title: Mission Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023. Georgette Long Warrior, age 46, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Long Warrior was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. She pleaded guilty on August 7, 2023. The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in September of 2021 and continuing until January of 2023, when Long Warrior was involved with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Long Warrior received pound quantities of methamphetamine from a source in California and then distributed the methamphetamine to various individuals on the reservation. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance. This case was investigated by the FBI, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. Long Warrior was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Two North Dakota Women Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a West Fargo, North Dakota, woman and a Raleigh, North Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on November 14, 2023. Kerstyn Lanz, age 31, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Monica Yellow Bird, age 40, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. The convictions stemmed from a drug conspiracy in December of 2022 wherein Lanz and Yellow Bird knowingly and intentionally agreed with others to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Lanz, Yellow Bird, and their two co-defendants were arrested while at a gas station in Oacoma, South Dakota. Their vehicles were searched and approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine was found in vacuum sealed bags wrapped as Christmas presents. The defendants were transporting the methamphetamine from a source in Las Vegas, Nevada, to North Dakota for further distribution. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance. Co-defendant Abdul Vann was previously sentenced to thirteen years in prison, and co-defendant Samuel Vann was previously sentenced to one year in prison. This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Northern Plains Safe Trains Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. Lanz and Yellow Bird were allowed to self-report on November 27, 2023.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a Firearm

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023, in Sioux Falls. Elijah Darrell Lane, age 21, was sentenced to one year and six months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Lane was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on August 30, 2023. According to court documents, on November 29, 2022, Lane, a convicted felon, knowingly had possession of a firearm. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Lane was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.


title: Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for Assaulting, Resisting, and Opposing a Federal Officer

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Opposing a Federal Officer in Pierre, South Dakota. The sentencing took place on November 6, 2023. Derek Kennedy, age 43, was sentenced to 45 days in federal prison and eight months of home confinement, followed by three years of supervised release. Kennedy was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Kennedy was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023 and pled guilty in August of 2023. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on July 12, 2022, in Lower Brule. Kennedy was arrested for unrelated tribal offenses on the same date. As he was being booked into the Lower Brule jail, Kennedy became combative and attempted bite a federal officer on the arm and spit in the officer’s face. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Service - Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case. The defendant was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.


title: Mission Man Sentenced for Assault

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangulation and Suffocation. The sentencing took place on November 6, 2023. Bobbylee Hill, age 21, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hill was indicted for Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangulation and Suffocation by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 3, 2023. Hill and the victim began dating in January of 2022 and were residing together in Mission in November of 2022. On the evening of November 24, Hill became upset after going through the victim’s phone. The verbal argument escalated to a physical confrontation and Hill threw the victim onto a bed. Hill positioned himself on top of the victim, placed both of his hands on the victim’s neck, and applied pressure. The victim was unable to talk and had difficulty breathing as Hill applied pressure. Hill stopped after the victim waved her arms. The victim fled from the residence and called 911 after Hill assaulted her a second time. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case. Hill was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Sisseton Man for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Abusive Sexual Contact

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal jury has convicted Thomas Avery Drum, age 59, of Sisseton, South Dakota, of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Abusive Sexual Contact following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on November 15, 2023. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years and a maximum penalty of up to life in custody; Abusive Sexual Contact carries any term of years and a maximum penalty of up to life in custody. Each conviction carries the possible maximum of a $250,000 fine, and a required a mandatory minimum of five years to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Drum was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. According to evidence presented at trial, between August of 2014 and August of 2015, Drum knowingly engaged in at least one sexual act and contact with a child under the age of 12. The sexual abuse took place at Drum’s residence on the Lake Traverse Reservation near the town of Sisseton. At the time of the abuse, Drum was approximately 50 years of age, while the victim was seven. This case was investigated by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe’s Law Enforcement and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for May 20, 2024. Drum was ordered to self-surrender on November 27, 2023.


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on November 6, 2023. Anthony Lawrence Collins, age 40, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Collins was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on July 27, 2023. Collins was convicted in federal court of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in 2003. His firearms rights have not been restored. On July 23, 2022, in Eagle Butte, the police observed Collins holding a shotgun. They arrested Collins and seized the shotgun. Collins knew he had been convicted of a felony and could not possess firearms. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Collins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Robeson County Murder Suspect Accused of Shooting Sheriff Deputies Faces Federal Carjacking Charges

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

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Robeson County murder suspect accused of shooting two Robeson County Sheriff’s deputies now faces federal carjacking charges. A criminal complaint filed today alleges that Shawn Tobin Locklear, Jr., carjacked a vehicle with the intent to cause serious bodily injury. If convicted, Locklear faces up to 25 years in prison. “The brave men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our office will bring swift prosecution against individuals who intentionally try to bring harm to those who have taken an oath to protect their communities. We are proud to partner with Sheriff Wilkins and District Attorney Matt Scott to address violent crime in Robeson County.” “This is yet another example of the importance of working alongside our federal partners in such a way to bring violent offenders to justice,” says Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. “The criminal complaint filed today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office is the first step in ensuring that this suspect is held accountable for his violent actions that have plagued this county for years.” According to the complaint, Locklear is alleged to have shot and injured two Robeson County Sheriff’s deputies who were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on him. After being struck by gunfire, both deputies took cover behind their patrol car. Locklear is then alleged to have entered the driver’s side of the patrol car and put the car into reverse as one deputy was located on the ground behind the patrol vehicle. The deputy was able to push himself partially out of the way before Locklear reversed over his leg with the car. Locklear was able to drive away with the patrol vehicle and fled the scene. The incident was captured on the deputies’ body cameras. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Foxx is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.7:23-CR-01286-RJ. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Two Eagle Butte Men and One Dupree Man Sentenced for Theft of Firearms and Third-Degree Burglary

