title: Federal Court Finds City of Miami Lieutenant Firefighter in Contempt

component: Tax Division

body_text: On April 18, 2023, a federal court in the Southern District of Florida found Norman G. Williams Jr., a Lieutenant firefighter with the City of Miami, in contempt of court for continuing to prepare tax returns in violation of a preliminary injunction and a permanent injunction. The court ordered that he disgorge to the United States more than $40,000 in return preparer fees that he earned for tax returns prepared in violation of the injunctions. In 2022, the court permanently enjoined Mr. Williams from preparing tax returns for others and ordered him to disgorge over $26,000 in ill-gotten gains. Despite the court’s orders prohibiting Mr. Williams from preparing or assisting in the preparation of tax returns for others, the court found that Mr. Williams continued his return preparation activities and endeavored to conceal them by preparing returns under his fiancée’s name and preparer tax identification number. The court found that Mr. Williams willfully violated the injunctions by preparing another 173 tax returns, including 36 returns for other firefighters. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here .) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers , whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2022. In addition, IRS Free File , a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $72,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too. In the past decade, the 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 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: Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division Celebrates Earth Day by Releasing the Division’s Accomplishments Report for Fiscal Year 2022

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Today, in celebration of Earth Day on April 22, the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) released the Division’s Accomplishments for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 . “I am very pleased to announce the release of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Accomplishments Report for FY 2022,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the ENRD. “I could not be prouder of how the ENRD team has been carrying out our mission in service of the American people, including as a key player in the administration’s efforts to secure environmental justice and respond to the climate crisis.” As highlighted in the report, the division in 2022 continued to prioritize efforts to combat climate change. And, building on the division’s work, the Justice Department established the Office of Environmental Justice within the division and issued a comprehensive environmental justice enforcement strategy. More broadly, the division worked closely with partners throughout the federal government to enforce a range of federal laws that protect public health, wildlife and other natural resources, worker safety and animal welfare. The division also defended client federal agencies in court when their regulations, decisions and other actions were challenged. The division also worked to preserve the rights and resources of federally recognized Indian tribes and filed condemnation actions to acquire land for federal agency programs. In FY 2022, the division worked on roughly 4,500 matters. The division obtained over $820 million in civil and criminal fines, penalties, and costs recovered, while also securing federal injunctive relief valued at $3.1 billion. And, through defensive and condemnation litigation, the division saved the United States more than $2.1 billion. The accomplishments described in the report add to division’s legacy. The division’s work is as important as ever given the environmental and other challenges that face the nation today and that will continue to arise in the years to come.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Concludes Investigation Into Fatal Shooting On Crittenden Street

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department who was involved in the April 2022 fatal shooting of Erica Graham. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of law enforcement and civilian eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, recorded body-worn camera (BWC) footage, recorded doorbell camera footage, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, the autopsy report, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department. According to the evidence, on April 23, 2022, at approximately 5:59 a.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to 830 Crittenden Street, N.W., for a report of gunshots fired. The police would learn during the events which led to the fatal shooting that Erica Graham, who was wearing a ballistic vest and brandishing a firearm, had shot a civilian just moments before the arrival of the police. Upon arrival on the 800 block of Crittenden Street, the first police officers on the scene observed Ms. Graham on the porch of a rowhouse holding a handgun. Throughout the incident, the officers made multiple commands for Ms. Graham to place the weapon on the ground, which she refused. Ms. Graham pointed the weapon several times at the officers and pulled the trigger, but it did not fire. The police on the scene made a request on the radio for additional units to respond because an officer needed assistance due to the presence of a person with a gun and continued in their efforts to convince Ms. Graham to place her weapon on the ground. After a few minutes, Officer Simeon Crawford arrived on the scene. Ms. Graham climbed over a short railing to another porch attached to the first residence, and immediately tried to gain access to the second residence while brandishing the handgun. Ms. Graham crouched down, turned, and pointed the weapon at the police again. Officer Crawford fired two shots in reaction. The first shot missed Ms. Graham. The second shot struck Ms. Graham in the upper torso. Ms. Graham fell to the floor of the porch. The police approached and attempted to provide medical attention as an ambulance was called to the scene. A handgun was recovered from under where Ms. Graham had fallen. After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Crawford used excessive force under the circumstances. Use-of-force investigations generally The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove civil rights violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.


title: Department of Justice Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – The Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime (“OVC”) and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, will join communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and celebrating victims’ rights, protections, and services. This year’s observance takes place April 23-29, 2023, and features the theme, “Survivor voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2021, there were more than 4.6 million violent victimizations and 11.7 million property crimes. The United States Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and right of victims of crime. Here, in the Western District of Tennessee, we have a dedicated Victim Witness Coordinator who supports federal crime victims by providing victims with essential services, including referrals to counseling, securing temporary housing, assisting with access to victim’s compensation funds, and accompanying victims to court proceedings to provide support and guidance. These services provide victims with tools to reshape their futures. The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems, by disseminating state-of the art knowledge and practices across the United States, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter partnerships with these officers. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week resources can be found at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/ . More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov . ### For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @ WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.


title: Seller Of Counterfeit Art Extradited From Germany After 13 Years As A Fugitive

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ANGELA CATHERINE HAMBLIN, a citizen of the United Kingdom, was extradited today from Germany to the United States to serve a prison sentence for selling fake works of art through a commercial auction website and in private transactions. After pleading guilty in 2009, HAMBLIN was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. However, HAMBLIN failed to report to U.S. prison authorities as ordered and instead fled the United States to the United Kingdom. She was re-arrested on May 31, 2022, while changing planes at an airport in Frankfurt, Germany. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Hamblin went to great lengths to avoid accountability for her crimes, but this Office and the FBI have long memories and benefit greatly from our cooperation with international partners. Despite some 13 years on the run, Hamblin was apprehended last year as she changed flights in Germany and today returns to face justice and serve her time in prison.” As alleged in the Indictment and other documents and statements made in Court: For about five months in 2007, HAMBLIN engaged in a fraudulent scheme to sell at least four paintings that she represented to be works of such artists as Joseph Mallord William Turner (a British watercolorist and printmaker), Milton Avery (an American abstract expressionist painter), Franz Kline (an American abstract painter), and Juan Gris (a Spanish Cubist painter and sculptor), when she knew that the paintings were not authentic works of art by these famed artists. HAMBLIN made various claims about where she acquired the paintings, including that she or her husband had inherited the paintings from relatives and that they purchased one of the paintings from a then-deceased seller. With respect to one of the paintings, HAMBLIN claimed that the artist had given it to George Balanchine, the choreographer, who had in turn sold it to her great-grandfather. HAMBLIN was re-arrested on May 31, 2022, when she changed planes in Frankfurt, Germany, on a flight from Vienna, Austria, to the United Kingdom. Following an order of extradition by German authorities, HAMBLIN was flown today from Frankfurt to New York City and transported to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to serve her prison sentence. * * * HAMBLIN, 74, of St. Boswells, Scotland, pled guilty on February 16, 2009, to two counts of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. She was sentenced on July 14, 2009, by United States District Judge Loretta A. Preska to one year and one day in prison. Mr. Williams praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team/New York Major Theft Task Force for their outstanding investigative work on HAMBLIN’s scheme to sell counterfeit art. Mr. Williams also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Marshals Service, and German authorities for their assistance in the extradition. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raymond Lewis is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Nonprofit Leader Pleads Guilty to Fraud in San Antonio

