title: Pontotoc County Resident Pleads Guilty To Assault In Indian Country

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jasmine Rae Valdez, age 25, of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. The Indictment against Valdez alleged that, on August 29, 2023, Valdez aided and abetted an attack on an individual with a dangerous weapon. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim. The crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Valdez was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.


title: Oklahoma City Man to Serve 24 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking and Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Defendant Forfeits 194 Firearms, More Than Three Tons of Ammunition, Nearly $470,000 in Cash, and a Machinegun Conversion Device OKLAHOMA CITY – PHILLIP NILES MARTIN , 69, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison for firearms trafficking and unlawful possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public record, Martin was the subject of two previous Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigations for similar conduct. In 2013, Martin received a verbal warning for dealing firearms without a license and was advised that even with a license he could not deal firearms at an Oklahoma City swap meet. In 2020, he acknowledged receipt of an ATF cease-and-desist letter after a firearm that he had purchased was recovered at a crime scene in Mexico. Public record further reflects that in June 2022, ATF received multiple tips that Martin was illegally dealing in firearms at an Oklahoma City swap meet. An investigation revealed that Martin was still dealing firearms without a license and sold firearms at significantly inflated rates – approximately double retail price – without completing the background checks required by law. Pursuant to a search warrant executed at Martin’s residence, agents seized 194 firearms, approximately 6,100 pounds of ammunition, approximately $469,520 in cash, and a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch,” which when installed, converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Possession of these devices violates federal law. On February 16, 2024, Martin was charged by Information with a conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms and with unlawful possession of a machinegun. Martin pleaded guilty to the Information on March 11, 2024, and admitted he knowingly conspired with others to traffic firearms and that he illegally possessed a machinegun conversion device. Martin also agreed to forfeit all 194 firearms, the ammunition, approximately $469,520 in cash, and the machinegun conversion device. At the sentencing hearing on October 23, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Martin to serve 24 months in federal prison, followed by three years in supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted the seriousness of the offenses and the fact that Martin had not been deterred from such conduct by prior warnings from law enforcement. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case is also part of “Project Switch Off,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s local implementation of PSN. “Project Switch Off” targets illegal machinegun conversion devices to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok . Reference is made to public filings for more information.


title: Sacaton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Shooting Death

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Adrian Hope Sullivan, 22, of Sacaton, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. On August 17, 2022, Sullivan, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, shot and killed the victim at the gun range in Sacaton, Arizona. Sullivan pleaded guilty on August 12, 2024, to Second Degree Murder. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-0136-PHX-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-147_Sullivan # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Boise Health Care Company and Former Therapist Resolve Fraudulent Psychotherapy Billing Allegations Involving Vulnerable Refugee Population

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: KA Health Services, and its Owner Paid $321,576.51 to Resolve Allegations they Fraudulently Billed for Psychotherapy and Related Services that Were Not Performed or Not Performed by a Qualified Professional; Former Psychotherapist at KA Health Admits to Violations of the False Claims Act as Part of a $40,000 Consent Judgment BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced that KA Health Services (KA Health) and its owner, Khalid Ameri, paid $321,576.51 to resolve allegations that they knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medicaid for psychotherapy, language interpretation, and other services. The United States contended that these submissions were false because the claimed services were never provided and/or not provided by a qualified professional. As a result of the same investigation, licensed professional counselor Karen Canfield, 61, of Boise, consented to a judgment against her in United States District Court after admitting to violations of the False Claims Act. Canfield admitted to knowingly causing KA Health to submit false or fraudulent claims to Medicaid for reimbursement for psychotherapy, language interpretation, and other services. According to court records, Canfield admitted that she knew that KA Health’s clients were refugees that recently arrived in the United States and were not fluent in English. Rather than treat KA Health’s clients, Canfield directed language interpreters – who were not licensed or otherwise qualified to provide psychotherapy services – to meet with the clients without Canfield being present or otherwise participating in the meeting. Canfield further admitted that she filled out their medical records in a false or fraudulent manner because those records indicated she had provided services when she was not, in fact, meeting with KA Health’s clients – much less providing them with therapy. Canfield later signed the false medical records, which she knew KA Health then used as the basis for submitting claims to Medicaid for reimbursement. “The vast majority of Idaho’s health care providers play by the rules. Our office is committed to rooting out the few wrongdoers, particularly those that prey on vulnerable patient populations,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. “Healthcare fraud enforcement is and will remain an important priority for our office. We will not tolerate individuals and businesses who compromise the integrity of the healthcare system for financial gain.” “These resolutions demonstrate our commitment to protecting Idaho communities from schemes targeting Idaho’s Medicaid program, which provides necessary services to some of the most vulnerable populations in the state,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG values our continued partnership with the Idaho Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and our other law enforcement partners, and will continue to investigate fraud allegations, which threaten the integrity of both federal and state health care programs and the people served by them.” These matters were investigated jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Additional assistance was provided by the Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wertheim handled the cases. The claims resolved by the settlement against KA Health and Khalid Ameri are allegations only and there has been no admission or determination of liability. For additional case information for the Canfield case and publicly available court documents, see United States v. Canfield, 1:24-CV-00460-BLW (U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho.) ###


title: Southall Conspirator Sentenced In Federal Court

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Houston, Texas, man was sentenced on October 22, 2024, to 105 months in federal prison for his participation in the Darrin Southall drug distribution organization. Michael Dewayne McDaniel, 39, was sentenced to 105 months following his guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Court records show that McDaniel, also known as “Money,” met with couriers from Mobile who traveled to Houston to pay for Southall’s shipments of drugs and to bring the drugs back to Mobile for further distribution here. McDaniel would collect and count the drug money and arrange for the drug shipments to be concealed in the vehicles used to transport them from Houston to Mobile. McDaniel pled guilty to the charges in July of 2024. In February of 2022, Southall pled guilty to operating a continuing criminal enterprise with illegal drug distribution activity involving cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, occurring in Mobile, Alabama; Biloxi, Mississippi; Houston, Texas; and California. Southall also pled guilty to conspiracy to launder drug proceeds and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced in February of 2022 to 35 years in federal prison. More than $3 million worth of property identified as drug proceeds and facilitation property was ordered forfeited to the United States. Southall was ordered to pay a money judgement of $24,000,000. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 105-month sentence in McDaniel’s case for each of the two charges and ordered that the sentences will run concurrently. The prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. McDaniel’s supervision includes a set of standard conditions as well as a special condition requiring drug testing and treatment and permitting the probation officer to search his person or property upon a showing of reasonable suspicion that he is in violation of any of the conditions of his supervision. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered the forfeiture of numerous items of property seized during the investigation. McDaniel was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments. The Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organization that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Former USPS Supervisor Admits Stealing Cash and Gift Cards from Mail

