title: Jefferson County Man Admits Providing Alcohol, Vapes to Minor for Sex

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS –A man from Jefferson County, Missouri on Thursday admitted exchanging items of value including drugs and vape cartridges with an underage girl in exchange for sexual activity. Kody L. Willyard, 32, of Barnhart, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of coercion and enticement of a minor. He admitted providing marijuana, alcohol, vaping devices and vape cartridges to a girl when she was 14 and 15 years old in exchange for sexual activity. The victim’s father uncovered Willyard’s crimes when he reviewed the victim’s social media and digital communications. He then contacted law enforcement. The victim told authorities that Willyard had also provided items of value to another girl in exchange for sexual acts. At Willyard’s sentencing, scheduled for September, both Willyard’s lawyer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson will recommend 15 years in prison. The crime carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years. The FBI, the St. Louis County Police Department Special Investigations Unit and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting 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 Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to the Unlawful Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A former Manchester man pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. James Aubuchont, 52, pleaded guilty to the illegal possession of two firearms and over 2,000 rounds of ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for September 19, 2024. Aubuchont is already serving a sentence in New Hampshire state prison on other offenses. In July 2023, a state warrant was issued for Aubuchont’s arrest in connection with an aggravated felonious sexual assault. Law enforcement arrested him on July 12, 2023, near the Flat Mountain Pond Shelter in the White Mountains. During a recorded jailhouse call, Aubuchont asked another person to retrieve his two “fishing rods” from the campsite, including one that “we got from VJ, remember the one you bought?” Three days later, law enforcement recovered a rifle and pistol from Aubuchont’s campsite, along with over 2,000 rounds of ammunition. The rifle had been purchased from a firearms dealer operated by an individual with the first and middle initials V.J. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms led the investigation. The Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Forest Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and Tiffany A. Scanlon are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Waukee Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man pleaded guilty on June 10 to wire fraud and money laundering charges. According to public court records, William Jack Berg, 51, sold life insurance, annuities, and similar products to individuals in Central Iowa, Saint Louis, and other regions while acting as a financial advisor to many individuals in these areas. From at least January 2019, and continuing to May 2023, Berg defrauded over a dozen individuals by encouraging them to withdraw money out of the individuals’ pre-existing investments or financial accounts and transfer the withdrawn money to Berg for investment through “W Holdings of Iowa” and/or “Excel Performance Management.” The targeted individuals provided Berg with over $1.5 million that Berg did not invest for their benefit. Instead, Berg used the money for Berg’s personal expenses including vehicles, jewelry, rent, travel, groceries, gas, clothing, and dining out. One such expense included a check written from Berg’s bank account in February 2022 to a Clive jewelry store in the amount of $37,343 for the purchase of a custom 14 karat white gold engagement ring featuring a 2.20 carat oval cut diamond and an additional 38 diamonds weighing 1.04 carats in total. A part of his plea, Berg agreed to forfeit this engagement ring and other jewelry purchased with fraudulently acquired monies. Berg also used the money to make payments to other individuals as purported “returns” or “dividends” on previously received money despite Berg had already spent those individuals’ monies. Berg admitted to making false and fraudulent representations to his victims for the purpose of enriching himself at the expense of the victims. Berg is scheduled to be sentenced on October 11, 2024, and potentially faces up to twenty years in prison for wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence Berg will receive after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Berg will also be ordered to pay restitution to all victims of his fraud scheme in an amount to be determined by the sentencing federal district court judge. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt is prosecuting the case.


title: Career Offender Sentenced to Over 17 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently sentenced a Memphis man to over 17 years in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute it. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today. According to court documents, in December 2021, Charlie Gibson was stopped by security guards at a local apartment complex for loitering. Upon detaining Gibson and searching his belongings, the guards found a Glock .40 caliber pistol, approximately 250 grams of marijuana, and three digital scales. The guards called the Memphis Police Department, who came and arrested Gibson. In July 2022, Shelby County deputies responded to an assault call in Cordova, Tennessee and were told that the suspect was driving a gray Nissan. The deputies found the gray Nissan, and then saw a man, later identified as Gibson, quickly get into it. A deputy stood in front of the car and ordered Gibson to stop. Gibson refused and drove forward, striking the deputy who rolled onto the hood of the vehicle. The deputy drew his service weapon and ordered Gibson to stop again, but Gibson instead revved the engine. The deputy then fired several rounds through the windshield, striking Gibson, who crashed the vehicle shortly thereafter. Deputies at the scene rendered lifesaving aid to Gibson. Law enforcement later found a Glock .40 caliber pistol on the driver’s side floorboard of Gibson’s vehicle. Charges from both incidents were combined into a superseding indictment in November 2023. After a two-day trial in February 2024, federal jurors found Gibson guilty of two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, one count of marijuana possession with intent to distribute, and one count of possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony. United States District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Gibson on June 11, 2024, to a total of 210 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. 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. This case was investigated for federal prosecution by the PSN Gun Task Force, Memphis Police Department, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jermal Blanchard and Greg Wagner, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Five sisters indicted for defrauding retailer’s return program

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Five sisters who reside in the Seattle area will appear today at 1:45 PM on a grand jury indictment charging them with conspiracy and mail fraud for their scheme to defraud a major active clothing retailer, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The five allegedly exploited a “Fast-Track Returns” policy whereby they scanned a return label at a post office to get a gift card with the refund amount via email, but never actually mailed the merchandise back to the retailer. Instead, they traveled to brick-and-mortar stores across the country and returned the merchandise for a second, duplicate refund. The indictment alleges that through this scheme defendants defrauded the retailer of more than $1 million. “Refund fraud schemes such as this one simply drives up the costs for retailers and result in higher prices for the rest of us,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “We will work with our law enforcement partners to shut these down and hold the perpetrators accountable.” “This investigation underscores HSI’s commitment to combatting organized retail theft, which poses a direct threat to the integrity and vitality of our economy,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Together, with the support of our communities and law enforcement partners, we will seek to dismantle these criminal enterprises and ensure that every individual and business can thrive in a secure environment." The five are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and 24 counts of mail fraud. The defendants are: Dunia Almezal, 29, of Marysville, Washington Layla Almansuri, 27, of Stanwood, Washington Shahad Almansuri, 33, of Marysville, Washington Raghad Almansuri, 32, Marysville, Washington Nejoom Almansuri, 25, Marysville, Washington According to the indictment, the defendants ordered multiple shipments per week from the victim company. Then, often before the items were delivered, the defendants requested a return label for the items. Once that label arrived via email, the defendants took the label to a self-service counter at the post office and scanned it, obtaining a return credit via email within two hours. However, the defendants never mailed the merchandise back. Instead, they traveled to retail stores in Washington and across the country returning merchandise for a second refund. That second refund was in the form of money to their debit cards. They returned goods in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, and Oregon, as well as Washington. The defendants would allegedly use the emailed gift card credit to purchase more goods, thus continuing the fraud. The defendants would often travel together to make the returns and would transfer money between each other as a “cut” of the proceeds. After becoming aware of the scheme, the victim retailer changed their return policies. Conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Yemini. almansuri_indictment.pdf


