title: Hayward Company To Pay $250,000 To Settle False Claims Act Allegations That It Provided Unapproved Network Communications Equipment For BART Rail Project

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – HSQ Technology, A Corporation, a Hayward-based subsidiary of RailWorks Corporation, has agreed to pay $250,000 in penalties to resolve allegations that it knowingly violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment for network communications equipment it provided for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (VTA) Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project (Project) for the Bay Area Rapid Transit rail system, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General (DOT OIG) Western Region Special Agent in Charge Cory LeGars. The Project was partially funded by a federal grant provided by the Federal Transit Administration, an operating administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. As part of the settlement, HSQ acknowledged and accepted responsibility for the following facts: • In August 2012, HSQ entered into a subcontract to deliver a communications system for the Project. In carrying out its work on the Project, HSQ purchased and installed network communications equipment. • The subcontract required HSQ to procure network communications equipment from authorized distributors except when specifically approved by VTA to do otherwise. Yet, HSQ purchased some of the network communications equipment through internet sites from unauthorized distributors and without approval by VTA to do so. • Between July 2015 and August 2016, HSQ submitted eight claims for payment for purchases of network communications equipment for which HSQ lacked documentation confirming that the equipment came from an authorized distributor. • Each of these claims for payment sought the payment of money funded in part by a DOT grant. “Contractors or subcontractors that receive federal funds must be truthful about the goods they are supplying and whether they meet contract requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “This Office will continue using the False Claims Act to address fraudulent conduct by government contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers.” “Government contractors are expected to adhere to the contractual obligations to which they agreed and for which they have been paid,” said Special Agent-in-Charge LeGars. “The settlement announced today demonstrates our commitment to working with our prosecutorial colleagues to protect the integrity of Federal-aid programs.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet P. Ong handled this matter for the government, with assistance from Jacqueline Hollar and Garland He. The investigation and settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and DOT OIG. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating fraud in federal grants. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to DOT OIG at https://www.oig.dot.gov/report-fraud-hotline .


title: Boston Man Arrested for Aiming High-Powered Laser Pointer at Coast Guard Helicopter

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested today for allegedly aiming a high-powered laser pointer at a Coast Guard helicopter that was attempting to land at Massachusetts General Hospital during a training mission. Philip Gagnon, 59, was arrested and indicted on one count of aiming a laser pointer at a Coast Guard helicopter. He was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston earlier today. According to the indictment, on the evening of Sept. 21, 2023, Coast Guard helicopter 6039 was attempting to land at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) as part of a routine training mission with four crew members on board. It is alleged that, as the helicopter descended towards MGH, Gagnon knowingly aimed a high-powered green laser beam at the helicopter from inside his apartment. The laser beam allegedly illuminated the side of the helicopter and shone through the helicopter’s windows. In response, the pilot aborted the MGH landing and flew north for several miles, eventually landing at another Boston area hospital. The charge of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Steven Firth, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistance U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Observes National Police Week

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In observance of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement and pay tribute to the officers who have fallen in the line of duty. National Police Week is observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024. “Throughout National Police Week, we pay tribute to the courageous men and women in law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice in service. We will forever remember their valor, dedication, and selflessness in the face of danger,” said U.S. Attorney King. “We also stand in solidarity with our federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement partners, as we express our gratitude for their unwavering commitment to uphold justice and serve our communities with integrity and distinction.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. The names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will be read on Monday, May 13, 2024, at the 36 th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 p.m. EST. To view a livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/ . To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org .


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Che Dushon Lark, 48, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 6, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a vehicle parked without permission in a private driveway on Charleston’s West Side. Officers encountered Lark slumped over in the vehicle’s driver’s seat, and observed a package on Lark’s lap containing 4.4 grams of methamphetamine and 11.2 grams of a mixture of heroin and methamphetamine. Officers removed the package from the vehicle. As officers attempted to remove Lark from the vehicle, he drove off and fled at a high rate of speed through narrow streets. Lark struck and fatally injured Heather Ross of Charleston with his vehicle as she was escorting her four children to their bus stop for school. Lark abandoned his vehicle following the hit-and-run and fled on foot. On June 11, 2020, law enforcement officers captured Lark in a residence in Chillicothe, Ohio, where he was found hiding in the attic under insulation. Lark possessed a fake Michigan driver’s license, gave officers a false name and did not have the consent of the property owner to be in the residence. In early 2021, Lark used various third parties to distribute drugs, coordinating those distributions by cell phone. On February 23, 2021, Lark’s girlfriend sold approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant after setting up the sale by cell phone. On March 4, 2021, Lark coordinated the sale of a quantity of fentanyl by Rebecca Dunlap, an associate of Lark’s, to a confidential informant. On March 17, 2021, Dunlap drove from Charleston to Columbus, Ohio, to pick up controlled substances for Lark. Dunlap was stopped by law enforcement officers on her way back to Charleston with approximately 799 grams of methamphetamine and 200 grams of fentanyl. Dunlap admitted that she made that trip to Columbus to pick up drugs for Lark and further admitted that she delivered drugs to Lark from Columbus on two other occasions. Dunlap, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on September 2, 2021, to traveling in interstate commerce to promote, carry on, and facilitate a methamphetamine and fentanyl drug conspiracy, and awaits sentencing. Lark has a long criminal history that includes at least nine prior convictions in Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee and West Virginia, including four convictions for controlled substances-related offenses and three for fleeing from law enforcement. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia State Police. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Nowles Heinrich prosecuted 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. 2:21-cr-84. ###