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, announced that DEBRA WATSON, 64, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to obstruction of mails. According to court documents and statements made in court, Watson was employed as a supervisor at the U.S. Postal Service’s processing and distribution center in Hartford. From December 2021 through July 2022, Watson took envelopes from the mail stream, removed cash and gift cards, resealed the envelopes, and returned them to the mail stream at another location. When confronted by law enforcement on July 15, 2022, Watson had 53 pieces of mail on her person and a $500 gift card that had taken from the mail. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for January 21, 2025, at which time Watson faces a maximum term of imprisonment of six months. This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington.


title: Orleans Parish Man Sentenced For Attempted Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTOPHER DONNELLY (“DONNELLY”) , age 46, was sentenced on September 18, 2024 to 57 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. DONNELLY previously pled guilty to attempted bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a). According to court documents, on March 26, 2024, DONNELLY entered a Capital One bank located in New Orleans. and presented a demand note to the teller, that read “$1,000 OR YOUR LIFE U DECIDE?” The teller retreated to an area behind the teller stations, activated a silent alarm, and alerted her co-workers and security. New Orleans Police Officers responded shortly after and took DONNELLY into custody. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Calogero of the General Crimes Unit.


title: Two Sacramento Residents Plead Guilty to False Income Tax Return Scheme

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dominic Davis, 38, and Sharitia Wright, 59, both of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to file false claims with the IRS, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between March 2019 and April 2022, Davis and Wright caused at least nine fraudulent income-tax returns to be filed with the IRS claiming more than $2 million of income tax refunds. The returns were filed in the names of Davis, Wright, and family members. The returns listed wages that the taxpayers had not earned and often listed the taxpayers’ employer as one of the various LLCs created by Davis, Wright, and their family members. Many of the returns also falsely claimed charitable contributions that were not actually made. Davis prepared and filed the false tax returns. Wright provided him information and contacted the IRS to check on the status of the refunds claimed in the false tax returns. Davis and Wright agreed to pay restitution for the fraudulent income tax refunds that they received. This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case. Davis and Wright are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Feb. 3, 2025. Each faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Former prosecutor goes to prison for extorting money

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – The former elected Starr County Attorney has been sentenced for extortion under color of law, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Victor Canales Jr., 51, pleaded guilty Sept. 5, 2023. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Canales to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard testimony from an auditor with the Texas Attorney General’s Office describing the cash deposits made into Canales’s personal accounts and his use of funds from the Starr County Attorney’s account. In imposing the sentence, the court determined the amount of the bribes at $44,000. The court also noted comments about the culture of corruption in Starr County, and said today’s sentence would act as a deterrent to that corruption. “Prosecutors of all stripes, whether at the federal, state or city level, are defined by an oath, one to serve and protect their communities. It’s an oath that seeks only one thing—justice,” said Hamdani. “Victor Canales Jr. violated that oath and the trust of Starr County’s residents in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. As an office of dedicated public servants, including 200 prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District has little patience for corrupt officials, especially when a prosecutor trades his authority, his oath, for personal gain.” “Today’s sentencing highlights the FBI’s commitment to combat public corruption at every level. Citizens in the Rio Grande Valley deserve local government officials who can be trusted,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The FBI would like to thank our Operation Ice River partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as Texas Office of the Attorney General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Rangers for their continued collaboration in rooting out corruption and keeping our communities safe.” Canales was the Starr County Attorney from 2005 to 2022. In that role, he was responsible for prosecuting misdemeanor crimes. In September 2021, a woman reached out to Canales for assistance because her son had been charged with three misdemeanor offenses in Starr County. He said he could help her and that for $1500, he could take care of the Starr County tickets. The mother gave Canales three money orders totaling $1500. He deposited the proceeds into his own checking account and used it for his own personal needs rather than depositing the monies into the Starr County account. Canales then sent a series of letters to Cameron County indicating the three charges against the woman’s son would be dropped. Canales was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI worked in partnership with the Texas Attorney General’s Office to conduct the Border Corruption Task Force investigation with the assistance of Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations and Texas Rangers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Cook Profit prosecuted the case.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 17 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and in furtherance of his drug trafficking. According to public court documents, in July 2023, Deandre Julian Hensley, 30, possessed a loaded nine-millimeter pistol in his waistband and approximately 7.5 grams of crack cocaine in his pocket when he was arrested for outstanding warrants. The firearm recovered from Hensley was the same firearm that he shot near a downtown Davenport bar earlier in July 2023. Two bystanders were injured in that shooting. After completing his term of imprisonment, Hensley will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Haskell Resident Sentenced For Robbery

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Keith Wyatt Underwood, age 32, of Haskell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country. The charges arose from an investigation by the Haskell Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On July 10, 2023, Underwood pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 24, 2022, Underwood was discovered by a property owner stealing copper cables from a Muskogee County property. Underwood then pulled a revolver on the resident before driving away with the stolen cables. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Underwood will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.


title: Iowa City Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. According to public court documents, law enforcement received multiple CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Cody Andrew Long, 23, had uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement searched Long’s cell phone and a computer located at Long’s Iowa City residence which revealed approximately 100 images and 25 videos of child sexual abuse material. After completing his term of imprisonment, Long will be required to serve an eight-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Long was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution. In addition, Long will be required to register as a sex offender. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department and the Johnson County Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Stilwell Resident Sentenced To 24 Years For Murder And Federal Firearms Offense

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Lee Matlock, Jr., age 41, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for one count of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The sentences are set to be served consecutively for a total of 288 months in prison. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. On February 12, 2024, Matlock pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on the evening of September 14, 2021, Matlock intentionally fired his rifle at an individual from inside a pickup truck, then drove from the scene of the crime. Adair County deputies responding to a shooting discovered a Stilwell resident deceased from a gunshot wound to the chest. Law enforcement apprehended Matlock less than a mile away, parked in his pickup truck, with a Remington 700 bolt action rifle and ammunition. The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Matlock will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.