body_text: PIERRE- United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced three South Dakota men convicted of Theft of Firearms from Federal Firearm Licensee and Third-Degree Burglary. The sentencings took place on October 10, 2023, and November 15, 2023, respectively. Jaylen Bleu Ducheneaux, a/k/a Jaylen Red Bear, age 24, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Weston Reid Clausen, age 24, of Dupree, South Dakota, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Ford Whitley Traversie, age 23, of Eagle Butte, was sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. All three defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $20,188 to the victim of this matter, and the restitution was ordered to be paid joint and several between the co-defendants. Clausen, Ducheneaux, and Traversie were indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. Traversie pleaded guilty on June 14, 2023; Ducheneaux pleaded guilty on August 3, 2023; and Clausen pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023. The convictions stemmed from an incident that occurred during the weekend of August 13 to 15, 2022, when the defendants burglarized Reloaders Corner, a licensed federal firearm retailer in Isabel, South Dakota. Ducheneaux and Clausen planned the burglary while Traversie served as a lookout during the burglary. The three men stole 105 firearms. Some of the firearms were then illegally trafficked to other individuals. The stolen firearms have been recovered in various communities in South Dakota and throughout the Midwest. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Dewey County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges 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. Clausen, Ducheneaux, and Traversie were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Mission Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal Officer

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023. Wilson Brave Heart, age 51, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Brave Heart was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He was found guilty following a jury trial that concluded on August 16, 2023. On March 11, 2023, Brave Heart was arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officers and charged with domestic abuse. He was then transported by an officer to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Correctional Facility. While he was completing intake processing at the Adult Correctional Facility, Brave Heart spit in the face of the arresting officer. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Brave Heart was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Middlesex County Man Admits Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man admitted that he conspired to illegally obtain over $400,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Valerio’s conspirator, Yanira Abreu, 42, of Keasby, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2023, on charges stemming from the same scheme. A third conspirator, Jose Tavares, 35, of New York, is charged by complaint and his case remains pending. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From July 2020 through February 2021, Valerio, Abreu and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent. Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Valerio and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,738, which they used for personal gain. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations against Tavares are merely accusations, and Taveras is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. cvalerio.information.pdf


title: Rapid City Man Convicted at Jury Trial of Conspiring to Sell Methamphetamine and Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Sam Boyd, age 35, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Felon in Possession of Ammunition following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on November 2, 2023. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in custody and a maximum penalty of life in custody and a $10,000,000 fine, five years up to life of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Boyd was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2022. In the fall of 2020, Boyd began obtaining methamphetamine from a co-conspirator in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The methamphetamine was either mailed or transported to western South Dakota on multiple occasions. Boyd then distributed the methamphetamine to others for use and to further sell. Throughout the conspiracy, Boyd routinely possessed multiple firearms and ammunition, despite being legally prohibited from doing so due to a prior felony conviction. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Centreville Man Sentenced for $300,000 Crypto-Fraud Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Centreville man was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for defrauding three cryptocurrency trading platforms out of more than $300,000. According to court documents, between 2021 and 2022, Rayan Sharaf, 55, ran a novel cryptocurrency fraud scheme. As part of the scheme, Sharaf moved funds from his individual bank accounts to accounts at cryptocurrency trading platforms. After purchasing cryptocurrencies within the trading accounts, Sharaf then transferred the funds to different wallets and bank accounts nominally owned by third parties but which Sharaf actually controlled. These third parties included adult and minor family members whose identifying information was fraudulently obtained by Sharaf. He then contacted the original banks and falsely claimed that the initial transfers to the trading platforms had not been authorized, thereby fraudulently inducing the banks to issue refunds. In total, Sharaf defrauded three cryptocurrency platforms out of a total of over $300,000 which he used to purchase luxury goods international flights, and jewelry and to pay off debts. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Morgan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Mulbry prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-114.


title: El Salvador Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison following Trial Convictions for his Role in Fentanyl Conspiracy

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced an El Salvador man and a Victorville, California, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on November 13, 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Edwin Giovanni Salinas, age 44, was sentenced to life in prison. He was ordered to pay $200 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Berta Rosmelvi Gonzales, age 33, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Salinas and Gonzales were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. Gonzales pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on July 10, 2023. On July 19, 2023, Salinas was found guilty at trial of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. According to evidence admitted at trial, on November 26, 2022, Salinas and Gonzales were pulled over during a traffic stop. During a search of the vehicle, approximately 16 pounds of fentanyl was found. The fentanyl was contained in 12 packages – two containing powder weighing 3.5 pounds and another 10 containing approximately 50,000 pills. The 10 separate packages contained small blue pills marked “M” on one side and “30” on the other, apparent counterfeit “M-30” pills containing fentanyl. The fentanyl was mixed with a horse tranquilizer. The approximate street value of the drugs was estimated at $2,000,000. “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug our communities have ever faced,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “It is almost fifty times more potent than heroin, and just two milligrams - an amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil - is enough to kill an average adult. So when this defendant trafficked more than 50,000 fentanyl pills and 3.5 pounds of fentanyl powder into our state, he brought enough poison to wipe out the entire population of South Dakota. It is therefore paramount that we continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute the trafficking of fentanyl, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to doing so alongside our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners.” According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. Laboratory testing indicates seven out of every 10 fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. During the sentencing of Salinas, the Court stated that his conduct was “reprehensible,” citing the lethality of the controlled substances and the likely intended location of where a portion of the fentanyl was headed – tribal lands. The Court noted that this case involved the largest ever fentanyl seizure and prosecution in the state. This case was investigated by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux’s Law Enforcement, Roberts County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy R. Jehangiri and Paige Petersen prosecuted the case. Salinas and Gonzales were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving their sentences.


title: Federal Indictment Charges Dentist For $3 Million Loan Scheme And Tax Evasion

