our dedication to ensuring the safety and well-being of the residents of Bolivar and Western Tennessee.” “Fentanyl is a major priority for law enforcement across the country,” said Selmer Police Department Chief Kim Holley. “We are thankful to have a partnership with our federal counterparts who help stop these dangerous drugs from getting into our community and hold those accountable who are responsible for distributing these dangerous drugs.” According to court documents, between June 2021 and February 2023, the defendants are alleged to have worked together and with others to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana throughout several counties. During the investigation, agents seized 16 firearms, $17,000 in cash, approximately 16,000 fentanyl pills, 15 pounds of methamphetamine, and approximately four pounds of marijuana. The charges announced today span two criminal indictments. On February 13, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 15 defendants with conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and marijuana: Caricus Hendrix, 37 of Bolivar Shannon Wilder, 26 of Jackson Eula Evette Morris, 55 of Bolivar Jarrett Wilson, 26 of Henderson Joshua Fields, 28 of Lexington Sheneka Waller, 36 of Bolivar Myreon Woods, 40 of Bolivar Montrez Brown, 27 of Bolivar Carmaine Beauregard, 30 of Jackson Cordarvin McNeal, 34 of Bolivar Antonio Parham, Jr., 27 of Whiteville Danielle Boyd, 35 of Bolivar Jaylen Sain, 27 of Bolivar Shumarcus Cross, 39 of Bolivar Cameron Mickens, 25 of Henderson That same indictment charged Jarrett Wilson, Cordarvin McNeal, and Joshua Fields with possession of firearms in connection with the drug trafficking charges. On August 14, 2023, a federal grand jury returned another indictment charging six additional defendants with similar drug trafficking and firearms offences: Alfredia Atkins, 52 of Bolivar Tavaras Atkins, 45 of Bethel Springs Shalonda Bills, 35 of Bolivar Correy Brown, 42 of Bolivar Curtis “CJ” Brown, 32 of Selmer Michael Douglas, 31 of Lexington If convicted, the defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana face up to 5 years imprisonment. The defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years imprisonment up to life. Cordarvin McNeal, the individual charged with possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, faces a sentence of 5 years to life imprisonment. Joshua Fields faces a penalty of 25 years to life in prison because of enhanced sentencing for the distribution of fentanyl. This investigation was conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. Each charged defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. Assistant United States Attorney Christie Hopper is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.


title: Hollywood Hills Man and Australian Man Face Federal Charges Alleging They Ran $25 Million Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme

