title: Worcester Dental Office Manager Sentenced for Role in Medicaid Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester woman was sentenced today for her participation in a scheme to defraud the Massachusetts Medicaid program, commonly known as MassHealth. Robin Cronin, 61, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to two years’ probation. In September 2020, Cronin pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of health care fraud. Cronin was indicted by a grand jury and arrested in January 2020 along with co-conspirators Dr. Anthony DiStefano III and Dr. Scott Cale, dentists practicing in Worcester. DiStefano was barred from participating in the MassHealth insurance program because of concerns regarding the substandard and dangerous dental care DiStefano delivered to patients. In order to circumvent his exclusion from the MassHealth provider network, DiStefano recruited another co-defendant, Cale, to join his practice. From 2014 to 2018, dental services that DiStefano personally delivered were billed to MassHealth using Cale’s provider identification credentials. Cronin, DiStefano’s office manager, was aware of the arrangement and personally billed MassHealth for services that were not reimbursable, knowing that the claims were false. The purpose of this arrangement was to deceive MassHealth into paying for dental services that were not reimbursable as DiStefano had previously been terminated from the MassHealth provider program over concerns regarding the quality of care he provided to patients. As a result of this scheme, multiple MassHealth patients were harmed and received dangerously poor care from DiStefano. Cale also pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and, on Aug. 10, 2023 , was sentenced to 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Charges against DiStefano were dismissed. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Andrea Joy Campbell, Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Panich and Chris Looney of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Lownds, detailed from Campbell’s office, prosecuted the case.


title: Pojoaque Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Kyle Joseph Harney-Chee pled guilty in federal court to involuntary manslaughter. Chee, 30, of Pojoaque, and an enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, will remain in custody pending sentencing which has not been scheduled. According to court records, on January 16, 2021, Chee was traveling down US Highway 84/285 after consuming marijuana and alcohol. While driving, Chee became distracted by his phone and looked away from the road. While he was looking down at his phone, Chee struck a motorcycle from the rear, killing the driver. Chee immediately stopped on the side of US Highway 84/285 and called 911. Chee informed responders that he had consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana prior to operating the vehicle. At sentencing, Chee faces up to 8 years in prison followed by a term of supervised release up to 3 years. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-182


title: MURFREESBORO MAN CONVICTED FOR JULY 2020 VIOLENT CRIME SPREE

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

body_text: NASHVILLE – Defendant Joshua Hallmon, 27, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was convicted today by a federal jury on all 12 counts he faced for a string of violent crimes he committed in Murfreesboro and Franklin, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. Hallmon and two co-defendants, Charles Melvin Walker and Walter Lee Williams, were charged by a federal grand jury in May 2021 with multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Additionally, Hallmon was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Prior to trial, Walker and Williams both pleaded guilty to all charges against them. The charges in this case related to a crime spree that spanned from July 6 to July 27, 2020, involving the armed robberies of Twice Daily and Mapco gas stations in Murfreesboro on July 6 and July 23, 2020. Then, on the night of July 26-27, 2020, Hallmon and his co-defendants committed an armed carjacking and kidnapping in Murfreesboro, attempted to commit a second armed carjacking in Franklin, and committed a third armed carjacking and kidnapping in Murfreesboro in which Williams shot the victim in the face. “As a result of today’s convictions, this violent criminal will be spending over three decades in federal prison,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “I commend the outstanding work done in this case by our prosecutors and our state and federal law enforcement partners to protect our community from violent crime.” Joshua Hallmon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 34 years, and up to life, in federal prison. Hallmon and his co-defendants will be sentenced by United States District Judge Eli Richardson later this year. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Murfreesboro Police Department; the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office; the Smyrna Police Department; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the Franklin Police Department; and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Suedekum and Rachel Stephens are prosecuting the case. #####


title: Lodi Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kenneth O’Neil, 49, of Lodi, was sentenced today to six years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between June 7, 2018, and June 28, 2018, O’Neil sold at least 563 grams of heroin to a co-conspirator, who then sold those drugs to an undercover agent. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond and David W. Spencer prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Two sentenced for fatal smuggling event in Mission

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas - Two Mexican men have been ordered to prison for their roles in an alien smuggling conspiracy which resulted in death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Francisco Javier Quintanilla-Alcocer, 39, and Brandon Cibriano-Gonzalez, 22, pleaded guilty March 3 and Feb. 3, respectively. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now imposed a sentence of 74 months for Cibriano-Gonzalez. Quintanilla-Alcocer received 87 months for the alien smuggling conspiracy in addition to 24 months for illegally re-entering the United States. Judge Alvarez ordered the sentences in part consecutive for a cumulative 100-month term of imprisonment. Both are expected to face removal proceedings following their imprisonment. At the hearing, the court considered additional evidence including details of the life-altering and permanent injuries the survivors sustained in the accident. Judge Alvarez also considered Cibriano-Gonzalez’s prior apprehensions as a brush guide and that he attempted to lead another group of migrants into the county less than a month after the accident. In handing down the sentences, Judge Alvarez noted Quintanilla-Alcocer’s disregard for the well-being of the migrants, emphasizing the effects and harm their conduct has had on the victims and their families. Orlando Andres Garcia, previously admitted his guilt in relation to the scheme and is set for sentencing before Judge Alvarez Nov. 14. He faces up to life in federal prison and will remain in custody pending the hearing. “Two migrants died on the side of a dirt road in Mission, Texas, because of a smuggler’s reckless attempt to avoid arrest,” said Hamdani, “Human smugglers - they don’t care about anyone’s life but their own, and after leading authorities on a car chase, crashing and rolling a vehicle full of migrants, Quintanilla-Alcocer fled the scene, leaving those he transported for dead. Remember this: human smugglers - you are not welcome in the Southern District of Texas, and this office will continue its efforts to hold these criminals accountable with convictions and long sentences." On Oct. 22, 2021, Cibriano-Gonzalez acted as a brush guide to smuggle a group of 10 non-U.S. citizens from Mexico into the United States. He guided them to a pick-up location in Palmview. There, Quintanilla-Alcocer and Garcia arrived and were driving a Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Malibu, respectively. The aliens and Cibriano-Gonzalez loaded into the vehicles and left the scene. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but both vehicles failed to yield and a high-speed chase ensued, reaching a speed of 130 miles per hour. Quintanilla-Alcocer eventually turned onto a dirt road in Mission where the Chevrolet Impala rolled and crashed into a homeowner’s fence. Authorities located a total of seven individuals on scene. Three had been ejected, two of whom died at the scene. Quintanilla-Alcocer was not located at that time. However, evidence in the vehicle led law enforcement to him. Phone records also indicated that Quintanilla-Alcocer and Garcia had been consistently communicating throughout the high-speed pursuit. During these conversations, Garcia instructed Quintanilla-Alcocer to go faster. Three months following the crash, a third migrant succumbed to his injuries. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Palmview Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Devin Walker prosecuted the case.


