title: Pasadena Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of a Child

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 20, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Daylan Lamont Camp of Pasadena was sentenced in federal court today to nine years in prison for sex trafficking a 14-year-old girl in the fall of 2020. The defendant pleaded guilty on November 29, 2022, to one count of Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking of Children. On November 16, 2020, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with information related to a 14-year-old girl with an active online commercial sex advertisement located in San Diego. NCMEC conveyed that the girl had been reported as a runaway by Los Angeles County officials, and that between August and November 2020, NCMEC had identified multiple commercial sex advertisements on various internet-based websites with her image throughout Southern California, including in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego. That same day, HSI, working with the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, located an advertisement for the girl offering commercial sex in San Diego. An undercover operation was conducted that ultimately led to the recovery of both the girl and an adult woman, who was also engaging in commercial sex at the hotel. The girl’s cell phone was searched, and HSI located numerous conversations between her and the defendant about commercial sex work. During these conversations, the defendant referred to the 14-year-old as “baby hoe.” In his plea, Camp admitted that he communicated with an adult female about having the 14-year-old engage in commercial sex acts. Specifically, Camp admitted that he and the adult female agreed to obtain and maintain the minor, who they knew was under 18 years of age, for the minor to engage in commercial sex acts. To achieve their goal, Camp and the adult female obtained hotel rooms for the minor and arranged for her to travel to San Diego, where the sex acts were slated to occur. To that end, on or about November 15, 2020, Camp and the adult female arranged for the minor to travel by bus from the Los Angeles area to San Diego for the minor to engage in commercial sex acts. The defendant then posted commercial sex advertisements for the minor. The minor traveled to San Diego and engaged in commercial sex acts and provide the proceeds of these acts to the defendant. “Sex trafficking is a reprehensible crime that has traumatic consequences for children, including long-lasting physical and psychological harm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “We will do everything we can to seek justice for trafficking victims.” “HSI is committed to aggressively investigating the heinous criminals that knowingly and willingly exploit children and victims,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “In addition to investigating and arresting these predators, HSI utilizes a victim-centered approach to ensure the physical and mental well-being of the victims that are impacted by these crimes.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Katherine McGrath. DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr748-CAB Daylan Lamont Camp Age: 28 Pasadena, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking of Children – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1594(c) Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $250,000 fine AGENCY Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Violent Crime and Human Trafficking (VCHT) Section. Formed in 2019, the VCHT is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving violent crimes, firearms and gang cases; sex trafficking and child exploitation; civil rights, and labor trafficking. The VCHT Section oversees the Southern District of California Coordinators for Project Safe Neighborhoods, Human Trafficking, and Project Safe Childhood. The VCHT Section also provides federal prosecutors to the downtown San Diego Violent Crimes Task Force-Gang Group, the North County Gang Task Force, and the East County Gang Task Force.


title: Portland Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Straw Purchasing 64 Firearms and Trafficking Dozens to Unlawful Possessors

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A self-identified member of Portland’s Unthank Park Hustlers, a local Bloods gang set, was sentenced to federal prison today for straw purchasing more than five dozen firearms from area gun shops and trafficking many of the guns to individuals prohibited by law from purchasing or possessing them. Edward Charles Green, 25, of Gresham, Oregon, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in May 2021, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) opened an investigation after receiving information from the Gresham Police Department (GPD) and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) describing several shooting incidents allegedly involving Edward Green and his twin brother, Thomas Green III, also 25 and from Gresham. At around the same time, ATF agents began receiving information alleging the brothers were also responsible for straw purchasing dozens of firearms from gun shops across the Portland metro area. Early indications of the Green brothers’ straw purchasing activity were uncovered on April 23, 2020, when PPB officers responded to reports of a house struck by gunfire on Northeast Sumner Street in Portland. Officers observed that the gun appeared to have been fired from inside the Greens’ father’s nearby home, leaving a small hole in their father’s front window. After telling officers he threw a rock through his own window, the Greens’ father changed his explanation and claimed a gun accidentally fired when he was showing his son how to clean it. PPB located and seized three handguns and an AK-47 from the residence. ATF agents later determined Edward Green had straw purchased three of the four guns seized, indicating on a legally-required purchase form that the firearms were for himself and not purchased on behalf of another person. Between August 25 and August 30, 2020, PPB officers recovered four more firearms straw purchased by Edward Green. One of the firearms was recovered after officers responded to a shooting incident outside the brothers’ southeast Portland apartment. Three others were recovered from a vehicle that had been involved in a shooting near Portland Adventist Hospital. On November 11, 2020, MCSO deputies responded to a Fairview, Oregon car crash caused by gunfire involving Edward Green. After executing a search warrant on a backpack recovered from Green’s vehicle, the deputies found two more pistols Green had purchased and two pounds of packaged marijuana. A few months later, on January 23, 2021, MCSO deputies recovered another firearm straw purchased by Green during a traffic stop of other individuals. In May 2021, GPD officers responded to two separate shooting incidents at a house shared by the Green brothers. During the first shooting, on May 12, 2021, an unknown assailant fired several rounds into the house. During the second shooting, on May 21, 2021, a drive-by assailant fired 14 additional rounds into the house. An unknown person in the house fired 30 rounds in response, some of which struck occupied neighboring houses. On June 3, 2021, members of the Metro Safe Streets Task Force executed a search warrant on the residence and found nine empty semi-automatic gun cases, several dozen spent bullets and cartridge casings, 27 firearm and rifle magazines, a range bag with more than 400 spent cartridges, and five receipts for recent gun purchases made by the Green brothers. Forensic analyses linked some of these items to at least 10 different shootings in the Portland area between April 6, 2020, and July 11, 2021. In July and August 2021, two more firearms linked to the Green brothers were recovered by law enforcement. In total, between April 5, 2020, and August 30, 2021, area law enforcement officers recovered 12 firearms straw purchased by the Green brothers. A subsequent review of ATF and State of Oregon records revealed that in an 18-month period beginning April 1, 2020, the brothers straw purchased 82 firearms from Portland area gun shops. On September 28, 2021, the Greens were charged by criminal complaint with falsifying information in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and making false statements to a federal firearms licensee. The next day, on September 29, 2021, Thomas Green III was arrested at the apartment of a gang associate in Portland. One week later, on October 6, 2021, Edward Green was arrested by ATF agents at his father’s northeast Portland residence. On October 21, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging the Greens with 41 counts of making false statements during the purchase of firearms. After the Greens were charged with these crimes, police continued recovering firearms purchased by the brothers. One gun, a .45 caliber Glock pistol, was recovered during the execution of a search warrant on the residence of another known Unthank Park Hustler gang member and associate of the Greens. The firearm was linked to 17 shootings in and around Portland in a 13-month period, including two homicides. On June 23, 2023, the Green brothers pleaded guilty. Thomas Green III will be sentenced on October 10, 2023. This case was investigated by members of the Metro Safe Streets Task Force including ATF, FBI, GPD, MCSO, and PPB. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. Straw purchasing firearms is a serious federal crime that involves buying guns for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing one or for someone who does not want his or her name associated with the purchase. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 80 percent of criminals obtain their firearms from friends or family members or other illegal sources. To learn more about the public safety risks posed by straw purchasing firearms, please visit www.dontlie.org . Formed in April 2021, the Metro Safe Streets Task Force is a multi-agency initiative focused on investigating and prosecuting gun crimes in Multnomah County. As part of this effort, federally-deputized officers from the Portland Police Bureau, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, and Gresham Police Department work with agents from the FBI and ATF to investigate gun crimes after they occur and, where appropriate and supported by evidence, charge those responsible in state or federal court. Prosecutors from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon work closely with task force officers to determine if state or federal charges are warranted and which jurisdiction is most appropriate for adjudication.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Statement Regarding Proposed Changes to Crime Measures