body_text: FIRST SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT LOS ANGELES – A superseding indictment was unsealed yesterday charging an Australian national and a Hollywood Hills man with operating a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded victims of more than $25 million. According to court documents, David Gilbert Saffron, 51, of Australia, and Vincent Anthony Mazzotta Jr., 52, of the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, allegedly conspired to operate a fraudulent scheme to induce victims to invest in various trading programs that falsely promised to employ an artificial intelligence automated trading bot to trade victims’ investments in cryptocurrency markets and earn high-yield profits. Saffron and Mazzotta promoted the investment programs under various names including Circle Society, Bitcoin Wealth Management, Omicron Trust, Mind Capital, and Cloud9Capital. Rather than investing victims’ funds in cryptocurrency, Saffron and Mazzotta allegedly misappropriated victims’ funds to pay for personal expenses including private chartered jet flights, luxury hotel accommodations, private mansion rentals, a personal chef, and private security guards. To execute the scheme, Saffron and Mazzotta allegedly created a fictious entity called the Federal Crypto Reserve. The indictment alleges that, after inducing victims to invest in one of the cryptocurrency investment programs, Saffron and Mazzotta fraudulently solicited victims to pay the Federal Crypto Reserve to investigate and recover the victims’ losses. To conceal his identity, Saffron often allegedly solicited victims under various aliases, including David Gilbert and Dave Gabe, and under various online personas, including the Blue Wizard and Bitcoin Yoda. Saffron and Mazzotta also allegedly conspired to obstruct official proceedings by concealing assets, concealing or destroying evidence, and falsifying records. The defendants also allegedly conspired to conceal the source and location of victims’ cryptocurrency investments through various means, including using methods known as “blockchain hopping” and through services known as “mixers” or “tumblers” that are designed to prevent cryptocurrency tracing. Saffron and Mazzotta are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Saffron is also alleged to have committed felonies while on pre-trial release. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, 10 years for each money laundering count, and five years for conspiracy to obstruct justice. Saffron also faces up to 10 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence for committing felonies while on pre-trial release. United States Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney James Hughes of the Major Frauds Section, and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Theodore Kneller and Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and are prosecuting the case. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission previously charged Saffron by complaint. If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov . To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Leader of violent, cartel-connected, drug trafficking ring sentenced to 17 years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A top leader of a violent international drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in the Puget Sound region, was sentenced today U.S. District Court in Seattle to 17 years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Luis Arturo Magana-Ramirez, 35, of Fife, Washington, was arrested in July 2020 and pleaded guilty in July 2022. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said Magana-Ramirez “had a leadership role in an organization bringing large quantities of drugs into the area, particularly fentanyl which is wreaking havoc in our community.” “This defendant had a successful career as a contractor until he succumbed to the dark allure of drug money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “He not only flooded our communities with dangerous drugs, he sought out firearms to impose his will on rivals and debtors and to keep the dollars flowing to him and to his bosses in the cartel. He has earned this lengthy prison term.” Magana-Ramirez led a transnational drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement has linked the organization to a cartel in Mexico. Magana-Ramirez was responsible for bringing large amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into Western Washington. Magana-Ramirez also pursued those who owed drug debts to the organization. At various times on the wiretap, federal law enforcement heard Magana-Ramirez threatening to beat or murder those who owed the organization money. In at least one instance, law enforcement moved in to protect a target of Magana-Ramirez’ threats of violence. When Magana-Ramirez was arrested on July 28, 2020, he possessed two firearms – one of them had been reported stolen and the other had an obliterated serial number. Magana-Ramirez could not legally possess firearms as he is a Mexican national who is illegally present in the U.S. In all, this drug ring was responsible for bringing more than 120 pounds of meth into the region as well as heroin, fentanyl pills, and cocaine. In asking the court to impose a 17-year prison term, prosecutors wrote, “Magana-Ramirez oversaw the redistribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of drugs in our community. He drove the success of this drug trafficking organization (DTO) through fear by organizing, directing, and arming subordinates and himself, and then using threats and violent confrontations to ensure that the DTO and its members continued to turn profits. Month after month, investigators intercepted Magana-Ramirez and his coconspirators plotting to kidnap and murder debtors, and even fellow DTO members.” “This lengthy sentence highlights the seriousness of Mr. Magana-Ramirez’ leadership role in a group that brought despair to our community,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Our community is a little safer today because of this sentence.” 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office in partnership with Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Kent Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, SeaTac Police Department, Thurston County Narcotics Team (TNT), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amy Jaquette and C. Andrew Colasurdo.


title: Former global diversity executive at Facebook pleads guilty to defrauding company out of more than $4 million

