title: Multiple Foreign Nationals Charged in Connection with Trickbot Malware and Conti Ransomware Conspiracies

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Three indictments in three different federal jurisdictions have been unsealed charging multiple Russian cybercrime actors involved in the Trickbot malware and Conti ransomware schemes. According to court documents and public reporting, Trickbot, which was taken down in 2022, was a suite of malware tools designed to steal money and facilitate the installation of ransomware. Hospitals, schools, and businesses were among the millions of Trickbot victims who suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses. While active, Trickbot malware, which acted as an initial intrusion vector into victim computer systems, was used to support various ransomware variants, including Conti. Conti was a ransomware variant used to attack more than 900 victims worldwide, including victims in approximately 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and approximately 31 foreign countries. According to the FBI, in 2021, Conti ransomware was used to attack more critical infrastructure victims than any other ransomware variant. “The Justice Department has taken action against individuals we allege developed and deployed a dangerous malware scheme used in cyberattacks on American school districts, local governments, and financial institutions,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Separately, we have also taken action against individuals we allege are behind one of the most prolific ransomware variants used in cyberattacks across the United States, including attacks on local police departments and emergency medical services. These actions should serve as a warning to cybercriminals who target America’s critical infrastructure that they cannot hide from the United States Department of Justice.” “Today’s announcement shows our ongoing commitment to bringing the most heinous cyber criminals to justice – those who have devoted themselves to inflicting harm on the American public, our hospitals, schools, and businesses,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Cyber criminals know that we will use every lawful tool at our disposal to identify them, tirelessly pursue them, and disrupt their criminal activity. We, alongside our federal and international partners, will continue to impose costs through joint operations no matter where these criminals may attempt to hide.” “The defendants charged in these three indictments across three different jurisdictions allegedly used their cyber knowledge and capabilities to victimize people and businesses around the world without regard for the damage they caused,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments should serve as a reminder that no matter a cybercriminal’s location, we will identify and pursue them by doing everything in our power to ensure they face the consequences of their actions.” “Conti ransomware was used to exploit our financial systems and target hundreds of innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The Secret Service will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate cybercriminals and bring offenders to justice.” As detailed below, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio returned an indictment charging Maksim Galochkin, aka Bentley; Maksim Rudenskiy, aka Buza; Mikhail Mikhailovich Tsarev, aka Mango; Andrey Yuryevich Zhuykov, aka Defender; Dmitry Putilin, aka Grad and Staff; Sergey Loguntsov, aka Begemot and Zulas; Max Mikhaylov, aka Baget; Valentin Karyagin, aka Globus; and Maksim Khaliullin, aka Maxfax, Maxhax, and Kagas, all Russian nationals, with conspiring to use the Trickbot malware to steal money and personal and confidential information from unsuspecting victims, including businesses and financial institutions located in the United States and around the world, beginning in November 2015. A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee returned an indictment charging Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov with conspiring to use Conti ransomware to attack businesses, nonprofits, and governments in the United States beginning in 2020 and continuing through June 2022. A federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment charging Galochkin in connection with the Conti ransomware attack on Scripps Health on May 1, 2021. Northern District of Ohio The indictment returned in the Northern District of Ohio charged all nine defendants for their alleged roles in developing, deploying, managing, and profiting from the malware known as Trickbot. Trickbot was a sophisticated, modular, multi-functional suite of malware tools which (a) infected victims’ computers with malware designed to capture victims’ online banking login credentials; (b) obtained and harvested other personal identification information, including credit cards, emails, passwords, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses; (c) infected other computers connected to the victim computer; (d) used the captured login credentials to fraudulently gain unauthorized access to victims’ online bank accounts at financial institutions; (e) stole funds from victims’ bank accounts and laundered those funds using U.S. and foreign beneficiary bank accounts provided and controlled by the defendants and co-conspirators; and (f) installed ransomware on victim computers. “As alleged in the indictment, Trickbot infected millions of computers worldwide, including those used by hospitals, schools, and businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that these dangerous cybercriminals are not anonymous, as they once believed. The indictments unsealed today show the resolve of the international community to work together to bring cybercriminals to justice. We will continue to use all resources at our disposal to stop cybercrime.” Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the scheme. The indictment also included an enhancement for falsely registering domains. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 62 years in prison. Trickbot malware developers Alla Witte and Vladimir Dunaev were previously indicted and apprehended. Witte, a Latvian national pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and was sentenced to 32 months in June 2023. Dunaev, a Russian national, currently is in custody and pending trial in Cleveland. Middle District of Tennessee The Middle District of Tennessee indictment charges that the individuals behind Conti ransomware, including Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov, conspired to use Conti to attack hundreds of victims. Conti’s victims included hospital systems, local governments, and foreign governments. Conti conspirators allegedly extorted funds from victims in the Middle District of Tennessee and encrypted the computer systems of a local sheriff’s department, a local police department, and local emergency medical services, among others. Ransom notes left on Conti victims’ computer systems typically boasted “if you don’t [know Conti] – just ‘google it.’” “The conspirators who developed and deployed Conti ransomware victimized businesses, governments, and non-profits around the world, including a sheriff’s office and an emergency medical service in Tennessee,” said U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will continue to use the full power of this office to ensure that hackers can no longer hide behind their computer screens and to hold them accountable.” Galochkin was a “crypter” for Conti, modifying the ransomware so that it would not be detected by anti-virus programs; Rudenskiy was a developer who supervised other Conti developers; Tsarev was a manager of other Conti conspirators; and Zhuykov was a systems administrator who managed users of Conti infrastructure, organized and paid for infrastructure and tools, and assisted in problem solving infrastructure-related issues. Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and one count wire fraud conspiracy. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Southern District of California As alleged in the Southern District of California indictment, Galochkin caused the transmission of the Conti malware and impaired the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment, and care of one or more individuals. Galochkin is charged with three counts of computer hacking. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. “The indictment alleges a callous disregard for the medical care and the personal information of residents of the Southern District of California,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden for the Southern District of California. “This office is committed to protecting victims of cybercrime and holding perpetrators accountable.” The FBI Cleveland Field Office is leading the investigation into Trickbot malware. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Riedl and Duncan Brown for the Northern District of Ohio and Senior Counsel Candina Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the Trickbot malware case. The FBI San Diego, Memphis, and El Paso Field Offices, with U.S. Secret Service, are leading the investigation into Conti ransomware. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas provided significant assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor J. Phillips for the Middle District of Tennessee, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Shapiro and Kareem Salem for the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez and Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the Conti ransomware cases. The Justice Department’s National Security Division provided significant assistance in the Conti ransomware and Trickbot malware investigations. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Northern District of Ohio indictment Middle District of Tennessee indictment Southern District of California indictment


