title: Three Fentanyl, Fluorofentanyl, and Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: BOISE – U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Josh Hurwit announced the results of three separate drug trafficking cases in Southern Idaho today involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, and fluorofentanyl. Fluorofentanyl is an analogue of fentanyl. “These cases show the unwavering commitment of my office and our law enforcement partners to remove drug traffickers from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “In each of these cases, the defendant possessed firearms, which exacerbates the danger to the public of illicit drug distribution. There should be no confusion on the streets: drug trafficking and unlawfully possessing firearms means a long stay in federal prison.” On August 29, 2023, Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Joseph Castro, 38, of Seattle, Washington, to 188 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. According to court records, in September 2022, Boise Police arrested Castro in connection with a narcotics investigation. While searching his backpack after arrest, officers located 2.8 pounds of fentanyl in powder and pill form, four firearms, one of which was stolen, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Castro pleaded guilty to the charge on June 5, 2023. Castro has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for burglary, domestic violence, battery, felon in possession of a weapon, and possession of a controlled substance. Photo of fentanyl and firearms seized in Castro case showing “LV” and “300” imprinted on the brick of fentanyl powder. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Boise Police Department, Boise Area Narcotics Drugs Interdiction Taskforce, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led to the charge in the Castro case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted this case. In a separate case, Koty Dillon Cooley, 32, of Boise, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford to nine years in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Cooley’s sentence was enhanced because he possessed a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking offense. According to court records, Cooley was pulled over for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, officers obtained probable cause to search the vehicle for controlled substances. During the search, they found over 400 grams of methamphetamine, over 140 grams of fentanyl, a digital scale, a revolver, two loaded shotgun magazines, a loaded Glock magazine, a plastic container with 67 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, and approximately $3,612 in illicit drug proceeds. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigations by the Idaho State Police, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led to the charges in the Cooley case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case. In another case, Angelica Campos, 36, of Nampa, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fluorofentanyl. According to court records, on October 18, 2022, U.S. Probation was attempting to serve a warrant. Officers contacted Campos outside of her residence. During a search of her purse, officers found 103 fluorofentanyl pills, 3.1 grams of methamphetamine, $885 in cash, and 35 Alprazolam (Xanax) pills. Officers also searched her vehicle and found a loaded .22 long rifle mini revolver, 48 rounds of .22 ammunition, a ledger with drug sales and prices, and drug paraphernalia. Photo of evidence seized in the Campos case. At the time she committed this offense, Campos was on supervised release with U.S. Probation because she was previously convicted in federal court for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Campos to 30 months in prison for violating her supervised release. That sentence was ordered concurrently to the 60-month sentence for the new drug crime. Judge Winmill also ordered Campos to serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence. Campos pleaded guilty to the charge on May 30, 2023. U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of U.S. Probation and the Caldwell Police Department, which led to the charge in the Campos case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Manweiler prosecuted this case. The Campos case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. ###


title: Former University Financial Advisor Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain More Than $5 Million in Student Loans

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Randolph Stanley, age 44, of Lexington Park, Maryland, yesterday to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Chuang also ordered that Stanley must pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which is at least $5,648,238, the outstanding balance on all federal student loans that Stanley obtained on behalf of himself and others as part of the scheme. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Terry Harris of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG) Eastern Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office. As detailed in court documents and his plea agreement, from about 2006 until approximately 2021, Stanley and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Education. Specifically, Stanley, was employed as a Financial Advisor at University 1, headquartered in Adelphi, Maryland, and his co-conspirators recruited over 60 individuals (“Student Participants”) to apply for and enroll in post-graduate programs at more than eight academic institutions, including University 1 and University 2 (“the Schools”). Stanley and his co-conspirators told Student Participants that they would assist with the coursework for these programs, including completing assignments and participating in online classes on behalf of the Student Participants, in exchange for a fee. As a result, the Student Participants fraudulently received credit for the courses, and in many cases, degrees from the Schools, without doing the necessary work. Stanley also admitted that he and his co-conspirators directed the Student Participants to apply for federal student loans. Many of the Student Participant were not qualified for the programs to which they applied. Student Participants, as well as Stanley himself, were awarded tuition, which went directly to the Schools and at least 60 Student Participants also received student loan refunds, which the Schools disbursed to Student Participants after collecting the tuition. Stanley, as the ringleader of the scheme, kept a portion of each of the students’ loan refunds. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOE-OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Cooch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Grossi, who handled the sentencing. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md . # # #


title: Luzerne County Man Indicted For Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Charles Vincent Benincasa, age 40, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with drug trafficking and firearms offenses. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Benincasa with distribution of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of an unregistered firearm (commonly known as an untraceable “ghost gun”) related to conduct that occurred in July of 2023, in Luzerne County. The case was investigated by the Luzerne County Drug Task Force together with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is a term of life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Furniture company employee pleads guilty to embezzling more than $26 million from employer

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Central Ohio man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to embezzling more than $26 million from his Columbus employer. Yi He, 35, of Powell, admitted to committing wire fraud and filing a false tax return. According to court documents, Yi was a long-time and trusted employee of a furniture company that provides furniture to retailers like Wayfair, Overstock, Kohls, Walmart and Ashley. Yi was solely responsible for payroll and payroll tax-related duties for the company. From 2018 until 2022, Yi embezzled money from the company’s bank account into his own personal and financial investment accounts. Yi submitted false and fraudulent bank and financial statements to the company’s leadership to remain undetected. For example, in one wire transfer in February 2022, Yi wired himself $100,000. Yi falsified that month’s bank account statement by removing the transaction entirely. In total, Yi stole $26.5 million from the company. Yi also helped oversee an employee incentive LLC that rewarded company employees with 10 or more years of service. The LLC offered employees a way to earn more and supplement retirement. Yi similarly embezzled from the LLC’s bank accounts. For example, in one wire transfer in April 2022, he paid himself $200,000 by falsely categorizing the transfer as “Rent.” In total, he stole $635,000 from the LLC. Yi failed to accurately report his income to the IRS for tax years 2018 through 2021, causing a total tax loss of approximately $6.8 million. As part of his guilty plea, Yi will pay more than $27 million in restitution to the furniture company and LLC, and he will forfeit two homes in Reynoldsburg and one home in Columbus. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Filing a false tax return carries a potential penalty of up to three years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); announced the guilty plea entered on Aug. 29 before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: 2 Central Ohio women charged federally for $2.8 million in covid-relief fraud

