title: Russian National “Illegal” Charged with Acting as Agent of a Russian Intelligence Service in the United States

body_text: Russian National Fraudulently Obtained Entry to the United States Using Brazilian Alias to Attend a University in the District of Columbia and Obtain Information WASHINGTON – Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov (“Cherkasov”), 37, a national of the Russian Federation who operated as an “Illegal” agent for a Russian Intelligence Service (“RIS”) under the Brazilian alias of Victor Muller Ferreira, was charged today for acting as an agent of a foreign power, visa fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and other charges stemming from his illegal activities in the United States. Cherkasov started acting as an Illegal agent in 2012 in Brazil using the Ferreira name, and he moved to the United States in 2018 after obtaining admission to a graduate school program at a University 1, a university located in the District of Columbia. Cherkasov is currently incarcerated in Brazil on fraud charges. According to a Criminal Complaint filed on March 24, 2023, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, between 2012 and April 2022. Cherkasov acted as an illegal agent of a RIS using a Brazilian cover identity. In October 2017, Cherkasov maintained his cover as a Brazilian national to apply to graduate programs in the United States, including University 1, and he obtained admission to University 1 at the behest of the RIS. Using that same fraudulent cover, Cherkasov fraudulently applied for, and obtained, a visa to enter the United States in 2017. In March 2018, Cherkasov obtained admission to University 1, and again fraudulently applied for, and obtained, a student visa to enter the United States. According to the complaint, after entering the United States, Cherkasov fraudulently opened bank accounts at a U.S. bank under the Brazilian alias Victor Muller Ferreira and obtained a U.S. driver’s license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Cherkasov further made connections to persons of interest in the United States and maintained communications with his RIS handlers. While in the United States, Cherkasov obtained information about U.S. persons that he passed to his RIS handlers. Cherkasov obtained his graduate degree using the fraudulent Ferreira identity from University 1, and left the United States in or about May 2020. Cherkasov continued his activities for the RIS after leaving the United States, and he continued to use his connections from University 1 to obtain information about U.S. foreign policy to provide to the RIS in 2021 and 2022. Cherkasov attempted to obtain employment at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, in April 2022. After being turned away by Dutch officials, Cherkasov returned to Brazil where he was arrested on fraud charges stemming from his use of the false Ferreira identity. “When foreign adversaries, such as Russia, send undercover operatives into the United States, we will find them and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” said US Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “Such adversaries seek to operate in secret to undermine our national security in ways that could jeopardize the safety of our citizens. With our partners in the FBI, we will root out anyone who intends to do harm to the United States and bring them to justice.” “For years, Cherkasov worked as an illegal agent for a Russian intelligence service and committed fraud against the United States,” said David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Today’s criminal complaint is a result of the hard work, determination, and collaborative efforts of the FBI and our international partners in a complex investigation holding him accountable for his attempts to collect intelligence on the United States at the behest of the Russian government.” This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and coordinated by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal S. Chawla and Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case, with support from Paralegals Michael Watts and Mariela Andrade.


title: West Georgia Man, Under Investigation for Allegations of Drugging Women, Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing 26 Firearms

component: Criminal Division

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Talbot County, Georgia, resident who was under investigation for allegedly drugging women admitted to illegally possessing numerous firearms in federal court today. David Gibson, 59, of Talbotton, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person today before U.S. District Judge Clay Land. Gibson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 14. According to court documents and other evidence presented in court, as part of a larger investigation—including into allegations that Gibson was drugging women—FBI conducted a lawful search of his residence in Talbot County on Nov. 17, 2022. Agents seized 26 firearms, which consisted of a mix of pistols, shotguns and rifles. The weapons include, but are not limited to, a .45 colt/.410 caliber revolver called “The Judge,” a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a semi-automatic rifle. Gibson admits he is an unlawful user of illegal drugs, making him a prohibited person. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, Meriwether County Sheriff’s Office, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Talbot County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Williams is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: White Hall Man Sentenced to Ten Years for  Distribution of Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A White Hall, Illinois, man, Adam Dahl, 37, of the 300 block of Higbee Street, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. At the sentencing hearing the government presented evidence that Dahl possessed 30.6 grams of methamphetamine. During the hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that Dahl was a career offender, having previously been convicted of seven prior drug related offenses in the state of Illinois. She also found that Dahl was eligible for and received a sentencing enhancement for possessing a firearm at the time of the offense. Dahl has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in October of 2021. The statutory penalties for possessing with the intent to distribute five grams of more of methamphetamine after having previously been convicted of a qualifying prior offense, are not less than ten years and not more than life in prison, not more than a $8,000,000 fine, and not less than eight years of supervised release. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police, and Jacksonville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Dahl 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: Springfield Illinois Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois man, Robert Merriman, 25, of the 1000 block of South Fourth Street, has been sentenced to 96 months imprisonment followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for distribution and possession of child pornography. Merriman was arrested and indicted in March of 2020 and pleaded guilty in October of 2022. At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that between April of 2019 and August of 2019 the defendant engaged in the receipt, distribution, and trading of child pornography of prepubescent children using multiple online applications. According to the defendant’s own statements, he “owned” a group on Reddit with 900 members where he posted child pornography. During the hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that the defendant’s conduct included distributing and receiving over six hundred images or videos of child pornography, and that at least one of the images included sexually explicit conduct involving a toddler or portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct. The statutory penalties for distribution of child pornography are not less than five years but not more than twenty years in prison, up to life of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are not more than ten years in prison, up to life of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Assistant United States Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Grand Island Woman Sentenced for Distribution of Methamphetamine

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Kendra R. Baker, 37, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Baker to 54 months in prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and 5 grams or more of methamphetamine actual. After serving her sentence, Baker will serve a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In March and April of 2021, drug investigators used a confidential informant to arrange the controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Baker. Four methamphetamine purchases were conducted during that time period at various locations in Grand Island and Hastings. The quantities purchased during those buys ranged from a half ounce to two ounces of methamphetamine. Baker sold in total over 125 grams of lab-confirmed methamphetamine. Some of that methamphetamine was tested for purity and determined to contain at least 74 grams of actual methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Tri-City Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.