title: Naugatuck Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that TRAVIS TILLEY, 40, of Naugatuck, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, Tilley was convicted in state court of risk of injury to a child, which involved sexual intercourse with a person under 13, and possession of child pornography. In August 2022, he was released from state custody and began serving a 15-year term of probation. On March 9, 2023, state probation officers seized Tilley’s laptop and a flash drive. Analysis of the seized items revealed that Tilley had utilized prohibited software and had accessed sites that provide sexually explicit material; that he was using encrypted email and messenger services; that he had used an operating system that is configured to leave no digital footprint; and that he was a member of internet chat rooms that focused on child pornography and AI-generated child pornography. The analysis also revealed two videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children, approximately 60 images of AI-generated child pornography, and sexually explicit chat room messages sent by the laptop user. The complaint charges Tilley with receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and with possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced because of Tilley’s prior state convictions. Tilley has been detained in state custody March 2023. He made his initial appearance today in New Haven federal court. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Connecticut Court Support Services Division – Adult Probation Services and the Westport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Kabbage Inc. Agrees to Resolve Allegations That the Company Defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that now-bankrupt financial technology company Kabbage Inc., doing business as KServicing, has agreed to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting thousands of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees, and processing fees to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with its participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Kabbage is now winding down its operations as KServicing Wind Down Corp. after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware in October 2022. As part of the resolution announced today, the United States will receive a general unsecured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding. Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide federally guaranteed loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP is administered by the SBA. The CARES Act authorized private lenders to approve PPP loans for eligible borrowers who could later seek forgiveness of the loans so long as they used loan funds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. Among other things, participating PPP lenders were required to confirm borrowers’ average monthly payroll costs by reviewing the payroll documentation submitted with the borrower’s application. Lenders were also required to follow applicable Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) requirements. Any unforgiven or defaulted PPP loans were guaranteed by the SBA so long as the lender adhered to PPP requirements. Lenders who originated PPP loans were paid a fixed fee calculated as a percentage of the loan amount by the SBA. “The PPP was intended to provide critical assistance to businesses to alleviate the economic challenges imposed by the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable lenders that knowingly contributed to the misuse of such funds by approving PPP loans for ineligible borrowers or otherwise failing to comply with applicable program requirements.” “When the nation was facing a pandemic-induced crisis, Kabbage received tens of millions of dollars through the PPP to help lend taxpayer funds to businesses in need. Instead of safeguarding those funds, Kabbage doled out inflated and fraudulent loans, in an effort to maximize its profits,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “Then, Kabbage sold its assets and left the remaining company so low on cash that it ultimately went bankrupt, leaving taxpayers to take the loss for Kabbage’s conduct. This office will continue pursuing any company or individual, like Kabbage, that took advantage of the PPP.” “Lenders who participated in PPP were trusted on their word that they would comply with PPP requirements and do their part in safeguarding taxpayer funds from fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “PPP lenders and lender service providers who broke that trust should be held accountable, as they ignored signs of fraud, and chose profit at the expense of taxpayers and struggling small businesses badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This settlement with Kabbage demonstrates our office’s firm commitment to pursuing all parties who played a part in committing PPP fraud.” “The PPP Program provided those small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with forgivable loans for eligible payroll and non-payroll costs,” said General Counsel Therese R. Meers of the SBA. “SBA has made it a top priority to pursue participants in the PPP Program who committed fraud or otherwise abused the program.” “Today we are sending a clear message that compliance with program rules is non-negotiable, especially when supporting the nation’s small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shafee Carnegie of the SBA Office of Inspector General. “This settlement highlights our dedication to preserving the integrity of the PPP and holding entities accountable for misusing taxpayer-funded programs. I want to thank the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners for their support and commitment to pursuing justice in this case." “It is imperative that entities like Kabbage, which cause harm to federal programs for their own profit, face the consequences of their actions,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch. “The FBI and our partners will continue to relentlessly pursue companies that are unwilling to comply with requirements in accordance with the law.” The resolution announced today addresses two different violations allegedly committed by Kabbage that resulted in the submission and payment of false claims. First, the United States alleged that Kabbage systemically inflated tens of thousands of PPP loans, causing the SBA to guarantee and forgive loans in amounts that exceeded what borrowers were eligible to receive under program rules. As part of the settlement, KServicing Wind Down Corp. admitted and acknowledged that Kabbage: (1) double-counted state and local taxes paid by employees in the calculation of gross wages; (2) failed to exclude annual compensation in excess of $100,000 per employee and (3) improperly calculated payments made by employers for leave and severance. The United States alleged that Kabbage was aware of these errors as early as April 2020, yet Kabbage failed to remedy all incorrect loans that had already been disbursed and continued to approve additional loans with miscalculations. Second, United States alleged that Kabbage knowingly failed to implement appropriate fraud controls to comply with its PPP and BSA/AML obligations. In particular, the United States alleged that Kabbage removed underwriting steps from its pre-PPP procedures to process a greater number of PPP loan applications and maximize processing fees. The government further alleged that Kabbage knowingly set substandard fraud check thresholds despite knowledge of SBA’s concerns that fraudulent borrowers might seek to benefit from the PPP, relied on automated tools that were inadequate in identifying fraud, devoted insufficient personnel to conduct fraud reviews, discouraged its fraud reviewers from requesting information from borrowers to substantiate their loan requests and submitted to the SBA thousands of PPP loan applications that were fraudulent or highly suspicious for fraud. As part of the government’s resolution of these claims, the government will receive a total allowed, unsubordinated, general unsecured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding of up to $120 million. The amount the government will recover on this claim will depend on the ultimate amount of assets available to the bankruptcy estate for distribution to unsecured creditors. The resolution also provides for Kabbage Inc. to receive a $12.5 million credit for payments previously returned to the SBA during the department’s investigation of the alleged misconduct. The claims resolved by the resolution announced today include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act in two actions: one by an accountant who submitted PPP loan applications to Kabbage and other lenders and the other by a former analyst in Kabbage’s collections department. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned U.S. ex rel. Berteletti v. Kabbage, Inc., et al. , No. 1:20-cv-12114 (D. Mass.), and U.S. ex rel. Pietschner v. Kabbage, Inc. , et al. , No. 4:21-cv-110-SDJ (E.D. Tex.). On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The government’s investigation of Kabbage was a coordinated effort among the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI; Federal Reserve Board, Office of Inspector General; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General and SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. The United States is represented in the bankruptcy proceeding by the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Corporate/ Financial Litigation Section Fraud Section Trial Attorney Sarah E. Loucks; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. LaMacchia and Diane Seol for the District of Massachusetts and Assistant U.S. Attorney Betty Young for the Eastern District of Texas handled the matter. Corporate/ Financial Litigation Section Trial Attorneys Alastair Gesmundo, Stanton McManus and Shane Huang represent the United States in the bankruptcy proceeding. The claims asserted in the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. DMA Settlement EDTX Settlement


title: Calaveras County Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program Fraud

