title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two D.C. Residents with Kidnapping and Carjacking Charges

body_text: WASHINGTON – Brian Allison, 54, and Angel Hall, 23, both of Washington, D.C., were charged today by indictment, filed in U.S. District Court, with kidnapping, carjacking, and transportation of a stolen vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). According to the indictment, on February 1, 2024, the pair carjacked the victim, kidnapped the victim, and transported the victim across the state line in the victim’s 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. According to documents filed in D.C. Superior Court, just after midnight on February 2, 2024, the victim reported the incident telling police that just over an hour earlier, the defendants approached as the victim was walking through the parking lot of the Subway food store at 4518 Benning Road, SE. Defendant Allison had a gun and demanded the victim’s keys. After the victim complied, Allison demanded the victim’s wallet and phone, and then ordered the victim into the car. The defendants drove the victim to a tobacco store in Capitol Heights, Maryland where they used the victim’s bank card to withdraw $500. The defendants drove around for approximately 10 minutes before parking the car in the 5700 block of Southern Avenue Southeast. Before exiting the vehicle, defendant Allison wiped down the interior of the car and the keys, then left the victim in the car and walked away. The defendants are in custody. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory Cole and David Lawrence. 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: Minot Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Large Amounts of Methamphetamines into North Dakota from Mexico, and Trafficking Firearms into Mexico

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: BISMARCK – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on March 27, 2024, Joshua Paul Kranig, age 41, from Minot, North Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor and pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and one count of Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon. Kranig was sentenced to serve 10 years and 5 months in federal prison, followed by five years supervised release for the methamphetamine conspiracy conviction, and to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release for the illegal possession of firearms conviction. The sentences will run concurrent to one another. Kranig was involved in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico to North Dakota. Further, Kranig was unlawfully possessing and trafficking firearms into Mexico as payment for the drugs. “This prosecution took dangerous drugs off the streets of our communities and firearms out of the hands of international cartels,” Schneider said. “Where organized drug trafficking occurs, illegal guns and violent crime all too often follow. Our career prosecutors and their law enforcement partners deserve credit for the results in this case, which will benefit public safety in the District of North Dakota and beyond.” This case was investigated by the Minot Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant US Attorney Chris Myers and Assistant US Attorney David Hagler assigned to the case. # # #


title: Former Orange County Education Official Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Nearly $16 Million from School District That Employed Him

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – The former senior director of fiscal services at an Orange County public school district pleaded guilty today to embezzling approximately $15.9 million from the district over several years. Jorge Armando Contreras, 53, of Yorba Linda, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement, theft and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal funds, a felony offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Law enforcement so far has seized approximately $7.7 million in personal and real property traced to the scheme, including a home in Yorba Linda, a 2021 BMW automobile, 57 luxury designer bags (mostly Louis Vuitton), various pieces of jewelry, designer clothes and shoes, and eight bottles of Clase Azul Ultra luxury tequila. Contreras was the senior director of fiscal services at Magnolia School District, which serves students in Anaheim and Stanton. In this role, Contreras, whom the school district hired in 2006, managed the district’s fiscal operations. The schools in this district educate children from preschool through sixth grade – 81% of whom are classified as socio-economically disadvantaged. According to his plea agreement, Contreras managed and had access to various school district bank accounts as well as the student body bank account. Contreras caused checks from these accounts to be deposited into his personal bank account. Contreras wrote checks in small dollar amounts written to “M S D,” with the letters spaced out, and, after receiving the proper signatures from others, would include fictitious names and increase the amounts of the checks and deposit the checks into his personal bank account via ATMs. To conceal his fraud, Contreras provided bank reconciliation packets to others at the school district with falsified bank statements and records. In total, Contreras admitted to embezzling approximately $15,920,042 from the school district. The school district placed Contreras on administrative leave in August 2023 and filed a lawsuit against him in Orange County Superior Court. United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter scheduled a July 25 sentencing hearing for Contreras, who is free on $450,000 bond. The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General are investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Billy Joe McLain of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, Brett A. Sagel of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force, and James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Eleventh and Twelfth Defendants Plead Guilty in Large-Scale Sacramento Cocaine and Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maurice Bryant, 53, of Antelope, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to traffic at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base, and Steven Hampton, 64, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to one count of possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Bryant and Hampton are among the 15 federal defendants arrested in 2021 and charged in a 45-count indictment for trafficking narcotics as part of a DEA-led multi-agency operation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers in North Sacramento. Bryant was intercepted during wiretaps in 2018 and 2019 trafficking kilograms of cocaine and cocaine base and was arrested in possession of two firearms and a bullet proof vest. Hampton was intercepted trafficking cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin, and arrested in possession of 949 grams of heroin, 567 grams of cocaine, and 34 grams of cocaine base. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case. Bryant and Hampton are scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Bryant faces at least 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Hampton faces at least five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Five defendants have already been convicted and sentenced for crimes related to the conspiracy: Jason Tolbert, 45, of Sacramento; Charles Carter, 36, of Sacramento; Michael Hampton, 57, of Vallejo; Arlington Caine, 48, of Rio Linda; and Bobby Conner, 51, of Sacramento. Five more defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing in April and May 2024: Andre Hellams, 40, of North Highlands; Jerome Adams, 56, of North Highlands; Dwight Haney, 52, of Sacramento; Tyrone Anderson, 43, of Sacramento; and Mark Martin, 63, of Sacramento. Charges remain pending against the following defendants: Yovanny Ontiveros, 41, of Sacramento; Alex White, 61, of North Highlands; and Wilmer Harden, 52, of Elk Grove. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.


