title: Nevada Man Arrested and Indicted for Threatening to Murder Federal Officials and State Employees

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A grand jury returned a 22-count indictment charging Spencer Christjencody Gear, 32, of Las Vegas, Nevada, with threatening to assault and murder federal officials, including federal judges, and state employees in Washington, D.C., New York, New Jersey and Montana. “The citizens we rely on to serve the public must be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department has no tolerance for acts and threats of violence targeting public servants, and we will stop at nothing to find and bring to justice those responsible.” “The FBI will not tolerate individuals who threaten government officials for doing their jobs and who create a climate of fear,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch. “As this case demonstrates, we will work with our partners to investigate and hold accountable all those who threaten or interfere with government officials as they carry out their duties.” According to court documents, between Nov. 30, 2023, and July 7, Gear made threatening phone calls and sent a threatening email to assault and murder eight federal officials with intent to impede, intimidate and interfere with the officials while engaged in the performance of official duties, and with intent to retaliate against the officials on account of the performance of official duties. Gear also threatened three state employees. Gear was arrested and made his initial court appearance today. He is charged with 10 counts of threatening a federal official and 12 counts of transmitting a communication containing a threat to injure. A jury trial has been scheduled for Sept. 24. If convicted, Gear faces a maximum penalty of 10 years for each count of threatening a federal official and five years for each count of transmitting a threat to injure. The FBI, United States Marshals Service and U.S. Capitol Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Operskalski for the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Habitual Narcotics Trafficker Sentenced To Federal Prison For Possession Of A Firearm By A Convicted Felon

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

body_text: PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Ronald Richardson, 40, of Panama City, Florida was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Our law enforcement partners play a vital role in fighting crime and protecting the public,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Due to their tenacious investigation – across three states – this habitual drug trafficker is back where he belongs, behind bars. His incarceration will not only make the community safer, but also illustrate the real and severe consequences for federal firearm offenses.” In July 2022, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, began an investigation into suspected drug trafficking by the defendant. Investigation determined the defendant traveled multiple times to a storage facility in Panama City, and then travel westbound from Panama City to Pensacola, Florida, and on to Lafayette, Louisiana. The investigation culminated in a search of the storage unit in Panama City, which was rented and used by the defendant. During the search investigators recovered items to manufacture and distribute narcotics, a Ruger LCR .357 revolver loaded with three rounds of ammunition and a safe containing $115,000. When later arrested in Mobile, Alabama, 264.4 grams of cocaine was seized from the defendant’s vehicle and more than $3,000 from his possession. “This sentencing is a monumental win for Florida, Louisiana and Texas,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Thanks to the relentless men and women of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and talented federal prosecutors, this defendant’s days of poisoning our communities with violence and lethal drugs have come to an abrupt halt.” Richardson’s prison sentence will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. This case was the result of a collaborative investigation conducted by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven 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. As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Two Dominican Nationals Extradited in Connection with Grandparent Scam

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two residents of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, were extradited to the United States and made their initial appearance in Newark federal court on charges relating to their participation in a sprawling “grandparent scam” that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions of dollars, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department announced today. Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman, also known as “Max Morgan,” age 59, and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, also known as “Fili” and “Filly The Kid,” age 37, are among eleven Dominican Nationals charged in a 19-count indictment filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey that was unsealed on April 29, 2024. Following their initial appearance on July 22, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa both defendants were detained pending trial. According to the indictment: Rodriguez Guzman, Reynoso Ventura, and their co-conspirators engaged in a long-running “grandparent” or “family in need of bail” scam against hundreds of seniors across the United States, including in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Both Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura are alleged to have worked in the call centers in the Dominican Republic from which the scam operated, where they phoned elderly Americans and sought to steal their money. As detailed in court filings, members of the conspiracy referred to as “openers” called elderly victims in the United States and impersonated the victims’ children, grandchildren, or other close relatives. The call centers used technology to make it appear that the calls were coming from inside the United States. Typically, the victim was told that their grandchild had been in a car accident, was arrested in connection with an accident, and needed help. Once openers tricked victims into believing their loved ones were in dire trouble, others working at the call centers, known as “closers”—including Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura—allegedly impersonated defense attorneys, police officers, or court personnel and convinced victims to provide thousands of dollars in cash to help their loved ones. The cash was typically retrieved by couriers sent to the victims’ homes or mailed by victims at the direction of the closers. Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura each face multiple felony charges, including mail and wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty 20 years in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count of the mail and wire fraud charges and a maximum fine of $500,000 for money laundering conspiracy. “As alleged, these two defendants played a role in a scheme that relied on the love and devotion of elderly victims in order to cheat them out of millions of dollars. In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ some of the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. Conspirators like Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura allegedly impersonated a variety of people – police officers, lawyers and others – to convince the victims to pay up, which the panic-stricken grandparents often did. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue criminals who defraud victims through so-called ‘grandparent scams,’” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable Americans from abroad. We thank the government of the Dominican Republic for extraditing these defendants to the United States to face charges.” “These defendants and their co-conspirators are accused of heartlessly robbing countless elderly victims of their precious time and often their life savings – all from more than 1,500 miles away, said Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of HSI New York. “Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura were among the 16 individuals charged in this appalling scheme, which spanned at least four U.S. states and allegedly threatened hundreds of innocent Americans’ livelihoods. The merciless greed of perpetrators is boundless, but is no match for HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force, its Cyber Intrusion Group, and the greater law enforcement community. I am proud to stand alongside our global partners in our relentless commitment to the safety and overall wellbeing of the vulnerable public." “The grandparent scam is a cruel fraud scheme that deliberately preys on elderly and vulnerable persons within society. Perpetrators, often cowardly operating off-shore, cause extreme emotional and financial harm to the innocent people they target in commission of this crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Boston New York Field Division. “SSA OIG proudly joined HSI, the FBI, the Justice Department, and the NYPD in investigating these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding SSA beneficiaries and we appreciate the diligence of the U.S. Marshals Service in facilitating the extradition of these defendants from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey to hold them accountable for their actions.” “We are now one step closer to holding accountable the alleged fraudsters who financially exploited hundreds of elderly Americans,” said Commissioner Edward A. Caban of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). “This should serve as a reminder to other criminals about the extensive reach of New York law enforcement and our unwavering commitment to delivering justice to all victims. I applaud our NYPD investigators and all of our federal partners for their dedication to this important case.” HSI, SSA-OIG, NYPD, and the FBI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from the Dominican Republic of the defendants with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Justice Department officials also recognized the critical cooperation of the Dominican government in effecting the extradition of Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura pursuant to the treaty between the two countries. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey and Trial Attorneys Jason Feldman, Joshua Ferrentino, and Emily Powers of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov / or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Boston Man Arrested on Firearm Smuggling Charges

