title: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in Dallas, Palo Pinto

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Leigha Simonton announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Dallas County and Palo Pinto County for the Nov. 5 general election. The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion. On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov . Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Complaints about possible violations of 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.


title: Christmas Day Robbery Gets Woman Prison Term

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Derricka Burton, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for a Christmas Day robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The Honorable Robert Salerno sentenced Burton to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Burton was found guilty on June 20, 2024 of two counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, at around 2:38 p.m. on December 25, 2023, Burton and three co-conspirators saw the victims, a couple spending time together at the Alethia Tanner Park, located at 227 Harry Thomas Way Northeast. Video footage showed Burton and her co-conspirators huddle together before two of her co-conspirators walked up to the victims and robbed them. Burton’s co-conspirators pointed a gun at the victims and demanded the victims’ Canada Goose brand jacket, cellphone, and other items. The co-conspirators then walked back to Burton and the other co-conspirators. The group conferred with each other and left together. As they did so, one of the co-conspirators dropped some of the stolen property, which Burton picked up before she left with the group. Police arrested Burton on February 12, 2024. 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. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Katrenia Shelly, who prosecuted the case.


title: El Dorado Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment against Kevin Dail Meadors, 56, of El Dorado Hills, charging him with receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between July 1, 2023, and Dec. 9, 2023, Meadors knowingly received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment alleges that Meadors suffered a prior conviction for committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, which affects the potential penalties he faces in this case. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Meadors faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Violations

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DONELL LEBANKS (“LEBANKS”), a/k/a “Shorty,” age 39, of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 170 months incarceration, five (5) years of supervised release, and payment of a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of a superseding bill of information. Count 1 charged LEBANKS with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B) and, 846. Count 2 charged LEBANKS with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D). Count 3 charged LEBANKS with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count 4 charged LEBANKS with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to court records, during 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) New Orleans Gang Task Force (“NOGTF”) investigated suspected drug sales on Touro Street, in New Orleans. Using surveillance, FBI agents observed LEBANKS conducting possible hand-to-hand drug sales. To confirm such drug sales, NOGTF agents made controlled purchases of fentanyl from LEBANKS . On October 25, 2022, NOGTF obtained a search warrant for a residence as well as for LEBANKS’ vehicle. NOGTF members executed the search warrants and detained LEBANKS and detained him so they could effectuate the search warrant. Inside the vehicle, agents recovered a nine-millimeter Glock handgun, with an extended magazine, tucked between the driver’s seat and the center console. Additionally, agents recovered 180.7 grams of marijuana from the front passenger side of the vehicle. 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 track violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit.


title: Drug Trafficking Biddeford Couple Sentenced

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man and woman were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for their roles in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy in southern Maine. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Michael Bolster , 49, to a total of 72 months in prison on one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distributing fentanyl, followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Bolster pleaded guilty on January 18, 2024. Jessica Bolster , 42, was sentenced to a total of 60 months in prison on one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and one count of distributing fentanyl, followed by four years of supervised release. Jessica Bolster pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024. According to court records, the Bolsters conspired together and with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. In July 2023, the Bolsters sold fentanyl to a confidential source on three separate occasions. The sales were for approximately 9 grams, 30 grams and 29 grams of fentanyl, respectively. In August 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at the Bolsters’ residence and seized two large bundles of suspected fentanyl made up of small baggies wrapped for individual sale totaling approximately 542 grams. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab tested a sample of the substance and confirmed the presence of fentanyl. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. Darwin Mateo , 25, is currently serving a 36-month sentence. The DEA investigated the case. ###


title: Justice Department to monitor compliance in Alaska

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – United States Attorney S. Lane Tucker announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in five Alaska jurisdictions for the Nov. 5 general election. The jurisdictions to be monitored are: Bethel Census Area Dillingham Census Area Kusilvak Census Area North Slope Borough Northwest Arctic Borough The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion. On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov . Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Complaints about possible violations of 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. ###


title: Schenectady Man Charged with Drug and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nekie Ricks, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, was ordered detained today following his indictment and arrest for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and his possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. According to the indictment, on August 24, 2022, Ricks possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it, possessed a pistol in furtherance of that crime, and possessed that firearm even though he was a previously convicted felon. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges filed against Ricks carry a prison term of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. 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. Ricks was arraigned yesterday in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel. Following a detention hearing today, Ricks was ordered detained pending trial. ATF is investigating the case with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in San Juan County, Utah

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in San Juan County for the Nov. 5 general election. The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion. On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be available to receive complaints on Election Day at 801-325-3311. Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov . Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting . Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . Complaints about possible violations of 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.