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: UPDATE Matthew Johnson was acquitted of the charges alleged in the indictment as described in the press release below. CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Charlotte has indicted Matthew Johnson, 58, of Troutman, N.C., for orchestrating a fraudulent loan scheme that defrauded the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of more than $3 million and tax evasion, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The indictment was unsealed today following Johnson’s initial appearance in court. Donald "Trey" Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the indictment, Johnson was a dentist and oral surgeon that owned Johnson Oral Surgery in Mooresville, N.C. In addition to the dental practice, Johnson also owned Mount Mourne Springs LLC, a real estate development company. The indictment alleges that from August 2018 to November 2021, Johnson submitted a false and fraudulent loan application in the name of his dental practice and the real estate development business. The application was for a loan backed by the SBA, and allegedly contained fraudulent information, including false information regarding the status of Johnson’s personal and business taxes and outstanding tax debts. For example, the indictment alleges that one of the fraudulent documents Johnson allegedly submitted in support of the loan application was a fabricated letter purporting to be from the IRS, falsely representing that Johnson was on a payment plan with the IRS. As a result of the fraudulent loan application, Johnson received more than $3 million in an SBA-backed loan. Contrary to claims Johnson made on the application about the purpose of the loan, Johnson allegedly used the loan funds to pay for personal expenses including travel, cash withdrawals, and to pay for farm equipment and home improvement projects. In addition to the loan scheme, the indictment alleges that, from October 2015 to November 2021, Johnson committed tax evasion, and failed to pay more than $615,000 in taxes he owed to the IRS for tax years 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Johnson has been released on bond. He is charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and tax evasion, which has a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in prison. Both charges also carry a fine of up to $250,000 for each offense. The charges against Johnson are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked IRS-CI for their investigation which led to the federal charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.


title: Man Incarcerated in a California State Prison Sentenced to over 33 Years for a Meth, Fentanyl and Money Laundering Conspiracy in South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Kern Valley, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023. Terry Morris, Jr., age 41, was sentenced on a Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance charge to 33 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was then sentenced on the Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments charge to 22 years in federal prison. Both sentences will run concurrently with one another but consecutive to his sentence in California. He was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Morris was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 30, 2023. Morris created and orchestrated a drug trafficking organization from his prison cell within the Kern Valley State Prison in California, where he was incarcerated for murder. Using a cell phone which had been smuggled in, Morris communicated by call, text, and social media with members of his family, along with numerous other co-defendants from both South Dakota and California, in order to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area. Morris is attributed with distributing at least 200 pounds of methamphetamine and 80,000 fentanyl pills during his involvement in this conspiracy, drugs that were known to be sourced from Mexican cartels. “This is one of two major federal drug sentences handed down this week in South Dakota,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “In this instance, the defendant orchestrated the movement of enormous amounts of deadly substances into our communities, leaving a trail of devastation without ever stepping foot in South Dakota himself. Although independently noteworthy, collectively, these sentences should send a resounding message to drug traffickers—targeting South Dakota communities for the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl will result in grave personal consequences. As this case demonstrates, drug traffickers will be relentlessly pursued by local and federal law enforcement and aggressively prosecuted in federal court.” Others that have been charged as part of this conspiracy include Rigoberto Hernandez, age 32, of Los Angeles, California, who was sentenced on May 1, 2023, to 11 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release; Reginald Davis, age 41, of Los Angeles, California, who was sentenced on May 26, 2023, to 17 years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release; Kessara Mikkelson, age 35, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who was sentenced on October 30, 2023, to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release; and Asia Gunhammer, age 31, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who was sentenced on October 30, 2023, to 10 years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. All defendants were also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The case against Terry Morris, III, who is also facing charges of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, is still pending in the District of South Dakota. This case was investigated by the FBI, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Morris, Jr. was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Mission Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2023. Anthony Little Hoop, age 33, was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Little Hoop was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 17, 2023. Little Hoop was convicted of Sexual Abuse in 2012. As a result of this conviction, he his required to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, including updating his registration within three business days of a change in residence address, employment status, or student status. Little Hoop last registered with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Sex Offender Registry Office on July 29, 2022, providing an address in Mission. Little Hoop left his registered address in November and did not update his registration after moving. His whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested in an abandoned apartment in Mission. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case. Little Hoop was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Todd County Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Todd County, South Dakota man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 14, 2023. Julian One Star, age 36, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. One Star was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 10, 2023. In October of 2022, One Star was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court. This conviction requires One Star to comply with the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, including updating his registration within three business days of a change in residence address, employment status, or student status. Prior to One Star completing his jail sentence, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Sex Offender and Notification Act Compliance Officers met with One Star to complete his initial registration. One Star failed to update his registration after being released from custody on November 18, 2022, and his whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested on June 30, 2023. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case. One Star was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: St. Augustine Serial Child Molester Convicted Of Hacking Jumbotron, Child Exploitation Offenses, Sex Offender Registration Violations, And Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury today found Samuel Arthur Thompson (53, St. Augustine) guilty of producing, receiving, and possessing child sex abuse material (CSAM), producing CSAM while required to register as a sex offender, violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), sending unauthorized damaging commands to a protected computer, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Thompson faces a minimum mandatory term of 35 years’ imprisonment. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 25, 2024. Thompson was first charged by criminal complaint in 2019. According to evidence presented at trial, Thompson was convicted of sodomizing of a 14-year-old male child in 1998, in Alabama, and was therefore a convicted felon required to register as a sex offender, including reporting his international travel. Thompson was hired as a contractor by the Jacksonville Jaguars around 2013 to consult on the design and installation of the Jaguars’ new video board network, referred to as a jumbotron, and later to operate the jumbotron on gamedays. Thompson’s contract with the Jaguars required him to report his conviction, but he did not. In January 2018, the Jaguars determined not to renew Thompson’s contract after learning of his conviction and status as a registered sex offender. Before the expiration of Thompson’s contract in March 2018, Thompson installed remote access software on a spare server in the Jaguars’ server room. He then remotely accessed computers that control the jumbotron during three 2018 season NFL games, causing the video boards repeatedly to malfunction, as shown below: After conducting an investigation, the Jaguars determined that the outages were being caused by a malicious actor sending commands via the spare server. On December 16, 2018, the Jaguars set up a “honeypot” by putting the server on its own network and removing its access to the other computers that controlled the jumbotron. During the next NFL game, the spare server was again remotely accessed and attempted to be used to send commands to computers controlling the jumbotron. The Jaguars were able to capture the internet protocol (IP) address of the intruder – which the FBI traced to Thompson’s residence. In July 2019, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at Thompson’s residence and seized a number of his computers. The FBI also seized a firearm from Thompson’s nightstand, which he was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon. Log files from Thompson’s iPhone, iPad, and two laptops showed that all those devices had been used to remotely access the spare server. Additionally, the FBI found thousands of images and hundreds of videos on Thompson’s personal devices depicting CSAM. This CSAM included images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children, bondage and torture of children, and bestiality. The CSAM also included a video and series of photos that Thompson produced in June 2019 depicting children that had been in his care and custody. Thompson’s voice could be heard speaking to the children at the beginning of the video, and the video was taken in Thompson’s living room. Subsequent interviews of three male children that had been in Thompson’s care in 2019 revealed that Thompson had molested two of the children, exposed himself to two of the children, exposed children to CSAM, spoken to the children about sex and masturbation, and had encouraged the children to play a “game” wherein the children were required to take off their clothes and run around Thompson’s house. It was while the children (7, 8, and 10 years old at the time) were playing the “game” that Thompson produced CSAM. A review of Thompson’s iPad further revealed that he had been searching the dark web for CSAM at the time the FBI knocked on his door with the search warrant. Thompson traveled to the Bahamas on a work trip from July 6 - 14, 2019. The next day, on July 15, 2019, Thompson registered as a sex offender and failed to report this travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The same day, Thompson also received CSAM via the dark web. On July 27, 2019, Thompson fled to the Philippines – once again failing to report his travel. Thompson’s passport was revoked, and he was deported from the Philippines on January 31, 2020. He was arrested by the FBI upon arrival in the United States and later ordered detained pending trial. The evidence presented at trial also proved that certain assets the United States is forfeiting from the defendant, specifically, a Smith & Wesson firearm, an iPhone 7, an iPad, two laptop computers, and a custom-built desktop computer, were used in the offenses. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor, Brenna Falzetta, and Adam Duso. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Mai Tran and Jennifer Harrington. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: KC Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years for Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today on charges related to distributing child pornography. Charles M. Witter, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Witter to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. On July 26, 2023, Witter pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography over the internet on Oct. 5, 2020, one count of transporting child pornography over the internet from Nov. 12, 2020, to Jan. 11, 2021, and one count of possessing child pornography from Nov. 12, 2020, to March 16, 2021, all after having been convicted of an offense relating to aggravated sexual abuse involving a minor. Witter, a registered sex offender, has prior felony convictions for statutory rape and statutory sodomy involving his sexual abuse of a 12-year-old child victim. On Feb. 25, 2020, Witter was released from custody after serving six years in state prison for those prior convictions. Less than eight months later, he used a social media application to send an image of child pornography to another person. Witter admitted that he sent an image of child pornography through a social media application to another person on Oct. 5, 2020. The image was flagged and a CyberTip report sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which forwarded it to the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force. Less than four months later, on Jan. 20, 2021, another online service provider submitted a CyberTip report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning a number of emails sent by Witter, which included 113 images of child pornography and child erotica from Nov. 12, 2020, to Jan. 11, 2021. Investigators searched Witter’s cell phone and found 53 images of child pornography, three videos of child pornography, and 10 GIF files of child pornography. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen A. Brackett and Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Missoula man sentenced to 12 years in prison for sex trafficking children