title: Arizona Men Arrested, Indicted for Trafficking Fentanyl to Alaska

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Two Arizona men were arrested over the last three weeks on warrants from a federal indictment charging them with trafficking fentanyl to Alaska. According to court proceedings, a federal grand jury returned an indictment on July 18 charging Odarious Shaw, 24, and Corrion James, 25, with allegedly distributing large amounts of fentanyl to Alaska from their home state of Arizona over a four-month period. James was arrested at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport when he arrived carrying a package of 40,000 fentanyl pills, and Shaw was arrested in Arizona. James and Shaw are charged with one count conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. §846 and 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and one count possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A). If convicted, Shaw faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska; Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit Commander Captain Cornelius Sims of the Alaska State Troopers; and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement. The Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and the FBI are investigating the case as part of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Alaska High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Bloomington Woman Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for $7.1 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Bloomington woman was sentenced to 90 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4.7 million in restitution for defrauding federal pandemic programs, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, from June 2020 through January 2022, Tequisha Solomon, 40, executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic assistance money from various states, including Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and California’s Employment Development Department (EDD). As part of the fraud scheme, Solomon sought Unemployment benefits (UI) from states where she had no lawful basis to receive them. For example, while Solomon resided in Minnesota and Nevada, she falsely claimed to California’s EDD that she worked and resided in Los Angeles, California. As a result, California’s EDD paid Solomon at least $37,000 in periodic UI payments between approximately in 2020 and 2021, during which time she actually resided in Minnesota or Nevada. Solomon also unlawfully sought to obtain UI benefits from multiple states simultaneously. For instance, in October 2020, Solomon fraudulently claimed UI benefits from the Illinois Department of Employment Security when she was actually residing in Minnesota and was already fraudulently receiving UI benefits from California’s EDD. In March 2021, Solomon fraudulently applied for UI from Minnesota’s DEED, and concealed her fraudulent receipt of UI benefits from California and Illinois. In addition to fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related benefits for herself, Solomon also assisted others to obtain pandemic-related funds in exchange for a fee, often as much as $2,000. Solomon submitted over 200 false and fraudulent applications for UI benefits on behalf of others. In total, Solomon fraudulently applied for $7,149,032 in pandemic-related funds and caused the United States and multiple state agencies to pay out at least $4,708,191 in the form of fraudulent UI benefits and small business loan proceeds. On December 13, 2022, Solomon pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. She was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department and the California Employment Development Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert prosecuted the case.


title: Columbus Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing AR-15 Styled Ghost Gun

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident with a criminal history faces up to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to several federal gun and drug charges, including possessing a privately-made, untraceable machine gun. Quintavius Harrow aka “Cootie,” 31, of Columbus, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. Harrow faces a maximum sentence of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $10,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19. There is no parole in the federal system. “The proliferation of ghost guns—self-made and untraceable weapons—is a threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Combating gun violence is a top priority for our office and our law enforcement partners. We will continue to devote every resource available to cracking down on illegal firearms and hold those who possess unlawful ghost guns accountable.” “The FBI, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, are committed to the safety and security of our community,” said Rich Bilson, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Columbus office. “This plea removes a dangerous career criminal from our streets and lands him in federal prison, without the opportunity for parole.” “This violent drug trafficker can no longer distribute dangerous drugs, such as methamphetamine, as he now faces the consequences for his poor choices,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. "Quintavius Harrow's possession of a privately-made, untraceable machine gun underscores the urgent need to address the rapid reproduction of such dangerous weapons,” said Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis. “This case exemplifies our commitment to public safety and collaborative efforts to combat violent crime. We remain dedicated to our partnership with federal and local agencies and community programs in reducing these threats." “We will continue to work in collaboration with all law enforcement partners to remove these types of threats from our community for a safer Columbus,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. According to court documents, FBI and DEA conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Harrow using a confidential source (CS) on March 18, 2022. During the transaction, Harrow was filmed in possession of an AR-15 styled pistol and sold the CS two bags containing a total of 498 grams of methamphetamine. On April 26, 2022, Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Drug and Gang Task force agents executed a search warrant at a trap house located at 813 Coolidge Avenue in Columbus, where Harrow was observed selling methamphetamine to the CS the month prior. Harrow was in the home along with other individuals. Law enforcement found a variety of illegal drugs and several firearms throughout the house. Notably, in a back bedroom, officers located the same AR-15 style pistol Harrow carried on March 18. With no known manufacturer or visible serial number, the AR-15 style pistol had a large capacity magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition. FBI examined the AR-15 style pistol and determined it was a “ghost gun” equipped with an auto sear, which converted the firearm to a machine gun. Ghost guns are untraceable firearms assembled by private individuals from firearm components. Prior to these incidents, on March 6, 2020, Columbus Police Department (CPD) Special Operation’s unit officers were surveilling the area of Elizabeth Canty Apartments. Officers observed several people standing near a vehicle, including Harrow. Upon approach by officers, Harrow began walking away and then discarded a yellow container containing methamphetamine and a stolen HK 9mm, semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine. Harrow was taken into custody with a digital scale with marijuana residue and $436 cash in his pocket. Harrow has a criminal history for robbery by intimidation in Muscogee Co., Georgia, Superior Court and use of a gun with an altered identification mark in Chattahoochee County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by FBI, DEA, the Muscogee Co. Sheriff’s Office and the Columbus Police Department, with assistance from GBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case for the government.