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A California man pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. According to court documents, Hector Barreto, 61, of San Juan Capistrano, was one of two conspirators who operated the Latino Coalition Foundation, an entity organized as a charitable and tax-exempt organization, and Hispanic Business Roundtable Institute, formed as a domestic nonprofit corporation from October 2012 to September 2021. Barreto also controlled the two organizations’ bank accounts. Barreto and co-conspirator Miguel Gutierrez solicited donations from at least two victims for the purpose of funding nonprofit programs. While some of the funding was used for its intended purpose, Barreto and Gutierrez also diverted between $250,000 and $550,000 of the charitable funds toward personal use credit card expenses. The payments to the co-conspirators were not reported and from 2017 to 2019, Barreto co-conspired to falsify the IRS Form 990s for the foundation. Barreto’s plea came four days into a jury trial that was expected to last three weeks. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 2 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge and five years in prison on the charge of defrauding the U.S. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick J. Benton of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office made the announcement. IRS-CI and FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Blackwell and Bill Harris are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Justice Department Announces Civil Legal Services Pilot Program

component: Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the Office for Access to Justice, Bureau of Prisons and National Institute of Corrections (NIC) are collaborating to launch an innovative pilot program to provide civil legal services to incarcerated individuals in select Bureau of Prisons (BOP) women’s facilities. In remarks delivered at the department’s Celebration of Second Chances event, the Deputy Attorney General highlighted this new initiative as a strategy to improve success upon reentry. Incarcerated individuals are a particularly vulnerable population when it comes to unmet civil legal needs. The prompt resolution of pending civil legal issues – such as debt collection, access to benefits or child custody matters – can help support successful reentry and promote public safety. The department recently issued a report finding that access to legal assistance is a barrier for most in this country, and this civil justice gap widens for those who are incarcerated. The Civil Legal Services Pilot Program will seek to meet this need. “When individuals leaving incarceration cannot access basic needs to pursue a successful future, we're not achieving the promises of justice,” said Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice. “Legal help can often ensure access to these foundational needs, like economic security. By partnering with the Bureau of Prisons and National Institute of Corrections to offer legal services to individuals during incarceration, ATJ can help break down barriers to equal access to justice for all.” “Partnering with the Office for Access to Justice is a crucial step in breaking down barriers to provide important legal access to adults in custody,” said BOP Director Colette Peters. “Some of the most vulnerable individuals in need of legal resources will now be afforded the opportunity to have access. The initial pilot, serving our women in custody, is significant as it will continue to support our gender responsive, and trauma informed focus, while addressing the additional barriers women also face.” The Civil Legal Services Pilot Program was launched after the Bureau of Prisons, National Institute of Corrections and Office for Access to Justice administered a voluntary survey to incarcerated individuals to assess civil legal need. More than 50,000 adults in custody responded, and the overwhelming majority of the respondents stated that they would benefit from civil legal services. This pilot program will start to offer those services on a limited scale – on particular issues in certain facilities – with the purpose of evaluating the feasibility and utility of expanding those services across all BOP facilities. Informed by this review and relevant research and data, BOP, NIC and ATJ anticipate that the pilot program will focus initially on women’s facilities. “Working with the Office for Access to Justice has been a wonderful collaboration so far, and we are just getting started,” said Acting Director Dr. Alix McLearen of the National Institute of Corrections. The survey results show the incredible need which exists in the incarcerated population. Addressing legal concerns while people are still in custody is a major step forward in promoting successful community reintegration. And beginning the pilot with women continues our important work on equity and inclusion.” In the coming weeks, the department’s Office for Access to Justice will post a job announcement for an Attorney Advisor within the Office for Access to Justice to develop, launch and implement this pilot program, working with the support of the Bureau of Prisons and National Institute of Corrections, who will monitor the work and develop lessons learned as the initiative continues.


title: Two Conspirators Sentenced to Almost Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Exporting Firearms, Ammunition, and Military-Type Items to Nigeria to Assist Separatists Fighting Against the Government of Cameroon