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves released the following statement on the package of bills and initiatives—known as the “Secure DC Plan”—proposed by D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto. The plan includes the Addressing Crime through Targeted Interventions and Violence Enforcement (ACTIVE) Amendment Act of 2023. “I am glad Councilmember Pinto introduced these bills, and I support her plan to improve public safety in the District. These provisions will better enable our office to prosecute cases that are harming our communities and fill legal gaps that will make our residents safer.” U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves provides the following additional statement: This legislation includes a number of common-sense fixes, such as making clear that being shot is a severe assault that should be treated as the serious bodily injury that it is, and making clear that whether an armed gunman takes your car from you, or forcefully takes your keys from you to steal your car, it is all carjacking. As the community begins to consider this important package, I have noted that the provisions addressing how we better protect our community from gun offenders and those charged with gun offenses who remain in the community have already garnered much attention. Before discussing those provisions, I want to explain how our system currently operates. In the District, people charged with illegally possessing a firearm are typically released pending trial—even when they have previously been convicted of a felony. While there is a presumption in the D.C. Code that these individuals will be detained pending trial due to the inherent dangerousness of firearms offenses, most are released. Moreover, a majority of the people convicted of carrying a pistol without a license in the District are sentenced to a period of probation, which is permitted under the D.C. Sentencing Guidelines. Put simply, the typical result of a prosecution for illegally carrying a firearm is that the person charged will be in the community pending the resolution of his or her case and, if convicted of carrying a pistol without a license, will be sentenced to a period of probation. Our criminal justice system needs to reflect the reality that many individuals found with guns are being released back into our community after having served little to no time in jail. This legislation, if enacted, will be narrowly tailored to work to stop people who are given the opportunity to remain in the community despite having been convicted of gun offenses, or people given the opportunity to be released pending trial—notwithstanding a presumption of pretrial detention—from re-arming themselves while they are under supervision. This will allow law enforcement to search a limited category of people for—among other things—guns that they are carrying in public places in violation of their conditions of release. This provision recognizes that swift and certain apprehension is an effective deterrent to criminal activity, and draws from research from the U.S. Sentencing Commission showing that people convicted of gun offenses have higher rates of recidivism. We have reviewed similar legislation from California and other states, and the court decisions affirming their constitutionality, including decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court. Based on judicial precedent, we are confident that the legislation complies with the Fourth Amendment, and if this legislation is enacted, we are prepared to defend the statute’s constitutionality in court.


title: Washington Man Sentenced to 168 Months’ Imprisonment for Crime Spree Involving Multiple Shootings and a Robbery in Eastern Washington

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Dylen Joseph Swan, age 22 of Inchelium, Washington, has been sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country and Robbery Affecting Commerce. United States District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 168 months in federal custody to be followed by three years of supervised release. Swan also was ordered to pay $21,515.75 in restitution. In imposing the sentence, Judge Rice noted the seriousness of Swan’s crimes. According to court documents and information disclosed during the sentencing hearing, Swan orchestrated a three-day crime spree involving a car chase, at least two shootings, and an armed robbery in August 2021. Swan saw his first victim (hereafter Victim 1) outside the Twelve Tribes Casino in Omak, Washington during the early morning hours of August 19, 2021. Swan then drove up to Victim 1, called him over to his vehicle, yelled profanity at him, and shot Victim 1 in the stomach. A passenger inside the car and eyewitnesses reported that Swan shot Victim 1 with a red pistol. Victim 1 was rushed to the hospital, where he needed two full bags of blood transfusions to survive, as well as multiple hours of surgery to repair his shredded intestines and bladder. Doctors were unable to remove the bullet from Victim 1’s stomach, and Victim 1 lives with these injuries to this day. This was just the beginning of Swan’s criminal activities. The passenger inside Swan’s car (hereafter Victim 2) stated that Swan threatened her at gunpoint, directing Victim 2 to stay with him after the shooting. Specifically, Swan pointed the gun at Victim 2 and demanded that she “go with him or else.” The very next day, Swan drove Victim 2 to the Rosauers Supermarket in downtown Spokane. Swan went inside and grabbed multiple items from the store, including toilet paper and a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. When the store manager attempted to confront him, Swan removed the same red pistol he used to shoot Victim 1. Swan then pointed the red pistol at the manager’s head. Fearing for their safety, the manager let Swan leave, all while Swan continued to point the firearm at the manager. After the robbery, Defendant went to a Walmart, bought red spray paint, and spray painted the car he used during his crimes, all in an effort to disguise the car from law enforcement. The next day, Swan’s crime spree finally came to an end, but not before Swan harmed yet another victim. On August 21, 2021, Swan went to a McDonalds, located near 1625 West 4th Avenue in downtown Spokane. There, Swan pointed the same red pistol at yet another victim (Victim 3). Swan demanded money, and when Victim 3 victim reached for an airsoft gun to try to protect himself, Swan shot Victim 3 in the arm. When Spokane Police responded to the scene of the shooting, officers spotted Swan’s car speeding away. During the ensuing chase, Swan and other people with him swerved dangerously and raced through controlled intersections, cutting off other cars. During the pursuit, the red pistol Swan used to shoot Victims 1 and 3 was thrown from the car. The red gun, however, was later recovered by Spokane Police. Ultimately, the pursuit ended when Swan’s vehicle crashed into another car next to a Spokane residence. Swan ultimately was prosecuted in Spokane County Superior Court for the shooting of Victim 3 outside McDonalds. The remaining charges were prosecuted in federal court. “I’m grateful for our incredible law enforcement team, who devote their lives to protecting our community,” said United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Washington. U.S. Attorney Waldref further stated, “Today’s sentence demonstrates the seriousness of Mr. Swan’s actions and dangerousness he presented on the Colville Indian Reservation as well as in downtown Spokane. He shot two people and robbed a grocery store at gunpoint. Mr. Swan’s dangerous crime spree lasted three days, and the victims will live with the serious physical and emotional toll of these crimes for the rest of their lives.” The Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Jarred-Michael Erickson, said, “It is of utmost importance to the Colville Tribes to keep our community safe and secure. Perpetrators who commit heinous acts of violence such as this must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We are proud that our own Colville Tribal Police assisted with this arrest and conviction, led by Colville Police Chief Steve Brown and Detectives Jordan McNulty and David LaBounty, and we greatly appreciate the efforts of our partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, the FBI, and the Spokane Police department. We especially commend the work of the prosecutor in the case, Richard Barker, First Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Washington.” “Over three days, Mr. Swan shot at least two people, resulting in serious injuries, stole items while holding a store manager at gunpoint, damaged a vehicle, and fled law enforcement, endangering multiple drivers,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “As illustrated by his crime spree, Mr. Swan was a danger to the community. I’m grateful for the multiple law enforcement agencies who conducted this comprehensive investigation resulting in today’s sentencing. The result will be a safer community.” “As we see an increase in violent crimes across our State and City, the Spokane Police Department is grateful for the relationship we have with the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” stated Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl. “Their efforts helped our community hold a violent offender accountable for his actions. The collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Spokane Police Department strengthens our ability to create the safe and healthy community we all want to live in.” This case was investigated by the Colville Tribal Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Spokane Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Richard R. Barker, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. 2:21-CR-00124-TOR