title: Glasford, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography

component: Department of Justice

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – Benjamin C. Lascelles, 36, of the 600 block of Main Street in Glasford, Illinois, was sentenced on March 23, 2023, to 360 months’ imprisonment for producing child pornography, to be served consecutive to a 240-month prison sentence for possession of child pornography. In total, Lascelles was sentenced to 50 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Lascelles must also register as a sex offender once he is released. His sentence will be served concurrently with a case filed in Peoria County, where he pleaded guilty to predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual assault and was sentenced to 48 years and 7 years in prison, respectively. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Lascelles video recorded and photographed himself sexually assaulting two children, ages 8 and 6, on multiple occasions in December 2019. In February 2020, law enforcement officers with the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service executed a search warrant at Lascelles’ residence in Glasford and seized his electronic devices, including computers, cameras, mobile devices, and electronic storage devices. A forensic review of the devices revealed that Lascelles had produced 90 images and 8 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including videos of himself engaged in sex acts with a prepubescent minor. Also at the hearing, Judge Shadid discounted Lascelles’ continued insistence that he was not sexually interested in children and had no recollection of the conduct for which he was being sentenced due to his excessive alcohol use. Lascelles was arrested on a criminal complaint in the federal case in February 2020. An indictment was filed in March 2020. He pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography in November 2022. He has remained in custody throughout the pendency of his case. The statutory penalties for sexual exploitation of a minor are 15 to 30 years’ imprisonment and the penalties for possession of child pornography are up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Each of the charges carries a minimum five-year term of supervised release and a possible fine of up to $250,000. Special assessments under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act are also possible. The United States Secret Service, assisted by the Canton Police Department, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Lascelles was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Peoria, Illinois, Residents for Fraud Related to COVID Relief Funds and Unemployment Insurance

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A grand jury returned indictments on March 21, 2023, against two Peoria, Illinois, residents, charging them with fraudulently obtaining pandemic related and unemployment benefits via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA). Andre Johnson, 25, was charged with three counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement. The indictment alleges the offenses occurred from May 2020 through September 2021 in Peoria County, Illinois. Shon Smith, 33, was charged with one count of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of making a false statement. The indictment alleges the offenses occurred from June 2020 through June 2021 in Peoria County, Illinois. Each of the individuals has been issued a summons to appear in federal court in Peoria for arraignment on April 12, 2023. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty for each offense of wire fraud or mail fraud is 20 years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and restitution. The statutory maximum penalty for making a false statement is five years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and restitution. The investigation was conducted by the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss is representing the government in the prosecutions. COVID-19 disaster relief and enhanced unemployment benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.


title: Washington County Woman Sentenced to 30 Months for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Renee Burnell, age 49, of Hudson Falls, New York, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for defrauding two banks using the personal information of the customers of her plumbing and heating business. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Burnell previously pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and admitted that between August 2019 and January 2020, she defrauded Synchrony Bank and The Bank of Missouri by applying for lines of credit with each bank using her customers’ personal identifiable information and then using the lines of credit to falsify purchases that benefitted her plumbing and heating business. Burnell admitted that her scheme resulted in a loss of $119,264.43 to The Bank of Missouri and a loss of $13,912.00 to Synchrony Bank. Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn ordered full restitution to the banks and also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to begin after Burnell is released from prison. The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case.


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Fraud that Cost $1.6 Million

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted defrauding business customers of Lowe’s of over $1 million. Michael W. Burrus, 44, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of bank fraud. Burrus acknowledged that the conspiracy caused a total loss of $1.6 million. Burrus admitted that from April of 2020 through November of 2021, he and others obtained stolen information for business customers of Lowe’s, including names, telephone numbers, addresses and credit card account numbers. Burrus used the information to gain access to the credit card accounts of the businesses, applied for additional credit cards and changed the mailing address on the accounts. Burrus then made purchases with the credit cards, all without the knowledge and consent of the businesses. Burrus and others charged more than $1 million worth of merchandise to 40 businesses. Burrus is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29. Each charge carries a potential penalty of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine, or both. He will also be ordered to repay the money. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Dowd III is prosecuting the case.


title: Man Sentenced to 10 Years After Being Caught with Fentanyl, Methamphetamine

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a man caught with methamphetamine and fentanyl to 10 years in prison. Antoine Demetrius Meeks, 31, was caught by the O’Fallon Police Department with 208 grams of methamphetamine and 26 grams of fentanyl during an August 19, 2022 traffic stop. Meeks pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in December to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He was on federal supervised release at the time of the drug offense after a conviction in a 2015 case for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The case was investigated by the O’Fallon Police Department, the St. Ann Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Baker Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation and Presentation of False and Fraudulent Tax Returns