title: Los Angeles Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Robert Culberson, 45, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Culberson to 120 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 180 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. On June 14, 2021, Omaha Police Department (OPD) Officers were conducting surveillance of co-defendant Kashaun Lockett’s residence located on Curtis Avenue in Omaha. OPD Officers arranged a controlled buy from Lockett for methamphetamine. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Lockett, he fled from police. Simultaneous to Lockett’s flight, Culberson was seen at Lockett’s Curtis Avenue residence. Officers conducting surveillance observed Culberson leave the residence and toss unknown items into the tree line at the back of the property. Lockett’s residence was searched, and officers found approximately 121 grams of methamphetamine. Culberson and co-defendant Gary Lockett, who was also present outside the Curtis Avenue residence, were detained while officers went to the tree line to investigate. Officers recovered approximately 197 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock pistol from the tree line near where Culberson was seen tossing the items. Kashaun and Gary Lockett are scheduled for trial on October 2, 2023. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Guatemalan Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gerso Ortega-Corado, 26, of Guatemala, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for his participation in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Ortega-Corado to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a two-year term of supervised release. Ortega-Corado also agreed to the forfeiture of $169,283 that was seized as part of the investigation. On April 11, 2022, an undercover (UC) Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration communicated with a Mexican-based source of supply about purchasing four ounces of methamphetamine that could be delivered to the UC in Omaha. Arrangements were made, and later that day Ortega-Corado arrived and exchanged $1,000 for four ounces of methamphetamine. On June 16, 2022, the DEA executed a number of search warrants on stash houses and storage sheds that had been identified as being utilized by the Mexican-based source of supply. At one of the stash houses, Ortega-Corado was observed leaving the location and was detained. A search of this location resulted in 26.3 kilograms of pure methamphetamine being seized. The apartment manager confirmed that Ortega-Corado resided at the residence. Additional evidence seized from that location included Ortega-Corado’s driver’s license, immigration paperwork, and $160,000. In total, $169,283 was seized from the different locations. This case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Murdaugh Co-Conspirator Cory Fleming Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Cory H. Fleming, 54, of Beaufort, was sentenced to nearly 4 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal conspiracy. Fleming admitted that from in or around March 2018 until at least October 2020, Fleming conspired with former personal injury attorney Richard Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh to defraud the estate of Murdaugh’s former housekeeper and to obtain money and property from the estate by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses. In February 2018, Murdaugh’s housekeeper passed away after a fall at Murdaugh’s home. Murdaugh recommended that the housekeeper’s estate hire Fleming—then a personal injury and criminal defense attorney in Beaufort—to represent them and file a claim against Murdaugh to collect from his homeowner’s insurance policies. Murdaugh’s insurance companies settled the estate’s claim for $505,000 and $3,800,000. Fleming further admitted that, as part of the scheme, Murdaugh and Fleming conspired to siphon settlement funds, disguised as “prosecution expenses,” for their own personal enrichment. Fleming directed the drafting of checks from the settlement funds held in his trust account to his personal bank account, fraudulently claiming that the funds were to pay for “expenses” related to the estate’s claim against Murdaugh. Fleming knew the funds belonged to the estate, and the payments were not for legitimate legal expenses. In addition to the scheme Fleming admitted to in his guilty plea, Fleming was held responsible at sentencing for the theft of settlement funds from a client whose son passed away after being rendered a quadriplegic in a car accident. Specifically, Fleming used $8,528.46 of the estate’s funds to issue two checks to pay for a private plane to attend the College World Series, and he wrote a $4,560 check from the estate’s trust account directly to Murdaugh claiming the funds were legitimate expenses. Finally, Fleming used $89,133.44 remaining in the trust account to issue a check for Murdaugh’s benefit rather than properly disbursing the funds to the estate. “Cory Fleming was trusted by clients who had suffered tragic losses, and he abused that trust for his own personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “His theft of their settlement funds undermines the public’s confidence in our legal system, and we appreciate the partnership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division in holding him accountable.” “This sentence sends a clear message that fraudulent financial activities will not be tolerated, and those who attempt to exploit innocent victims to line their own pockets will face severe consequences,” Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office said. “The FBI remains dedicated to upholding the law and protecting the interests of those who rely on transparent and honest transactions.” United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted Fleming’s guilty plea and imposed a 46-month sentence, followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. As part of the sentence, Fleming agreed to pay $102,221.90 in restitution. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse, Kathleen Stoughton, and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case. The case against Fleming is No. 9:22-cr-394 (D.S.C.). The case against Murdaugh is No. 9:23-cr-396 (D.S.C.). ###


title: Second Marion Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man from Marion, Iowa, was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison for his involvement in selling cocaine. Cheyenne Gonzales, age 48, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Gonzales and Kain Cortez worked together to sell cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area between April and June 2022. Law enforcement utilized a confidential source to conduct controlled buys of cocaine from Gonzales, and Cortez was present with Gonzales during some of the controlled buys. On June 1, 2022, investigators observed a meeting between Gonzales, Cortez, and two other individuals outside of Gonzales’s and Cortez’s shared residence. On that date, Gonzales and Cortez paid approximately $15,000 in cash for half a kilogram of cocaine and approximately 20 pounds of marijuana. Gonzales has a prior federal conviction from 2003 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Gonzales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gonzales was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. Gonzales must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. On July 31, 2023, Cortez was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. Cortez must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Gonzales is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-00054. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Tulsa County Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brayden Zane Graham, age 18, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Henryetta Police Department. The Indictment alleged that on December 29, 2022, Graham fired on a vehicle and its three passengers. An investigation revealed that Graham attempted to overtake three passengers in a truck. As the truck fled, Graham fired several rounds into the back of the vehicle. The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Jackson, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Graham was remanded to custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.


title: Former Chattanooga-Area Woman Pleads Guilty To Obstruction Of Justice

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On August 14, 2023, Florencia Renderos Morales, 24, currently of Houston, Texas, entered a guilty plea to one count of obstruction of justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b), in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Sentencing has been set for January 12, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr., in United States District Court at Chattanooga. Morales faces a term of up to 20 years in Federal prison, $500,000 in fines, and supervised release of three years. As part of the written plea agreement, Morales waived an indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges as set forth in a felony Bill of Information. According to court documents, Morales was an employee of La Casa de Sydney, a housing facility for undocumented and unaccompanied minor children located in the Eastern District of Tennessee. While at the facility, she engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct directed toward minor residents who were in their late teens. The Department of Homeland Security and the Chattanooga Police Department initiated an investigation into Morales’s conduct and the conduct of others at La Casa de Sydney. Court documents indicate that the defendant became aware that she was the object of this investigation, and she contacted other involved individuals about ways to evade detection. Morales discussed who she believed reported her conduct to authorities, and she urged one former minor resident of La Casa de Sydney to delete electronic evidence that was relevant to the investigation. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement. This prosecution is the result of a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Chattanooga Police Department Special Victims Unit, with assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Wilson and Jay Woods represent the United States in this action. ###


title: Lackawanna County Man Sentenced to Eight Years' Imprisonment for Drug and Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Moises Vargas-Olivio, age 22, of Olyphant, Lackawanna County, was sentenced on August 11, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to eight years’ imprisonment on the charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vargas-Olivio previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing a loaded .357 Magnum revolver, a loaded .22 caliber handgun, and an illegal “sawed-off” shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches in length, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charge stems from an incident on May 22, 2022, in which Lackawanna County Detectives and members of the Olyphant Police Department made a purchase of cocaine from Vargas-Olivio and then obtained a search warrant for Vargas-Olivio’s residence in Olyphant. A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of an additional amount of cocaine packaged for distribution, approximately $20,000 in U.S. currency, numerous pills, marijuana, two loaded handguns, and a loaded “sawed-off” shotgun. The investigation was conducted by Lackawanna County Detectives, the Olyphant Police Department, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Brian J. Gallagher prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Metro Atlanta man charged with laundering funds from COVID-19 unemployment relief and submitting fraudulent EIDL loan application