title: Former Sioux City Plastic Surgeon Agrees to Pay Nearly $200,000 to Settle Allegations He Submitted False Claims

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Adam B. Smith, M.D., also known as “Adam Bryant,” has agreed to pay $198,755.42 to the United States and the State of Iowa to resolve allegations that he billed government health insurance programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, for medically unnecessary procedures and for procedures more complicated than those he performed. The settlement resolves allegations brought by the United States and the State of Iowa in a Civil Complaint filed last May in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The settlement amount was based on Smith’s ability to pay. In its Complaint, the government alleged that, from August 2014 until August 2019, Smith was practicing as a plastic surgeon in Sioux City in association with Tri-State Specialists, L.L.P. During that time, the government alleged, Smith engaged in a scheme to overcharge government health care programs by falsely claiming that cosmetic procedures he performed were medically necessary and that the medically necessary procedures he billed for were more complicated (and more highly compensated) than what he performed. Cosmetic procedures are generally not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. To obtain federal payment for procedures that would not otherwise be covered, the government alleged Dr. Smith claimed he performed complicated hernia repair or tissue transfer procedures when he actually performed body contouring, tummy tucks, and cosmetic procedures to remove excess skin and fat. The Complaint also contended that Smith submitted claims for more expensive wound repair procedures and office visits by claiming the wounds he repaired were larger, the procedures he performed were more complex, and the office visits were more thorough, than they actually were. This practice, known as “upcoding,” occurs when medical providers fraudulently overcharge insurers for more significant (and more expensive) procedures than they perform. In February 2021, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement relating to a healthcare matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a), in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. As part of his plea, Smith acknowledged that he had falsely described a cosmetic procedure as medically necessary and reimbursable by Medicare while he was practicing medicine in Traverse City, Michigan from May 2011 to January 2014. Smith voluntarily surrendered his South Dakota medical license in 2019 and his Iowa medical license in 2021. The United States entered into a settlement agreement with Smith’s employer, Tri-State Specialists, LLP, in December 2021, resolving the same allegations for $612,501.44. “Government healthcare programs depend on the honesty and competency of healthcare providers. Our office will work tirelessly to pursue providers who break that trust and to recover dollars meant to benefit the American people,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax. “Holding health care professionals accountable for submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring critical resources are appropriately used,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our other law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate to protect the integrity of federal health care programs.” “Today’s outcome demonstrates the collaboration among the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its investigative partners to safeguard taxpayer dollars that fund programs like Tricare, the military’s healthcare system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “As the criminal investigative arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General, DCIS is committed to investigating those who put the health of America’s warfighters and their families at risk.” This civil matter arose from an action brought under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. The claims asserted against Smith are allegations only; there was no determination or admission of liability. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon J. Gray and Brian J. Keogh and the State of Iowa Attorney General’s Office and investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the State of Iowa’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Former Detroit Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal Agents

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A former Detroit Police Officer pleaded guilty today to lying to federal agents who were investigating bribery allegations, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Dametri J. Wade, age 26, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to a federal agent before United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith. According to the plea agreement, while employed by the Detroit Police Department and driving a Detroit Police scout car, Wade was present at the scene of a larceny that occurred on August 11, 2022, on Saint Maron Street in the City of Detroit. The perpetrators of the larceny used false documents to make it appear like they had legal authority to access the property. Wade was present at the scene in his Detroit Police Department vehicle to further the ruse that the perpetrators of the larceny were legally permitted to enter the home in question. Wade was interviewed about this incident by FBI agents conducting a bribery investigation on December 19, 2022. Wade denied any knowledge of a larceny at the Saint Maron street property. In fact, Wade knew that there was going to be a larceny at the property, and that his presence was necessary to further the fiction that the larceny’s perpetrators were entering the property for a legally valid purpose. At the time he made the statement to the FBI agents, Wade knew that the statement was false, and he further knew that making false statements to the FBI was unlawful. “Lying to law enforcement is never acceptable, but for an officer sworn to uphold the law to do so is inexcusable,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Today’s conviction should send a strong message that no one, even a police officer, is above the law.” "Today’s guilty plea from former Detroit Police Officer Dametri Wade reinforces our unwavering commitment to enforcing the highest standards of integrity in law enforcement," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Detroit. "We appreciate the crucial collaboration with Detroit Police Chief White and his department throughout this investigation. Let it be clear: Wade’s actions do not represent the exemplary standards of the Detroit Police Department. The FBI's Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force will relentlessly pursue any acts of public corruption, ensuring accountability for those who break the law and safeguarding the public's trust in those dedicated to protecting our great community." Sentencing for Wade is scheduled for February 5, 2025. Wade faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with Investigators of the Detroit Police Department's Professional Standards Bureau. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran.


title: Dibble Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Mother on Hospice Care in Indian Country