title: San Francisco Man Sentenced for Trafficking Firearms

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rondell Cramer, 45, of San Francisco, was sentenced today to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for unlawfully dealing in firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on June 1, 2022, while driving in Fairfield, Cramer was pulled over for driving a vehicle without a license plate. The officer arrested Cramer, who was then wanted on two outstanding felony warrants. A search of his vehicle resulted in the discovery of a Glock 9 mm caliber firearm, as well as a bill of sale for another firearm and stolen merchandise, much of which still had antitheft tags on them. Cramer is not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of six felony offenses, including a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. A search of Cramer’s phones revealed multiple conversations showing that Cramer was buying firearms in Arizona under an alias, and then selling them in California. Follow-on investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) confirmed that Cramer had been trafficking firearms since at least August 2020. This case was the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . The Sacramento Region/San Francisco Bay Area Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force is one of five cross-jurisdictional strike forces launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2021 to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Each strike force is led by designated U.S. Attorneys, who collaborate with the ATF and with state and local law enforcement partners within their own jurisdiction as well as law enforcement partners in areas where illegally trafficked guns originate. The strike forces use the latest data, evidence, and intelligence from crime scenes to identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes, and are an important part of the Department’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy.


title: Statesville Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Possession And Receipt Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: STATESVILLE, N.C. – Jessie Leroy Glass, Jr., 50, of Statesville, was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession and receipt of child pornography, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell also ordered Glass to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison and to pay $5,000 in fines and $6,000 in restitution. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Kyle D. Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to trial evidence, witness testimony and filed court documents, between January and February 2020, Glass received and possessed images and videos of child pornography. As trial evidence established, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into Glass after an individual alerted law enforcement about Glass’s possession of child pornography. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement recovered two cell phones associated with Glass. A forensic analysis of the cell phones revealed that they contained images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers. In June 2023, a federal jury convicted Glass on all counts. The Court ordered that Glass not possess electronic devices while he was out on bond both before and after the jury convicted him at trial. At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court granted the government’s request for a higher sentence after the Court found that Glass violated the conditions of his bond on two occasions by possessing electronic devices, including cell phones, that he hid from his supervising probation officer. One of the secret cell phones that Glass possessed after his conviction and while he was on bond contained cartoon images depicting the sexual abuse of children. Glass is in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI, HSI, and the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimlani Ford and Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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: Monroe, N.C. Man Is Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison For Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced Jake Henry Anderson, 24, of Monroe, N.C., to 300 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for production of child pornography, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Anderson was also ordered to register as a sex offender upon completion of his prison term. According to Anderson’s guilty plea and other documents filed with the court, between July 8, 2021, and July 10, 2021, Anderson induced, enticed, and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and produced a visual depiction of the conduct. Court documents show that Anderson befriended the 15-year-old minor female on Snapchat and began to communicate with her. Over the course of their communications, Anderson exchanged sexually explicit images with the minor victim and discussed having sex with her. As their communications progressed, Anderson discussed meeting the minor victim and told her he would make her his girlfriend. According to court documents, on July 8, 2021, Anderson drove to the minor victim’s house in Tennessee, picked her up from her home and drove her back to his home in Union County, North Carolina. During this time, Anderson engaged in sexual acts with the minor victim. Videos of the sexual acts were recorded and saved in his Snapchat account. Anderson was arrested after the minor was reported missing and law enforcement was able to trace her to the defendant’s home. Filed court documents show that after Anderson’s arrest and upon seeing the defendant’s picture in the news, another individual contacted law enforcement to report that a 16-year-old female had also been in contact with Anderson. During their communications on Snapchat, Anderson pressured this minor victim to send him sexual images of herself, to leave her family, and to move in with him. Investigators also determined that Anderson had driven by the minor victim’s house and briefly met with her. On June 29, 2022, Anderson pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. U.S. Attorney King commended Homeland Security Investigations, the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Rutherford County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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: Charlotte Tax Preparer Is Sentenced To Prison For Scheme To Obtain $780,000 In Fraudulent Coronavirus Relief Funds And Money Laundering

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Zadih Cadyma, 66, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining $780,000 in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans and money laundering, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Cadyma was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $762,952. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, andDonald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents, Cadyma was a tax return preparer who owned and operated CFE Tax Services in Charlotte and other registered businesses. From 2020 to 2021, Cadyma applied for 10 fraudulent COVID-19 loans from the Economic Injury Relief Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) and three Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for his businesses under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In the loan applications, Cadyma made false representations about his businesses, including gross revenues, monthly payroll expenses, number of employees, and other covered operational expenditures. As a result, Cadyma fraudulently received $550,000 under the EIDL program and $230,000 in PPP loan proceeds. Contrary to claims Cadyma made on the loan applications that the funds would be used for legitimate and permissible business purposes, Cadyma used the loan proceeds for his own benefit and to support his lifestyle, including to purchase a new luxury vehicle. On April 27, 2023, Cadyma pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and IRS-CI for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings prosecuted the case. 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 www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . # # #


title: Inland Empire Man Who Was Employed as School Bus Driver Charged with Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A San Bernardino County man who worked as a school bus driver has been charged in federal court with possessing more than 10,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), the Justice Department announced today. Donal James Seaver, 49, of Hesperia, made his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. A federal magistrate judge ordered Seaver jailed without bond and scheduled an April 16 arraignment for him. According to an affidavit filed Tuesday with a criminal complaint, law enforcement officials on March 7 executed a search warrant at Seaver’s residence. During the search, law enforcement seized a Samsung Tablet that allegedly contained more than 10,000 images and 13 videos of CSAM. The tablet’s historical device data show that it was frequently “wiped” – or factory reset – which deleted all data on the device, and had been reset most recently on February 27. As of March 7, Seaver was employed as a school bus driver for a private company and drove a route that included 10 elementary school students with special needs. He was arrested and charged in state court prior to a federal criminal case being brought against him. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Seaver would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The FBI and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Connection with 2023 Armed Carjacking  in Northeast and Armed Robbery in Northwest