title: Jury Convicts Madison Man of Covid-Relief Fraud, False Statements, and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – A Madison, Wisconsin, man has been convicted of Covid-relief fraud, making false statements on loan applications, and money laundering. Eric Upchurch, 36, was convicted following a three-day trial in federal court in Madison. The jury reached a verdict today after approximately five hours of deliberation. The guilty verdict is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted to provide immediate financial assistance to individuals, families, and organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to offer Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government presented evidence at trial that from April 2020 to April 2021, Upchurch submitted 14 PPP loan applications to the SBA on behalf of his various companies. In each PPP application, Upchurch falsely represented his companies’ payroll expenses and revenues. Upchurch also submitted false documentation. In total, Upchurch’s fraudulent representations caused the SBA to approve 10 of the loans and deposit approximately $400,000 into bank accounts controlled by Upchurch. The government also presented evidence that Upchurch laundered fraudulently obtained funds by purchasing cryptocurrency. U.S. District Judge William M. Conley scheduled sentencing for August 30, 2024. Upchurch faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the each of the fraud counts and 10 years on the money laundering count. Upchurch faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison on each of the false statement counts. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector general. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Elgersma and William M. Levins.


title: New York City Man Sentenced to 61 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a man from New York City to 61 months in prison and ordered him to repay $30,000 to victims of a bank fraud scheme. The federal prison sentence for George Sciarrone, 54, will follow a prison sentence he is currently serving on an unrelated matter. Sciarrone pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in February to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, six counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He admitted that sometime prior to September 28, 2022, organizers of a bank fraud scheme located outside of Missouri identified financial accounts of various Missouri residents. They then recruited Sciarrone and others to deposit counterfeit checks into those accounts and then withdraw the money. The organizers produced counterfeit drivers licenses and credit cards bearing the names of the account holders and pictures of those they had recruited. Sciarrone admitted depositing checks in amounts from $3,800 to $4,000 into five banks by using the names of six different people between Sept. 28, 2022, and Oct. 7, 2022. Valerie Kelly, 46, of New York City, pleaded guilty in November to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, four counts of bank fraud and three counts of use of a counterfeit access device. She admitted using the identities of six people to deposit fraudulent checks ranging from $3,500 to $4,500 into five banks and attempting to cause losses of over $80,000 to more than 10 victims. In March, Judge Autrey sentenced Kelly to 15 months in prison and ordered her to repay $69,100. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bridgeton Police Department, the Creve Coeur Police Department, the Florissant Police Department, the Richmond Heights Police Department, the St. Charles City Police Department and the Wentzville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.


title: Captain of Oil Tanker Pleads Guilty to Obstruction and Violating Ship Pollution Prevention Law

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Captain Abdurrahman Korkmaz, 37, pleaded guilty today to a two-count information charging him with violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and for obstructing proceedings. Korkmaz, a Turkish national, was the captain of the PS Dream , a Panama-flagged motor tanker. The two related companies that operated the PS Dream pleaded guilty last month to environmental crimes. The PS Dream arrived in New Orleans on Jan. 26, 2023. The U.S. Coast Guard conducted an inspection which included a review of the vessel’s oil record books. In his plea, Korkmaz acknowledges presenting the books to the Coast Guard knowing that they omitted information about discharging oily waste to the ocean before arriving in the United States. The falsified logs were intended to conceal the fact that beginning on Jan. 11, the crew had dumped oil-contaminated waste overboard on the voyage to New Orleans and was not complying with international treaties regulating oil pollution from ships. According to documents and statements filed in court, Korkmaz ordered his crew to pump overboard from the residual oil tank which contained oily waste. A portable pump placed inside the tank and connected to a long flexible hose was used to discharge directly into the ocean without any required pollution prevention equipment or monitoring. The waste oil, including sludge, originated in the engine room and had been improperly transferred into the residual oil tank on the deck of the ship by a prior crew. Senior managers at Prive Shipping LLC and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret – two related companies that operated the ship – were aware that the oil-contaminated waste remained in the tank and were informed by Korkmaz that it had been dumped overboard. Both companies pleaded guilty and are scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 26. Korkmaz is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10. He faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison, with a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, for the APPS charge. He also faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, with a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, for the obstruction charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division; U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana; Special Agent in Charge Damon J. Youmans of the Coast Guard Investigative Service’s Gulf Field Office and Captain Greg Callaghan, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans made the announcement. The Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans. Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Dall Kammer and Christine M. Calogero for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to Over 38 Years in Federal Prison for Two Armed Carjackings and Firearms Offenses

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced a Memphis man to 466 months – more than 38 years – in federal prison for committing two carjackings and firearms offenses in the Memphis area. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, Glenn Miller , 29, committed two back-to-back carjackings in Memphis on June 8, 2022. First, Miller approached a man at a gas station on Chelsea Avenue and forced the victim to get into his vehicle at gunpoint. Miller continued to hold a gun on the victim and made him drive around until Miller eventually ordered the victim out of the vehicle. Miller drove away in the victim’s car. Minutes later, Miller approached another man sitting in his car on Maplewood Avenue; this was around the corner from the gas station where Miller carjacked the first victim. Completely unprovoked, Miller fired two rounds at the second victim, striking the victim in the face. The second victim was severely injured but survived. Miller drove off in the second victim’s car and was apprehended later that day by the Memphis Police Department. Miller was in possession of three firearms when he was arrested. United States Attorney Ritz stated: “Armed carjackings tear at the fabric of our society. This defendant will spend more than 38 years in federal prison for committing multiple armed carjackings. Our office will continue to seek justice for victims of violent crime by holding offenders accountable for their actions.” “ATF is on the frontline in the fight against violent crime and will continue to work side-by-side with our partners. Carjacking investigations are a priority. Therefore, ATF will continue to deploy traditional investigative techniques overlayed with cutting edge technology to deter these types of violent activities,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus S. Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. On November 17, 2023, Miller pled guilty to carjacking the second victim and discharging a firearm during that carjacking, as well as three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Miller proceeded to trial by a jury on the remaining charges related to the carjacking of the first victim and the brandishing of a firearm during that carjacking. On February 27, 2024, a federal jury convicted Miller of the counts related to the first carjacking after less than an hour of deliberation. On June 12, 2024, United States District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Miller to 466 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Memphis Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Regina Thompson and Greg Wagner, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Three East Idaho Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Fentanyl