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Bridget Rogers White, age 48, of Baker, Louisiana, to 24 months in federal prison following her convictions for aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns. The Court further sentenced White to serve one year of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $149,933. According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, White operated an income tax preparation business, sometimes referred to as “Bridget Stop & Go Tax Services” or “Bridgett’s Tax Service” out of her Baker residence. Through her business, White prepared tax returns in exchange for money, but did not identify herself as the paid preparer on the returns. From January 2015 through at least June 2018, White prepared and submitted to the IRS numerous false and fraudulent U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, known as Forms 1040, on behalf of herself and other taxpayer-clients. In the Forms 1040 and attachments thereto, among other false items, she routinely included a false Schedule C, reporting a profit or loss from a fictitious business, and a false Form 8863, reporting fictitious education expenses in order to claim an education credit referred to as the American Opportunity Credit. On certain returns, White included additional false items, such as fraudulent itemized deductions, on a Schedule A, or false dependents. For each of her taxpayer-clients, the general effect of such false information was to reduce the client’s tax liability and artificially inflate or increase the amount of the tax refund claimed by the client. During this investigation, the IRS identified 31 false Forms 1040, which White willfully prepared and submitted on behalf of 13 individual taxpayer-clients for Tax Years 2014 through 2017. Through those 31 false and fraudulent returns alone, White’s conduct caused an actual loss of $149,993. For purposes of sentencing, White further admitted that the total tax loss attributable to her fraudulent conduct was more than $550,000. U.S. Attorney Gathe stated, “Fraudulent tax preparers cheat the government and honest taxpayers and will be dealt with accordingly. I want to thank my prosecutors and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigators for their hard work on this case. “ “Assisting taxpayers prepare accurate tax returns is the entrusted responsibility of tax practitioners,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “White failed to live up to that responsibility by preparing false returns for herself and others. Today’s sentencing sends a message that IRS Criminal Investigation will continue investigating and recommending prosecution of return preparers who knowingly commit tax fraud.” This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caroline Gardner.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to More than 9 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Ernest Weldon, 37, of Columbia, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony. Evidence presented to the Court showed that on June 21, 2021, an officer with the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a car driven by Ernest Weldon. Instead of stopping for the officer, Weldon opened the door to the car and ran without putting the car in park, causing it to roll until it stopped in nearby grass. During his flight, Weldon dropped a firearm, which law enforcement recovered. CPD officers detained Weldon after a brief chase and took him into custody. Before this incident, Weldon had convictions for attempted armed robbery, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, and multiple convictions for assault and criminal domestic violence. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Weldon to 110 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Arizona man pleads guilty to attempted murder of a federal task force officer


title: Navajo man pleads guilty to second degree murder

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Evan Haceesa pleaded guilty to second degree murder. Haceesa, 29, of Nageezi, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to the plea agreement, on Aug. 28, Haceesa attacked Jane Doe at his residence in Nageezi on the Navajo Nation. Haceesa punched Jane Doe in the face until she lost consciousness and kicked her several times. Upon arriving at the home, a Navajo Police Department officer responding to a report of domestic violence found the victim unclothed and unresponsive, lying in a wheelbarrow outside the house. Jane Doe died as a result of her injuries. Haceesa faces up to life in prison. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-57


title: Sex Trafficker Is Sentenced To 21 Years In Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Milton Antonio Hasty, a/k/a “Montana,” 31, of Salisbury, N.C., was sentenced to 21 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release today for sex trafficking of a minor, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. "For over five months, Hasty caused an underage girl to engage in commercial sex acts for his own profit. He trafficked the young victim across four states and made her engage in sexual activity even when she was sick, exhausted, and hungry. Hasty’s lengthy sentence reflects the appalling nature of his crime,” said U.S. Attorney King. “One of the most important missions in the FBI is to protect our children,” said Special Agent in Charge DeWitt. “That is one of the many reasons the FBI devotes a significant amount of resources to help sex trafficking victims recover from the trauma they suffer at the hands of ruthless people like Hasty. Today’s sentence is a stark warning, there is a harsh punishment for those who choose to sacrifice another person’s civil rights and freedom for their own profit.” According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from January 22, 2019, to June 5, 2019, Hasty sex trafficked an underage female, knowing the victim was a minor, for his financial benefit. Court documents show that Hasty met the victim through a mutual female acquaintance. Upon meeting the victim, Hasty took photographs of the victim, posted escort advertisements online, booked hotel rooms, and arranged the victim’s sexual encounters with customers. For over five months, Hasty and the minor victim traveled to various cities throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, where the victim engaged in commercial sex acts. Hasty set up sexual encounters for the minor victim twenty-four hours a day and seven-days a week. Hasty kept almost all of the money the victim earned from these commercial sexual encounters. On October 13, 2021, Hasty pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. U.S. Attorney King praised the FBI, HSI, and CMPD for their investigation of the case and said, “Sex trafficking cases are some of the most important and difficult federal prosecutions that my office handles. I commend the investigative work of our law enforcement partners in this case, which led to Hasty’s substantial prison term.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Lindahl of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Three San Francisco Residents Plead Guilty To Crimes In Firearms Trafficking Scheme

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO –John Dillon Sembrano, Kelly Mean, and Ryan Vinhnavong Chantha pleaded guilty today to crimes stemming from their respective roles in a firearms trafficking scheme, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. The pleas were accepted by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge. On August 9, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted the defendants, charging all three with dealing firearms without a license between August 6, 2020, and November 16, 2021. Sembrano and Mean also were charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to their plea agreements, all three defendants admitted to the charges that were pending against them. Sembrano admitted in his plea agreement that he engaged in the business of dealing firearms in San Francisco. He admitted that he purchased or otherwise acquired dozens of firearms from a variety of sources and that he had another unlicensed firearms dealer sell them by using advertisements on Snapchat and Instagram. In addition, Sembrano admitted on November 16, 2021, he possessed seventeen firearms—four of which were stolen—that he stored in both the bedroom of his Bayview neighborhood residence and his vehicle. At the time Sembrano possessed the firearms, he already had been convicted of a felony and therefore was not permitted to possess weapons. Sembrano pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A), and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). For his part, Mean admitted that he also engaged in the business of dealing firearms without a license between August 6, 2020, and November 16, 2021, and that he acquired firearms from a variety of sources and then re-sold them. Mean admitted that on November 16, 2021, he possessed two Glock 9 mm caliber pistols with high-capacity magazines in connection with his firearms dealing business. Mean also admitted that he also had been convicted of a felony and was ineligible to possess the firearms. Like Sembrano, Mean pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A), and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Chantha admitted that he posted advertisements on social media applications Snapchat and Instagram to sell dozens of firearms. Chantha also admitted he had reason to believe that at least two of the firearms he sold would be transferred to a person who could not lawfully possess a firearm or who would use the firearm unlawfully or would dispose of the firearm unlawfully. Chantha pleaded guilty to dealing firearms without a license in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A). Sembrano and Mean face a maximum statutory sentence of up to ten years in prison and Chantha faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to five years in prison. In addition, as part of sentencing, the court also may order that the defendants serve additional periods of supervised release as well as pay fines and special assessments. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Judge Breyer scheduled Sembrano’s sentencing hearing for June 7, 2023, and scheduled Chantha and Mean’s sentencing hearings for July 12, 2023. Assistant United States Attorneys George Hageman and Daniel Kassabian are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Xavier Zebulon Marzette, 39 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after being found guilty during a 2-day jury trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Marzette was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in September of 2019, South Bend Police responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex and received information that some of the participants were armed. Officers stopped a car leaving the scene and found a loaded 9mm handgun inside which they were able to tie to Marzette whose DNA was found on the trigger. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Katelan Doyle. 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: Bay Area Resident Convicted Of Production Of Child Pornography And Sex Trafficking Of A Minor