title: Bridgeport Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charge

body_text: LUIS GARCIA, 25, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a racketeering charge stemming from his participation in a violent Bridgeport street gang. Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick. According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Garcia was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut and used the cars to commit crimes. Text messages and social media posts reviewed during the investigation confirmed that Garcia possessed and sold narcotics and firearms, stole vehicles, and was involved in related violent criminal activity alongside other O.N.E. members and associates. On August 9, 2018, O.N.E. members stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport. In the following days, O.N.E. members conspired to use the car to kill East End gang members and their allies who they had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Stratford and Union Avenues in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End group member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car. After the shooting, O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Wells State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder. It is alleged that O.N.E. members committed other violent crimes, including murder. Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled. Garcia has been detained since his arrest on September 8, 2021. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis and Tara E. Levens. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is 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. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced to the Maximum Punishment of 20 years in Federal Prison for Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – A Tennessee man was sentenced yesterday to 240 months (the statutory maximum) in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Bank Robbery. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, on January 10, 2023, Danny Ray Madison , age 58, entered the First Security Bank on Wedington Drive in Fayetteville, represented that he was armed and robbed the bank, taking an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency. With the assistance of local businesses, detectives with the Fayetteville Police Department were able to identify and arrest Madison that same day. During an interview with a detective from the Fayetteville Police Department and a Special Agent with the FBI, Madison admitted that he traveled to Fayetteville for the sole purpose of robbing a bank. Court documents revealed that Madison has three prior federal bank robbery convictions from North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Fayetteville Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov


title: Union County Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Disaster Benefits Fraud, Business Impersonation Fraud, COVID-19 Loan Fraud, and Treasury Check Fraud

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for disaster benefits fraud, business impersonation fraud, COVID-19 loan fraud, and Treasury check fraud, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Roy John Depack Jr., 49, of Union, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to an information charging him with one count of disaster fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of forging or fraudulently endorsing Treasury checks. Judge Martini imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In September 2021 and October 2021, Depack filed two applications with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) fraudulently seeking disaster relief provided in the wake of Tropical Storm Ida. In one application, Depack falsely claimed to be another individual and the owner of a property in Newark, and in the other application, Depack falsely stated that he was the owner of a property in Union that he actually rented. Based on Depack’s misrepresentations, FEMA granted one of Depack’s applications and awarded Depack $24,069 in disaster assistance. From 2020 through 2022, Depack defrauded victim companies by pretending to be representatives of various other companies and ordering merchandise that Depack then intercepted. He fraudulently obtained tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise from two different companies. In January 2021, Depack also submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application to the U.S. Small Business Administration and falsely claimed to be another individual and to own a cleaning company based in Union, New Jersey. In September 2021, Depack improperly obtained, endorsed, and deposited at least two checks issued by the U.S. Treasury and made out in the names of two other individuals, which value totaled more than $1,000. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Depack to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $123,489 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian C. McCarthy; and special agents with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Mid Atlantic Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Pesce of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.


title: MULTIPLE FOREIGN NATIONALS CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH CONTI RANSOMWARE AND TRICKBOT MALWARE CONSPIRACIES

component: Criminal - Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section