body_text: POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate East Idaho cases in which three defendants were sentenced to federal prison for trafficking controlled substances. “Curtailing fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking is a top priority for us in Eastern Idaho and throughout the state,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am thankful to our law enforcement partners who investigated these cases and helped to dismantle these trafficking operations. We will continue to support this important work and make sure that drug traffickers face the justice that they deserve.” Last month, Jonathan Joseph Monaco, 43, of Pocatello, was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. Earlier this week, as part of the same case, Eric Charles Weimer, 46, also of Pocatello, was sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to court records, on February 4, 2023, Monaco, and his wife (co-defendant Helen Monaco, 38, who was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison ) were traveling from California to Idaho – where they resided – when their vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Washoe County, Nevada. Law enforcement initially found 65 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle along with fentanyl, marijuana, and a digital scale. Monaco and his wife were arrested and booked into the Washoe County Jail. While in jail, law enforcement obtained a search warrant to re-search the vehicle and found an additional 4,000 fentanyl pills, and over two pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a void behind the spare tire. Investigators gathered additional evidence that Monaco, his wife, and co-defendant Weimer were all working together in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in southeast Idaho, and elsewhere. According to court records, on February 5, 2023, Weimer, was traveling from Idaho to Montana when his vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Montana. Law enforcement found 453 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle along with 87 grams of fentanyl. “Illicit drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine are not only dangerous but cause deep, painful harm to individuals, families and communities," said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “These cases are indicative of the success that can be achieved when agencies work together to put drug traffickers out of business and in prison. We will not tolerate the trafficking of illicit drugs in our communities.” Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Monaco and Weimer be placed on supervised release for five years following their prison sentences. In a separate case, on June 12, 2024, Jason Lou Gneiting, 45, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 7.5 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine. According to court records, on May 23, 2022, following a year-long narcotics investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Gneiting’s residence and recovered over 15 pounds of methamphetamine. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Gneiting to be placed on supervised release for five years following his prison sentence. “The ripple effects from drug trafficking harms everyone, devastating communities by fueling violence, addiction, and crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships allow us a way to keep drug traffickers from endangering people across Idaho.” The Monaco and Weimer case was investigated by the FBI, the Idaho State Police, the BADGES/HIDTA Taskforce, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada, and the Montana Highway Patrol. The Gneiting case was investigated by the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, and the Idaho State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted both cases. The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region. ###


title: Arapahoe woman convicted for aggravated child abuse, assault  resulting in serious bodily injury, and assault with a dangerous weapon

body_text: Kandace Sitting Eagle, 33, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, was convicted by a federal jury on Jun. 13, for aggravated child abuse, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and assault with a dangerous weapon. The four-day trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson, in Cheyenne. According to trial evidence, on Dec. 12, 2023, an Arapahoe school resource officer conducted a welfare check on a 13-year-old student that had not been to school in over a month. He eventually found the child in a crawl space under the trailer where the parents, Kandace and Truman Sitting Eagle, were hiding the child. Based on the severity of his injuries, the child was immediately taken to Sage West Hospital in Riverton, and then transported via air ambulance to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. The investigation proved that the child had suffered weeks of physical beatings, isolation, starvation, and psychological abuse at the hands of Kandace and Truman. Sentencing has been set for Aug. 29. Kandace Sitting Eagle faces no less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Truman Sitting Eagle, 36, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury on Apr. 8. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6, in front of U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson in Cheyenne. He also faces no less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors in both cases. This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. Case No. 24-CR-03


title: Minnesota Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Providing Material Support to ISIS

body_text: A Minnesota man was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Based on the defendant’s cooperation, the government asked the court to give the defendant credit for providing substantial assistance. According to court documents, in June 2015, Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, 27, of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, departed the United States with his family to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit extended family. Once in Morocco, Al-Madioum surreptitiously fled to Syria to join and fight for ISIS. During the following several months, Al-Madioum was administratively enrolled into ISIS, received military training from its members and assigned to a battalion. Al-Madioum served as a soldier for ISIS until late 2015 when he was injured while conducting military activities on behalf of ISIS. Following his injury, Al-Madioum continued to provide assistance to ISIS as a personnel database administrator. He remained a member of ISIS until he was captured by Syrian Democratic Forces in March of 2019. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota and Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter for the District of Minnesota prosecuted the case.


title: Man Sentenced for Over $5.6M International Advance-Fee Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Indiana man was sentenced today to three years in prison for his role in an international advance-fee scheme orchestrated from Nigeria that defrauded victims worldwide of over $5.6 million. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from at least February 2015 to January 2018, Tochukwu Nwosisi, 52, of Indianapolis, participated in an advance-fee scheme involving fraudulent offers of investment funding and inheritances to victims around the world. Nwosisi’s Nigeria-based co‑conspirators induced victims to make large wire payments to bank accounts in the United States on the false belief that payment of the purported advance fees was necessary before the bank would release their funding or inheritance. Nwosisi served as a money launderer who accepted victim funds into his U.S.-based bank accounts and directed the proceeds to the ringleaders in Nigeria. A federal jury in Houston convicted Nwosisi on March 4 of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment money laundering. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI Houston Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Hileman of the Department of State Office of Inspector General (DOS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI and DOS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Latham for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.


title: Ponemah Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempted Robbery of Red Lake Home

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Ponemah man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and owes $500 in restitution for attempted robbery occurring within the boundary of the Red Lake Indian Reservation. According to court documents, on September 24, 2022, Justice Edward Desjarlait, 27, attempted to rob a residence on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Carrying an unloaded rifle, Desjarlait knocked on the front door of the residence, raised the rifle and demanded, “Give me all of your [expletive].” Desjarlait then attempted to open the storm door in order to enter the house, but the door was locked so he fled without taking anything from the home. On February 5, 2024, Desjarlait pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Joan N. Ericksen on June 5, 2024. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the U.S. Border Patrol with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek prosecuted the case.


title: Man Sentenced to 141 Months in Prison for St. Louis Store Robbery

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a man who admitted committing the armed robbery of a Foot Locker in St. Louis, Missouri in 2021 to 141 months in prison. Demetrius Kirksey, now 35, robbed the Foot Locker at 4651 Chippewa Street in St. Louis on Oct. 6, 2021. He pointed a handgun at the clerk before running behind the counter and stealing cash from the register. Kirksey pleaded guilty in January U.S. District Court in St. Louis to robbery and possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassandra Wiemken and Jennifer Szczucinski are prosecuting the case.


title: Fast Food Manager Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud After Embezzling More Than $140,000 From Employer