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Honorable Errol Arthur sentenced Eric Vaughn, 21, of Washington, D.C., to nine years in prison in connection with an armed robbery in Northwest Washington, D.C., an armed carjacking in Northeast Washington, D.C., and a robbery that occurred in Southeast Washington, D.C. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In February of 2024, Vaughn pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to robbery, carjacking, and attempted robbery. According to the government’s evidence, on November 13, 2023, at approximately 3:57 p.m., Vaughn and three other suspects followed the victim from the Shaw Metro station to the 1700 block of 7th Street, Northwest. Vaughn, and the three other suspects, all of whom were wearing masks, approached the victim and demanded the victim’s shoes, while one or more of the suspects pointed a firearm at the victim. After the victim complied and his shoes were taken, Vaughn and the other three suspects ran down a nearby alleyway. The government’s evidence also established that at approximately 7:00 p.m. on November 13, 2023, Vaughn and the three other suspects emerged from a dark, wooded area and approached the victim, who was standing at the back of their car in the parking lot of the Costco located at 2441 Market Street, Northeast. When Vaughn and the three other suspects approached the victim and demanded the keys to the victim’s car, one or more of the suspects Vaughn was with, pointed a firearm at the victim. When the victim complied, Vaughn took the victim’s car keys and entered the driver’s seat, while the other three suspects also got into the car. Vaughn then drove the victim’s vehicle out of the Costco parking lot. When police attempted to stop the carjacked vehicle near the intersection of 17th Street, NE and C Street, NE, Vaughn refused to pull over and fled from police. An MPD helicopter followed the vehicle as the vehicle fled from police until the vehicle came to a stop in the 100 block of Chesapeake Street SW. At that point, Vaughn and the other three suspects fled from the scene. Vaughn was apprehended nearby and placed under arrest. Additionally, on June 28, 2023, in the 2500 block of Alabama Avenue SE, Vaughn, acting alone, attempted to rob the victim of their cellphone. Specifically, the victim was seated aboard a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Bus when Vaughn approached the victim and snatched the victim’s cell phone out of their hands. Vaughn then ran off of the Metrobus with the victim’s cell phone. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of the investigators from the Metropolitan Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Rashmika Nedungadi, who investigated and prosecuted this case.


title: Portland Man Caught Selling Drugs to Minors Online Faces Federal Charges

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man is facing federal charges after he was caught using Telegram, an encrypted messaging service, to sell various controlled substances to minors. Rocky Allan Rainwater, 24, has been charged by criminal complaint with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, early in 2024, law enforcement obtained information that an individual, later determined to be Rainwater, was allegedly using Telegram to advertise the sale of various illegal narcotics including cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA, ketamine, LSD, Xanax, Adderall, and marijuana. In addition to delivering drugs locally, Rainwater, using the Telegram username “smokeyinpdx,” also advertised that he would sell and ship drugs to out-of-state customers. Investigators soon determined that Rainwater was advertising and selling drugs to both adults and minors. On March 22, 2024, law enforcement arrested Rainwater while he was engaged in a cocaine sale. Investigators searched his vehicle and located a loaded .22 caliber pistol, 73 grams of cocaine, 465 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and smaller quantities of LSD and dextroamphetamine. A subsequent search of Rainwater’s Portland residence returned additional quantities of cocaine, LSD, and methamphetamine, an electronic scale, .22 caliber ammunition, and $1,490 in cash. Rainwater made his first appearance in federal court Monday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Today, he was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. This case was investigated by the FBI and Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). CCITF is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Former Lawyer Charged With Failure To Pay Taxes

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Michael Brady Scoma (51, Clermont) has been charged by information with three counts of failure to pay taxes. If convicted, Scoma faces up to three years in federal prison. According to court records, Scoma is a former personal injury lawyer. Between 2013 and 2019, he reported his income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Based on his reported income, Scoma owed the IRS $702,341.76 in tax liabilities. After the IRS unsuccessfully attempted to collect the outstanding amount from him multiple times, Scoma agreed to refinance his home and use the proceeds to pay his tax liabilities. Once Scoma completed the refinancing, however, he used the resulting $800,000 for personal expenses, including gambling, instead of paying his tax liabilities. An information is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the IRS – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.


title: Tax Preparer Sentenced to 3 Years in $6.7 Million Tax Fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Waxahachie tax preparer was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison and ordered to pay more than $6.7 million in restitution to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Bachary Rushid McGruder, the 45-year-old owner of M&M Enterprises and Consulting, TX, was indicted in November 2021 and pleaded guilty in November 2023 to aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn. During tax years 2015 through 2018, Mr. McGruder knowingly prepared more than 1,000 fraudulent tax returns for his clients, including fictitious Schedule A itemized deductions like gifts to charity, unreimbursed employee expenses (UEBE), and home mortgage interest; false Schedule C business losses; and false Residential Energy Credits (REC). He included the false statements on clients’ tax returns without their knowledge, and had clients sign forms justifying the deductions and credits without explaining the forms’ contents to clients. Mr. McGruder made his profits from the false tax returns by charging unusually exorbitant fees which were deducted from the individual tax refunds, charging clients as much as $2,800 for preparing their returns. The fraud resulted in a tax loss of $6.73 million. IRS – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Detzky prosecuted the case.


title: Waterloo Man Sentenced to Prison for Shooting at Crowd Outside of Bar

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Waterloo man who shot at a crowd outside a Waterloo nightclub was sentenced today to more than five years in prison. O’Shea Taelly Wright, age 27, from Waterloo, received the prison term after a November 3, 2023, guilty plea to possession of ammunition by a felon. Information disclosed during the plea and sentencing hearing revealed that Wright was involved in a fight outside a Waterloo nightclub on December 31, 2022. Multiple people were involved in the fight. During the fight, Wright walked to the SUV he had arrived at the nightclub in and retrieved a firearm from the front passenger seat. Wright then fired multiple shots toward a group of people fighting nearby. No one was shot or injured by Wright. At the time, Wright was a felon based on a drug conviction and was on probation for that felony conviction. Wright was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Wright was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-2036. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Lancaster County Man Who Discarded Murder Victim on Westville Highway Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun and Drug Offenses