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Central Ohio women are charged federally with crimes related to fraudulently receiving more than $2.8 million total in covid-relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “As Attorney General Merrick Garland recently made clear, while the COVID-19 public health emergency may have ended, our work to identify and hold accountable those who stole pandemic relief funds is far from over,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue to prosecute the individuals who engaged in these illegal activities.” Lorie A. Schaefer, 62, of Westerville, allegedly received nearly $1.9 million in covid-relief funds by fraudulently claiming an affiliation with an Ohio pizza company. According to court documents, Schaefer opened new bank accounts in December 2020 prior to registering a fictitious business name with the State of Ohio in March 2021. It is alleged that Schaefer fraudulently claimed affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurants in Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn. When notified that a PPP loan for nearly $1.9 million had been filed in the name of Flying Pizza, individuals at the family-owned business said their restaurants could not justify such a large loan. Schaefer claimed to have 98 employees and allegedly submitted altered bank records as part of her application. Schaefer also claimed the business was established in March 2021, even though the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984. Additionally, she claimed not to be under indictment despite having pending theft charges in Meigs County. Schaefer allegedly attached multiple fraudulent documents to her PPP application, including a bank statement, tax records, and a letter from the IRS. Bank records indicate Schaefer improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, for example, nearly $26,000 on liposuction, a $10,000 check for a “newborn baby gift,” and more than $900,000 to purchase and renovate a condominium in Westerville. Schaefer also allegedly made purchases at Wayfair, Lamps Plus, Kroger, KFC, Burger King, Arby’s, McDonald’s and Olive Garden. Evidence also suggests Schaefer used the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles in Ohio and property in Australia for her personal use. Schaefer allegedly assisted co-defendant Latisha C. Holloway, 42, of Reynoldsburg, in fraudulently receiving more than $980,000 in PPP loans. Holloway allegedly claimed to own a business called Jaguar Logistics, LLC. Holloway stated on loan application documents that she had 76 employees and had a total gross income of $4.9 million. Her loan application was submitted within a month of Schaefer receiving PPP loans and records indicate Holloway wired Schaefer $180,000 after receiving her own loan money. According to court records, Holloway similarly attached fraudulent documents to her PPP loan, including a bank statement and tax records. Both defendants allegedly collected unemployment benefits after receiving federal covid-relief funds. Finally, it is alleged that Schaefer used another individual’s Social Security Number to apply for and receive an additional $20,800 in PPP funds for “LS Associates,” a corporation established by Schaefer. Schaefer was arrested on Aug. 25 and Holloway was arrested today. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General as part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case. Criminal complaints merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Central Coast Health Care Provider Agrees to Pay $5 Million for Alleged False Claims to California’s Medicaid Program

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Lompoc Valley Medical Center (LVMC), a California Health Care District that operates multiple health care providers, including a hospital and several clinics, has agreed to pay $5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act and the California False Claims Act by causing the submission of false claims to Medi-Cal related to Medicaid Adult Expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). With this and several prior settlements, the United States now has recovered $95.5 million in connection with this investigation of entities in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. CenCal, Cottage Health System, Sansum Clinic, and Community Health Centers of the Central Coast previously paid $68 million , and Dignity Health and Twin Cities Community Hospital and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, two subsidiaries of Tenet Healthcare Corporation previously paid $22.5 million , to settle similar False Claims Act allegations. Pursuant to the ACA, beginning in January 2014, Medi-Cal was expanded to cover the previously uninsured “Adult Expansion” population – adults between the ages of 19 and 64 without dependent children with annual incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The federal government fully funded the expansion coverage for the first three years of the program. Under contracts with California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), Santa Barbara San Luis Obispo Regional Health Authority, doing business as CenCal Health (CenCal), arranged for the provision of health care services as a county organized health system under California’s Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties by contracting with providers such as LVMC to provide health care services to Medi-Cal patients. Under its contractual arrangement with DHCS, CenCal received funding to serve the Adult Expansion population. If CenCal did not spend at least 85% of the funds it received for the Adult Expansion population on “allowed medical expenses,” CenCal was required to pay back to the state the difference between 85% and what it actually spent. California, in turn, was required to return that amount to the federal government. The settlement resolves allegations that LVMC knowingly caused the submission of false claims to Medi-Cal pursuant to agreements executed by LVMC with CenCal for “Enhanced Services” that LVMC purportedly provided to Adult Expansion Medi-Cal members between January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2016. The United States and California alleged that LVMC claimed and received payments pursuant to those agreements that were not for “allowed medical expenses” permissible under the contract between DHCS and CenCal, were pre-determined amounts that did not reflect the fair market value of any Enhanced Services provided by LVMC, and/or the Enhanced Services were duplicative of services already required to be rendered by LVMC. The United States and California further alleged that the payments were unlawful gifts of public funds in violation of the California Constitution. “This resolution underscores our steadfast resolve to hold accountable health care providers that seek to undermine the integrity of the Medicaid program,” said U. S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “We will ensure that the nearly $100 million recovered in this case remains in government health care programs, and not in the hands of unscrupulous health care systems and providers.” “The Medicaid program provides critical health care services to those most in need,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold providers accountable when they knowingly divert Medicaid funds from their intended purpose.” “Federal health care programs are intended to ensure that millions of Americans have access to high quality, medically necessary care,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Protecting federal health care funds from fraud, waste, and abuse is at the center of HHS-OIG’s mission, and we are committed to ensuring that these valuable resources are available to patients as intended.” “Medi-Cal supports millions of Californians by providing for the critical healthcare they rely on every day,” said California Attorney General Bonta. “When providers misuse Medi-Cal funding, they siphon away much-needed resources from vulnerable, deserving patients. My office always stands ready to partner with the U.S. Department of Justice to hold such perpetrators accountable. The California Department of Justice is committed to protecting the integrity of the Medi-Cal program against those who may seek to abuse it.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam, or “whistleblower,” provisions of the False Claims Act by Julio Bordas, CenCal’s former medical director. 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 case is captioned United States and State of California ex rel. Bordas v. Lompoc Valley Medical Center, et al. , (15-cv-09834, C.D. Cal.). Dr. Bordas will receive approximately $950,000 as his share of the federal recovery from the LVMC settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California; the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; and the California Department of Justice. HHS-OIG and DHCS provided substantial assistance. The investigation of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Assistant United States Attorney Jack D. Ross of the Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Mary Beth Hickcox-Howard and Tiffany L. Ho of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section handled this case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Issuing Threats of Violence to an LGBTQI+ Advocacy Group

