title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Tonawanda Man On Production And Distribution Of Child Pornography Charges And Destroying Evidence

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michael E. Swain, 35, of Tonawanda, NY, with production and distribution of child pornography and corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating, or concealing evidence. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond J. Fadel, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, the Tonawanda Police Department received a report that a minor female was the victim of coercion involving Swain. The investigation determined that Swain had been communicating on the Discord social media app with the victim for a long period of time. At his request, the victim sent numerous images and videos of herself to Swain, including some sexually explicit images. At times, Swain would threaten to release the images to family and friends of the victim. Investigators executed a search warrant at Swain’s residence and seized a cell phone, thumb drive, desktop computer, laptop computer, and an SD card. According to the indictment, when investigators arrived to execute the search warrant, Swain allegedly factory reset his cell phone, which can cause the data that was on the device to be deleted and unrecoverable. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Buffalo Office Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Eugene Staniszewski. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Dunkirk Man Pleads Guilty To Drug Charges Involving An Overdose That Led To A Death

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Bruce Massara, 57, of Dunkirk, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 10 grams or more of butyryl fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that in August 2018, the FBI began investigating Massara’s narcotics trafficking activities. The investigation determined that his distribution of heroin and fentanyl analogs was linked with several overdoses: In March 2017, the Amherst Police Department and first responders were called to a residence in Williamsville, where they located L.B. on the ground, unconscious and unresponsive. L.B. appeared to have overdosed but was revived with Narcan and survived. Massara was present at the scene and prior to L.B.’s overdose, Massara provided L.B. with heroin. In November 2017, the Amherst Police Department and first responders were again called to the Williamsville residence, where they located S.D., who was pronounced dead at the scene. The previous evening, Massara provided heroin, fentanyl, butyryl fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl to S.D., who then overdosed. In November 2018, Massara provided heroin and fentanyl to L.B. at the same Williamsville residence. After taking the mixture, L.B. lost consciousness but Massara administered Narcan to L.B. and revived him. The investigation also included a controlled purchase of narcotics from Massara. Following his arrest on May 23, 2019, while incarcerated at the Niagara County Jail, Massara directed a third party to destroy a personal journal containing entries related to, among others, the overdoses of S.D. and L.B. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Amherst Police Department under the direction of Chief Scott Chamberlin and the Federal bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. # # # #


title: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession

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

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge yesterday sentenced an armed career criminal for illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced William Wayne Osbourn, 38 of Sylacauga, to 228 months in prison. Osbourn pleaded guilty on March 17, 2023, to unlawfully possessing a Smith & Wesson magnum revolver in October 2021 in Talladega County. Osbourn is prohibited from having a firearm because of multiple prior felony convictions and the sentence pronounced yesterday reflected his status as an Armed Career Criminal. Osbourn was previously convicted on January 25, 2011, in the Circuit Court of Talladega County, Alabama, of the offense of Receiving Stolen Property, First Degree; convicted on March 6, 2012, in the Circuit Court of Talladega County, Alabama, of the offense of Attempted Unlawful Manufacturing of a Controlled Substance, Second Degree; convicted on February 11, 2014, in the Circuit Court of Talladega County, Alabama, of the offense of Unlawful Manufacturing of a Controlled Substance, First Degree; and convicted on September 21, 2015, in the Circuit Court of Calhoun County, Alabama, of the offense of Robbery, First Degree. “Prosecuting career criminals who possess firearms is an important part of reducing violent crime in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “We are grateful for the investigation by the Sylacauga Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the ATF in bringing this defendant to justice.” “Today’s announcement is a perfect answer to why we chose to protect and serve the public. Illegal firearm possession and narcotic distribution in our communities is dangerous and damaging to everyone involved in the criminal activity,” said SAC Watson. “ATF will remain in lockstep with our local, state and federal partners in our continuing effort to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.” The ATF investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Sylacauga Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel McBrayer and Brittney Plyler prosecuted the case. This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Cherokee County Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffery Glenn Bocephus Robinson, age 32, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea of one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The Indictment alleged that on November 28, 2022, Robinson, who had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, was found in possession of a .22 rifle. The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Robinson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing. Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Pahl represented the United States.