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Woodbury man has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $140,000 from his employer, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Timothy Michael Hill, Jr., 36, was employed by Company A to manage a fast-food franchise restaurant at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. In his position as manager, Hill was responsible for collecting and making daily cash deposits into a safe deposit box. According to court documents, between September 2022 and October 2023, Hill collected the daily cash receipts from the restaurant and instead of depositing it into the safe deposit box, pocketed some or all of the cash. Hill attempted to conceal his embezzlement by using future cash receipts to cover his theft, creating a false impression that the cash deposits were delayed rather than stolen. To further conceal his embezzlement, Hill sent regular emails to Company A’s accounting personnel representing that he was belatedly depositing cash from earlier dates, when, in fact, he was using cash collected during the ensuing time period to conceal his embezzlement. According to court documents, Hill spent the stolen cash on jewelry, online sports betting, and the adult website Only Fans, among other things. He also transferred thousands of dollars through CashApp to various individuals, including several female colleagues in exchange for personal photos and videos. In total, Hill knowingly and willfully embezzled approximately $144,000 from Company A over a period of 13 months. Hill pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Paul A. Magnuson to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Airport Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy is prosecuting the case.


title: Multiple Lafourche Parish Residents Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today the unsealing of a seven-count indictment charging the following individuals: LIONEL DUNCAN , (“ DUNCAN”), age 34, of Thibodaux, Louisiana JOHN PAUL GAGE JR. , (“GAGE JR.”), age 42, of Des Allemands, Louisiana LINEZ GREEN , (“GREEN”) , age 30, of Thibodaux, Louisiana YOLANDA TILLMAN , (“TILLMAN”) , age 42, Des Allemands, Louisiana JAMES WILLIAMS , (“WILLIAMS”), age 64, of Schriever, Louisiana MICHAEL LEWIS , (“LEWIS”) , age 47, of Thibodaux, Louisiana RYDELLE ROUNDS , (“ROUNDS”), age 40, of Thibodaux, Louisiana ANJHAELYN HAYNES , (“HAYNES”), age 28, of Humble, Texas The indictment was unsealed on June 10, 2024 after all eight individuals were arrested by local law enforcement working with federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents. All eight individuals were indicted in Count 1 for Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846. If convicted of Count 1, they face a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment. GREEN and GAGE JR. were indicted in Count 3, while GAGE JR. and ROUNDS were indicted in Count 6, for illegal use of a communications facility, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. If convicted of Counts 3 or 6, they face up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years supervised release following imprisonment. GREEN was indicted in Counts 2, 4, and 5 for distribution of a quantity of a mixture of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). If convicted of either of these three counts, GREEN faces up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years supervised release following imprisonment. HAYNES was indicted in Count 7 for possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). If convicted of Count 7, she faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment. All seven counts of the indictment also carry a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least May 4, 2024, these eight individuals conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, cocaine and methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting those narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Louis Park man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, in June 2015, Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, 27, departed the United States with his family to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit extended family. Once in Morocco, Al-Madioum surreptitiously fled to Syria to join and fight for ISIS. During the following several months, Al-Madioum was administratively enrolled into ISIS, received military training from its members, and assigned to a battalion. Al-Madioum served as a soldier for ISIS until late 2015 when he was injured while conducting military activities on behalf of ISIS. Following his injury, Al-Madioum continued to provide assistance to ISIS as a personnel database administrator. He remained a member of ISIS until he was captured by Syrian Democratic Forces in March of 2019. On September 16, 2020, Al-Madioum made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in the District of Minnesota on an indictment charging him with providing material support to ISIS. On January 13, 2021, Al-Madioum pleaded guilty to one count of providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery. Based on the defendant’s cooperation, the government asked the court to give the defendant credit for providing substantial assistance. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Five Men Indicted for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking in Merced County as Part of “Operation Red Rooster”

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against five men, Fernando Arellano, 36, of Planada; Isaiah Serena, 40, of Merced; Jason Mott, 49, of Merced; David Gonzales, 45, of Merced; and Christopher Baca-Arias, 18, a native of Honduras; charging them with crimes related to a Merced drug trafficking operation, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Arellano, Serena, and Mott are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Serena and Mott are additionally charged with distribution of methamphetamine. Serena, Mott, Gonzales, and Baca-Arias are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and Serena, Gonzales, and Baca-Arias are additionally charged with distribution of fentanyl. Serena is also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. According to court documents, Serena and Mott operated a drug trafficking operation centered on a self-storage business in Merced. Arellano supplied methamphetamine for the operation, while Baca-Arias supplied fentanyl. Gonzales worked for Serena and Mott. During the course of the investigation, conspirators distributed more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine and 2 pounds of fentanyl. This case is a product of “Operation Red Rooster,” a long-term investigation into gang violence and drug trafficking by Homeland Security Investigations, the Merced-Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET), the California Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, the Merced Police Department, the Livingstone Police Department, and other agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Arellano, Serena, Mott, and Gonzales face a statutory maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Baca-Arias faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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, Justice.gov/PSN. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Columbus Man Sentenced to 8 Years for  Illegal Possession of Guns at The Links at Oxford Apartments

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

body_text: OXFORD, Miss. – A Columbus man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possessing firearms as a prior convicted felon. According to court records, Tyson Jamal Hairston, 34, previously pled guilty to possessing two pistols after having been convicted of a felony offense. Officers located one firearm while serving Hairston with a state warrant for kidnapping at the Links at Oxford Apartments. During a search of Hairston’s Links apartment, officers located a second firearm and narcotics. At a sentencing hearing on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Hairston to 96 months imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release. “Citizens have every right to expect that individuals who commit violent crimes and who use guns to commit those crimes will be removed from the streets and sentenced to prison,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This office will continue to work with all of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute those individuals who choose to illegally possess and use guns in our communities.” “Getting guns out of the hands of criminals is an essential element of the fight against violent crime and securing our neighborhoods,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed today sends a message to the community that convicted felons illegally possessing firearms will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe as a top priority for ATF.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case in partnership with the Oxford Police Department and the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Howell Addison prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Man sentenced for over $5.6M international advance-fee scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON - An Indiana man has been ordered to federal prison for his role in an international advance-fee scheme orchestrated from Nigeria that defrauded victims worldwide of over $5.6 million, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The jury deliberated for 45 minutes before convicting Tochukwu Nwosisi, 52, Indianapolis, Indiana, following a six-day trial March 4 of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment money laundering. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Nwosisi to serve a total of 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. He must also pay $905,945 in restitution. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Nwosisi was a knowing, willing participant in a criminal scheme with very real impacts to victims around the world, stating that “today is the day for accountability.” From at least February 2015 to January 2018, Nwosisi participated in an advance-fee scheme involving fraudulent offers of investment funding and inheritances to victims around the world. Nwosisi’s Nigeria-based co-conspirators induced victims to make large wire payments to bank accounts in the United States on the false belief that payment of the purported advance fees was necessary before the bank would release their funding or inheritance. Nwosisi served as a money launderer who accepted victim funds into his U.S.-based bank accounts and directed the proceeds to the ringleaders in Nigeria. The FBI and Department of State – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Latham prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.