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested and charged last week in federal court in Boston in connection with illegal firearm smuggling between the United States and the Dominican Republic. Alexis Lara Herrera, 26, was charged with one count of smuggling goods from the United States; aiding and abetting. Herrera made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston last Friday and pleaded not guilty. He is currently being held in federal custody pending trial. According to the charging documents, on or about March 18, 2023, local law enforcement in the Port of Haina in the Dominican Republic conducted security examinations of international freight in the port. In their search of a shipping container from Brooklyn, New York, they discovered a shipping manifest indicating the container contained household goods. During a search of the container, four Glock firearms and 500 rounds of ammunition were found inside an air conditioner. Further investigation revealed that the shipping container originated in Boston. It is alleged that Herrera purchased four Glock firearms seized in the Dominican Republic from federally licensed firearms dealers. Herrera was also allegedly in communication with multiple co-conspirators throughout the shipment. A search of his phone allegedly showed his engagement in firearms smuggling, including texts and a photo of multiple guns. Additional evidence recovered from the forensics of Herrera’s cell phone indicated that he allegedly discussed numerous shipments of firearms to the Dominican Republic, including one in June of 2023 after authorities seized this shipment. The charge of smuggling goods from the United States; aiding and abetting provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Abington Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison For Oxycodone Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – An Abington man was sentenced on June 18th in federal court in Boston for conspiring to distribute oxycodone pills. Kenneth Veiga, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Viega pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills. Between November 2022 and May 2023, intercepted communications revealed that Veiga and others were involved in an oxycodone drug trafficking organization. During a search of Veiga’s previous residence in July 2023, oxycodone pills along with a polymer-80 9 mm pistol and nine rounds of commercially manufactured ammunition were seized. Additionally, fentanyl pills, oxycodone pills and approximately $58,000 were seized during a separate search of Veiga’s current apartment. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, Yarmouth and Sandwich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Brazilian Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Jose Antonio Moreira Martins Desouza, 39, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Desouza was remanded into federal custody after previously being arrested by police on May 22, 2023 and then detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on June 26, 2024. He will appear in federal court in Boston on a later date. According to the charging documents, Desouza was deported from the United States on Nov. 14, 2012. It is alleged that sometime after his November 2012 removal, Desouza illegally reentered the United States. Desouza was arrested on May 22, 2023 and detained. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Six Individuals Charged in Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy, Including  Alabama State Trooper

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – Today, United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that a federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama indicted six individuals for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. According to the indictment, 57-year-old Jim Carter, Jr., from Montgomery, Alabama; 38-year-old Francisco Lopez, from Texas; 40-year-old Maria Beatriz Palomo-De Lopez, a Mexican national; 63-year-old Saundra S. Curry, from Deatsville, Alabama; 37-year-old Bryce Johnson, from Union Springs, Alabama; and 52-year-old Michael Anthony Evans, an Alabama State Trooper from Montgomery, Alabama, are charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine. The conspiracy began at an unknown date and continued through at least June 10, 2024. The indictment further alleges that Jim Carter, Jr., and Francisco Lopez are each responsible for at least five kilograms of cocaine involved in the conspiracy. In addition, the indictment charges Jim Carter, Jr., Francisco Lopez, and Maria Beatriz Palomo-De Lopez with possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. Lastly, the indictment alleges that Maria Beatriz Palomo-De Lopez illegally re-entered the United States after being deported in 2013. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Due to the amount of cocaine alleged against Jim Carter, Jr. and Francisco Lopez in the indictment, they each face a sentence of ten years to life in prison. The other defendants are facing a sentence of up to 20 years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, with cooperation from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Andreu is prosecuting this case.


title: Lee County Armed Carjacker Sentenced To More Than Twelve Years In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Zachary Pegg (28, North Fort Myers) to 12 years and 3 months in federal prison in connection with an armed carjacking he committed in Fort Myers in late-2022. Pegg had pleaded guilty on March 27, 2024, to charges of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. According to court records, on December 30, 2022, Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) emergency dispatch received a call concerning an armed carjacking which had just taken place in a condominium complex parking garage on First Street in Fort Myers. The victim explained that as soon as he exited his vehicle, a masked assailant pointed a firearm at him and demanded his keys, cellphone, and wallet. The victim complied with the assailant’s demands, and the assailant quickly fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. Law enforcement officers from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Aviation Unit tracked the stolen vehicle to a residence in North Fort Myers, where they apprehended Pegg after a short foot pursuit with the assistance of a police canine. Based on several factors, Pegg was identified as the masked assailant who had earlier carjacked the victim, and he was arrested. This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth. 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: Benton Harbor Armed Felon, Prosecuted Under Summer Gun Violence Program, Sentenced To 88 Months In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Darell William Craft, Jr., 30, of Benton Harbor, was sentenced to 88 months in federal prison for possessing a stolen firearm with a high-capacity magazine as a convicted felon, while on probation for a prior conviction. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Maloney imposed a sentence above the advisory sentencing range, adding that Craft presented “a major risk to the law-abiding public.” Craft was charged last October under Safe Summer 2023, a gun-violence enforcement program under which the U.S. Attorney’s Office committed to prosecute all firearms offenders who possess crime guns (that is, guns previously fired in the commission of a crime). “Craft exhibited a stunning disregard for human life, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “No level of violence is acceptable. The people of Benton Harbor, like people in every community across Michigan, deserve the right to walk their streets, relax in their homes, and carry out their lives without the fear of shots fired. We will continue to focus our efforts on people like Darell Craft who are driving violence in their communities.” In July 2023, following a series of apparently related shootings, police approached a parked car with Craft and his girlfriend inside. They searched it and found a loaded pistol with a high-capacity magazine. Police also searched Craft’s girlfriend’s phone and found videos of Craft holding and pointing the pistol. Ballistics testing showed the pistol had been used in three recent shootings. U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced the Safe Summer 2024 program on May 23, 2024 in a press release and press conferences in Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. Under this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute all cases that satisfy two criteria. First, the case must involve a federal firearms offense. The two most common offenses are felon in possession, which prohibits previously convicted felons from possessing a gun, and possession of a machine gun, which generally prohibits persons from possessing fully automatic guns. Second, the case must involve a crime gun, which is any gun previously fired in the commission of a crime. These criteria focus federal efforts on the few individuals driving gun violence in their communities. Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. In 2021, for the first time ever, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death for American children, ages birth to 19, according to the New England Journal of Medicine ( see also here ). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have declined since 2021, they remain high. Moreover, while gun violence has the potential to impact everyone, recent studies show that gun violence has a disparate impact on people of color. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that the disparity in shooting injuries among children before and after the pandemic in four major cities approximately tripled as between white children and children of color (Black, Hispanic, Asian). This case was investigated by ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Michigan State Police, the Benton Township Police Department, and the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety. It was prosecuted by Patrick Castle, Assistant U.S. Attorney, working with Victoria Pedri, 2L student at the University of Michigan Law School. 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . ###