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – BILLY JACK WAITMAN , 39, of Dibble, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for committing an assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On December 5, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Waitman, charging him with attempting to commit murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to public record, in the months leading up to July 2023, Waitman lived with his mother, who at the time was a terminally ill, bedridden hospice patient. Family members told law enforcement that Waitman was growing hostile toward his mother, and made several threatening remarks, including that he intended to kill her, in March 2023. That remark was heard by a family member, who called authorities and had Waitman placed into custody. He was released four days later. On July 24, 2023, another family member of Waitman’s came to the defendant’s home and found Waitman on top of the victim with his hands on her. The family member restrained Waitman, and he was arrested shortly after. A further evaluation of the victim showed that Waitman had brutally assaulted the victim, and she was taken to a nearby hospital. The victim was released to a nursing home and died three days later of what was determined to be natural causes. On April 16, 2024, Waitman pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment, and admitted he assaulted the victim in Indian country, and the victim sustained serious bodily injuries that involved extreme physical pain. This case is in federal court because Waitman is a member of the Choctaw Nation and the crime was committed within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation. At the sentencing hearing on October 29, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Waitman to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted there was an “avalanche of evidence” showing Defendant intended to harm his mother because he considered her a burden. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Division and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, in collaboration with the Chickasaw Nation Office of Tribal Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Stoneman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Over 24 Years in Prison and Dominican Citizen Sentenced to 25 Years for Possession With Intent to Distribute 36 Kilograms of Fentanyl, Maintaining Two Drug Houses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Gabriel Rivera-Otero, aka “Carlos Vasquez,” aka “Gustavo,” 42, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Angel Reyes-Valdez, aka “Abel Anton Alberto Nunez,” 47, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, were sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III to 293 months in prison plus 10 years of supervised release, and 300 months in prison plus five years of supervised release, respectively, for drug offenses. In July of this year, after a four-day trial, the jury found the defendants guilty of possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Reyes-Valdez was also convicted of illegal reentry after deportation; upon completion of his sentence, he will be deported. As proven at trial, on October 28, 2020, Rivera-Otero and Reyes-Valdez met in a parking lot in Philadelphia to transfer six kilograms of fentanyl between them. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested both men, after recovering the fentanyl from a diaper box on the front passenger seat of Rivera-Otero’s vehicle. The same day, DEA agents searched two separate Philadelphia residences where Rivera-Otero and Reyes-Valdez stored and packaged large quantities of controlled substances. At the residence used by Rivera-Otero, agents seized approximately 700 grams of fentanyl, drug packaging material, and drug manufacturing equipment. At the residence used by Reyes-Valdez, agents seized approximately 30 kilograms of fentanyl, including numerous brick-shaped packages of the drug and over 110,000 fentanyl pills, as well as drug packaging material, drug manufacturing equipment, a loaded firearm, and over $90,000 in U.S. currency. Both defendants have prior felony drug convictions in the United States and Reyes-Valdez had been previously deported from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic three times between 2007 and 2014. “Four years ago today, in a Philly parking lot, Rivera-Otero and Reyes-Valdez met to exchange multiple kilos of fentanyl and wound up in handcuffs instead,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “In all that day, the DEA seized 36 kilos of fentanyl from the defendants, which otherwise would have ended up on the street, with potentially deadly consequences. The lengthy sentences imposed on these repeat offenders ensure that they won’t soon push more poison in our city — or anywhere else, for that matter.” “Together Rivera-Otero and Reyes-Valdez possessed over 36 kilograms of fentanyl, which is a staggering amount of a potentially lethal drug that has had catastrophic effects on our region and across the nation at large,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “That Reyes-Valdez was deported from the United States on three prior occasions and returned to the Philadelphia area where he was found in possession of the kilograms of fentanyl noted above, over 110,000 fake pills containing fentanyl, and a loaded firearm shows the threat he posed to our community. Both he and Rivera-Otero have earned these severe federal prison sentences.” The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Timothy Lanni.


title: Delaware Man Sentenced to a Year and a Day in Prison for Defrauding City of Philadelphia in the Purchase, Sale of Three Point Breeze Properties

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Felton Hayman, 54, of Wilmington, Delaware, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 12 months and a day in prison and three years of supervised release for defrauding the City of Philadelphia of almost $150,000. Hayman was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, $149,000 in restitution to the City, forfeiture of $100,000, and a $300 special assessment. In July 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against the defendant, charging him with three counts of wire fraud. Hayman pleaded guilty to all charges in April of this year. From approximately July 2014 through approximately September 2018, Hayman devised and willfully participated in a scheme to obtain money and property from the City of Philadelphia – specifically, real estate located in and owned by the City – by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The defendant used his longtime friendship with a Philadelphia city councilmember to obtain three vacant city properties at below-market prices, based on a promise that Hayman would build affordable housing on the lots. Hayman, however, never intended to develop affordable housing on any of the three sites. Instead, he planned to sell the properties as quickly as he obtained them, in order to make a profit. Hayman’s scheme largely succeeded. In late August 2018, his construction company, Hayman Construction, purchased the vacant properties located at 1200 South Bucknell Street, 2040 Titan Street, and 2046 Titan Streets for a total of $101,000. Less than a month later, Hayman sold the Titan Street properties for approximately $115,000 apiece. Hayman also entered into a separate agreement to sell the South Bucknell Street property for $150,000, but that deal fell apart, despite Hayman’s efforts to further defraud city officials about the nature of that sale. In total, Hayman profited by at least $165,000 from his fraud, with the loss to the City of Philadelphia estimated to be $149,000. “Felton Hayman got a steal of a deal on these lots because he promised to build affordable housing,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “But his plan all along was to flip the properties for a quick and tidy profit — he advertised them for sale before even holding title! Hayman defrauded the City and people of Philadelphia, purely out of greed, and my office and the FBI will continue to work to hold fraudsters like him accountable.” “Under false pretenses, this defendant sought and succeeded in buying properties from the City of Philadelphia and used the proceeds to line his own pockets,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Today’s sentencing shows, we at the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office will pursue crimes of corruption that impact our city.” This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Dubnoff.


title: Smithfield Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sex Trafficking a Minor

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Smithfield man was sentenced to 300 months in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. On July 23, 2024, Jarel Antonio Rayford, age 29, pled guilty to the charge. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Rayford prostituted a 17-year-old minor over the course of several months in 2021. He also took multiple sexually explicit images of her and posted them in online advertisements to sell her in prostitution. Rayford knew the victim was just seventeen and was also in a very vulnerable position, which he took advantage of to continue trafficking her. Additionally, Rayford used physical and emotional abuse to control the minor victim. “We have launched two Human Trafficking Task Forces to expose and prosecute anyone who exploits North Carolina’s kids for sex or forced labor,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “Our victim-centric approach focuses on stabilizing victims, getting them resources, and helping them through the court process. If you have a tip about trafficking, text 233733 today.” Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Raleigh Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations investigated the cases, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Blondel and Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00021-M. ###


title: Owner of Boston Pizzeria Chain Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Prison for Forced Labor