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tracy Emery Smith, 42, of Valley Springs, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $901,035 in restitution for COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud and money laundering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications, including their number of employees and average monthly payroll. “Smith’s bogus loan applications drained the PPP program of funds intended for actual businesses that were negatively impacted by the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who obtained PPP funds through fraud.” “The FBI is proud to partner with our fellow agencies. Collaboration ensures a thorough investigation by leveraging the strengths and unique abilities of each agency,” said Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “This case is an example of how federal agencies work together to protect taxpayer funded programs.” “Tracy Smith fraudulently falsified Paycheck Protection Program loan applications and obtained funds designated to provide Americans financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic under the CARES Act,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office. “Today’s sentencing reinforces that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and investigative staff are following the money and targeting fraudsters who seek to exploit the government’s relief efforts for their personal gain.” “Mr. Smith created ghost employees and falsified loan applications in order to fraudulently obtain PPP loan proceeds earmarked to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Smith’s actions not only defrauded the PPP Loan Program, but also disadvantaged business owners who were actually entitled to the benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner from the San Francisco Regional Office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “The FDIC OIG is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the Nation’s financial system and hold accountable those individuals, like Mr. Smith, who steal benefits designated to help those in need.” “Tracy Smith defrauded the federal government of pandemic relief funds for his own personal gain and will now pay the price for his crimes,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold Mr. Smith accountable.” According to court documents, in 2020, in order to receive PPP loans to which he was not entitled, Smith submitted loan applications for three companies containing false information such as the number of employees, the average monthly payroll for the company, and that he had not been involved in any bankruptcy. Smith was listed as sole owner of Sharp Holding, and in the PPP loan application for that company, Smith claimed 27 employees with an average monthly payroll of $105,791. He certified that he was not involved in a bankruptcy when, in fact, his bankruptcy was pending at the time of the application. Smith received PPP loan proceeds of $220,600. According to court documents, Smith submitted similar false loan applications for Real Fund 360 and Sharp Investor, receiving $452,800 and $242,000 respectively. As with Sharp Holdings, neither company had employees or a payroll. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case. This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.


title: New Mexico Man Indicted for Possessing - with Intent to Distribute - 47 Pounds of Fentanyl

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Luis Angel Pulido, 22, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury last week on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. The indictment alleges that, on or about April 7, 2024, Pulido knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Pulido was stopped on Interstate 40, on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, in Sanders, Arizona, after committing civil traffic violations. During the traffic stop, a drug‑sniffing canine alerted on Pulido’s vehicle. Bureau of Indian Affairs officers searched the vehicle and discovered approximately 47 pounds of fentanyl pills hidden in the trunk. Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and up to lifetime supervised release. Bureau of Indian Affairs is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Genevieve Ozark, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08044-PCT-DWL RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-061_Pulido # # # 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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Davon Jamir Linder, 24, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2023, Linder sold a controlled substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley. Linder admitted to the transaction. Linder is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least 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) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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-171. ###


title: Sports Equipment Sales Professional Pleads Guilty to Long-Running Bid Rigging Schemes and Conspiracy to Defraud Public Schools

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: A former sales employee of a manufacturer and distributor of football helmets and other sports equipment pleaded guilty today for his role in three separate conspiracies — two conspiracies to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act and one conspiracy to commit wire fraud — all related to sports equipment for schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere. At least 100 schools throughout Mississippi and elsewhere were victims of these conspiracies. According to court documents, Charles Ferrell Trimm conspired with two unnamed sports equipment distributors and numerous individuals to rig bids from August 2020 through November 2022 and from May 2021 to February 2023, respectively. Trimm and his co-conspirators agreed to submit complementary bids to schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere in order to obtain procurements for school sports equipment and related services. Trimm also conspired with unnamed co-conspirators to commit wire fraud by submitting false bids to schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere from May 2016 to July 2023. As a part of this scheme, Trimm and others used an unidentified individual’s identity without authorization, including by forging the individual’s signature. “The charged criminal schemes harmed public schools by subverting their procurement processes and providing the false appearance of competition for precious taxpayer dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its partners will continue to protect taxpayers and students across the country by stopping bid rigging and fraud that targets government procurements wherever we find it, including at the state and local levels.” “The conspirators took advantage of schools in Mississippi by rigging bids to affect the prices schools paid for sports equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting these types of anti-competitive practices and ensuring that schools and other buyers can obtain goods and services from a fair and open marketplace.” “Charles Trimm and his co-conspirators’ actions fraudulently deprived public schools of valuable resources to support students,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to hold individuals like Trimm accountable for their actions.” Trimm faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for the Sherman Act violation. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. Trimm faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a criminal fine and court-ordered restitution for the fraud charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the FBI investigated this case as part of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry. Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Laura Butte, Marc Hedrich and Evan Binder of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division prosecuted the case. In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force .


title: Fresno Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years for Dealing Fentanyl

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Alden Nunez-Rosales, 27, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on April 26, 2023, Nunez-Rosales delivered 5,000 fentanyl pills to a person that he believed was a customer but was actually a government informant. Law enforcement officers then followed Nunez-Rosales back to his residence, where Nunez-Rosales obtained 45,000 more fentanyl pills that he intended to distribute. Minutes later, police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Nunez-Rosales’s car, but he sped off, eventually crashed his car into a tree, and then fled on foot. Officers apprehended him and then searched his residence under a warrant. In total, officers seized over 12 kilograms of fentanyl pills as well as a firearm, ammunition, a scale, and over $3,500 in cash. Nunez-Rosales was charged and pled guilty to the offense in February 2024. This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.