title: Nigerian National Sentenced To More Than 12 Years In Federal Prison For Cyber Scams

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Bamidele Omotosho (42, Nigeria) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and computer intrusion. The court also ordered Omotosho to pay $2,051,108.70 in restitution to victims of his offenses. Omotosho entered a guilty plea on November 2, 2022. According to court documents, in 2017 and 2018, Omotosho, a Nigerian citizen and resident, conspired with others to purchase stolen access credentials ( i.e. usernames and passwords) and stolen personal identifying information (“PII”) of U.S. citizens, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, on xDedic, a darknet criminal marketplace that has since been seized and shut down. Omotosho, and a group of coconspirators he led, then used the stolen credentials and PII to commit at least six different fraudulent schemes totaling over $7.5 million in intended losses and over $2 million in actual losses. For example, in June 2017, the conspiracy used that stolen information to hack into the Employees Retirement System of Texas (“ERS”) internet portal. Omotosho and his co-conspirators created fraudulent accounts and diverted retirement payments meant for legitimate ERS participants into accounts that the conspiracy controlled. In 2017 and 2018, Omotosho and his co-conspirators purchased unauthorized access to computer networks for multiple accounting firms around the United States, including in the Western District of Texas (“WDTX”) and the Middle District of Florida (“MDFL”). With that access, Omotosho and his co-conspirators obtained PII for accounting firm clients, which they used to file fraudulent tax returns with the IRS. During the same time period, Omotosho and his co-conspirators also engaged in identity theft, using stolen PII to apply for credit cards; romance fraud, in which they swindled vulnerable victims out of their savings; and a business e-mail compromise fraud against a pharmaceutical company that resulted in a loss of $250,000. Omotosho and his co-conspirators laundered their proceeds by depositing them onto prepaid debit cards or into accounts at financial institutions that Omotosho and his co-conspirators had opened with stolen PII. In some instances they used their proceeds to purchase used vehicles, which they shipped to Nigeria for resale. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Texas Rangers Public Integrity Unit. It is being jointly prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Florida and the Western District of Texas by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael M. Gordon (MDFL) and Michael C. Galdo (WDTX). The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs also provided vital assistance in securing the extradition of Omotosho from the United Kingdom, where he was arrested.


title: Eight Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Conspiracy to Introduce Contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, PR

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a 14-count indictment on July 18, 2024, charging eight individuals with drug trafficking, conspiracy to provide contraband in prison, and conspiracy to commit identity theft. According to court documents, from in or about July of 2023 and continuing up to and until on or about May 22, 2024, the defendants conspired to provide Buprenorphine (Suboxone), ketamine, and fentanyl to inmates housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), a federal detention facility in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, by introducing envelopes purporting to be legal mail. The defendants are: (1) José J. Rodríguez-Cumba, a/k/a “Chambi”, (2) Richard Cruz-Monzón, (3) Yarelis I. Colón-Ríos, (4) Yarushka M. De León-Acosta, a/k/a “La Secretaria”, (5) Edwin D. González-Reyes, a/k/a “Cotto”, (6) José J. López-Pellot, (7) Christina M. Rodríguez-Cumba, a/k/a “Nani”, and (8) Selena Crespo-Dumeng. All defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to provide contraband in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft. Six defendants are facing aggravated identity theft charges. “This case should send a clear message to those who attempt to smuggle illegal contraband into a federal facility that we will investigate and prosecute this criminal activity,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Through our joint enforcement efforts, we’ve dismantled a criminal organization that utilized the mail to supply drugs to federal and state prisons,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “Postal Inspectors will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold those accountable who maliciously utilize the U.S. mail system.” “Contraband in correctional institutions continues to be a significant threat. Exposure to narcotics, specifically fentanyl, can cause immediate death to inmates and correctional staff alike,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge, FBI San Juan Field Office. “We are committed to working with our Federal and State law enforcement partners to mitigate this threat and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice”. If convicted on the drug trafficking charges, the defendants face up to twenty years in prison, that is, ten years for possession of fentanyl in prison; five years for attempting to provide Buprenorphine in prison; five years for conspiracy to provide contraband in prison. The defendants are also facing a maximum sentence of twenty years for conspiracy to commit identity theft, as well as a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort; Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares; and AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Carlos J. Romo-Aledo are in charge of the prosecution of the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Boston Police Sergeant Sentenced for Overtime Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A former Boston Police Sergeant was sentenced on July 18, 2024 in federal court in Boston in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) evidence warehouse. George Finch, 62, of Franklin, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to three years of probation, to be followed by six months to be served in home detention. Finch was also ordered to pay $11,310 in restitution. In June 2021, Finch pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. From at least March 2015 through December 2016, Finch submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime shifts that he did not work at the evidence warehouse. The “purge” overtime was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. “Kiosk” overtime involved driving to each police district in Boston one Saturday a month to collect old prescription drugs to be burned. For the “purge” shift, Finch claimed to have worked from 4 – 8 p.m., but he and, allegedly, other members of the unit, routinely left at 6 p.m., or earlier. For the “kiosk” shift, Finch submitted overtime slips claiming to have worked eight-and-one-half hours, when in fact he and, allegedly, other members of the unit, only worked three-to-four hours of those shifts. As a supervisor, Finch endorsed fraudulent overtime slips submitted by the officers at the warehouse. Between March 2015 and December 2016, Finch personally collected approximately $16,151 for overtime hours he did not work. To date, over a dozen Boston Police officers have been charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse. Finch is the fifth officer to be sentenced. From 2015 through 2019, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohan, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Russell W. Cunningham Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Doctor Convicted for Illegally Distributing Over 1.8M Doses of Opioids and $5M Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Louisiana physician yesterday for conspiring to illegally distribute over 1.8 million doses of Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone and morphine, and for defrauding health care benefit programs of more than $5.4 million. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Adrian Dexter Talbot, 58, of Slidell, owned and operated Medex Clinical Consultants (Medex), located in Slidell. Medex was a medical clinic that accepted cash payments from individuals seeking prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances. Talbot routinely ignored signs that individuals frequenting Medex were drug-seeking or abusing the drugs prescribed. In 2015, Talbot took a full-time job in Pineville, Louisiana, and although he was no longer physically present at the Slidell clinic, he pre-signed prescriptions, including for opioids and other controlled substances, to be distributed to individuals there whom he did not see or examine. In 2016, Talbot hired another practitioner who, at Talbot’s direction, also pre-signed prescriptions to be distributed in the same manner at the Slidell clinic in exchange for cash deposited into the Medex account. The evidence also demonstrated that Talbot falsified patient records to cover up the scheme. With Talbot’s knowledge, individuals filled their prescriptions using their insurance benefits, thereby causing health care benefit programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana to be fraudulently billed for prescriptions that were written without an appropriate patient examination or determination of medical necessity. The jury convicted Talbot of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances, four counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the other counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office; Executive Assistant Director Michael A. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch; Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Field Office; and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill made the announcement. HHS-OIG, VA-OIG, the FBI, and Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Sara E. Porter and Gary A. Crosby II and Assistant Chiefs Justin Woodard and Kate Payerle of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