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Tse Ernst Bangarie, age 47, of Hyattsville, Maryland, and co-defendant Edith Ngang, age 57, of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, each to 46 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy, and for illegally exporting firearms and ammunition from the United States to Nigeria without obtaining the required licenses from the U.S. State Department. According to court documents, the purpose of the conspiracy was to assist separatists fighting against the government of Cameroon. Bangarie was sentenced on April 18, 2023 and Ngang was sentenced yesterday. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”) - Mid-Atlantic Field Office. According to their plea agreements, from at least November 2017 until July 19, 2019, Bangarie, Ngang and their co-conspirators agreed to export firearms, ammunition and other military-type items in violation of the federal smuggling statute, the Arms Export Control Act and other export laws. Bangarie owned and operated a freight forwarding company in Landover, Maryland and was responsible for arranging for the shipment of the firearms, ammunition and other items in at least one overseas shipping container. Bangarie also referred individuals to co-conspirator Tamufor St. Michael to cut open and then weld shut metal compressors that the conspirators used to conceal many of the firearms in the shipping containers. Bangarie participated in meetings of the conspirators, both online and in person, including in the basement of St. Michael’s residence, where the conspirators also reloaded ammunition, assembled firearms, and wrapped various items for overseas shipment. Ngang admitted that she also participated in the reloading of ammunition in the basement of St. Michael’s residence in at least August and October 2018. However, the conspirators banned her from coming in person after a video of Ngang loading the ammunition was posted on social media in October 2018, something the conspirators considered a serious security breach. Ngang remained a member of the conspiracy and continued to communicate with St. Michael and others about the ongoing efforts to unlawfully export the firearms, ammunition and other items from the United States. As detailed in their plea agreements, in December 2018, Ngang provided a shipping container, with a 1989 Toyota truck inside, for the conspirators to use to export the firearms, ammunition and other items. St. Michael and other co-conspirators then loaded the container, secreting weapons, ammunition and other military-type items inside the truck and multiple compressors. The container was sent to the Port of Baltimore for export, departing on January 17, 2019, with a destination of Onne, Nigeria. Bangarie caused the electronic export information (“EEI”) to be filed with the Department of Commerce, listing the contents of the container as one Toyota Tundra truck, one 1989 Toyota truck, and “doors and frames.” The EEI also listed the U.S. Principal Party in Interest as an individual with the initials M.A.O. and a non-existent address. The telephone number listed for M.A.O. corresponded with a pre-paid cellular telephone. Bangarie knew that much of the information on the EEI was false and he intentionally did not include any mention of the firearms, ammunition and other items hidden in the container. Approximately one month later, the shipping container was ordered returned to the Port of Baltimore and on May 20, 2019, law enforcement personnel in Baltimore unsealed the container and examined its contents. In addition to the trucks and what appeared to be the contents of an old schoolhouse, the defendants and their co-conspirators had concealed firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in duffle bags placed in the trucks and in heavily wrapped packages inside sealed compressor units, in the shipping container. In all, law enforcement recovered from the shipping container 38 firearms, 28 of which had obliterated serial numbers. The guns included sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some with bayonets), other rifles and several handguns. There were 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as military-type items, including boots, pepper spray, zip-tie style handcuffs, hydration packs, and other items. Tamufor St. Michael, age 42, of Rosedale, Maryland and five co-conspirators pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. A jury convicted three other members for the conspiracy, transportation of firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and smuggling following a jury trial in May, 2022. Judge Bennett has sentenced two of those individuals, Eric Fru Nji and Wilson Nuyila Tita, to 63 months of incarceration and the third, Wilson Che Fonguh, is awaiting sentencing. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the ATF and DCIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron recognized the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement; the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their contributions to the investigation. U.S. Attorney Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, who is prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: United States Attorney Issues Guidelines as Part of a New Federal Strategy For Cases Involving Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Today, United States Attorney Robert J. Troester announced the issuance of Savanna’s Act guidelines for the Western District of Oklahoma. The guidelines follow consultation with Indian nations and tribal agencies, federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and victim service providers. "For years, Native Americans have been victimized by violent crime and mourned a murdered or missing loved one," said U.S. Attorney Troester. "Addressing these issues is a top priority for my office and the Department of Justice. Throughout the Western District of Oklahoma, we are fortunate to have strong working relationships across law enforcement and the Tribal nations in our district. These guidelines will help us to further strengthen those relationships and coordinate efforts to better address Native Americans who are victimized by violence or have been reported missing." In 2020, bipartisan members of the 116th United States Congress took an important step toward addressing the issue of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Peoples ("MMIP") in passing Savanna’s Act. The Act directed United States Attorney’s Offices to develop regionally appropriate guidelines to respond to MMIP-related cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives. The guidelines include important provisions designed to improve law enforcement and justice protocols, enhance cooperation between agencies, and address jurisdictional issues, with a goal to establish a comprehensive federal law enforcement strategy to respond to violence against Native Americans. A first of its kind, the Guidelines specifically address: (1) interjurisdictional law enforcement cooperation and protection order enforcement, (2) best practices for searching for missing persons, (3) standards on data collection, reporting and analysis, and identification and handling of human remains, (4) coordinating law enforcement agencies responsible for updating databases, (5) improving law enforcement agency response rates and follow-up responses to missing persons cases, and (6) access to culturally appropriate victim services. An important part of the overall strategy includes efforts to identify all missing or murdered Indigenous people, utilizing the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System ("NamUs"). Through the past year, the United States Attorney’s Office has worked with various state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies, and has solicited input to update and track current MMIP cases utilizing the NamUs database. The NamUs database can be found online at: https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/ . “ Missing In Oklahoma 2023” Public Event, April 22, 2023 Tomorrow, April 22, 2023, from 10:00 to 3:00, a "Missing in Oklahoma 2023" event will be held at the University of Central Oklahoma ("UCO") Forensic Science Institute, located at 801 E. 2nd Street, Edmond, Oklahoma. At the event, families and friends of missing persons may complete a missing person report for law enforcement, provide additional investigative leads, enter the missing person into the NamUs database, and provide family reference DNA samples to compare to potential remains recovered during investigations, along with other pertinent information about the mission person. All resources are available at no cost to families; NamUs is funded through the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ). For additional information visit the "Missing In Oklahoma 2023" event on Facebook. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with other law enforcement and private organizations to be present at the "Missing in Oklahoma 2023" event. Participating agencies include the University of Central Oklahoma Forensic Science Institute, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Stillwater Police Department, Edmond Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the Oklahoma Indian Bar Association. ### Note for Editors : Department of Justice Savanna’s Act page: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/mmip/SavannasAct Link to Savanna’s Act law: /bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/227/text Department of Justice MMIP page: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/mmip Not Invisible Act page and Commission members: https://www.doi.gov/priorities/strengthening-indian-country/not-invisible-act-commission


title: DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. On Saturday, April 22nd, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will provide the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Location information is available from the DEA, along with items that cannot be accepted. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. This April’s event is DEA’s 23rd nationwide event since its inception 12 years ago. Last spring, Americans turned in nearly 647,163 pounds of prescription drugs at nearly 4,902 sites operated by the DEA and almost 5,000 from its state and local law enforcement partners. The DEA will now accept vaping devices and cartridges at any of its drop-off locations during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. It is important to note that DEA cannot accept devices containing lithium-ion batteries. If batteries cannot be removed prior to drop-off, DEA encourages individuals to consult with stores that recycle lithium-ion batteries. Concerns have been raised across the United States over illnesses and deaths caused by vaping and the high youth vaping initiation rates. To support a healthy lifestyle and energetic population, especially among America’s youth, DEA is committed to doing all it can to help safely dispose of vaping devices and substances. The DEA’s “Take Back” day and “Get Smart About Drugs” initiatives address the vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses because of these drugs. Synthetic opioids, such as illicit fentanyl, are the primary driver of the increase in overdose deaths. For information on DEA’s “Take Back” in Spanish , click here , or for more information on the “Get Smart About Drugs” publication, click for English or Spanish . In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are many other ways to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs every day, including the 11,000 authorized collectors that are available all year long. For more information, visit DEA’s year-round collection site locator . Participating in the next DEA Take Back Day on Saturday, April 22nd, simply means cleaning out your medicine cabinet or anywhere you keep unused, unwanted, or expired medications and dropping them off at your nearest collection site. For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 22nd Take Back day event, go to DEA Drug Take Back event or by calling 800-882-9539. The FDA also provides information on how to properly dispose of prescription drugs. More information is available here: English or Spanish . ###