title: Former Gibson County Resident Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in Jackson, Tennessee recently returned an indictment charging Philip Stephen Plyler, 41 , of Fairmont, West Virginia with federal child exploitation offenses. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the return of the indictment today. Plyler is charged in a two-count indictment with transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent that the minor engage in illegal sexual activity and with traveling in interstate commerce with the motivating purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with the minor. If convicted of both charges, Plyler is facing a sentence of up to life in prison. This case is pending before United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson in Jackson, Tennessee. If Plyler is convicted of the charged offenses, Judge Anderson will determine the sentence to impose on the defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the FBI Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force and the Milan, Tennessee Police Department. Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to contact FBI Task Force Officer Dennis Mitchell. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Morrow and Christie Hopper are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Registered Sex Offender Indicted For  Federal Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee recently returned a multi-count indictment charging a registered sex offender, Markettus Lorenzo Broyld, 47 , of Jackson, Tennessee, with new federal child exploitation offenses. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the return of the indictment today. Broyld is charged with production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt and possession of child pornography, and commission of a felony offense involving a minor as a registered sex offender. These charges are related to Broyld’s interactions with a minor in the Jackson area in and around December 2022. According to the indictment, Broyld engaged in electronic communications with a minor. During these communications, Broyld allegedly asked the minor to take and send sexually explicit photographs and videos, and the minor complied with that request. Also according to the indictment, Broyld engaged in the possession of child pornographic photographs and videos on his cell phone. Broyld is a convicted sex offender and was required to register under the sex offender registry in the state of Tennessee when these alleged offenses occurred. If convicted on all counts, Broyld is facing a sentence of up to life in prison. This case is pending before United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson in Jackson, Tennessee with a trial date of October 15, 2024. If Broyld is convicted of the charges, Judge Anderson will determine the sentence to impose on the defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the FBI Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force and the Jackson Police Department. Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to contact FBI Task Force Officer Aubrey Richardson. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Identity Theft

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Manchester, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to court records, from at least March 2019 through March 2022, Dominic Barbosa (aka, Christopher Barnhart) , 29, obtained the identifications of individuals without their knowledge or consent. Barbosa stole mail in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, including bank account statements, tax returns, and other documents containing others’ means of identification. He kept records of that information to use in the scheme. As part of the scheme, Barbosa would apply for duplicate licenses for others, often changing the address, and then use the stolen identification information and duplicate driver’s licenses to open bank accounts, credit card accounts and lines of credit in others’ names. He also used the stolen identifications to make purchases or enter into contracts. When questioned by a United States Postal Inspector, Barbosa stated he had a cloud database with stolen identities, and investigators in Massachusetts found bins of mail and photocopies of identifying information in a storage unit Barbosa rented. Barbosa faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss on one count of wire fraud. He faces a minimum of two years, to be served consecutively to any other sentenced imposed, and a fine up to $250,000 on the aggravated identity theft charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, South Berwick Police Department, Litchfield Police Department (NH), North Reading Police Department (MA), Salem Police Department (NH), United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. ### Edited 05/13/24: Headline corrected to reflect current residence for defendant


title: Florida Man Sentenced to 3½ Years in Federal Prison for Helping Two Orange County Men Firebomb Planned Parenthood Clinic

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A Florida man was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison for helping the perpetrators of the March 2022 firebombing of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Orange County construct a Molotov cocktail. Xavier Batten, 21, of Brooksville, Florida, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney, who also ordered him to pay $1,000 in restitution and imposed a three-year term of supervised release – to follow after Batten finishes serving his prison sentence – permitting suspicion-less searches of Batten by law enforcement. At today’s hearing, Judge Carney said Batten had committed a “cowardly crime” that showed “no empathy for women and their rights.” Batten pleaded guilty on January 19 to one felony count of possessing an unregistered destructive device and one misdemeanor count of intentionally damaging a reproductive health services facility, in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. He has been in federal custody since July 2023. In February and March of 2022, Batten conspired with Chance Brannon, 24, of San Juan Capistrano, who at the time was an active-duty member of the United States Marine Corps stationed at Camp Pendleton, to damage a reproductive health clinic that was open to the public. On March 12, 2022, Brannon and Tibet Ergul, 22, of Irvine, met in Ergul’s garage and constructed a Molotov cocktail, an incendiary and destructive device which they did not register with the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record. Batten, who was in Florida at the time, helped Brannon by advising him on how to build the Molotov cocktail, knowing Brannon intended to use the device to firebomb a reproductive health clinic. During the early morning of March 13, 2022, Brannon and Ergul drove to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa, ignited the Molotov cocktail, and threw it at the clinic entrance, intentionally starting a fire, before fleeing. The damage to the clinic forced it to temporarily close and to reschedule approximately 30 patients’ appointments. Within minutes of firebombing the clinic, Brannon texted Batten to inform him that their plan had been successful and Batten congratulated Brannon on his success. Prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum that Batten has a history of threatening to commit mass shootings and his communications and internet searches reflect a violent and racially motivated ideology. In May 2022, two months after Batten helped orchestrate Brannon’s Planned Parenthood attack, Batten messaged Brannon for advice on how to “get away with” committing a similar attack against another fertility clinic, according to the prosecution’s sentencing memorandum. “[Batten’s] willingness to help his codefendants firebomb a healthcare clinic from afar, without being present to check for people or control the circumstances, reflects a seeming apathy to whether anyone would be hurt or killed as a result of his tutelage,” prosecutors argued in the sentencing memorandum. On April 15, Judge Carney sentenced Brannon to nine years in federal prison for his role in the attack and for plotting other attacks – including an attack on the Orange County power grid in furtherance of a race war, an attack at Dodger Stadium during an LGBTQ+ pride night celebration, and the home invasions of Jewish residences in Los Angeles. Brannon pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count of conspiracy, one count of malicious destruction of property by fire and explosives, one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device, and one count of intentionally damaging a reproductive health services facility in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Ergul pleaded guilty on February 29 to one felony count of conspiracy to damage an energy facility and one misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 30. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated this matter. The Costa Mesa Police Department and the Costa Mesa Fire Department provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Jacob Warren from the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Justin L. Saunders, 33, of Mabscott, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 30, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Saunders on a felony warrant. During the arrest, officers found a Ruger model EC9s 9mm handgun on Saunders. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Saunders knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery and malicious wounder in Raleigh County Circuit Court on June 5, 2012. Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Andrew D. Isabell are 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-185. ###


title: Licking County man pleads guilty to conspiracy crime involving videos of monkey torture & mutilation