component: Civil Division

body_text: Two residents of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, were extradited to the United States last week and made their initial appearance in Newark federal court yesterday on charges relating to their participation in a sprawling “grandparent scam” that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions of dollars. Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman, also known as Max Morgan, 59, and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, also known as Fili and Filly The Kid, 37, are among 11 Dominican Nationals charged in a 19-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey that was unsealed on April 29. Following their initial appearance yesterday, the court ordered both men detained pending trial. According to the indictment, Rodriguez Guzman, Reynoso Ventura and their co-conspirators engaged in a long-running “grandparent” or “family in need of bail” scam against hundreds of seniors across the United States, including in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Both Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura are alleged to have worked in the call centers in the Dominican Republic from which the scam operated, where they phoned elderly Americans and sought to steal their money. As detailed in court filings, members of the conspiracy referred to as “openers” called elderly victims in the United States and impersonated the victims’ children, grandchildren or other close relatives. The call centers used technology to make it appear that the calls were coming from inside the United States. Typically, the victim was told that their grandchild had been in a car accident, was arrested in connection with an accident and needed help. Once openers tricked victims into believing their loved ones were in dire trouble, others working at the call centers, known as “closers” — including Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura — allegedly impersonated defense attorneys, police officers or court personnel and convinced victims to provide thousands of dollars in cash to help their loved ones. The cash was typically retrieved by couriers sent to the victims’ homes or mailed by victims at the direction of the closers. Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura each face multiple charges, including mail and wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count of the mail and wire fraud charges and a maximum fine of $500,000 for money laundering conspiracy. “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue criminals who defraud victims through so-called ‘grandparent scams,’” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable Americans from abroad. We thank the government of the Dominican Republic for extraditing these defendants to the United States to face charges.” “As alleged, these two defendants played a role in a scheme that relied on the love and devotion of elderly victims in order to cheat them out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ some of the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. Conspirators like Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura allegedly impersonated a variety of people – police officers, lawyers and others – to convince the victims to pay up, which the panic-stricken grandparents often did. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings.” “These defendants and their co-conspirators are accused of heartlessly robbing countless elderly victims of their precious time and often their life savings – all from more than 1,500 miles away, said Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura were among the 16 individuals charged in this appalling scheme, which spanned at least four U.S. states and allegedly threatened hundreds of innocent Americans’ livelihoods. The merciless greed of perpetrators is boundless, but is no match for HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force, its Cyber Intrusion Group and the greater law enforcement community. I am proud to stand alongside our global partners in our relentless commitment to the safety and overall wellbeing of the vulnerable public." “The grandparent scam is a cruel fraud scheme that deliberately preys on elderly and vulnerable persons within society. Perpetrators, often cowardly operating off-shore, cause extreme emotional and financial harm to the innocent people they target in commission of this crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) Boston New York Field Division. “SSA OIG proudly joined HSI, the FBI, the Justice Department and the NYPD in investigating these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding SSA beneficiaries and we appreciate the diligence of the U.S. Marshals Service in facilitating the extradition of these defendants from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey to hold them accountable for their actions.” “We are now one step closer to holding accountable the alleged fraudsters who financially exploited hundreds of elderly Americans,” said Commissioner Edward A. Caban of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). “This should serve as a reminder to other criminals about the extensive reach of New York law enforcement and our unwavering commitment to delivering justice to all victims. I applaud our NYPD investigators and all of our federal partners for their dedication to this important case.” HSI, SSA-OIG, NYPD and the FBI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from the Dominican Republic of the defendants with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Justice Department officials also recognized the critical cooperation of the Dominican government in effecting the extradition of Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura pursuant to the treaty between the two countries. Trial Attorneys Jason Feldman, Joshua Ferrentino and Emily Powers of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey are prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov / or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Leaders of Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, European Commission and U.K. Competition and Markets Authority Issue Joint Statement on AI Competition