title: Texarkana Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Death

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TEXARKANA, Texas – A Texarkana man who sold thousands of fake oxycontin pills that contained fentanyl has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Terrance Lamar Peacock, also known as T, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. Peacock was sentenced to 370 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III. According to information presented in court, between November 2018 and March 2022, Peacock conspired with at least three others, including his brother Michael Peacock, to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, and a synthetic opioid known as U-47700. Peacock and his co-conspirators distributed thousands of blue pills stamped to mimic 30mg oxycontin pills, known on the streets as “M-30s,” but the pills were counterfeits that instead contained fentanyl. Peacock and his co-conspirators also sold thousands of pills marketed as ecstasy but contained methamphetamine and caffeine. Three victims died and one had to be resuscitated after being administered Narcan after ingesting fake M-30 pills containing fentanyl that they had purchased directly from either Terrance Peacock or his brother, Michael Peacock. Multiple firearms were seized from the defendants during the execution of search warrants at their homes and stash houses. “Fentanyl kills indiscriminately, and this defendant chose to sell counterfeit M-30 pills that ultimately claimed the lives of three victims,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “The defendant recognized the inevitable consequences of peddling poison and chose greed over the preciousness of life. Today’s significant sentence should send a powerful message to those who choose to distribute fentanyl resulting in death—the Eastern District of Texas will aggressively prosecute these cases to assist in combatting the opioid epidemic that has claimed the lives of so many victims.” Michael Peacock and Justin Owens have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Codefendant Deablo Lewis is scheduled for trial in January 2024. 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 . This case was investigated by the Texarkana Texas Police Department, the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Hornok and Ryan Locker.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced to 76 Months for Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Will Alexander Reifschneider, 25, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 19, 2023, by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to 76 months following his conviction for receipt of child pornography. Reifschneider was also sentenced to a five-year term of supervised release to be served after he completes his prison sentence, and he was ordered to pay a $3,000 special assessment. There is no parole in the federal system. Reifschneider pleaded guilty to his offense on June 14, 2023. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report about a Kik user sharing dozens of video files containing child pornography during the month of December 2021. The IP address traced back to Reifschneider’s residence in Lincoln. Investigators contacted Reifschneider at his place of employment. Reifschneider acknowledged having used Kik at one point. Reifschneider confessed to possessing and uploading child pornography material. He said that his material was saved on two older phones which were underneath his bed at his residence. He consented to the investigators going to his house to retrieve the cell phones and he turned over the phones to them. While conducting an initial review of the phones, the investigators found several images or videos depicting child pornography. A forensic examination of the phones was completed later. On the phones, investigators estimate they found a combined total from both phones of approximately 1,200 files depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Investigators located five video files with hash values matching the NCMEC report. In reviewing the files, the investigators noted files depicting a victim under 12 years of age, and other files depicting infants or toddlers in sexually explicit conduct. The investigation was conducted by the Nebraska State Patrol and 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 106 Months for Possessing Crack Cocaine and Firearms

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

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that James L. Bennett, Jr., 56, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher to 46 months’ imprisonment for possessing with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and 60 months’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Those sentences were ordered to run consecutive for a total sentence of 106 months in the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. Bennett was also sentenced to a five-year term of supervised release to be served after he completes his prison sentence. Bennett pleaded guilty to the offenses on June 21, 2023. On August 31, 2022, Omaha police officers and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives served a search warrant on Bennett’s home. There, they recovered more than 30 grams of crack cocaine and several firearms, including a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun found inside a leather coat with a “Los Diablos” motorcycle club patch. The investigation was conducted by the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives assisted with an examination of the firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Ocean View Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for  Distribution of Methamphetamine

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Vincent Mitchell, age 35 and an Ocean View resident, was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. The Honorable Colm F. Connolly, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, pronounced the sentence. According to court documents, in July 2022 investigators executed a search warrant at Mitchell’s home and seized one pound of methamphetamine and $6,000 in cash. The investigation revealed that, on a monthly basis, Mitchell drove to Philadelphia to buy a pound of methamphetamine which he then sold in the Ocean View area. U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Methamphetamine remains among the deadliest drugs plaguing our streets today. Peddling this poison endangers the safety of our community. I am grateful for the continuing efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to stem the tide of illegal drug sales. My office will continue to seek significant prison sentences for those, like Mr. Mitchell, who profit from illegal drug trafficking.” The case was investigated by the Ocean View Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-cr-03.


title: West Virginia man sentenced for federal drug and firearms charges

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Erik Lee Kurz, age 29, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced September 18, 2023 to 5 years in federal prison for heroin, fentanyl, and firearms charges. According to court documents and statements made in court, Kurz, also known as “Edub,’ worked with others to sell heroin and fentanyl from Baltimore, Maryland to Hampshire and Mineral Counties in West Virginia. Investigators found several firearms and ammunition in his vehicle and found fentanyl and additional firearms in his home. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Carbon County Man Pleads Guilty To Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Curtis Margle, age 33, of Lehighton, Carbon County, pleaded guilty on September 18, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Margle admitted to possessing between 200 grams and 350 grams of high-quality crystal methamphetamine for distribution in the Schuylkill County and Carbon County areas in 2022. The charges stem from an investigation in which investigators made a purchase of crystal methamphetamine from Margle in March 2022 in Schuylkill County and then seized an additional quantity of crystal methamphetamine from Margle. The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum sentence under federal law is up to forty years in prison, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. ###


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced To 18 Months’ Imprisonment For Possessing Methamphetamine In Prison

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Larry Massenburg, age 35, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), Minersville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 18 months’ imprisonment for possessing contraband in prison. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Massenburg was an inmate at FCI Schuylkill, serving a sentence of imprisonment for a prior federal conviction for cocaine trafficking. On March 2, 2022, correctional officers at FCI Schuylkill found Massenburg in possession of methamphetamine. Judge Mariani ordered the 18-month sentence to run consecutive to Massenburg’s existing term of imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo. # # #


title: Erie Resident Indicted on Charges Relating to The Sexual Exploitation of Children

