title: U.K. Man Pleads Guilty to Lying on Immigration Application

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A U.K. man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to making false statements in an immigration matter. Duncan Hollands, a/k/a Duncan Herd, 58, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Cambridge pleaded guilty to one count of falsely swearing in an immigration matter. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2025. In August 2024, Hollands was charged by criminal complaint. In May 2021, Hollands applied for lawful permanent residence status (more commonly known as a green card) and attended an interview for that application. The application form requires applicants to answer various background questions, such as prior names or aliases and any criminal history, so that immigration authorities can determine whether the applicant is eligible for the sought status. On his application and during his interview in February 2022, Hollands falsely reported that he had never used another name and denied having any history with the criminal justice system. However, Hollands did in fact have a prior name, Duncan Herd, under which he was previously convicted and sentenced to over three years in prison for obtaining property by deception along with other charges. Hollands also had other interactions with the criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom and France. The charge 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. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Cambridge and Woburn, Mass. Police Departments and U.K. law enforcement authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of Church Rock Man for Sexual Abuse of Minors

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Church Rock man was sentenced to 264 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of sexual abuse involving three young victims, two of whom were under the age of 12 at the time of the offenses and one was under the age of 16. According to court documents, between January 2014 and December 2021, Nathaniel Luz , 32, and enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in sexual contact with two victims, both children who had not yet attained the age of 12 years. In August 2022, Luz also engaged in a sexual act with a third victim, a child who had attained the age of 12 years but had not yet attained the age of 16 years. Upon his release from prison, Luz will be subject to fifteen years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC. # # #


title: Fitchburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his role in a fentanyl and cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Jose Mercado Aponte, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 70 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Mercado Aponte pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and five counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Between April 2023 and Nov. 13, 2023, Mercado Aponte conspired with others, including Hector Soto Gonzalez, to knowing and intentionally distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Mercado Aponte met up with a cooperating witness (CW) on at least seven occasions to provide fentanyl and cocaine in exchange for money in Worcester and Leominster, Mass. During some of these meetings, Mercado Aponte discussed selling a firearm to the CW. This investigation culminated on Nov. 13, 2023, when Mercado Aponte arranged to sell a kilogram of fentanyl to the CW that day. On that date, Mercado Aponte communicated with the CW to coordinate the deal and then made three calls to Soto Gonzalez who resided at a location in Hartford, Conn. Later that afternoon, law enforcement conducting surveillance of the residence in Hartford, Conn., observed Soto Gonzalez leave his residence and put something in his trunk. Soto Gonzalez subsequently departed his residence in his truck and travelled from Connecticut to Massachusetts where a traffic stop was conducted. Inside of Soto Gonzalez’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered approximately one kilogram of fentanyl. Soto Gonzalez is scheduled to change his plea on January 16, 2024. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police; and Commissioner Shawn Jenkins of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation New Haven Division, Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, and the Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson, Concord, Waltham, Fitchburg, Leominster, Hartford (Conn.) and Manchester (Conn.) Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit 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 .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentencing of Fruitland Woman Convicted of Violent Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland woman was sentenced to 33 months in prison for a violent incident that left her victim with serious head injuries in February 2023. On October 17, 2024, she pled guilty to both counts in the indictment, which charged her with two felonies—assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault with a dangerous weapon. According to court documents, on February 21, 2023, Richelle Rose Upshaw , 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and three other women embarked on a nearly 23-mile trek from the Journey Inn in Farmington to Upshaw ’s trailer on the Navajo Nation. The group engaged in multiple physical fights with each other during their journey, reportedly fueled by alcohol consumption. Upon arrival at the trailer, tensions escalated when Upshaw demanded the other women leave. Upshaw then engaged in a fistfight with Jane Doe, which culminated in Upshaw stabbing Doe in the head with her pocketknife. Photo of Upshaw’s knife with three-inch blade Following the stabbing, Jane Doe was transported to the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, where she was treated for serious injuries. Upshaw fled the scene and was arrested later that day by officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department at a nearby residence, where officers noted a strong odor of alcohol on her. Upon her release from prison, Upshaw will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Navajo Nation Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary C. Jones and Meg Tomlinson are prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Grand Jury Charges Hunting Guide and Company with Wildlife Violations

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: A grand jury in Seattle returned an indictment today charging a Washington man and his company with conspiracy and for violating the Lacey Act by transporting birds that had been hunted in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The indictment alleges that, from August 2022 to January 2023, Branden Trager, 46, of Brush Prairie, Washington, and his guiding company, Mayhem Services LLC, guided three hunting parties in Canada to hunt waterfowl when Trager was not permitted under Canadian law to do so. According to the indictment, Trager and Mayhem Services took hunters across the U.S.-Canadian border near Blaine, Washington. The hunts targeted the harlequin duck ( Histrionicus histrionicus ), a small sea duck with a habitat ranging from Alaska to California. Hunters prize the harlequin as a trophy and as part of a challenge to hunt 41 North American waterfowl species. Washington closed harlequin hunting for the 2022-2023 season, but limited hunting remained open in British Columbia. The indictment alleges that the hunters paid Trager thousands of dollars to guide them in Canada, and Trager falsely told Canadian and Homeland Security authorities that he was hunting with friends. Trager allegedly conspired with a Canadian taxidermist to have the hunted birds shipped back to the United States in violation of the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking law. It prohibits, among other things, transporting wildlife that had been illegally taken under federal, state, tribal or foreign law. The MBTA is a U.S. law that implemented treaties with Canada and other nations to ensure sustainable populations of migratory birds. The MBTA imposed regulations on bird hunting, such as limits on the quantity and hunting methods allowed to take migratory birds. An initial appearance hearing in federal court is scheduled for Jan. 23. The maximum penalty for both the conspiracy and Lacey Act charges is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the economic gain or loss. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Deputy Assistant Director Keith Toomey of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)’s Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement. The USFWS’ Office of Law Enforcement led the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, British Columbia Conservation Officer Service and Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Oakton doctor pleads guilty to running pill mill