title: Two Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Plot to Attack Power Grids in the United States

body_text: Two men were sentenced in federal court today to crimes related to a scheme to attack power grids in the United States in furtherance white supremacy. Christopher Brenner Cook, 20, of Columbus, Ohio, and Jonathan Allen Frost, 24, of Katy, Texas, and West Lafayette, Indiana, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Cook was sentenced was sentenced to 92 months in prison and Frost was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Jackson Matthew Sawall, 22, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was also charged and pleaded guilty in February 2022 in connection with the scheme and will be sentenced at a later date. “These defendants plotted armed attacks against energy facilities to stoke division in furtherance of white supremacist ideology and now they are being held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will not tolerate the use of violence to advance any extremist ideology and we remain determined to protect our communities from such hateful acts of terror.” “At the root of every terrorist plot – whether foreign or domestic – is hate,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “As a society, we must be vigilant against online radicalization, which is a powerful tool used by extremists to recruit both juveniles and adults.” “The defendants in this case conspired to provide material support to terrorism by putting plans in place to damage America’s infrastructure, motivated by their adherence to racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist ideology,” said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “When individuals move from espousing ideas to planning or committing acts of violence, the FBI will investigate and take action to disrupt their plans. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the commitment we have to working with our partners to bring violent extremists to justice and to protect our communities.” According to court documents, in fall 2019, Frost and Cook met in an online chat group. Frost shared the idea of attacking a power grid with Cook, and within weeks, the two began efforts to recruit others to join in their plan. As part of the recruitment process, Cook circulated a book list of readings that promoted the ideology of white supremacy and Neo-Nazism. By late 2019, Sawall – a friend of Cook’s – joined the conspiracy and assisted Cook with online recruitment efforts, operational security and organization. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant was assigned a substation in a different region of the United States. The plan was to attack the substations, or power grids, with powerful rifles. The defendants believed their plan would cost the government millions of dollars and cause unrest for Americans in the region. They had conversations about how the possibility of the power being out for many months could cause war, even a race war, and induce the next Great Depression. In February 2020, the co-conspirators met in Columbus, Ohio, to further discuss their plot. Frost provided Cook with an AR-47 and the two took the rifle to a shooting range to train. Frost also provided Cook and Sawall with suicide necklaces during the Columbus meeting. The necklaces were filled with fentanyl and were to be ingested if and when the defendants were caught by law enforcement. Both Cook and Sawall expressed their commitment to dying in furtherance of their mission. Upon arriving in Columbus, Sawall and Cook purchased spray paint and painted a swastika flag under a bridge at a park with the caption, “Join the Front.” The defendants had additional propaganda plans for their time in Ohio, but they were derailed during a traffic stop, during which Sawall swallowed his suicide pill but ultimately survived. Court documents detail that Cook and Frost continued to travel together after their Ohio meeting, and drove to Texas in March 2020. Cook stayed in different cities with various juveniles who he was attempting to recruit for their plot. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica W. Knight for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Columbus, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Houston. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Northern District of Indiana provided valuable support.


title: South Carolina Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns

body_text: A South Carolina return preparer pleaded guilty today, after his jury trial had begun, to two counts of filing false tax returns. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jeffrey Harmon of Lexington, South Carolina, owned and operated TFL Worldwide, a tax preparation business through which he willfully prepared and filed returns for clients that claimed fraudulent deductions relating to, among other things, rent, utilities, meals, gifts, dues, and depreciation. In his plea, Harmon admitted to filing a false 2012 tax return for himself and to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a 2016 tax return claiming false deductions for rent and depreciation for one of his clients. Harmon agreed that the total tax loss from his criminal conduct was approximately $320,000. Harmon faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each false return count. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties, and restitution. U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs for the District of South Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Donald Trey Eakins of IRS-Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office, made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Wilson Stamm of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina prosecuted the case.


title: Nevada Man Pleads Guilty in Multimillion-Dollar Fraudulent Check Scheme

component: Civil Division

body_text: A Nevada man pleaded guilty today to using fraudulent checks to steal money from victims’ bank accounts. According to court documents, Michael Zeto, 77, of Las Vegas, partnered with foreign telemarketers, who provided Zeto with the names, bank account numbers, and other personal information for American consumers. Many of these consumers had purchased no products or services from the telemarketers and had not authorized anyone to debit their bank accounts. Zeto used the information provided by his telemarketing partners to create fraudulent checks payable to companies he controlled and debited consumers’ bank accounts. Many of Zeto’s victims were retirees and other older adults. “The defendant was a vital link in a scheme with foreign telemarketing partners to steal money from American victims’ bank accounts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting older Americans from fraud and to prosecuting people who knowingly help fraudsters.” “With our increasing use and dependency on technology, fraudsters have found new ways to scam unsuspecting Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “Americans, and Nevadans in particular, can be assured that our office is committed to investigating and prosecuting elder financial fraud scams.” “Today's guilty plea holds the defendant accountable for his role in a multimillion dollar fraudulent check scheme that targeted the bank accounts of American consumers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Bundy of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General Chicago Division. “The FDIC-OIG remains dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who seek to defraud elderly and vulnerable Americans, and threaten the integrity of the banking system.” “This conviction is the direct result of a diligent investigation by hardworking Postal Inspectors and our partners at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division. “Working together, their perseverance unraveled the defendant’s complex scheme to defraud some of our nation’s most vulnerable victims and delivered the justice that each victim deserved. We are proud of the investigative team’s efforts to uphold the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) to protect postal customers and consumers from fraudsters.” Zeto pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The USPIS and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for unauthorized debits to their accounts. Check your bank, credit card, and other financial statements and contact your financial institution if you see a charge you do not recognize. Report any fraudulent debit you identify to law enforcement. Reports may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.


title: Colorado Woman Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Yadira Chavarria-Enriquez, 44, of Colorado, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Robinson to 108 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a four-year term of supervised release. She will also forfeit $26,008 in U.S. currency to the United States. On March 18, 2022, Chavarria-Enriquez was stopped for a traffic violation in Furnas County, Nebraska. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and located 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and $26,008 in U.S. currency. This case was investigated by the Furnas County, Nebraska, Sheriff’s Office.