body_text: MISSOULA — A Missoula man who paid minor girls to have sex with him was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Cody Alan Harrington, 29, pleaded guilty in July to two counts of sex trafficking of children. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. In court documents, the government alleged that for seven years prior to his arrest, Harrington consistently targeted 14- and 15-year-old minors to engage in illegal sexual activity. In November 2022, two women, identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, contacted the Missoula Police Department to report that when they were under the age of 18, Harrington had paid each of them to engage in sexual intercourse with him on multiple occasions. Jane Doe 1 reported that she had met Harrington over Snapchat in the summer of 2019, when she was 14 and Harrington was 25, and that Harrington offered to pay her to have sex with him. Jane Doe 1 engaged in commercial sex with Harrington for the first time in August 2019 in Missoula County, after which Harrington paid her $300. Harrington paid her on at least two other occasions in 2019 to have sex with him. Harrington also interacted with Jane Doe 2, while interacting with Jane Doe 1, and knew Jane Doe 2 was a minor because she told him her age. Jane Doe 2 reported that she engaged in commercial sex with Harrington for the first time in August 2020, when she was 15, and that he paid her $400. Jane Doe 2 further reported Harrington paid her to engage in sex with him on multiple occasions from when she was 15 to 17, all in Missoula County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula Police Department and FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. XXX


title: Readout of the Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Program Honoring the Life and Legacy of Sgt. Isaac Woodard