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Shannon Layne Myers, 51, of Lancaster, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a wide range of federal gun and drug charges, including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, four counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine or heroin, three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Evidence presented to the court showed that Myers was helping to lead a drug distribution operation in Lancaster and Kershaw counties, which was being directed by Daniel Shannon, an inmate serving a life sentence in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. After coming to believe that one of his drug couriers had been robbed, Shannon sent his associates to retaliate, and a Kershaw man was shot and killed in September of 2019. Daniel Shannon then sent Shannon Myers to help clean up the murder scene, and Myers discarded the victim’s body alongside a highway in Westville. In November of 2019, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrants at Myers’ home in Lancaster, where they found over 700 grams of methamphetamine, smaller quantities of heroin and other drugs, cash, scales, drug ledgers, and several loaded firearms. Myers was arrested but released on bond in the spring of 2020. He and his associates quickly went back to dealing drugs, and he was even captured on video waiving a gun in front of drug customers, while weighing methamphetamine and counting money. Investigators searching his home in June 2020 once again found drugs, scales, and a loaded gun. “These defendants operated without regard for life or the law,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Illegal drug trafficking rings like this jeopardize the health and safety of our community.” “This lengthy sentence highlights the severity of Myers’ actions and their impact on the community,” said Kyle Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “HSI is committed to holding those accountable who recklessly distribute their poison into our communities.” “Inmates with illegal contraband cellphones are the biggest threat to public safety in America, and this is another tragic example,” said Bryan Stirling, Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections. “We need a permanent solution to remove this menace from society and make our communities safer.” Myers pleaded guilty to all charges the day before he was scheduled for trial in October of 2023. The leader of the conspiracy, Daniel Shannon, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in federal prison in June of 2023. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Myers to 360 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Carolina Department of Corrections-Office of Inspector General, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Schoen, Everett McMillan, and Ben Garner prosecuted the case. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Cunha Appointed to Serve on Attorney General’s Advisory Committee

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has appointed U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). The AGAC was created in 1973 and advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the nation’s 94 U.S. Attorneys Offices, and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys on essential matters facing the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorney Cunha is the third United States Attorney for Rhode Island to have been asked to serve in this role, following former Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Lincoln C. Almond, who served on the AGAC at the time of its creation, as did former U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha during his tenure in office. “I am deeply honored to be asked to serve alongside my distinguished colleagues on the AGAC,” said United States Attorney Cunha. “The work of the United States Attorneys is critical to the safety and vitality of the districts in which we serve, and I am grateful for the opportunity to advise the Attorney General and engage with the Department of Justice’s senior leadership on the ways in which we can best deliver justice in and for all of our communities.” U.S. Attorney Cunha will serve alongside chair Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York, vice chair Gary Restaino of the District of Arizona, and members Breon Peace of the Eastern District of New York, Matthew Graves of District of Columbia, Kenneth Parker of the Southern District of Ohio, Natalie K. Wight of the District of Oregon, Eric G. Olshan of the Western District of Pennsylvania, Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Rachelle Crowe of the Southern District of Illinois, Alamdar S. Hamdani of the Southern District of Texas, Alexander M.M. Uballez of the District of New Mexico, Jill Steinberg of the Southern District of Georgia, and Andrew M. Luger of the District of Minnesota. President Biden nominated Cunha to serve as U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island on September 28, 2021, on the recommendation of U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on Dec. 7, 2021, and he was sworn into office on Dec. 13, 2021. As U.S. Attorney, Cunha serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in Rhode Island, responsible for prosecuting and defending the interests of the United States in the federal court. Mr. Cunha has served in the Department of Justice since 2005, when he was appointed as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York; he later served as a prosecutor in the District of Massachusetts before joining the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2013, where he held various roles, including Chief of the Civil Division, prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney in 2021. ###


title: Georgetown Woman Indicted for Falsifying Statements to Federal Investigators Regarding 2009 Kidnapping and Murder of Brittanee Drexel

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment against Angel Cooper Vause, 56, of Georgetown, for making false statements to federal investigators. According to the indictment, in May 2022, Vause is alleged to have lied to investigators with the FBI during the investigation into the 2009 disappearance and murder of Brittanee Drexel. Vause was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned today in Charleston at 1 p.m. before Magistrate Judge Molly H. Cherry. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Winston Holliday and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case. The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. ###


title: Gang Member Indicted For Conspiracy To Commit Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identify Theft, Witness Tampering, Destruction Of Evidence, And Possession Of Ammunition

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg the announces the return of an indictment charging Tyler Jacob (24, Winter Haven) with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identify theft, witness tampering, destruction of evidence, and possession of ammunition. If convicted, Jacob faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 2, up to 20 years, in federal prison. According to the criminal complaint and indictment, Jacob used check writing software to create fraudulent or fictitious checks and then submitted those checks at various financial institutions with forged signatures. The funds obtained from the deposited checks were then quickly withdrawn, defrauding the financial institution or business prior to the financial institution or business being able to identify the deposited checks as fraudulent. Jacob utilized dozens of willing participants to accomplish his scheme. Specifically, these co-conspirators provided him with bank account information in their own names, deposited checks themselves, and withdrew those funds on Jacob’s behalf. Between 2021 and 2023, more than 100 victims and over 15 financial institutions throughout the Middle District of Florida were defrauded. On January 23, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Jacob’s residence. During the search, Jacob barricaded himself inside the residence, and began to use a shredding machine to destroy evidence. Investigators eventually found shredded papers on both floors of the residence and a shredding machine that was jammed. Jacob also threw documents inside his washing machine. Investigators located a checkbook and financial documents in the names of other individuals, printers, a scanner, and approximately 25 rounds of .556 rifle ammunition. As a convicted felon, Jacob was prohibited from possessing ammunition. After his arrest, Jacob made phone calls to an individual and attempted to have that individual dispose of evidence and lie to law enforcement. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. 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: Mobile Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison for Conspiring to  Distribute Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm in  Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 240 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and a consecutive 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, Edward Duran McGee, 42, was arrested by Mobile police in July 2021 during a traffic stop. As officers approached the vehicle, they saw drug paraphernalia in the door pocket and an open bag of white powder on the passenger side floorboard. During an inventory search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded Kahr CW40 pistol. Officers also found a black digital scale, four bags of green plant material, two large bags of powder cocaine, one large bag of crack cocaine, and a large bag of assorted pills. In addition to the 300-month prison sentence, United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered McGee to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Steele ordered McGee to pay $200 in special assessments and forfeited McGee’s pistol and four rounds of ammunition to the United States. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis F. Peral and Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 5 Years’ Imprisonment for Cocaine and Gun Charge