title: Memphis Residents Plead Guilty To Conspiracy

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jemarcus Maquel Williams, age 31, Andria Victoria Dowdy, age 22, and Anfernee Deshon Sherrod, age 30, all of Memphis, Tennessee, each entered pleas of guilty to one count of Conspiracy to commit firearm offenses, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The Government’s Indictment alleged that in December 2021, Williams and Sherrod, both felons, together with Dowdy, conspired to obtain several firearms, ammunition, and an unregistered silencer in violation of federal laws prohibiting felons from possessing firearms. At the plea hearings, Williams, Dowdy, and Sherrod each admitted traveling to Oklahoma to obtain firearms. After a traffic stop in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, officers found three semiautomatic rifles, one semiautomatic 9mm pistol, one 12-gauge shotgun, an unserialized silencer, and multiple rounds of various branded and gauged ammunition. The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Roland Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Judge Gerald Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report for each defendant. At the conclusion of their plea hearing, Williams, Dowdy, and Sherrod were each remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Bryan County Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearms Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bobby William Wells, Jr., age 33, of Durant, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. During the plea hearing, Wells admitted to having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and to possessing ammunition despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so. The charges arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department, Southeastern Oklahoma State University Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Assistant United States Attorney Richard Lorenz represented the United States.


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Securities Fraud Scheme Worth Over $9 Million

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jeffrey D. Martin, 64, of Orlando, FL, was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release and fined $50,000 by United States District Court Judge Gerald Pappert for his participation in a conspiracy to artificially inflate the price of penny stock shares and sell them fraudulently to the public. Martin was also ordered to forfeit $3.5 million in ill-gotten gains. In November 2020, Martin was charged for manipulating the stock of Mainstream Entertainment, Inc., now known as Volt Solar Systems, Inc., Resort Savers, Inc., Axiom Corp., Virtual Medical International, Inc., and Union Bridge Holdings, Ltd. In a “pump and dump” scheme, Martin and his co-conspirators published fraudulent press releases, filed fraudulent securities disclosures with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and conducted manipulative stock trading to artificially inflate the price of the stock. They then sold their shares at inflated prices, leading Martin to earn more than $989,000 in illicit proceeds from just one of the companies. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul G. Shapiro. The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.


title: Broomall Businessman Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Stealing PPP Funds and Tax Evasion

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Christopher Davis, 32, of Haddon Heights, NJ, was sentenced to 40 months in prison and five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $267,859 in restitution by United States District Court Judge Harvey Bartle III, for unlawfully obtaining and misusing loan proceeds offered through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and committing tax evasion. While operating a property management business out of Broomall, Pennsylvania in 2016, 2017, and 2018, Davis earned hundreds of thousands of dollars. Nonetheless, he willfully failed to file a tax return for each of these years and took actions to evade paying his personal income taxes, such as using approximately $230,000 from his business bank accounts to purchase four automobiles (including a Ferrari, a Range Rover, and a Mercedes Benz) for his personal use and utilizing corporate credit cards to charge over $326,000 in personal expenses, including trips to Italy, Monaco, Great Britain, Spain, France, and Greece. After this business failed, in May 2020 Davis filed a fraudulent PPP application in the name of one of his companies, seeking a $209,510 loan. In support of this application, Davis falsely claimed that he had 20 employees and paid a monthly salary of approximately $83,000 to these employees. He also submitted false documentation to support these fraudulent claims. As a result, Republic Bank approved Davis’ fraudulent application and issued him the PPP loan. Davis immediately began to spend the proceeds on personal expenses, including a new Tesla. “PPP funds were meant to help small businesses stay afloat during unprecedented adverse circumstances,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “In fraudulently obtaining these funds and evading taxes, Davis took advantage of taxpayers and took valuable resources away from businesses and individuals who needed them.” “Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents work tirelessly, year-round, to investigate tax and financial crimes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. "The outcome today is due to the dedicated efforts of IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners." “Christopher Davis blatantly defrauded a government program meant to keep businesses and workers afloat during the pandemic, using the money for his own personal expenses,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “The FBI and our partners will continue to crack down on Covid con artists like Davis and hold them accountable for their actions.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Murray.