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Austin Martin Siampwizi has been arraigned on federal charges of concealment money laundering, money laundering conspiracy, and wire fraud. “Money launderers used the COVID-19 pandemic to financially benefit while millions of Americans were suffering,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We will continue to prosecute individuals who defrauded this program at the expense of vulnerable citizens in need of this critical relief.” “An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud related to unemployment insurance programs,” said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate these types of allegations.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Austin Martin Siampwizi allegedly laundered money procured from fraudulent unemployment claims submitted to the Employment Security Department of Washington State (“ESD”). These claims were filed using personal identifiable information stolen from more than 50 individuals. Additionally, Siampwizi has been charged with wire fraud for allegedly submitting a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) application to the SBA. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) created a temporary federal program that provided up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits for those unemployed because of the pandemic and included a provision to provide temporary benefits to individuals who had exhausted their entitlement to regular benefits or were otherwise not eligible. That temporary federal program was administered by state employment agencies. The CARES Act also allowed the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to offer funding to business owners negatively affected by the pandemic. Austin Martin Siampwizi, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Christopher C. Bly. Siampwizi was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 25, 2023. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Klapman is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . 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 .


title: Third Florida Man Sentenced for String of Recreational Vehicle Thefts Spanning Multiple States

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Today, United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart announced that a federal judge sentenced 34-year-old Yanquiel Lazaro Garcia-Carrera, from West Palm Beach, Florida, to 54 months in prison for his role in a string of recreational vehicle (RV) thefts. During his August 10, 2023, sentencing hearing, the judge also ordered that Garcia-Carrera serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and pay $70,036 in restitution. According to his plea agreement and court records, Garcia-Carrera and others participated in a conspiracy to steal RVs from dealerships at night and transport them back to Florida. Records indicate that from February 2019 through July 2020, thefts occurred on at least 20 separate occasions in multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Houston County, Alabama. Two others charged in the conspiracy were 46-year-old Yohannys Riquenes Diaz, also from West Palm Beach, and 37-year-old Taylon Batista-Garcia, from Margate, Florida. In May 2023, a judge sentenced Riquenes-Diaz to 37 months in prison and Batista-Garcia received a sentence of 26 months in prison. The judge also required that both men pay restitution. The FBI and the Dothan Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from numerous state and local law enforcement agencies in the affected states. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon W. Bates is prosecuting the case.


title: Violent Felon Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Thomas Burkett, 45, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 77 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. According to court documents, on August 4, 2021, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) investigators were patrolling near the Marathon gas station on North Shadeland Avenue when they saw Thomas Burkett exit the driver’s seat of a white Pontiac with a pistol protruding from his pant pocket. Officers ran the Pontiac’s license plate and determined that Burkett was the registered owner of the vehicle and had a suspended driver’s license. Investigators reviewed Burkett’s criminal history and learned that he had been previously convicted of numerous felonies, including strangulation, kidnapping, escape, theft, possession of marijuana, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. As a result of his criminal convictions Burkett is prohibited from ever legally possessing a firearm. Officers detained Burkett before he left the gas station and recovered a black 9mm handgun from under the driver’s seat of Burkett’s car. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and Chief Randal Taylor of IMPD, made the announcement. “Multiple convictions for violent crimes were not enough to convince this offender to stop carrying a deadly weapon,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “The serious federal prison sentence imposed here should send a message to citizens returning to the community from custody: if you choose to possess a gun you will go right back to prison. Our office will continue to partner with the ATF and IMPD to ensure that the most dangerous armed offenders are taken off our streets.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Burkett be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Montpelier Man Charged with Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Materials

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Jeffery Paul Coolidge, 58, of Montpelier, Vermont, appeared on Friday, August 11, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle after a criminal complaint issued charging him with production, distribution, and possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). Coolidge was ordered temporarily detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday, August 16, 2023. According to court records, Coolidge used the handle “phantasy” to operate on darkweb forums dedicated to those with sexual interest in male children aged four to fourteen years old. On August 8, 2023, Coolidge shared via those forums sexually explicit photographs he had taken of a male child with whom he had contact. Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Montpelier Police Department, arrested Coolidge the next day. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that Coolidge is presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Coolidge faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to 30 years of imprisonment, for the production of child sexual abuse images; a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the distribution of child sexual abuse images; and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the possession of child sexual abuse images. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Montpelier Police Department, Vermont’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne M. Smith. Coolidge is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. 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 Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (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: UBS Agrees to Pay $1.435 Billion for Fraud in the Sale of Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities