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A plea agreement was unsealed today in which a Licking County man pleaded guilty to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys. Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute “animal crush” videos. According to court documents, Bedra conspired with others to create and distribute the videos that depicted acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys, including having digits and limbs severed and being forcibly sodomized with a heated screwdriver. The conspirators used encrypted chat apps to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. Bedra also mailed a thumb drive containing 64 videos of monkey torture to a co-conspirator in Wisconsin. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made today’s announcement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Mercer County Man Charged with Communicating Threats to Attack White People

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was arrested Friday night for transmitting via the internet a post containing threats to kill white people, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Joshua Cobb, 23, of Trenton, New Jersey, was arrested and charged by complaint with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah Singh in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Dec. 17, 2022, Cobb used a social media application to post a message, stating: I want to cause mayhem on the white community. The reason i specifically want to target white people is because as a black male, they will NEVER understand my struggles. Same way I will never understand their struggles, but I don’t care to. I want to erase them. All of them really, but in this case as many as I possibly can. As of today I have officially began planning my attack. It is going to take place in 2023 in the state of New Jersey, I have not chosen a exact date but I am going to be sure it is close to an important holiday to their race. I have a location in mind already which I have frequented for the past year and I am certain nobody there is armed to be able to stop me from spraying them to the ground. I have already acquired 2 of the 4 firearms I plan to use for my attack, and I also know my entry and exit points already after the mayhem. Following this post, in April and May 2023, Cobb made several additional posts on another social media application, in which he discussed his hopes of progressing into a serial killer, stating: Imagine the rush you’d feel while shooting some sh*t up. Probably could get literally high off the adrenaline alone. I’d probably OD on my own adrenaline after the 10 th body goes down. 100% someday. Just not yet thought. I want to continue training and buying more ammunition. Tbh I hope I do progress into a serial killer because I f*cking hate life man... But one day everyone will suffer. I promise I will make everyone feel my f*ucking pain. My deep, sincere, raw, & sharp pain. There is no way out for me. The only way out is bloodshed. Just wait man. Remember [my username]. [I] will leave clues when im done. I’m just leaving evidence for whoever investigates my case. Cobb joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2023 and began basic training in June 2023. Cobb was stationed in California until his recent discharge. In statements to law enforcement, Cobb admitted to writing the above-described posts and provided detailed information on locations he had considered as possible targets for his attack, including a Jersey Strong gym and an Aldi grocery store in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Cobb also discussed his access to guns and idolized other mass shooters. A lawful search of Cobb’s cell phone revealed additional notes from April and May 2023 expressing Cobb’s homicidal ideations, stating: It’s all a f*cking game and you all are going to die. I currently lack the means necessary to kill as many as I intend to but one day I will have the available resources (finance) to purchase the appropriate weaponry for my killing(s). All my life I have been doubyed… Ive been taken as the joke… ive been f*cked around with… well now its my turn. I am going to kill one of you mother*ckers I f*cking hate humanity. All of you f*cking duck and I don’t give a single f*ck about any of you though I may appear I do. Im ready to grt to the good part of my story where I start taking you mother f*ckers out and killing you all… My rampage will soon happen… I plan to now continue accumulating the necessary equipment needed to execute. Once all equipment is in, time will then tell. You will all die. I hate all of this sh*t and I feel like my only way out of the pain and suffering is by exploding. So I await… I await that moment so I can make those moments final. For whomever… myself or a victim. Cobb’s phone also contained notes on how to bring guns into New Jersey. The charge of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the arrest. He also thanked the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, under the direction of U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada, agents of the FBI Field Office in Los Angeles, California, under the direction of Acting Assistant Director in Charge Mehtab Syed; the Hamilton Police Division, under the direction of Chief Kenneth R. DeBoskey; the Robbinsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael K. Polaski; and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. cobb.complaint.pdf


title: Four Individuals Indicted for Smuggling Tropical Bird Species from the United States to the Dominican Republic