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The two-count Indictment named Darren Steven George Akers, 48, of Erie, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about March 9, 2023, Akers received and attempted to receive images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Akers also possessed and accessed with intent to view child sexual abuse material from in and around May 2022, to in and around March 2023. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: New Haven Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for PPP Loan Fraud, Money Laundering, and Drug Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANTRUM COSTON, 41, of New Haven, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for fraud, money laundering, and drug offenses. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2021, Coston applied for and subsequently received two PPP loans, totaling $41,666, purportedly in relation to a cleaning business he operated. In association with the loan applications, Coston made multiple false statements, including that his business was established in 2018 when, in fact, no cleaning business associated with Coston had been formed in 2018, and that the business had total gross income for 2019 of $114,658 when, in fact, the business had not earned such income, and Coston was incarcerated for all of 2019. In February 2022, Coston sought forgiveness of both loans, falsely asserting in each instance that the funds had been spent on payroll costs. On December 31, 2021, police stopped a car Coston was driving in West Haven. After initially stopping, Coston drove off, nearly striking the officer as he fled. Coston was found hiding in a parking lot a short distance away. A search of vehicle and person revealed distribution quantities of heroin/fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and more than $2,000 in cash. A related search of Coston’s residence revealed a ballistic vest, $2,790 in cash, a small quantity of crack, and narcotics paraphernalia. On December 20, 2022, Coston pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Coston, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on November 29. Coston’s criminal history includes multiple convictions, including two federal convictions. In 2004, Coston was convicted in federal court of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment for that offense, and, in June 2007, received an additional 18 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. In December 2017, Coston was sentenced to 40 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for gun and drug offenses. He was released from federal prison in April 2020, and was on supervised release when he committed the PPP loan fraud, money laundering and drug possession offenses. This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the Bureau of Alcohol. Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the West Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia. Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: United States Obtains Consent Decree Against City Of Mount Vernon To Address Polluting Storm Sewers

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Lisa F. Garcia, the Regional Administrator for Region 2 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), announced today that the United States and the State of New York have entered into a civil Consent Decree with the CITY OF MOUNT VERNON, New York, to resolve ongoing litigation regarding MOUNT VERNON’s non-compliance with Clean Water Act requirements for municipal storm sewers, which has caused raw sewage to be discharged into the Bronx and Hutchinson Rivers. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This important settlement provides a path forward for the City of Mount Vernon to comply with the Clean Water Act, protect water quality, and address the needs of its residents who are living with the unlawful discharge of sewage and illicit pollutants. My Office remains committed to protecting human health and the environment in overburdened and underserved communities such as Mount Vernon, and beyond.” EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia said: “The people of Mount Vernon deserve a safe and functioning sewage system. By engaging the city and state we have come up with an enforceable agreement that sets a schedule to reduce pollution and protect public health. This settlement embodies EPA’s commitment to environmental equity and working with communities to tackle the long-standing challenge of aging water infrastructure.” The Clean Water Act generally prohibits discharges of pollutants into navigable waters, unless in compliance with a permit. Many municipalities, like MOUNT VERNON, operate “municipal separate storm sewer systems” (or “MS4s”) that carry storm water and discharge it without treatment into nearby waters. Because separate storm sewer systems do not treat the water they discharge, a municipality is required by its MS4 permit to maintain a program for identifying and eliminating any sewage or other illicit pollutants flowing into the storm sewers. According to the allegations in the June 28, 2018, Complaint, the Consent Decree filed today, and other court records: In June 2018, the United States sued MOUNT VERNON, alleging that since at least January 2012, MOUNT VERNON had failed to comply with these permit obligations and, as a result, had allowed raw sewage to flow into its storm sewer system and then to be discharged into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers. The Complaint also alleged that MOUNT VERNON had failed to comply with two EPA Administrative Orders issued to compel MOUNT VERNON’s adherence to these requirements. New York State joined the United States as co-plaintiff in this lawsuit. In September 2020, the District Court granted the governments’ motion for summary judgment and entered an order requiring MOUNT VERNON to take various steps to come into compliance with Clean Water Act MS4 requirements. However, after the court order was entered, Mount Vernon repeatedly missed deadlines and reporting obligations, forcing the governments to obtain multiple subsequent court orders compelling compliance and imposing financial sanctions against MOUNT VERNON. Despite this need for enforcement efforts, as reflected in the Consent Decree, MOUNT VERNON has made progress on its compliance obligations. Much work, however, remains to be done. New York State has provided or committed to provide significant financial assistance to MOUNT VERNON to fund repairs to the City’s sewers. The Consent Decree, filed with the Court today, provides a path forward for compliance in light of these developments, including by requiring MOUNT VERNON to perform sewer system repairs that MOUNT VERNON estimates will cost in excess of $100 million. Among other requirements, the Consent Decree provides the following: MOUNT VERNON must construct two pump stations designed to eliminate identified sources of potential infiltration to the MS4. MOUNT VERNON must either eliminate all other sources of illicit discharges within 30 days of identifying them or submit a binding plan for EPA’s and New York State’s approval for addressing specific sources that require a longer period to eliminate. Immediately upon identifying sanitary sewer overflows that could cause illicit discharges into the MS4, MOUNT VERNON must take steps to mitigate those overflows. MOUNT VERNON must complete a Sewer System Evaluation Survey and submit for EPA’s and New York State’s approval a Sewer System Corrective Action Plan (“SSCAP”) “that addresses structural, operational, and maintenance issues for each of the conditions identified in the Sewer System Evaluation Survey.” The SSCAP will be binding and enforceable under the Consent Decree. MOUNT VERNON must implement its updated Stormwater Management Program Plan for its MS4 and its Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance program for its sanitary sewers. MOUNT VERNON must keep its mapping of sewer system outfalls current. MOUNT VERNON must continue to engage engineering and financial experts to help manage its sewer system compliance. MOUNT VERNON must undertake transparency and environmental justice measures, including by “evaluat[ing] any potential adverse impacts of construction, repairs, and other actions undertaken pursuant to [the Consent Decree] on overburdened and underserved populations” and “mitigat[ing] any such potential adverse impacts of construction, repairs, and other actions . . . to the maximum extent possible consistent with such work.” The Consent Decree also provides for a $200,000 civil penalty to resolve the governments’ claims for civil penalties for the violations alleged in the Complaint. Of that, $100,000 will be paid to the United States. $100,000 will be owed to New York State with payment suspended unless MOUNT VERNON fails to comply with the Consent Decree. In the Consent Decree, MOUNT VERNON also admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for certain conduct, including the following: Since at least 2013, MOUNT VERNON has not been in compliance with the permit applicable to its MS4 because it has not fully implemented and enforced an Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program. Among other things: MOUNT VERNON has not provided funding, equipment, and staffing levels necessary to implement and enforce an Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program. MOUNT VERNON did not complete an outfall reconnaissance inventory for all MS4 outfalls until 2022. MOUNT VERNON submitted annual reports month later than the deadlines in June 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. MOUNT VERNON did not submit accurate information in its 2017 and 2018 Annual Reports regarding its completions of the Outfall Reconnaissance Inventory. Moreover, at least up to and including the time the Complaint was filed, MOUNT VERNON also failed to meet the following permit requirements: MOUNT VERNON did not maintain a map showing all outfall locations, all surface waters receiving outfall discharges, and all storm sewersheds. MOUNT VERNON did not adopt measurable goals for the detection, elimination, and reduction of illicit discharges. MOUNT VERNON did not adequately inform the public about the hazards of illegal discharges. MOUNT VERNON did not select and implement measures to reduce the amount of pollutants of concern in storm water discharges. The Mount Vernon MS4 has discharged and at times continues to discharge untreated sewage into the Bronx and Hutchinson Rivers. MOUNT VERNON did not comply with two administrative orders issued by EPA to compel MOUNT VERNON’s compliance with the General Permit and the Clean Water Act. * * * To provide public notice and afford members of the public the opportunity to comment on the Consent Decree, the Consent Decree will be lodged with the District Court for a period of at least 30 days before it is submitted for the Court’s approval. Mr. Williams thanked the attorneys and enforcement staff at EPA Region 2 for their critical work on this matter and also thanked the attorneys and staff at the New York Attorney General’s Office and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. This case is being handled by the Environmental Protection Unit of the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert William Yalen is in charge of the case.