title: Jury Convicts San Diego Man in $35 Million Dollar  Securities Fraud and COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – After an eight-day trial, a federal jury has convicted Denny Thakorbhai Bhakta on all 25 counts of securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering in connection with a $35 million dollar investment fraud scheme and COVID-relief fraud scheme. Bhakta’s uncle, who was swindled out of $4.5 million, testified during the trial that he came to the U.S. as an immigrant, with only a suitcase and $8 in his pocket, and because of the defendant, he “lost everything he had worked for in 57 years in America. Everything.” Bhatka’s fraud scheme targeting numerous victims, including a childhood friend who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars; a friend of his family who lost $1.6 million; a high school classmate and her father who together lost more than $800,000; a cousin who lost $40,000; and an 88-year-old investor who was defrauded out of $50,000. “This sophisticated scheme unraveled after several victims came forward and exposed the fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Many of the victims are people who represent the best of us—hard working, honest Americans who made investments based on a trusted relationship. The jury’s verdict is a resounding affirmation that justice will prevail over deceit.” The evidence at trial showed Bhakta solicited investors in his companies Fusion Hotel Management LLC and Fusion Hospitality Corporation (collectively “Fusion”). Between at least 2016 and up to 2021, Bhakta falsely told investors that Fusion routinely acquired discounted blocks of hotel rooms from Hilton, which Fusion then sold to United Airlines and other companies at a higher price for a significant profit. To support these lies, Bhakta provided fabricated bank statements, fake contracts, and profit and loss statements purporting to show millions in revenue and profit. Instead of buying blocks of hotel rooms with investors’ funds, however, Bhakta used the money he obtained from investors for gambling, to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors, and to pay for Bhakta’s personal expenses, including a Mercedez-Benz S-Class and a Porsche 911 Turbo S. During the trial, prosecutors introduced evidence that Bhakta was flown into Las Vegas on the Wynn private jet and in just one 7.5-hour gambling binge in 2018, Bhakta lost $1 million at the Wynn Las Vegas. Through casino records, prosecutors demonstrated how Bhakta repeatedly took investors’ money straight to casinos and gambled (and lost) millions of dollars of investor money. As prosecutors argued at trial, in 2020, Bhakta doubled down on the fraud. Through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), Bhakta applied for 18 separate PPP loans totaling $4.4 million. To fraudulently obtain the PPP loans, and unbeknownst to his victim/investors, Bhakta created fake W-2 and other IRS documents and used the names and personally identifying information of his victim-investors to claim them as employees of Fusion and other entities under Bhakta’s control. Bhakta used the more than $4.4 million he received in PPP loans to keep the Ponzi scheme going and to continue gambling and losing money at casinos. Bhakta was remanded into custody after the jury’s verdict. A sentencing hearing is set for January 25, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom 4D. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mokhtari and Eric Olah. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also take civil action against the defendant. DEFENDANTS Case Number 21cr3352-JLS Denny Thakorbhai Bhakta Age: 42 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Securities Fraud—Title 15, U.S.C. §§ 78j(b), 78ff; Title 17, C.F.R. § 240.10b-5 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $5 million fine Bank Fraud—Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2) Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $1 million fine Money Laundering– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957 Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and fine twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Los Angeles Regional Office


title: Marathon County Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Shawn Hignite, Sr., 50, Weston, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Hignite pleaded guilty to this charge on August 1, 2024. On January 30, 2024, police responded to a domestic incident involving a gunshot. When they arrived, police made contact with Hignite, who initially denied there was a gunshot. Police later obtained a search warrant and located a loaded handgun inside the house and a spent shell casing in the backyard. Hignite later admitted that the gun belonged to him and that he fired it that night. Hignite is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions. At sentencing, Judge Conley acknowledged the dismal history of Hignite consuming alcohol and committing crimes. He noted that Hignite’s last 30 years have been plagued by poor decision making with either a fascination or compulsion with possessing firearms. Judge Conley expressed disappointment with the pattern of firearms being present in each of Hignite’s prior offenses. He also expressed hope that the sentence would deter Hignite from committing offenses in the future. The charge against Hignite was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Everest Metro Police Department, Rothschild Police Department, and Marathon County Sheriff’s Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also investigated the case. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tyez D. D. Boyd, 27, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Boyd pleaded guilty to this charge on August 14, 2024. On November 17, 2022, Madison Police Department officers stopped a vehicle in Madison on suspicion that its occupants were engaged in drug trafficking. Officers had intercepted a phone call earlier in the day between the front seat passenger, Davonte King, and a known fentanyl pill dealer setting up a drug deal. Tyez Boyd was a passenger in the rear seat. Officers took King out of the vehicle and found he was in possession of fentanyl pills, cocaine, and over $1,000 in cash. Officers also found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat where King had been seated. King is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction. Officers searched Boyd after he got out of the vehicle and found a loaded Kahr .45 caliber handgun in his pocket. Boyd is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions. At the time of the stop, Boyd was on state probation for two cases, one involving a strangulation conviction and one involving a domestic violence conviction. Boyd also had three open criminal cases at the time, each of which involved acts of violence. Boyd had two active warrants for his arrest as well. His state probation has since been revoked and he was sentenced to 18 months in state prison on January 27, 2023. At sentencing, Judge Peterson said Boyd’s possession of a firearm was dangerous by itself, especially when he was carrying it into a dangerous situation with a drug trafficker. Judge Peterson found Boyd’s case was aggravated by his criminal history, which included instances of domestic violence, as well as his history of noncompliance while on supervision. Finally, Judge Peterson said this crime deserved a 4-year sentence but reduced that sentence for time he had already served on his multiple state revocation sentences. Co-defendant Davonte King pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced by Judge Peterson on September 5, 2024, to 7 years in federal prison. The charges against Boyd and King were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigations, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also investigated the case. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mario R. Aviles, 27, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced October 30, 2024 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. That prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Aviles pleaded guilty to this charge on July 16, 2024. The government’s investigation revealed that Hector Jimenez-Sosa was the leader of a methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine trafficking organization in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He received large quantities of controlled substances through the mail from his sources in California. Between August and October 2023, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine and fentanyl pills from Jimenez-Sosa and his associates on multiple occasions using a confidential informant. The drug sales took place at two workshops operated by Jimenez-Sosa. Aviles, Jimenez-Sosa’s nephew, was identified as an important member of Jimenez-Sosa’s organization. Aviles sold drugs himself and was also present when Jimenez-Sosa sold drugs. For example, on September 19, 2023, a confidential informant purchased 60 grams of methamphetamine and 20 fentanyl pills from Aviles at Jimenez-Sosa’s shops in Eau Claire. On October 3, 2023, the confidential informant purchased an additional 20 fentanyl pills from Aviles at one of Jimenez-Sosa’s shops. During that drug sale, the confidential informant and Aviles talked about the prior methamphetamine sale as well as a potential future deal for a larger quantity of methamphetamine. On December 8, 2023, Jimenez-Sosa was arrested at his residence and Aviles was arrested at one of Jimenez-Sosa’s shops. Search warrants were executed at Jimenez-Sosa’s residence and shops. Officers located cocaine, marijuana, ammunition, and drug trafficking supplies. At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Aviles’ growing contribution to his uncle’s drug trafficking organization was significant and he arrived at the sentence after weighing Aviles’ conduct against his lack of prior criminal record among other mitigating factors. Co-defendant Hector Jimenez-Sosa pleaded guilty to distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced by Judge Conley on September 25, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison. The charges against Aviles and Jimenez-Sosa were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Eau Claire Police Department, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and United States Postal Inspection Service. The Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: Waunakee Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine Intended for Distribution