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of Stash’s Pizza, a pizzeria chain in Massachusetts, was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2024 for forced labor charges. The defendant forced or attempted to force six victims to work for him and comply with excessive workplace demands through violent physical abuse; threats of violence and serious harm; and repeated threats to report the victims to immigration authorities for deportation. Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 49, of Westwood, Mass., was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 102 months in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $35,000 fine. At a jury trial in June 2024, Papantoniadis was convicted of three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor. Papantoniadis has remained in custody since his arrest on March 16, 2023. “Labor trafficking exploits the vulnerable through fear and intimidation, all in pursuit of the almighty buck. That is what Stavros Papantoniadis did when he violated the rights of the people working in his restaurants. He deliberately hired foreign nationals who lacked authorization to work in the United States and then turned their lack of immigration status against them, threatening them with deportation and violence to keep them under his control,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “I commend the bravery of the victims here for speaking out and taking a stand against their trafficker. I hope that their strength to speak out sends a message to others whose rights are being abused that the federal government will not tolerate labor trafficking. The stiff sentence imposed on Mr. Papantoniadis demonstrates that there are grave consequences for employers who engage in this type of conduct.” “Stavros Papantoniadis exploited and abused his employees, denying them the basic dignity every person deserves. Today’s significant sentence sends a message to employers — employees deserve to work in safety, free from harassment and abuse and exploitative employers will be held to account,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations, New England. “Labor exploitation targets the disenfranchised in our society but we want employees to know that they have a voice and HSI is working with our partners to uphold and enforce labor laws.” “Stavros Papantoniadis used threats of arrest, deportation, reprisals, and physical violence to ensure his employees worked for wages lower than required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Today’s sentencing affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to work with our law enforcement and Wage and Hour Division partners to aggressively investigate labor trafficking by individuals who enrich themselves through coercion or force,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Papantoniadis forced or attempted to force five men and one woman to work for him through violent physical abuse, threats of abuse, and repeated threats to report victims to immigration authorities to have them deported. Papantoniadis thinly staffed his pizza shops, and purposely employed workers without immigration status to work behind the scenes, for 14 or more hours per day and as many as seven days per week. To maintain control of those undocumented workers, he made them believe that he would physically harm them or have them deported. He monitored the workers with surveillance cameras, which he accessed from his cell phone, and constantly demeaned, insulted and harassed them. When Papantoniadis learned that one victim planned to quit, he violently choked him, causing that victim to flee the pizza shop and run to safety in the parking lot. When other victims separately expressed their intentions to quit, Papantoniadis told one victim that he would kill him and call immigration authorities; and he threatened another worker by telling him he knew where the victim lived. When another worker tried to leave and drive away from one of Papantoniadis’ pizza shops, Papantoniadis chased the victim down Route 1 in Norwood, Mass., and falsely reported the victim to the local police in an effort to pressure the victim to return to work at the pizza shop. Papantoniadis is the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias with locations in Dorchester and Roslindale, and previously had pizzerias in Norwood, Norwell, Randolph (d/b/a Boston Pizza Company), Weymouth (d/b/a Pacini’s Italian Eatery), and Wareham, Mass. Members of the public who believe they are a victim of labor trafficking or have information about labor trafficking, please call 888-221-6023, Option 5 or send an email with contact information to USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HSI SAC Krol and DOL-OIG SAC Mellone made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, the Boston Police Department, and the Norwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit, and Brian A. Fogerty of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for sex trafficking. TRAVIS THOMAS, 34, was convicted in June of sex trafficking, including multiple counts of coercing and transporting the victim across state lines to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. imposed the sentence Friday during a hearing in federal court in Rockford. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Police Department, Hoffman Estates, Ill. Police Department, and Winnebago County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincenza L. Tomlinson and Jessica S. Maveus, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica V. Mallory. In 2017 and 2018, Thomas targeted the victim, supplied her with crack cocaine that kept her dependent on him, and manipulated her drug addiction to force and coerce her to engage in commercial sex acts for Thomas’s financial benefit. Thomas transported the victim to hotels in Rockford, Wisconsin, and Texas for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts. Thomas also used and threatened physical violence against the victim to force and coerce her to continue to engage in commercial sex. Thomas then kept all of the proceeds and spent it on himself and others, including a new vehicle, gambling, clothing, and food. In addition to the commercial sex, Thomas also used fraud and financial coercion to take the victim’s credit cards, file fraudulent tax returns and insurance claims in her name, empty her bank accounts, and sell her belongings. The victim was finally able to escape in April 2018, with the help of an individual who took the victim to a hospital after she was severely beaten by Thomas. While at the hospital, a trained nurse identified her as a victim of sex trafficking and called law enforcement. If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1 800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


title: U.S. Attorney Appoints Election Officer  for the Eastern District of Kentucky

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – United States Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Kate Smith will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Smith has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Kentucky and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. United States Attorney Shier said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). United States Attorney Shier stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Smith will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 859-685-4884.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (502) 263-6000. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. United States Attorney Shier said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. — END —


title: Nicholasville Man Sentenced for Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Nicholasville, Ky., man, Darren Michael Ruble, 30, was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for receiving child pornography. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement received information regarding an individual that was sending money via PayPal, to an account associated with selling and live streaming child pornography. Law enforcement discovered Ruble, a registered sex offender, was the owner of that account. On October 17, 2023, law enforcement interviewed Ruble and he admitted to purchasing, accessing, and receiving images of child pornography. Law enforcement then reviewed Ruble’s cell phones and located over 200 images and 250 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Ruble further admitted that he was previously convicted of the following, in Indiana: sexual misconduct with a minor (attempt to commit), in December 2015; two counts of possession of child pornography, in July 2014; and sexual misconduct with a minor, in March 2014. Under federal law, Ruble must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 25 years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the guilty plea. The investigation was conducted by HIS, KSP, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: Judge Hands 25 Year Prison Term to Man Who Murdered His Girlfriend

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – William Barrett, 69, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, was sentenced in D.C. Superior Court, for the February 2024 murder of his girlfriend, 36-year-old, Romaine Maddox. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Barrett pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed on August 23, 2024, before the Honorable Robert Okun, who sentenced the defendant, on October 25, 2024, to 25 years’ incarceration followed by five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 7:00 p.m., on February 22, 2024, Barrett and Ms. Maddox, checked into a hotel in the 1600 block of New York Avenue, N.E., to celebrate Ms. Maddox’s birthday. Hotel surveillance cameras captured the defendant and the victim, who was ecstatic to celebrate her birthday at the hotel, entering their room, where they spent the next several hours. At around 2:00 a.m., hotel surveillance video captured Ms. Maddox screaming for help from their hotel room. She was never seen alive again. Barrett told detectives that he and Ms. Maddox got into an argument that turned physical. Barrett became enraged grabbing a ceramic toilet tank cover from the bathroom and hitting Ms. Maddox over the head several times, causing the ceramic lid to break into three pieces. While she was lying face down on the floor, Barrett wrapped his belt around Ms. Maddox’s neck and pulled upward. Barrett then fell asleep while the victim’s bloodied body lay at the foot of the bed. Barrett got up in the morning and saw Ms. Maddox unconscious and unresponsive on the floor and he left her in the room. Hotel staff discovered her body a few hours later. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah C. Santiago, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Operator of Unlicensed Virtual Currency Exchange AurumXchange Charged with Federal Money Laundering and Tax Crimes