title: Tahlequah Resident Sentenced For Assault With A Dangerous Weapon

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jordan Allen Houston, age 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 39 months in prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. The charges arose from investigations by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On July 26, 2022, Houston pleaded guilty to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. On July 1, 2022, while at a friend’s home in Tahlequah, Houston got into an argument. Houston struck the first victim in the side of the head with a pistol, causing an accidental discharge and sending a bullet into the ceiling. When the residents ejected Houston from the house, he fired multiple rounds through the front window and door. Two of those rounds struck a second victim in the chest but were not fatal. Houston committed these crimes in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “Whether violence comes from a stranger or a friend, the harm to individuals and communities is incalculable,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Together with law enforcement and first responders, we are committed to promoting justice and protecting the peace of our communities against dangerous offenders.” 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 based on fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Houston will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary W. Parsons represented the United States.


title: Ardmore Resident Sentenced For Child Abuse In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Lee Hill, age 21, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 108 months in prison for Child Abuse in Indian Country. The charges arose from investigations by the Ardmore Police Department, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On May 26, 2022, Hill pleaded guilty to Child Abuse in Indian Country. During the plea hearing, Hill admitted striking the 39-day-old victim, causing injuries including skull fractures and brain hemorrhaging. The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “One of the most important and difficult duties law enforcement and health professionals will ever undertake is the protection and treatment of child victims of abuse and neglect,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “We are grateful for their care, their sensitivity, and their diligence, and we consider them essential partners in pursuing justice on behalf of child victims.” The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City. Hill will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.


title: Ada Resident Sentenced For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor And Possession Of Child Pornography

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ronnie Lee Lamb, age 40, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 180 months per count for three counts of sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country, and 180 months for one count of possession of child pornography, with sentences set to run concurrently. The charges arose from investigations by the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On October 10, 2021, Lamb pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual acts with a minor and to knowingly possessing visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The crimes were committed in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.” The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Lamb will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer and Assistant United States Attorney Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.


title: Haskell County Drug Dealer Sentenced For Role In Extensive Drug And Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that CALVIN JAMES WOODMORE age 34, of Haskell County, Oklahoma, was sentenced for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking organization operating in Haskell and Pittsburg Counties. Calvin Woodmore was sentenced to 324 months in prison for Drug Conspiracy and 240 months in prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy and Laundering Monetary Instruments. The sentences will run concurrently. Woodmore was also sentenced to 5 years of supervised release following his prison sentences. The charges arose from investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force, the United States Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the District 18 Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the McAlester Police Department, the Stigler Police Department, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. On April 7, 2022, Calvin Woodmore and his co-defendant, Early Woodmore, were convicted by a federal jury at trial. Early Woodmore’s sentencing is pending. From early 2018 until their arrest by law enforcement in 2020, the Woodmores led a methamphetamine trafficking organization in which they arranged to have large quantities of methamphetamine shipped to addresses in Haskell County and Pittsburg County. Once the packages of methamphetamine arrived, they would break them down into smaller quantities for distribution into communities in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “Calvin Woodmore’s sentence is a direct result of the excellent partnership between law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s office in combating drug trafficking and money laundering," said Christopher J. Altemus, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to be relentless in our mission to dismantle these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.” “This sentence reflects a win for the citizens of Eastern Oklahoma who value safe and drug-free communities,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas. “Woodmore, who spent his days distributing methamphetamine and engaging in acts of violence, will now spend his nights in jail while the men and women of the DEA and it’s Oklahoma law enforcement partners continue their efforts to keep our streets drug free.” “This office is dedicated to disrupting the destruction and violence inflicted by Woodmore and those like him,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Criminal organizations that distribute illegal drugs within our communities will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.” This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and sentencing hearing in Muskogee. Woodmore will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.