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oakton doctor pled guilty today to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and amphetamines, maintaining drug premises, and false statements relating to health care matters. According to court documents, David Allingham, 64, was the owner of and sole medically licensed practitioner at Oakton Primacy Care Center (OPCC), an urgent care center. Between at least April 2019 and January 2024, Allingham wrote prescriptions for opioids and amphetamines for numerous patients without properly assessing the individual needs of those patients, which was outside the usual course of professional practice and regulations and without legitimate medical purpose. During that time, Virginia pharmacies filled approximately 7,330 prescriptions for oxycodone prescribed by Allingham, totaling approximately 405,164 pills. All of Allingham’s patients were instructed to pay out of pocket for office visits at Allingham’s practice, which cost $300-$550 per patient, typically paid via cash, credit card, or Venmo. An extra $700 was required if the patient wanted a doctor’s letter. Allingham required his chronic pain patients to pay for an office visit at least every 21 days, though he allowed a significant number of these “office visits” to be conducted via a phone call to employees who were not medically trained. Allingham authorized renewals of medication without physically examining patients or without medical indication other than the uncorroborated information the patients provided. Multiple pharmacies investigated Allingham’s opioid prescribing practices and thereafter refused to fill prescriptions for controlled substances issued by Allingham. After a national pharmacy chain informed Allingham that its stores would no longer fill prescriptions written by him, Allingham instructed his employees to phase out all brand pharmacies in favor of “mom and pop” pharmacies to avoid further scrutiny of his patients and so he could continue to prescribe high-dose opioids for them. Allingham authorized and directed untrained medical staff to issue prescriptions for controlled substances for his patients in his absence and without a proper medical exam. Allingham directed untrained staff to issue his prescriptions for opioids or amphetamines on at least 487 occasions, generating at least $168,000 in proceeds. Allingham typically required a urine drug screen (UDS) at each in office appointment but failed to act on them in a medically appropriate way. Allingham consistently excused or ignored failed UDSs, which were then withheld from patient files or falsely documented in his medical records. One patient failed 40 drug tests between 2019 and 2023. Allingham’s medical record falsely documented that the patient had tested positive for cocaine in his urine merely from handling currency contaminated with cocaine residue. Allingham nevertheless continued to prescribe oxycodone to the patient. Allingham also prescribed amphetamines to multiple chronic pain patients to assist them in weight loss in contravention of regulations. Allingham prescribed amphetamines for weight loss purposes regardless of whether the patient was obese. During the conspiracy, Allingham distributed at least 527 prescriptions for amphetamines for this purpose, totaling over 13,500 pills. Allingham also unlawfully used and directed his employees to use another doctor’s identity without authorization to prescribe medications for himself and his family. Allingham instructed his employees to provide the OPCC phone number for prescriptions purportedly written by that doctor and directed them how to respond if pharmacists called inquiring about the prescriptions, because at that time the doctor was not an employee of OPCC. Multiple of Allingham’s patients died of drug overdoses within hours, days, or weeks of receiving an oxycodone prescription from Allingham. In July 2023, law enforcement conducted a search of Allingham’s residence and medical practice. When interviewed by law enforcement, Allingham made false statements regarding his prescribing practices and directed at least one of his employees to delete records of her text message communications with him. Allingham is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea. The Fairfax County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-2.


title: Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Scheme That Defrauded More Than 400 U.S. Victims

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Today, a Nigerian national pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly and vulnerable consumers across the United States. According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable. “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.” “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue transnational criminals wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank the members of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the USPIS Miami Division. “This guilty plea is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI and USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.” “Transnational fraud schemes thrive in the shadows, turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this investigation.” On Jan. 15, Ogbata pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Ogbata is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman on April 14. Ogbata faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. This is the second indicted case related to this international fraud scheme. Six other co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain and Nigeria have previously been convicted and sentenced in connection with this scheme. On Nov. 1, 2023, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Ezennia Peter Neboh, who was extradited from Spain, to 128 months in prison. On Oct. 20, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 97 months in prison. Three other defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel, Jerry Chucks Ozor and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to prison sentences of 82 months, 87 months and 90 months, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Lastly, Prince Amos Okey Ezemma was paroled into the United States from Nigeria and was sentenced to 90 months in prison for his role in the scheme. USPIS, HSI and the Consumer Protection Branch are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, UK National Crime Agency, and authorities from Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who 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 can be filed with the FTC at 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 . ###


title: Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Florida Tax Return Preparers

component: Tax Division

body_text: The Justice Department today filed a civil injunction suit in federal court in Tampa, Florida, to enjoin Darryl J. Madison, Malik F. Eugene, Yvette Madison, Marlesa J. Brown and Madison & Sons Enterprises — doing business as Madison Tax Services — from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others. The complaint alleges that Darryl Madison operated and prepared returns through Madison Tax Services. The complaint alleges that Madison and his contractors — Eugene, Yvette Madison and Brown — prepared and filed tax returns that falsely reduced their customers’ taxable income and improperly increased their customers’ refunds through a variety of schemes, including inflating real estate expenses, falsifying charitable donation deductions, fabricating or inflating business losses and falsely claiming residential energy credits to which their customers were not entitled. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer. In addition, IRS Free File , a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details. Madison Complaint.pdf


title: Federal Jury Convicts Local Rapper of Illegal Possession of Firearms

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

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that a federal jury returned a guilty verdict today against Keynon Frazier, a/k/a “Green Eyez,” 29, of Shreveport, on an illegal possession of firearms charge. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. presided over the three-day jury trial. Evidence presented at trial showed that on April 15, 2024, officers with the Shreveport Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle being driven by Frazier in the downtown Shreveport area, which ended with his vehicle crashing into a telephone pole and another vehicle. Officers approached the crashed vehicle and found Frazier, who was the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle. Also inside the vehicle on the front passenger floorboard, officers found two firearms, a Glock 17 firearm, and a Glock 45 firearm, along with an expended shell casing stuck within the chamber of the Glock 45. In addition, there was a bullet-size hole found in the front driver’s side windshield of the vehicle. Officers determined that Frazier had prior felony convictions for aggravated battery and second degree robbery, and he was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. As a convicted felon, Frazier was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before reaching their guilty verdict. Frazier faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing for Frazier has been set for May 22, 2025, at 3:00. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron Crawford and Cheyenne Wilson. # # #


title: Mexican National Is Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking And Immigration Offenses