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Larry D. Williamson 36, Waunakee, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 12 years in federal prison for possessing 500 or more grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution. Williamson pleaded guilty to this charge on June 18, 2024. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. On the evening of February 8, 2024, Williamson and his codefendant Corvalis Stewart landed a rented Cessna 172 aircraft at the Middleton Municipal Airport, in Middleton, Wisconsin. Williamson was a private pilot who had rented the aircraft to fly to Phoenix, Arizona, to pick up drugs. Stewart was the passenger. Federal and state law enforcement received information about the flight and about Williamson and Stewart’s suspicious behavior in Arizona. Law enforcement tracked the aircraft as it returned to Middleton and landed at approximately 10:55 p.m. Williamson and Stewart got out of the airplane and walked to the parking lot. Stewart was carrying three bags which he put in the back of his vehicle. Law enforcement detained the men and searched the bags. Two of the bags contained 19 pounds of methamphetamine, and in one were travel receipts from a recent trip that Williamson took. The third bag contained approximately 200,000 fentanyl pills known on the street as M30’s, which are counterfeit Oxycodone pills. This was the largest fentanyl seizure in Dane County, with an estimated street value of $2,000,000. “This was a brazen effort to introduce a large quantity of methamphetamine and thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into our Dane County community,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. “I commend our federal and state law enforcement partners for their coordinated efforts to quickly identify the suspicious flight and apprehend the individuals involved.” “The sentencing of these drug traffickers is a decisive victory in our fight against organized crime. Their brazen attempts to evade justice by crossing state lines in an airplane only highlight their disregard for the law. This outcome underscores our unwavering commitment to dismantle such networks,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald. “The success of this operation was made possible through the tireless efforts and cooperation of local law enforcement agencies. Together, we have shown that no matter the lengths criminals go to escape justice, they will be held accountable." At sentencing, Judge Peterson characterized the amount of fentanyl involved in the case as staggering. Noting the large quantity and the especially dangerous nature of fentanyl, Judge Peterson determined that a significant sentence was warranted. Judge Peterson also found that Williamson was an active courier who solicited drug trips to make more money. Williamson’s co-defendant, Corvalis Stewart, pleaded guilty on September 11, 2024, to possessing 400 or more grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2024, and faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. The charges against Williamson and Stewart were the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and the Middleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Air Marine Operations Center in Riverside, California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.


title: Former Louisville, Kentucky, Metro Police Officer Found Guilty of Federal Civil Rights Crimes Related to the Breonna Taylor Case