title: Hudson County Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Role in Gang Assault

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A member of a neighborhood street gang in Hudson County, New Jersey, was sentenced to 90 months in prison for stabbing a rival gang member during a retaliatory gang-related assault, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Sheldon Mays, aka “Thottie,” 23, of Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon – a knife – in aid of racketeering. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence on Sept. 18, 2023, in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Aug. 3, 2020, Mays and seven others, all of whom are associated with a street gang operating in and around the Curries Woods Public Housing Complex in Jersey City – identified as “Curries Woods” or the “Tay Tay Shrimp Gang” or the “Sharks” – assaulted a rival gang member in retaliation for a prior gang-related assault. As the victim was walking down a street in Jersey City, Mays and the others approached in two cars, parked in the middle of the street, and violently assaulted the victim, who was punched, kicked, and stabbed by Mays, and suffered life-threatening injuries. In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Mays to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; and the Hudson County Department of Corrections with the investigation leading to the sentencing. This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.


title: U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit to Co-Sponsor “United Against Hate” Summit in Pocatello

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit along with Idaho State University, the Shoshone Bannock Tribes, the Family Services Alliance, the City of Pocatello, and the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office are convening a United Against Hate summit on September 26 at Idaho State University in Pocatello. The event is free and is open to the public. The registration link can be found here: www.eventbrite.com/e/united-against-hate-tickets-707962393577 . United Against Hate is an initiative launched by the Department of Justice focused on improving efforts to combat hate crimes and hate incidents through relationship building at the local level. Through this endeavor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to create and strengthen trust and partnerships among law enforcement, community leaders, and residents. Well‑attended summits have already been held in Coeur d’Alene, Caldwell, Boise, and Ketchum. “In my view, this initiative is particularly timely for Idaho, as we have experienced a series of troubling hate incidents throughout the state in the past several years,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “As Attorney General Garland has said, this is a moment for an all-hands-on-deck approach to combatting unlawful hate.” The September 26 event will include remarks from local leaders, presentations from prosecutors about hate crimes laws and reporting mechanisms, and speakers who will share their courageous experiences responding to hate. “I look forward to meeting community members and hearing different perspectives on how we can work together to unite our community in standing up to unlawful hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And I am deeply honored to partner with our co-sponsors to prioritize this critical mission.” ###


title: San Mateo Man Sentenced To 18 Years In Prison For Crimes Including Coercing And Enticing Minors To Produce Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – San Mateo-based driving instructor Johnnatan Zelaya Izaguirre (Zelaya) was sentenced to serve 18 years in prison for coercing and enticing teenaged girls to produce child pornography and related crimes announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Orrick, United States District Judge. Zelaya pleaded guilty to the charges on May 4, 2023. According to his plea agreement, Zelaya admitted that between November 2013 until January 4, 2022, he recruited minor girls—between the ages of 14 and 17 years old—to create sexually explicit images for posting online. Zelaya admitted that he had sex with at least two victims while they were minors and, on one occasion, filmed himself having sexual intercourse with a minor. He later distributed that video, depicting his sex acts with a minor, to a client knowing the minor was under 18 in the video. Zelaya’s plea agreement describes how he recruited seven of his victims, using social media and in person. Online, he used social media accounts, including Instagram and Snapchat, to identify minor girls and to persuade them to produce sexually explicit content. In person, Zelaya used the driving school that he owned and operated to find students to recruit. When persuading his victims to create sexually explicit content, Zelaya offered to “manage” the sale of that content over social media. He told his victims about the content that customers wanted, how much the customers were willing to pay, and how much the minor should expect to make from videos, depending upon the type of video and whether they were nude or non-nude. At the time of his arrest on January 4, 2022, Zelaya had in his possession at least 41 videos and 10 photographs of the victims, as well as photos of additional unidentified girls. On May 1, 2023, Zelaya was charged by superseding information with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b); one count of receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1); one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2); and one count of distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). Pursuant to his plea agreement, Zelaya pleaded guilty to all the charges. In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick also ordered Zelaya to serve 15 years of supervised release which will begin after his term of imprisonment. Zelaya was immediately remanded into custody. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Harding with assistance from Patricia Mahoney and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Redwood City Police Department with assistance from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles, the Atherton Police Department, and the Burlingame Police Department.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Man of Detonating Pipe Bomb at Suburban Chicago Train Station

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a man of detonating a pipe bomb at a suburban Chicago train station. On Sept. 1, 2006, THOMAS JAMES ZAJAC placed a pipe bomb in a trash can at the BNSF Railway station in Hinsdale, Ill. The device exploded during the morning commute, causing damage inside the station and injuring a station agent. About a month later, Zajac sent an anonymous letter to the Hinsdale Police Department, stating that the police had “[expletive] with” the wrong person and that the writer had “fired a warning shot” last month. The letter indicated that police actions would “likely eventually lead to the death” of at least one person in Hinsdale, and that the writer wanted to see whether the department was “bright enough or possess[ed] the character to stop this death.” Evidence at trial revealed that Zajac felt disrespected when a family member was arrested by Hinsdale Police the prior year. Zajac, 70, formerly of Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., was convicted Monday of all three counts against him, including one count of attempting to destroy property with an explosive device, one count of possessing an unregistered destructive device, and one count of willfully making a threat through the mail to kill or injure a person with an explosive device. The property destruction count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. Each of the other two counts are punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly set sentencing for Dec. 13, 2023. The verdicts were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hinsdale Police Department, DuPage County, Ill., Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Secret Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Kerwin, G. David Rojas, and Andréa L. Campbell.


title: Hardeman County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge delivered sentencing in the case of a Hardeman County man convicted of firearm charges. Fabian Bills , 34, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson also ordered Bills to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. According to information presented in court, on May 6, 2022, a deputy in the Madison County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a Nissan Maxima. Upon approaching the passenger’s side of the vehicle, the officer noticed the smell of marijuana coming from inside the car. The officer asked the driver for permission to search the vehicle; the passenger identified himself as Fabian Bills. The officer discovered a loaded 9mm handgun tucked underneath the front passenger seat. Bills admitted ownership of the firearm and stated that he had prior felony convictions. Bills was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. This firearm was later matched by a forensic firearms examiner to two prior shootings. Based on this, a federal criminal complaint was issued against Bills and on May 27, 2022, a Federal Bureau of Investigations Task Force officer executed the resulting arrest warrant. Additional firearms were recovered from Bills’s vehicle when he was arrested, including an Omni 300 Blackout AR15 and a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm handgun. In August 2023, Bills pled guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because the Court found the defendant committed prior violent acts with one of these firearms, he was subject to enhanced punishment at sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Christie Hopper, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ###


title: Bay Area Resident Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Producing Child Pornography And Engaging In Sex Trafficking Of A Minor