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Adrian Arroyo-Trujillo, 32, of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and 24 months in prison for illegal re-entry by a deported alien, to be served concurrently, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in August 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Union County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into suspected drug trafficking by Trujillo and others. Using a number of investigative methods, including surveillance of Trujillo’s residence, law enforcement suspected that Trujillo was operating a methamphetamine conversion lab in his residence. On at least one occasion, Trujillo received liquid methamphetamine hidden in tires that were delivered to his residence. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on September 12, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that Trujillo was driving. During a subsequent check of the vehicle, law enforcement found a bookbag that contained 12 identical bags of crystal methamphetamine, totaling 10.89 kilograms, on the rear driver-side floorboard. Officers also found several money order transfer receipts to destinations in Mexico, a customs receipt from Laredo, Texas, four cell phones, and a drug ledger. A forensic analysis of the cellphones revealed messages and photos consistent with drug trafficking activity. On September 13, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Trujillo’s residence. Inside the residence they found a black Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle, two magazines and ammunition. Law enforcement also found liquid methamphetamine, processed crystal methamphetamine, and other chemicals and items consistent with the operation of a clandestine methamphetamine conversion lab. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement also determined that Trujillo was an illegal alien previously deported from the United States. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the HSI and the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Kent and Kenny Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the cases.


title: Charlotte Man Is Sentenced To Prison For Transporting Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – David Williams, 45, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 140 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for transporting of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Williams was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. “Williams possessed thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, yet his criminal conduct did not end there,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Williams produced a surreptitious recording of a prepubescent minor using the bathroom, and also used AI technology to modify and alter images of children he found on the internet to generate child sexual abuse material. This type of misuse of technology, and specifically generative AI, is at the forefront of our efforts to protect our children from this emerging threat and secure proper punishment for perpetrators.” According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, law enforcement received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an individual was using the internet to upload CSAM. Law enforcement identified the individual as Williams. On September 14, 2021, law enforcement conducted an interview of Williams. The defendant denied having any CSAM, at first. He later admitted to having CSAM and turned over some of his electronic devices to law enforcement. A forensic examination of Williams’s devices revealed that the defendant possessed images and videos depicting children being sexually abused and that Williams did not provide all of the relevant electronics. On September 16, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williams’s residence, seizing additional electronics from the defendant. A forensic analysis of those electronics confirmed the presence of CSAM, including images and videos of children as young as toddlers being sexually abused. In total, Williams possessed over 4,000 videos and images of CSAM. Additionally, forensic analysis determined that Williams produced a surreptitious recording of a prepubescent minor using the bathroom. Forensic analysis further determined that Williams used an online AI chatbot to generate realistic CSAM by morphing or modifying images of clothed minors he found on the internet. On June 12, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In announcing Williams’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr., emphasized that “this is a serious crime with serious consequences.” The FBI and CMPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Jury Convicts Portageville Man of Meth Trafficking, Illegal Firearms

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Portageville, Mo., man has been convicted in a jury trial of trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms. Michael C. Patton, 36, was found guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 14, of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms. Patton was a passenger in a Ford sedan that was stopped by Springfield police officers on May 12, 2021. When officers searched the vehicle, they found a backpack in the front passenger floorboard that contained a loaded Beretta firearm, along with a plastic bag that contained 344 grams of pure methamphetamine and Patton’s Missouri identification. Officers also found a small black backpack in the backseat floorboard that contained a loaded revolver. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Patton has prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell. Under federal statutes, Patton is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life 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. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 13. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Federal jury convicts man who flew from Bogota to Dulles with over two kilograms of cocaine

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Rockville, Maryland, man today on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2024, Gildo Ricci, 69, a citizen of Peru and a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States, arrived at Dulles International Airport in Virginia on a flight from Bogota, Colombia. At the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection area, CBP officers referred RICCI for a secondary inspection, during which officers found several desserts and other food items. After applying pressure to one of the items, it emitted a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine hydrochloride. When an officer observed that a cake was unusually heavy and decided to probe the cake with a knife, the knife failed to penetrate the cake. The officer began to remove the top layer of the cake and discovered a foil wrapped brick inside. Each cake contained cocaine hydrochloride. Soup mix packets also contained cocaine hydrochloride. Altogether, the CBP officers found 2.07 kilograms of cocaine in Ricci’s assorted food and dessert items. Within one of Ricci’s suitcases was a child's backpack that contained of $7,750, which was later determined to be counterfeit. Ricci faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 25. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Matthew S. Davies, Acting Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the verdict. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony R. Roberts are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-149.


title: Coeur d’Alene Man Sentenced for Multimillion Dollar Accounts Receivable Factoring Scheme

body_text: COEUR D’ALENE – Douglas Worman, 64, of Coeur d’Alene was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his convictions for engaging in a scheme to defraud J.S. Richards Forestry Management out of more than $2.5 million, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. A federal jury convicted Worman of 17 counts of wire fraud relating to his factoring scheme after a six-day trial in August 2024. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Worman owned and operated Worman Forest Management, a Coeur d’Alene-area forestry management company. In 2010, Worman, through his company, entered into a factoring agreement with J.S. Richards Forestry Management to sell millions of dollars of Worman Forest Management’s accounts receivable that were based on invoices for work the business had provided to its customers. Factoring is a form of short-term financing in which a business sells its accounts receivable to a third-party at a discount. In a factoring transaction, the seller of an invoice obtains immediate funding from a buyer, and the buyer of an invoice earns a fee for providing the up-front financing. According to court records, beginning in at least 2015 and continuing through September 2018, Worman submitted inflated and entirely false and fraudulent invoices to J.S. Richards Forestry Management for factoring, purportedly for work Worman’s business had performed for its customers. Between June and September 2018, Worman submitted more than $2 million in false and fraudulent invoices for factoring to J.S. Richards Forestry Management. Those invoices claimed to be for actual work performed by Worman Forest Management for its customers, but, in reality, the invoices were for amounts that were inflated and entirely fictitious. As a result of Worman’s fraud scheme, Worman fraudulently obtained at least $2.5 million from J.S. Richards Forestry Management. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also sentenced Worman to three years of supervised release and ordered that Worman pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date. “This case sends a clear message that, along with our law enforcement partners, we will not tolerate fraud in Idaho’s business community,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am grateful for the FBI’s painstaking investigation of the defendant’s fraud and the tenacious work of our office’s prosecutors to marshal the evidence for the jury.” “Douglas Worman is being held accountable for exploiting the trust of his victims,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Albert Kelly of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI is committed to protecting Idahoans by investigating and arresting those who seek to defraud others. We also encourage the public to report potential fraud to the FBI.” U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Sean Mazorol prosecuted this case. ###