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Kenneth Orlando Sparks was convicted of production of child pornography and sex trafficking of a minor by a federal jury, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The verdicts followed a week-long jury trial before the Hon. Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge. The jury found that Sparks, 36, of Oakland, Calif., produced child pornography by recording multiple videos of himself having sex with a minor victim in July 2019. The jury also found that Sparks engaged in sex trafficking of a minor for his actions enticing, recruiting, and transporting the minor victim to Oakland and San Francisco to engage in commercial sex work on “the Blade” (a generic term used to describe both cities’ commercial sex strips). Evidence at trial highlighted Sparks’ text messages and social media communications with the minor victim and others, in which Sparks arranged to transport the minor to and from the Blade and offered her advice and instruction while she was working on the Blade. Evidence at trial also demonstrated that Sparks provided the minor accommodation in the Bay Area (including at the location where the child pornography was filmed) in furtherance of her engaging in commercial sex. Trial evidence also demonstrated Sparks had been warned about the minor’s age and nevertheless transported her to the Bay Area for commercial sex on three occasions after receiving the warning. The investigation began after Sparks and the minor victim were stopped by San Francisco Police Department officers in July 2019. During the traffic stop, SFPD officers learned the passenger in the car was a minor and observed evidence of her involvement in commercial sex work. A federal grand jury indicted Sparks on September 29, 2021, charging him with one count each of production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a); sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a)(1), (b)(2), (c); coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b); and receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). The government dismissed the receipt of pornography charge before trial and the jury acquitted Sparks of the enticement charge. Sparks faces a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison and a minimum of 15 years in prison, a lifetime term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, plus restitution and a special assessment for the production of child pornography conviction. Sparks faces life in prison, a minimum of 10 years in prison, a lifetime term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, as well as restitution and a special assessment for the sex trafficking of a minor conviction. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Judge Chhabria has not yet scheduled Sparks’s sentencing hearing. He remains free on bond, pending further hearings. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilham Hosseini and Alethea Sargent are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez and Megan Pagaduan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and San Francisco Police Department.


title: Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- March 2023

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March 2023 Federal Grand Jury B. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Tyuane Lamontco Barnes . First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country; Conspiracy; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence . Barnes, 22, of Tulsa, allegedly conspired with others to rob the minor victim of his firearm, resulting in the victim’s murder on Jan 24, 2023. The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Aaron M. Jolly are prosecuting the case. Finnegan Roarke Cutter . Bank Robbery (Charged by Information). Cutter, 21, of Tulsa, is charged with using force and intimidation to rob Truity Credit Union in Bartlesville on Feb. 24, 2023. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan M. Roberts is prosecuting the case. Osvaldo Bravo-Roblero . Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Bravo-Roblero, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Nov. 28, 2018, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. Ty Warren Copeland . First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Copeland, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with breaking into a residence while it was occupied on Feb. 28, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial is prosecuting the case. Ismael Borrayo Esparza; Jesus Ricardo Ornelas Virgen . Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Borrayo, 34, and Ornelas, 33, both of Tulsa, are alleged to have conspired together to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; and 100 grams or more of heroin. The two are also charged with maintaining a residence to store and distribute the methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema M. Onias is prosecuting the case. Ethan Cord Melson . Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Melson, 26, of Stroud, is charged with assaulting an intimate partner by strangling her on Jan. 20, 2020. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial is prosecuting the case. Josue Ramirez-Yanez . Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramirez-Yanez, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Nov. 22, 2011, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. Joel Alberto Rodriguez-Garcia . Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez-Garcia, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Aug. 6, 2020, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. Ramon Silva-Rodriguez . Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Silva-Rodriguez, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly is prosecuting the case. Ray Alexander Villalba; Elijah Paul Titone . Conspiracy (Count 1); Kidnapping (Count 2); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Counts 3, 5, 7, 9, 11); Carjacking (Count 4); Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery (Counts 6, 10); Obstruction of Justice by Threatening Physical Force Against a Witness (Count 8). Villalba, 21, of Goodyear, Arizona, Titone, 24, of Muskogee, and others allegedly devised a plan where they would use dating apps and cell phones to lure potential victims to discrete locations under the guise of romantic encounters then threaten and kidnap victims in order to take their vehicle and property. Specifically, in early December 2022, the two men allegedly used Grindr to lure one man to a remote location then restrained and kidnapped him. They tied the victim up and forced him into the back seat of his car. Villalba drove the victim’s vehicle while Titone allegedly sat in the back with the victim while pointing a firearm at him. Titone showed the victim decapitation videos and Villalba told him that Titone was a member of a cartel that would kill the man if he did not comply. The two then drove the man to an ATM machine and forced him to provide his pin number to obtain money. They also forced him to unlock his phone so they could download Cashapp and transfer money. They once again threatened to kill the man if he called the police then left him on the side of the rode, driving off with his vehicle and wallet. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and John E. Brasher are prosecuting the case. Edwar Rosario Villalobos-Quintanilla . Distribution of Fentanyl; Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Villalobos-Quintanilla, 28, is charged with distributing fentanyl and with conspiring with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case.