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A federal jury in Louisville, Kentucky, today convicted a former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officer for violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor during the execution of a search warrant in March 2020 that led to the tragic death of Taylor in her home. Brett Hankison, 46, was convicted on one count of civil rights abuse. Count one charged him with depriving Taylor of her constitutional rights when he fired five shots through a bedroom window that was covered with blinds and a blackout curtain. The jury found that Hankison used a dangerous weapon in the commission of the offense, and that his conduct involved an attempt to kill, although his shots did not strike Taylor. Hankison was found not guilty on count two, which charged him with depriving three of Taylor’s neighbors of their constitutional rights by firing five more shots through a sliding glass door that was also covered with blinds and a curtain. “Today, Brett Hankison was found guilty by a jury of his peers for willfully depriving Breonna Taylor of her constitutional rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “His use of deadly force was unlawful and put Ms. Taylor in harm’s way. This verdict is an important step toward accountability for the violation of Breonna Taylor’s civil rights, but justice for the loss of Ms. Taylor is a task that exceeds human capacity.” “This defendant is being held accountable for his willful and heinous use of deadly force that endangered the life of Breonna Taylor,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Breonna Taylor’s life mattered. We hope the jury’s verdict recognizing this violation of Ms. Taylor’s civil and constitutional rights brings some small measure of comfort to her family and loved ones who have suffered so deeply from the tragic events of March 2020. We hope that communities use this moment to say her name and to engrave on their hearts and minds Breonna Taylor’s life and enduring legacy. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend the civil rights of every person in this country to be free from unlawful police violence.” According to evidence at trial, during the execution of the warrant at Taylor’s home, officers knocked on Taylor’s door and announced themselves as police at approximately 12:45 a.m. No one answered the door, and the officers saw no indication that anyone in the home was awake or had heard their announcement. The police then rammed the door open and Taylor’s boyfriend, believing that intruders were breaking in, fired his handgun one time at officers, two of whom fired back, hitting and killing Taylor. Hankison was not one of the officers who fired from the doorway. He fired separately, from the side of the building, through a sliding glass door and a bedroom window, both of which were covered with closed blinds and curtains. Evidence showed that several of Hankison’s shots passed through Taylor’s apartment, pierced the interior walls and narrowly missed a young couple with a five-year-old child living next door to Taylor. Other shots flew over Taylor’s head as she lay on the floor of her apartment. At trial, numerous law enforcement witnesses testified that officers are trained never to fire their weapons at a target they cannot see. Officers who were on the scene for the execution of the warrant, and others who responded later, testified that Hankison violated LMPD training and the principles of law enforcement when he fired blindly into a crowded apartment complex. The Commander of LMPD’s SWAT unit, who responded to the scene shortly after the shooting, testified that he was in “shock and disbelief” when he learned that Hankison had fired into the covered windows in Ms. Taylor’s home. The jury also heard from her neighbors, who were nearly hit by Hankison’s bullets. Hankison will be sentenced on March 12, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Two other LMPD officers remain charged in connection with the search warrant executed at Taylor’s home. Former Detective Joshua Jaynes, 40, and LMPD Sergeant Kyle Meany, 35, are charged with federal civil rights and obstruction offenses for their roles in preparing and approving a falsified search warrant affidavit that resulted in the warrant that led to Taylor’s death. A trial will be set for a later date, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Another former LMPD officer, Detective Kelly Goodlett, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with Jaynes to falsify the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for Taylor’s home and to cover up their actions after Taylor’s death. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 29, 2025. The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case. Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: PDS Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, 29, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large quantities of marijuana in the District of Columbia. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Special Agent David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Hawkins, aka “Shitty,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) and Jugg Gang (JG) street crews. He pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of marijuana. Hawkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing is set for March 7, 2025. As part of his plea, Hawkins admitted to possessing a firearm as part of the offense and further admitted to using Instagram to sell marijuana. According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast and operated an open-air drug market outside a market at 3509 Wheeler Road, Southeast. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG,” that included Hawkins. The combined gang also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.” This plea is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 23 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko. Hawkins after his arrest on March 11, 2023, on the 2700 block of Shipleley Terrace, Southeast.


title: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in Alamance County

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC) announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Alamance County for the Nov. 5 general election. The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin, or religion. On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. The MDNC U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be available to receive complaints on Election Day at 336-332-6362. Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov. Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of 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. ###


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Discharging a Firearm at Gas Station in Cedar Rapids

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A convicted felon who discharged a firearm into the air at a gas station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in November 2023 was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison. Zontavian Demetrius Bush, age 40, from Bloomington, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 27, 2024, guilty plea to possession of firearm by a felon. At the guilty plea, Bush admitted possessing two firearms. Evidence in the case showed that he discharged a firearm at a gas station during an altercation. Bush has prior convictions for multiple felonies including a drug trafficking offense, multiple domestic offenses, and stalking offenses. Bush was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Bush was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. Bush is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-cr-14. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Lyft To Pay Civil Penalty To Resolve Allegations Of Misleading Drivers About Their Potential Earnings

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced that Lyft Inc. (Lyft) has agreed to resolve allegations that it made false and misleading statements about how much Lyft drivers would earn. The settlement includes an agreement to pay $2.1 million in civil penalties and a permanent injunction prohibiting such false and misleading earnings claims. Lyft operates a mobile app ride-hailing platform that connects consumers seeking rides with those who provide rides with their own personal vehicles. Through marketing campaigns and advertisements, Lyft recruits drivers. After a driver is hired, Lyft sets the rates the driver charges and collects a portion of the fare for each ride. In a civil complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the government alleges that, as early as 2021, Lyft made false and misleading claims in its advertising and marketing regarding potential earnings and incentives to be earned by drivers who signed up to drive for Lyft. Lyft allegedly continued these practices even after it received a Notice of Penalty Offenses in October 2021 that placed the company on notice that false and misleading earnings claims were unlawful. The complaint alleges that Lyft disseminated advertisements promoting specific hourly amounts that drivers throughout the United States could earn. The company, however, did not disclose that the potential hourly amounts were based on the earnings of the top 20% of its drivers. The complaint also further alleges that Lyft also tried to induce drivers to offer more rides by promoting “earnings guarantees,” which guaranteed that drivers would be paid a set amount if they completed a specific number of rides in a certain time. These guarantees allegedly did not clearly disclose that drivers were paid only the difference between what they otherwise earned for the rides and Lyft’s advertised guaranteed amount, rather than receiving the full guaranteed amount in addition to their regular earnings for the rides. In the stipulated order entered today by the federal district court, Lyft is required to pay a $2,100,000 civil penalty. The order also enjoins Lyft from making any misrepresentations regarding driver earnings and includes other monitoring and reporting provisions aimed at promoting Lyft’s compliance with the order. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce the law to stop companies from misleading Americans about their potential earnings in the gig economy,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to work with the FTC to stop unfair and deceptive marketing practices.” “Lyft drivers deserve accurate information about how much they will be paid for the work they do,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Our settlement with Lyft bans exaggerated earnings claims and underscores the FTC’s commitment to ensuring gig workers are treated fairly.” Trial Attorney Paulina Stamatelos and Assistant Director Zachary Dietert of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekta Dharia for the Northern District of California, and Abdiel Lewis and Evan Rose of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection handled the matter. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . For more information about the FTC, visit www.FTC.gov . Order by Magistrate Judge Peter H Kang