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Maryland man pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court in Baltimore to a federal crime for using a telephone to threaten a group that advocates for LGBTQI+ people. According to court documents, on the evening of March 28, the victim organization received a threatening voicemail from Adam Michael Nettina, 34, of West Friendship. The message referenced a mass shooting that had happened the day before at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, involving multiple shooting fatalities, where the perpetrator was a transgender woman. During the call to the advocacy organization on March 28, Nettina made multiple threats, including, “…We’ll cut your throats. We’ll put a bullet in your head….You’re going to kill us? We’re going to kill you ten times more in full.” Nettina admitted to leaving the threatening voicemail and to targeting his victims because of their actual and perceived gender, gender identity and sexual orientation. “Bias-motivated threats of violence terrorize entire communities and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not stand by idly when the LGBTQI+ community faces bias-motivated threats of violence. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit unlawful acts of hate in our country.” According to court documents, Nettina also admitted to sending messages to state delegates in two prior incidents. On Oct. 15, 2022, Nettina emailed a Virginia state delegate who had advocated, in an interview published two days earlier, for the prevention of abuse towards transgender children. Nettina wrote, in part, “You are a terrorist. You deserve to be shot and hung in the streets. You want to come after people? Let’s go bitch.” On Nov. 8, 2022, Nettina sent Facebook messages to a Maryland state delegate who had previously posted his support for the transgender community. Nettina wrote, in part, “Better watch out[.] Baby killing terrorist. Enjoy hell[.] You’re going sooner than you think.” “You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “We’ll continue prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the law.” “The defendant in this case attempted to terrorize the LGBTQI+ community by calling in multiple threats of violence to a local advocacy group,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will not tolerate these acts of hate, and we remain committed to investigating civil rights violations and keeping our communities safe and free from fear.” Nettina faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for interstate communications with a threat to injure. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Baltimore Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow for the District of Maryland and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Houston Area Tax Return Preparer and Business

component: Tax Division

body_text: The United States today filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas seeking to permanently bar a Houston-area tax return preparer and her business from preparing federal income tax returns for others, among other related prohibitions. The complaint alleges that Crystal Ojeda prepared over 10,000 federal income tax returns between 2018 and 2023 from her business “Money Market Tax Company LLC” as well as through two separate sole proprietorships: “Money Market Financial Services” and “Money Market Financial.” The complaint also alleges that in a substantial number of these tax returns, Ojeda significantly overstated her customers’ tax refund amounts by fabricating or inflating business losses, medical and dental expenses, and charitable contributions. In addition, the complaint alleges that for some customers’ returns, Ojeda falsely claimed residential energy credits to which her customers were not entitled, reducing their taxable income and leading to inflated refunds. By repeatedly understating her customers’ tax liabilities, the complaint alleges, Ojeda has caused the United States harm of an estimated $4.8 million in tax revenue just from the years 2020 to 2022, and millions more from earlier years. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information. In the past decade, the Justice Department Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.


title: Howard County Man Pleads Guilty for Threatening An LGBTQI+ Advocacy Group

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Adam Michael Nettina, age 34, of West Friendship, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to using the telephone to threaten a group that advocates for LGBTQI+ people. As part of his plea agreement, Nettina also admitted sending messages to Maryland and Virginia state delegates due to their statements in support of transgender people. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. “You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you,” said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “We’ll continue prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the law.” “Bias-motivated threats of violence terrorize entire communities and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit unlawful acts of hate in our country.” “All Americans should be able to go about their daily lives without fear and without threats of violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “Protecting the American people is the FBI’s number one priority and we remain committed to protecting the rights of all Americans. We urge members of the public to notify law enforcement about threats of violence or if they have any concerns.” According to court documents, on the evening of March 28, 2023, the victim organization received a threatening voicemail from a phone number, which investigators identified as belonging to Adam Michael Nettina. The message referenced the March 27, 2023, mass shooting at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, involving multiple shooting fatalities, where police identified the perpetrator as a transgender woman. During the call, numerous threats were made including, “ . . . We’ll cut your throats. We’ll put a bullet in your head . . . . You’re going to kill us? We’re going to kill you ten times more in full.” Nettina admitted that he left this voicemail for the purpose of issuing a threat and with the knowledge that the voicemail would be viewed as a threat. Further, Nettina intentionally selected the advocacy organization as a target of his message because of the actual and perceived gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation of the people who work at and are assisted by the organization. As detailed in his plea agreement, on March 31, 2022, a Maryland State Delegate posted a message of support on social media in honor of Trans Day of Visibility. Nettina responded on social media later that same day, which stated, among other things, that he had “begun the formal process of getting you excommunicated . . . ” from the Catholic Church. On November 8, 2022, the delegate was reelected. Nettina sent the delegate another message on social media, stating: “ . . . Baby killing terrroist. Enjoy hell You’re going sooner than you think.” Finally, as outlined in the court documents, on October 13, 2022, an online news story was published about an interview a Virginia State Delegate gave in which she advocated for the prevention of abuse towards transgender children. Two days later, on October 15, 2022, Nettina used the internet to send an email to the delegate’s press email account, stating: “The delegate is a terrorist. You are a terrorist. You deserve to be shot and hung in the streets. You want to come after people? Let’s go b**ch.” Nettina also sent a similar message to another email address of the delegate two minutes later. Nettina intentionally selected the delegate and her campaign staff as the recipient of his email because of the actual and perceived gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation of the people and constituents for whom the delegate had expressed support. Nettina faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for making threats transmitted by interstate communications. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for Nettina on November 3, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron and Ms. Clarke thanked Assistant U.S. Paul E. Budlow and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who are prosecuting the federal case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland (USAO-MD) is launching the national Department of Justice initiative, United Against Hate, this spring. Together with our local partners, USAO-MD’s United Against Hate campaign will empower local residents and communities to combat unlawful acts of hate, stand against racism and discrimination and alter the course of growing intolerance. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former Sheriff’s Deputy Indicted for Threatening to Burn Down the Plymouth County Courthouse and Kill Law Enforcement Officers