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Kenneth Orlando Sparks was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for producing child pornography and for engaging in the sex trafficking of a minor, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge. A jury convicted Sparks, 37, of Oakland, Calif., of the charges on March 20, 2023. The evidence at trial established that Sparks produced child pornography by recording multiple videos of himself having sex with a minor victim in July 2019. Further, the evidence demonstrated that Sparks engaged in sex trafficking of a minor for his actions enticing, recruiting, and transporting the minor victim to Oakland and San Francisco to engage in commercial sex work on “the Blade” (a generic term used to describe both cities’ commercial sex strips). Trial evidence demonstrated Sparks had been warned about the minor victim’s age and nevertheless transported her to the Bay Area for commercial sex on three occasions after receiving the warning. Sparks provided the minor accommodation in the Bay Area, offered her advice and instruction while she was working on the Blade, and arranged to transport the minor to and from the Blade to facilitate her ability to engage in commercial sex. A federal grand jury indicted Sparks on September 29, 2021, charging him with one count each of production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a); sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a)(1), (b)(2), (c); coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b); and receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). The government dismissed the receipt of child pornography charge before trial and the jury acquitted Sparks of the enticement charge. In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria ordered Sparks to serve five years of supervised release to begin after the prison term is completed. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilham Hosseini and Alethea Sargent are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez and Megan Pagaduan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and San Francisco Police Department.


title: Husband And Wife Charged With Multimillion-Dollar Gift Card Fraud Scheme

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging XULIANG HOU and YUNA LIN with conspiring to commit wire fraud. HOU and LIN were arrested yesterday and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For nearly two years, Xuliang Hou, Yuna Lin, and their co‑conspirators allegedly engaged in a brazen scheme to obtain gift card information from their victims through lies. As alleged, they used those gift cards to purchase millions of dollars’ worth of products, including electronic devices. Thanks to the skillful investigative work of HSI and the dedication of the prosecutors of this Office, the defendants’ alleged scheme will be put to an end.” HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “The defendants, along with their co-conspirators, stand accused of swindling victims out of millions of dollars across multiple states over the course of several years. HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to thwart criminal organizations seeking to undermine the integrity of American businesses and the stability of our financial system.” According to the allegations in the Indictment: [1] From July 2020 through at least May 2022, XULIANG HOU and YUNA LIN carried out a scheme in which victims were induced, under false pretenses, to purchase gift cards redeemable at certain stores. The scheme’s perpetrators used those cards to purchase millions of dollars’ worth of various products, including electronic devices. * * * HOU, 32, and LIN, 30, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Coyle and Benjamin M. Burkett are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: West Virginia man admits to obstructing Tree of Life trial

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Hardy Carroll Lloyd, age 45, of Follansbee, West Virginia, pled guilty today to obstruction of the due administration of justice. According to court documents and statements made in court, Lloyd admitted to making online threats to jurors and witnesses involved in the federal hate crimes trial in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, of Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooter. Lloyd, a self-proclaimed “reverend” of a white supremacy movement, distributed threatening social media posts, website comments, and emails during the trial. As part of his plea agreement, Lloyd stipulated that he intentionally selected the jury and government witnesses in the Bowers trial as the targets of his offense due to the actual or perceived Jewish religion of the witnesses and the Bowers victims. “Hardy Lloyd attempted to obstruct the federal hate crimes trial of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “His guilty plea underscores that anyone who attempts to obstruct a federal trial by threatening or intimidating jurors or witnesses will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.” “Hardy Lloyd’s crime was motivated by hate and there is no place for that in our society,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “He tried to undermine our system of justice by targeting the Jewish community and now will pay a steep price for his abhorrent conduct.” “Mr. Lloyd thought he could get away with making threats against members of a jury to influence their decisions and now he’ll be accountable for his actions,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “Mr. Lloyd’s words go far beyond speech that is protected by the constitution and cannot be tolerated. The FBI will vigorously pursue those like Mr. Lloyd who threaten and intimidate others based upon biases and personal differences.” If the agreement is accepted by the court, Lloyd will be sentenced to 78 months in prison, which is expected to be the highest end of the sentencing range calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph Bernard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.


title: Danville Woman Sentenced To 22 Months In Federal Prison For Embezzling $1.7 Million From Public Company

body_text: OAKLAND – Gina Suzanne Lonestar was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison in connection with a wire fraud scheme pursuant to which she embezzled over $1.7 million from her former employer, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge. Lonestar, 52, of Danville, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on May 19, 2023. According to her plea agreement, Lonestar admitted that, in December 2010, she devised a scheme to create a fake vendor to defraud Men’s Wearhouse and later Tailored Brands (Men’s Wearhouse’s parent company) of money by submitting and approving false invoices for the fake vendor to the accounts payable department. Lonestar created a document stating the vendor was a sole proprietorship associated with a family member and then began submitting and approving invoices falsely claiming the vendor was performing work at Men’s Wearhouse stores throughout California, such as inspections and handyman work. Lonestar admitted that she submitted and approved false invoices in the name of the fake vendor for approximately eight years, defrauding her employer of over $1.7 million, which was paid to her joint checking account. Lonestar admitted that the vendor did not exist and the family member with whom she co-owed the company performed none of the work for which she provided invoices. At the time Lonestar devised the scheme, she was a Director in the Facilities Department of Men’s Wearhouse. During the relevant time period she was promoted to Senior Director of Facilities and Corporate Services and then to Vice President of Construction, Maintenance, and Facilities. In all of her roles, she had the authority to approve invoices for work done by vendors. Lonestar’s scheme ended in 2019 when the company discovered the conduct during an internal audit. On September 8, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Lonestar charging her with six counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Lonestar pleaded guilty to one count and the court dismissed the remaining counts during her sentencing hearing. In addition to the 22-month sentence, Judge Tigar ordered Lonestar to pay a $1,736,216 forfeiture money judgment and to serve three years of supervised release which will begin after she leaves prison. Judge Tigar ordered that Lonestar begin serving her sentence on January 5, 2024. In addition, Judge Tigar scheduled a hearing for December 1, 2023, to determine issues regarding restitution. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah Stern with assistance from Elizabeth Kim and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: Business Owner Sentenced for Illegally Tampering with Emissions Controls