body_text: NASHVILLE – Three indictments were unsealed yesterday charging multiple Russian cybercrime actors involved in the Conti ransomware and Trickbot malware schemes. Conti was a ransomware variant used to attack more than 900 victims worldwide, including victims in the Middle District of Tennessee, approximately 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and approximately 31 foreign countries. According to the FBI, in 2021, Conti ransomware was used to attack more critical infrastructure victims than any other ransomware variant. According to court documents and public reporting, Trickbot, which was taken down in 2022, was a suite of malware tools designed to steal money and facilitate the installation of ransomware. Hospitals, schools, and businesses were among the millions of Trickbot victims who suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses. “The Justice Department has taken action against individuals we allege developed and deployed a dangerous malware scheme used in cyberattacks on American school districts, local governments, and financial institutions,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Separately, we have also taken action against individuals we allege are behind one of the most prolific ransomware variants used in cyberattacks across the United States, including attacks on local police departments and emergency medical services. These actions should serve as a warning to cybercriminals who target America’s critical infrastructure that they cannot hide from the United States Department of Justice.” A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee returned an indictment charging Maksim Galochkin, aka Bentley; Maksim Rudenskiy, aka Buza; Mikhail Mikhailovich Tsarev, aka Mango; and Andrey Yuryevich Zhuykov, aka Defender, all Russian nationals, with conspiring to use Conti ransomware to attack businesses, nonprofits, and governments in the United States beginning in 2020 and continuing through June 2022. A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio also returned an indictment charging Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, Zhuykov, Dmitry Putilin, aka Grad and Staff; Sergey Loguntsov, aka Begemot and Zulas; Max Mikhaylov, aka Baget; Valentin Karyagin, aka Globus; and Maksim Khaliullin, aka Maxfax, Maxhax, and Kagas, with conspiring to use the Trickbot malware to steal money and personal and confidential information from unsuspecting victims, including businesses and their financial institutions located in the United States and around the world, beginning in November 2015. A federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment charging Galochkin in connection with the Conti ransomware attack on Scripps Health on May 1, 2021. Middle District of Tennessee The Middle District of Tennessee indictment charges that the individuals behind Conti ransomware, including Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov, conspired to use Conti to attack hundreds of victims. Conti’s victims included hospital systems, local governments, and foreign governments. Conti conspirators allegedly extorted funds from victims in the Middle District of Tennessee and encrypted the computer systems of a local sheriff’s department, a local police department, and local emergency medical services, among others. Ransom notes left on Conti victims’ computer systems typically boasted “if you don’t [know Conti] – just ‘google it.’” “The conspirators who developed and deployed Conti ransomware victimized businesses, governments, and non-profits around the world, including a sheriff’s office and an emergency medical service in Tennessee,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will continue to use the full power of this office to ensure that hackers can no longer hide behind their computer screens and to hold them accountable.” Galochkin was a “crypter” for Conti, modifying the ransomware so that it would not be detected by anti-virus programs; Rudenskiy was a developer who supervised other developers; Tsarev was a manager of other Conti conspirators; and Zhuykov was a systems administrator who managed users of Conti infrastructure, organized and paid for infrastructure and tools, and assisted in problem solving infrastructure-related issues. Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and one count wire fraud conspiracy. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Northern District of Ohio The indictment returned in the Northern District of Ohio charged all nine defendants for their alleged roles in developing, deploying, managing, and profiting from the malware known as Trickbot. Trickbot was a sophisticated, modular, multi-functional suite of malware tools which (a) infected victims’ computers with malware designed to capture victims’ online banking login credentials; (b) obtained and harvested other personal identification information, including credit cards, emails, passwords, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses; (c) infected other computers connected to the victim computer; (d) used the captured login credentials to fraudulently gain unauthorized access to victims’ online bank accounts at financial institutions; (e) stole funds from victims’ bank accounts and laundered those funds using U.S. and foreign beneficiary bank accounts provided and controlled by the defendants and co-conspirators; and (f) installed ransomware on victim computers. “As alleged in the indictment, Trickbot infected millions of computers worldwide, including those used by hospitals, schools and businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that these dangerous cybercriminals are not anonymous, as they once believed. The indictments unsealed today show the resolve of the international community to work together to bring cybercriminals to justice. We will continue to use all resources at our disposal to stop cybercrime.” Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the scheme. The indictment also included an enhancement for falsely registering domains. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 62 years in prison. Latvian national Alla Witte pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act on June 28, and Russian national Vladimir Dunaev is in custody and pending trial in Cleveland. Southern District of California As alleged in the Southern District of California indictment, Galochkin caused the transmission of the Conti malware and impaired the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment, and care of one or more individuals. Galochkin is charged with three counts of computer hacking. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. “The indictment alleges a callous disregard for the medical care and the personal information of residents of the Southern District of California,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden for the Southern District of California. “This office is committed to protecting victims of cybercrime and holding perpetrators accountable.” “The defendants charged in these three indictments across three different jurisdictions allegedly used their cyber knowledge and capabilities to victimize people and businesses around the world without regard for the damage they caused,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments should serve as a reminder that no matter a cybercriminal’s location, we will identify and pursue them by doing everything in our power to ensure they face the consequences of their actions.” "Today’s announcement shows our ongoing commitment to bringing the most heinous cyber criminals to justice—those who have devoted themselves to inflicting harm on the American public, our hospitals, schools, and businesses,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Cyber criminals know that we will use every lawful tool at our disposal to identify them, tirelessly pursue them, and disrupt their criminal activity. We, alongside our federal and international partners, will continue to impose costs through joint operations no matter where these criminals may attempt to hide.” “Conti ransomware was used to exploit our financial systems and target hundreds of innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The Secret Service will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate cybercriminals and bring offenders to justice.” The FBI San Diego, Memphis, and El Paso Field Offices, with U.S. Secret Service, are leading the investigation into Conti ransomware. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas provided significant assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor J. Phillips for the Middle District of Tennessee, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Shapiro and Kareem Salem for the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez and Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the Conti ransomware cases. The FBI Cleveland Field Office is leading the investigation into Trickbot malware. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Riedl and Duncan Brown for the Northern District of Ohio and Senior Counsel Candina Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the Trickbot malware case. The Justice Department’s National Security Division provided significant assistance in the Conti ransomware and Trickbot malware investigations. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. #####


title: HSI San Juan Arrests Cataño Woman on Child Exploitation and Sex Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF), along with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) arrested Daryana González Montañez, a 30-year-old woman from Cataño, PR, for sex trafficking of children, production on child pornography, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. According to court documents, from February through March 28, 2023, Daryana González Montañez, recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, advertised, maintained, and patronized a 14-year-old minor female to engage in sexual activity for profit. González Montañez also employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the same minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and transmitting child pornography. “Human trafficking – particularly trafficking of children – is a reprehensible crime with far reaching consequences,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies will continue to take full advantage of our investigative tools and prosecution powers in order to protect our children from sexual predators. We want to remind the public to report all inappropriate behavior with children to their local authorities and together, local and federal law enforcement will see that justice is carried out.” Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “We have been following the pattern of this woman for a few months now. We have implemented our Victim Centered Approach; forensic interviews were performed, and data was gathered from digital equipment. All these efforts resulted in good evidence for a strong case of human trafficking in Puerto Rico. The victim and her family have the support they need to face this horrendous experience; and our special agents will continue this process until justice is served. We will continue to support and work with all our fellow law enforcement partners to get dangerous offenders off the streets. There will be zero tolerance for those who intend to harm our children.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. If convicted, the defendant faces a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison for sex trafficking of children; 15 up to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography; and 10 years up to life in prison for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendant was transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center to await further judicial proceedings. For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians ; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### About Homeland Security Investigations HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement. # HSI #