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Maximiliano Pilipis, 53, previously of Noblesville, Indiana, with five counts of money laundering and two counts of willfully failing to file a tax return. The charges relate to his years-long operation of AurumXchange, an unlicensed virtual currency exchange. Court documents allege that, from approximately 2009 through 2013, Pilipis created and operated AurumXchange to allow individuals to exchange Bitcoin and other virtual currencies for U.S. dollars, and other government-issued and virtual currencies. AurumXchange and Pilipis collected fees worth millions of dollars for facilitating these transactions, including amassing over 10,000 Bitcoin, worth approximately $1.2 million at the time. Federal law requires that such money transmitting businesses to comply with requirements including verifying customer identities, registering with the U.S. Treasury Department, and filing reports with the federal government, to safeguard the financial system from illicit use, combat money laundering, and promote national security. According to court documents, AurumXchange was used to conduct over 100,000 transactions, resulting in the transfer of over $30 million in funds. A portion of the funds flowing through AurumXchange allegedly came from accounts held on Silk Road, an anonymous darkweb marketplace that hosted illicit activities including the sale of illegal drugs. Silk Road was shut down by federal law enforcement in 2013 and Pilipis stopped operating AurumXchange the same year. Over the next several years, Pilipis split up and transferred the Bitcoin and other assets derived from his operation of AurumXchange as an unlicensed money transmitting business to launder and conceal the proceeds of the offenses. In approximately 2018, he began converting the proceeds into U.S. dollars, which he invested and spent, including his purchases of real property in Arcadia and Noblesville, Indiana. He also allegedly realized hundreds of thousands of dollars in income in 2019 and 2020, without filing tax returns as required by law. “Combatting the criminal misuse of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets is a critical priority for the Department of Justice,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Together with our partners in federal law enforcement, we will continue to work to investigate and prosecute offenders who exploit digital assets to fuel drug trafficking and other offenses, and those who unlawfully facilitate the transfer and laundering of the proceeds of crime.” Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Indiana State Police investigated this case. If convicted, Pilipis faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and Meredith Wood, who are prosecuting this case. An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: October Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the October Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Lawrence Francis Michael Bady. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Bady, 33, transient, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-340 Paul Jimenez Diaz; Saul Peña Becerra. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (superseding). Diaz, 37, and Becerra, 20, Mexican Nationals, are charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Diaz knowingly possessed more than 500 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams of heroin, and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. They also are charged with maintaining a residence for the distribution of drugs. Becerra is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine to distribute it and possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigation, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-323 Kourtney Dawn Haley. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Haley, 44, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-330 Joseph Matthew Hough. Domestic Assault in Indian Country by a Habitual Offender. Hough, 48, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with domestic assault after receiving felony convictions for domestic assault in Tulsa County District Court. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Weems and Stacey P. Todd are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-331 Hilario Lucas Mendoza. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mendoza, 42, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Dec. 2009. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-332 James Dernest Mims, Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Mims, 26, of Virginia, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. Additionally, Mims possessed a stolen firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-334 Jesse Lane Mitchell; Jacklyn Paige Roberts. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Child Neglect in Indian Country. Mitchell, 35, and Roberts, 32, a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, both of Collinsville, are charged with knowingly engaging in a sexual act with a minor child under 12 years old between Jan. 2023 and Apr. 2024. Mitchell is further charged with coercing and enticing a minor child under 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. From Jan. 2023 through Aug. 2024, Roberts willfully failed to protect and adequately supervise a child. Homeland Security Investigations and the Collinsville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Ihler and Stephen Scaife are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-342 Brian Scott Perry. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Perry, 46, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Matthew Cyran are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-339 Arlando Maurice Williams. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Williams, 25, of Sapulpa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-333 Michael Brandon Williams. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; False Impersonation of an Officer or Employee of the United States. Williams, 43, of Bixby, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. Additionally, Williams was charged with pretending to be an FBI agent. The FBI and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-336


title: Colombian Citizen Sentenced To 41 Months For Illegally Exporting Firearms From Florida To Colombia

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Jorge Giovanny Gonzalez-Lopez (42, Colombia) to 41 months in prison for conspiring to smuggle firearms from the United States to Colombia. Gonzalez-Lopez was also sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release. Gonzalez-Lopez was extradited from Colombia to the United States in February 2024, and has been in custody since that time. Gonzalez-Lopez pled guilty on July 11, 2024. According to court documents, Gonzalez-Lopez is a citizen of Colombia who traveled to Florida in late 2017 and again in early 2018, and aided and abetted by others, acquired firearms, including several types of assault rifles, then illegally exported them from Clearwater, Tampa and Kissimmee, Florida, to Colombia. Gonzalez-Lopez and his co-conspirators attempted to obliterate the serial numbers on some of the firearms so that they could not be traced. Neither Gonzalez-Lopez nor his co-conspirators applied for or obtained the necessary licenses for exporting defense articles as required by federal law. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Colombia’s Policía Fiscal y Aduanera (POLFA), a unit of the National Police of Colombia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá worked with Colombian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Gonzalez-Lopez. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.