title: Texas Man Who Diverted Funds From Richmond Company For Personal Use Sentenced To One Year In Federal Prison

body_text: OAKLAND – Neil Divers was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Jon S. Tigar, U.S. District Judge. Divers, 66, of Godley, Tex., who previously resided in Chico, Calif., pleaded guilty on July 17, 2024, to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. As described in court documents, in 2015, Divers partially owned and operated Kodiak Precision, Inc. (Kodiak), a machined component manufacturer in Richmond, Calif. According to the plea agreement, based on prior events, in 2016, the other owners of Kodiak imposed certain controls and procedures designed to prevent Divers from taking money from the company without permission from one or more of the other owners. Despite these controls and procedures, in or about July 2016 to about May 2018, Divers devised and executed a scheme to defraud by opening bank accounts in the name of Kodiak on which he was the only signatory without the knowledge or consent of the other owners of Kodiak. Divers admitted that he then caused an employee to instruct certain Kodiak customers to deposit funds owed to Kodiak into those accounts which were named as “Kodiak” accounts but as to which he was the sole authorized signatory. According to the plea agreement, Divers took and used some of the diverted money to fund his lifestyle and not to benefit the company, including using $38,217.84 from his fraudulent scheme to purchase landscaping services for his home in August 2019. In addition to the 12 months and one day prison term, Judge Tigar also ordered the defendant to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a hearing on Jan. 7, 2025, and sentenced him to a three-year period of supervised release. Defendant will begin serving the sentence on Jan. 10, 2025. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Rees and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Johnson are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI.


title: U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker announces election day program to protect voting rights

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – United States Attorney Kenneth L. Parker announced today that Deputy Criminal Chief Jessica W. Knight 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. Deputy Criminal Chief Knight has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Ohio, 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 Parker 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 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). Deputy Criminal Chiefs Emily Glatfelter and Brent Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate are also serving as District Election Officers. 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, Ms. Knight and Mr. Glenn-Applegate can be reached in Columbus at 614-469-5715. Ms. Glatfelter can be reached in Cincinnati at 513-684-3711. Mr. Tabacchi can be reached in Dayton at 937-225-2910. 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. Please direct allegations of election fraud and other election abuses to the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI. 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. 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. # # #


title: Cincinnati man who structured financial transactions from pandemic fraud proceeds sentenced to 4 years in prison

body_text: CINCINNATI – Nii A. Tei, 47, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison for structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements. Tei was also ordered to pay approximately $161,000 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and forfeit bank account balances, currency, watches and other items seized by law enforcement pursuant to warrants obtained during the investigation. According to court documents, Tei held himself out as someone who could prepare PPP loan applications for others for pay. In the PPP loan applications Tei prepared, he inflated the average monthly payroll and number of employees associated with each business. Tei charged substantial fees for preparing PPP applications. In total, Tei submitted more than 60 PPP loan applications and lenders funded 30 of them, with a total value of more than $1.2 million. Tei earned between $1,500 and $7,000 per loan and spent his proceeds on travel, luxury goods and foreign remittances. In August 2020, Tei structured proceeds from this scheme at his bank in Cincinnati in an attempt to conceal the source of these funds and evade reporting requirements to the federal government. He was charged federally in September 2022 and pleaded guilty in April 2024. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Yvonne Dicristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service; and other members of the Financial Crime Working Group Pandemic Fraud Subcommittee announced the sentence imposed on Oct. 31 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: McAlester Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Offense

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Travis Wayne Jones, age 40, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm. The charges arose from investigations by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On May 6, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to investigators, on January 11, 2024, deputies with the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jones and found a 9mm firearm on his person. At the time of the arrest, Jones had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Jones 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.


title: Former Stilwell Teacher Sentenced To Thirty-Five Years For Aggravated Sexual Abuse Of A Child

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lawrence Fourkiller, age forty-eight, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 420 months imprisonment, followed by a life-time term of supervised release, for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Stilwell Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI investigation was opened following the submission of an online tip from a concerned third party. Fourkiller pleaded guilty to the charge on April 11, 2024. According to investigators, between August 2020 and May 2021, Fourkiller, while employed as a teacher at Stilwell Elementary School, sexually abused a student under the age of twelve. During the investigation, the FBI set up a designated tip-line which led to the discovery of twelve additional victims. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “As a teacher, the defendant violated the trust of his position and preyed upon innocent children,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Today’s sentencing holds him accountable for his crimes and he will not be able to harm another child. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.” “The defendant used his position as a teacher to prey upon and attempt to silence his victims,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Fortunately, one disclosure led to others, and the defendant’s despicable acts were exposed. It is the mission of the United States Attorney’s Office to hold offenders accountable and to pursue justice for victims, and I commend the work of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in fulfilling that mission on this case.” 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. Fourkiller 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 United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Stilwell Resident Sentenced For Sexual Abuse In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Gene Christie, age 18, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. Christie will have to register and comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act upon release. The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Cherokee Nation Lighthorse Police, the Stilwell Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On January 5, 2024, Christie was charged in a single-count Felony Information of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. On January 18, 2024, Christie pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on March 6, 2023, Christie sexually assaulted an individual at a Stilwell residence. The crime 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. Christie 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. Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.