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A federal grand jury in Boston indicted a former Middlesex County Sheriff’s deputy today for allegedly threatening to burn down the Plymouth County Courthouse, to kill court security officers and “to get” current Middlesex County sheriff’s officers. Joshua P. Ford, 42, of Kingston, Mass., was indicted on three counts of interstate transmission of a threatening communication. Ford is currently in state custody and will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston at a later date. According to the indictment, Ford served as a deputy for the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office between about 2009 and 2017. It is alleged that on March 13, 2023, Ford sent 12 emails to a total of about 140 people, almost all Massachusetts law enforcement officers. Each email allegedly contained the same text: stating “[there] is no more justice system anymore just WAR” and “I am calling on all able bodied officers my brothers in blue to suit up for a fight.” Ford then allegedly asked those law enforcement officers to arm themselves with firearms and armored vehicles and declared, “Tomorrow we burn down the Plymouth County Court house to the ground.” It is further alleged that the emails included a link to a video Ford posted on YouTube and British video hosting service BitChute. According to the indictment, the video, titled, “War Has Been Declared F***’em All,” is an 11-minute recording of Ford in a kitchen, where he speaks directly to the camera. In the video, it is alleged that Ford’s principal assertion is that the justice system is corrupt, and makes various statements about police officers, correctional officers, court officers, a judge, a prosecutor, defense attorneys and others. Ford allegedly expressed particular contempt for Middlesex Sheriff’s officers, about whom he says, “And guess what? I’m f****** coming. I’m f****** coming, and hell’s f****** coming with me. I’m going to f****** get every last one of you mother*****s. I know where you work. And I am coming to get you.” Ford also allegedly threatened to “break the arms and legs of every court officer” and to “kill” court security officers working in the Plymouth County Courthouse. Ford also allegedly exhorted other law enforcement officers to assist him by bringing guns, gasoline, C-4, armored personnel carriers and SWAT teams to his confrontation, which he scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on March 14, 2023. Instead, local law enforcement arrested Ford on March 13, 2023 after the emails were sent. The charges of interstate transmission of a threatening communication each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Kingston Police Department and the Marshfield Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two persons admit intimidation charges after attempted theft from Fort Belknap Indian Reservation store

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A man and a woman who had been excluded from the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted charges yesterday after they were accused of stealing from a store and assaulting a store employee, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Dustin Alan Robbins, 38, and Nicole Lynn Hicks, 37, both transients, pleaded guilty to intimidation. The defendants face a maximum of 10 years in prison a $50,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Jan. 24, 2024 and ordered Robbins and Hicks detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on Nov. 1, 2021, Hicks and Robbins, who are non-Indian, entered the Red Paint Creek Trading Post in Lodge Pole, on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. At the time, both were excluded from the reservation by the Fort Belknap community for an incident that occurred near Hays in September 2021. Hicks took a 30-pack of beer without paying and left the store. After realizing Hicks had not paid for the beer, a store employee, who is an Indian person, followed Hicks outside. Hicks put the beer on the ground as she was going through a fence. The store employee went to retrieve the beer and picked it up. The government further alleged that Robbins ran toward the employee, assaulted her and threatened to burn down the store. After learning of the theft, the store manager, also an Indian person, went outside and saw Robbins assaulting the store employee. The store manager yelled that she had called the police and picked up a large rock to defend the employee. Robbins stopped the assault and ran away with Hicks. As they were leaving, Hicks kept screaming and Robbins yelled threats, including that he was with the mafia and was going to burn down the store. Tribal police located Robbins and Hicks at a home on the reservation, despite their prior exclusion, and removed them from the reservation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Somers Man Pleads Guilty to Charge Stemming from Medicaid Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that DENNIS TOMCZAK, 73, of Somers, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a false statement offense stemming from his role in a Medicaid fraud scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, Tomczak, a state-licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor, offered substance abuse treatment and related counseling services through his business, Pathway to Peace, LLC. Tomczak accepted Medicaid insurance and cash payments for his services. In 2019, a medical provider asked Tomczak to use his own provider number to bill Medicaid for patients that the provider was allegedly seeing for psychotherapy sessions. In exchange, Tomczak would retain 25 percent of the Medicaid claims paid and he would turn over 75 percent of the payments to the provider. Tomczak agreed to do so, and from approximately April 2019 through October 2022, based upon a spreadsheet provided to him by the provider, Tomczak billed Medicaid for psychotherapy and related services allegedly rendered by the provider as if Tomczak had personally rendered those services himself. Tomczak never met any of the provider’s clients and did not review records and treatment notes for any services allegedly rendered by the provider. Through this scheme, Medicaid paid Tomczak approximately $338,427.11 for approximately 53 clients that the provider had allegedly treated. Per his agreement with the provider, Tomczak retained approximately $84,000 of the claims money received from Medicaid. On August 21, 2023, Tomczak waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of making a false statement relating to a health care matter, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for November 13. Tomczak is released on bond pending sentencing. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.


title: Indian National Admits Defrauding Telephone Providers and Insurance Companies of Millions of Dollars’ Worth of Merchandise

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Indian national admitted today that he conspired with others to devise a scheme to defraud various telephone providers and insurance companies out of millions of dollars by using stolen or fake identities to submit fraudulent claims for replacement cellular devices and then reselling those devices outside the United States, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Parag Bhavsar, 42, of Newark, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transfer of stolen property. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From June 2013 through June 2019, Bhavsar was involved in a widespread scheme to defraud cellular telephone provider and insurance companies using the U.S. Postal Service mail system, as well as other third-party mail carriers. He and his conspirators used stolen and fake identities to submit false claims of lost, stolen or damaged cellular telephones, as well as other devices, in order to obtain replacement devices. Bhavsar and his conspirators maintained a network of mailboxes and storage units across the United States, including in New Jersey, where the replacement devices would be shipped and then held before being sold to third parties outside the United States. Bhavsar and his conspirators’ scheme resulted in millions of dollars of losses to the cellular telephone providers and insurance companies. The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transfer of stolen goods carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. As part of the plea agreement, Bhavsar will consent to the entry of a forfeiture money judgement of $10.67 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 3, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark and Assistant Director in Charge James Smith in New York, postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Frank Russo; and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly Bishop, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark. bhavsar.information.pdf


title: Five L.A. County Residents Charged in Complaints Alleging They Arranged to Rob Online Sellers of Apple Electronic Products