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Today, Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Chair Lina M. Khan of the Federal Trade Commission, Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager of the European Commission and Chief Executive Sarah Cardell of the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority issued a joint statement on competition in generative AI foundation models and AI products. Through this joint statement, the four antitrust enforcers pledged to use their available powers to promote effective competition in AI to ensure the public reaps the full benefits of these technologies. The statement is available at www.justice.gov/atr/media/1361306/dl?inline .


title: Justice Department to Recover Nearly $85M in Additional Funds Linked to 1MDB Scheme

body_text: The Justice Department has reached an agreement with “Jasmine” Loo Ai Swan (Loo), the former general counsel of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Malaysia’s sovereign investment development fund, to recover artwork by Pablo Picasso and a financial account in Switzerland traced to funds allegedly embezzled from 1MDB. Additionally, the Justice Department has obtained forfeiture orders on other assets allegedly purchased with 1MDB funds by Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low (Low), including diamond jewelry and artwork by Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Diane Arbus. The department previously brought numerous civil forfeiture cases against assets that it alleges were acquired by Low and his co-conspirators using funds allegedly embezzled from 1MDB. According to the civil forfeiture complaints, from 2009 through 2015, more than $4.5 billion in funds belonging to 1MDB were allegedly misappropriated by high-level officials of 1MDB and their associates, including Low and Loo, through a criminal conspiracy involving international money laundering and bribery. 1MDB was created by the government of Malaysia to promote economic development in Malaysia through global partnerships and foreign direct investment. Its funds were intended to be used to improve the well-being of the Malaysian people. The agreement with Loo resolves the civil forfeiture action against the Picasso artwork and financial account in Switzerland under her control, which are collectively valued at approximately $1.8 million. The agreement with Loo announced today does not release any criminal claims against her. The forfeiture of the other artwork and jewelry allegedly purchased by Low, which is based on a recent settlement agreement entered into in connection with the real estate and artwork forfeitures in two other cases, resolves three additional civil forfeiture cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The collective value of these assets, together with the Loo assets, is estimated to be nearly $85 million. Prior to this settlement, in total, the United States has returned or assisted in the return to Malaysia of over $1.4 billion in assets associated with the international money laundering, embezzlement, and bribery scheme. Low separately faces criminal charges in the Eastern District of New York for allegedly conspiring to launder billions of dollars embezzled from 1MDB and for conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by allegedly paying bribes to various Malaysian and Emirati officials, and in the District of Columbia for allegedly conspiring to make and conceal foreign and conduit campaign contributions during the United States presidential election in 2012. The agreement with Loo announced today does not release any entity or individual from filed or potential criminal charges. The FBI’s International Corruption Squads in New York City and Los Angeles and IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Barbara Levy, Sean Fern, Jonathan Baum, and Joshua Sohn of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Galatzan for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and MLARS’ Program Management Staff. The Justice Department also appreciates the significant assistance provided over the course of this investigation and in particular related to the recovery of these assets by the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia, the Royal Malaysia Police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore, the Singapore Police Force-Commercial Affairs Department, the Office of the Attorney General and the Federal Office of Justice of Switzerland, and the Attorney General’s Chambers of the Territory of the British Virgin Islands. The Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative is led by a team of dedicated prosecutors in MLARS, in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies, and often with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption. Individuals with information about possible proceeds of foreign corruption located in or laundered through the United States should contact federal law enforcement or send an email to kleptocracy@usdoj.gov or https://tips.fbi.gov/ .


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Cell Phone Stores Throughout Illinois

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his role in a string of armed robberies of cell phone stores throughout Illinois. In 2019 and 2020, JOHNATHAN BYARS and his co-conspirators carried out six robberies and two attempted robberies of cell phone stores, using firearms to threaten and physically assault store employees while stealing cash, phones, and other merchandise. The robberies occurred in Lansing, Ill., Bloomington, Ill., Rockford, Ill., Joliet, Ill., Coal City, Ill., and Mokena, Ill., while the attempted robberies occurred in Aurora, Ill., and Woodridge, Ill. Byars, 26, pleaded guilty last year to robbery and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard sentenced Byars on July 16, 2024, to 25 years in federal prison. “Defendant chose and planned to commit not just one armed robbery, but eight separate robberies with multiple employee victims spanning multiple jurisdictions,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “These actions pose a danger to the community, particularly in bringing and using a firearm that was brandished and pointed and used to threaten employees.” The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Illinois State Police, Rockford Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Woodridge Police Department, Mokena Police Department, Lansing Police Department, Coal City Police Department, Bloomington Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Joliet Police Department, and the McLean County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office. Four other defendants were convicted and sentenced to prison as part of the federal investigation into the robbery spree: ANTIONE FULTON, 25, of Chicago, was sentenced to 12 years. CALEB MORALES, 24, of Chicago, was sentenced to nine years. ISRAEL HALL, 25, of Chicago, was sentenced to seven and a half years. VONTE SPAIN, 31, of Chicago, was sentenced to seven years.


title: Dontrell Nance Sentenced To 15 Years For Role In Benton Harbor Dunham’s Store Handgun Theft

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Dontrell Nance, 25, of Benton Harbor, was sentenced to 15 years for kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. “Gun violence is a national epidemic, and my office is focused on the handful of offenders driving gun violence in communities across our District,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “The quick, coordinated actions by law enforcement kept 123 handguns from flooding our streets and further spreading this scourge and the trauma it brings.” Nance was charged along with his brother and codefendant, Darnell Bishop, for the theft of 123 handguns from the Benton Harbor Dunham’s Sports. Bishop and Nance kidnapped the Dunham’s manager from outside the manager’s home using a pistol, took him to a second location, and convinced the manager to provide the alarm code for Dunham’s. Bishop then went to the store and stole 123 pistols, which he carried away in two large coolers. Law enforcement has since recovered all the firearms. Bishop previously pled guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence earlier this month. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25, 2024. “This sentencing is the consequence of a bad actor who possessed illegal firearms and posed a significant threat to the safety of the community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “The collaboration with the Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force and our other law enforcement partners exemplifies the effectiveness of teamwork. I am thankful for the prompt actions of the men and women of the Detroit FBI Field Office, which undoubtedly saved lives.” This case was investigated by the Benton Charter Township Police Department, Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, ATF, and FBI. ### The previous press releases, complaint, and press conference can be viewed here , here , here and here .