title: King County woman, son, and sister, indicted for allegedly defrauding Veterans Affairs benefit programs

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A King County woman, her son, and her sister have been indicted by the federal grand jury on an 18-count indictment charging conspiracy, theft of government property, health care fraud and making false statements, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Kelly M. Lee-Carroll, 57, and her sister, Katoya F. Grant, 40, are summoned to appear for arraignment on the indictment November 7, Lee-Carroll’s son Robert H. Nelson III, 27, is currently in state custody and the government has requested that he be moved to federal custody for arraignment on November 7, 2024, as well. According to the indictment, between July 2012 and October 2024, Lee-Carroll claimed to be disabled to such a degree that she needed full time care for daily living. She claimed to be bedridden with paralysis in one leg and arm. She repeatedly represented that she needed a wheelchair to leave home. The indictment alleges that Lee-Carroll repeatedly lied to the VA about her condition and her ability to care for herself. The investigation revealed that Lee-Carroll did not require the use of a wheelchair outside her home and that she had use of both hands. Lee-Carroll designated her sister and son as her caregivers so that they were paid for the hours they represented they cared for Lee-Carroll. However, the investigation revealed that on some of the occasions they claimed to be caring for Lee-Carroll, she was traveling to Las Vegas, Tennessee, or internationally to Mexico or Jamaica, without her caregivers. On other occasions when they claimed to be caring for Lee-Carroll, they were clocked in at other jobs such as driving a truck or working as an administrative assistant. The indictment alleges that the scheme resulted in fraudulent payments from VA programs of over $1.1 million. According to the indictment, Lee-Carroll served in the Army for three months in 1986, and then joined the Army Reserves from 1986-1994. Lee-Carrol claimed a service-related disability in 2012 and received caregiver funding in 2013. All three defendants are charged with Conspiracy to commit theft of government property. Lee-Carroll is charged with seven counts of theft of government property and Nelson and grant are each charged with two counts of theft of government property. Lee-Carroll is charged with seven counts of health care fraud. Grant and Nelson are each charged with two counts of health care fraud. Finally, Lee-Carroll is charged with three counts of making a false statement. Conspiracy to commit theft of government property is punishable by up to five years in prison. Theft of government property and health care fraud are punishable by up to ten years in prison. Making a false statement is punishable by up to five years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung. lee-carroll_indictment.pdf


title: Guthrie Couple Sentenced to Serve more than Three Years Collectively in Federal Prison after Purchasing Vehicles Using Stolen Identities

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – KYLER WOMACK , 34, of Guthrie, has been sentenced to serve 21 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On February 20, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment against Womack and co-defendant MEGAN MCKINLEY , 34, charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. According to public record, in September 2023, Womack and McKinley conspired together to purchase three vehicles using the stolen information of other individuals. The couple’s attempted purchase of a fourth vehicle was unsuccessful and led to their arrests. Court records allege the couple possessed the personal information of hundreds of individuals. There is no evidence the couple was responsible for the original theft of the information, and how they came to possess the information is unknown. Both couples have pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment, and admitted they conspired together to commit wire fraud by fraudulently purchasing vehicles with stolen means of identification. On August 27, 2024, McKinley was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. At the sentencing hearing November 1, 2024, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Womack to serve 21 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the significant number of stolen identities that Mr. Womack and Ms. McKinley had acquired, and the great harm they could have done if not caught quickly. This case is the result of an investigation by the Norman Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: PRESS RELEASE BY UNITED STATES ATTORNEY RELATING TO NOVEMBER 2024 GENERAL ELECTION

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands announced today the assignment of Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) who 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 Marivic P. David will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Guam and AUSA Eric S. O’Malley will serve as the DEO for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands. They are responsible for overseeing each 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 DC. United States Attorney Anderson 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 Anderson 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, DEOs will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Ms. David can be reached by the public at (671) 479-4120. Mr. O’Malley can be contacted at (670) 236-2986.” 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 public can contact the FBI at the following numbers: Honolulu Field Office 24/7 (808) 566-4300 Guam Office (671) 472-7465 Northern Mariana Islands Office (670) 322-6934 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 Anderson 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. Local police has primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always has faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: San Antonio Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for tax evasion and aiding and abetting. According to court documents, Rachel Olivia Markum, 41, and her husband, Robert Franklin Markum Jr., 47, prepared and signed a false and fraudulent form 1040 joint tax return for calendar year 2016, which was then submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. The fraudulent tax return reported the couple’s sole income as gross receipts or sales from the business Camping and Fishing Outlet as $3,530,473, while she was aware that the true amount of gross receipts exceeded $4 million. Rachel pleaded guilty May 28, 2024, to one count of tax evasion and aiding and abetting. Robert pleaded guilty on April 1, to one count of tax evasion, and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison on Aug. 28. The husband and wife were also ordered to pay $359,108 in restitution. “This sentencing underscores the serious consequences of defrauding the federal government through false tax returns,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “By concealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the IRS, this married couple betrayed the integrity of our tax system. We will continue to protect the financial interests of the United States with our IRS Criminal Investigation partners and hold accountable those who seek personal gain through deceptive, illegal means.” “Robert and Rachel Markum created false identities and businesses to hide their income from the IRS, but they failed to realize that money always leaves a trail. Their years in prison will give them an opportunity to reflect on their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan for IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “Prosecuting federal tax crimes remains a priority in Texas, and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas underscores our commitment to holding tax criminals accountable.” IRS-CI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chung prosecuted the case. ###


title: “Bearded Bandit” Bank Robber Admits Striking the Same Rhode Island Bank Again