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jesus Camarillo-Soria, 45, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced March 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Camarillo-Soria to 60 months and 1 days’ imprisonment. After Camarillo-Soria’s release from prison, he will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen. On August 14, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Camarillo-Soria's residence in South Omaha and found 141 grams of cocaine along with a digital scale inside a shoebox. Cash in the amount of $881 was found inside Camarillo-Soria's wallet. Within a few feet of the drugs, officers found a Ruger Redhawk 44 magnum pistol and venue to Camarillo-Soria underneath the pistol. During a post arrest interview, Camarillo-Soria admitted to possessing the cocaine and the pistol, and that he gave some of the cocaine to his friends. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Former Mt. Oliver Resident Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Johvian Everett, 24, formerly of Mt. Oliver borough, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on October 21, 2021, Everett knowingly possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. 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. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: FCI Otisville Inmate Charged With Murdering Fellow Inmate

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that federal inmate DANIEL V. SMITH was charged with the murder of a fellow inmate. SMITH was presented this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern. According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in court: [1] On or about October 26, 2021, SMITH murdered Patrick Deck, an inmate at FCI Otisville. * * * SMITH, 63, was charged with one count of murder in the first degree, which carries a maximum sentence of death. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.


title: test

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Merwin J. “Pete” Wynos (age: 36), a former resident of Keshena and enrolled member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, received a sentence of 30 months following a conviction for theft in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 661 and 1153(a). The sentence, imposed on March 20, 2024, by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach, was the result of a guilty plea entered by the defendant on January 16, 2024. Wynos will also face three years of supervised release once he completes his sentence. On September 25, 2023, several companies reported thefts of equipment from the site of the new Menominee Indian High School in Keshena. The resulting investigation by the Menominee Tribal Police Department and Menominee County Sheriff’s Office led to Wynos, who was found to have entered the closed, fenced, and locked construction site during nighttime hours. Wynos used a utility vehicle on the site to transport construction tools and electronics he took from construction trailers to his residence. Wynos attempted to sell some of the items at local pawn shops, which reported their suspicions to the police. Wynos was arrested after being caught with others in a car full of stolen construction tools and, after being released from tribal custody, entered the construction site again on November 25, 2023. Wynos was caught on the site in the middle of taking additional items and was re-arrested. Wynos admitted in court to being responsible for three separate theft incidents on the construction site and will pay over $29,000 in restitution to the victims. In sentencing the defendant, Judge Griesbach noted the need to punish Wynos for the persistent nature of his crimes. Judge Griesbach said “Stealing from hard working people, especially those building a new school that will help your community, shows a persistent willingness to violate the law” requiring punishment. Judge Griesbach noted the need to show the community that there is a punishment for this sort of behavior. The Menominee Tribal Police Department, Menominee County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted the case in U.S. District Court in Green Bay. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Filing fraudulent tax return results in prison for tax preparer

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A local tax preparer has been sentenced to federal prison for willfully preparing a fraudulent 2018 joint income tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Lynettia Profit pleaded guilty Oct. 6, 2023. U.S. District Judge Lee H Rosenthal has now ordered Profit to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Profit and her business executed a long-running scheme to claim false credits on her clients’ behalf, and sought to evade IRS scrutiny. The court also ordered Profit to pay $336,847 in restitution. Profit operated JNL Tax Services in Houston. Profit admitted that between 2016 and 2019, she filed fraudulent tax returns for taxpayers. In those fraudulent returns, Profit knowingly reported false education credits and expenses on Schedule C forms to generate larger income tax refunds for her clients. In 2019, she prepared an income tax return that contained two false $2,500 education credits as well as $70,743 in false expenses that were listed on Schedule C. As a result, the government suffered a tax loss of approximately $22,101. Profit also prepared a false return containing education credits and Schedule C expenses for an undercover agent in February 2020. The fraudulent tax returns resulted in a loss of at least $336,847 to the United States. Profit was permitted to remain on bond and will voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Andrew Swartz prosecuted the case.


title: Jamaican National Admits Making False Statement in United States Passport Application

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Jamaican national admitted making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Stefan Anderson, 47, of Jamaica, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court on March 26, 2024, to one count of false statement in a passport application. The matter, originally indicted in the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division, was transferred by consent to the District of New Jersey for plea and sentencing. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On April 21, 2022, Anderson applied for a U.S. passport in Wyoming, Kent County, Michigan. Anderson falsely claimed to be another individual, a United States citizen. Anderson also presented a Michigan Temporary State Identification card bearing that individual’s name and personal identifying information in support of the application. The count of false statement in a passport application carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 6, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Detroit Resident Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations, Detroit Field Office with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea D. Coleman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark. anderson.indictment.pdf


title: Tennessee Man Indicted for Bank Robbery

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that BART GREEN , age 62, of Nashville, Tennessee, was indicted on March 22, 2024 for Bank Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a). According to the indictment, on or about March 1, 2024, GREEN robbed a Regions Bank in New Orleans, Louisiana. GREEN obtained approximately $2000 in the robbery. If convicted, GREEN faces up to twenty years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.