component: ENRD - Environmental Crimes Section

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On Thursday, May 9, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging four Dominican nationals with smuggling wildlife from the United States and Lacey Act trafficking, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. According to court documents, on or about May 3, 2024, defendants Frankluis Carela De Jesús, Waner Balbuena, Juan Graviel Ramírez Cedano, and Domingo Heureau Altagracia traveled together in a flagless vessel departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic. The purpose of the travel was to smuggle various species of tropical birds to the Dominican Republic for financial gain. When the vessel was approximately 30 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico the United States Coast Guard (USCG) approached the vessel, witnessed the crew throwing objects overboard, stopped the vessel, and boarded the vessel. A number of the objects thrown overboard were successfully recovered by the USCG from the ocean waters and were identified as wood cages containing tropical birds. Crates where birds were transported. A total of approximately one hundred thirteen (113) deceased birds, depicted in the indictment, were recovered from the ocean inside the wood cages jettisoned by the defendants. The defendants lacked any license to export the wildlife and failed to declare the tropical birds as required by federal regulations governing the exportation of wildlife. Deceased birds recovered from the ocean. “The defendants violated laws protecting tropical birds and regulating the international sale and exportation of wildlife. When confronted by law enforcement, the defendants tried to cover up those crimes by killing the protected birds by throwing them into the sea while still in their wooden crates,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “I commend the excellent collaboration of the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners who remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting our wildlife.” “This successful apprehension of four smugglers highlights the unwavering resolve of Coast Guard Sector San Juan, we work daily to interdict a wide range of illicit activities in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Captain José Díaz, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan. “Unfortunately, the cruelty displayed by the smugglers in this case resulted in the loss of over 100 exotic birds. We will not stop in our commitment to control illicit trafficking in our region.” “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will work tirelessly to investigate brazen attempts to smuggle exotic birds from Puerto Rico,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “Thanks to the quick actions of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the four smugglers were caught before successfully concealing their crimes and evading capture. Their decision to recklessly jettison smuggled birds and other evidence from their vessel resulted in the death of numerous exotic birds. This case underscores the cruel reality of the illegal wildlife trade and our commitment to vigorously pursue those engaged in wildlife trafficking. We will continue working towards fully prosecuting these criminals to the fullest extent of the law.” “As part of our ongoing efforts to safeguard our borders and protect our communities, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remains steadfast in our commitment to deterring smuggling activities of all kinds, including the reprehensible trade in wildlife,” indicated Christopher Hunter, Director of CBP Air and Marine Operations in the Caribbean. “AMO is dedicated to working collaboratively with our domestic and international partners to combat wildlife smuggling and uphold the rule of law.” The defendants had their arraignment and detention hearings today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and three were ordered detained pending trial. Domingo Heureau-Altagracia was placed on home confinement. If convicted, they face a total maximum of fifteen years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Coast Guard, and Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe, Environmental Litigation Coordinator is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Trial Counsel Patrick Duggan of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section. 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: Union County Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Target Asian Small Business Owners in Residential Burglaries

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that targeted residences belonging to Asian small business owners, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Kevin Jackson, 57, of Rahway, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. Judge Padin imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019, Jackson participated in a conspiracy to burglarize the residences of certain Asian small business owners living in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, stealing large sums of money, valuable jewelry, and other items and transporting the stolen goods in interstate commerce, including to residences in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Jackson to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $294,586. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the South Plainfield Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of State, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bernards Township, Bethlehem Township, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Clark, Colonial Regional, Cranford, Delaware State Police-Troop 2, Delran, Edison, East Brunswick, East Hanover, Eatontown, Elizabeth, Essex County Sheriff’s Office-Bureau of Narcotics, Evesham Township, Exeter Township, Fair Lawn, Forks Township, Fort Lee, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Gloucester Township, Hackensack, Haverstraw, Hazlet, Highland Park, Hillside, Hillsborough Township, Howell Township, Jackson, Kenilworth, Lawrence Township, Linden, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Marlboro Township, Maywood, Middletown, Montgomery County, Montville, Morris Township, Mount Laurel, Mountainside, New Castle County, New Providence, New York Police Department’s 105th Detective Squad, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Pocono Mountain Regional, Pocono Township, Raritan, Roselle Park, Sayreville, Somerville, South Brunswick, South River, South Whitehall Township, Spotswood, Town of Tuxedo, Tinton Falls, Toms River, Township of Ocean, Union, Upper Macungie Township, Wall Township, Warren, Washington Township, Watchung, Westfield, Whitehall Township, and Woodbridge Township police departments. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.


title: U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan Recognizes National Police Week

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 12, 2024, through Saturday, May 18, 2024. “Every day, law enforcement officers selflessly risk their lives to help protect our families, friends, and neighbors, and all while facing unforeseen dangers,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We are grateful for the dedication and bravery of these men and women and their commitment to public safety.” In 1962, U.S. President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. The National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund’s preliminary report indicates that 136 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2023. During National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. Here in the Northern District of Georgia we also solemnly commemorate the five officers who tragically died in the line of duty within the past year: Sergeant Marc Andrew McIntyre, Spalding County Sheriff's Office, End of Watch: December 29, 2023 Officer Kenya D. Galloway, Atlanta Police Department, End of Watch: January 4, 2024 Deputy Sheriff Eric A. Minix, Coweta County Sheriff's Office, End of Watch: January 4, 2024 Trooper Jimmy Cenescar, Georgia State Patrol, End of Watch: January 28, 2024 Trooper First Class Chase Winston Redner, Georgia State Patrol, End of Watch: February 20, 2024 Each year, the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund in Washington, D.C. also hosts an Annual Candlelight Vigil to memorialize those who sacrificed their lives. The names of hundreds of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the Memorial and their names will be read aloud during the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil being held tonight, Monday, May 13, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Candlelight Vigil will be livestreamed on YouTube , Facebook , and Twitter . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Brooklyn Man Indicted in Scheme to Steal Checks and Defraud Banks

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn, New York, man was charged for his role in a scheme to steal and alter checks from the mail and fraudulently obtain funds from banks by depositing the stolen and altered checks into bank accounts belonging to individuals other than the intended recipients, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Noah Aranzamendi, 25, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and the receipt and possession of stolen mail. Aranzamendi was arraigned on May 9, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From February 2020 to February 2022, Aranzamendi conspired with others to steal checks from the mail in Bergen County and elsewhere, which he then sold to third parties or deposited, sometimes in altered or duplicate form, into the bank accounts of complicit accountholders who had provided access to their bank accounts for the scheme. Aranzamendi obtained stolen official USPS arrow keys, which Aranzamendi used to access mail and steal checks directly from USPS receptacles. Aranzamendi and his conspirators then targeted the accounts associated with the checks he stole and created false identifications in the names of the accountholders, which he and his conspirators used to make fraudulent withdrawals from those accounts. The scheme resulted in losses to victims of at least $240,213. The count of bank fraud conspiracy is punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The count of receipt and possession of stolen mail is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The bank fraud conspiracy count is also punishable by a fine of up to $1 million; all other charges are punishable by a maximum potential fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; and special agents with the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office. He also thanked the Teaneck Police Department under Chief Andrew R. McGurr. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. aranzamendi.indictment.pdf