component: Civil Division

body_text: UBS AG and several of its U.S.-based affiliates (together, UBS) have agreed to pay $1.435 billion in penalties to settle a civil action filed in November 2018 alleging misconduct related to UBS’ underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) issued in 2006 and 2007. This settlement resolves the last case brought by a Justice Department working group dedicated to investigating conduct of banks and other entities for their roles in creating and issuing RMBS leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. Following an extensive investigation, the United States filed a complaint alleging that UBS defrauded investors in connection with the sale of 40 RMBS issued in 2006 and 2007. The complaint alleged that UBS knowingly made false and misleading statements to buyers of these securities relating to the characteristics of the mortgage loans underlying the RMBS in violation of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA). The FIRREA claims were based on alleged violations of the mail, wire, and bank fraud statutes. “In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, people all across the country experienced financial ruin and emotional devastation, and many are still recovering nearly 15 years later,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “As this settlement demonstrates, the department and our partner agencies remain committed to holding accountable those who break the law and undermine the well-being of American families.” “The results achieved by the RMBS Working Group are a testament to the exceptional dedication and hard work by department attorneys over many years,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are grateful for the outstanding support provided by our partners in federal agencies and states that similarly sought to hold responsible those entities that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis.” “With this resolution, UBS will pay for its conduct related to its underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities. The substantial civil penalty in this case serves as a warning to other players in the financial markets who seek to unlawfully profit through fraud that we will hold them accountable no matter how long it takes,” stated U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “The over $36 billion collected for conduct that fueled the 2008 financial crisis reflects the Department of Justice’s deep commitment to protecting financial markets, investors and the public against fraudulent conduct.” “This settlement represents accountability from those who thought they were above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “UBS’ conduct at issue in this case played a significant role in causing a financial crisis that harmed millions of Americans. We will continue to seek accountability when financial institutions – large or small – misrepresent vital information to investors and undermine trust in our public markets.” The government’s complaint alleged that contrary to UBS’ representations in publicly filed offering documents, UBS knew that significant numbers of the loans backing the RMBS did not comply with loan underwriting guidelines that were designed to assess borrowers’ ability to repay. The complaint further asserted that UBS knew that the property values associated with a significant number of the securitized loans were unsupported, and that significant numbers of the loans had not been originated in accordance with consumer protection laws. UBS was allegedly aware of these significant problems because it had conducted extensive due diligence on the underlying loans prior to the RMBS being issued to determine whether the loans were consistent with representations that would be made to investors. Ultimately, the 40 RMBS sustained substantial losses. “The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), together with our RMBS Working Group partners, investigated and held accountable those who sought to victimize Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and investors by selling fraudulent mortgage-backed securities,” said FHFA Inspector General Brian Tomney. “We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice and its vigorous pursuit of justice in this case.” With the UBS settlement announced today, the Justice Department has collected more than $36 billion in civil penalties from entities for their alleged conduct in connection with mortgages securitized in failed RMBS leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. These resolutions include settlements with the following banks, mortgage originators, and rating agencies: Ally Financial ; Aurora Loan Services ; Bank of America ; Barclays ; Citigroup ; Credit Suisse ; Deutsche Bank ; General Electric ; Goldman Sachs ; HSBC ; JPMorgan ; Moody’s ; Morgan Stanley ; Nomura ; Royal Bank of Scotland ; S&P ; Société Générale ; and Wells Fargo . Collectively, these matters were handled by 11 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, in conjunction with the RMBS Working Group. The RMBS Working Group was a federal and state law enforcement effort focused on investigating fraud and abuse in the RMBS market that led to the financial crisis. Formed in 2012, the RMBS Working Group brought together more than 200 attorneys, investigators, analysts, and staff from dozens of state and federal agencies, including the FHFA-OIG, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the FBI, to investigate financial fraud in RMBS. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bonni J. Perlin, Michael J. Castiglione, Richard K. Hayes, Edward K. Newman and Melanie Speight for the Eastern District of New York, Austin M. Hall and Andres H. Sandoval, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Armen Adzhemyan for the Northern District of Georgia handled the case. The claims resolved in the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: UBS Agrees to Pay $1.435 Billion to Resolve Claims That It Made Misrepresentations in the Sale of Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – UBS AG and several of its U.S.-based affiliates (together, “UBS”) have agreed to pay $1.435 billion in penalties to settle a civil action filed in November 2018 alleging misconduct related to UBS’ underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) issued in 2006 and 2007. UBS will pay the United States $1,435,000,000 in civil penalties in exchange for dismissal of the complaint filed in the action. This settlement resolves the last case brought by a Department of Justice Working Group dedicated to investigating conduct of banks and other entities for their roles in creating and issuing RMBS leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. Following an extensive investigation, the United States filed a complaint alleging that UBS defrauded investors in connection with the sale of 40 RMBS issued in 2006 and 2007. The complaint alleged that UBS knowingly made false and misleading statements to buyers of these securities relating to the characteristics of the mortgage loans underlying the RMBS in violation of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, 12 U.S.C. § 1833a (FIRREA). The FIRREA claims were based on alleged violations of the mail, wire, and bank fraud statutes, as well as 18 U.S.C. §§ 1005 and 1014. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Vanita Gupta, United States Associate Attorney General; Brian M. Boynton, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Division; Ryan K. Buchanan, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, and Brian M. Tomney, Inspector General for the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced the settlement. “With this resolution, UBS will pay for its conduct related to its underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities. The substantial civil penalty in this case serves as a warning to other players in the financial markets who seek to unlawfully profit through fraud that we will hold them accountable no matter how long it takes,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The over $36 billion collected for conduct that fueled the 2008 financial crisis reflects the Department of Justice’s deep commitment to protecting financial markets, investors and the public against fraudulent conduct.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Office’s partners at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia (NDGA), and to the Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of the Inspector General for its assistance in the government’s case. “In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, people all across the country experienced financial ruin and emotional devastation, and many are still recovering nearly 15 years later,” stated Associate Attorney General Gupta. “As this settlement demonstrates, the department and our partner agencies remain committed to holding accountable those who break the law and undermine the well-being of American families.” “The results achieved by the RMBS Working Group are a testament to the exceptional dedication and hard work by department attorneys over many years,” stated Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Boynton. “We are grateful for the outstanding support provided by our partners in federal agencies and states that similarly sought to hold responsible those entities that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis.” “This settlement represents accountability for those entities and individuals who mistakenly believed themselves to be above the law,” stated U.S. Attorney NDGA Buchanan. “UBS’ conduct in this case played a significant role in causing a financial crisis that harmed millions of Americans. The scope of this settlement should serve as a warning to other financial institutions – both large and small – of the significant penalties that can result when corporations misrepresent vital information to investors and undermine trust in our public markets. We are thankful for the collective efforts of our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the investigative agencies to bring this case to resolution.” “The FHFA Office of Inspector General, together with our RMBS Working Group partners, investigated and held accountable those who sought to victimize Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and investors by selling fraudulent mortgage-backed securities,” stated FHFA Inspector General Tomney. “We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice and its vigorous pursuit of justice in this case.” The government’s complaint alleged that contrary to UBS’ representations in publicly filed offering documents, UBS knew that significant numbers of the loans backing the RMBS did not comply with loan underwriting guidelines that were designed to assess borrowers’ ability to repay. The complaint further asserted that UBS knew that the property values associated with a significant number of the securitized loans were unsupported, and that significant numbers of the loans had not been originated in accordance with consumer protection laws. UBS was allegedly aware of these significant problems because it had conducted extensive due diligence on the underlying loans prior to the RMBS being issued to determine whether the loans were consistent with representations that would be made to investors. Ultimately, the 40 RMBS sustained substantial losses. With the UBS settlement announced today, the Department of Justice has collected more than $36 billion in civil penalties from 18 major domestic and foreign banks, originators, and rating agencies for their alleged conduct in connection with mortgages securitized in failed RMBS leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. These resolutions include settlements with eighteen banks, mortgage originators, and rating agencies: Ally Financial ; Aurora Loan Services ; Bank of America ; Barclays ; Citigroup ; Credit Suisse ; Deutsche Bank ; General Electric ; Goldman Sachs ; HSBC ; JPMorgan ; Moody’s ; Morgan Stanley ; Nomura ; Royal Bank of Scotland ; S&P ; Société Générale ; and Wells Fargo . Collectively, these matters were handled by 11 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, in conjunction with the RMBS Working Group. The RMBS Working Group was a federal and state law enforcement effort focused on investigating fraud and abuse in the RMBS market that led to the financial crisis. Formed in 2012, the RMBS Working Group brought together more than 200 attorneys, investigators, analysts and staff from dozens of state and federal agencies, including the FHFA Office of Inspector General, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the FBI, to investigate financial fraud in RMBS. The UBS case is the last RMBS Working Group case resolved by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York. In six cases the Office and its partners recovered over $11 billion in penalties. The Office thanks its many partners, current and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and professional staff for their work on this important Departmental initiative. The claims resolved in the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. The matter involving UBS was handled by the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia, with the support of agents from FHFA-OIG. Assistant United States Attorneys Bonni J. Perlin, Michael J. Castiglione, Richard K. Hayes, Edward K. Newman and Melanie Speight from the Eastern District of New York, and Austin M. Hall, Andres H. Sandoval, and former Assistant United States Attorney Armen Adzhemyan from the Northern District of Georgia were in charge of the litigation. E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CV-6369 (RPK) (PK)