title: Resident of China Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Send Leading Electric Vehicle Company’s Trade Secrets to an Undercover U.S. Agent

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, in federal court in Central Islip, Klaus Pflugbeil, a resident of the People’s Republic of China (the PRC or China) and a Canadian and German national, pleaded guilty to conspiring to send trade secrets that belonged to a leading U.S.-based electric vehicle company (Victim Company-1). Pflugbeil and his co-defendant, Yilong Shao, who remains at large, are owners of a PRC-based business (Business-1) that sold technology used to make batteries, including batteries used in electric vehicles. Pflugbeil, a former employee of a company later purchased by Victim Company-1, stole trade secrets from his then employer, and later used the trade secrets to build Business-1, marketing his business as a replacement for Victim Company-1’s products. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay. When sentenced, Pflugbeil faces up to 10 years in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. “Today, the defendant is guilty of boldly sending valuable trade secrets, detailed documents and drawings that he stole from a U.S.-based leading manufacturer of battery-powered electric vehicles to an undercover law enforcement agent expertly posing as a businessman on Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates how this Office will swiftly bring to justice those who misappropriate intellectual property belonging to American companies, to safeguard our economy and national security.” Mr. Peace also thanked the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section for their invaluable assistance on the case. “Despite Pflugbeil’s agreement to protect what he knew was proprietary, sensitive technology, he chose to abscond with these trade secrets to China, where he sought an unfair and illegal advantage in critical industries such as electric vehicle manufacturing,” stated Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “With his guilty plea, Pflugbeil is now being held accountable for this unlawful conduct that jeopardized our national security.” Victim Company-1 is a U.S.-based leading manufacturer of battery-powered electric vehicles and battery energy systems. In 2019, Victim Company-1 acquired a Canada-based manufacturer of automated, precision dispensing pumps and battery assembly lines (the “Canadian Manufacturer”). Prior to its purchase by Victim Company-1, the Canadian Manufacturer sold battery assembly lines to customers who manufactured alkaline and lithium-ion batteries for consumer use. The battery assembly lines contained or utilized a proprietary technology now owned by Victim Company-1: continuous motion alkaline battery assembly (the “Battery Assembly Trade Secret”). The proprietary technology provided a substantial competitive advantage to Victim Company-1 in the battery manufacturing process. Both Pflugbeil and his co-defendant Shao are former employees of the Canadian Manufacturer. As detailed in court documents, by no later than 2019, Pflugbeil and Shao planned to use Victim Company-1’s trade secrets for their own business activities. Pflugbeil told Shao that he had “a lot of original documents” related to the technology and sought out more “original drawings” of the trade secrets. Shao subsequently confirmed, among other things, that, “we have all of original assembly drawings by PDF.” The conspirators took measures to obfuscate that they had stolen documents. For example, Pflugbeil wrote to Shao about a document he created based on a document that Shao had stolen from Victim Company-1, “[it's] in a different format, so it looks very original and not like a copy.” In or about July 2020, Pflugbeil joined Business-1, a company previously established by Shao, which has since expanded to locations in China, Canada, Germany and Brazil. Business‑1 makes the same precision dispensing pumps and battery assembly lines that the Canadian Manufacturer developed. Business-1 was marketed by Pflugbeil as an alternative source for the sale of products that relied upon Victim Company-1’s trade secrets, publishing online advertisements on Google, YouTube and LinkedIn. Pflugbeil purchased ads on Google for Business-1. These ads read, for example, “[Business-1] | Replacing [Canadian Manufacturer] Pumps & Parts | [Canadian Manufacturer] Identical Spare Parts. We manufacture precision metering pumps and fill tubes. | Contact Us for your [Canadian Manufacturer] replacement pumps and parts.” In any given week, this ad was shown tens of thousands of times. Pflugbeil also repeatedly sent LinkedIn messages that said, “Hello [name], I used to work at [Canadian Manufacturer], and after [Victim Company-1] purchased and closed the company, I am now part of a company providing similar products and services.” Pflugbeil’s LinkedIn profile background, pictured below, read: On September 11, 2023, undercover FBI agents attended a trade show for the packaging and processing industries (the “Trade Show”) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The undercover agents posed as businesspeople who were interested in purchasing a battery assembly line from Business-1 to manufacture batteries at a facility in Long Island, New York. The undercover agents were introduced to Shao at the trade show and later to Pflugbeil via email. Subsequently, on or about November 17, 2023, Pflugbeil sent, via email, a detailed 66-page technical documentation proposal (the “Proposal”) to an undercover agent (“UC-1”). The Proposal notes, “this technical documentation package contains [Business-1] proprietary information which must be kept confidential.” In reality, the Proposal contained Battery Assembly Trade Secret information belonging to Victim Company-1: at least half a dozen drawings Pflugbeil used in the Proposal and sent to UC-1 were, in fact, Victim Company-1’s information related to the Battery Assembly Trade Secret. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section and the Criminal Section of the Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Ellen H. Sise and Samantha Alessi are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. The Defendant KLAUS PFLUGBEIL AGE: 58 Ningbo, China E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-238 (JMA)


title: Beloit Man Sentenced to 7 1/2 Years for Fentanyl Distribution

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Darnell Isabell, 39, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 ½ years in federal prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Isabell pleaded guilty to this charge on March 25, 2024. Isabell committed the instant offense while under federal supervision for a previous drug trafficking conviction. Judge Conley revoked that supervision and imposed an additional 18-month sentence to run consecutive to the sentence on the new conviction. On January 11, 2023, law enforcement suspected that Isabell planned to sell fentanyl. Surveilling officers saw Isabell meet with a motorist on Oakwood Avenue, Beloit where Isabell delivered two ounces of fentanyl. Officers seized the substance that Isabell delivered to the motorist, and it tested positive for fentanyl. A subsequent search of Isabell’s home resulted in the recovery of additional amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and $2,120 in U.S. currency. Judge Conley observed that Isabell had spent most of his adult life selling drugs. Judge Conley noted that it was an aggravating factor that Isabell sold drugs while under federal supervised release from his 2017 cocaine distribution conviction. Isabell served 8 years in prison for that conviction, before being released to supervision in 2022. The charge against Isabell was the result of an investigation conducted by the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Beloit Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: Bakersfield Man Indicted for Drug and Gun Offenses

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Fabian Rodriguez, 35, of Bakersfield, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition and for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Rodriguez was found in possession of three boxes of 9 mm ammunition after having been previously convicted of crimes punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Rodriguez was also found in possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with other items typically employed in the sale of controlled substances. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chan Hee Chu is prosecuting the case. If convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition, Rodriguez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine offense, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 .


title: Riverside County Man Indicted for Transporting 44 Kilograms of Cocaine and 10 Kilograms of Heroin