title: Four Men Indicted in Public Corruption Cases

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the unsealing of two related indictments. The indictments were unsealed after this morning’s arrests of Omaha City Councilman Vincent J. Palermo, 49, Former Omaha Police Officer Johnny Palermo, 47, Former Omaha Police Captain and Former PACE Executive Director Richard Gonzalez, 55, and Jack Olson, 66, of Council Bluffs, Iowa. The indictments were returned by the Grand Jury this week in Omaha, Nebraska. The indictments are comprised of multiple counts. Each count is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. In the first indictment (4:23CR3051), Johnny Palermo, Gonzalez, and Olson are charged with defrauding donors of the Latino Peace Officers’ Association (“LPOA”), and the LPOA board. Johnny Palermo and Gonzalez are further charged with defrauding LPOA and Police Athletics for Community Engagement (“PACE”) for their own personal benefit. Palermo is separately charged with wire fraud through an alleged false application to obtain a “Paycheck Protection Program” or PPP loan through his purported real estate company, Palermo Investments, LLC. Palermo is also charged with making false statements to the Small Business Administration in an attempt to get an Economic Injury and Disaster or EIDL loan. Palermo is further charged with defrauding the citizens of Nebraska and the Omaha Police Department of his honest services as a police officer by accepting a stream of financial benefits from Gonzalez and Olson that influenced Palermo to interfere with an ongoing sexual assault investigation for which Olson is the lead suspect. In the second indictment (4:23CR3052), Johnny Palermo and Gonzalez are charged with conspiring with Omaha City Councilman Vincent J. Palermo to deprive the citizens of Nebraska of Councilman Palermo’s honest services through paid travel benefits, including a luxury hotel suite, a trip to Las Vegas, and other destinations, among other items of value in exchange for Vincent J. Palermo’s official acts done for the benefit of LPOA and PACE. Johnny Palermo was the President of LPOA and Gonzalez was the Executive Director of PACE and a member of LPOA. Councilman Palermo awarded money to both non-profits and failed to disclose the private benefits that he was receiving while taking official acts for the benefit of LPOA and PACE. Vincent J. Palermo is further charged with failing to disclose personal benefits, including income, gifts, and other items of value that he received from Omaha Glass Pro, a company that he voted to award city contracts to during the charged timeframes, along with failing to disclose discounted concrete work to his backyard pool that was poured by a concrete contractor that also had contracts with the City of Omaha. Finally, Vincent J. Palermo is alleged to have concealed his status on federal probation when he applied for a PPP loan for approximately $68,000 that was later forgiven, which money went to the benefit of his sole proprietorship, Vinny’s Tree Service, and for his personal benefit. Johnny Palermo faces 15 charges in both indictments. The charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, each in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; wire fraud, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; honest services fraud, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1346; and making false statements on loan applications, punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014. Jack Olson is alleged to have solicited funds for LPOA using the false identity of "Cody Jones." Olson is charged with a total of four violations of public law, to include aiding and abetting Officer Johnny Palmero's honest services fraud, punishable by up to 20 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1346, 1343, and 2 ; conspiracy to defraud LPOA donors and the LPOA, punishable by up to 20 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349: and wire fraud, punishable by up to 20 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, each in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Gonzalez faces a total of 13 charges in both indictments. The charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, both punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, each in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; wire fraud, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; aiding and abetting the honest services fraud of Officer Johnny Palermo, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1346, 1343, and 2; and making false statements on loan applications, punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014. Councilman Palermo is charged with nine separate violations of federal law, to include conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; honest services fraud, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1846 and 1843; wire fraud, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and bank fraud, punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344. United States Attorney Russell noted that the indictments and today’s arrests send an important message to those who breach the public’s trust. He added, “I appreciate the tremendous work of the Omaha Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement on this important case.” After the arrests, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Public corruption is a top criminal priority for the FBI. Special Agents from the FBI Omaha field office, with the cooperation of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, worked hundreds of hours on the investigation that led to today’s arrests. We especially appreciate our partnership with the Omaha Police Department in this case. Corruption tears at the foundation of our democracy. No level of corruption should be tolerated or accepted.” Each of the defendants will make their initial appearance on Monday at 1 p.m. in Lincoln, Nebraska. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced to 22 ½ Years in Prison for Distributing Cocaine and Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Franklin Rorebeck, 39, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 270 months in prison for distributing cocaine and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury. After serving his sentence, Rorebeck will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In late July of 2021, Rorebeck sold cocaine which turned out to be laced with fentanyl to one of his customers in Lincoln. Rorebeck’s customer sold the cocaine laced with fentanyl to a third person. The third person provided the drug to a victim who suffered an overdose on July 25, 2021. First responders performed CPR on the victim and administered Narcan. The victim was hospitalized. During a search of the victim’s Lincoln residence, officers found a small white rock on a table next to the bed which tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. A physician specializing in emergency room medicine and toxicology found the victim would have been at substantial risk of dying from the use of cocaine laced with fentanyl if they had not received the Narcan. This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Taskforce.


title: 2 men sentenced to prison for domestic terrorist plans to attack power grids