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to Six and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. GREGORIO BACINO, 27, admitted in a plea agreement that in 2021 he knowingly possessed on his cellular telephone over 1,000 images and videos of minors, including those as young as infants, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. U.S. District Court Judge Iain D. Johnston on Friday sentenced Bacino to six and a half years in federal prison, to be followed by 25 years of court-supervised release. Bacino also must register as a sex offender. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.


title: Former Army Civilian Employee Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for $100 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Janet Yamanaka Mello, the civilian Army employee who stole over $108 million from a grant program designed to provide services to military dependents and their families was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for five counts of mail fraud and five counts of filing a false tax return. According to court documents, Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, worked as a financial program manager for the U.S. Army, Installation Management Command – G9 (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) Child and Youth Services (CYS) at Fort Sam Houston. In or around December 2016 through at least August 29, 2023, Mello formed a business she called Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development (CHYLD). The sole purpose of CHYLD was to receive grant funds from the 4-H Military Partnership Grant program, which Mello fraudulently secured by way of her position as a CYS financial program manager. Once Mello received a grant check, she deposited the check into her bank account, spending the money on clothing, jewelry, vehicles and real estate. Court documents indicate that Mello repeated the process 49 times during a six-year period, requesting approximately $117,000,000 in payments, and receiving approximately $108,917,749. Subsequently, Mello failed to accurately report her income for tax years 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, omitting millions of dollars in income fraudulently received through CHYLD. “Janet Mello betrayed the trust of the government agency she served and repeatedly lied in an effort to enrich herself,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Rather than $109 million in federal funds going to the care of military children throughout the world, she selfishly stole that money to buy extravagant houses, more than 80 vehicles and over 1,500 pieces of jewelry. Her actions reflect exactly the opposite of what it means to serve your country, and my office will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who illegally seek personal gain at the expense of their fellow citizens.” “Corruption and fraud in U.S. Army programs jeopardize the safety and security of our Soldiers and their families. When discovered, fraudulent activities by Army employees will not be tolerated, and those involved will be brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Maria Thomas for the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Central Texas Field Office. “The Army community, and the public, can rest assured that we remain committed to aggressively pursuing anyone that uses government programs for their own personal gain.” "Mello's penchant for extravagance is what brought her down. We identified that her reported income was well below the lavish lifestyle she lived. As we uncovered the details, the criminal scheme grew, the dollar amount grew, and the reach of her spending grew," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS Criminal Investigation's Houston Field Office. "Financial crimes have victims, and this one took opportunities away from the children and families of our military men and women." CI and Army CID investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Simmons, Antonio Franco, Kristy Callahan, Todd Keagle, and Steven Seward prosecuted the case. ###


title: Indiana Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Sending Violent Antisemitic Threats to Anti-Defamation League

body_text: Andrezj Boryga, 67, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and two years of supervised release for willfully transmitting in interstate commerce threats to injure other people and for choosing his victims because of their religion. According to the records filed in the case, between July 9 and Dec. 14, 2022, Boryga left voicemails at Anti-Defamation League offices located in New York, Texas, Colorado, and Nevada. Boryga used antisemitic slurs on eight voicemails as he threatened to assault or kill Jewish people. In the last few months, the Justice Department has brought charges, obtained plea agreements, and obtained sentences for more than 30 defendants for criminal acts motivated by antisemitic hate. “Hate-fueled threats of violence seek to fracture our society and isolate communities from one another,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This defendant made heinous, repeated violent threats targeting Jewish people and organizations. His actions were not just heinous, they were unlawful. This case represents the latest effort by the Justice Department to combat the disturbing increase in threats against Jews and Jewish institutions across the United States that we have seen in the wake of October 7th. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute threats and acts of violence motivated by antisemitism and by hatred of any kind.” “The defendant’s vile and graphic threats demonstrated his hate-filled mindset, and the death threats levied caused genuine fear for the people who received them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This type of antisemitic, hate-fueled conduct offends our most basic values and has no place in our society. This sentence should send a clear message to perpetrators and would-be perpetrators of hate crimes that we will not hesitate to prosecute those who threaten violence against the Jewish community.” “Everyone in our country should be able to sit in safety regardless of how they worship, free from bigoted threats meant to make them afraid,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “This criminal’s horrific threats sought to put fear into Jewish communities. Violent antisemitism and bigotry must be given no sanction in this country. Our office will continue to work closely with our partners at the Civil Rights Division and the FBI to hold criminals accountable for hate-based threats and violence.” The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Columbia Woman Charged with Using Discord to Entice Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Connecticut State Police Colonel Daniel Loughman today announced that ALYSON CRANICK, 43, of Columbia, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Cranick’s initial appearance in federal court is scheduled for tomorrow at 10:00 am in New Haven. Cranick was arrested on related state charges on November 14, 2023, and has been detained in state custody since November 28, 2023. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Cranick, first using text messaging and Snapchat, and then using the internet chat service Discord, enticed an 11-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct with her. Several times during the summer of 2022, the minor victim sneaked out his house after midnight to meet up with Cranick to engage in sexual activity. Between July and October 2022, Cranick exchanged more than 4,700 messages with the minor victim on Discord. The charge of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Connecticut State Police’s Eastern District Major Crime Unit. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Tolland for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Columbus dealer, Arizona supplier plead guilty to illegal fentanyl conspiracy