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Four men and one woman from Los Angeles County have been charged in federal criminal complaints alleging they committed nearly 200 thefts, robberies and fraudulent transactions targeting individual sellers of Apple Inc. merchandise who used online marketplaces, the Justice Department announced today. Law enforcement on Tuesday arrested three defendants who were charged in a criminal complaint filed last week. The three are charged with Hobbs Act robbery – which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison – and are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles: Jamari Deon Turner, 21, of Lawndale; Jerome Joseph, 25, of South Los Angeles; and Tyler Russell, 22, of Lawndale. Two other defendants – Kesai Doss, 23, of Palmdale, and Ellis Garrett, 22, of South Los Angeles – are in state custody. They are charged in a separate criminal complaint filed last week with wire fraud – a crime that also is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison – and are expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks. According to affidavits filed with the complaints, from February 2018 until at least June 2020, law enforcement identified nearly 200 incidents of theft, robbery and fraud targeting victims using online marketplaces such as Craiglist and Facebook Marketplace. Most of the incidents occurred in Inglewood, Paramount, Long Beach, and downtown Los Angeles. Most of these crimes consisted of the defendants arranging a meeting place via an online marketplace to buy Apple products – phones, laptop computers or other electronic devices, the affidavit states. Once there, the defendants allegedly asked to inspect a device and the victims would take a photo of the defendants at that time. On other occasions, the defendants snatched the device from the victim and fled. The defendants allegedly frequently ran through apartment buildings to escape from victims, using accomplices to lock the victims out of the buildings by closing security gates. If the victims pursued them, the defendants allegedly threatened, attacked or brandished a firearm to deter them. Many of the transactions have been linked through common phone numbers, email addresses or online accounts, according to the affidavit. Doss and Garrett allegedly were the most prolific thieves of the individuals charged. Multiple victims allegedly identified Doss as the person who stole their electronic devices. Doss and Garrett’s phones allegedly were used to arrange fraudulent meetings, their online marketplace accounts were used to set up the frauds, and they sold the stolen goods to a buyer. Separately, Turner, Joseph, and Russell allegedly engaged in similar behavior and also sold their victims’ stolen electronic devices to a buyer. For example, in June 2020, a victim met Turner, Joseph and Russell at the victim’s home to sell a MacBook computer he had been offered for sale on Craiglist, according to the affidavit. At the meeting, Joseph and Russell allegedly exited their vehicle, pointed a handgun at the victim, and stole the victim’s computer and iPhone. Less than one hour later, the trio sold the victim’s MacBook and iPhone to a buyer, the affidavit states. In total, the affidavits identify approximately 196 incidents occurring between February 2018 and June 2020. A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI, the Inglewood Police Department, and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Anthony Thomas, 47, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography. Thomas must also register as a sex offender. According to court documents and statements made in court, from about June 1, 2020, through about August 23, 2022, Thomas made over 105,000 digital media files of child pornography available to others by using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Thomas admitted that he knew the digital media files contained child pornography and would be downloaded by others. Thomas further admitted that the digital media files included a video file of a prepubescent female engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On August 23, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Thomas’ residence and seized electronic devices including a computer and an external hard drive. Thomas told the officers that he worked as a custodian at a local elementary school. Thomas has since been terminated from that position. Thomas also told officers that he routinely ran a scrubbing program on his electronic devices to delete their data, and provided the search terms he used to find sexually explicit images of minor females. A forensic analysis of the electronic devices revealed over 37,000 digital media files of child pornography. Thomas admitted that many of these images and videos depict prepubescent minors, including infants and toddlers. Thomas further admitted that several of the images and videos depict known child victims. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-70. ###


title: Methuen Man Sentenced for Disaster Fund Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Methuen man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and laundering the funds. Ramon Joseph Cruz, Jr., 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to two years and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. Cruz was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount that will be determined at a future hearing. On May 18, 2023, Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting. Between approximately April and December 2020, Cruz and co-defendant Darwyn Joseph conspired to use stolen identity information of United States citizens to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Specifically, Cruz and Joseph used stolen identity information of U.S. citizens to open fraudulent bank accounts which were then linked to other fraudulent bank accounts set up to receive the SBA funds. Cruz and Joseph also received some of the debit cards associated with fraudulent bank accounts into which SBA funds were deposited, and then laundered those funds by using them to purchase large numbers of iPhones for re-sale. Cruz and Joseph also wired a portion of the funds to the Dominican Republic in furtherance of the scheme. Over $452,000 in SBA funds were fraudulently obtained in connection with this scheme. Approximately $250,000 of this money was used to purchase iPhones in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Joseph pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on July 12, 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 19, 2023. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Third “Project Python” man sent to prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 50-year-old resident of Guanajuato, Mexico, has been ordered to prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jose Domingo Ibarra Martinez pleaded guilty April 26, 2021. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered him to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about Martinez duties within the organization including his role in coordinating the transport of drugs with other truck drivers. From August 2015 until March 2018, Martinez and others were engaged in the importation of large quantities of meth into the United States via the ports of entries in Laredo. The drug loads were further distributed throughout the United States. Martinez admitted to smuggling various drug-laden items into the country, including over 150 vehicle batteries during the course of the conspiracy. The investigation revealed the batteries originated from Michoacán, Mexico with an average load of 7.5 kilos of meth. Martinez admitted the organization had imported more than 1,000 drug-laden items. Two others were previously sentenced - David Almanza, 43, and Eduardo Coronel-Cardoza, 35, both of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, received 198 months and 78 months, respectively. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) led the Organized Crime and Drug Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Laredo Police Department and sheriff’s offices in Victoria and Williamson Counties. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Evans is prosecuting the case. It is part of Project Python, a nationwide DEA-led operation the Department of Justice announced in March 2020. The Project Python operation targeted the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación and has resulted in more than 600 arrests, 350 indictments as well as significant seizures of money and drugs across the United States.