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative (SVI), in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Minority Veterans, convened a program yesterday to honor our nation’s servicemembers for their sacrifices and contributions to our country. In his opening remarks, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland welcomed attendees and recognized the significant achievements of our nation’s servicemembers and veterans to keep us safe, and highlighted the Justice Department’s efforts to safeguard the rights of members of the armed forces and their families. The Attorney General’s remarks focused attention on the many significant contributions of Sergeant Isaac Woodard, including his military service, and the civil rights advancements, including integration of the armed forces and federal government, sparked in reaction to the abhorrent abuse inflicted upon him. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division moderated a fireside chat with featured guest U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel for the District of South Carolina. In addition to his judicial service, Judge Gergel is the author of Unexampled Courage: The Blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard and the Awakening of America . Sgt. Woodard was a decorated Black soldier who was honorably discharged after serving more than three years in the Pacific during World War II. On his journey home to North Carolina, he asked the bus driver to stop so that he could use the restroom. Instead of honoring Sgt. Woodard’s request, the bus driver launched a verbal tirade at him using racial slurs. Sgt. Woodard stood up for himself and asked to be treated with dignity and respect. The bus driver called the local police, and while still in uniform, Sgt. Woodard was arrested, brutally beaten, and blinded while in police custody in Batesburg, South Carolina. During the fireside chat, Assistant Attorney General Clarke and Judge Gergel discussed this tragic story that served as a catalyst for significant advancements during the Civil Rights Movement. Specifically, Judge Gergel discussed the direct link between Sgt. Woodard’s story and President Harry S. Truman’s issuance of Executive Order 9981 banning segregation in the military, among other actions. The program was moderated by SVI Director Nicole Siegel. It concluded with remarks from the Center for Minority Veterans Director James Albino. He discussed the center’s work to ensure all veterans receive equal service regardless of race, origin, religion, or gender. Attendees included over 300 employees, including many veterans, from across the federal government, including the Departments of Justice, Veterans Affairs, Defense, Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and many others. The Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, housed in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to ensure that the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past, are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment. To learn more about the Justice Department’s Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, please visit Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative . Attorney General Garland delivers opening remarks at the program. Assistant Attorney General Clarke delivers remarks at the program. Assistant Attorney General Clarke and Judge Gergel participate in a fireside chat.


title: Federal Supervisee Sentenced On New Drug And Gun Charges

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Monroeville, Alabama, man was sentenced in federal court today for his ongoing drug dealing and illegal possession of a firearm while on supervision for a previous federal conviction. James Edward Hill, Jr., 50, was arrested in February of 2022 after Monroe County law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on his residence in a drug investigation. Hill was on federal supervision as part of a previously imposed federal sentence. Hill’s first federal conviction came in 2011, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine. While he was on federal supervision after he was released from prison, Hill was again involved in the drug business. He was charged in federal court by information with attempt to manufacture crack cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm. Hill pled guilty to the new charges in July of 2023. According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Hill’s residence in Monroeville and discovered cocaine powder and various materials and equipment used to manufacture cocaine powder into crack cocaine. Hill admitted to the officers that he used the baking soda they found in his house for that purpose. Investigators also recovered a .38 caliber firearm in the kitchen where the drugs were. Because Hill was actively being supervised for a federal felony drug conviction, he was aware of his status as a convicted felon and the prohibition against his possession of a firearm. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 57 months in Hill’s case, to be followed by five years on supervised release after his release from custody. As conditions of next period of supervision following his second federal conviction, Hill will undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that the defendant pay $200 in special assessments. The judge ordered the forfeiture of the firearm, a .380 caliber revolver, seized during the investigation. The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Southall Drug Distributor Sentenced In Federal Court

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced in federal court on November 9, 2023, for his participation in the Darrin Southall drug distribution organization. Lawrence Williams, 50, was initially arrested in a round-up of Southall’s organization in May of 2021. Williams pled guilty to the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin in August of 2021. According to court documents, law enforcement officers were monitoring Southall’s phones pursuant to a court order. Calls between Southall and Williams were monitored and recorded as the conspirators planned for multiple deliveries of cocaine and arranged with other local distributors to pass it out to them. Williams was accountable for the distribution of 73 kilograms of cocaine and 3 kilograms of heroin. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 10 years in Williams’ case, to be followed by five years on supervised release after his release from custody. As conditions of supervision, Williams will undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that the defendant pay $100 in special assessments. The judge ordered the forfeiture of a long list of property seized during the investigation. The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Nashville Man Indicted for Bank Robbery

body_text: NASHVILLE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment this week charging Tyrone Meriweather, 48, of Nashville, Tennessee, with one count of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. According to the criminal complaint and indictment, on October 19, 2023, Meriweather entered a U.S. Bank on Harding Pike in Nashville, Tennessee, and demanded money while brandishing a knife. The bank teller gave Meriweather the money from his drawer, and Meriweather fled on foot. If convicted, Meriweather faces up to 25 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Metro Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Galloway is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. #####


title: Florida Man Who Trafficked In Florida Box Turtles, Loggerhead Musk Turtles, And Ornate Diamondback Terrapins Pleads Guilty To Lacey Act Violations

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kevin Olbrych (48, Spring Hill) today pleaded guilty to two counts of Lacey Act Trafficking. Olbrych faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. According to the plea agreement, in 2018, officers from the Tampa Police Department executed a search warrant at Olbrych’s residence. During the search, the officers discovered several 300-gallon pools filled with turtles and other containers for the rearing of turtles. In total, Olbrych unlawfully possessed 120 turtles. The animals were not housed properly, and Olbrych did not have proper licensure to possess them. Law enforcement confiscated the turtles and turned them over to an individual qualified to rehabilitate them on behalf of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. After the search, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began investigating Olbrych. The investigation revealed that for years Olbrych had illegally sold turtles to a co-conspirator in Oregon, who later sold them to buyers in China. Further investigation revealed that even after law enforcement seized the turtles from Olbrych’s home in 2018, he continued to traffic in turtles through 2021. This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with substantial assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.