title: Philadelphia Resident Sentenced on Gun Trafficking Conviction

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth Locke, age 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 10 months in jail for conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer by making false statements, also known as “straw purchasing” firearms. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. In previously pleading guilty, Locke admitted that he entered into an agreement with Rylan Peterson, a native of Kingston, New York, and a former Marine then living in North Carolina, to acquire six semi-automatic handguns on behalf of Oryin McLeod and others residing in Kingston. After McLeod paid Locke through Peterson, Locke purchased the firearms in December 2022 from a licensed dealer in North Carolina, falsely representing at the time of the purchase that he was acquiring the firearms for himself. Peterson later transported the firearms from North Carolina to New York where he provided them to McLeod and others. McLeod was subsequently arrested for unlawful possession of two of the firearms acquired through the straw purchasing scheme. Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also imposed a 3-year term of post-incarceration supervised release. McLeod was previously sentenced to 34 months in prison for his role in unlawfully acquiring the firearms. Peterson is set to be sentenced on March 26, 2025. ATF and the Kingston Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia prosecuted the case.


title: Connecticut Man Sentenced to Nine Years on Methamphetamine Conviction

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Joseph Lastrina, age 39, of Norwalk, Connecticut, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. Lastrina admitted to directing both Robert Sanger and Thaddeus Price to complete drug deals that Lastrina arranged. Those November 2023 transactions collectively involved 177 grams of pure methamphetamine. A search warrant executed at Sanger’s home led to the recovery of an additional 217 grams of pure methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 3-year-term of supervised release and a $30,000. Judge Hurd previously sentenced Sanger to 16 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Price will be sentenced on March 19, 2025. The DEA investigated this case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Reiner and Ashlyn Miranda are prosecuting.


title: St. Francis Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Over Five Years for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on January 13, 2025. Clyde Chasing Hawk, a/k/a Clyde Clairmont, age 24, was sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Chasing Hawk was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,000. Chasing Hawk was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 15, 2024. Between April 2023 and November 2023, Chasing Hawk searched for and downloaded child pornography via the internet. He saved multiple images and videos of child pornography to his Google and Yahoo accounts and to his electronic devices. Law enforcement began investigating Chasing Hawk in June of 2023, based on CyberTips received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which indicated Chasing Hawk was using his Google and Yahoo accounts to store child pornography. In November of 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Chasing Hawk’s residence in St. Francis, seizing multiple electronic devices that contained child pornography. Chasing Hawk will forfeit ownership of these devices to the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) – Office of Justice Services Missing and Murdered Unit, the BIA Division of Drug Enforcement, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Senior Litigation Counsel Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Chasing Hawk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Denver Man Convicted On Five Counts Related to Denver Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Flozell Beasley, 72, of Denver, was convicted by a federal jury on four counts of bank robbery and one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce. According to the facts established at trial, Beasley robbed two banks, two credit unions, and a taco shop in Denver, between May and July 2023. In each robbery, the defendant dressed like a construction worker and threatened employees with a high-quality replica gun before taking their money and fleeing. On July 11, 2023, the defendant robbed the Vectra Bank at 1001 E 17 th Street and left with a GPS tracker inside the money stolen from the bank. He then boarded a nearby RTD bus and was arrested twelve minutes later sitting on the bus with the tracker, stolen money, replica gun, construction vest, and construction helmet in a bag at his feet. “Our office remains focused on stopping brazen, serial bank robbers who victimize bank employees,” said United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “ “This individual is a previously convicted felon who was released from prison and returned to robbing banks -- and a restaurant when his chosen bank was closed,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “This is the kind of defendant that gets the attention of the FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, and with help from partners like the Denver Police Department and the Regional Transportation District, we tracked him down and ended his criminal activity in the community. “ United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the trial. The FBI Denver Field Office handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Dunn and Garreth Winstead handled the prosecution. 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. Case Number: 23-cr-342-RMR


title: Sioux Falls Man Found Guilty of Attempted Enticement of a Minor

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Jayden Debevec, age 29, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on Friday, January 10, 2025. Debevec is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a possible maximum of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine. After his release from prison, he will be placed on supervised release for a minimum term of five years and a possible maximum term of up to life. He must also pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Debevec was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023. Debevec started a conversation with a person he believed was a 15-year-old girl on an online dating site. The conversation turned sexual and, using sometimes explicit language, he asked the 15-year-old girl to meet up hoping to have a sexual encounter with her. Debevec arrived at the meet location where he was arrested by law enforcement. Debevec had actually been chatting with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl. This case was brought as part of an undercover chat operation designed to identify individuals in the community who are interested in having sex with minors. The case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth E. Ebert-Webb and Beau Blouin prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Bergen County Man Sentenced To 72 Months In Prison For Possession With Intent To Distribute Heroin

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possession of heroin with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Dawan A. Brown, 37, of Cliffside Park, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Since at least January 2022, law enforcement had investigated drug trafficking activity in the District of New Jersey, to include in and around Harrison, New Jersey. During the investigation, law enforcement officers learned that Dawan Brown, a/k/a “DB,” distributes narcotics in New Jersey. Through investigation, law enforcement officers learned that Brown packaged and distributed large amounts of heroin from an apartment in a building located in Harrison, New Jersey. On June 14, 2022, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the Harrison apartment and at Brown’s residence located in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. From the apartment in Harrison, officers recovered approximately two kilograms of narcotics, suspected to contain amounts of heroin and fentanyl; drug paraphernalia, including a ledger, a safe, scales, a coffee and spice grinder, ink pads, stamps, Ziplock bags, vacuum bags and a vacuum bag sealer machine, razor blades, glassine envelopes and strainers; and approximately $34,000 that was contained within the safe along with some of the suspected heroin and fentanyl. From the residence in Cliffside Park, officers recovered approximately $169,000, five cell phones, safety deposit keys, and various jewelry including diamond necklaces, gold watches, and a gold ring. Law enforcement officers also recovered approximately $225,000 from safety deposit boxes that were associated with Brown. As part of his plea agreement, Brown agreed to forfeit $436,615.95, the proceeds from the narcotics trafficking. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Brown to four years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J Driscoll Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; Harrison Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Strumolo; and Cliffside Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Marc Marano, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the Bloomfield Police Department, the Newark Police Department, Irvington Police Department, Hillsborough Police Department, and the Fort Lee Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Frazer of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Cybercrime Unit, in Newark.