title: Final Co-Conspirator Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Patrick Green, 48, of Longview, Texas, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 14 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $226,146 in restitution. Green pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Green was the final co-conspirator to be sentenced in this case. Jonathan Blake, 30, of Tucson, Arizona, and Bethany Helene Green, 46, of Longview, Texas, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in this case. In early August, Judge Hinderaker sentenced Blake to six months in prison, and sentenced Bethany Green to 37 months in prison. All three co-defendants are responsible for, and ordered to pay, $226,146 in restitution. During the COVID-19 pandemic, to offset employees’ lost wages, the federal government added $600 per week in federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to the states’ standard unemployment payments. In May 2020, shortly after this government relief was announced, Bethany Green devised a fraudulent scheme to apply for Arizona unemployment assistance and the additional PUA funds on behalf of inmates at the Pima County Jail who were not entitled to receive unemployment payments. Bethany Green conspired with inmates at the jail, including her husband, Patrick Green, and another inmate, Jonathan Blake, to apply for benefits on their behalf. Patrick Green and Jonathan Blake also recruited other inmates to the scheme. A total of 16 inmates provided their personal identifying information which Bethany Green then used online to fraudulently apply and obtain unemployment benefits for the inmates. Bethany Green charged the inmates a fee, typically $1,000, to complete the online unemployment applications. Bethany Green then charged the inmates an additional weekly fee of $100 to file the weekly certifications necessary to continue the unemployment payments. In total, Bethany Green and her co-conspirators defrauded the Arizona Department of Economic Security of $226,146 in false unemployment claims. United States Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General, and Arizona Department of Economic Security-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01664-TUC-JCH (BGM)-1 RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-133_Green # # # 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: Boise Man Pleads Guilty to Preparing and  Filing False Income Tax Returns

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE — Keveny Rosier, a former Boise-area man, pleaded guilty to preparing and filing false income tax returns on behalf of his clients, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court documents and statements made in court, Keveny Rosier, 45, operated a tax preparation business in Boise, Idaho and prepared tax returns for clients for the 2016 and 2017 tax years. On returns he prepared, Rosier routinely falsely inflated clients’ itemized deductions and Schedule C business expenses, falsely claimed fuel tax credits, and falsely inflated income to maximize the Earned Income Tax Credit. In total, Rosier’s conduct resulted in a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $143,000. Rosier is scheduled to be sentenced on November 28, 2023, and faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As part of the plea agreement with the Government, Rosier agreed to pay outstanding restitution to the IRS in the amount of $63,890. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell is prosecuting this case. ###


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Zackery Dale Jenkins, 30, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2023, Jenkins sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in a Beckley residence. Jenkins admitted to that transaction and to selling controlled substances containing fentanyl to the confidential informant on four other occasions in the Beckley area. On June 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jenkins’ residence and seized additional quantities of fentanyl and several firearms. Jenkins admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl. Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced on December 29, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-90. ###


title: 2 Plead Guilty in Bristow Drug Operation

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Two defendants from Bristow have pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Julio Barcenas Velazquez, 39, a Mexican National, and Stephanie Lynn Mudgett, 37, a Muskogee Nation citizen, both of Bristow have pleaded guilty to distribution of meth. “These defendants ran their operation from the small town of Bristow, distributing poison to that community and ours, and thinking they could hide from the law,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I want to thank our local law enforcement partners for tracking these operations and bringing them for prosecution.” The defendants, working together, sought to traffic large quantities of meth and fentanyl pills in Creek County, Oklahoma. In their plea agreements both defendants admitted to knowingly and intentionally distributing meth. In addition, Velazquez will forfeit his interest in a parcel of property as well as money relating to drug transactions. Velazquez and Mudgett have yet to be scheduled for sentencing. At sentencing they both face a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Both defendants have been and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending sentencing. The Muscogee Lighthorse Police, Creek County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced for Selling Illegal Machine Gun Conversion Kits

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

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 6 years in prison for selling machine gun conversion devices. According to court documents, Marcus Bushnell, 37, was illegally selling cocaine, firearms and machine gun conversion devices. These devises are classified as machine guns and allow for the conversion of Glock handguns into fully automatic firearms. In November 2021, law enforcement purchased these machine gun conversion devices from the defendant on more than one occasion. Bushnell is a convicted felon and was previously a member of the Bloods gang. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt prosecuted the case. This case is part of a larger Organized Crime and Drug Task Force (OCDETF) investigation occurring on the Virginia Peninsula. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . 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. 4:23-cr-4.


title: Leader of Murderous St. Louis Drug Organization Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Thursday sentenced one of the leaders of a murderous St. Louis drug trafficking organization to 20 years in prison. Maurice Herbert Lee II, 35, obtained bulk fentanyl and crystal methamphetamine from Arizona and supplied it to his co-conspirators, who sold over 20,000 doses per week at the height of the conspiracy. Lee also offered cash bounties of between $5,000 and $15,000 for the murder of rival gang members or drug dealers. When he pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, Lee admitted to offering and paying the bounty for the killing of two different men. Alexander Noodel was fatally shot on May 8, 2017 by Tremayne Silas, now 30, and Jerome Lamont Fisher Jr., 30, Lee’s plea agreement says. The men fired over 100 rounds. Lee also paid a $10,000 bounty for the murder of Kevin Davis Jr., 24, on June 30, 2017 in the 1900 block of Belt Avenue in St. Louis. Lee paid Delvin Bost, who paid Michael “Beezy” Johnson, 30, plea agreements by Lee and Bost say. Lee also admitted supplying methamphetamine to another person who then redistributed it. He admitted being responsible for between 4 and 12 kilograms of fentanyl and between 500 grams and 1.5 kilos of methamphetamine. Fisher and Bost were among Lee’s “runners,” who dealt fentanyl for him. Christopher Jerrin Warlick Jr., 27, Norris Douglas Jr., 31, Mikell Rayford, 26, Sherod Jacolby Tucker, 34, Jerry O. Streeter Jr., 35, and Maricus Davon Futrell, 23, were others listed as runners in Lee’s plea agreement. Bost, 28, pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Bost is serving a nine-year sentence. Judge White sentenced both Silas and Johnson to 18 years in prison. Fisher is scheduled to be sentenced September 19, with both sides recommending 17 years in prison. All 17 defendants who were charged in the case pleaded guilty. The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul D’Agrosa and Mohsen Pasha are prosecuting the case.