title: Couple Sentenced for Failure to Pay Withheld Payroll Taxes

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that William H. White, 55, and Sarah A. White, 40, husband and wife, formerly of Roca, Nebraska, were sentenced on March 21, 2023, by the Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for Failure to Pay Over Employment Tax that had been withheld from employees’ paychecks. William White was sentenced to one year and one day imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Sarah White was sentenced to three years of probation and a fine of $10,000. Each was ordered to pay $426,047.75 restitution but was credited for payments they had made previously totaling that same amount. William and Sarah White owned two businesses that operated in tandem -- B&B Midwest Trucking (B&B) and 419, LLC (419). During portions of 2015 to 2018, B&B and 419 withheld federal income taxes and FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare) from employees’ paychecks but failed to account for those taxes on time and to pay them over to the Internal Revenue Service. The withheld employee payroll taxes totaled $144,220.31 for B&B, and $281,827.44 for 419. Each business had sufficient funds available to pay the payroll taxes when due. William and Sarah White were aware of the obligation to account for and pay the payroll taxes and were responsible to pay them, but instead used the funds withheld from employees’ paychecks to pay other business creditors and to pay for personal expenses. The businesses had further failed to pay over the employer’s share of payroll taxes to the IRS, but the Whites paid those amounts as well prior to sentencing. “Business owners have a significant duty to collect and turn over all IRS withholding taxes,” said Thomas F. Murdock, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, St. Louis Field Office. “Those who fail to do so gain an unfair competitive advantage. The failure to abide by IRS laws will not be tolerated, and those criminals will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service.


title: Greenville Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of a Gun

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Oxford, Mississippi – A Greenville man was sentenced yesterday to 40 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, Justin Simmons, 23, of Greenville, Mississippi, previously pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Debra Brown on Wednesday to serve 40 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi and Greenville Police Chief Marcus Turner made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Mims prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Washington man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for drug trafficking in Billings

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Washington man who admitted to a drug trafficking crime after law enforcement found fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and a loaded 9mm handgun in a search of his Billings hotel room and truck was sentenced today to 11 years and three months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Joel David Lund, 40, of Seattle, Washington, pleaded guilty in November 2022 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in September 2022, an investigation into an individual caught with a significant amount of fentanyl led to Lund as the person who sold the drug from his Billings hotel room. Agents served a search warrant on Lund’s hotel room, his truck and bags and seized approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills, meth, cocaine, heroin and a loaded 9mm handgun. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and Billings Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: West Haven Woman involved in Scheme to Steal COVID-19 Relief Funds from the City Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LAUREN DiMASSA, formerly known as LAUREN KNOX, 38, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to six months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for participating in a scheme to steal COVID-19 relief funds from the City of West Haven. Judge Williams also ordered DiMassa to serve the first six months of her supervised release in home confinement and to pay $147,776.10 in restitution. According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2020, the State of Connecticut was allocated money by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the Coronavirus Relief Fund (“CRF”), which was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) for the purpose of helping local governments pay costs incurred in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. From July 2020 through September 2021, the City of West Haven received approximately $1,150,257 in financial assistance from this fund. Lauren DiMassa’s now husband, Michael DiMassa, was employed by the City of West Haven, most recently serving as the Administrative Assistant to the City Council, and was also a Connecticut State Representative. Michael DiMassa, who was authorized to approve the designated relief funds for the reimbursement of COVID-related expenditures incurred by West Haven, conspired with Lauren DiMassa, John Bernardo, and John Trasacco to steal these funds and other West Haven funds through the submission of fraudulent invoices, and subsequent payment, for COVID relief goods and services that were never provided. Between approximately July 2020 and October 2021, Michael DiMassa submitted fraudulent invoices to West Haven for services related to a Youth Violence Prevention Program and for Youth Violence COVID-19 Associated Expenses. These invoices listed charges for in-home counseling, cleaning supplies, special needs hourly service, wi-fi assistance for low/moderate income families, counseling services, license fees, a fall youth clinic, meals, support group supplies, equipment rental, and youth clinic support group. The payment vouchers requested that checks be made out to directly to Lauren DiMassa. West Haven made 16 payments totaling approximately $147,776.10 to Lauren DiMassa, who never provided any services to the City of West Haven. Michael and Lauren DiMassa used the proceeds for their own benefit. Lauren DiMassa was arrested on February 18, 2022. On July 14, 2022, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Lauren DiMassa, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 23. On November 1, 2022, Michael DiMassa pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing and has agreed to pay restitution of $1,216,541.80. On June 14, 2022, Bernardo, a West Haven city employee who with Michael DiMassa formed a company that they used to bill the city for fraudulent COVID-related consulting services, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On March 22, 2023, he was sentenced to 13 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $58,927.25 in restitution. On December 2, 2022, a jury found Trasacco, whose companies received approximately $431,982 through this scheme, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing. This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General for Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ray Miller and David Sheldon. Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts Second Community Event as Part of DOJ's United Against Hate Initiative

component: USAO - Arizona

number: 2023-042_United Against Hate

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona held its second United Against Hate event yesterday at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona. The event provided an opportunity for an informative and robust discussion with members and leaders from Arizona’s LGBTQIA+ community. Approximately 80 invited guests, including community members and leaders, law enforcement, lawyers who prosecute or litigate hate crimes/incidents and discrimination claims, and a reporter with LookoutPhx.org, were in attendance. The event focused on establishing a dialogue, brainstorming ways to increase trust in law enforcement, and increasing community understanding of the critical importance of reporting hate crimes and hate incidents. “Hate crimes harm not just individuals, but also traumatize communities and families,” said Gary Restaino, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “My office is committed to using all the tools in our law enforcement arsenal, both to prosecute acts motivated by hate, and to educate against ignorance and bias.” Yesterday’s event featured a discussion with a panel comprised of community leaders, law enforcement partners, and members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The panel discussion, moderated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, allowed attendees to hear directly from leaders in the community, who shared their thoughts, concerns, and experiences with hate crimes and incidents. The event also included presentations from the FBI, the Phoenix Police Department, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the Arizona Attorney General’s office. The District of Arizona will hold additional United Against Hate events in the coming months to engage with communities across the state. These events will further encourage collaboration, support hate crimes prevention efforts, and encourage more Arizonans to report hate crimes and hate incidents. RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-042_United Against Hate # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Brooklyn Man, Who Was Fugitive for 8 Years, Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison For His Role in Heroin Conspiracy