component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. - A former sales employee of a manufacturer and distributor of football helmets and other sports equipment pleaded guilty today for his role in three separate conspiracies — two conspiracies to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act and one conspiracy to commit wire fraud — all related to sports equipment for schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere. At least 100 schools throughout Mississippi and elsewhere were victims of these conspiracies. According to court documents, Charles Ferrell Trimm conspired with two unnamed sports equipment distributors and numerous individuals to rig bids from August 2020 through November 2022 and from May 2021 to February 2023, respectively. Trimm and his co-conspirators agreed to submit complementary bids to schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere in order to obtain procurements for school sports equipment and related services. Trimm also conspired with unnamed co-conspirators to commit wire fraud by submitting false bids to schools located in Mississippi and elsewhere from May 2016 to July 2023. As a part of this scheme, Trimm and others used an unidentified individual’s identity without authorization, including by forging the individual’s signature. “The charged criminal schemes harmed public schools by subverting their procurement processes and providing the false appearance of competition for precious taxpayer dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its partners will continue to protect taxpayers and students across the country by stopping bid rigging and fraud that targets government procurements wherever we find it, including at the state and local levels.” “The conspirators took advantage of schools in Mississippi by rigging bids to affect the prices schools paid for sports equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting these types of anti-competitive practices and ensuring that schools and other buyers can obtain goods and services from a fair and open marketplace.” “Charles Trimm and his co-conspirators’ actions fraudulently deprived public schools of valuable resources to support students,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to hold individuals like Trimm accountable for their actions.” If convicted, for the Sherman Act violation, Trimm faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. If convicted of the fraud charge, Trimm faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a criminal fine and court-ordered restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the FBI investigated this case as part of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry. Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Laura Butte, Marc Hedrich and Evan Binder of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division prosecuted the case. In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force .


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jalen O. Thomas, 26, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 27, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Thomas was staying. During the search, officers seized a Smith & Wesson model SD9VE 9mm semiautomatic handgun, a Glock model 17 Gen 5 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver. Thomas admitted to possessing the seized firearms. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Thomas knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for felony fleeing in Cabell County Circuit Court on May 11, 2018. Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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-197. ###


title: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in Maryland

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor elections on May 14 in Prince George’s County, Maryland, to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws. The department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland work in partnership to enforce the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. In addition, the Civil Rights Division also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Act and Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.


title: Former West Virginia Official Sentenced for Making False Statement

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Priddy, 49, of Buffalo, West Virginia, was sentenced today to one year of federal probation for making a false statement. Priddy admitted that he lied to federal investigators about the verification of invoices for COVID-19 testing that he certified for payment while an official with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR). According to court documents and statements made in court, in the summer of 2021, a federal investigation was initiated to determine whether the State of West Virginia had been defrauded of federal funds allocated for COVID-19 testing and mitigation services. Investigators focused on one vendor that had submitted invoices approved by Priddy for payments exceeding $34,000,000. Priddy approved the invoices while deputy director of WVDHHR’s Center for Threat Preparedness. The vendor submitted the invoices under WVDHHR programs for providing COVID-19 testing services to West Virginia schools and Emergency Medical Services providers. On August 2, 2022, federal agents interviewed Priddy, who by then was director of the Center for Threat Preparedness, at his WVDHHR office. Priddy explained in detail how he and WVDHHR staff would verify the invoices before approving them. Priddy’s explanation was false. Neither Priddy nor other WVDHHR staff ever verified the invoices before Priddy approved payment. On September 8, 2022, Priddy testified before a federal grand jury and repeated his false claim of having personally verified or directing WVDHHR staff to verify the invoices prior to approving payment. Priddy’s false statements made it difficult, if not impossible, for investigators to ascertain whether the vendor had provided the services for which it had been paid. The investigation continued for over two years, requiring the expenditure of tremendous manpower and other resources. Investigators found no evidence that Priddy colluded with the vendor or received financial or other personal benefits in exchange for approving the vendor’s invoices. “The investigation revealed Mr. Priddy’s appalling failure to make any effort to assure that public funds were properly expended,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Significant questions remain regarding the legitimacy of the vendor’s invoices, but there is no evidence that Mr. Priddy lied to protect the vendor or further its business. Instead, it appears that Mr. Priddy lied to hide his own dereliction of duty.” Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the West Virginia Legislature’s Commission on Special Investigations. “Shamelessly manipulating financial relief systems for personal gain, lying about it despite being given ample opportunity to tell the truth, and doing so while being in a position that is supposed to serve the best interests of the public is something the FBI will not stand for,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The FBI and our partners stand firm in our resolve to root out financial fraud and abuse, no matter who the individual is or what position they may hold.” Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks, Holly Wilson and Kathleen Robeson and former Assistant United States Attorney Philip Wright prosecuted 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. 2:23-cr-162. ###


title: Postal Service Supervisor Admits Misappropriation of Postal Funds

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cape May County, New Jersey, man today admitted misappropriating postal funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Austin T. Mahan, 44, of Cape May Court House, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with misappropriating over $1,000 in postal funds. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: For approximately six months in 2022 and 2023, Mahan, who worked as a United States Postal Service (USPS) supervisor at the Sea Isle and Somers Point Post Offices at various times, misused USPS credit cards to make personal purchases at various retail stores operating in and around New Jersey. These purchases included thousands of dollars’ worth of gift cards as well as various home décor items, home renovation materials, power and handheld tools, tool storage equipment, and other personal items. The unauthorized expenses totaled $54,356. The charge to which Mahan pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential fine of $250,000, or a sum equal to the amount of value of the money or property misappropriated from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 25, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited agents of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, with the investigation leading to the complaint. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the Special Prosecutions Division in Camden. mahan.information.pdf