title: Miami Medical Clinic Owner and Pharmacist Convicted for Clinical Trial Fraud Scheme

component: Civil Division

body_text: A jury in Miami convicted two defendants on Sept. 5 in a scheme involving the falsification and fabrication of clinical trial data. On Sept. 5, Miguel Angel Montalvo Villa, 53, and Ivette Maria Portela Martinez, 53, both of Miami, were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. Montalvo also was convicted of making a false statement to a regulatory investigator with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Previously, on Sept. 13, 2022, Montalvo and Portela were charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury. The indictment alleged that, from September 2015 through March 2018, the defendants and a co-conspirator conspired to falsify clinical trial data for profit while working at AMB Research Center Inc. (AMB), a medical clinic located in Miami, Florida. According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Montalvo was co-owner, president and chief executive officer of AMB, and Portela was an employee who, among other things, served as AMB’s pharmacist and data entry specialist. Montalvo and Portela used the names of individuals without their knowledge or permission, and listed those individuals as subjects who who were enrolled and participated in a clinical trial for a drug that was being developed to treat Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD), a moderate to serious form of diarrhea. None of the listed individuals knew that the defendants were using their personal information to falsely portray them as subjects in the CDAD clinical trial. Montalvo and Portela falsified hundreds of pages of documents and entered that false information into clinical trial databases, to make it appear as though the purported subjects had CDAD and were fully participating in the clinical trial, when in fact they were not. In connection with a February 2018 FDA regulatory inspection of AMB, Montalvo told the FDA regulatory investigator that AMB’s principal investigator had obtained informed consent from all purported CDAD clinical trial subjects, when in fact (and as Montalvo knew) the principal investigator had not done so. As part of the conspiracy, Montalvo also submitted falsified and fraudulent invoices, totaling $277,920.70, in order for AMB to receive payments for conducting the CDAD clinical trial. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 30 before the Honorable K. Michael Moore of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Floria. “Truthful clinical trial data is essential to ensuring that new drug treatments are safe and effective,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to prosecute those who intentionally falsify clinical trial data for personal profit.” “Reliable and accurate data from clinical trials is the cornerstone of FDA’s drug approval process. The jury’s finding demonstrates that those who attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA by making false statements to the agency will be held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “We commend the efforts of the Department of Justice for vigorously pursuing the prosecution of this matter.” FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office, investigated the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida has provided critical assistance. The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl .


title: Seven Individuals Charged With Distribution of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine on Tohono O'odham Nation

number: 2023-134_Tohono O'odham Community Impact Initiative

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Nina Buendia, Patricia Garcia, Kayloni Guerra, Ernesto Martin, Michael Cory Norris, and Mount Vernon Robinson of Sells, Arizona, and Travis Lopez of Covered Wells, Arizona, were indicted last week on charges of Distribution of Fentanyl or Methamphetamine. The indictments mark the conclusion of a community impact initiative on the Tohono O’odham Nation that started in August of 2022 and involved enforcement action on 27 methamphetamine or fentanyl transactions from the Sells and Covered Wells, Arizona communities. In addition to interdicting hand-to-hand drug sales, agents executed multiple residential search warrants and recovered an additional 157 grams of methamphetamine, 695 grams of fentanyl, two handguns, three rifle magazines, 264 rounds of ammunition, and U.S. currency. Lopez, who is a prohibited possessor, was also indicted on Felon in Possession of Firearm charges. Homeland Security Investigations Sells and the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation in these cases, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tohono O’odham Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, will be handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBERS: CR-23-1308-TUC-RCC CR-23-1309-TUC-SHR CR-23-1310-TUC-RCC CR-23-1312-TUC-JAS CR-23-1313-TUC-RCC CR-23-1311-TUC-JAS RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-134_Tohono O’odham Community Impact Initiative # # # 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: Craven County Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 9 Years

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A New Bern man was sentenced to 108 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On December 14, 2022, Brian Javon Webb, 33, pled guilty to the charges. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Webb was previously a validated Blood gang member. During August 2021, the New Bern Police Department (NBPD) conducted four controlled purchases of heroin from Webb. Investigators also conducted trash pulls from Webb’s residence which recovered drug paraphernalia and some marijuana. On September 3, 2021, NBPD arrested Webb during a traffic stop and then executed a search warrant of his residence. Officers recovered a mixture of fentanyl and tramadol, over $1,800 in cash, a loaded .45 caliber firearm with an obliterated serial number, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Bern Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Stephany 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. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-CR-00046-BO-RJ. ###


title: Statement Of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams On The Guilty Plea Of Ryan Salame, Former CEO Of FTX

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: “Ryan Salame agreed to advance the interests of FTX, Alameda Research, and his co-conspirators through an unlawful political influence campaign and through an unlicensed money transmitting business, which helped FTX grow faster and larger by operating outside of the law. Today’s guilty plea reflects the commitment I made in December that my Office would continue to pursue swift justice against individuals at FTX and its affiliates who engaged in criminal conduct.”