title: Durham Woman Convicted of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Resulting in Death and Other Drug and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO - A jury in federal district court convicted CARLISA RENEA ALLEN today of multiple drug charges and illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina. According to court documents, ALLEN, age 46, was initially indicted on March 28, 2023, and was tried on charges in a third Superseding Indictment filed October 30, 2023. ALLEN was charged in Count One with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, and conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, resulting in death; in Count Two, with distribution of cocaine hydrochloride; in Count Three with possession with intent to distribute cocaine; in Count Four with possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl; and in Count Five with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Evidence at trial showed that the death of Joshua Skip Zinner on or about March 9, 2023, resulted from the use of cocaine hydrochloride and fentanyl distributed in furtherance of the conspiracy. A jury convicted ALLEN on all counts of the third Superseding Indictment after a four-day trial. At sentencing, ALLEN faces a term of imprisonment of 25 years to life, not less than 4 years of supervised release, and fines, restitution, and forfeiture. Sentencing is scheduled for February 13, 2024, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. in Greensboro. ALLEN’s co-defendant, CYE LEANCE FRASIER, pleaded guilty on October 25, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, and conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, resulting in death. FRASIER faces a term of imprisonment of twenty years to life. His sentencing is set for January 31, 2024, in Greensboro. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Durham Police Department, Duke University Police Department, Raleigh Police Department, Raleigh/Wake County City-County Bureau of Identification, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Cary Police Department, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael A. DeFranco and Tracy Williams-Durham. ###


title: City of Miami police officer charged with attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and extortion

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal criminal complaint was filed today charging City of Miami Police Department (MPD) Officer Frenel Cenat, 40, of Boynton Beach, Florida, with Hobbs Act extortion and attempted extortion under color of official right, theft of government funds, and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to the criminal complaint, Cenat, in conjunction with an individual he believed to be involved in drug trafficking, agreed to use his MPD issued unmarked vehicle and police position to conduct a traffic stop on a driver who was represented to be carrying a large amount of drug proceeds. After making these arrangements, Cenat carried out this traffic stop on the evening of November 3, 2023, using his lights and siren to pull over the vehicle driven by an undercover agent posing as a drug trafficker who had a backpack containing what were represented to be drug proceeds. As the complaint details, Cenat identified himself as “Officer Martez” of the “Miami PD – Dade County Narcotics Unit,” told the driver that he had been investigating him, and then gave the driver the option of giving Cenat the backpack filled with $52,000 in $100 bills or going to jail. Cenat then took the bag of money, let the driver leave, and met up with the individual who told him about the deal, giving him $13,000 and keeping the other $39,000. Cenat followed this up by conducting another traffic stop theft in conjunction with that individual. As the complaint explained, Cenat asked the individual if he had anyone who they could stop and steal drugs and money from. This led to Cenat once again using his MPD unmarked vehicle and police lights to stop a different undercover agent who he had been told would be transporting both money and 7 “bricks,” a street term for kilograms of cocaine. This traffic stop took place late in the evening of November 16, 2023, in the area of Deerfield Beach in Broward County. During the stop, Cenat introduced himself as “Officer Martez of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office - Narcotics Unit.” Once again, Cenat pretended to have been investigating the driver and gave him the choice of giving up the drugs and money or going to federal prison. Cenat then took the duffle bag containing $80,000 in $100 bills and 7 kilograms of fake cocaine and allowed the driver to leave. When Cenat arrived at the location arranged for the split of the proceeds, he was arrested, and the 7 kilogram-shaped packages and a large quantity of $100 bills were found in his official MPD vehicle. A pre-trial detention hearing has been scheduled in this matter for Nov. 28 at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Panayotta Augustin-Birch in Fort Lauderdale. A preliminary hearing, arraignment and report rate counsel hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1 at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Augustin-Birch. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales of the City of Miami Police Department (MPD), and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announced the charges. The FBI Miami Palm Beach Resident Agency, DEA Miami Division, along with the Miami Area Corruption task force which includes officers from the City of Miami Police Department’s Internal Affairs Section investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Lapointe thanked the City of Miami Police Department for their invaluable assistance with this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is prosecuting the case. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out corrupt officials,” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials, to include law enforcement officers, that breach the public’s trust by carrying out criminal acts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is grateful for the invaluable assistance provided by FBI, DEA, and City of Miami Police Department in this matter.” “I want to thank the City of Miami Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida for their close partnership and diligence throughout this investigation,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office. “The FBI is committed to bring to justice government officials, including police officers, who choose to abuse their positions of trust and authority for personal profit. Public corruption is our top priority among criminal investigations.” “The DEA Miami Field Division stands ready to assist our federal and state law enforcement partners with the investigation and prosecution of any and all serious drug-related crimes,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA is committed to holding those accountable who violate the public’s trust.” “The Miami police department is always pleased to work with our local and federal partners,” said Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales of the MPD. A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-mj-6566. A copy of the criminal complaint is attached here: Criminal Complaint ###


title: Foreign National Convicted of Racketeering and Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: A federal jury in Beaumont, Texas, convicted a Romanian national today for plotting to traffic hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from the United States in a scheme that also included money laundering, arms trafficking, and an attempt to assassinate rival gang members. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Marius Lazar, 50, of Bucharest, Romania, was a “founding member” of his local chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, a transnational outlaw motorcycle gang that was founded in the United States and is now active on six continents. Through his relationship with a fellow Hells Angels member from New Zealand, Lazar joined a conspiracy to purchase more than 400 kilograms of cocaine from a person in the United States, who the conspirators believed was a powerful drug trafficker but who was actually an undercover agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As part of his negotiations for the cocaine purchase, Lazar also solicited the undercover agent to kill two members of a rival motorcycle club in Romania, and offered to supply the undercover with rifles, grenades, armored vehicles, and other military-grade equipment that Lazar understood would be used against police officers in the United States. Members of the conspiracy sent nearly $1 million to the United States, via bank wires and Bitcoin transfers, as payment for the drugs and murders. The jury convicted Lazar of conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of life years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Co-defendants Murray Michael Matthews and Marc Patrick Johnson remain fugitives. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Damien Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, Special Agent in Charge Mark B. Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston, U.S. Marshal John Garrison of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office made the announcement. The DEA, HSI, USMS, and IRS-CI investigated the case, with significant assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Trial Attorney Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Romania to secure the arrest and extradition of Lazar. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Orlando Man Sentenced To Nearly 20 Years In Prison For Enticement Of A Minor