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a former global diversity executive at Facebook, has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $4 million from the company utilizing an elaborate scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fictitious charges, and cash kickbacks. “This defendant abused a position of a trust as a global diversity executive for Facebook to defraud the company of millions of dollars, ignoring the insidious consequences of undermining the importance of her DEI mission,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Motivated by greed, she used her time to orchestrate an elaborate criminal scheme in which fraudulent vendors paid her kickbacks in cash. She even involved relatives, friends, and other associates in her crimes, all to fund a lavish lifestyle through fraud rather than hard and honest work.” “Furlow-Smiles used lies and deceit to defraud both vendors and Facebook employees,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI works hard to make sure greed like this doesn’t pay off and those who commit fraud are held accountable.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Barbara Furlow-Smiles served as Lead Strategist, Global Head of Employee Resource Groups and Diversity Engagement at Facebook, Inc., now known as Meta Platforms, Inc., doing business as Meta. From about January 2017 to September 2021, she led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs at Facebook and was responsible for developing and executing DEI initiatives, operations, and engagement programs. In her position, Furlow-Smiles had access to company credit cards. She also maintained authority to submit purchase requisitions and approve invoices for authorized vendors of Facebook. Furlow-Smiles used her position at Facebook to cheat and defraud the company. She caused Facebook to pay numerous individuals for goods and services never provided to the company. Those individuals then paid kickbacks to Furlow-Smiles, often in cash. Her scheme operated in two ways. First, Furlow-Smiles linked PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App accounts to her Facebook credit cards and used those accounts to pay friends, relatives, and other associates for goods and services purportedly provided to Facebook. But these individuals did not provide goods or services to the company. Most of them did not know that the payments came from Facebook. To conceal the bogus charges on her Facebook credit cards, Furlow-Smiles submitted fraudulent expense reports, falsely claiming that her associates or their businesses performed work on programs and events for Facebook, such as providing swag or marketing services when, in fact, they had not done so. After these associates received payments from Facebook, they returned most of the money to Furlow-Smiles. They paid these kickbacks in cash and through transfers to accounts held in her husband’s and others’ names. Associates paid cash kickbacks in person and by Federal Express or mail, sometimes wrapping the cash in other items, such as T-shirts. To further conceal her actions, Furlow-Smiles also directed associates to pay one another, or others who she owed money. Second, Furlow-Smiles caused Facebook to onboard several vendors that were owned and operated by friends and associates who also paid her kickbacks. After Facebook approved contracts for these vendors, Furlow-Smiles approved purchase requisitions for these purported vendors to work for Facebook. Furlow-Smiles then approved fraudulent and inflated invoices to pay the vendors. After Facebook paid the invoices, Furlow-Smiles directed the vendors to return a portion of the money to her. Furlow-Smiles recruited numerous individuals to receive money and pay kickbacks as part of the scheme. These individuals included friends, relatives, former interns from a prior job, nannies and babysitters, a hair stylist, and her university tutor. She also caused Facebook to make payments for her benefit to others who did not pay kickbacks. For example, Furlow-Smiles caused Facebook to pay nearly $10,000 to an artist for specialty portraits and more than $18,000 to a preschool for tuition. In total, Furlow-Smiles stole more than $4 million from Facebook based on fictitious charges and fraudulent invoices for which goods and services were never provided to the company. She used the money to live a luxury lifestyle in California and Georgia. Sentencing for Barbara Furlow-Smiles, also known as “Barbara Furlow,” 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, is scheduled for March 19, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Meta provided valuable assistance and cooperation during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen H. McClain and Bernita B. Malloy are prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga . This release has been edited to correct the defendant's former position title.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Enters Settlement with City of Fresno Regarding ADA Compliance at Amtrak Station

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — The City of Fresno has agreed to resolve findings of violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at the Fresno Amtrak intercity rail station, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today. The rail station, located at 2650 Tulare Street, is owned by the City of Fresno, and serves passengers using trains to reach destinations up and down the San Joaquin Valley. Under the agreement announced today, the city made accessibility modifications to exterior and interior portions of the station, including repairs to curb ramps, the waiting room, and the station’s restrooms. This agreement is part of a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice to improve accessibility at the nation’s rail stations. In 2020, the Department of Justice also entered into a nationwide settlement with Amtrak regarding ADA compliance at its stations. “This agreement is a part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to bring entities that own or operate intercity rail stations into compliance with the ADA,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “Our office is pleased these changes have been made and will continue seeking to ensure that conditions at the station afford equal access to transportation, including as future remodeling takes place.” This investigation was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emilia P. E. Morris. The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of California is committed to investigating alleged violations of the ADA. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may file a complaint in writing with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, online at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY). amtrak_executed_settlement_agreement.pdf


title: District Man Sentenced to 60 Month Prison Term for Burglary and Sexual Assaults Committed in Northwest and Southeast D.C.

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Darren West, 28, of Washington D.C., was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release for burglarizing a home in Northwest Washington, D.C., and for sexually assaulting two women in Northwest and Southeast Washington, D.C. respectively, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). West pleaded guilty in September 2023 to one count of second degree burglary and two counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced on December 11, 2023 by the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld. According to the Government’s evidence, on June 11, 2023, West entered the victims’ home through an unlocked rear door and cornered one of the victims in her bedroom. When the victim called out to her roommate for help, the victim’s roommate confronted West with pepper spray and told West to leave the home. The defendant returned to the rear of the victims’ home and stole an iPhone before fleeing from the residence. In a separate incident on March 9, 2023, West approached the victim at her workplace and propositioned the victim for oral sex. When the victim declined, West grabbed the victim’s buttocks. In another incident on June 8, 2023, West approached the victim, asked the victim how she was doing, and then grabbed her buttocks. When the victim pushed the defendant away from her, He threatened the victim with physical harm. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. The Case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Helfand of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Assistant United States Attorney Alexis Dunlap of the Misdemeanor Domestic Violence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.