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jose Miguel Perez, 42, of Corona, charging him with possessing with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 1 kilogram of heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Perez was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. Deputies seized 56 kilograms of various narcotics in the car’s two hidden compartments. Seven kilograms of cocaine were hidden in the ceiling of the car, while an additional 37 kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of heroin, and 2 kilograms of ketamine were seized from a hidden compartment in the car’s roof. This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Perez faces a statutory minimum of 10 years with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Kansas Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm after Shooting at Officers During High Speed Pursuit

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Galena, Kansas, man who shot at police officers during a high-speed pursuit from Joplin, Mo., into Kansas was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm. Adam Everett Kastler, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years and six months in federal prison without parole. On Feb. 6, 2024, Kastler pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kastler admitted he was in possession of a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun on Feb. 23, 2023. Joplin, Mo., police officers spotted Kastler, who had outstanding arrest warrants, inside a Chevrolet Tahoe that was pulled over in a traffic stop on 7 th Street. Kastler, who was in the passenger’s seat, pointed a firearm at the driver and said he would shoot him if he did not flee from the police. Instead, the driver got out of the vehicle and laid on the ground. After the driver got out of the vehicle, Kastler moved from the passenger’s seat to the driver’s seat and fled from the scene with the officers in pursuit. Kastler drove through town at high rates of speed, ignoring multiple stop signs. The pursuit continued into Kansas, where deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the pursuit. Officers saw Kastler shooting at them from the vehicle before he lost control and crashed. Kastler was arrested. Officers found the loaded firearm on the center console and two spent shell casings laying on the driver’s side floorboard. Officers also found a methamphetamine glass smoking pipe with residue, three cell phones, and four open containers of alcohol. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Kastler has prior felony convictions for distributing methamphetamine and aggravated domestic battery. This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Charges Filed in Connection with String of Robberies Along Metropolitan Branch Trail

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jalique Wiseman, 19, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on twenty-four charges stemming from a string of robberies and armed robberies in October and November 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Wiseman was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges including robbery, armed robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, and credit card fraud. Wiseman is scheduled to be arraigned on June 26, 2024, before the Honorable Jennifer Di Toro. According to the government’s evidence, between October 2, 2023, and November 23, 2023, Wiseman and an accomplice robbed eleven people on or near the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Wiseman and his accomplice, using either physical violence or at gunpoint, robbed the victims of phones and other property. Wiseman demanded the victims’ passcodes and used that information to access the victims’ financial accounts to transfer money to accounts Wiseman controlled. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kraig Ahalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.


title: Fort Worth Man Charged With Threatening Federal Agent: ‘Guns Will Come Out’

body_text: A Fort Worth man has been charged with threatening an FBI agent involved in a high-profile investigation, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Timothy Muller, 43, was charged via criminal complaint on Thursday with interstate threatening communications and influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official. He was arrested outside his home on Thursday morning without incident. According to the complaint, Mr. Muller allegedly placed a call to an FBI special agent at 5:03 p.m. on June 11. The agent was known to have been involved in an investigation into a laptop belonging to H.B. Shortly before Mr. Muller allegedly placed his call to the agent, media outlets reported that H.B. had been convicted following a trial related to a 2018 firearm purchase. According to the complaint, Mr. Muller said, “hey,” and the agent disconnected the call. Mr. Muller immediately called back and allegedly left a one-minute and five-second message threatening the agent and his family: “You can run, but you can’t [expletive] hide,” Mr. Muller allegedly said. “ You covered up child pornography. You covered up [H.B.] raping his own [expletive] niece.” “So here’s how it’s gonna go,” Mr. Muller allegedly continued. “[T.]’s gonna win the re-election, and then we’re gonna [expletive] go through the FBI and just start throwing you [expletive]s into jail. Or, you can steal another election, and then the guns will come out, and we’ll hunt you [expletive]s down and slaughter you like the traitorous dogs you are in your own [expletive] homes. In your own [expletive] beds. The last thing you’ll ever hear are the horrified shrieks of your widow and orphans. And then you know what we’re going to do? … We’re going to slaughter your whole [expletive] family.” Mr. Muller then allegedly sent the agent several texts, writing, “How’s the family? Safe?” and “Did you [expletive]s really think you were going to disenfranchise 75 million Americans and not die? Lol.” A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Muller is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas is prosecuting the case.


title: Anchorage man sentenced to 15 years for drug trafficking, gun charges

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possessing and distributing controlled substances and possessing a firearm illegally. According to court documents, in November 2020, Mauricio Martinez, 22, was a drug dealer operating in Anchorage selling illicit drugs via a social media platform. Law enforcement became aware that, on at least one occasion, the defendant carried a firearm while selling drugs. Martinez was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2021 for distributing a controlled substance and for carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. In August 2022, law enforcement located the defendant driving a vehicle and attempted to arrest him, but he tried to flee and discard a firearm in the process. He was arrested and officers found $4,000 in cash on his person and another firearm, roughly 10,000 counterfeit Xanax and Percocet pills, nearly 7,000 fentanyl tablets and cocaine in his vehicle. In June 2023, while Martinez was in the Anchorage jail awaiting trial, guards searched his cell and found a large knife and meth packaged for sale that he admitted were his. Martinez pleaded guilty in September 2023. “Mr. Martinez is a serious danger to the public and has shown a disregard for the law since he was a teenager, and even while he was incarcerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Keeping individuals like Mr. Martinez out of our communities is a priority for our office. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who pose a risk of public safety due to their actions.” “Mr. Martinez utilized firearms while dealing deadly drugs, including illicit fentanyl, in our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This sentencing sends a message that illegal drug distribution and violent criminal behavior will not be tolerated. The FBI will continue to work jointly with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who endanger the lives of Alaskans.” The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case as part of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley prosecuted the case. ###


title: Southwest Missouri Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal Firearm

body_text: SPRINGFIELD CITY, Mo. – A southwest Missouri man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a firearm. Billy Hile, 61, who has no known address, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years in federal prison without parole. On Nov. 9, 2023, Hile pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Hile was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions. A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop on Sept. 15, 2021, while Hile was driving his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck on U.S. Highway 60 in Lawrence County, Mo. Hile, who had 13 baggies of marijuana with him, admitted to the trooper that he had a medical marijuana card but purchased marijuana on the black market. Hile also admitted that he last smoked marijuana a couple of hours prior to the traffic stop. The trooper conducted field sobriety tests on Hile and arrested him for driving while intoxicated. When the trooper searched Hile, he found marijuana and $4,795 in cash (some of which was later determined to be counterfeit). Hile also had a bag in his pants that contained a pipe, methamphetamine, cocaine, and psilocyn mushrooms. The trooper searched Hile’s vehicle and found a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which had been reported as stolen, and 91.49 grams of methamphetamine inside a Gladware container in a tackle box. The tackle box also contained drug paraphernalia. This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Eatmon. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


title: Portsmouth man convicted of sex trafficking and production of child pornography sentenced to prison