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A Columbus man and his Arizona supplier have each pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl in Columbus in 2023. Court documents say Ontario M. Yarbrough, 26, of Columbus operated a drug house in the city’s Hilltop area. Between April and October 2023, Yarbrough received and accepted five packages and tracked at least 13 packages from Arizona to the Columbus area. At least two packages were opened and each contained fentanyl. The packages were mailed from Arizona by Jose Ruben Leyva, 46, of Buckeye, Arizona, and other co-conspirators. Yarbrough accepted the parcels at various locations in the city. Investigators executed a search warrant at Yarbrough’s house after he received one of the packages. They found that the package contained almost 500 grams of fentanyl. They also seized ten other bags of white powder, two firearms and ammunition, cash and drug trafficking material from the house. A search warrant executed days later at Leyva’s Arizona house recovered pills and powder containing fentanyl, packaging and mailing materials, other drug paraphernalia and cash. Leyva pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Yarbrough pleaded guilty on June 13 to the same crime. The crime is punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison. The court will determine an appropriate sentence and schedule a sentencing hearing. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and officials with the Ohio HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) announced the plea entered before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Two U.S. Postal Carriers at Knife Point, Burglarizing Two Post Offices

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: An Orange, New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to burglarizing two Maine post offices and robbing at knifepoint two U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers. According to court records, during a one-week period in January 2024, Winston McLeod , 30, and a coconspirator broke into the Paris and North Monmouth post offices and stole money order printers, mail, computers, post office box keys, and other items. The two men then robbed two Lewiston postal carriers in quick succession on January 20, 2024, threatening to stab each of them with a knife unless they turned over their postal keys. The two men were arrested by law enforcement following a traffic stop. A search of the occupants and the vehicle, a white Jeep that matched a vehicle seen in videos from each crime scene, revealed a black butterfly knife, black ski mask, large sums of cash, and several checks determined to have been stolen from the Paris post office. When responding to the Paris location, Postal Inspectors also found two iPhones in the snow directly beneath the broken window used to access the post office. Investigators were able to identify McLeod through a photo of him on the lock screen of one of the phones. Law enforcement recovered additional stolen items at and near the address where the two men had been staying. McLeod faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 on one charge of conspiracy to rob postal carriers and burgle a U.S. Post Office and two charges of burglary of a post office. He faces up to 25 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000 on each of two charges of robbery of a postal carrier. Any sentence will be followed by up to five years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with assistance from FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Rumford, Lewiston, Paris and Monmouth police departments. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to keeping the U.S. Mail, its employees, and customers safe. Today’s plea is the culmination of exceptional teamwork between our local and federal law enforcement partners. The swift response by responding officers and their ongoing support were instrumental in making this a successful investigation,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division . “Ensuring the safety of our employees is a top priority, Postal Inspectors will continue to thoroughly investigate any robberies of our employees and burglaries of our facilities.” ### Updated 07/23/24 to correct Winston McLeod's current age


title: Disposal of Evidence in Fatal Shooting Leads to 87-Month Prison Sentence

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a woman who disposed of evidence in a drug-linked fatal shooting in 2023 to 87 months in prison. On Aug. 2, 2023, Nichole Cheri Birr was riding in a 2012 Ford Fusion with a man, identified in court documents as “T.W.,” who had a large quantity of drugs. A buyer contacted her via Instagram and arranged to make a drug purchase in the 3100 block of Brantner Place in St. Louis. T.W. and the customer, who were both armed, suddenly began exchanging gunfire. Birr fled with the drugs and T.W.’s phone in the Ford. T.W. was able to tell police before he died that Birr and another man had fled in the car. Birr tried to clean out the Ford and dispose of it to impede the investigation into T.W.’s murder. On August 4 she traded it in for a Nissan Altima. The dealer noticed and mentioned damage from shots that had been fired within the vehicle, to which Birr replied with words to the effect of, “You have no idea,” her plea agreement says. Birr then fled to Florida, where she was arrested 10 days after the shooting. Birr, 31, pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to a felony charge of disposal of evidence. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.


title: Convicted Romance Scammer Sentenced to 28 Months’ Imprisonment

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – Clinton Chukudi Uchendu, 26, of Dunwoody, GA, was sentenced to over two years imprisonment, and ordered to pay $170,000 in restitution after he helped scam hundreds of romance fraud victims out of millions of dollars and personally moved $299,000. The sentence was imposed Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish. In March 2024, a federal jury convicted Uchendu for his involvement in a romance scam conspiracy that cost victims more than $2 million. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from February 2018 to July 2018, Uchendu provided U.S. based accounts to collect money from victims. Uchendu moved the funds to conceal the origin and destination of funds, often in a complex manner. The object of the conspiracy was accomplished though social manipulators, referred to as “Yahoo Boys,” who set up fake profiles online, developed relationships with their victims, gained the victims trust and then asked the victims for money using a variety of false pretenses. “Yahoo Boys” usually operate overseas, in this case, Nigeria, pretending to be United States soldiers, international businessmen, or celebrities. “Yahoo Boys” rely on their coconspirators in the United States, who have U.S. bank accounts to assist them. These individuals are referred to as “pickers.” As a “picker,” Uchendu provided accounts to collect funds from the victims and to add layers to conceal the source and destination of the funds, to avoid being flagged by banks. Uchendu collected money into bank accounts and then laundered the funds to Nigeria or other destinations. For the time period March 13, 2018 through July 31, 2018, the United States has calculated that the whole group caused $2.4 million in losses to victims. Uchendu’s co-defendant, Princess Eziyi, is scheduled to be sentenced August 26, 2024, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. “Uchendu caused profound and permanent harm to victims. Many suffered significant financial loss in their final years of life and are faced with emotional trauma,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “My office is committed to protecting our citizens, and with our law enforcement partners, we will prosecute these crimes to seek justice for the victims and deter others from committing fraud.” “Scammers operating under the guise of companionship and romance are especially cruel because of the emotional and financial toll on the victims, many of whom are seniors,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI is committed to holding perpetrators accountable, in addition to conducting prevention efforts through outreach and education." The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. LeSueur and Stewart M. Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Springfield Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court today to receiving and distributing child pornography. Ronald Lee Goins, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Goins has a prior conviction for furnishing pornographic material to a minor under the age of 14, and two prior convictions for failing to register as a sex offender. According to today’s plea agreement, law enforcement officers found a cell phone in an abandoned vehicle in an alley at 2044 N. Avenue in Springfield on July 22, 2023. Investigators examined the phone and found files that contained child pornography on a micro-SD card that had been inserted into the phone. Investigators determined the images of child pornography had last been modified in 2020 and 2021, at which time the phone belonged to Goins. There were also self-produced images of Goins, documents, and other files indicating that Goins was the user of the cell phone during 2020 and 2021. Two CyberTip Reports from Snapchat and Instagram, which involved child pornography uploads, were associated with the email address located on the micro-SD card. Goins was arrested on Oct. 30, 2023, on outstanding arrest warrants in a separate case. Under federal statutes, Goins is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: IT Specialist Sentenced for Fraud