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Jarrett Brown, 43, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 24, 2023, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Brown in the Jefferson area of Kanawha County. During the traffic stop, a police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a small amount of methamphetamine in Brown’s person and a Smith & Wesson model SW40VE .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol and 9mm ammunition in the vehicle. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, heroin, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on January 31, 2020. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on September 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon 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. 2:23-cr-203. ###


title: Justice Department and City of Albuquerque Seek Partial Termination of Consent Decree for Albuquerque Police Department After Consistent Policing Reform Progress

body_text: The Justice Department and the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, filed a joint motion today seeking court approval to terminate certain portions of the consent decree covering the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). The joint motion comes on the heels of the independent monitor’s 19th report, also filed today, which concluded that the city and APD have reached full compliance with 96% of the consent decree’s terms, the highest level of compliance APD has achieved to date. The joint motion asks the court to terminate 93 provisions of the consent decree with which APD has been in full compliance for at least two years. The provisions cover a range of topics, including use of firearms, crowd control and incident management, use of force reporting and training, behavioral health training, reporting misconduct, on-body recording devices and community and problem-oriented policing. “Our joint motion to terminate parts of this consent decree demonstrates that the Justice Department’s ultimate goal of ensuring constitutional and effective policing is closer to becoming a reality,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Albuquerque Police Department has shown that real progress is possible through consistent improvements in its policing over the last eight years, while also fulfilling its obligation to protect public safety. The Justice Department will continue working with police and city leaders and the community as they work to achieve full compliance with the remaining provisions of the consent decree. We will continue pushing for fair and constitutional policing in Albuquerque because residents deserve nothing less.” “Meaningful change is always gradual,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “Partial termination is the natural next step after years of hard work from the City of Albuquerque and the brave men and women of the Albuquerque Police Department who chose service every single day. The goal of training wheels is to figure out how to ride without them, not how to install them permanently. My congratulations on this milestone; together, we will build the department that we deserve.” APD has made substantial changes in reaching compliance with provisions of the consent decree the parties seek to terminate, including: APD has ensured that all officers are properly trained on using firearms and APD tracks all critical firearm discharges; Use of force is properly reported within APD and officers are required to record all use of force incidents; APD’s use of force training is based on constitutional principles and officers and supervisors receive necessary training on an annual basis; APD provides behavioral health and crisis intervention training to all new officers, as well as behavioral health training to all new telecommunicators, and ensures that existing officers and telecommunicators receive biannual behavioral health-related in-service training; APD and the Civilian Police Oversight Agency have ensured that there is an effective and efficient system in place to accept, classify and track civilian complaints of police misconduct; All new APD supervisors receive 40 hours of supervisory, management, leadership and command accountability training before assuming supervisory responsibility, followed by a minimum of 24 hours of annual management training; APD has fulfilled all requirements regarding on-body recording devices (OBRD), including implementing approved policy and training on OBRD, requiring that officers operate OBRDs according to policy and holding supervisors accountable for ensuring that officers use OBRDs as required by APD policy; APD has integrated community and problem-oriented policing principles into its operations, including its staffing allocations and deployment; and The city has established Community Policing Councils that facilitate communication and cooperation between APD and local community leaders to enable collaboration on addressing crime and safety issues. The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on the Special Litigation Section Cases and Matters website . Additional information about the implementation of the consent decree is also available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico’s website . If you believe your civil rights have been violated, please submit a complaint through our online portal .


title: Providence Man Sentenced for Robbery and Assault of  U.S. Postal Carrier

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal judge on Monday sentenced a Providence man in connection with the robbery and assault of a U.S, Postal Service carrier and the trafficking of more than 500 grams of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. United States District Judge William E. Smith sentenced Juan Bautista Rosario-Sandoval, 31, to 40 months in federal prison following convictions for conspiracy to assault and rob a U.S. mail carrier, and conspiracy to possess more than 500 grams of cocaine. Rosario-Sandoval plead guilty to the charges on December 23, 2023. According to court records, Rosario-Sandoval admitted that, on September 18, 2021, he and another person approached a U.S. mail carrier and conspired to forcibly take a Priority Mail Express Parcel addressed for delivery to a Providence address. When the postal carrier refused to hand over the package, Rosario-Sandoval and the second person opened the doors to the carrier’s Postal Service vehicle, began to pull at and punch the carrier, and then stole and fled with the package. The mail carrier suffered several injuries. Rosario-Sandoval further admitted to receiving multiple packages of cocaine delivered through the U.S. Mail to addresses in Providence, with gross weights in excess of 500 grams of cocaine. Rosario-Sandoval is a citizen of the Dominican Republic and will face immigration proceedings upon completion of his sentence. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly Chin. The matter was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service agents, with the assistance of Providence Police and the Rhode Island State Police. ###


title: Middlesex County Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced to 24 months in prison for conspiring to illegally obtain over $400,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Yanira Abreu, 42, of Keasbey, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentence on May 9, 2024, in Trenton federal court. Abreu’s conspirator, Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 30, 2024, to 30 months in prison. A third conspirator, Jose Tavares of New York, is charged by indictment and his case remains pending. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From July 2020 through February 2021, Abreu, Valerio, 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, Abreu and her conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,728, which they used for personal gain. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Abreu to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution and forfeiture, each in the amount of $444,728. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; 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 the sentencing. 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.


title: U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich recognizes National Police Week

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, for the District of Montana, recognizes the public service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed from Sunday, May 12, through Saturday, May 18. “This week, we pay special tribute to the men and women in law enforcement who selflessly risk their lives every day to protect us. Far too many have sacrificed their lives to make our communities safer, and we honor their legacies and bravery by reaffirming our commitment to every law enforcement officer making our communities safer. On behalf of all of us in the United States Attorney’s Office, I extend my heartfelt appreciation for all they do every day,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the names of 282 officers killed in the line of duty were added this year to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. These 282 officers include 118 officers who were killed during 2023. An additional 164 officers died in years prior to 2023. Many of their stories of sacrifice had been lost until now. Currently, there are 24,067 names, dating back to the first known death in 1786, engraved on the memorial. The names of the fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Monday, May 13, during the 36 th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. Those who wish to view the vigil live online can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://youtu.be/_AJEOg_3npQ . The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website at https://nleomf.org/ XXX