title: California Man Sentenced for Cell Phone Trade-in Fraud Scheme

body_text: ATLANTA - David Shemtov has been sentenced after a jury convicted him of wire fraud based on a scheme involving the fraudulent trade-ins of thousands of cell phones. “The ability to exchange electronic devices for cash value or gift cards provides users the important benefit of recovering some worth for devices they no longer need,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Shemtov chose to exploit this process to fraudulently obtain substantially inflated value for devices he traded and at great expense to the victim company. His sentence of imprisonment should serve as a warning to others that this fraudulent activity will be prosecuted.” “Shemtov used lies and schemes to pad his own pockets, causing financial harm to the companies and ultimately costing consumers more money,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to others who think they will not be caught – FBI Special Agents will find you.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: David Shemtov facilitated a year-long fraud scheme in which he developed a method to deceive a cell phone trade-in company about the nature of the cell phones in which he was trading. The cell phone trade-in process was handled by a third-party provider (the Victim Company) that oversaw the mailing and receipt of the devices, and the reimbursement payments – typically in the form of Apple gift cards. After experimenting through systematic trial and error, Shemtov uncovered a feature of the Victim Company’s trade-in program that allowed for manipulation of the nature and value of the phone trade-in by the customer. To perpetrate the scheme, Shemtov lied about the phone model, used false names, adjusted the settings of every phone that he sent for trade-in, and remotely unlocked the phones. To avoid detection, he opened post office boxes in multiple states and used dozens of fake names and different email addresses. Shemtov’s conduct caused the Victim Company to pay substantially more than the true value of these devices. For instance, more than 500 of the trade-in requests claimed to be for an iPhone XS Max, for a trade-in value of $550.00 when, in fact, the devices were iPhone 6’s, with a trade-in value of only $60.00. Shemtov initiated over 8,000 cell phone trades and successfully tricked the company more than 1,000 times, receiving an overpayment of more than $450,000.00. Shemtov, 31, of Los Angeles, California, has been sentenced to three years, one month in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $532,542.00, as well as a fine of $100,000.00. Shemtov was found guilty by a jury on November 20, 2023. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Adams and Alison B. Prout prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Information Technology Staffing Company to Resolve Hiring Discrimination Claims

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Frank Recruitment Group Incorporated (FRG), an information technology staffing company that does business under eight brand names (Revolent Group, Nigel Frank International, Mason Frank International, Washington Frank International, Anderson Frank International, Nelson Frank International, Jefferson Frank International and FRG Technology Consulting) at locations throughout the United States. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that FRG violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by excluding or deterring certain non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States from applying to job opportunities because of their citizenship status. “Employers cannot unlawfully discriminate against individuals granted asylum or refugee status in hiring,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to hold employers accountable for imposing barriers to employment based on citizenship status, in violation of our nation’s civil rights laws.” The department’s investigation determined that FRG published several online job advertisements with language that restricted eligibility to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, even though FRG had no lawful basis to do so. FRG’s restrictive job ads excluded and deterred other potentially qualified individuals, including individuals granted asylum or refugee status by the federal government, based on their citizenship or immigration status. Under the INA, employers cannot discriminate in hiring based on citizenship or immigration status unless a law, regulation, executive order or government contract requires such discrimination. Under the terms of the settlement, FRG will pay $100,000 in civil penalties to the United States, train its employees on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to monitoring by the department. The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute generally prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation . Find more information about how employers can avoid discrimination in hiring and recruiting on IER’s website . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de dotación de personal de TI para resolver las acusaciones de discriminación en la contratación

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Frank Recruitment Group, Incorporated (FRG), una empresa de dotación de personal en el ámbito de la tecnología de la información que opera bajo ocho marcas (Revolent Group, Nigel Frank International, Mason Frank International, Washington Frank International, Anderson Frank International, Nelson Frank International, Jefferson Frank International y FRG Technology Consulting) en localidades por todo Estados Unidos. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que FRG vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al excluir a ciertos no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. con permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos o bien disuadirlos de solicitar oportunidades laborales con base en su estatus de ciudadanía. «Los empleadores no pueden discriminar ilegalmente a las personas con asilo o estatus de refugiado en la contratación», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento seguirá responsabilizando a los empleadores por imponer barreras al empleo en función del estatus de ciudadanía, lo que vulnera las leyes de derechos civiles de nuestra nación». La investigación del Departamento determinó que FRG publicó varios anuncios de empleo en línea con un lenguaje que restringía la elegibilidad a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. y residentes permanentes legales, aunque FRG no tuviera motivos legales para hacerlo. Los anuncios de trabajo restrictivos de FRG excluyeron a otras personas potencialmente calificadas –y también las disuadió de solicitar un trabajo– incluidas las personas a las que el gobierno federal les ha concedido el estatus de refugiado o el asilo, con base en su estatus migratorio o ciudadanía. En virtud de la INA, los empleadores no pueden discriminar en la contratación con base en el estatus migratorio o la ciudadanía a menos que una ley, un reglamento, una orden ejecutiva o un contrato gubernamental requiera tal discriminación. Conforme los términos del acuerdo, FRG pagará $100,000 en sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos, capacitará a sus empleados en cuanto a los requisitos antidiscriminatorios de la INA, revisará sus políticas de empleo y se someterá a supervisión por parte del Departamento. La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados («IER», por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, por lo general, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, , prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en la contratación y el reclutamiento en el sitio web de la IER . Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico de la IER.


title: Violent offender sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Sept. 3, 2022, Richmond police officers stopped a car for speeding and running a stop sign. An officer observed an open liquor bottle in the backseat and asked the driver to step out of the car. As the driver got out of the car, she told the officer she was sitting on a firearm. The officers asked John Edward Mason III, 36, who was in the passenger seat, to get out of the car. During a protective sweep of the car, the officers found a loaded 9mm handgun under Mason’s seat. In 2009, Mason was convicted of hit and run resulting in personal injury after driving into a man with his car. In 2011, Mason was convicted of malicious wounding after hitting a man in the face with a brick. As a previously convicted felon, Mason cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Mason’s release from supervised probation was less than six months from the date officers found him in possession of a firearm. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wright and Peter Duffey prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-78.


title: Illegally Armed Domestic Abuser Sentenced to Over Two Years in Federal Prison After Threatening to Kill Girlfriend with Gun