title: Jacksonville Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than Three Years In Federal Prison For Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Antoine Danielle Pearson, Jr. (28, Jacksonville) to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was also ordered to forfeit the firearm and ammunition traceable to the offense. Pearson had pleaded guilty on May 24, 2023. According to court documents, on August 12, 2022, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) attempted to pull over Pearson due to a traffic infraction. After he stopped, Pearson fled from the vehicle on foot, armed with a Glock pistol, an extended magazine with 24 rounds of ammunition, and a Glock switch. A Glock switch enables a semi-automatic firearm to operate as a fully functioning machine gun. Pearson was apprehended by JSO canine officers. At the time of the offense, Pearson had multiple prior felony convictions and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement with Missouri Apartment Complex Developers Over Disability Discrimination Claims

body_text: The Justice Department announced that LJLD LLC and Westminster Properties LLC, the developers of residential apartments in St. Louis, have agreed to settle a federal lawsuit alleging that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to design and construct Bridgewater Residences Apartments in St. Louis to be accessible to people with disabilities. Under the consent order, which must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, the defendants will pay $18,500 into a settlement fund to compensate individuals harmed by the inaccessible housing and will modify features of the apartment complex to be accessible. The updates will, among other things, eliminate inaccessibly steep slopes on the walkways around the outside of the apartment complex; make accessible the exterior facilities, such as the dumpster and the dog park, by constructing the appropriate sidewalks and ramps; and make the bathrooms in the apartments more accessible and usable. “This settlement makes clear that the Justice Department is committed to zealously enforcing the federal civil rights laws that guarantee people with disabilities equal access to housing,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Real estate developers across the country should take note that they cannot ignore federally-mandated accessibility requirements.” “Under this agreement, tenants with disabilities will be compensated for the difficulties they suffered in the past at these apartments,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “But more importantly, the agreed-upon updates will make it safer and easier for both current and future tenants to easily access all the facilities of the complex, including dumpsters, dog parks and their own apartment bathrooms.” “Failing to properly design and construct apartments to be accessible to people with disabilities amounts to violation of the Fair Housing Act and the ADA,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Demetria L. McCain of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “That is why Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) free Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST initiative was created as a way to assist the public with planning for compliance with the accessibility requirements first – before engineering, before design and before construction.” In addition to updating the apartments and compensating persons who have who have been harmed as a result of the inaccessible conditions at the properties (located at 19, 21 and 23 Kassebaum Lane), the consent order also requires that the defendants’ employees undergo training on the design and construction requirements of the FHA and the ADA. The lawsuit arose from a complaint by Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council (EHOC) filed with HUD. After HUD investigated the complaint, it issued a charge of discrimination. EHOC chose to have the matter decided in federal court, and HUD referred to the matter to the Justice Department. Upon receiving the referral, the Justice Department investigated further and filed a lawsuit in September 2022. Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have had difficulties because of the inaccessible conditions at these properties should send an e-mail to the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or call 1-833-591-0291 and select option 1 for English, option 4 for housing accessibility for persons with disabilities or the design and construction of accessible housing cases, and option 7 for Bridgewater to leave a message. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. This law requires that multifamily housing buildings with four or more units constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic accessible features. Enacted in 1990, the ADA requires that places of public accommodation, such as rental offices at multifamily housing complexes constructed after Jan. 26, 1993, be accessible to persons with disabilities. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Individuals may report disability discrimination or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, e-mailing the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov , or submitting a report online . Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online . HUD’s Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST is an initiative designed to promote compliance with the Fair Housing Act design and construction requirements. The program offers comprehensive and detailed instruction programs, useful online web resources, and a toll-free information line for technical guidance and support. Those interested in technical assistance from HUD’s FIRST program may read more at www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/accessibility_first_home . Consent Order


title: Indiana Resident Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison on Charges of Violating Federal Narcotics Laws

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA. – A resident of Indiana, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The two-count Indictment named James Emmanuel Emerson, a/k/a “Manny,” age 52, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about February 15, 2022, and on or about March 3, 2022, Emerson knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully possessed with the intent to distribute and distributed 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Emerson to 90 months in prison to be followed by a four-year term of supervised release. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Great Falls man admits making false statement while trying to buy gun

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

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man admitted today that he did not disclose he was a methamphetamine user when he attempted to purchase a gun from a firearms dealer, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Joshua Raymond Sauve, 35, pleaded guilty to making a false statement during a firearm transaction. Sauve faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Jan. 24, 2024 and ordered Sauve detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in April 2022 in Great Falls, law enforcement received a 911 report of a person, later identified as Sauve, waving a gun in the air while walking in the middle of the street near a gas station. Officers found Sauve in the gas station’s restroom, ordered him out and seized a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol from his waistband. Sauve told an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that he tried to buy the pistol at Scheels but received a delay on the purchase. Because of the delay, Sauve contacted someone else who could buy the same gun for him. Sauve also acknowledged that he had used meth for the last five years. Investigators determined that Sauve tried to buy the pistol at Scheels, a licensed firearms dealer, and knowingly made a false statement when he checked the box on the ATF purchase form indicating that he was not an unlawful user of a controlled substance. While Scheels did not allow Sauve to purchase the pistol, Sauve’s statement was capable of influencing Scheels into believing that the firearm could be lawfully sold to him. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley is prosecuting the case. The ATF and Great Falls Police Department conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Former Allegheny County Resident Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute a Controlled Substance

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – David Curran was sentenced to 36 months in prison for conspiring to distribute a controlled substance in 2017 and 2018 while serving a federal prison sentence for a prior drug trafficking conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Curran, age 40, formerly of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan ordered Curran to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Judge Ranjan also ordered that the 36-month prison sentence be served consecutively to Curran’s prior sentence. Curran was convicted at the conclusion of a trial in June 2022. Curran was serving a federal prison sentence in 2017 and 2018 following a federal conviction for prior large-scale cocaine trafficking. Despite his prior conviction and incarceration, he continued to engage in drug trafficking while in federal prison. He conspired to distribute K2 paper saturated with powerful Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances. The K2 paper endangered other inmates and corrections officers and burdened them with the effects of frequent lockdowns, overdoses, assaults, and other volatile behavior. While pending trial following his indictment, Curran engaged in repeated incidents of misconduct at local detention facilities, including attempting to bribe a corrections officer. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Butyryl Fentanyl Resulting in the Death of a Pittsburgh Resident as well as for Additional Drug Trafficking and Firearm Crimes

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Deon Blair was sentenced to life in prison for distributing fentanyl and butyryl fentanyl resulting in the death of a Pittsburgh resident as well as for additional drug trafficking and firearm crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Blair, age 31 of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Judge David S. Cercone. Judge Cercone ordered Blair to serve six years of supervised release in the event he is released from prison. Blair was convicted at the conclusion of a trial in July 2021 of committing the following crimes in January and February 2017: (1) distribution of fentanyl and butyryl fentanyl resulting in death, (2) distribution of heroin, (3) distribution of fentanyl and butyryl fentanyl, (4) conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, and heroin, (5) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and (6) possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As of January and February 2017, Blair had already been convicted of eight counts of heroin trafficking in two state prosecutions, had recently served a 3-to-6 year state prison sentence as well as a parole revocation sentence, and was once again on state parole. He continued to engage in drug trafficking in January and February 2017 while illegally possessing a loaded pistol in furtherance of his drug trafficking. His continuing drug trafficking, that included fentanyl and butyryl fentanyl distribution, resulted in the death of D.S., a young man who was residing in Pittsburgh in February 2017. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Pittsburgh Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the convictions and sentence in this case.