title: Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Witness Retaliation

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Patrick Civitello, age 18, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to witness retaliation, admitting that he assaulted a 15-year-old boy in retaliation for the boy’s mother testifying last year in a federal criminal trial. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Patrick Civitello is the son of Jeffrey Civitello Sr. and the younger brother of Jeffrey Civitello Jr., both of whom were convicted of federal drug trafficking charges following a jury trial in Albany in April 2023 . A witness, identified in the indictment as V-1, testified at that trial. In pleading guilty, Patrick Civitello admitted that on the evening of May 19, 2024, while at a restaurant in Glenville, New York, he observed V-1, who was with her 15-year-old son (“V-2”). At the time he observed V-1, Patrick Civitello was speaking on the phone with Jeffrey Civitello Jr. (who was incarcerated), and Patrick Civitello told his brother that he had just seen V-1 walk into the restaurant. Patrick Civitello then said “I gotta rag this bitch, I gotta call you back,” meaning that he intended to retaliate against V-1 for her trial testimony. Jeffrey Civitello Jr. responded, “Ok run down, but do it away from everyone if you could.” V-1 and V-2 then exited the restaurant and headed to their vehicle in the parking lot. Patrick Civitello, who was following V-1 and V-2 out of the restaurant, briefly stopped in the parking lot to remove his watch and a cross-body bag. Having placed those items on the ground of the parking lot, Patrick Civitello charged in the direction of V-1 and V-2. He punched V-2 in the head, and continued to punch and kick V-2 after V-2 fell to the ground. V-2 suffered minor abrasions and bruises, including to his head, neck, and hand. Patrick Civitello, who has been in custody since his arrest on June 13, 2024, will be sentenced on February 28, 2025. He faces up to life in prison and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Glenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Dustin Segovia are prosecuting this case.


title: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machinegun after High Speed Chase and Collision with a Train Car

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to illegal possession of a machinegun. Johnny Ragsdale, 20, pled guilty on October 24, 2024 in U.S. District Court in Jackson. According to court documents, Ragsdale was found in possession of an illegal machinegun after an attempted traffic stop on a vehicle in Jackson. Ragsdale, the driver, failed to yield to law enforcement and led Capitol Police on a high-speed chase. The chase ended after Ragsdale collided with a train car on Mill Street. A Glock pistol was recovered from the vehicle, and a machinegun conversion device, also known as a switch, was attached to the pistol. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has seen an increase in cases involving illegal firearm conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” which convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns) in a matter of seconds. The rapid fire of firearms converted to machineguns presents a significant danger in our community to both the public and law enforcement. According to a 2023 report by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), there was a 570% increase in the number of machinegun conversion devices taken into ATF custody between 2017 and 2021. Ragsdale is scheduled to be sentenced on February 25, 2025, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement. The ATF and the Capitol Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber S. Jones is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Florida Company and Former Employee Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Harbor Aliens by Means of Employment

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI - Today, Martinez Builders Supply, LLC, d/b/a East Coast Truss (ECT), a Florida limited liability company, pled guilty in federal court in Fort Pierce to conspiring to harbor aliens by means of employment. On Aug. 29, Kelly Yanira Del Valle (Del Valle), a former employee of ECT, also pled guilty to conspiring to harbor aliens by means of employment, as well as filing false tax returns and aiding the filing of false tax returns. As part of their guilty pleas, ECT agreed to a forfeiture judgment in the amount $450,000, and Del Valle agreed to a forfeiture judgment in the amount $100,000 and to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $100,146. As part of the plea documents filed with the Court, ECT and Del Valle admitted that several of ECT’s officers and employees, including Del Valle, conspired to harbor aliens by means of employment from June 1, 2018, through Aug. 6, 2021. Specifically, in June 2018, Del Valle, who was employed by ECT at the time, the president and managing member of ECT, and an officer manager at ECT, met at ECT and agreed to “transfer” certain aliens employed by ECT, who were not authorized to work in the United States, to Hollys Services, a company set up by Del Valle, so that they would no longer appear on ECT’s payroll. ECT agreed to pay Del Valle a fee for each alien on Hollys Services’ payroll that worked at ECT. Del Valle agreed to recruit and hire additional aliens to work for ECT, who were not authorized to work in the United States, under the guise of Hollys Services, and later Quality Control. Hollys Services and Quality Control were formed by Del Valle for the express purpose of concealing, harboring, and shielding aliens who worked at ECT from detection by law enforcement. These actions were in response to an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 audit conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in May 2018 that identified dozens of ECT employees that were aliens not authorized to work in the United States. Specifically, on or about June 18, 2018, several of the employees HSI identified during its Form I-9 audit, a mechanism used to verify the identity and legal authorization to work of all paid employees in the U.S., were transferred from ECT’s payroll yet continued to work for ECT, while purportedly being employed and paid by Hollys Services, and later Quality Control. During the conspiracy, ECT, through its agents acting within the scope of their employment, transferred over $1,150,000 to a bank account set up by Del Valle in the name of Hollys Services, and $2,200,000 to a bank account Del Valle set up in the name of Quality Control. Some of the transferred funds were earmarked for the express purpose of paying the aliens who worked at ECT. On Aug. 6, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at ECT’s headquarters in Saint Lucie County, Fla., and discovered 28 of the 58 employees present to be aliens who were not authorized to work in the United States. On a date to be determined, U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon will sentence ECT and Del Valle in Fort Pierce. Del Valle faces a possible maximum sentence of 16 years in federal prison. ECT faces up to five years of probation, and a maximum fine of $500,000, or twice the gross loss or twice the gross gain caused by the offense, whichever is greater. Judge Cannon will determine ECT and Del Valle’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement. The HSI Fort Pierce and IRS CI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case numbers 24-cr-14019 and 24-cr-14035. ###


title: Delaware Precious Metals Depository Owner Convicted of Mail, Wire and Tax Fraud

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a federal jury convicted a West Chester, Pennsylvania man on October 24, 2024, on charges of Mail, Wire and Tax Fraud. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika accepted the verdict and detained the defendant pending sentencing at the government’s request. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Robert Higgins, age 69, owned and operated First State Depository, a precious metals depository located in Wilmington, Delaware. First State Depository held over $100 million in customer assets, primarily in the form of gold and silver bars and coins. According to evidence presented at the trial, Higgins diverted customer assets to pay debts and finance his personal life, including two timeshares in Hawaii and luxury vacations. First State Depository’s records indicated that at least $58 million worth of customer assets had been misappropriated. Industry sources generally agree that this is the largest theft from a precious metals depository in U.S. history. U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The jury found that Mr. Higgins defrauded his customers by repeatedly lying to and stealing from them over a 10-year period. Mr. Higgins used his customers’ gold and silver as if their precious metals were his own, and at the same time failed to declare and pay his fair share of taxes on his income. By the end of his scheme, over $50 million in customers’ precious metals was gone. In some instances, victims lost their entire hard-earned life savings because of Mr. Higgins’ theft and fraud. I want to commend the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) for working tirelessly to bring Mr. Higgins to justice.” “The level of deceit and greed revealed by this investigation is staggering. With his conviction, Robert Higgins will now be held accountable for the lies he told and the millions he stole from swindling his customers,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. “The FBI and our partners at the United States Attorney's Office and IRS Criminal Investigation Division remain steadfast in our commitment to combating corruption and making sure criminals like Higgins are brought to justice.” “Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents work tirelessly, year-round, to investigate tax and financial crimes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Amy MacNeely. "Our largest enforcement program is directed at the portion of American taxpayers who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty of filing and paying their taxes." Higgins faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on the wire and mail fraud charges and 5 years on each tax fraud charge A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Ibrahim, Edmond Falgowski, and Bryan Williamson are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-44.