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Dockim Deeshawn McKnight, 34, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 5 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. McKnight was one of 10 defendants charged in April 2014, following a series of court-authorized, DEA-monitored wiretaps over several telephones in the Columbia area. Six of the 10 defendants were arrested in April 2014, while 4 remained fugitives, including McKnight. Two fugitives were arrested in 2017 in Texas. McKnight remained a fugitive until his May 2022 arrest by the United States Marshals Service in Brooklyn, New York. The remaining fugitive was arrested in September 2022 in Concord, North Carolina, is currently awaiting trial, and is innocent until and unless proven guilty. The 2013 investigation revealed that a group of individuals in the Columbia area were obtaining heroin from various sources outside of South Carolina and then distributing it in the Midlands. Evidence indicated that the suppliers were initially getting the heroin in packages from India. Several packages destined for Columbia and containing heroin were intercepted by law enforcement during the investigation. Evidence further showed that the co-defendants later traveled to New York to obtain heroin and transported it back to Columbia, where it was distributed. In June 2013, New York authorities seized 155 grams of heroin from McKnight and his girlfriend/co-defendant Jessany Lyons while they were preparing to board a bus back to South Carolina. Eight of McKnight’s co-defendants earlier pleaded guilty to their role in the drug conspiracy here in South Carolina and were sentenced as follows: Eric Shawn Bradley of Columbia was sentenced to 210 months in prison with 8 years of court-ordered supervision; Michael Glover of Columbia was sentenced to 324 months in prison with 8 years of court-ordered supervision; Jihad Salahadeen Pollard of Columbia was sentenced to 121 months in prison with 4 years of court-ordered supervision; Kenneth Crawford, Jr. of Washington, D.C., and formerly of Columbia was sentenced to 120 months in prison with 8 years of court-ordered supervision; Charles Raheem Bradley of Columbia was sentenced to 57 months in prison with 6 years of court-ordered supervision; Anthony Troy Glover of Columbia was sentenced to 120 months in prison with 8 years of court-ordered supervision; Larry Grover Bookman of Columbia was sentenced to 70 months in prison with 6 years of court-ordered supervision; and Jessany Lyons of Far Rockaway, New York, was sentenced to 37 months in prison with 3 years of court-ordered supervision. The New York heroin suppliers were charged and convicted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York for their role in the drug conspiracy. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced McKnight to 60 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) High Intensity Drug Task Force, which was comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Secret Service (USSS), Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. The United States Marshals Service and the Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force-Charlotte Office assisted in locating the 4 fugitives. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Ecuadorian National Sentenced to Prison for Participating in Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; announced that EDWIN F. GUTIERREZ, 45, a citizen of Ecuador residing in East Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to six months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for participating in a tax refund fraud scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately May 2013 to April 2017, Gutierrez and several other Ecuadoran nationals participated in a scheme to illegally obtain tax refunds from the IRS. In order to obtain the refunds, some of Gutierrez’s co-defendants filed fraudulent federal tax returns, in the names of other foreign nationals (“claimants”), with the IRS. The fraudulent tax returns stated that the claimants resided in the U.S., earned wages from companies in the U.S., and had federal income tax withheld from the claimants’ wages. In truth, the claimants never worked for or earned income from those companies. In addition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection have no records of the claimants even being present in the U.S. during the tax years for which the returns were filed. Based on these false tax returns, the IRS issued tax refunds, which were then deposited into bank accounts that were controlled by Gutierrez and some of his co-defendants. Through this scheme, Gutierrez and his associates obtained 142 tax refunds, totaling approximately $435,500. Gutierrez personally deposited 69 of those refunds, totaling approximately $215,460, into his own bank accounts. Gutierrez and his associates spent some of the proceeds for their personal use, and they wired some of the proceeds to relatives in Ecuador. Judge Arterton ordered Gutierrez to pay restitution of $215,460. Gutierrez, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on May 10. On July 16, 2021, Gutierrez and three others with were arrested on an indictment charging them with various offenses stemming from this scheme. On October 12, 2022, Gutierrez pleaded guilty to theft of public money. Gutierrez’s co-defendants pleaded guilty to related charges. This matter has been investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.


title: Pryor man admits domestic assault

body_text: BILLINGS — A Pryor man accused of beating a woman on the Crow Indian Reservation admitted to a domestic assault crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Christian Aaron Monroy, 25, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with domestic assault by a habitual offender. Monroy faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Monroy was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that in June 2021, the victim, identified as Jane Doe, was driving a car with Monroy as a passenger. Monroy began to tease and tickle Jane Doe, who accidently hit Monroy in the face with her elbow. Later, with Monroy now driving, Jane Doe threw a bottle of Monroy’s alcohol out of the window. Monroy stopped the car near Chief Plenty Coups Park and began assaulting Jane Doe. The assault continued after the two arrived at Monroy’s home. Jane Doe received treatment for injuries at a Billings hospital. Monroy and Jane Doe were in a dating relationship at the time. Monroy had been convicted in January 2020 and June 2021 of partner or family member assault for assaulting previous girlfriends. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek and Special Assistant U.S Attorney Jeanne Torske are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs. XXX


title: Former owner of Savannah restaurant sentenced to prison, ordered to pay more than $400,000 restitution in tax case