title: Yakima Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington – U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced that on January 14, 2025, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Joshua David Harding, age 44, of Yakima, Washington, to 24 months in federal prison for Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Dimke also imposed 7 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in July 2023, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tri-Cities and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force learned that Harding may be sharing, and in possession of, child sexual abuse material through the use of a website known to host contraband material. On August 17, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Harding’s residence. Investigators seized several electronic devices that contained images of children being sexually abused and CGI/animated depictions of children being sexually abused. “The sentence imposed in this case recognizes the ongoing and lasting harm caused by child exploitation,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Our Office, law enforcement partners, and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force work tirelessly to seek justice for victims and hold offenders accountable.” “Exploitation of children, no matter the form, has detrimental effects on society and works to undermine the innocence of childhood," said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI Seattle. "The commitment of HSI and our Southeast Regional ICAC partners continue to safeguard our communities, and this sentence sends a clear message that we will continue to relentlessly pursue those who attempt to exploit and abuse the most defenseless members of our society." This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Southeast Regional ICAC Task Force, consisting of Homeland Security Investigations and the Richland and Kennewick Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Letitia A. Sikes. 1:24-cr-02014-MKD


title: Volga Man Sentenced for Violation of Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Volga, South Dakota, man convicted of a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The sentencing took place on January 13, 2025. Joe Hofer, age 52, was sentenced to one year of federal probation, a $1,200 fine, and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hofer was indicted for a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 4, 2024. Hofer is the Farm Boss for the Cambridge Hutterian Brethren (CHB) in Lake County, South Dakota. In November 2023, Hofer used CHB farm equipment to take down tress on property owned by CHB. One of the trees Hofer took down contained an active eagle nest, destroying the nest. Hofer did not have a permit to take down the eagle’s nest which is protected under federal law. This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number. The sentencing took place on January 13, 2025. Todd Alan Peltier, 31, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Peltier was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number in October 2024. On May 23, 2024, detectives with the Sioux Falls Police Department observed Peltier enter a vehicle and drive to a casino on West 41st Street in Sioux Falls. At the time, Peltier was on parole and had an active warrant for his arrest. Detectives entered the casino and placed Peltier under arrest. A search incident to arrest revealed a bag of methamphetamine in Peltier’s pants pocket. Detectives completed a search of Peltier’s vehicle following his arrest and located a pistol bearing an obliterated serial number under the driver’s seat. Peltier later admitted to law enforcement that he knowingly possessed the firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Beau J. Blouin prosecuted the case. Peltier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Minnesota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Escaping from Custody

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Worthington, Minnesota, man convicted of Escape from Custody. The sentencing took place on January 13, 2025. Ray Rosalez, 41, was sentenced to to 17 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Rosalez was indicted for Escape from Custody by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty in November 2024. In November 2022, Rosalez was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He was sentenced to four years and three months in custody. On January 28, 2024, Rosalez was in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and residing at a residential reentry center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, when he left the facility without permission. On May 30, 2024, members of the Sioux Falls Police Department Violent Crimes Unit located Rosalez in the Sioux Falls area and placed him under arrest. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Beau J. Blouin prosecuted the case. Rosalez was immediately remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.


title: Two People Federally Charged with Stealing Millions of Dollars from the Oglala Sioux Tribe

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Porcupine, South Dakota, man and a Rushville, Nebraska, woman for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, 22 counts of Wire Fraud, and seven counts of Money Laundering. Patrick Ross, age 55, and Buffy Redfish, age 56, were indicted in December 2024. Ross appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollman on January 8, 2025, and Redfish appeared before Judge Wollman on January 13, 2025. Both pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on each count. Restitution may also be ordered. Between May 2017 and May 2024, while Redfish was working for the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO), she and Ross, working together, developed a scheme to defraud the Oglala Sioux Tribe by diverting TERO fee checks totaling more than $4.7 million belonging to the Oglala Sioux Tribe and depositing the checks into Ross’s bank account. Ross and Redfish then split the embezzled funds between themselves and used the funds for their own personal benefit, including buying homes and vehicles. Ross is a citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Redfish is a citizen of the Gila Tribe in Arizona. The charges are merely an accusation and Ross and Redfish are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case. Ross and Redfish were released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been scheduled for March 25, 2025.


title: Choppa City Member Sentenced to 18 Years for His Role in Three Brinks Armored Car Robberies

body_text: WASHINGTON –Erin Sheffey, 30, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for his involvement in a series of armed robberies of Brinks armored cars in Washington, D.C. that resulted in the loss of more than $1.2 million. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Sheffey was found guilty by a jury on September 9, 2024, of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. The jury also convicted co-defendants Brock and McNair of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition to the 18-year prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ordered Sheffey to serve three years of supervised release. The offenses related to three robberies of Brinks armored trucks that occurred on October 6, 2021, December 8, 2021, and March 2, 2022. In those robberies, the defendants used firearms to assault the drivers of Brinks armored cars and steal money. In total, the defendants stole over $1.2 million. According to court documents and the evidence at trial, the three defendants were members of the Choppa City street crew. Brock, McNair, and Sheffey conspired together and with others to plan and carry out the robberies, brandishing firearms on D.C. city streets while doing so. Each robbery occurred on a Wednesday at about 9 a.m. in the morning and two occurred on busy city throughfares, causing a significant risk to the public. Testimony in the case revealed the conspirators used assault rifles to carry out their robberies. Co-defendant Brock planned the robberies for months, learning the routes and arrival times of the Brinks drivers, in order to ensure the robbery team was in place. When the Brinks driver exited his armored car vehicle to deliver money to a bank or local business, the robbers ambushed him. In two cases, the defendants assaulted one of the Brink’s drivers, even after he turned over his courier bag. Some of the defendants used social media to show off large sums of money they stole during the robberies and photographed themselves making high-end luxury purchases. For example, within two days of the robberies, defendant Brock purchased vehicles in cash totalling over $36,000. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Schneider. Valuable assistance was provided by AUSAs Josh Gold, Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong. An AR-15 Weapon Used by the Defendants During the Armed Robberies Defendant Brock (Right) and Defendant McNair (Left) robbing a Brinks armored car employee weapon with a firearm on December 8, 2021. Both Brock and McNair assaulted the driver by beating him with their pistols even after he turned over the delivery bag . ## 23cr26