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two men were sentenced in federal court here today for conspiring to attack power grids throughout the United States to promote their white supremacy ideology. Christopher Brenner Cook, 21, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 92 months in prison. Jonathan Allen Frost, 25, of Katy, Texas, and West Lafayette, Indiana, was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Jackson Matthew Sawall, 22, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was also charged and pleaded guilty in February 2022. His case remains pending. Cook and Frost engaged in a plot to attack the country’s energy infrastructure, damage the economy, and stoke division in American society in the name of white supremacy. “Revolution is our solution” was a recurring theme in the defendants’ communications to one another. “These defendants plotted armed attacks against energy facilities to stoke division in furtherance of white supremacist ideology and now they are being held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will not tolerate the use of violence to advance any extremist ideology and we remain determined to protect our communities from such hateful acts of terror.” “At the root of every terrorist plot – whether foreign or domestic – is hate,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “As a society, we must be vigilant against online radicalization, which is a powerful tool used by extremists to recruit both juveniles and adults.” “The individuals sentenced today created a suicide pact to sow hatred and commit terrorist acts intended to destabilize our country,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “Through rigorous investigation and law enforcement partnerships, their radical plan was halted. Today’s sentence is a message to anyone with similar plans that they will be disrupted and held accountable for conspiring to commit violence.” According to court documents, in fall 2019, Frost and Cook met in an online chat group. Frost shared the idea of attacking a power grid with Cook, and within weeks, the two began efforts to recruit others to join in their plan. As part of the recruitment process, Cook asked literary questions and circulated a book list of readings that promoted the ideology of white supremacy and Neo-Nazism. The conspirators had a separate propaganda group named “The Front” that planned to take credit for the power grid attack should it occur successfully. The defendants also created exclusive subgroups for individuals who passed the defendants’ additional screenings. The first subgroup was called “Lights Out.” As part of the conspiracy, each defendant was assigned a substation in a different region of the United States. The plan was to attack the substations, or power grids, with powerful rifles. The defendants believed their plan would cost the government millions of dollars and cause unrest for Americans in the region. They had conversations about how the possibility of the power being out for many months could cause war, even a race war, and induce the next Great Depression. The defendants’ commitment to their radical ideology turned from ideas to concrete actions in furtherance of the attacks. In February 2020, the co-conspirators met in Columbus, Ohio, to further discuss their plot. Frost, who had obtained several untraceable automatic rifles, provided Cook with an AR-47 and the two took the rifle to a shooting range to train. Frost also provided Cook with a suicide necklace during the Columbus meeting. The necklace was filled with fentanyl to be ingested if and when the defendants were caught by law enforcement. Cook expressed his commitment to dying in furtherance of the mission. Upon arriving in Columbus, Cook and Sawall purchased spray paint and painted a swastika flag under a bridge at a park with the caption, “Join the Front.” The defendants had additional propaganda plans for their time in Ohio, but they were derailed during a traffic stop. Court documents detail that Cook and Frost continued in furtherance of the conspiracy to travel together after their Ohio meeting, and traveled to Oklahoma and Texas in March 2020, where Cook stayed in different cities with various juveniles he was attempting to recruit for their plot. Frost circulated a “meetup guide” to the group with guidance on recruiting juveniles to their cause because “[T]hey are 99% not a Fed…” When law enforcement searched each defendant’s residence, they discovered multiple firearms, chemicals, components capable of building explosives, violent extremist Nazi material, and information about U.S. power infrastructure and substations. The men were each charged by a Bill of Information and pleaded guilty in February 2022 to conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight and Trial Attorney Justin Sher with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are representing the United States in this case. U.S. Attorney Parker commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Columbus, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Houston, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Northern District of Indiana. # # #


title: Former Chairman of Riviera Beach Housing Authority Sentenced to Federal Prison for Soliciting Kickback

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Delvin Thomas , 44, of West Palm Beach, Florida, the former chairman of the Riviera Beach Housing Authority, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in December 2022 to one count of extortion under color of official right. Thomas also must forfeit $9,400. In 2019, Thomas was the chairman of the Riviera Beach Housing Authority. In about April 2019, the Riviera Beach Housing Authority was looking to purchase a parcel of real estate located in Riviera Beach for future use as low-income rental property. Thomas introduced a real estate broker to the person at the Riviera Beach Housing Authority responsible for purchasing the property. The broker would serve as the buyer’s agent for the real estate transaction. The Riviera Beach Housing Authority contracted to purchase the property, with the buyer’s agent set to receive a 3% commission on the price. After the contract was entered into, Thomas informed the buyer’s agent that he (Thomas) was to receive 50% of the commission. At the real estate closing, the buyer’s agent’s company was paid a commission of $18,930, and Thomas reminded the agent about Thomas’s 50% cut ($9,400). To hide the unlawful payment, Thomas contacted a third party who agreed to help. That third party deposited two checks issued to the third party’s business bank account -- one for $6,400, the other for $3,000. The checks falsely stated in their memo sections that the payments were for “Company Branding” and “Marketing Services.” Then, the third party issued two checks from that account to the account of Sire Development Group, LLC -- a company owned by Thomas. Those checks falsely stated in their memo sections that the payments were for “Consulting Services.” U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed in West Palm Beach federal court by U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Mara. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey N. Kaplan prosecuted it. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov . ###


title: Dallas Man Charged With Firing at ATF Agent

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

body_text: A Dallas man who allegedly shot at an ATF agent in an apparent fit of road rage has been federally charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Michael Fagan, 30, was charged on April 19 with assaulting or impeding a federal officer. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Toliver on Friday. “Mr. Fagan’s behavior two weeks ago was allegedly violent and hostile; two adjectives that don’t go well with firearm possession. While acting in this manner, he encountered a highly trained and dedicated ATF Special Agent. Luckily for the citizens of Dallas, that ATF Special Agent was able to put a stop to Mr. Fagan’s alleged acts of violence,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “I would like to thank our partners at the Dallas Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office for aggressively investigating this vicious act upon one of my agents and friend.” According to the complaint, around 8 p.m. on April 6, an ATF agent stopped at a red light near the entrance to the Dallas Arboretum noticed an SUV use the far-right turn lane to bypass all the other stopped cars and proceed through the intersection, running the red light. A few blocks later, the agent observed the SUV’s driver, later identified as Mr. Fagan, inside the vehicle yelling and flailing his arms. Thinking the driver might be experiencing an emergency, the agent rolled down his front passenger window and asked if the driver was okay. Mr. Fagan allegedly opened his driver-side door and began yelling incoherently at the agent, who instructed Mr. Fagan to get back in his vehicle. Mr. Fagan re-entered his vehicle, leaned over the passenger seat, and turned around to face the agent allegedly holding a black semiautomatic pistol in his hand. The agent yelled “no,” or “don’t,” ducked down below the dashboard, and heard a gun discharge twice. The agent drew his weapon and fired three shots. Mr. Fagan fell back into the SUV. He fled the scene to meet up with his girlfriend, who called 911 to report Mr. Fagan had been shot and took him to Baylor hospital. In law enforcement interviews, Mr. Fagan acknowledged he had been drinking at a local club prior to the shooting. He claimed the driver of a mid-sized Chevrolet that had been tailgating him fired at him, and denied firing more than one round in the air in response. No cars resembling the Chevy Mr. Fagan described were located in surveillance footage from the area and day in question. At the scene, law enforcement recovered five casings: three consistent with the duty ammunition carried by the ATF agent, and two consistent with another firearm. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Fagan is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the Dallas Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Withers is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Doctor Sentenced to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. — A former Clarksville, Tenn., physician, John Stanton, 51, was sentenced on Thursday, April 13, to 120 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, following his conviction for conspiring to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. According to evidence presented at his trial, Stanton was a licensed physician and Medical Director at Gateway Medical Associates in Tennessee, which was registered as a pain management clinic. Evidence established that Stanton worked with John Maccarone, the owner of GMA, to prescribe controlled substances, often a combination of oxymorphone and oxycodone, to individuals who presented as patients to GMA. These individuals exhibited signs of diversion and abuse, such as repeatedly failing drug tests and displaying mental health issues. In prescribing in this manner, Stanton failed to adhere to accepted professional standards for prescribing controlled substances for the treatment of chronic pain. Also, testimony at trial established that patients who were being treated by Stanton and Maccarone exhibited obvious signs of drug diversion and abuse, traveling more than four hours each way to GMA, from southern and eastern Kentucky, and waiting 10 hours or more to be seen. Patients often failed urine drug tests and avoided “mandatory” pill counts by paying a “no show fee.” GMA patients often paid more than $400 in fees (typically paid by prepaid debit card) to the clinic for each visit. At trial, the evidence also revealed that GMA served as a source of supply for drug traffickers during the conspiracy. Stanton was convicted at trial in August 2022. Stanton’s co-defendants were sentenced to the following, for their roles in the conspiracy: • Dr. James Maccarone was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to forfeit his GMA property, approximately $204,000 held in bank accounts, to pay a $1.3 million money judgment, and to forfeit his medical license; • Jeffrey Ghent was sentenced to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay a $150,000 money judgment; • Terry Prince was sentenced to 68 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $250,000 money judgement. Under federal law, Stanton and his co-defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon his release from prison, Stanton will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. In addition to his prison sentence, Stanton was ordered to forfeit $318,300, forfeit his medical license, and pay a $100,000 fine. Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; Daniel Cameron, Kentucky Attorney General; Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and David Rausch, Director, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; jointly announced the sentence. This case as investigated, in part, by members Operation UNITE. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Kentucky Office of Attorney General, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; and the London Police Department, with assistance from the Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force, Clarksville, Tennessee Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Office; and Knox County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Smith. -END-