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Cranston man, previously convicted in federal court and incarcerated for more than six years for robbing nine banks in 2012, admitted to a federal judge on Wednesday that he participated in the robbery of an East Providence bank on New Year’s Eve in December 2019, a bank he had previously robbed during his 2012 spree, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Justin Worley, 44, known previously as the “Bearded Bandit,” admitted that he entered the bank late in the afternoon of December 31, 2019 with another person, and that they each approached a teller and demanded that they empty their money drawers. The second man, later identified as Nicholas Lage, 38, brandished a knife during the robbery. Between them, the two men fled the bank with approximately $12,000. They were spotted and arrested later in the evening at Twin River casino. Worley pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2025. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Nicholas Lage pleaded guilty on April 1, 2021, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. He was sentenced on August 6, 2021, to 36 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. The matter was investigated by East Providence Police Department and the FBI. ###


title: Nine Men Arrested in Maine and Massachusetts for Fentanyl, Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Nine men have been arrested for fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking. Ernesto Arberty Mendez Herrera, 43, of Roxbury; Ricky Junior Rodriguez Reynoso, 24, of Boston; Cristofel Baez Guerrero, 25, of Dorchester; Luis Castillo, 24, of Dorchester; Yomerli Mendez Arias, 22, of Lawrence; Estarling Perez Almonte, 28, of Roslindale; Raidyn Hernandez Montero, 24, of Dorchester; Ricardo Canela Soto, 20, of Dorchester; and Waldo Lara Arias, 19, of Boston are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. All nine defendants made their initial appearances in federal court in Boston and Bangor, Maine on Oct. 29, 2024. According to the charging documents, the defendants were part of a drug trafficking operation that regularly transported fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine from areas in Boston, Lawrence and Malden, Mass. to locations in Waldo County, Maine. It is alleged that the defendants distributed the narcotics in Maine and then return to Massachusetts with the narcotics proceeds. During the course of the investigation, approximately 10 kilograms of fentanyl and multiple firearms were seized. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police, Maine State Police; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Waldo, Maine County Sherriff’s Office; Boston Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hassink of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: United States Files Suit for Unpaid Duties and Penalties for Alleged Failure to Pay Duties on Imported Chinese Bedroom Furniture

component: Civil Division

body_text: The United States has filed a civil lawsuit against Lawrence Bivona, who was the President of LaJobi Inc., a Delaware corporation that imported Chinese-manufactured children’s bedroom furniture into the United States. The lawsuit alleges that Bivona made false statements to customs officials and, as a result, avoided paying antidumping duties owed on the imported furniture. At the time merchandise is entered into the United States, the importer is responsible for providing all information necessary to enable Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess the applicable duties owed on the goods, including any antidumping duties applicable to the merchandise. Antidumping duties are trade remedies that help protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices by foreign businesses and countries, such as government subsidies or below market sales. The United States’ complaint contends that Bivona caused LaJobi to misrepresent the identity of the manufacturers of the children’s furniture imported from China. In particular, the United States alleges that Bivona falsely represented that the furniture was manufactured by Chinese entities subject to duty rates of approximately 7% or less, and failed to disclose that the furniture was actually manufactured by entities subject to duty rates of 216%. “Anti-dumping duties play an important role in countering illegal foreign trade practices and protecting U.S. manufacturers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who seek to gain an unfair advantage by violating our trade laws.” “These civil penalties support the seriousness of CBP’s trade mission and protect the U.S. economy, while maintaining fair trade and preserving American jobs from predatory practices,” said Executive Director Susan Thomas of CBP’s Cargo and Conveyance Security, Office of Field Operations. “CBP’s antidumping and countervailing duties enforcement aims to mitigate harm by anti-competitive behavior and supports a level playing field for U.S. companies injured by unfair trade practices.” “We take very seriously our role in protecting the U.S. economy from illegal and predatory trade practices,” said Assistant Director Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Global Trade Investigations. “HSI is committed to working alongside CBP and partners to stop those who engage in fraud to circumvent U.S. trade laws.” The complaint seeks the recovery of over $7 million in import duties and over $15 million in civil penalties. HSI Newark led the investigation with CBP Trade Regulatory Audit Newark, CBP Associate Chief Counsel New York, CBP Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising (CPMM) Center of Excellence and Expertise. CBP and HSI are the agencies responsible for enforcing U.S. laws related to the importation of merchandise into the United States, including the collection of duties and assessment of penalties. Trial Counsel Daniel Hoffman of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, National Courts Section, is handling the case. The case is filed in the Court of International Trade and captioned United States v. Lawrence Bivona No. 24-00196. To combat trade fraud, including avoidance of import duties, the Justice Department created a Trade Fraud Task Force. The Task Force partners with CBP and other law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with U.S. trade laws. The claims in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Plea in Fatal DUI Crash on Navajo Nation

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Vanderwagen man pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal drunk driving crash that occurred on the Navajo Nation reservation in 2022. According to court documents, on October 2, 2022, Sheldon Carlton Daye , 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, drove while impaired by alcohol. He knew that driving drunk would pose a risk to others on the road. While driving on Highway 602 near Bread Springs, New Mexico, within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation reservation, Daye struck and killed two motorists who were stopped on the side of the highway changing a tire. Daye will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Daye faces up to 16 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Daye will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Meg P. Tomlinson is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Texas Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Traveling To Florida To Have Sex With A Minor