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The owner of a Kirbyville, Mo., towing company was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to illegally tamper with the emissions controls of the company’s diesel towing vehicles. “This business owner intentionally polluted the air in southwest Missouri for more than a decade with massive amounts of cancer-causing toxins in violation of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “He pursued personal profit at the expense of the environment and the health of his neighbors. And he brazenly continued dumping dangerous pollutants into the air, and ultimately into the lungs of everyone in the community, even after pleading guilty and being admonished by the court.” Dennis Cleveland, 73, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Cleveland to pay a $255,000 fine. “The defendant in this case conspired to bypass and disable the emission control equipment on heavy-duty diesel engines,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of EPA’s criminal investigation program in Missouri. “This sentencing demonstrates that EPA will vigorously prosecute those who violate laws designed to protect our communities from harmful air pollution.” Cleveland is the owner of Affordable Towing, a roadside, recovery, hauling, and mobile repair provider for commercial and private automobiles and vehicles throughout southwest Missouri. Affordable Towing utilized heavy-duty, commercial diesel trucks to tow and haul away vehicles to repair facilities. On March 9, 2023, Cleveland pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and one count of tampering with a Clean Air Act monitoring device. Cleveland admitted that, since 2011, he has directed his employees to physically disable emissions control components on multiple heavy-duty diesel tow trucks. Each one of Cleveland’s 12 illegally altered tow trucks was responsible for releasing the equivalent pollution of 1,140 legally operating tow trucks, according to court documents. If each of these illegally modified tow trucks operated only once a day (which the investigation revealed occurred far more frequently) that would be the equivalent of 13,200 tow trucks that have legal emission systems being operated every day. Even after being contacted by law enforcement in September 2022, Cleveland continued operating his illegally modified fleet of tow trucks. After pleading guilty, and being warned by the court that continuing such operations would violate federal law as well as his plea agreement, Cleveland never stopped using his illegally modified tow trucks. As a result, Cleveland’s bond was revoked on July 20, 2023, and he has since been detained in federal custody. Cleveland conspired with Robert Dyche, 67, of Springfield, the owner and operator of Full Flash Tuning, which specializes in illegally tampering with the on-board diagnostic systems on these vehicles. Cleveland caused the Affordable Towing trucks to be tampered with to save money by avoiding maintenance expenses on emissions control systems and by spending less money on fuel. This tampering is frequently referred to as “tuning” or “flashing” an on-board diagnostic system. One purpose for “tuning” is to allow the vehicles to continue to seemingly operate normally while the emissions control system is disabled, rather than forcing the vehicle’s engine into a state known as “limp mode,” which greatly limits the maximum speed of the vehicle, incentivizing the driver or owner to repair the malfunction. The use of “tuning” thereby serves to reduce the high costs associated with maintaining or repairing components of the emissions control systems on heavy-duty diesel trucks. As a consequence of “tuning,” tampered vehicles spew substantially more deleterious pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (Nox), carbon monoxide (CO), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and particulate matter (PM) into the air, presenting a risk to the environment and public health. Cleveland, through Affordable Towing, contracted with Dyche on multiple occasions to “tune” or “flash” the emissions control systems of Affordable Towing vehicles, thereby causing multiple fleet vehicles to be altered in such a way that the vehicles released pollutants into the air that far exceeded the legally allowable amounts under the Clean Air Act. Each diesel truck would continue to operate normally, as if the vehicle were operating in accord with existing Clean Air Act restrictions, rather than go into limp mode. In addition to personally tuning Affordable Towing vehicles, Dyche, on multiple occasions, would take the vehicles to an unidentified entity in Rogersville, Mo., to “tune” the vehicles, for which he was compensated by Affordable Towing. Dyche pleaded guilty on March 13, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and awaits sentencing. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. They were investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency.


title: West Virginia Man Admits to Obstructing Tree of Life Trial

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Hardy Carroll Lloyd, 45, of Follansbee, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today to obstruction of the due administration of justice. “Hardy Lloyd attempted to obstruct the federal hate crimes trial of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “His guilty plea underscores that anyone who attempts to obstruct a federal trial by threatening or intimidating jurors or witnesses will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.” “It is absolutely reprehensible that the defendant threatened witnesses and jurors in the Tree of Life case, a tragedy that claimed innocent lives and emotionally scarred many in the Jewish community,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate the intimidation of citizens participating in our criminal justice system, and we will work with our partners to hold legally accountable anyone who threatens or carries out acts of violence against them.” According to court documents and statements made in court, Lloyd admitted to making online threats to jurors and witnesses involved in the federal hate crimes trial in Pittsburgh of Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooter. Lloyd, a self-proclaimed “reverend” of a white supremacy movement, distributed threatening social media posts, website comments, and emails during the trial. As part of his plea agreement, Lloyd stipulated that he intentionally selected the jury and government witnesses in the Bowers trial as the targets of his offense due to the actual or perceived Jewish religion of the witnesses and the Bowers victims. If the agreement is accepted by the court, Lloyd will be sentenced to 78 months in prison, which is expected to be the highest end of the sentencing range calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. The FBI is investigating the case. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph Bernard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas for the Northern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.


title: Oswego County Woman Sentenced to 24 Months for Stealing Her Deceased Son’s Disability Benefits

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Lisa Waldron, age 44, of Palermo, New York, was sentenced today to serve 24 months (two years) in federal prison for her conviction on charges of theft of government property, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office (SSA-OIG). As part of her previously entered guilty plea, Waldron admitted that for years she acted as the representative payee for her disabled minor son, Jordan Brooks, who was receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. A representative payee is a person or organization who receives Social Security benefits on another person’s behalf and is required to ensure the benefits are used only to support the beneficiary. Waldron also admitted that despite being legally required to use the benefits for Brooks’s care, Waldron used the money to pay for unrelated expenses. Based in part on Waldron’s neglect of Brooks, he died on May 9, 2021. In July 2023, in a case brought by the Oswego County District Attorney’s Office, Waldron pled guilty to manslaughter and assault charges related to her involvement in Brooks’s death. After Brooks died, Waldron failed to notify the SSA of the death and continued to receive SSI benefits intended for Brooks despite knowing she was not entitled to them. During that period, Waldron continued to spend Brooks’s SSI benefits to pay her own expenses including fast food purchases and a trip to Myrtle Beach. Finally, in April 2022, SSA independently discovered the issue and terminated Brooks’s benefits. This prosecution followed. In addition to imposing Waldron’s sentence to run consecutively (in addition to) to her anticipated state sentence, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a three-year term of post-release supervision and ordered Waldron to pay $13,292.76 in restitution—with $5,948.06 of that going to SSA and $7,344.70 being paid to the Crime Victims Fund. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck.