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced, Ordered to Repay Victims of Long-Running Ponzi Scheme

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a man who ran a refrigerant-based Ponzi scheme for almost a decade to 14 months in prison and ordered him to repay $287,000 to victims. From October 2014 to May of 2017, Robert F. Rothluebbers, now 68, solicited investments by falsely claiming that he would use the money to purchase R-22 refrigerant in bulk, at a discount, and then re-sell the refrigerant to contractors and others at a 50% profit. Rothluebbers claimed that the gradual phaseout of R-22 would enable him to increase investors’ profits. Rothluebbers used investors’ money for personal purchases and to pay relatives. He also kept the scheme alive by paying old investors with money from new investors and by repeatedly making false promises that he would return the victims’ money. He then provided bogus excuses for failing to pay his investors, including a claim that the money had been frozen by his financial institution and the Internal Revenue Service. Many of Rothluebbers’ victims were semi-retired and living on fixed incomes. His scheme also forced them to pay considerable sums of money on civil lawsuits and attorneys’ fees in an attempt to reclaim their money. In all, Rothluebbers raised at least $350,000 from four investors and he never repaid the majority of these funds. Rothluebbers pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.


title: Colorado man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor  to engage in illegal sexual activity

body_text: Gabriel Estrada, 30, of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced to 120 months, with five years of supervised release to follow, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on Jan. 13. A federal jury convicted Estrada on Oct. 25, 2024. According to trial evidence and court documents, Estrada used a chat website to meet up with a 13-year-old persona for sexual intercourse. An undercover agent posed as a 13-year-old female living in Laramie, Wyoming. Estrada messaged the 13-year-old persona asking if she would have sex with him. He went on to ask the 13-year-old persona if she had a friend who would like to join them in the sexual encounter and asked about her sexual experience. Estrada then drove the two hours from his home to Laramie after confirming the person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl would engage in sexual acts with him. Estrada arrived in Laramie and was arrested by police officers, who seized Estrada’s iPhone containing text messages to the 13-year-old persona. Estrada also had two condoms. “The Internet can be a dangerous place for our children because of people like this defendant, a fully grown man who wanted to have sex with a 13-year-old girl and did everything he could to make that happen,” said United States Attorney Eric Heimann. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to support proactive law enforcement actions aimed at identifying and arresting individuals who are ready, willing, and eager to sexually abuse children.” The Laramie Police Department and the FBI investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Case No. CR-24-00033


title: Foreign national sentenced for racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy  in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Romanian national convicted of plotting to traffic hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from the United States in a scheme that also included money laundering, arms trafficking, and an attempt to assassinate rival gang members, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Marius Lazar, 51, of Bucharest, Romania, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on January 15, 2025. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lazar was a “founding member” of his local chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, a transnational outlaw motorcycle gang that was founded in the United States and is now active on six continents. Through his relationship with a fellow Hells Angels member from New Zealand, Lazar joined a conspiracy to purchase more than 400 kilograms of cocaine from a person in the United States, who the conspirators believed was a powerful drug trafficker but who was actually an undercover agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As part of his negotiations for the cocaine purchase, Lazar also solicited the undercover agent to kill two members of a rival motorcycle club in Romania, and offered to supply the undercover with rifles, grenades, armored vehicles, and other military-grade equipment that Lazar understood would be used against police officers in the United States. Members of the conspiracy sent nearly $1 million to the United States, via bank wires and Bitcoin transfers, as payment for the drugs and murders. On November 17, 2023, a federal jury in Beaumont convicted Lazar of conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Co-defendants Murray Michael Matthews and Marc Patrick Johnson remain fugitives. The DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations investigated the case, with significant assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp for the Eastern District of Texas, Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor Mulroe, formerly of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and currently for the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Columbia, and VCRS Trial Attorney Jared Engelking prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Romania to secure the arrest and extradition of Lazar. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: Three Indicted and Internet Domain Seized in $44 Million Nationwide Book Publishing Scam Targeting Elderly Authors

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury has charged three people with defrauding elderly authors across the United States of almost $44 million by convincing the victims that publishers and filmmakers wanted to turn their books into blockbusters — but only if they paid some fees first. According to the indictment, Gemma Traya Austin of Chula Vista was the organizer and registered agent for PageTurner, Press and Media LLC (“PageTurner”), a Chula Vista company that claimed to be a book publishing business. Michael Cris Traya Sordilla and Bryan Navales Tarosa, both of the Philippines, were executives at Innocentrix Philippines, a business process outsourcing company. The indictment alleges that between September 2017 and December 2024, the defendants used PageTurner to operate a book publishing scam in which the conspirators working for Innocentrix Philippines contacted individual authors through unsolicited calls and emails. As part of the scam, the conspirators falsely represented that PageTurner was a book publishing business that worked with literary agents, major motion picture studios, and popular video streaming services, and that PageTurner acted as a liaison between individuals who sought to publish their books or have their books turned into motion pictures or television series. As part of the conspiracy, the scammers falsely told victims their works had been selected for acquisition by publishers or movie studios, and fraudulently convinced victims to send PageTurner payments for various services, including pre-payment of taxes and transaction fees, before the victim-author’s work could be published or optioned to studios. According to statements made by prosecutors in court, the FBI identified more than 800 victims of the scheme who collectively lost more than $44 million. Sordilla and Tarosa were arrested on December 9, 2024, in San Diego. Austin was arrested on December 12, 2024, in Chula Vista. All three are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. The FBI also seized the PageTurner website: pageturner.us. “What started with the promise of a Hollywood dream turned into a devastating nightmare for victims,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Authors should stay vigilant, do their research, and think twice before giving money to anyone promising a blockbuster deal. If you or anyone you know has been targeted in a similar scheme, please report it to the FBI immediately.” “As alleged, the defendants’ actions not only jeopardized the integrity of the publishing industry, but also took advantage of innocent professionals and defrauded them of their hard-earned money,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Fraud remains one of the most devastating violations the FBI works due to the number of victims and staggering amount of loss. We will continue our efforts to disrupt fraud schemes, educate the public, and ultimately hold individuals behind these schemes accountable.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service San Diego Mail Fraud Team, along with the FBI San Diego, have worked tirelessly to bring justice to individuals who target, exploit, and victimize our most vulnerable citizens,” said Matt Shields, Inspector in Charge for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s San Diego Field Office. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains firm in our commitment to disrupt and dismantle foreign-based fraud schemes that prey on our older Americans. We will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement partners to deter and defeat organized fraud rings, no matter where they are located.” This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. If you believe you are a victim of the PageTurner scam, please contact the FBI at AuthorFraud@fbi.gov . If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. DEFENDANTS Case Number 24CR2712-JLS Gemma Traya Austin Age: 58 Chula Vista, CA In custody. Arrested in Chula Vista, California, on December 12, 2024. Michael Cris Traya Sordilla Age: 32 Philippines In custody. Arrested in San Diego, California, on December 9, 2024. Bryan Navales Tarosa Age: 34 Philippines In custody. Arrested in San Diego, California, on December 9, 2024. SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349 Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; $250,000 fine Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h) Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation United States Postal Inspection Service