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Tyler Colton Rock (26, Texas) to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for coercion/enticement of a minor and transferring obscene material to minors. Rock entered a guilty plea on March 1, 2024. According to court documents, Rock was 25 years old when he engaged in an online relationship with a 13-year-old in Pinellas County. Rock had the child produce explicit images of herself and sent her various images of his genitalia and videos of him masturbating. In anticipation of traveling to meet the child, Rock texted the child that it was either going to be the best trip ever or he would end up in federal prison, but he was excited. In February 2023, Rock traveled from Texas to Pinellas County to engage in sexual intercourse with the child. He brought with him a bag filled with condoms, morning-after emergency contraception pills, and stuffed animals. Rock provided the child with marijuana prior to engaging in sexual intercourse with her. “This man knew what he was doing was a federal crime, and yet, continued to prey on the young victim,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “This investigation is another example of the tenacious commitment of our agents and analysts to rescue children from these sexual predators.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King. This case was brought 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Missouri Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years on New Child Pornography Charge

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a registered sex offender who was caught with child pornography to 10 years in prison. James Darrick Beeler, 53, of Glenwood, Missouri, had more than 200 videos containing child sexual abuse material on a laptop and more than 200 videos on two thumb drives. On June 29, 2022, the Missouri State Highway Patrol discovered that someone was sharing two videos of child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing program. They traced the videos to Beeler’s home. Beeler later admitted to investigators that he used his laptop to search for and download child sexual abuse material. Beeler pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of possession of child pornography. In 2007, he was convicted in Schuyler County of abuse of a child. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's 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 www.justice.gov/psc .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Mescalero Man with Assault

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man has been charged by criminal complaint with assault resulting in serious bodily injury after allegedly attacking a friend with a beer bottle, leaving the victim with severe facial injuries. According to the criminal complaint, on January 5, 2024, Lewis Michael Bigmouth , 27, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, allegedly assaulted another enrolled tribal member on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, striking the victim multiple times in the face with a beer bottle. The victim suffered severe injuries, including a partial amputation of his nose requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries. Bigmouth appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which is has not been set. If convicted, Bigmouth faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Kirk Williams are prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Bigmouth).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: Feeding Hills, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 68 Months for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on October 29, 2024, Eddie Melendez (a/k/a “Bart”), 31, of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 68 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Eddie Melendez previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with numerous other individuals to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base in and around Rutland, Vermont. According to court records, Melendez was the leader of a drug distribution organization that had been transporting hundreds of grams of cocaine base and thousands of bags of heroin/fentanyl from Massachusetts to the Rutland, Vermont area on a regular basis since at least late 2019 or early 2020 until January 2024. During the course of the conspiracy, Melendez and his associates used Rutland area hotels and at least five private residences as locations to sell illegal drugs. More than a dozen associates of Melendez were involved in distributing controlled substances for his drug trafficking organization or hosting its operations within their residences, and Melendez stipulated that he coordinated the drug activities of the organization. Investigators completed fourteen controlled purchases into Melendez’s drug trafficking organization between August 2023 and January 2024. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Rutland City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Ludlow Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Turner and Jonathan Ophardt. Melendez was represented by John-Claude Charbonneau, Esq.


title: Berkeley County Man Convicted of Fentanyl, Cocaine Trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal jury has convicted a Martinsburg man of fentanyl and cocaine charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced. Desmond Lamont Davis, age 33, was found guilty of three counts involving the possession of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 28 grams or more of cocaine. The evidence at trial established that Davis was distributing drugs in Berkeley County, WV. During the investigation, Officers observed Davis, who was wanted on several outstanding warrants, leaving a residence in Kearneysville, West Virginia. After a pursuit, Davis was arrested. The arrest yielded 72 grams of fentanyl, 131 grams of cocaine, and 42 grams of cocaine base, along with thousands of dollars in cash and drug paraphernalia. Davis has been previously convicted of drug charges and malicious assault. A co-conspirator, Karmen Grimes, 24, of Martinsburg, pled guilty to a cocaine charge and was sentenced to five years of probation in 2023. Davis is facing at least 5 years and up to 40 years in federal prison for two of the counts and faces up to 20 years for the third count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the U.S. Marshals Service. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Man Under Indictment in Heroin OD Case Charged With Federal Gun Crimes

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Fort Worth man on a deferred adjudication for dealing the heroin that killed a 21-year-old in 2013 has been charged with federal gun crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District Leigha Simonton. Brennan Trainor Rodriguez, 33, was charged Wednesday in a two-count indictment alleging illegal possession of a machinegun and illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment. According to court records, Mr. Rodriguez was charged on June 7, 2013, with injecting heroin into a 21-year-old man who suffered a fatal overdose. He admitted to causing the man’s death and was placed on 10 years of deferred adjudication beginning on Nov. 26, 2014. Conditions of his community supervision prohibited him from possessing firearms. (Until the deferred adjudication period concludes, Mr. Rodriguez is still considered under indictment.) On Aug. 6. 2024, law enforcement responded to a domestic disturbance call from Mr. Rodriguez’s former girlfriend, who told police that the defendant had been stalking and harassing her since their breakup. She also reported that Mr. Rodriguez frequently shot guns, including one that fired fully automatic. The following week, Mr. Rodriguez was arrested for stalking. In searching his home, law enforcement found nine firearms, including a Smith & Wesson rifle equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear.” An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Rodriguez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted of the gun crimes, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Meanwhile, Mr. Rodriguez’s state court cases remain pending. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen is prosecuting the case.