title: Richmond Woman Charged with Defrauding Tongan Community in $13 Million Stockton-Based International Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 30-count indictment on Sept. 14, 2023, against Tilila Siola’a Walker Sumchai, 61, of Richmond, charging her with wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud, and the sale of unregistered securities, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between January 2021 and October 2021, Walker Sumchai orchestrated a scheme to defraud investors in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand from her Stockton office. Claiming to use a secret algorithm, Walker Sumchai solicited Tongan investors and promised them that if they gave her money to purchase shares of the “Tongi Tupe” investment program, she would invest the money, and they would receive their principal investments back and thousands of dollars in returns within weeks or months. She also promised investors that if they gave her $30,000, within months they would receive a home in Lodi worth approximately $480,000. Instead, she took investors’ money and used it for her own personal expenses, including gambling, and used it to pay back and lull earlier investors. More than 1,000 investors invested over $13 million with Walker Sumchai. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Bickley is prosecuting the case. If convicted of mail fraud or wire fraud, Walker Sumchai faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conviction. If convicted of securities fraud, Walker Sumchai faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. If convicted of the remaining securities-related counts in the indictment, Walker Sumchai faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each count of conviction. 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. The FBI is seeking to identify possible victims of Tilila Siola’a Walker Sumchai. If you believe that you were victimized by Walker Sumchai or have information relevant to this investigation, please complete the online form available at https://www.fbi.gov/tongitupevictims. walker_sumchai_indictment.pdf


title: New Jersey Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Aliens

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Juhi Khubani, age 48, of New Jersey, pled guilty today to conspiring to transport seven aliens. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement. Khubani admitted that on June 3, 2023, she drove in an SUV to the U.S. side of the international border with Canada in Chateaugay, New York. Shortly after, seven Indian citizens who had just crossed into the U.S. illegally from Canada got into the SUV. Khubani then drove the aliens away from the border. Border Patrol agents then stopped the SUV and arrested its occupants. Khubani admitted that she expected to be paid for transporting the aliens. Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2023, before Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. Khubani faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is prosecuting this case.


title: La Crosse Woman Sentenced to 20 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine & Fentanyl

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Paige Roberts, 25, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Roberts pleaded guilty to this charge on May 11, 2023. The La Crosse Police Department began their investigation of Roberts and her co- defendant, Raphiel Kuntu, in January 2022, after a housekeeper at a hotel located a significant amount of controlled substances in a hotel room rented by Roberts. Roberts took ownership of the substances only after Kuntu left the scene, and after she flushed other controlled substances down a toilet. During the course of this investigation, police utilized a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl from Kuntu on two occasions. In April 2022, officers executed a search warrant at a residence Roberts shared with Kuntu. In their shared bedroom, officers recovered approximately 21 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.5 pounds of fentanyl, along with other controlled substances and a loaded firearm. A search of Roberts’s and Kuntu’s cellphones revealed Roberts was aware of and assisted Kuntu with his drug dealing. Kuntu previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Kuntu was sentenced by Judge Peterson on August 9, 2023 to 12 years in prison. At sentencing Judge Peterson stated that a 20-month sentenced held Roberts accountable for her role in the drug dealing conspiracy, which he said Roberts “embraced.” Judge Peterson also considered Roberts’s good performance on pre-trial supervision in fashioning a sentence. The charges against Roberts and Kuntu are the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus handled the prosecution.


title: Serial Domestic Abuser Sentenced To 46 Months In Federal Prison For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS , MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Dominic Nathaniel Alexander, age 36, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The government had asked the Court to impose an increased sentence due to Alexander’s “striking pattern of violence,” which included “beating and choking multiple domestic partners.” In imposing the sentence at the top of the advisory range, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Hala Y. Jarbou remarked on “the seriousness of this offense” and Alexander’s history of “assaultive” conduct. “Today’s sentence sends a message to both perpetrators and victims of domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “To perpetrators: if you illegally possess a firearm, federal agents and prosecutors stand ready to investigate and prosecute you to the fullest extent permitted by law. To victims: we see you, and we hear your silent cries for help. Please know there is hope, and that you are not alone.” According to sentencing materials filed by the government, Alexander’s history of violence stretches back for nearly a decade, and includes multiple occasions on which he beat, choked, and strangled multiple domestic partners. In addition, in 2018, Alexander was convicted of stabbing an unarmed man in the back and throat, reportedly causing permanent damage. In this case, Alexander pled guilty to illegally possessing a pistol and 117 rounds of ammunition. “Dominic Alexander is a convicted felon and a serial domestic violence abuser who illegally possessed and sold an illegal firearm. Above all else, accountability matters,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir . “Mr. Alexander is going to have a lot of free time to reflect on his consistent track record of illegal activity. Our community is a safer place today with Mr. Alexander off the streets.” Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Across the nation and in Michigan domestic violence is a serious threat. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence , 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Moreover, studies have shown that domestic violence perpetrators often use firearms to abuse and control their victims, who are five times as likely to be killed if their abuser has access to a firearm. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan has brought other cases to address the threat of domestic violence, as well. This past June, for example, the Office announced a 15-year sentence for Mitchell Pierce, 45, of Muskegon after he pleaded guilty to stalking and being a felon in possession of firearms. Pierce had threatened to torture and kill his ex-wife, as well as kill her children, other family members, and friends. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Castle. If you are a victim of domestic violence, resources are available. To contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, call 1-800-799-SAFE or text “START” to 88788. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. ###


title: Two Individuals, Including A Former Pharmaceutical Executive, Plead Guilty To Participating In Insider Trading Scheme Surrounding Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ Acquisition Of Portola Pharmaceuticals

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that, on September 15, 2023, JOSEPH DUPONT pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, and earlier today, SLAVA KAPLAN, a/k/a “Stanley Kaplan,” pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, both in connection with their participation in an insider trading scheme surrounding the announcement of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s acquisition of Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. DUPONT and KAPLAN were arrested in June of this year and pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Dupont admitted in court that he gave his friend sensitive information that Dupont had misappropriated from his employer at the time so that his friend could profit. And Kaplan admitted in court both that he made profitable trades based on information that he knew was provided to him for an illegitimate purpose, and that he passed that information along to others. These convictions reflect my Office’s ongoing commitment to ensuring fairness in the stock market.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings: In 2020, DUPONT, KAPLAN, and others engaged in an insider trading scheme surrounding the announcement of Alexion’s acquisition of Portola. DUPONT was a vice president at Alexion and, on January 31, 2020, was informed of Alexion’s upcoming acquisition of Portola. Before that acquisition was publicly announced, in April 2020, DUPONT provided material nonpublic information (“MNPI”) that he misappropriated from Alexion about the acquisition to a friend so that the friend could use the information to trade profitably in securities. In turn, DUPONT’s friend provided KAPLAN, who was also known to DUPONT, the MNPI about Portola’s pending acquisition, both so that KAPLAN could trade in advance of the acquisition and so that KAPLAN would assist DUPONT’s friend in formulating trading strategies to maximize DUPONT’s friend’s own trading profits. KAPLAN further shared MNPI about the upcoming acquisition with a family member and a friend and colleague. After Alexion’s acquisition of Portola was publicly announced on the morning of May 5, 2020, causing Portola’s stock price to increase significantly, KAPLAN and others who had purchased shares and options based on DUPONT’s inside information sold their shares of Portola and call options for Portola stock, reaping millions of dollars of illegally obtained trading profits. * * * DUPONT, 44, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and KAPLAN, 45, of Hopewell Junction, New York, each pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. DUPONT and KAPLAN are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Woods on January 5, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Graham, Sarah Mortazavi, and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Che Dushon Lark, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 6, 2020, Lark possessed a quantity of controlled substances containing methamphetamine and heroin that he intended to distribute in Charleston. Lark is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia State Police. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Parsons and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-84. ###