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – An IT specialist previously employed at the Rhode Island office of an international company that specializes in building and operating offshore and onshore wind and solar projects has been sentenced to federal prison to be followed by a term of home confinement and supervised release for defrauding the company out of more than $158,000 through the fraudulent use of a company credit card, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Alfred Appiah, 35, of Pawtucket was sentenced today by Senior United States Judge William G. Young to seven months of incarceration in federal prison to be followed three months of home confinement and one year of federal supervised release. Additionally, Appiah was ordered to pay restitution totaling $158,850.43 to his former employer. In pleading guilty on February 21, 2024, to three counts of wire fraud, Appiah admitted that during a span of six months beginning in June 2021, he made more than 600 unauthorized purchases using a company credit card to pay for personal expenses and services such as airline travel and lodging, clothing, beauty shops, laundry services, at grocery and liquor stores, for amusement park and movie theater fees, live event tickets, real estate management, insurance payments, child support payments, telecommunication services, and equipment rentals. At no time did Appiah provide an accounting to his employer for any personal expenses, nor did he make remedial payments to the company. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ### Note: This is an unattended email. Do not reply to this message. If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message.


title: Carthage Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Possession  with Intent to Distribute Over 5 Grams of Methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation and Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Carthage man was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 5 grams of methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, in September 2023, Roby Lee Jackson, Jr., 32, possessed the methamphetamine near the Red Water Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. In October 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Jackson for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. On April 23, 2024, Jackson pled guilty to the charges. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns.


title: Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced To Life In Prison For Causing Fatal Overdose

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William Jung has sentenced Bobby Peterson (41, St. Petersburg) to concurrent terms of life in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and 30 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl. A federal jury found Peterson guilty on April 30, 2024. According to testimony, evidence presented at trial, and court records, Peterson was a supplier of fentanyl and other controlled substances in Pinellas County. On May 12, 2020, Peterson distributed fentanyl to an individual, who in turn distributed some of the fentanyl to a friend, M.G. A few hours later, M.G. died of fentanyl toxicity. On the same day, Peterson communicated with another individual, L.O., about the sale of fentanyl. Hours later, L.O. also died of fentanyl toxicity. When Peterson was told about M.G.’s death, he expressed no remorse and instead responded, “they know what they’re doing.” Peterson continued to sell fentanyl after he became aware that M.G. had died from the fentanyl he distributed. On February 5, 2021, Peterson sold fentanyl to an undercover detective. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pinellas Park Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stoia.


title: Hickory, N.C. Business Owner Is Sentenced To Prison For Tax And Credit Card Fraud

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – James Christopher Robinson, 52, of Granite Falls, N.C., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for tax and credit card fraud, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robinson was also ordered to pay $4,434,225.44 in restitution. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed documents and the sentencing hearing, Robinson was the owner of multiple cabinet manufacturing and retail businesses in the Hickory area, including Cabinet Solutions USA Inc., Best Cabinet Doors, LLC, Cabinet Doors Fast, LLC, and Cox Manufacturing, LLC (collectively, Cabinet Companies). Court documents show that, between March 2020 and April 2023, Robinson accessed the credit cards of Cabinet Companies’ customers and without authorization made 294 fraudulent credit card charges totaling approximately $1 million. Robinson also created at least four counterfeit checks totaling more than $93,000, using information from actual checks written to his Cabinet Companies by customers. According to court records, for tax years 2017 to 2022, Robinson caused two of his companies to fail to comply with their employment tax obligations by failing to timely account for and pay over more than $3.1 million in employment taxes. Court documents indicate that Robinson used the stolen funds to make large cash withdrawals from his business accounts and make hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash deposits at casinos. On January 17, 2024, Robinson pleaded guilty to access device fraud and failure to truthfully account for and pay over trust fund taxes. He is released on bond and will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence upon designation of a federal facility. In announcing Robinson’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell described Robinson’s offenses as “serious,” and said that there was “a lot of deliberate, fraudulent, selfish conduct.” In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI, the Secret Service, and IRC-CI for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Prysmian Cables Settles Allegations of Falsified Test Results and Failure to Test Cable Used in Military Vehicles

body_text: Prysmian Cables and Systems USA LLC (Prysmian), located in Abbeville, South Carolina, has agreed to pay $920,000 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly falsifying test results and failing to conduct required testing on military cable, known as M13486 cable, that was used in vehicles manufactured for use by the military. The alleged misconduct took place from approximately 2005 to 2021 at a facility in Paragould, Arkansas. Prysmian acquired the Paragould facility in 2018. The settlement resolves allegations disclosed by Prysmian under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)’s mandatory disclosure rule that Prysmian and prior owners of the Paragould facility had failed to conduct several required tests and, instead, had prepared and submitted to the United States falsified test results and false certifications of compliance. In early 2021, a Defense Logistics Agency employee noticed discrepancies between the cable manufacturing and testing dates on test data submitted by Prysmian and refused to accept the test data, which triggered an internal investigation at Prysmian. As a result of its investigation, Prysmian terminated four employees involved in the alleged misconduct, including its quality manager, quality systems coordinator, quality engineer and product development supervisor. Prysmian also repurchased all suspect cable that had been shipped to its distributor and made a mandatory disclosure under the FAR. Prysmian cooperated with the United States’ subsequent investigation. “Companies who do business with the United States must comply with their contractual commitments,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable government contractors who knowingly fail to perform required services or misrepresent their performance of such services, including mandatory testing requirements.” “The manufacturing of defective products, including ones intended for use in military vehicles, creates a significant risk to America’s warfighters,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southwest Field Office. “DCIS remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners and the Justice Department to hold accountable those who commit fraudulent activity that impacts the Department of Defense.” DCIS and the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Senior Trial Counsel Alicia J. Bentley of the Civil Division handled the matter. The claims against Prysmian resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Settlement