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: The former owner of a Savannah pizza franchise has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for failing to remit more than $400,000 in payroll taxes. Melissa Metts Johnson, 48, of Statesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to Failure to Account for and Pay Over Employment Taxes, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker ordered Johnson to pay restitution of $428,203.48 and to serve one year of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “For several years, Melissa Johnson withheld taxes from her employees’ paychecks and kept that money for her own enrichment rather than remit it to the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “She’s now being held accountable for stealing from the U.S. Treasury at the expense of other law-abiding taxpayers.” As described in court documents and testimony, Johnson was the sole owner of LHMS Inc., which operated a franchise of the Mellow Mushroom pizza restaurant in Savannah. In her guilty plea, Johnson acknowledged that her company withheld payments for federal income taxes, Medicare, and Social Security from employees’ paychecks from 2015 through 2019, but then failed to pay all of those taxes to the IRS. “Altogether,” the plea agreement says, the “LHMS, Inc. to failed to account for and pay over $428,203.48 in payroll taxes.” “Melissa Johnson’s employees were dedicated over the years, keeping her business running, and she repaid them by stealing their employment taxes,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Employers have a responsibility to their employees to pay over federal income taxes withheld from their payroll checks to the IRS. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to investigate dishonest employers who evade their responsibilities and abuse their employees’ trust.” The case is being investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Adam Henry, 33 years old, of Naperville, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Henry was sentenced to 188 months in prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on September 28, 2019, an Allen County Airport Authority police officer observed Henry driving erratically through the parking lot of the Fort Wayne International Airport. He was stopped as he left the airport and officers discovered that Henry was driving an airport rental car but had no driver’s license. A subsequent search of car Henry had rented revealed a handgun under the driver’s seat and several baggies of different pills/drugs to include Xanax and 53.9 grams of cocaine. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Fort Wayne Allen County Airport Authority – Public Safety Department, and the Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery. ###


title: Government Contractor Pays $742,500 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations in Obtaining Contracts Reserved for Eligible Small Businesses

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Advanced Systems Technology & Management, Inc. (AdSTM), a government contractor specializing in science and technology-based engineering and consulting located in McLean, and AdSTM’s former CEO, Bing Ran, also of McLean, agreed to pay $742,500 to settle allegations that AdSTM used alter ego companies to allow AdSTM to obtain contracts “set aside” for contractors participating in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) 8(a) Program, after AdSTM was no longer eligible under the 8(a) Program. “It is vital to the purpose of the SBA’s programs that government contracts set aside for disadvantaged small businesses are issued only to those companies that are eligible. EDVA encourages anyone to come forward with information about instances where the small business set aside program has been victimized,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. The settlement arises in connection with a lawsuit filed by a former AdSTM employee under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. United States ex rel. Guan v. AdSTM, et al. The settlement resolves allegations that AdSTM and Ran conspired to fraudulently induce federal agencies to award multiple small business set-aside contracts to Qi Tech and Foredata for which they were not eligible because they were controlled by AdSTM and Ran after AdSTM was no longer eligible under the 8(a) program because of its size. Among other criteria, to be eligible to participate in the SBA’s 8(a) Program, a company must be (1) a small business, (2) at least 51% owned by U.S. citizens who are socially and economically disadvantaged, and (3) the management and daily operations of the company must be controlled by one or more individuals that are both socially and economically disadvantaged. “We are very pleased with today’s announcement,” said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “This settlement, which is the result of great cooperative efforts among our law enforcement partners, is yet another example that misuse of the government contracting process will not go unchecked.” A whistleblower suit, or qui tam action under the False Claims Act, is commenced by an individual, known as a “relator,” filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court, and providing a copy of the complaint and other evidence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The False Claims Act provides whistleblowers with a share of the government’s recovery. The relator here, a former AdSTM employee, will receive a share of the False Claims Act settlement. The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Major Procurement Fraud Field Office, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Starr. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae . Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit can be accessed on PACER by searching for No. 1:18-cv-795 (E.D. Va., Alexandria Div.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: New Castle Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Drug and Gun Crimes

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH – Jgenus Steele was sentenced to 63 months in prison for committing fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine trafficking and firearm crimes, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Steele, age 23 of New Castle, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert J. Colville. Judge Colville ordered Steele to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Steele’s sentence is a result of a Lawrence County Drug Task Force investigation in 2019 and 2020. Steele was on parole at that time as a result of a prior conviction for aggravated assault. The Task Force made a controlled purchase of 12.44 grams of crack directly from Steele in December 2019 in New Castle. The Task Force thereafter served a search warrant at Steele’s apartment in New Castle in February 2020. A mixture containing 2.68 grams of fentanyl and heroin was located inside the apartment along with, among other things, five loaded pistols and $1,255.00 in drug trafficking proceeds. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Lawrence County Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. This case was prosecuted as 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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Ophthalmology Practice Agrees to Pay Over $2.9 Million to Settle Kickback Allegations

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – Ophthalmology provider group, Arlington Ophthalmology Association, P.L.L.C. d/b/a Kleiman Evangelista Eye Centers (“K&E”), with offices located in Arlington, Dallas, Plano, Southlake, Mount Pleasant, and Gun Barrel City, Texas, has agreed to pay $2,902,505 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it offered and paid kickbacks to optometrists to induce referrals of patients who were candidates for cataract surgery in in violation of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “The Eastern District of Texas is committed to looking beyond labels and examining providers' actual conduct. Although co-management can be a legitimate practice, merely applying that label does not give providers carte blanche to remunerate referring providers in order to secure business,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We are committed to investigating any financial incentives offered to secure referrals, which cloud providers' medical judgement, and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.” “Paying kickbacks to providers incentivizes doctors to treat patients based on illegitimate financial gain, rather than the patient's needs and best interests,” said Korby Harshaw, acting Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will not tolerate kickback arrangements, which undermine medical responsibility, put patients at risk, and can waste taxpayer dollars.” The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients. K&E routinely engaged in the practice of co-management of cataract surgery patients with optometrists who referred patients to K&E. Patients who undergo cataract surgery require post-operative monitoring and care. When post-operative care is rendered by another provider other than the surgeon, such as an optometrist outside the surgeon’s practice, this practice is generally referred to as co-management. The settlement announced today resolves certain allegations that K&E’s remunerative arrangement with referring optometrists who co-managed patient care with K&E violated the Anti-Kickback Statute. The United States contends K&E provided remuneration to referring optometrists when it paid referring optometrists money untethered to actual non-Medicare and non-Medicaid covered services for referring cataract patients who received premium intraocular lenses (IOLs) or laser-assisted cataract surgery, guaranteed the automatic return of patients referred, provided optometrists free continuing education courses, rewarded top referring optometrists with expensive dinners, and invited referring optometrists, their family, and staff to Texas Rangers stadium games at the company suite. The fees paid to referring optometrists for patients who received premium lenses or laser-assisted cataract surgery were in addition to the reimbursement already received by the optometrists from Medicare and Medicaid for performing post-operative cataract care and were not tied to or commensurate with actual post-operative services specifically attributed to premium IOLs or laser-assisted cataract surgery rendered, and thus constituted unlawful remuneration under the Anti-Kickback Statute. As part of the settlement, K&E has agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s investigations of and litigation against other parties involved in the alleged violations of law. This investigation originated from a civil lawsuit filed by a Relator, or whistleblower, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allows private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower in this matter will receive a percentage of this civil settlement. The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). This civil settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham, Adrian Garcia, and Betty Young, Investigator Ann Williams, and Paralegal Christina Cate. The claims resolved by this settlement is allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. ####