title: New Haven Man Who Committed 5 Gunpoint Robberies of New Haven Store Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Prison

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JERMAINE CANNON, 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 162 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for robbery and firearm offenses related to his commission of five gunpoint robberies of the same New Haven business during a six-week period in 2021. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 30, October 27, November 6, November 10 (photo below), and November 11, 2021, Cannon, brandishing a handgun, robbed the Howard Mini Mart & Deli, located on Howard Avenue in New Haven. During all five robberies, Cannon pointed the gun and threatened to shoot store employees. Cannon was arrested after the fifth robbery on November 11, 2021. A search of a residence where Cannon was apprehended revealed a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, a distinctive hoodie he wore during the robbery on November 10, and a pair of latex gloves. Cannon has been detained since his arrest. On March 27, 2023, he pleaded guilty to five counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of carrying, using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Gentile and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Three Las Vegas Street Gang Members Sentenced To Prison For Distributing Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Three members of the Las Vegas based street gang Money Makin’ Moves have been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy to distribute counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, and other related drug and gun offenses. According to court documents, Giovani Barboza (21), Jordan Villalobos (24), and Francisco Ramirez-Sorto (21), all of Las Vegas, conspired to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. On September 15, 2021, Barboza and Villalobos sold approximately 3,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl; and on September 29, 2021, Barboza and Villalobos sold 2,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. Ramirez-Sorto sold counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to customers he was directed to by Barboza and Villalobos. On October 15, 2021, during the execution of a search warrant at the residence shared by Barboza, Villalobos, and Ramirez-Sorto, law enforcement seized nine firearms, over 200 rounds of various ammunition, clear plastic bags containing various counterfeit pills, and thousands of pills containing fentanyl. One of the firearms was modified with a machine gun conversion device. Barboza, Villalobos, and Ramirez-Sorto each pleaded guilty in March 2023 to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance-Fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Barboza and Villalobos were each sentenced to 10 years in prison on August 28, 2023. Ramirez-Sorto was sentenced to 60 months in prison on August 14, 2023. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the Drug Enforcement Administration, Las Vegas Division Office (DEA), and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement. This case was investigated by DEA and ATF. Assistant United States Attorney Melanee Smith prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . DEA has launched the public awareness campaign, One Pill Can Kill, to educate the public on dangers of counterfeit pills and how to keep Americans safe. For more information, visit www.dea.gov/onepill . ###


title: Three Residents of Panama Indicted on Charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - Three residents of Panama have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, PA, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The charges stem from the Department of Justice’s wide-ranging efforts to protect older adults from fraud and financial exploitation. Stefano Zanetti, a 41-year-old citizen of Canada; Samuel David Ferrer Avila, a 22-year-old citizen of Venezuela; and Cesar Javier Chourio Morante, a 27-year-old citizen of Venezuela and Colombia, were named as defendants in separate two-count Indictments. “Our office is committed to protecting elderly and other vulnerable victims from fraud schemes targeting residents of Western Pennsylvania,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “This case demonstrates that we will use all available tools to identify and hold accountable those who steal from seniors, and we will work with our domestic and international partners to seek justice even when the evidence leads to perpetrators operating outside the United States. We encourage people to make use of the Department of Justice’s online resources to learn about these common fraud schemes and avoid falling prey to them.” “International financial fraud investigations are at the core of HSI’s mission. As such, we take great pride in protecting our seniors who are among our most vulnerable and valuable citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “HSI will utilize every resource, both here and abroad, to ensure that the American public is kept safe from those that hide in foreign countries while attempting to defraud our citizens.” As alleged in the Indictments, the defendants orchestrated and executed a sophisticated nationwide scheme to defraud that targeted the elderly and caused losses exceeding $1,500,000 to victims in Pittsburgh and other locations across the United States, including Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, New York, and Tennessee. As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy contacted victims and falsely claimed that a family member of the victim, usually a grandchild, had been detained in connection with a legal proceeding and needed money for bail. The victims were directed to withdraw cash and provide it to a “courier” who would visit them at their homes. In reality, the victims’ family members had not been detained, and the “courier” was actually a member of the conspiracy. From their location abroad in Panama, the defendants allegedly directed groups of “couriers,” who were tasked with picking up the victims’ money, and “safehouses,” who were tasked with collecting proceeds of the fraud and transferring it to others, including the defendants. The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictments in this case. They were assisted in the investigation by other domestic and international agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and National Police of Panama, Sensitive Investigation Unit. The Indictments in this case were returned on December 6, 2022 and unsealed on August 21, 2023, following the arrests in Panama of Zanetti and Ferrer Avila on August 2, 2023, and of Chourio Morante on August 11, 2023. On August 30, 2023, all three defendants appeared in federal court in Pittsburgh, after having been extradited and transported from Panama by the Drug Enforcement Administration Airwing. The extradition of the defendants was the culmination of extraordinary cooperation among the primary investigating agencies, with valuable assistance from Panamanian authorities. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Kennewick Man Sentenced to Over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking 21,000 Fentanyl Laced Pills