title: Waterbury Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempted Drug Robbery in Bridgeport

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KAREEM PORTER, also known as “Reem,” 24, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in an attempted drug robbery in Bridgeport. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2023, Porter, Andy Marte, and Tyrone Allen drove to a Bridgeport apartment building where they intended to carry out a robbery at an apartment in which they believed they would find drugs and drug proceeds. Marte instructed Porter and Allen, who had a crowbar, to carry out the robbery while Marte remained in the car and to serve as a getaway driver. After failing to enter the apartment, Marte contacted Jermaine Bethel, who arrived to participate in the robbery. Porter, Allen, and Bethel tried again to enter the apartment, but failed, and then returned to the vehicle where they were encountered by law enforcement. Officers searched the vehicle and its occupants and seized two handguns, which Marte had brought to the robbery, and the crowbar. On April 4, 2024, Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. Porter, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 6, 2025. Marte, Allen, and Bethel pleaded guilty to the same charge and await sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen Peck.


title: Port Arthur felon sentenced to federal prison for gun and drug violations

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms and drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Jacob Jermaine Alpough, 42, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on October 28, 2024. According to information presented in court, on October 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Alpough’s residence located on West 5th Street in Port Arthur. At the time of the search, Alpough was the only individual at the residence. During the search, officers found two tightly wrapped packages containing approximately one kilogram of cocaine under the dining room table. They also located a food storage container in the kitchen with approximately one kilogram of cocaine. Additionally, there was a semi-automatic pistol laying on the floor of the living room in plain view near where Alpough had been sleeping. The firearm had an extended magazine with 17 rounds of ammunition in it. Alpough is a convicted felon, having three prior felony convictions in Jefferson County for possession of a controlled substance and another conviction for intoxicated assault. As a convicted felon, Alpough is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Quinn. ###


title: Braintree Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges

body_text: BOSTON – A member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2024 in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking and money laundering. During the investigation, over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled. Patrick O’Hearn, 64, of Braintree was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2024, O’Hearn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of money laundering. O’Hearn was charged along with 10 others in September 2021 in a 15 count superseding indictment. O’Hearn was part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution network that distributed significant quantities of pure methamphetamine throughout New England. The investigation began in late 2020, when O’Hearn’s methamphetamine supplier Reshat Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. O’Hearn was subsequently identified as one of Alkayisi’s regular large-scale distributors who routinely purchased methamphetamine and redistributed it throughout the Boston area. Bank records indicated that O’Hearn paid Alkayisi at least $100,000 between January and July 2021. O’Hearn also purchased over $465,000 worth of methamphetamine from Alkayisi between January and May 2021. O’Hearn conspired with Alkayisi to launder their drug proceeds. As part of that money laundering conspiracy, Alkayisi used O’Hearn’s residence as the address for his shell company that he used to launder drug proceeds. In July 2021, O’Hearn was arrested and over 680 grams of pure methamphetamine was seized, as well as small quantities of cocaine, ketamine, MDMA and other controlled substances from O’Hearn’s residence. Over $213,000 in cash was also found in O’Hearn’s residence and in bank safe deposit boxes. Alkayisi pleaded guilty in April 2024 and in September 2024 sentenced to 23 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. O’Hearn is the 10th defendant to be sentenced in the case. The remaining defendant has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Orlando Felon Sentenced To 4 Years In Prison For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Xavier Hernandez-Gerena (35, Orlando) to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Hernandez-Gerena entered a guilty plea on August 1, 2024. According to court documents, on July 5, 2022, Hernandez-Gerena was pulled over for a traffic infraction. After smelling cannabis, law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and located a firearm in a small black bag, which was open and had been sitting near Hernandez-Gerena’s lap. At the time of the offense, Hernandez-Gerena was a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: St. Louis Woman Admits Theft of Dead Father’s Retirement Benefits

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis, Missouri woman on Monday admitted misusing $55,000 of her father’s Social Security benefits after his death. Carmen Needy, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. She admitted that after her father’s death on Aug. 31, 2016, his Social Security retirement benefits continued to be deposited onto a debit card. Between 2016 and May of 2020, Needy used the debit card to access $55,381 in benefits to which she was not entitled. Needy is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025. Her crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. A defendant’s ultimate sentence is determined by the court and is based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.


title: Previously Convicted for Accidentally Killing a Friend While Shooting a Rap Video, DC Man Sentenced to 24 months for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: WASHINGTON – Robert Theodore Smith, 28, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm in March 2024, less than a month after he had completed a sentence for a voluntary manslaughter that was committed during the shooting of a rap video. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On June 7, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 24-month prison term, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates today ordered Smith to serve 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents, on March 14, 2024, MPD officers were patrolling on the 5300 block of East Capitol Street, SE., when they approached Smith. One of the officers approached Smith and asked him about the noticeable bulge protruding from the cross-body bag Smith was wearing. Smith stated there was nothing in the bag. An officer stepped toward Smith, who broke into a run. The officer immediately apprehended Smith. Inside the bag, the officer discovered a polymer 80 pistol with a Glock 23 slide that was loaded with one round in the chamber and nine rounds in the magazine. In 2018, Smith had been making a rap music video when he accidentally fired the loaded gun he was using as a prop, killing his friend who was performing in the video with him. Smith was sentenced to 72 months and five years of supervised release. He was released on February 8, 2024. Soon after, he procured a handgun. This case was investigated by the MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar. 24cr168