title: Two KCK Residents Indicted for Fentanyl Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man and woman have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Alonso Alfredo Nunez, also known as “Bullet,” 19, and Jaloany Garcia-Medina, also known as “J. Lo,” 20, were charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on March 14, 2023. They were arrested today and had their initial court appearance. The federal indictment alleges that Nunez and Garcia-Medina participated in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl from July 25 to Dec. 18, 2022. In addition to the conspiracy, Nunez and Gacia-Medina are also charged together in one count of distributing fentanyl. Garcia-Medina is also charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the FBI.


title: Two Previously Deported Men Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two previously deported men were indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Santiago-Hernandez, age 40, of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien. The indictment alleges that Santiago-Hernandez was previously removed from the United States on March 19, 2015, through Laredo, Texas, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The indictment also alleges that on July 2, 2022, Santiago-Hernandez was encountered in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Pennsylvania State Police. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Jose Serrano-Castillo, age 31, of El Salvador, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien. The indictment alleges that Serrano-Castillo was previously removed from the United States on September 2, 2022, through Alexandria, Louisiana, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The indictment also alleges that on March 16, 2023, Serrano-Castillo was encountered in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 8 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the cases. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Tampa Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Demetrius Sanchez Mitchell (38, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Mitchell faces a mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison. He has agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition traceable to his offense. According to court documents, on July 2, 2022, officers with the Tampa Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by Mitchell. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded 9 mm pistol in the center console. At the time of the stop, Mitchell had multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, carjacking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Mitchell is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan. 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: Multi-Convicted Violent Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing Firearms

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Shawn Lanier Lowman, Jr. (23, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Lowman faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, at approximately 11:00 p.m. on November 1, 2022, Lowman was a passenger in a black BMW 328i sedan that fled after officers from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) had attempted to conduct a traffic stop near the intersection of East Sligh Avenue and North Central Avenue, in the Old Seminole Heights neighborhood of Tampa. A short time later, TPD officers located the same black sedan in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa, near the intersection of North Klondyke Street and East Bird Street. The car was eventually parked on the side of the road, and three occupants, including Lowman, exited the vehicle. Two TPD officers attempted to make contact with Lowman, but Lowman fled on foot through the neighborhood evading the officers. A TPD Air Service helicopter positioned above Sulphur Springs used a Forward Looking InfraRed (“FLIR”) camera to track Lowman as he fled through the neighborhood and into the backyard of a residence where he hid in a shed. The helicopter’s FLIR camera was able to see the thermal signature of Lowman inside the shed. TPD officers converged on the shed and arrested Lowman. Inside the shed, the officers located 10.9 grams of bagged cocaine. During a search of Lowman, officers recovered three pills which tested positive for oxycodone. The officers then retraced Lowman’s path and found a backpack containing two loaded firearms: (1) a Glock 9mm pistol; and (2) a Smith & Wesson Model 659 9mm pistol (loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber). The backpack also contained a digital scale, an extended magazine (11 rounds) and a black ski mask. Latent fingerprints belonging to Lowman were located on the slide of the Glock pistol and two of Lowman’s latent fingerprints were found on the magazine of the 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol. In an interview with officers following his arrest, Lowman admitted that the fingerprints found on the firearms belonged to him and that he had possessed the firearms. Lowman had previously served approximately six years in state prison for armed carjacking with a deadly weapon and armed burglary in July 2017. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee. 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: Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Offense Against A Minor

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Richard L. Barksdale, 69, of Goshen, Kentucky, pleaded guilty today to traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 18, 2022, Barksdale contacted an individual he found on a fetish website he believed to be the single mother of two girls, ages 11 and 13, in Beckley, West Virginia. Barksdale admitted that he began communicating with the woman in phone calls and text messages, telling the woman that he wanted to engage in sexual activity with both of her daughters. Barksdale further admitted that he discussed methods to avoid the minor children getting pregnant, such as by putting them on birth control pills. Barksdale arranged to rent a hotel room in Beckley where he would meet the two minor females to engage in sexual activity with both of them. He also arranged to bring gift cards and candy to make the minors more comfortable with him. On September 11, 2022, Barksdale traveled from his Kentucky residence to the Beckley hotel, where he was arrested. Barksdale is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Barksdale must also register as a sex offender. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-207. ###


title: Idaho Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Executing Million Dollar PPP Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: Denver - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Edward Baker Harrington, age 59, of Idaho Springs, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and money laundering. According to the plea agreement, from April 2020 through September 2021, the defendant submitted a number of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications to seven banks and one lender on behalf of business entities that he purportedly controlled. These PPP applications contained a number of false and fraudulent certifications and representations. The defendant obtained more than $1,000,000 in PPP loans as a result of the scheme. He falsely represented that all PPP funds would be used to pay eligible business expenses, when, in fact, the proceeds were used for his personal benefit to purchase goods and property, including real estate and vehicles. The defendant also sought loan forgiveness for PPP loans by submitting loan forgiveness applications in which he made false representations and certifications regarding his businesses and his compliance with the PPP program rules, including rules related to the eligible uses of PPP loan proceeds. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created PPP, a program administered by the Small Business Administration that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. A wire fraud conviction carries with it a prison term of up to 20 years and a fine of not more than $250,000. A money laundering conviction carries with it a prison term of up to 10 years and a fine of not more than $250,000. This case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Cassidy and Martha Paluch. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Case Number: 22-cr-00324