title: UBS agrees to pay $1.435 billion for fraud in the sale of residential mortgage-backed securities

body_text: ATLANTA – UBS AG and several of its U.S.-based affiliates (together, “UBS”) have agreed to pay $1.435 billion in penalties to settle a civil action filed in November 2018 alleging misconduct related to UBS’ underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) issued in 2006 and 2007. UBS will pay the United States $1,435,000,000 in civil penalties in exchange for dismissal of the complaint filed in the action. This settlement resolves the last case brought by a Department of Justice Working Group dedicated to investigating conduct of banks and other entities for their roles in creating and issuing RMBS leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. “This settlement represents accountability for those entities and individuals who mistakenly believed themselves to be above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “UBS’ conduct in this case played a significant role in causing a financial crisis that harmed millions of Americans. The scope of this settlement should serve as a warning to other financial institutions – both large and small – of the significant penalties that can result when corporations misrepresent vital information to investors and undermine trust in our public markets. We are thankful for the collective efforts of our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the investigative agencies to bring this case to resolution.” “In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, people all across the country experienced financial ruin and emotional devastation, and many are still recovering nearly 15 years later,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “As this settlement demonstrates, the department and our partner agencies remain committed to holding accountable those who break the law and undermine the well-being of American families.” “The results achieved by the RMBS Working Group are a testament to the exceptional dedication and hard work by department attorneys over many years,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton. “We are grateful for the outstanding support provided by our partners in federal agencies and states that similarly sought to hold responsible those entities that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis.” “With this resolution, UBS will pay for its conduct related to its underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities. The substantial civil penalty in this case serves as a warning to other players in the financial markets who seek to unlawfully profit through fraud that we will hold them accountable no matter how long it takes,” stated U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. “The over $36 billion collected for conduct that fueled the 2008 financial crisis reflects the Department of Justice’s deep commitment to protecting financial markets, investors and the public against fraudulent conduct.” “The FHFA Office of Inspector General, together with our RMBS Working Group partners, investigated and held accountable those who sought to victimize Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and investors by selling fraudulent mortgage-backed securities,” said FHFA Inspector General Brian Tomney. “We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice and its vigorous pursuit of justice in this case.” Following an extensive investigation, the United States filed a complaint alleging that UBS defrauded investors in connection with the sale of 40 RMBS issued in 2006 and 2007. The complaint alleged that UBS knowingly made false and misleading statements to buyers of these securities relating to the characteristics of the mortgage loans underlying the RMBS in violation of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, 12 U.S.C. § 1833a (FIRREA). The FIRREA claims were based on alleged violations of the mail, wire, and bank fraud statutes, as well as 18 U.S.C. §§ 1005 and 1014. The government’s complaint alleged that contrary to UBS’ representations in publicly filed offering documents, UBS knew that significant numbers of the loans backing the RMBS did not comply with loan underwriting guidelines that were designed to assess borrowers’ ability to repay. The complaint further asserted that UBS knew that the property values associated with a significant number of the securitized loans were unsupported, and that significant numbers of the loans had not been originated in accordance with consumer protection laws. UBS was allegedly aware of these significant problems because it had conducted extensive due diligence on the underlying loans prior to the RMBS being issued to determine whether the loans were consistent with representations that would be made to investors. Ultimately, the 40 RMBS sustained substantial losses. With the UBS settlement announced today, the Department of Justice has collected more than $36 billion in civil penalties from 18 major domestic and foreign banks, originators, and rating agencies for their alleged conduct in connection with mortgages securitized in failed RMBS leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. These resolutions include settlements with eighteen banks, mortgage originators, and rating agencies: Ally Financial; Aurora Loan Services; Bank of America; Barclays; Citigroup; Credit Suisse; Deutsche Bank; General Electric; Goldman Sachs; HSBC; JPMorgan; Moody’s; Morgan Stanley; Nomura; Royal Bank of Scotland; S&P; Société Générale; and Wells Fargo. Collectively, these matters were handled by 11 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, in conjunction with the RMBS Working Group. The RMBS Working Group was a federal and state law enforcement effort focused on investigating fraud and abuse in the RMBS market that led to the financial crisis. Formed in 2012, the RMBS Working Group brought together more than 200 attorneys, investigators, analysts and staff from dozens of state and federal agencies, including the FHFA Office of Inspector General, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the FBI, to investigate financial fraud in RMBS. The claims resolved in the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. The government’s case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin M. Hall, Andres H. Sandoval, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Armen Adzhemyan for the Northern District of Georgia, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bonni J. Perlin, Michael J. Castiglione, Richard K. Hayes, Edward K. Newman, and Melanie Speight for the Eastern District of New York, with the support of agents from the Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of the Inspector General. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmail@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 .