title: 19 Arrested on Federal Charges Trafficking Meth, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine in Charlottesville

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A federal grand jury in Charlottesville, Virginia has indicted 17 individuals as part of a large-scale drug conspiracy that distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in and around the Charlottesville region. The 37-count indictment, returned under seal August 29, 2023, partially unsealed this week following the defendants’ arrests, charges multiple defendants with various federal crimes. “This indictment represents the first step in a federal, local, and state partnership under the department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative that will bring increased safety and security to the Charlottesville, Albemarle, and University of Virginia region,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “The individuals charged in this indictment trafficked in high quantities of deadly drugs and I am grateful to the men and woman who investigated this case thoroughly and brought these federal charges.” “We are experiencing the most severe drug poisoning crisis in our country’s history, primarily driven by the spread of illicit drugs containing Fentanyl. Drug trafficking criminals, like the ones indicted today, are flooding our streets with this poison at an alarming rate, and no communities or institutions are immune from its devastation, including here in Virginia,” Special Agent in Charge Jared Forget of the DEA’s Washington Division said today. “Our citizens, particularly the younger generation, are being exposed to an illegal drug supply that is more hazardous than ever before, which underscores the need for parents, caregivers, students, and educators to comprehend the risks of substance use and take appropriate steps to stay protected. It is essential that everyone understand that just one pill can be fatal. One Pill can Kill.” DuShaun Lamont Gregory, 36, Henrico County, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Tyquane Pertell Gregory, 27, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Fields Devon Landon, 29, of Charlottesville, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of fentanyl. Bobby Eugene Christmas, 36, of Charlottesville, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and five counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Michael Edward Cornett, 29, of Charlottesville, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Antone Laron Harris, 41, of Charlottesville, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and four counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Brooks Lorenzo Woodfolk, 41, of Charlottesville, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and two counts of distribution of heroin, and one count of distribution of fentanyl. Ashlee Renee Morris, 37, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Shaheim Taishaun Michie, 18, of Arlington, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute and distributing methamphetamine and cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. John Ellis Turner III, 42, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and four counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Gary Wayne Woodson, 66, of Crozet, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Caleb Andrew Herndon, 26, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Dashard Brown, 29, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Cedric Trent, 25, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Dustin Lee Welch is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that beginning in February 2023 and continuing through the date of the indictment, the defendants conspired with each other and others to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in and around the Charlottesville region. The Virginia State Police 3A Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Albemarle County Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security- HSI, the City of Charlottesville Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office, the Henrico County Police Department, and the United States Marshal’s Service are investigating the case. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Offices from the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, along with the Charlottesville Emergency Services and the Virginia National Guard assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Huber is prosecuting the case of the United States. The investigation, extradition, and conviction of these defendants is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 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. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- September 2023

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the September 2023 Federal Grand Jury A. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. James O'dean Clifton. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country; and First-Degree Burglary in Indian Country. James O’dean Clifton, 39, a citizen of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians from Tulsa, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intend to do bodily harm in Indian Country; assault resulting in bodily injury in Indian Country; child neglect in Indian Country; and first-degree burglary in Indian Country after police responded to multiple domestic calls. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Stacey Todd are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-284 Carl Duaine Coffey. Distribution of Methamphetamine and Distribution of Fentanyl. Carl Duaine Coffey, 46, from Tulsa is charged with distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of fentanyl. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-Lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-294 Anthony Aaron King. Assault of a Spouse/Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse without Consent. Anthony Aaron King, 43, a Muskogee citizen from Tulsa is charged with three counts of assault of a spouse/intimate/dating partner by strangling, suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate in Indian Country; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; and two counts of sexual abuse without consent. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Harder and Stacey Todd are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-251 Brayden Kent Bull. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country: Production of Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country . Brayden Kent Bull, 25, a Navajo citizen of Claremore, is charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country: production of child pornography; receipt and distribution of child pornography; and possession of child pornography in Indian Country. Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Christopher Nassar are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-283 Pedro Antonio Lopez Guerra. Distribution of Fentanyl . Pedro Antonio Lopez Guerra, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with three counts of distribution of fentanyl. Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-295 Kedarrion Ramon Simmons. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Making a false Statement in the Attempted Acquisition of a Firearm. Kedarrion Ramon Simmons, 30, of Tulsa is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and making a false statement in the attempted acquisition of a firearm. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-290 Keelan Marquez Smallwood. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition . Keelan Marquez Smallwood, 32, of Tulsa is charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country, carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-286 Kenyon Ray Vessell. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country . Kenyon Ray Vessell, 24, a Muscogee citizen from Choctaw is charged with second degree murder in Indian Country and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country after allegedly driving under the influence of a controlled substance and crashing into a vehicle causing the death of the driver and injuring another. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-288 Cristian Josue Mejia-Garcia . Alien Unlawfully in the United States in the Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition . Cristian Josue Mejia-Garcia, 24, a Honduran national found in Tulsa, is charged with alien unlawfully in the United States in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations have all contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl Barber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-285 Elder Jony Perez Zacarias. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien . Elder Jony Perez Zacarias, 32, a Guatemalan residing in Tulsa, is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien after being arrested by the Tulsa Police Department on unrelated charges. Once in custody it was determined that Perez-Zacarias had unlawfully reentered the United States after having been deported to Guatemala on January 16, 2020, at Alexandria, LA. Perez-Zacarias has been removed on three previous occasions. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra Williams is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-287