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for sex trafficking, production of child pornography, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and unlawful possession of a firearm. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on April 30, 2022, Pierre De Romeo Smith, 40, met 16-year-old Jane Doe. The same day, he took sexually explicit photographs of her, including suggestive photos of her posed with the muzzle of a shotgun in her mouth. Several hours later, he posted these pictures of her on a commercial sex website, advertising her for commercial sex. For the following three weeks, the defendant continued to make her available for commercial sex with as many as 30 “dates” a night throughout the Hampton Roads area. He gave her amphetamines to keep her awake and confiscated the money from her dates. On May 19, 2022, the Virginia Beach Police Department conducted an undercover commercial sex operation at a hotel in Virginia Beach where they encountered Jane Doe. When interviewing her at the hotel, detectives observed a text message on her phone from the defendant stating he was there. The defendant was observed arriving at the hotel’s parking garage and was arrested. In his car were multiple controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and a Glock handgun, which the defendant was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon. After his arrest, Smith “green lit” Jane Doe, meaning he approved for her to be killed. Jane Doe relayed this information to law enforcement, who corroborated the “green light” through two separate confidential sources. According to those sources, Smith, a leader in the Imperial Gangster Bloods gang, ordered an associate to carry out the hit, and Smith said that no one would testify against him at trial. A federal jury convicted Smith on April 6, 2023. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Montoya and Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case. This case was investigated by the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force, a collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as nongovernmental organizations, working together to combat human trafficking in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region. 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-122.


title: Ohio Man Pleads To Illegally Purchasing Firearms In Tampa And Transferring Them To Juveniles

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Gabriel Gladman (23, Akron, OH) today pleaded guilty to a 14-count indictment charging him with 8 counts of providing a false statement to a federally licensed dealer to acquire a firearm and 6 counts of unlawfully transferring a handgun to a juvenile. Gladman faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for each count of providing a false statement to acquire a firearm, and 1 year in federal prison for each count for unlawfully transferring a handgun to a juvenile. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Gladman, on several dates, purchased firearms from federally licensed dealers in Tampa, where he represented that he was the actual buyer of the firearms. On those same dates, however, Gladman transferred those firearms to juveniles. As part of the plea agreement, Gladman has agreed to forfeit 8 firearms, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Those firearms included a Glock .26 semi-automatic firearm, an FMK 9C1 semi-automatic firearm, a Taurus G3 semi-automatic firearm, two Tara TM-9X semi-automatic firearms, and a Taurus G3C semi-automatic firearm. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is responsible for the forfeiture of the firearms. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Ammunition, Assaulting Officer

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who rammed into a federal agent’s vehicle while attempting to escape arrest pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing ammunition and assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. Charles D. Jackson, also known as “Grove Street” and “C Jackem,” 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. On Aug. 24, 2023, agents and task officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Jackson’s residence. As officers approached on foot, an ATF agent pulled her vehicle into the driveway to pin in a black Kia sedan parked in the driveway and still running. All of the agents and officers were wearing clearly marked body armor identifying them as “ATF Police.” The officers announced themselves and the ATF agent activated the emergency equipment on her vehicle. Jackson, who was fully reclined in the driver’s seat, popped up and put the car in drive. He rammed into the front of the ATF vehicle, then attempted to back up and drive forward several times in an apparent attempt to escape. However, the ATF agent pushed the Kia into the garage with her vehicle, immobilizing it. The ATF vehicle was damaged as a result of Jackson ramming it. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Jackson must pay restitution for the damage. On the floorboard of the front’s driver’s seat where Jackson had been sitting, agents located a loaded AR-style 5.56-caliber pistol with no serial number and with an extended magazine, which contained 39 rounds of ammunition. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jackson has a prior felony conviction for first degree robbery. Under federal statutes, Jackson is subject to a sentence of up to 16 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Constance. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Using  Corporations’ UPS Accounts in Shipping Label Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Carl Granada Wilson, Jr., 36, of Hollywood, California, pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining access to two American companies’ UPS accounts, which were then used to create shipping labels by Raekwon Malik Harrod, of Washington, D.C., and another individual. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, which has a statutory maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment. As part of his plea agreement, he must pay restitution to the two companies. He also will be liable for a forfeiture money judgment for proceeds he received as a result of the scheme. U.S. District Court Judge Ana C. Reyes, who accepted Wilson’s guilty plea in the District of Columbia, scheduled sentencing for October 31, 2024. In his plea agreement, Wilson admitted that no later than 2020, he gained access to one company’s UPS account’s log-in credentials and provided them to Harrod, who provided the credentials to a Maryland co-conspirator. Initially, Harrod and the Maryland co-conspirator, who both re-sold shoes online, used the account to create UPS shipping labels to mail the shoes that they sold, which reduced their shipping costs to zero. Wilson admitted that he intended for Harrod to use the account to ship shoes. In late 2020, Harrod and a Maryland co-conspirator started using the account to sell UPS shipping labels to third parties. Wilson did not know they were selling labels online. As a result of Harrod and the Maryland co-conspirator’s use of the account, the company lost more than $900,000. In late July 2021, Harrod and the Maryland co-conspirator lost access to the account, prompting them to tell Wilson that they had been selling labels using the account. Wilson requested that they pay him $120,000, which Harrod and the Maryland co-conspirator understood would be used to compensate the person who gave Wilson access to the account. In reality, Wilson planned to keep all of that money for himself. In August 2021, Harrod and the Maryland co-conspirator withdrew nearly $70,000 in cash and flew with the money to Los Angeles. They withdrew another $50,000 once they were in California and provided the funds to Wilson. Eventually, Wilson secured access to a second American company’s UPS account, which he provided to Harrod and the Maryland co-conspirator. The two men then resumed selling UPS shipping labels online, this time with direct involvement and knowledge of Wilson. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with the assistance of paralegal specialist Sonalika Chaturvedi and Michon Tart. Former Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar assisted with the investigation. 24cr133


title: Resident of China Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Send Leading Electric Vehicle Company’s Trade Secrets to Undercover U.S. Agent