title: Oregon Felon Sentenced To More Than Six Years For Drug Trafficking And Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Katherine Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Johnathan Thuemler (32, Oregon) to six years and five months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Thuemler had pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023. According to court documents, on February 9, 2023, Thuemler and another individual were stopped by deputies from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office for a traffic infraction. A deputy observed a loaded firearm concealed next to Thuemler, a convicted felon. Deputies also located 124 pressed pills which contained fentanyl inside the vehicle. Following the stop, deputies searched Thuemler’s hotel room and located more than 2,000 additional pressed pulls containing fentanyl. Thuemler and the other individual explained that they had traveled to Florida from Oregon to sell the pills. Thuemler is a convicted felon for offenses related to the sale of heroin. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Harrisburg Man Indicted for Escape

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert H. Thomas, age 64, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on August 9, 2023, by a federal grand jury on escape charges. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on March 18, 2023, Thomas escaped from custody of the Capital Pavilion Residential Reentry Center in Dauphin County, where he was confined. Following the escape, he was apprehended on July 21, 2023. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Behe is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.


title: Sarasota Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Marquis Henry Mack (33, Sarasota) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Mack faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, on January 4, 2023, deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office responded to Mack’s residence to serve a narcotics-related arrest warrant that had been issued in Manatee County. Mack was standing in his driveway when the deputies approached him. When informed of the pending arrest warrant, Mack turned around and began to walk toward his garage, failing to obey all verbal commands to stop. The deputies grabbed ahold of Mack, and as Mack struggled to break free, the deputies pulled a loaded SCCY CPX-1 9mm caliber pistol from Mack’s front pocket. Mack, a previously convicted felon, had served 18 months in state prison after sustaining a conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 2021. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Samantha E. Beckman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Man Indicted for Aiming Laser Pointer at Denver Police Department Helicopter

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Kevin William Adamchack, age 43, of Franktown, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a single count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. According to the indictment, on March 2, 2023, Adamchack knowingly aimed the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, and at the flight path of the aircraft. The aircraft in question was “Air 1,” a helicopter operated by the Denver Police Department. Defendant Adamchack had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Varholak on August 11, 2023. This case is being investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Jena Neuscheler is handling the prosecution. The charge in the indictment is an allegation and the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. CASE NUMBER: 23-cr-00303-RMR


title: DOJ and California non-profit settle allegations of false claims for reimbursement

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice and Sun Valley CARE Development, Inc. (CARE) today resolved allegations that CARE violated the False Claims Act by submitting false information to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) in connection with an EDA grant. CARE will pay the government $364,126 to resolve the matter, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman of the Western District of Washington. CARE is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization located in Sun Valley, California. In 2008 EDA awarded a grant to CARE in the amount of $2,800,000 for the design and construction of a medical and nurse training facility in Sun Valley. The grant was administered by EDA’s Seattle Office. The settlement today resolves allegations arising from CARE’s final request for reimbursement submitted to EDA in connection with the grant. In January 2018 CARE submitted to EDA a request for reimbursement that purported to set forth the costs CARE incurred constructing the medical and nurse training facility. The United States contends that the request for reimbursement and supporting documentation contained false information about CARE’s construction costs. Of the settlement amount, $182,063 is restitution. The additional settlement dollars are part of the enhanced penalties under the False Claims Act. “The Department of Commerce OIG is dedicated to working with Department of Justice to curb fraud, waste, and abuse. It is of particular importance when a project receiving EDA funding to design and construct a nurse training facility benefitting the local community is negatively impacted. We greatly appreciate the cooperation and effort of the United States Attorney’s Office in ensuring justice is served in this matter,” said Jeffrey Lysaght, Special Agent in Charge, U.S Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General. The investigation began with a whistleblower complaint regarding work performed under the grant. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Burns handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Davidson County Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: WINSTON-SALEM – A Lexington man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison after pleading guilty to two felony counts of possession and production of child pornography announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). According to court records, officers encountered ZACHERY GRAY GUNTER, age 43, of Lexington, in May 2020. At the time, GUNTER had outstanding warrants. As part of an unrelated criminal investigation, officers discovered an image of child pornography. Upon further investigation, officers determined Gunter created child sex abuse materials of multiple minors. GUNTER was sentenced today to a 360-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, GUNTER was ordered to pay special assessments totaling $2,200.00. He pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography under the age of 12 and one count of production of child pornography on April 5, 2023. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Freeman and JoAnna McFadden. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Senior FARC Commander Pleads Guilty in Brooklyn Federal Court to Conspiring to Distribute Massive Quantities Of Cocaine for Importation into the United States

body_text: Martin Leonel Perez Castro, also known as “Richard,” pleaded guilty today in federal court in Brooklyn to conspiracy to distribute cocaine internationally, intending and knowing that the cocaine would be illegally imported into the United States. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan. Perez Castro, the commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 30th Front, a group that operated in southwestern Colombia, was extradited to the Eastern District of New York in June 2022 . When sentenced, he faces up to life in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Anne Milgram, Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office (IRS-CI), announced the guilty plea. “The defendant was a senior FARC leader who financed the group’s violence and terrorism through the production and distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine on a global scale,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s guilty plea is a powerful reminder to drug trafficking organizations all over the world that this Office and our law enforcement partners will bring them to justice for the harm and misery they have caused in the United States and elsewhere.” Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the DEA’s office in Bogota, Colombia, the United States Department of State, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia, the Colombian National Police, and the Government of Colombia. “As a senior FARC leader, Perez Castro used violence, power and notoriety to import tons of cocaine from Colombia into New York City,” stated DEA Administrator Milgram. “Today's guilty plea reflects DEA’s unwavering commitment to hold all drug traffickers accountable and should send a clear message to drug networks across the globe that we will investigate and dismantle organizations that threaten the safety and health of the American people.” “This FARC senior official maintained a revenue stream that used extortion and direct sales to cocaine dealers to fund the para-military group. In his position, Perez Castro is responsible for distributing thousands of kilos of cocaine in and around the United States. Today’s guilty plea is the result of the great investigative work of DEA and IRS-CI Special Agents and incredible law enforcement partnerships globally,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso. As set forth in the indictment, court filings, and statements made in Court, the FARC’s 30th Front, led by Perez Castro, generated revenue by directly selling cocaine to drug traffickers or extorting payments from traffickers operating in the 30th Front’s territory. The cocaine trafficked by the 30th Front was later smuggled into the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. The 30th Front also attacked rival drug trafficking groups or Colombian government forces to protect or expand FARC territory. As part of his plea, Perez Castro will take responsibility for the distribution of more than 75,000 kilograms of cocaine. The FARC was founded in 1964 as a left-wing paramilitary group dedicated to the violent overthrow of the Government of Colombia. Over decades of conflict, the FARC attacked Colombian government forces and used targeted killings, kidnapping, and other terrorist tactics to achieve its ends. In October 1997, the U.S. Secretary of State designated the FARC as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), pursuant to Title 8, United States Code, Section 1189. After the Government of Colombia and the FARC entered into a peace accord in 2016, the FARC formally dissolved. On November 30, 2021, the U.S. Secretary of State revoked the designation of the FARC as an FTO. The defendant’s conduct occurred prior to the 2016 peace accord. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Wang, Adam Amir, and Miranda Gonzalez are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : MARTIN LEONEL PEREZ CASTRO Age: 53 Colombia E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-465 (S-2) (BMC)


title: Aiken Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Scheme to Defraud TRICARE