title: Burnsville Woman Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Firearms Used in Fatal Shooting of First Responders

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Burnsville woman has pleaded guilty to straw purchasing multiple firearms for a felon, two of which were used to fatally shoot police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, and firefighter paramedic Adam Finseth in Burnsville on February 18, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between September of 2023 and January of 2024, the defendant purchased five different firearms from two different federal firearms licensees that the defendant knowingly transferred to her domestic partner, Shannon Cortez Gooden. Under Gooden’s direction, Dyrdahl purchased the firearms and transferred them to Gooden, despite knowing that Gooden was a felon and was therefore legally prohibited from obtaining or possessing firearms. Among the firearms Dyrdahl bought for Gooden were three semiautomatic AR-15–style firearm lower-receivers. One of these was a Franklin Armory FAI-15 .300 caliber semiautomatic firearm that was equipped with a binary trigger. A firearm with a binary trigger fires one shot when the trigger is pulled and another when the trigger is released, effectively doubling the rate of fire. Dyrdahl also purchased a .300 caliber barrel for the lower receiver. Dyrdahl knew that Gooden was loading the semiautomatic AR-15–style firearms with .300 Blackout ammunition, which is a heavier load ammunition that has an increased potential for lethality. On February 18, 2024, Gooden used two firearms that Dyrdahl purchased for him to ambush police officers and firefighter paramedics who were responding to a call for help in his home. Gooden used a large-capacity magazine in the attack. The attack killed two police officers and a firefighter paramedic and injured a third police officer. Dyrdahl pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to two counts of straw purchasing in front of U.S. District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Burnsville Police Department, with assistance from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office and the Burnsville Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristian Weir and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.


title: Hino Motors, a Toyota Subsidiary, Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay Over $1.6B to Resolve Emissions Fraud Scheme