title: Audubon County Man Sentenced for a Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – An Audubon County man was sentenced on April 18, 2023, to 60 months in prison following his plea of guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. On September 15, 2022, Audubon County Sheriff’s Department, Atlantic Police Department, Audubon Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and Iowa State Patrol, responded to a call of shots fired. Deputies found Adam Lee Karstens, 41, standing outside the residence by a locked pickup truck. A search of the vehicle revealed a nine-millimeter Taurus handgun with an obliterated serial number underneath the driver’s seat. Karstens was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had a prior felony conviction. Karstens must serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated 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. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Felon Sentenced for Gang-Related Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a Semi-Automatic Pistol

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced yesterday to over 10 years in prison for distributing thousands of fentanyl-laced pills. According to court documents, Dashawn Dontia Blassingame, 24, between at least April of 2021 and May of 2022, conspired with others to distribute counterfeit pills bearing the appearance of pharmaceutically produced Oxycodone, but that in fact contained fentanyl. During that same time frame, the defendant also possessed firearms, including a semi-automatic pistol, while being prohibited from doing so due to his multiple prior felony convictions. According to court records, the defendant and some of his co-conspirators were members of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips criminal street gang. The members of the conspiracy arranged for parcels containing thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to be mailed to Virginia from Arizona for further redistribution. The defendant was charged after a package containing over 7,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, destined for the defendant and his co-conspirators, tore open in the ordinary course of mail delivery and was seized by law enforcement. The defendant and his co-conspirators worked together to distribute these pills containing fentanyl in Northern Virginia and elsewhere for a profit. Prior to his arrest on the federal charges, the defendant had multiple Virginia state convictions, including felony eluding of police, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and multiple convictions for felony possession of controlled drugs. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Prince William County Police Department provided significant assistance on this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Bredemeier and Heather Call prosecuted the case. 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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-19.


title: South Carolina Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud Conspiracy Targeting Retirees and Military Pension Holders

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: WASHINGTON – A South Carolina woman pleaded guilty to conspiracy for her role in a nationwide structured cash flow scheme that exploited military veterans in desperate financial straits and targeted elderly investors seeking a safe retirement investment. Candy Kern, 55, of Anderson, South Carolina, was the managing partner of a small South Carolina-based law firm. From approximately 2012 through 2021, she used her law firm to facilitate a fraudulent scheme involving illegal assignment of veterans’ benefits. The scheme worked as follows: Numerous individuals and small corporate entities, referred to as Structured Cash Flow (SCF) entities, offered veterans – many of whom were in acute financial distress – an up-front lump sum payment in exchange for the assignment of the veterans’ monthly pension and/or disability payments for a period of time. Working through a network of investment advisors and insurance agents, the SCF entities would then solicit retirees to invest in these contracts – providing the up-front lump sums under the false pretense that the flow of repayments by veterans over time would translate into a return for the retiree-investors. For more than eight years, Kern, through her law firm, served as the banker, legal counsel, and debt collector for the SCF operation. Among other services, Kern’s law firm (1) managed, controlled, and maintained the bank accounts through which payments to and from investors and veterans flowed; and (2) filed suits against veterans who defaulted. Throughout the duration of the scheme, and unbeknownst to the veterans or the retirees, the pension assignment contracts were in fact void, as it is illegal to assign a pension under federal law – a fact Kern knew but never disclosed during the execution of any contract. Over time, the scheme collapsed, as many veterans (who tended to be in dire financial straits) either were unable to repay their “obligations” under the contract or opted not to do so upon learning that federal law prohibited pension assignments. Over the course of this scheme, approximately $14 million in illegally assigned veterans’ benefits flowed through the accounts controlled by Kern’s law firm. Notwithstanding the invalidity of the contracts, Kern pursued enforcement actions against veterans who defaulted, securing numerous default judgments against veterans in absentia . As a result, Kern’s law firm received approximately $1,446,336, while retiree-investors – who were misled and fraudulently induced to purchase the SCF product without being informed of all material information about the contracts – lost approximately $31,352,897.26. “This elaborate scheme preyed upon and exploited some of our most vulnerable populations, and when it collapsed, it left thousands of veterans in financial ruin and scores of retiree-investors without adequate resources to retire,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department is committed to protecting servicemembers, veterans, and older adults from fraud. And we are dedicated to ensuring that those involved in this scheme are held accountable.” “The District of South Carolina has been at the forefront of prosecuting fraud related to veterans’ pensions and associated investment scams,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “It is reprehensible that a former member of the South Carolina state bar would participate in such a scheme and use her standing as a lawyer to give victims a false confidence. My office will continue its efforts to protect our veterans and to bring perpetrators to justice.” “This guilty plea is a true testament to the FBI’s steadfast mission to uphold justice and protect the most vulnerable members of our society from financial exploitation and fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI recognizes the sacrifice and dedication of our veterans and values the contributions of our seniors to our communities. The guilty plea represents our commitment to holding accountable those who seek to take advantage of our nation’s heroes and seniors.” Assistant U.S. Attorney William Watkins for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorneys Ehren Reynolds and Yolanda McCray Jones of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case. The matter was investigated by the FBI. The Veterans Benefits Administration’s Benefits Protection and Remediation Division and the Defense Finance Accounting Service also assisted. Resources from the Department of Justice’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative and the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force aided in the investigation and prosecution. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov . For more information on the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative, or to file a complaint, visit https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers . # # #


title: U.S. Capitol Breach Defendant Charged in Texas After Firing Handgun Towards Law Enforcement

body_text: A United States Capitol breach defendant who allegedly fired several shots towards law enforcement days before his first court appearance has been charged with a federal firearm crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Nathan Donald Pelham, 40, of Greenville, Texas, was charged via criminal complaint by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Toliver on Wednesday, April 19. On Tuesday, April 11, Mr. Pelham was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with four misdemeanor counts stemming from his alleged participation in the January 6th breach of the U.S. Capitol building. On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, an FBI agent informed Mr. Pelham he had been charged by federal prosecutors in DC and instructed him to self-surrender the following Monday, April 17. He agreed to do so. That evening, the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office initiated a welfare check at Mr. Pelham’s residence in response to a call from a relative, who advised deputies that Mr. Pelham had a gun. When they arrived, the house was dark. Deputies activated their emergency lights, and Mr. Pelham’s minor daughter exited the home. For her safety, she was placed into a HCSO patrol car. Shortly thereafter, deputies they heard gunshots emanating from the residence and took cover. About an hour later, at approximately 9:38 p.m., Mr. Pelham – a previously convicted felon – walked onto the porch and allegedly fired towards several deputies, who could be heard on body-worn camera video noting bullets “whiz” by them. A deputy instructed Mr. Pelham to put his gun down, but he continued to wave it until re-entering his home. At 10:46 p.m., Mr. Pelham again exited the residence and fired multiple rounds. Law enforcement departed at 12:21 a.m. without any injuries. A subsequent search of Mr. Pelham’s home revealed a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol and four boxes of ammunition, as well as several 9mm sized holes in the walls. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. Mr. Pelham is presumed innocent of all the charges against him until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison on the felony gun charge and three years on the misdemeanor charges. He has been ordered detained pending trial in both cases. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation into the firearm incident. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher of the Northern District of Texas is prosecuting the firearms case with the help of Special Counsel Brendan Ballou.


title: International Firearms Dealer Involved In $2 Million COVID-19 Fraud Scheme Sentenced To More Than 7 Years In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Daniel Ira Johnson (35, Orlando), a/k/a “Shotta” a/k/a “Lajon Black,” to seven years and six months in federal prison for shipping firearms to the United Kingdom and committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 unemployment insurance relief. Johnson had pleaded on December 27, 2022. According to court documents, Johnson shipped firearms to a conspirator in Rugby England in December 2019 and January 2020. He concealed the firearms in a safe, wrapping them to avoid detection, and declaring them to be “car parts” on customs paperwork. After the global COVID-19 pandemic and in March 2020, following the government response of extending and expanding unemployment insurance benefits, Johnson and conspirators used personal identification information from real individuals, without their knowledge, to apply for and obtain unemployment insurance benefits. Those benefits were loaded onto debit cards that were delivered to addresses Johnson and others accessed and the fraud proceeds were quickly withdrawn from those cards or used to purchase U.S. postal money orders. Johnson participated by exchanging PII with conspirators, withdrawing funds from ATMs, purchasing U.S. postal money orders, and instructing other conspirators as to how to use PII to file claims for unemployment insurance benefits. Johnson and his conspirators are linked to $1.9 million in attempted fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in this scheme, over $555,000 of which were paid. “Daniel Johnson defrauded 19 different state workforce agencies by fraudulently collecting more than $500,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Johnson stole unemployment benefits intended for American workers in need of assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of all unemployment insurance benefit programs,” said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Miami Field Office stated, “The illegal smuggling of firearms from United States is a serious violation of our nation’s export control laws. Along with our agency partners, we will pursue these violators wherever they are located- worldwide.” “Daniel Johnson’s lawless pursuits have finally come to a halt, thanks to the collaborative efforts between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our federal partners,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Today’s sentencing should be a reminder to criminals that we will aggressively pursue those that aim to defraud innocent individuals.” “Disrupting the international flow of illegal guns inevitably saves lives and reduces crime both domestically and abroad. Stopping this scheme to illegally export weapons to the UK did just that,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Cases like this highlight the great results that can be achieved when agencies work together to protect our communities both here and abroad.” This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Department of Labor OIG, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.


title: Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Rogelin M. Lopez, age 35, of Johnstown, PA pleaded guilty to Count One of the Information before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson. In connection with the guilty plea, on or about July 30, 2021, Lopez, knowing he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, namely, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for August 29, 2023. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lopez.


title: Baton Rouge Man Charged in Federal Court with Wire Fraud and Engaging in Unlawful Monetary Transactions

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that a federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment charging Adolphus A. Obioha, age 64, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with wire fraud and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. The indictment alleges that in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $425,000 in funds under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, Obioha, who operated a medical transport business prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, submitted multiple fraudulent loan documents to the U.S. Small Business Administration. He allegedly used the EIDL Program funds to purchase a rental property and personal vehicle and to wire nearly $175,000 overseas. The government seized a total of $136,234.09 from multiple bank accounts held by Obioha. If convicted of these charges, Obioha faces a statutory maximum sentence of fifty years in prison. This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard of the Gulf Coast Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline B. Gardner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.


title: Arizona Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Tolleson, Arizona, man was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, Ethan Roberts, 28, met a then 14-year-old juvenile online in January 2022. The juvenile lived in Norfolk. Roberts engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the minor for a seven-month period, repeatedly asking her to create and send sexually explicit images of herself to him. In August 2022, Roberts traveled by bus from Arizona to Norfolk. He picked up the minor and the pair traveled back to Roberts’ apartment in Arizona. While in Arizona, the juvenile logged into her online gaming account. The juvenile’s friend noticed her online, and informed law enforcement. Using the information from her online gaming account, the FBI was able to locate and rescue the juvenile from Roberts’ apartment. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Michael C. Maslow, Acting Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org . To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-141.