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Travis Anthony Mason, 52, of Aiken, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison after pleading guilty to health care fraud. Evidence presented to the court showed that Mason, through his company M3 Medical LLC, was involved in the marketing and sale of prescription compounded medications, which included various pain creams. Compounded medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. Although compounded drugs are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they are properly prescribed when a physician determines that an FDA-approved medication does not meet the health needs of a particular patient because, for example, the patient is allergic to a dye or other ingredient or requires the medication in a different form. Mason and his coconspirators would target individuals with federally funded health insurance plans, including TRICARE, that provided benefits for the compounded prescriptions. They would obtain prescriptions for compounded medications, many of which were medically unnecessary, from a physician. They would then direct that these prescriptions be filled by specific compounding pharmacies. Mason and his coconspirators knew that the compounded medication would yield a high reimbursement. For every compounded prescription that was filled, Mason was paid a percentage of the reimbursement amount. Over two years, Mason and his coconspirators caused $1,966,194.00 in loss to TRICARE. “Fraud of healthcare programs steals resources from people who need care and, in this case, from men and women who have bravely served our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We appreciate the hard work of our agency partners in the investigation of this scheme, and we stand ready to prosecute those who steal from government programs to enrich themselves.” “Travis Mason thought TRICARE and other Federal healthcare programs were easy targets for fraud; he was sorely mistaken,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “Nationwide fraud schemes like this degrade our healthcare system. They also put the public and the military at risk. DCIS stands resolute with its Federal law enforcement partners to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute perpetrators of these schemes.” "Mason’s criminal acts jeopardized the health and well-being of unsuspecting victims, many of whom have served or continue to serve our country in the military,” Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the Columbia Field Office said. “Healthcare fraud remains a top priority for the FBI to investigate. We, along with our law enforcement partners, will take every measure available to unravel such schemes and bring perpetrators to justice." United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson sentenced Mason to 31 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court also ordered him to pay the restitution in the amount of $1,966,194.00. The case was investigated by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Amy F. Bower prosecuted the case. ###


title: Four Columbia Men Sentenced to Multi-Year Terms in Federal Prison for Selling Drugs and Guns to Undercover Law Enforcement Officer

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Four Columbia men have been sentenced to federal prison after selling drugs and guns to an undercover law enforcement officer. Evidence presented to the court showed that between January and March of 2020, an undercover agent conducted 13 controlled buys of drugs and guns from the four co-defendants. In total, the undercover officer purchased more than 120 grams of crack cocaine, 66 grams of fentanyl, a small quantity of heroin, and 12 firearms from the group. Thomas Lee Thompson, Jr., 29, was a source of supply for some of the heroin and fentanyl sold. During one of the controlled buys, on February 12, 2020, Thompson supplied his co-defendant, Gaylon Mareese Green, with a heroin/fentanyl mixture, which Greene then sold to the undercover officer. Thompson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. He was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison, with a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision to follow. Gaylon Mareese Greene, 51, was the hand-to-hand distributor in all 13 sales. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 180 months in prison, with 8 years of court-ordered supervision to follow. Calvin Lionell Thomas, 40, of Columbia, was the source of supply for more than 80 grams of crack cocaine and a firearm sold to the undercover officer. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison, with 5 years of court-ordered supervision to follow. Quinton Deshawn Howell, 35, of Columbia, was Green’s source of supply for heroin during one controlled buy, negotiating the prices and terms of a future sale. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl and was sentenced to 30 months in prison, with 6 years of supervised release to follow. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis imposed the sentences. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin . This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case. ###


title: Three Year Manhunt for an Alleged Fake Doctor Selling an Unproven Coronavirus Cure Ends with Utah Fugitive Behind Bars

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City , Utah – A Utah resident and three-year fugitive was arrested in Utah County on federal charges after fleeing from federal law enforcement in 2020. According to court documents, Gordon Hunter Pedersen, 63, of Cedar Hills, Utah, was spotted during surveillance by federal agents on July 5, 2023. Pedersen had a warrant issued for his arrest on August 25, 2020, after failing to appear on an indictment in federal court. The indictment charges Pedersen with mail fraud, wire fraud and felony introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead. Court documents also provide that at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, before approved vaccines were available, Pedersen sold via the internet a “structural alkaline silver” product which he claimed “resonates, or vibrates, at a frequency that destroys the membrane of the virus, making the virus incapable of attaching to any healthy cell, or to infect you in anyway.” In Pedersen’s alleged attempt to further defraud, he falsely claimed on YouTube videos to be a board certified “Anti-Aging Medical Doctor.” He is further alleged to have falsely claimed to have a PhD in immunology and a PhD in Naturopathic Medicine. A pending civil case is being handled by the Department of Justice, Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. A previous press release on the civil and criminal actions can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/utah-man-posing-medical-doctor-sell-baseless-coronavirus-cure-indicted-fraud-charges . The image was entered into the public record on PACER in a detention memo. Image: YouTube.com/Public Record Pedersen is scheduled to make his initial appearance on the criminal indictment and to appear at a detention hearing Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., in courtroom 8.4 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation (FDA-OCI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Salt Lake City Field Office. The criminal action is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob J. Strain and Brian Williams from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Speare Hodges and Sarah Williams from the Department of Justice, Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. James Smith from FDA’s Office of Chief Council is also assisting. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud . 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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form . An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Las Vegas Resident Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Child Sex Trafficking

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to 10 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for attempted child sex trafficking and possession of child sexual abuse material. James Allen Wynhoff (41) pleaded guilty in September 2022 to attempted sex trafficking and possession of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Wynhoff is required to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, on March 31, 2022, Wynhoff contacted a person he believed to be a 15-year-old child on the messaging application Kik. Through Kik messages, he solicited and agreed to pay $100 to the child to have sex with him. Furthermore, Wynhoff admitted to possessing 11 videos of child sexual abuse material depicting children as young as toddlers. He has a federal felony conviction in Utah for Interstate Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Contact. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement. The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . If you suspect that you have information about possible child sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). ###