body_text: Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Berger today sentenced Ethan Lipper (21, Orlando) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Lipper to forfeit the cellular phone used to commit the offense. Lipper pleaded guilty on June 7, 2023. According to court documents, on January 16, 2023, a detective with the Oviedo Police Department was posing in an undercover capacity (UC) as a 14-year-old male on a social media application. Lipper joined a group called “Orlando Teens” where he began communicating with the UC, who he believed was a 14-year-old boy. Lipper sent pictures of himself and later provided his cell phone number in an effort to entice and sexually assault the child. Lipper sent the UC six videos, at least two of which contained child sexual abuse imagery. One of the videos depicted an adult male sexually assaulting a child who was approximately 9 to 11 years old. Lipper told the UC, who he believed was a child, that he wanted to perform similar acts with him. On February 1, 2023, Lipper travelled to an address in Oviedo, Florida to meet with, and sexually assault, the child. He was taken into custody when he arrived, and his cellular phone was seized and searched. During a forensic review of his cellular phone, over 100 images and videos of child sexual abuse imagery were located. The majority of the images depicted children approximately 5 to 10 years old. Three of the images depicted children under the age of 5, including an infant. Also located on the phone were conversations between Lipper and individuals between the ages of 12 to 17 years old. During these conversations on a social media application, Lipper asked for sexually explicit images of the minors, some of which were provided to him. To date, the FBI has located and interviewed five of these children. The search for the remaining potential victims is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oviedo Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Meth trafficking sends Kalispell man to prison for 14 years

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — A Kalispell man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the Flathead community after he led law enforcement on a high-speed chase before getting caught was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Kenneth Martin Chandler, 43, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that in April 2021, the Flathead County Street Crimes Unit attempted a traffic stop of Chandler’s vehicle. Chandler then led officers on a high-speed chase through Kalispell before eventually crashing into another vehicle. Chandler fled the scene on foot but was soon arrested. In a later search of Chandler’s vehicle, officers located meth, heroin, drug paraphernalia, more than $9,000 in U.S. currency, and two assault-style rifles. Law enforcement also learned that Chandler was distributing meth in the Flathead area. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Northwest Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Federal Indictment Unsealed After U.S. Postal Employee And Two Co-Conspirators Are Arrested For $24 Million Stolen Check Scheme

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A U.S. Postal Service employee and two co-conspirators have been arrested on federal charges for a scheme involving stolen checks worth over $24 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The federal indictment was unsealed following the defendants’ initial court appearances. Nakedra Shannon, 29, Donnell Gardner, 27, and Desiray Carter, 24, all of Charlotte, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and five counts of theft of government property. Carter and Gardner are also charged with seven counts of possession of stolen mail matter, and Shannon is charged with eight counts of theft of mail by a postal employee. According to allegations in the indictment, from March 2021 to July 2023, Shannon was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as a mail processing clerk at a USPS processing and distribution center in Charlotte. From April to July 2023, Shannon conspired with Gardner and Carter to steal incoming and outgoing checks from the U.S. mail, which Gardner and Carter then sold to other individuals including using the Telegram channel OG Glass House. Over the course of the conspiracy, the co-conspirators allegedly stole checks totaling more than $24 million, including more than $12 million in stolen checks which were posted for sale on the Telegram channel OG Glass House, and more than $8 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks. The indictment also alleges that the defendants obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds of the mail theft scheme. Shannon, Gardner, and Carter were released on bond following their initial appearances in court. The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The charge of theft by a postal employee and possession of stolen mail has a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison for the counts charged in the indictment. The charge of theft of government property carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each offense. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked U.S. Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Department of Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny G. Sugar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.


title: Braintree Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Braintree man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for child pornography charges. Michael Martin, 44, was sentenced on Nov. 15, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns to five years in prison and five years of supervised release. Martin was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to one of the victims, a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and a $10,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act. On Aug. 14, 2023, Martin pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. On March 9, 2021, the social media platform Tumblr reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that one of its users – later identified as Martin – had suspected child pornography on their account. A subsequent search of Martin’s Braintree residence resulted in the seizure of various electronic devices storing child pornography. Additionally, a search of Martin’s Tumblr account determined that Martin has posted and received child pornography over the social media site. The child pornography included images of children believed to be between four and eight years old. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Braintree Police Chief Tim Cohoon made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Quincy Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offense

body_text: BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced in federal court in Boston yesterday for receiving child pornography. Matthew Ormon, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In July 2023, Ormon pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. During a search of Ormon’s residence on April 5, 2022, multiple electronic devices, including two custom built computers and a network drive device were seized. At least one device was found to contain a folder with numerous videos depicting child pornography. Some of these files involved minor females performing sex acts on adult males. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Jacksonville Convicted Sex Offender Indicted On Federal Charge Of Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material Over The Internet

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced that Alexander James Koby (38, Jacksonville) has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Jacksonville for knowingly receiving child sexual abuse material over the internet. Koby faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. On May 15, 2014, Koby was convicted of possession of child pornography in federal court in Orlando. He is currently serving a Florida state prison sentence and will be transported to Jacksonville for prosecution in this federal case. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. An indictment is only an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.