title: St. Louis Area Siblings Sentenced for Pandemic Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk this week sentenced two siblings to 15 months in prison each and ordered them to repay $448,536 in pandemic loans that they’d fraudulently obtained. Irvin Coats, 44, of Florissant, was sentenced Thursday and Pamela S. Hubbard, 46, of St. Louis, was sentenced Tuesday Coats pleaded guilty June 5 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hubbard pleaded guilty to the same charge May 31. Both admitted fraudulently applying for and receiving Paycheck Protection Program loans that were intended to help struggling small businesses and save jobs. The pair sought the money not for the intended purpose but to open a “Wing Strip” restaurant in Florissant. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman said during Thursday’s hearings that the PPP loan program was intended to be a lifeline for millions of people who were affected by the pandemic. “While all those people were struggling, the defendant and his co-defendant found an opportunity,” he said, adding that loan money Coats and Hubbard received was not available to help others. On May 8, 2020, Coats applied for a $53,125 loan in the name of a defunct security company, Abounding Protection LLC, that had no revenue or employees. He falsely claimed to employ 12 people and claimed he would use the loan to help pay their total monthly salaries of $21,250. He also submitted a false IRS tax form W-3 to support his application. He was successful in fraudulently obtaining the loan. On March 5, 2021, Coats applied for and later received a second loan for $24,166. He again made false statements in the loan application and submitted a fraudulent IRS form. On June 11, 2020, Hubbard sought and later received a $371,245 loan for Star Shyne LLC, a cleaning service. She falsely inflated the number of employees and submitted fraudulent financial reports and IRS forms and an altered check in support of her loan. Hubbard and Coats used the money to construct the Wing Strip and for improvements on their mother’s condominium in Florissant. That condo has been sold and the $82,351 in proceeds will go towards repaying the PPP loans. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.


title: Father of Alleged Lamar High School Shooter Sentenced to 6+ Years for Gun Crime

body_text: The father of a 15-year-old accused of fatally shooting a classmate at Lamar High School was sentenced Thursday to more than six years in federal prison for a gun crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. John Edward Porter, 50, was charged in March and pleaded guilty in May to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman to 77 months in federal prison. According to court documents, shortly after his son allegedly opened fire at Arlington’s Lamar High School on March 20, fatally shooting one student and injuring another, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Mr. Porter’s apartment. Inside the home, agents found paperwork for a Mossberg, model 500, 12-gauge shotgun – the same gun recovered from the scene of the shooting. A trace revealed a relative of Mr. Porter had purchased the gun for him. Inside Mr. Porter’s bedroom, agents also found a Smith & Wesson .357 gauge revolver, a Glock .40 caliber pistol, and a Smith & Wesson M&P .556 caliber rifle. Mr. Porter, who had been convicted of first degree robbery and sexual battery in Louisiana in 1996 and was thus legally barred from possessing firearms, admitted to possessing all four guns, including the Mossberg. Records indicated that Mr. Porter had attempted to purchase guns from licensed firearm dealers in 2014 and 2020, but was denied after the background check flagged his prior felony convictions. The accused shooter has been charged by the state with murder and aggravated assault. He remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives Dallas Field Division and the Arlington Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Gatto prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Seven Months for Possession of Contraband Cell Phone

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal inmate pled guilty to possession of a contraband cell phone at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina (“FMC Butner”) and was sentenced on Wednesday to seven months in prison for the charge. The seven-month term of imprisonment is in addition to, and consecutive to, his current term of imprisonment. According to court documents, Ronito Gomez, 33, an inmate located at FMC Butner at the time of the offense, was found in possession of a cell phone during a visual search by Federal Bureau of Prisons staff. During the search, staff discovered one cell phone with a SIM card and one cell phone charger, which Gomez had concealed under his clothing before the search. The Warden at FMC Butner did not give Gomez permission or authorization to have a cell phone in his possession inside of the federal prison. Gomez’s conviction for possession of a contraband cell phone also makes him ineligible to earn time credits under the First Step Act, which allows federal inmates to earn up to 365 days off of their sentence for participating in eligible programming while incarcerated. Michael Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Prisons investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrill Ward prosecuted the case. 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. 5:23-CR-00126-FL-RJ. ###


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Mexican National of Orchestrating Fentanyl and Meth Scheme that Sent Narcotics Across U.S.

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Mexican national has been indicted on federal narcotics trafficking charges that allege he oversaw a drug trafficking organization that acquired large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine, stored the drugs at a Compton residence, and distributed the contraband locally and across the nation, sometimes using the United States Postal Service, the Justice Department announced today. Edgar Valentin Felix Osuna, 25, of Sinaloa, Mexico, who was arrested on August 29 in Barstow while on his way to Las Vegas, was named in a three-count indictment returned Wednesday afternoon by a federal grand jury. The indictment charges Felix with conspiring to distribute and to possess fentanyl and methamphetamine. He is also charged with substantive counts of distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. This case stems from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service that culminated with a search of the Compton residence that led to the seizure of nearly 66 kilograms of fentanyl (which included nearly 27,000 counterfeit pills) and approximately 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine. “From at least 2019, while in Mexico and while on federal probation [in a narcotics trafficking case in the District of Utah], Felix was facilitating the distribution of large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs that were being stored at a stash house in Compton, California that Felix controlled and was operated by Juan Gonzalez,” according to a criminal complaint previously filed in this case. The indictment alleges that Felix obtained the narcotics, arranged for deliveries to be made to the stash house, and orchestrated further distribution. Gonzalez and others allegedly wired the proceeds from drug sales to Felix. The conspiracy count in the indictment alleges a series of acts, beginning with a May 5, 2019, distribution of approximately four kilogram of narcotics that were sold on behalf of Felix. The investigation outlined in the complaint alleges that drugs from the stash house were sometimes shipped via the United States Postal Service to addresses in New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri. Those parcels were mailed by a now-deceased drug courier. After that man’s death, Gonzalez shipped at least one package to an address in Illinois, the complaint alleges. On February 23, 2022, Felix allegedly directed the distribution of 22 kilograms of methamphetamine. The following day, law enforcement arrested Gonzalez and executed a search warrant at the stash house that resulted in the seizure of the fentanyl, fake pills and methamphetamine. Gonzalez pleaded guilty last year to distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. He was sentenced in January to 15 years in federal prison. According to the complaint filed last month, Felix continued to distribute narcotics after Gonzalez was arrested, and law enforcement determined that he had returned to the United States by late 2022. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Felix, who is currently being held without bond, is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on September 21. Each of the three counts in the indictment carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life. The investigation into Felix and Gonzalez was conducted by the DEA Los Angeles Field Division and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Brittney Harris and Jenna Williams of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Bridgewater Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Bridgewater man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for defrauding investors out of more than half a million dollars. Jose Rocha, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin, who scheduled sentencing for Dec. 1, 2023. Rocha was charged in August 2023. Between 2020 and 2022, Rocha solicited investments from individuals in Massachusetts, falsely portraying himself as a successful investor in securities and promising that he would invest their money in stocks and stock options in exchange for a share of the returns. In total, Rocha obtained over $1 million from his victims, the majority of which he used to pay purported investment returns to other investors or for himself, including to pay for vacations and gambling at casinos. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Rocha in August 2023 alleging violations of the securities laws. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. The Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Office Correctional Officer Charged with Federal Civil Rights and Obstruction Offenses Involving Excessive Force Incident