body_text: Klaus Pflugbeil, 58, a Canadian and German national and resident of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), pleaded guilty today to conspiring to send trade secrets that belonged to a leading U.S.-based electric vehicle company (Victim Company-1). Pflugbeil and his co-defendant, Yilong Shao, who remains at large, are owners of a PRC-based business (Business-1) that sold technology used to make batteries, including batteries used in electric vehicles. Pflugbeil, a former employee of a company later purchased by Victim Company-1, stole trade secrets from his then employer and later used the trade secrets to build Business-1, marketing his business as a replacement for Victim Company-1’s products. “Despite Pflugbeil’s agreement to protect what he knew was proprietary, sensitive technology, he chose to abscond with these trade secrets to China, where he sought an unfair and illegal advantage in critical industries such as electric vehicle manufacturing,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “With his guilty plea, Pflugbeil is now being held accountable for this unlawful conduct that jeopardized our national security.” “The defendant boldly took what did not belong to him and used stolen trade secrets for his own personal profit knowing those valuable trade secrets were rightfully owned by an American company,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates how this office will swiftly bring to justice those who misappropriate intellectual property belonging to American companies particularly where the use of the technology poses a national security risk.” “The defendant knowingly and illegally took trade secrets with no regard to the damage that would be done to the victim or the financial impact it would have on the U.S. economy,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and hold accountable anyone who seeks to profit by stealing technology from U.S. companies.” According to court documents, Victim Company-1 is a U.S.-based leading manufacturer of battery-powered electric vehicles and battery energy systems. In 2019, Victim Company-1 acquired a Canada-based manufacturer of automated, precision dispensing pumps and battery assembly lines (the Canadian Manufacturer). Prior to its purchase by Victim Company-1, the Canadian Manufacturer sold battery assembly lines to customers who manufactured alkaline and lithium-ion batteries for consumer use. The battery assembly lines contained or utilized a proprietary technology now owned by Victim Company-1: continuous motion alkaline battery assembly (the Battery Assembly Trade Secret). The proprietary technology provided a substantial competitive advantage to Victim Company-1 in the battery manufacturing process. Both Pflugbeil and Shao are former employees of the Canadian Manufacturer. As detailed in court documents, by no later than 2019, Pflugbeil and Shao planned to use Victim Company-1’s trade secrets for their own business activities. Pflugbeil told Shao that he had “a lot of original documents” related to the technology and sought out more “original drawings” of the trade secrets. Shao subsequently confirmed, among other things that, “we have all of original assembly drawings by PDF.” The conspirators took measures to obfuscate that they had stolen documents. For example, Pflugbeil wrote to Shao about a document he created based on a document that Shao had stolen from Victim Company-1, “[its] in a different format, so it looks very original and not like a copy.” In or about July 2020, Pflugbeil joined Business-1, a company previously established by Shao, which has since expanded to locations in China, Canada, Germany and Brazil. Business‑1 makes the same precision dispensing pumps and battery assembly lines that the Canadian Manufacturer developed. Business-1 was marketed by Pflugbeil as an alternative source for the sale of products that relied upon Victim Company-1’s trade secrets, publishing online advertisements on Google, YouTube and LinkedIn. Pflugbeil purchased ads on Google for Business-1. These ads read, for example, “[Business-1] | Replacing [Canadian Manufacturer] Pumps & Parts | [Canadian Manufacturer] Identical Spare Parts. We manufacture precision metering pumps and fill tubes. | Contact Us for your [Canadian Manufacturer] replacement pumps and parts.” In any given week, this ad was shown tens of thousands of times. Pflugbeil also repeatedly sent LinkedIn messages that said, “Hello [name], I used to work at [Canadian Manufacturer], and after [Victim Company-1] purchased and closed the company, I am now part of a company providing similar products and services. Pflugbeil’s LinkedIn profile background, pictured below, read: Pflugbeil’s LinkedIn profile background. On Sept. 11, 2023, undercover FBI agents attended a trade show for the packaging and processing industries in Las Vegas. The undercover agents posed as businesspeople who were interested in purchasing a battery assembly line from Business-1 to manufacture batteries at a facility in Long Island, New York. The undercover agents were introduced to Shao at the trade show and later to Pflugbeil via email. Subsequently, on or about Nov. 17, 2023, Pflugbeil sent, via email, a detailed 66-page technical documentation proposal to an undercover agent (UC-1). The proposal notes, “this technical documentation package contains [Business-1] proprietary information which must be kept confidential.” In reality, the proposal contained Battery Assembly Trade Secret information belonging to Victim Company-1: at least half a dozen drawings Pflugbeil used in the Proposal and sent to UC-1 were, in fact, Victim Company-1’s information related to the Battery Assembly Trade Secret. Pflugbeil pleaded guilty to conspiring to send trade secrets. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI is investigating the case. The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section provided valuable assistance. Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen H. Sise and Samantha Alessi for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. This action was coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.


title: Two South Salt Lake Residents Admit to Odometer Fraud

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah –Porter R. Hamblin, 20, of South Salt Lake, Utah, pleaded guilty today to three counts of false odometer statements. Last week, Hamblin’s co-defendant, Austin Weilacher, 21, of South Salt Lake, also admitted to the same crimes that defrauded unsuspecting used car purchasers through odometer fraud. According to court documents, and statements made at the change of plea hearings, beginning in May 2023 to July 2023, Hamblin and Weilacher engaged in a fraudulent scheme to sell vehicles with broken or false odometers. Hamblin and Weilacher admitted they purchased higher mileage vehicles and then advertised the vehicles for sale on local websites, usually KSL.com. They also admitted they sometimes listed the vehicles with different Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) and/or with lower mileage. Hamblin and Weilacher would then sell the vehicles for an inflated price to consumers in the Salt Lake Valley. The purpose of the scheme was to receive inflated prices for the vehicles and then use the cash from the fraudulent sales to purchase other vehicles to sell to unsuspecting consumers, or to purchase high end vehicles for themselves. As a result of the scheme, Hamblin and Weilacher caused buyers of used vehicles to pay more for the vehicles than they would have paid if they had known the vehicles’ correct mileage readings. Hamblin is scheduled to be sentenced August 16, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.1 and Weilacher is scheduled to be sentenced August 29, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.1. at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake (UPD). Assistant United States Attorney Stewart M. Young of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.


title: Houston felon gets max for illegal gun possession

body_text: HOUSTON – A 22-year-old local man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Avery Frank Bass Jr. pleaded guilty March 22. U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Bass to serve the statutory maximum of 15 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Bass was a true danger to the community. Law enforcement arrested Bass as part of the Houston Violent Crime Initiative announced in September 2023. “Removing violent individuals who use firearms from our communities is one of the top priorities of my office,” said Hamdani. “The Houston Violent Crime Initiative is an innovative program aimed at reducing violent crime by employing federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in the southwest and southeast areas of Houston. The result in this case demonstrates that we are making progress in our fight to reduce violent and firearms crimes in the Southern District of Texas.” Local law enforcement was executing an arrest warrant for Bass for aggravated robbery in August 2023. At that time, they discovered a loaded American Tactical AR pistol and a loaded 9mm Glock 17 on the driver’s side floorboard where Bass had been sitting. A review of his criminal history showed that he had three prior felony convictions for robbery, all of which involved the use of a firearm. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI and the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zenon-Matos prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Shelia Lafferty of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.