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Jose de Jesus Rodriguez-Soto a/k/a Pedro Torres, 34, of Mexico, has been sentenced to 28 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. According to court documents, on June 27, 2023, IMPD officers were dispatched to investigate a domestic violence incident near Eagledale, in Indianapolis. Once officers arrived, the victim’s daughter reported that Torres came to their home with a pump-action shotgun and threatened to “kill them all.” Torres was still at the home and sitting in his vehicle with the firearm visible. Torres resisted the officers, but they were ultimately able to safely arrest him and secure the weapon. The victim later informed officers that Torres sent her threatening text messages, which included a picture of the shotgun he brought to her home. Later that evening, Torres called the victim from jail and attempted to get her to drop the charges against him. Torres is a Mexican national who was in the United States without lawful authorization, prohibiting him from legally possessing a firearm. “Violent, illegally armed abusers pose a profound danger to those closest to them, police, and the entire community,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Through our LEATH initiative, federal prosecutors will continue to work hand in hand with HSI, IMPD, and law enforcement agencies across the district to save lives by disarming domestic abusers and removing them from our communities.” Homeland Security Investigations and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Torres be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Two Peruvian Nationals Charged with Credit Card Fraud, Identity Theft Offenses Related to Distraction Theft Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging ANGEL GIANCARLO BELLIDO COSIO, also known as “Jesus Requejo,” 34, a citizen of Peru last residing in Paterson, New Jersey, and ANGEL EUGENIO BANCES CHAPONAN, 60, a citizen of Peru last residing in Queens, New York, with credit card fraud and identity theft offenses. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the FBI and local law enforcement agencies in Connecticut and elsewhere have been investigating a series of distraction thefts of wallets from victims at Trader Joe’s grocery stores and other retail stores. The investigation revealed that Bellido Cosio and Bances Chaponan rented vehicles using a fraudulent passport, traveled throughout the U.S., stole wallets from unwary victims at Trader Joe’s and other stores, and then used the victims’ credit and debit cards to purchase electronic devices and other items. Bellido Cosio and Bances Chaponan were arrested on March 13, 2024, and are currently detained. The indictment charges Bellido Cosio and Bances Chaponan with access device fraud, and offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and with aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Manchester (Conn.) Police Department, the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department, the Spartanburg County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office, and the Spartanburg Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Nathan J. Guevremont.


title: Virginia Businesswoman Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crimes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Virginia woman pleaded guilty last week to willfully failing to pay employment taxes to the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, Gail Jones, of Dumfries, Virginia, served as Director, Vice President and President of S&G Property Management Inc. (S&G), a parcel delivery service. Between 2013 and 2018, Jones caused income, Social Security and Medicare taxes to be withheld from S&G’s employees. However, Jones did not pay those withholdings to the IRS as she was required to do. Moreover, to thwart potential IRS levies and other collection activities, Jones opened new bank accounts using new Employer Identification Numbers and variations of her business’ name. In total, Jones caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $950,000. Additionally, Jones fraudulently applied for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, which were part of a COVID-19 relief program intended to provide loans to certain businesses to help them retain their employees or stay afloat during the pandemic. Jones applied for the loans even though S&G was no longer operating. She fraudulently received $20,800 in loans. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Marissa Brodney of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Shartar for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.


title: Second Kern County Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing Explosives

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Michael Roy Anglin, 22, of Wofford Heights, entered a guilty plea today to distributing explosives to a non-licensed person, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in May 2023, Vigneault and Michael Roy Anglin, 21, of Wofford Heights, sold and delivered six full boxes and one partial box of Hydromite 880, an explosive, weighing approximately 350 pounds to a non-licensed person. Neither Vigneault, Anglin, nor the buyer were licensed to handle or transport explosives as required by federal law. Anglin knew that the Hydromite 880 was stolen from Austin Powder West LLC. The boxes containing the explosives were labeled “Explosive, Blasting, Type E” and “Blasting Agent.” The sticks of Hydromite 880 were also individually labeled “Danger” and “Explosive.” Hydromite is a high explosive containing ammonium nitrate and is used as a blasting agent. Austin Powder West LLC, a licensed explosives manufacturer, confirmed that 295 sticks of Hydromite, weighing 702 pounds, went missing from its Lake Isabella storage facility sometime in May 2023. The missing explosives included the boxes that Anglin and Vigneault sold. The value of the unrecovered explosives is $7,603. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. Anglin is scheduled for sentencing in federal court on July 29, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Vigneault previously entered a guilty plea and is scheduled for sentencing on May 20, 2024.


title: Lyon County Man Sentenced to Over Four Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, Ky. – A Lyon County, Kentucky, man was sentenced yesterday to 4 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville and Lyon County Sheriff Brent White made the announcement. According to the court documents, Taylor Glass, 34, of Kuttawa, Kentucky, was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography. Glass was also ordered to pay $41,000 in restitution to multiple victims in the case. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Five ordered to prison for drug trafficking following search

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – Several men have been sentenced for their roles in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Martin Vela-Alanis, 60, and Arlando Garcia-Garcia, 41, Martin Adrusbel Vela, 36, and Oscar Obed Manzanares, 23, all of Edinburg; and Mexican citizen Jose Santiago Luna-Duran, 46, each pleaded guilty Oct. 5, 2o23, for their respective roles in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute kilograms of cocaine. U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 151-month-term of imprisonment for Vela-Alanis and 46 months for Garcia-Garcia. Vela, Manzanares and Luna-Duran received 87, 60, and 46 months, respectively. Not U.S. citizens, Vela-Alanis, Garcia-Garcia and Luna-Duran are expected to face removal proceedings following their release from prison. At the hearing, the court heard how this was an extensive and multi-level drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed narcotics on multiple occasions. The evidence indicated that the organization was receiving shipments of narcotics every 15 to 20 days. In handing down the prison terms, Chief Crane noted how this was a pervasive organization that included not just the importation and transportation of large quantities of cocaine, but also the transport and distribution of the drug proceeds. On March 22, 2022, Manzanares traveled into the United States from Mexico in a GMC truck and parked it at a local business in McAllen. Luna-Duran then took the vehicle to a property in Edinburg. There, authorities observed individuals exchange items between the GMC and a Ford pickup truck. Garcia-Garcia, a resident of the Edinburg property, then drove the Ford to a separate residence on the property where Vela and Vela-Alanis resided. Upon his arrival, Garcia-Garcia removed a large duffel bag from the truck. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the property and recovered a duffel bag containing 15 bundles of a white powdery substance. They also found over $90,000 and a black and gold Colt Model 1911 pistol. Luna-Duran returned to the business where he had met Manzanares. There, authorities detained both men. A search of the GMC vehicle resulted in the discovery of over $238,000 in bulk cash. Laboratory analysis later confirmed the bundles tested positive for cocaine and had a weight of approximately 15 kilograms. They will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Jose Bernando Gonzalez-Gomez, 56, Mexico, was the mechanic who transferred the cocaine from one vehicle to another. He also pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing May 2. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Hidalgo, Mission, McAllen, Alton, Pharr and Palmview. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Peter I. Brostowin prosecuted the case.