title: Sextortion of Maine Child Leads to 20 Years in Prison for Florida Man

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Florida man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for sexually exploiting a child and distributing child sexual abuse material (“child pornography”). U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Wesley Deal (aka “Wesley Troy Harris”) , 43, to 20 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Deal pleaded guilty on April 7, 2023. According to court records, beginning in August 2020, Deal posed as a teenage boy to engage with an 11-year-old from Maine through Instagram. Deal convinced the child to send him sexually explicit images and videos then threatened to post the child sexual abuse material on Snapchat and Instagram if the victim did not send more. During the investigation, law enforcement seized Deal’s cell phone. A forensic examination of the phone uncovered more than 700 child sexual abuse images as well as evidence of Google Hangouts chats similar to those Deal had with the Maine victim. In sentencing Deal, Judge Walker said, "That type of terrorism would have left the victim in an ocean of despair. The trauma you imposed on this girl is something that she and her family will have to unpack for years.” The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance of multiple local law enforcement agencies in Maine and Florida. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the invaluable computer crimes expertise of forensics examiner Holly Huntington and Lieutenant Brent Beaulieu of the Bangor Police Department. “It is far too easy for predators like Mr. Deal to hide behind fake profiles online to engage with and exploit children like this young victim,” McElwee said. “The internet makes children from across Maine accessible targets. It is so important for parents and guardians of children accessing the internet – whether it’s playing Roblox, Minecraft or simply believed to be engaging with their friends on social media – to talk to them regularly and warn them never to engage with anyone they haven’t met in real life and to never share intimate images, videos, or livestreams with anyone, even someone they know, love and trust.” Reports of child sexual exploitation are increasing: In 2022, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received 32 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. That included more than 80,000 reports of online enticement of children for sexual acts, an increase of 82% from 2021 to 2022, and more than 31 million reports of child sexual abuse materials. Victimization can take place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. To make a CyberTipline Report, visit https://report.cybertip.org /. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Backpage Principals Convicted of $500M Prostitution Enterprises Promotion Scheme

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. - A federal jury in Phoenix convicted three former owners of Backpage.com yesterday of multiple counts of promoting prostitution business enterprises and multiple counts of money laundering, including conspiracy offenses. Michael Lacey, 75, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, was convicted of one count of international concealment money laundering, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on most of the other counts charged against him. Scott Spear, 72, of Phoenix, was convicted of a conspiracy to violate the Travel Act by facilitating prostitution, and multiple separate violations of the Travel Act, along with a conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple separate money laundering violations. John “Jed” Brunst, 71, of Phoenix, was convicted of a conspiracy to violate the Travel Act by facilitating prostitution, along with a conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple separate money laundering violations. Lacey, Spear, and Brunst each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the money laundering charges. Spear and Brunst also face up to 5 years in prison for the Travel Act violations. Federal District Court Judge Diane J. Humetewa will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants owned Backpage.com, which was the internet’s leading forum for prostitution ads from September 2010, when Craigslist shut down its prostitution ad section, until April 2018, when the United States seized Backpage.com. Evidence at trial showed that the defendants knowingly promoted prostitution via various marketing strategies. For example, the defendants engaged in a reciprocal link program with an independent web forum that permitted “johns” to post reviews of prostitution acts with specific women. Additionally, the defendants utilized an automated filter and human moderators to remove known sex-for-money terms, while still allowing the ads to be posted. Through this attempt at sanitizing the ads, the defendants sought “plausible deniability” for what the defendants knew to be ads promoting prostitution. Over the life of the conspiracy, the defendants earned more than $500 million. In an effort to preserve the money earned, Lacey, Spear, and Brunst engaged in extensive money laundering by creating numerous shell companies in multiple foreign countries. On March 28, 2018, a grand jury in Phoenix charged the defendants in an indictment with the crimes of conspiracy to facilitate prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce, facilitating prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce, conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment money laundering, international promotional money laundering, and transactional money laundering. In April 2018, Carl Ferrer, 57, of Frisco, Texas, Backpage’s co-founder and CEO, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce and to engage in money laundering. Additionally, several Backpage-related corporate entities, including Backpage.com LLC, have entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to engage in money laundering. In August 2018, Dan Hyer, 54, of Dallas, Texas, Backpage’s Sales & Marketing Director, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce. Co-defendants Andre Padilla, 50, of Plano, Texas, and Joye Vaught, 42, of Dallas, Texas, were acquitted on all charges. The remaining defendant, James Larkin, 73, died on July 31 before trial was scheduled to begin in August. United States Attorney for the District of Arizona Gary M. Restaino, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis of the Phoenix Division, and Inspector in Charge Carroll Harris of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Los Angeles Division made the announcement. IRS-CI, the FBI Phoenix Field Office, and USPIS conducted the investigation in this case. The Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Rapp, Andy Stone, Margaret Perlmeter, and Peter Kozinets of the District of Arizona and Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the office of the California Attorney General, and the office of the Texas Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Boyle of the Central District of California is handling the asset forfeiture aspects of the case, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Bozdech of the District of Arizona. CASE NUMBER: CR-18-00422-PHX-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-181_Backpage ### 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: Admitted Member of Peckerwoods White Supremacist Gang Sentenced to 200 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Crime

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A meth trafficker was sentenced Thursday to 200 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Levi Chamberlin Hardcastle, a 35-year-old Rockwall, Texas man, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle. Mr. Hardcastle and eight other individuals, all tied to methamphetamine trafficking, were charged in an indictment with an array of federal crimes, primarily distribution of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of firearms, and conspiracy, in April 2022. In plea papers, Mr. Hardcastle admitted that he delivered a total of 1,494.6 grams methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three separate occasions, the methamphetamine had a wholesale value of $10,500.00. In a court hearing, Mr. Hardcastle admitted to being a member of the Peckerwoods, a white supremacist gang. Additional defendants include: • Stephen Scribner plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a schedule II controlled substance and was sentenced to 180 months • Alexis Nicole Pacheco plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a schedule II controlled substance and was sentenced to 200 months • Ruby Pauline Anderton plead guilty to illegal receipt of a firearm and was sentenced to 48 months • Sandra Marie Hernandez-Pacheco plead guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 168 months • Robert James McKnight plead guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 14 months • David Michael Ford plead guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 57 months • Mayo Mena plead guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 7 months One defendant, Martin Talaver-Sanchez is pending sentencing. The Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal prosecuted the Northern District of Texas case.