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Richland, Washington – On August 29, 2023, Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Michael Lee Vantiger, age 43, to 115 months in in federal prison after his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Vantiger, who is from Kennewick, WA, also will serve 5 years of federal supervision after he is released from custody. According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Vantiger had been under investigation on multiple occasions, by both the Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (“DEA”) Resident Office. In February 2020, Vantiger was arrested after a traffic stop where he was attempting to transport approximately 21,000 fentanyl laced pills which were concealed in the trunk of a rental vehicle. At the time, this was one of the largest single seizures of deadly fentanyl laced pills in this district. The items seized are pictured below: Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, stated “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country. Egregious consequences stem from this dangerous poison. The Eastern District of Washington is safer and stronger today as a result of the incredible work of several law enforcement agencies, who came together to seize these drugs and save lives in our community.” “This case illustrates how determined DEA and our federal, state, and local partners are in stopping those that pedal poisonous fentanyl into our communities. Mr. Vantiger was on our radar a few times, so it is satisfying to apprehend and incarcerate those who act in continual disdain for our communities’ safety and well-being,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. This case was investigated by the DEA Tri-Cities Resident Office, the Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force, United States Border Patrol, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, Pasco Police Department, West Richland Police Department, and the Benton County Sherriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. 4: 20-CR-06010-SAB


title: Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Frank Jonathan Guzman, 31, of Stockton, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between November 2018 and December 2019, Guzman and co-defendant Jose Cruz Ivan Aispuro, 38, of Stockton, conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 1 kilogram of heroin and at least 400 grams of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl. As part of this conspiracy, Guzman sold heroin to and undercover agent and another person on Nov. 29, 2018, Dec. 21, 2018, and Sept. 24, 2019. Guzman also sold 500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to the undercover agent on Nov. 14, 2019. Agents executed a search warrant at Guzman’s residence in Stockton and seized approximately 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and 2.8 kilograms of heroin. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the San Joaquin Metropolitan Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case. Guzman is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Dec. 12, 2023. Guzman faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Charges are pending against Aispuro. The charges against Aispuro are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Arizona man sentenced to prison for trafficking fentanyl, meth and heroin in Great Falls

body_text: GREAT FALLS — An Arizona man who admitted to trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin in the Great Falls community and to failing to appear after absconding before a jury trial was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison, to be followed by three months of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Jose Manuel Villalobos Medina, 28, pleaded guilty in April to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and to failure to appear. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that in March 2020, drug task force officers in Great Falls began investigating suspected drug trafficking at a local hotel. Officers saw Medina, a guest at the hotel, leave the hotel and drive an SUV across town to a restaurant parking lot where he left the SUV and got into a sedan. Law enforcement ultimately made a traffic stop of the sedan and arrested a passenger, who attempted to conceal a meth pipe, for possession of drug paraphernalia. During a search of the passenger at the detention center, officers located a gallon-sized bag in the passenger’s crotch area that contained heroin, fentanyl pills and meth. Officers also detained Medina. During a pat-down search of Medina, officers located a large quantity of cash stashed in his crotch area. In a search of Medina’s hotel room, law enforcement found multiple packages of meth, heroin and fentanyl pills, along with a large amount of cash, drug ledgers, paraphernalia and several forms of identification for Medina. Medina initially pleaded guilty to a charge in December 2020 and then withdrew his plea in April 2021. A jury trial was scheduled for May 2021, but Medina failed to appear and absconded. Medina’s whereabouts remained unknown until November 2022 when he was arrested in New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case. The Russell Country Drug Task Force and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Southern Oregon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—A southern Oregon man was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison today after he violated the terms of his supervised release by possessing a firearm and methamphetamine. James Charles Danis, 41, of Phoenix, Oregon, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on March 20, 2020, while under an active arrest warrant for violating the terms of his federal supervised release, Danis was spotted by a deputy U.S. Marshal leaving a motel in Medford. The deputy contacted detectives from the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement (MADGE) team to assist with an arrest. When the deputy and the assisting officers confronted Danis, he fled in a vehicle and led officers from the Medford and Central Point police departments on a pursuit through both cities. Despite multiple attempts to stop Danis, the pursuit ended when he crashed his vehicle through a fence into the background of a local residence, causing extensive damage. Danis continued trying to drive his blocked vehicle away from scene until officers removed him from it and placed him under arrest. A search of Danis’ person, vehicle, and motel room returned more than 300 grams of methamphetamine, multiple pounds of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and packing materials, a semi-automatic pistol, and ammunition. On April 28, 2020, Danis was charged by criminal complaint with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Later, on July 23, 2020, a federal grand jury in Medford indicted Danis on the same charges. On August 23, 2022, Danis pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from MADGE and the Medford and Central Point Police Departments. It was prosecuted by Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Sea Cucumber Smugglers Plead Guilty to Illegal Trafficking in Wildlife

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 30, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Zunyu Zhao (also known as Kathy Zhao) and Xionwei Xiao (also known as Luis Xiao) pleaded guilty in federal court this week to a two-count indictment charging them with conspiracy and illegal importation of sea cucumbers. According to the indictment and plea agreement, starting on May 9, 2017, and through February 10, 2019, Zhao and Xiao conspired to illegally import Isostichopus Fuscus sea cucumbers, a species protected under Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, without the appropriate permits and documentation. In May 2017, Zhao was stopped at the Calexico Port of Entry, attempting to smuggle 11.50 kg of Isostichopus Fuscus sea cucumbers. In February 2019, Zhao was stopped once again at the Calexico Port of Entry with 2 kg of undeclared Isostichopus Fuscus sea cucumbers. Between 2017 and 2019, Zhao and Xiao messaged each other with texts and images of other transactions in their illegal Isostichopus Fuscus sea cucumber importation conspiracy, as Zhao confirmed for Xiao each shipment that she smuggled into the United States. On May 23, 2023, a Grand Jury sitting in San Diego issued a sealed indictment against both Zhao and Xiao. On June 9, 2023, Xiao was arrested at the U.S. border, and Zhao was arrested four days later. The parties agreed that the fair market value of Isostichopus Fuscus sea cucumbers is $435/kg, and the total value of the sea cucumbers trafficked during the conspiracy was $10,222.50. The defendants also agreed to pay restitution to the Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente, the Mexican governmental entity charged with protection of the environment. Acting United States Attorney Andrew R. Haden stated, “This office is committed to upholding the twin pillars of marine biodiversity and conservation. Criminals considering poaching protected species should be aware that this office will diligently investigate, thoroughly prosecute, and seek restitution no matter the species.” United States Fish and Wildlife Service Special-Agent-in-Charge Manisa Kung commented, “One of the highest priorities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement is to investigate individuals involved in the unlawful commercial trafficking and smuggling of wildlife here and around the world.” Xiao is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson. Zhao is scheduled to be sentenced on November 11, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., also before Judge Robinson. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carl Brooker and Melanie Pierson. DEFENDANTS Case Number 23-cr-00893-TWR Zunyu Zhao (also known as Kathy Zhao) Age: 51 Calexico, CA Xionwei Xiao (also known as Luis Xiao) Age: 52 Mexicali, MX SUMMARY OF CHARGES Count 1: Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371 Count 2: Importation Contrary to Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545 Count 1: Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine Count 2: Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine AGENCY U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.