component: Civil Rights - Criminal Section

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – A federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana, has returned a three-count indictment charging former DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office (DPSO) Correctional Officer Javarrea Pouncy with federal civil rights violations for willfully using unreasonable force against a detainee, failing to obtain medical care for the detainee and obstructing justice. According to the indictment, on September 27, 2019, Pouncy, acting in his official capacity as a DPSO correctional officer, used unreasonable force against a detainee by repeatedly striking him in the head and body without legal justification while the detainee was being booked into the DeSoto Parish jail. The indictment further alleges that the assault caused bodily injury to the detainee. In addition, the indictment alleges that Pouncy knew that the detainee had serious medical needs and willfully failed to obtain necessary medical care for him. The indictment also charges Pouncy with obstruction of justice for knowingly falsifying and making a false entry in a DPSO report with the intent to impede, obstruct and influence an investigation into the assault. Count one of the indictment charges Pouncy for his unreasonable use of force; count two charges Pouncy for his failure to obtain medical care; and count three charges him with filing the false report. If convicted, Pouncy faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison each for counts one and two, and 20 years in prison for count three. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown for the Western District of Louisiana and Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office made the announcement. The FBI New Orleans Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Reeg for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # #


title: Two Men Arrested for Child Exploitation

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – In two separate cases, Federal Bureau of Investigations special agents, with the support of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, arrested two men charged with child exploitation. According to court documents, from June 2022 through June 2023, Rafael A. Pérez Rodríguez, 19, from Ponce, PR knowingly transported child exploitation material in his cellular phone; distributed and received child pornography; and possessed images of child pornography, including pictures of prepubescent minors, or minors who had not attained 12 years of age. Assistant United States Attorney Emelina M. Agrait Barreto, from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting this case. In an unrelated case, FBI arrested Emiliano Echevarría Collado, 41, from Ponce, PR, for attempted production and attempted possession of child pornography. From October 1 st through October 2, 2021, Echevarría Collado attempted to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a 15-year-old female minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. “Soliciting the production of child sexual abuse material is a particularly disturbing crime,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The arrests that we announced today reflect the unwavering commitment of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners to stand up for victims and to hold offenders accountable for their conduct.” “Children are not only the most vulnerable members of society but also its future,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Criminals who target children are a threat to the very fabric of strong and functional communities. This is why the FBI is committed to continuing our work of putting these violent sex offenders behind bars and we urge the public to report these heinous crimes by calling 787-987-6500 or leaving a tip online visiting tips.FBI.gov”. If convicted, Rafael A. Pérez Rodríguez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years up to 20 years in prison. Emiliano Echevarría Collado faces a statutory minimum sentence of 15 years up to 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI San Juan Field Office is investigating the cases. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Dozens Arrested as Part of Houston Violent Crime Initiative

body_text: The charges brought against 39 individuals are the newest brought in the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Houston Violent Crime Initiative, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The arrests were made after a federal grand jury returned seven separate indictments, with additional arrests made under four court-issued complaints. The defendants are each alleged to be part of larger organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking or violent robberies. Many of the charged crimes involved the illegal possession or use of firearms. The joint effort, first announced a year ago in September 2022, addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in the southwest and southeast areas of Houston. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention, and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime. Among the charges are possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, meth, and other drugs; possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and felon in possession of a firearm and carjacking. During the investigations and arrests, law enforcement seized 79 firearms, including three machineguns made by attaching a machinegun conversion device (MCD) to a semi-automatic firearm and three stand-alone machinegun conversion devices not attached to firearms. Also seized were a silencer, three ghost guns, an inert hand grenade, and body armor. Drugs and related items seized included approximately 248 kilograms of meth, including meth pills some of which laced with fentanyl; over 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and PCP, as well as four pill presses and over $110,000 in cash. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez of the FBI Houston Field Office, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, Principal Deputy Administrator George Papadopoulos of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston, and Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Houston Division made the announcement. The FBI, Houston Police Department, DEA, HSI, and ATF investigated the cases with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Harris County Constable’s Office (Precincts 3, 4, and 5), Montgomery County Constable’s Office (Precinct 4), U.S. Marshals Service, Waller County Sheriff’s Office, the Cy-Fair Independent School District Police Department, and the Texas Anti-Gang Center (TAG). Trial Attorneys Sheila Lafferty, Ralph Paradiso, Anthony Kaplan, and Jennifer Weinhold of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Zenon, John Ganz, and Carrie Wirsing for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the cases. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.