title: Former Fort Campbell Soldier Sentenced to Life in Prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor

body_text: Louisville, KY – An Illinois man was sentenced this week to life in federal prison for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of the United States Army’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) at Fort Campbell made the announcement. Larry Bryan Nash, 40, of Nokomis, Illinois, formerly of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was sentenced to life in federal prison, followed by a life-term of supervised release, for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor. According to court documents, while enlisted in the United States Army and stationed at Fort Campbell Military Reservation located in Christian County, Kentucky, Nash knowingly caused Jane Doe, a minor, to engage in sexual acts. Nash did so on multiple occasions on or about and between March 5, 2020, and September 16, 2021, and specifically on September 29, 2021, by using force against her. On these occasions, Jane Doe was older than 12 but younger than 16 years old and under Nash’s supervisory control. Nash had sexually abused Jane Doe for several years prior. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the United States Army CID at Fort Campbell. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Billings felon sentenced to more than two years in prison for illegal possession of firearm

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings felon was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after he admitted to illegally possessing a firearm found in a vehicle he was driving when he fled law enforcement and crashed, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Christopher Samuel Fear, 38, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 11, 2023 after 2 a.m., a Montana Highway Patrol officer attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle for traveling 85 mph in a 65-mph speed zone. The trooper activated his emergency lights, but the vehicle fled and eventually crashed into a fence in Billings. Officers approached the vehicle and saw that it was empty. Officers noticed a pistol on the floorboard and found Fear hiding under the front end of the vehicle. Fear was on state probation at the time for a drug conviction and had an outstanding probation violation arrest warrant. Law enforcement later searched the vehicle and found 216 fentanyl pills, 20 grams of methamphetamine, baggies and a loaded .357-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Highway Patrol and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: East Bay Man Sentenced To Eleven Months In Prison For Making Threats To Public Officials

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – David Allen Carrier was sentenced to eleven months in prison for making voicemail threats to Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Special Agent in Charge Robert K Tripp, and United States Secret Service (“USSS”) Special Agent in Charge Shawn M. Bradstreet. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William Alsup, Senior United States District Judge. Carrier, 44, of Concord, pleaded guilty to two counts of making threats against a federal official, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B), on Dec. 19, 2023. A grand jury indicted him on Sept. 12, 2023, charging him with the crimes. Court documents describe how on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, Carrier left a message on the office voicemail of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, who was at the time the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. On the message, Carrier threatened to assault the Congresswoman. In pleading guilty to the charge, Carrier acknowledged that he acted with the intent to interfere with her performance as she was engaged with her official duties as a Member of Congress. Seventeen months later, on June 30, 2022, Carrier called the United States Department of Homeland Security hotline and left a voicemail message threatening to assault United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. Carrier made his threat to assault Secretary Mayorkas with the intent to interfere with the Secretary while the Secretary was engaged in the performance of his official duties as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. “Participating in the public political conversation is an important right for all citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, “Nevertheless, threatening our public servants is not protected by the First Amendment and corrodes our ability to engage in peaceful and important public discourse. This Office will not tolerate behavior that crosses the line to criminal threats.” "Violent threats targeting elected officials also threaten our democratic system," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. "Today's sentence demonstrates that anyone who sends politically motivated threats of violence to government officials will be investigated by the FBI and held accountable." “We take threats against a U.S. Secret Service protectee very seriously,” said Shawn M. Bradstreet, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s San Francisco Field Office. “This is a great example of the coordination and partnership between the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California to investigate and prosecute threats against our nation’s leaders.” In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup ordered Carrier to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. Judge Alsup also ordered Carrier to stay away and have no contact, direct or indirect, with both Speaker Emerita Pelosi and Secretary Mayorkas, as well as to attend mental health and substance abuse treatment, among other conditions, while on supervised release. The National Security and Cybercrime Section prosecuted the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the USSS.


title: Owner of Massage Parlors Offering Commercial Sex Federally Charged

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A massage parlor owner whose employees offered illicit commercial sex has been federally charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Shaoping Wen, 64, and her associate, Xu Wang, 41, were charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to use interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises. They were arrested in New Mexico on March 21 and made their initial appearances in Las Cruces Wednesday. They are now awaiting removal to Lubbock to face justice in a Northern District of Texas federal court. According to the complaint, Ms. Wen allegedly owned and operated at least seven massage parlors where Asian women engaged in commercial sex. Mr. Wang, who identified himself as Ms. Wen’s son, allegedly operated the parlors on her behalf when Ms. Wen was out of state. On at least 10 occasions between June 2023 and February 2024, undercover officers purchased $60 massages at Ms. Wen’s parlors in Texas and New Mexico. The officers were generally greeted by lingerie-clad women who allegedly agreed to have sex with them for an additional fee of between $140 and $200. Several of the women allegedly used translation apps to negotiate sexual services. When the women were arrested for prostitution, they identified themselves as Chinese citizens and listed their occupation as simply, “laborer.” On multiple occasions, Ms. Wen or Mr. Wang allegedly showed up to pay the arrested women’s cash bond. Officers also observed Ms. Wen’s vehicle transporting Asian females directly from the airport to her massage parlors. Neighbors said the women never left the building. Searches of the premises revealed beds placed on the floors, suggesting the women lived at the massage parlors. On at least one occasion, a passerby heard a woman screaming and entered the parlor to check-in. He reported seeing three women between the ages of 30 and 50 dressed in provocative clothing. Officers found the massage parlors advertised on sites often used to advertise commercial sex. The ads included photos of partially naked women and promoted “100% sexy” girls who “like to spend time with nice upscale gentlemen.” They advertised the “girlfriend experience,” “porn star experience,” and “fantasy outfits on request.” A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, Ms. Wen and Mr. Wang face up to five years in federal prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency, Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, HSI’s Albuquerque Field Office, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Wolfforth Police Department, the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, the Carlsbad Police Department, the Roswell Police Department, the Clovis Police Department, the Roswell Fire Department, the Carlsbad Fire Department, the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam is prosecuting the case.