component: Civil Division

body_text: The U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FBI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and State of California today reached criminal and multiple civil resolutions, valued at over $1.6 billion, with Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino Motors), Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. and Hino Motors Sales U.S.A., Inc. (collectively, Hino) for violations related to the submission of false and fraudulent engine emission testing and fuel consumption data to regulators and the illicit smuggling of engines into the United States. These resolutions are subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. This unlawful conduct allowed Hino, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, to improperly secure approvals to import and sell, and cause to be imported and sold, more than 110,000 diesel engines in the United States from 2010 to 2022. These engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks manufactured and sold by Hino nationwide. “Today, Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota, agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a criminal conspiracy to mislead regulators and consumers that violated federal environmental laws and endangered public health,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No company is above the law. I am grateful to our federal and state partners for their work to hold Hino accountable for its criminal misconduct.” “Hino knew the requirements that engines must meet to be certified to operate in the United States, yet it falsified data for years to skirt regulations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Hino’s actions led to vast amounts of excess air pollution and were an egregious violation of our nation’s environmental, consumer protection and import laws. Today’s plea agreement and civil settlements, on behalf of myriad federal entities, mark the Justice Department’s commitment to protecting our environment and holding companies accountable for corporate wrongdoing.” “Corporate crimes such as these endanger the health and well-being of innocent Americans, as well as the environment in which we all live,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “My office is committed to aggressively seeking justice when corporate actors violate air quality standards and place our community at risk in order to increase their sales.” “Hino Motors engaged in a years-long scheme to alter and fabricate emissions data in order to get a leg up over its competitors and boost their bottom-line,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “To further this fraudulent scheme, Hino violated laws and regulations intended to protect American’s health and the environment. The FBI is committed to working with our partners across the U.S. government to ensure that corporate bad actors who purposefully violate the law are held accountable for their criminal actions.” “Providing false information to federal agencies subverts regulations designed to protect the public and reduce costs for consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to work closely with its partners to hold accountable companies that prioritize profit over complying with the law.” “EPA and the American consumer rely on true and accurate data from engine manufacturers to protect our nation’s air quality. Hino’s actions directly undermined EPA’s program to protect the public from air pollution,” said Acting EPA Administrator Jane Nishida. “Today’s criminal charges and civil settlement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to hold companies like Hino Motors, Ltd. accountable for knowingly violating environmental laws and regulations that protect public health and the environment.” “CBP works with partner government agencies to prioritize the enforcement of environmental laws and is driving meaningful change in trade practices,” said Executive Assistant Commissioner AnnMarie Highsmith of CBP’s Office of Trade. “This settlement is an example of CBP’s role in enforcing laws that facilitate legitimate trade and protect the American economy, creating a level playing field for American businesses and ensuring that consumers have access to fair, safe products.” “Misleading federal regulators is a brazen crime that is reflected in the size and scope of today’s settlement agreement which holds Hino Motors accountable for their wrongdoing,” said Inspector General Eric J. Soskin of DOT. “The judicial actions taken today demonstrate the ongoing commitment of DOT-OIG to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to investigate improper and illegal conduct of automotive corporations that submit false fuel consumption values.” “Hino knowingly took unlawful advantage of California’s incentives designed to accelerate the adoption of clean transportation technologies, which safeguard the health and safety of Californians from pollution,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to hold manufacturers like Hino accountable for breaking California’s laws. I want to thank our federal and state partners for their collective work on reaching this critical settlement.” Global Resolution Details As part of the global resolutions, Hino Motors, Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a multi-year criminal conspiracy. The plea agreement, which is subject to approval by the court, requires it to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation — during which it will be prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has manufactured into the United States — and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure. Hino Motors, Ltd. has also agreed to entry of a forfeiture money judgment against it in the amount of $1.087 billion. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Hino’s future payments towards its civil settlement obligations, as well future payments as part of a civil class action settlement brought by private plaintiffs, will be credited towards its criminal forfeiture money judgment obligation. In separate civil resolutions of environmental, customs and fuel economy claims by the federal government and the State of California, Hino will pay a civil penalty of $525 million based on its demonstrated financial condition. The global resolution includes the second largest criminal fine and fourth largest civil penalty in the history of EPA’s mobile source program. Other provisions of the civil agreement include: A mitigation program, valued at $155 million, to offset excess air emissions from the violations by replacing marine and locomotive engines, and installing locomotive idle reduction technology systems, throughout 49 states (excluding California), including the reduction of over 41,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions; A recall program, valued at $144.2 million, to modify violative engines in 2017-2019 heavy-duty trucks so they comply with U.S. and California emissions laws; $123.6 million to fund mitigation projects and enforcement costs in California; and $30.3 million to resolve California False Claims Act claims. EPA discovered Hino’s noncompliance as a result of conducting confirmatory testing of Hino’s engines. On Jan. 10, EPA voided engine approvals, called “certificates of conformity,” for Hino’s 2010-2019 diesel engines for heavy-duty trucks and nonroad equipment. This is the largest voiding action ever taken by EPA, reflecting the egregiousness of the conduct and the flagrant disregard for EPA’s certification program. That program is designed to provide a level playing field for vehicle and engine manufacturers seeking to do business in the United States. Conduct Admitted to by Hino Motors, Ltd. As part of its plea agreement, Hino Motors, Ltd. admits that between 2010 and 2019, it submitted and caused to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals. Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers regularly altered emission test data, conducted tests improperly and fabricated data without conducting any underlying tests. Hino Motors, Ltd. further admits that it submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data, which resulted in false fuel consumption values being calculated for its engines. Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers also failed to disclose software functions that could adversely affect engines’ emission control systems. As a result of the fraud, Hino Motors, Ltd. imported and sold over 105,000 non-conforming engines between 2010 and 2022. Emissions Reductions EPA estimates that Hino’s engines emitted levels of NOx, particulate matter, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) above the regulatory limits. Hino’s recall is designed to bring model year 2017-2019 truck engines into compliance with emissions standards. Its mitigation projects around the country will fully offset the lifetime excess emissions of all violative engines. These mitigation projects include: Replacing more than 35 older, dirtier marine and locomotive engines with engines certified to the strictest EPA diesel emission standards, and Installing idle reduction technology in over 135 locomotives. The mitigation projects will reduce emissions by at least 41,941 tons of NOx, 376 tons of particulate matter, 6,199 tons of CO2, and 135 tons of N 2 O. The NOx reductions alone are estimated to be equivalent to removing over 110,000 heavy-duty trucks from operation. NOx and particulate matter are associated with serious health effects, including asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular issues, which can lead to lung damage and premature death. CO 2 and N 2 O are climate-impacting greenhouse gases, which can also endanger public health and welfare. The Clean Air Act requires vehicle and engine manufacturers to submit testing data showing that their products meet air pollution emission standards in order to obtain certifications from EPA and California. As part of the certification process, manufacturers must conduct emission testing and submit test data demonstrating compliance with standards. Manufacturers must also disclose software functions that could affect engines’ emission controls. Further, motor vehicle engines must comply with emissions requirements to be lawfully imported into the United States. NHTSA regulations require that manufacturers like Hino provide fuel consumption values for each model year because these standards are designed to conserve fuel and increase efficiency. The charges in the criminal information filed against Hino Motors, Ltd. are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A plea hearing date has not yet been set. Future case updates will be listed at www.justice.gov/enrd/environmental-crime-victim-assistance/current-case-information-crime-victims . Individuals can contact the Justice Department regarding victim rights and services or the status of this case at (833) 676-181 or at crimevictimprogram.enrd@usdoj.gov ; please mention or put in the subject line: 198-01902. The Justice Department uses the Victim Notification System (VNS) to provide victims with case information and updates related to this case. If you believe you are a victim of the conduct described in the plea agreement and criminal information, please visit www.justice.gov/enrd/case/hino-motors-ltd . The proposed global civil settlement consent decree is subject to a 30-day comment period and final court approval. More information on the consent decree and the process for submitting comments is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . This settlement agreement is part of a coordinated group of settlements resolved by the United States against Hino by EPA, NHTSA, CBP, and California with resolved False Claims Act and other state-only claims on behalf of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Attorney General. Special agents of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID)’s Ann Arbor Field Office and FBI’s Detroit Field Office are investigating the criminal case. Senior Trial Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the criminal case, with support from EPA’s Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel. The Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, CBP’s Office of Chief Counsel and Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel-Detroit, DOT-OIG and NHTSA provided assistance. Senior Counsel David Laufman Weigert and Senior Attorney Alexandra Sherertz with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and Senior Legal Advisor Meetu Kaul and Attorney-Advisors Kayla Steinberg and Ian Altendorfer with EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Air Enforcement Division are handling the civil settlements. Engineers with EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality and OECA provided critical assistance. CARB played an active and supportive role throughout the development and pursuit of the civil case and settlement negotiations by EPA and ENRD. Trial Attorneys Marilee Miller and Paulina Stamatelos with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are handling NHTSA-related claims. Assistant Chief Counsel Karen Hiyama and Attorney Jason W. Williams with CBP’s Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel-Detroit are handling CBP-related claims. Hino Motors Ltd Criminal Information.pdf Hino Motors Ltd Plea Agreement.pdf