title: Metamora Man Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Dana Curtin, 49, of the 1100 block of Willow Lake Drive in Metamora, Illinois, was found guilty today of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Over three days of trial before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence to establish that from March through May 2022, Curtin spoke with an individual he believed to be an adult offering sex with a minor and then traveled to meet the adult and child. Federal law enforcement agents arrested him when he arrived at the meeting location. Sentencing for Curtin has been scheduled on October 18, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois. At sentencing, Curtin faces statutory penalties of 15 years to life imprisonment, to be followed by five years to life of supervised release, and a possible fine of up to $250,000. He also must register as a sex offender. And the charge carries a mandatory special assessment of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, unless Curtin is ruled indigent. Curtin is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Hollingshead-Cook and Ronald L. Hanna represented the United States at trial. The case against Curtin was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Youngstown Area Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Participating in Scheme to Steal More Than $1.3 Million from the IRS

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: YOUNGSTOWN – Robert J. Rohrbaugh, 49, of Canfield, Ohio, was sentenced today to 52 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Bonita Pearson for engaging in a conspiracy to help two men illegally obtain more than $1.3 million from the IRS. Rohrbaugh was also ordered to serve 3 years of community control, pay a $400 special assessment, and pay restitution in the amount of $1,352,779 to the IRS. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that if you steal from the public by cheating the IRS, you will be investigated and prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, “the United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to ensuring the integrity of our revenue stream funded by good, honest, tax paying citizens.” “The defendants in this case went to great lengths to steal in excess of $1.3 million from the government,” said Carilyn Peters, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS, Criminal Investigation. “The sentencings in this case reaffirm that if you participate in these types of tax refund fraud schemes, you will likely go to jail.” Rohrbaugh was convicted of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, aiding and abetting theft of government property, aiding and abetting false claims against the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Rohrbaugh, a Youngstown-area attorney, assisted co-conspirators Brandon Mace and Terris Chanley Baker with obtaining a tax refund check for a fictitious business in the amount of $1,352,779. Court documents state that in early 2015, Mace and Baker obtained a bogus tax refund check for a fictitious business by using fabricated tax forms and listing false taxes and expenditures that showed significant tax overpayments. After obtaining the refund check, Mace and Baker then contacted and worked with Rohrbaugh to deposit the check in accounts owned by the defendants. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Rohrbaugh assisted Mace and Baker with the scheme even though he was aware that the two had obtained the refund from an illegitimate business based on false tax returns. According to court documents, after cashing the refund check, Mace and Baker attempted to launder the money by purchasing several high-end and luxury vehicles. In addition, evidence showed that Mace and Baker used $150,000 of the refund check to pay Rohrbaugh for his services. Co-defendant Brandon Mace pleaded guilty in September 2020 to his role in the scheme and was sentenced to 60 months in prison in February 2023. Co-defendant Terris Chanley Baker was convicted by a jury for his role in April 2022 and was sentenced to 98 months in prison in April 2023. This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan R. Miller and Erica D. Barnhill.


title: Fraud Alert: Scammers Claiming to be with Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent OVC, or other Department of Justice (DOJ) agencies, are calling members of the public as part of imposter scams, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. These scams are usually intended to convince victims to send money to the fraudsters who use official agency names to make their communications sound serious and legitimate. According to OVC’s website, some examples of scams include scammers falsely representing themselves as OVC Director Kristina Rose and attempting to obtain personal information or money. OVC states it will never contact individuals this way. Other scammers may represent themselves as representatives of law enforcement agencies, such as INTERPOL, the FBI, or the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and claim the person to whom they are speaking has supported a terrorist network. Law enforcement will never contact a person demanding payment of a fine when the person has not been convicted of a crime following a trial or a guilty plea. Additionally, after fraudulently obtaining money from someone through a scam like the ones described above, a scammer may contact a person a second time and tell the person that he or she is eligible for victim compensation or restitution from OVC. Such calls are also fraudulent. OVC states that it never offers victim compensation or restitution in this manner, and it does not demand money from individuals or threaten legal action—civil or criminal—if individuals do not make payments to OVC. “Criminals will use any lie or trick they can invent to take advantage of the most vulnerable in society,” stated United States Attorney Stewart. “I strongly encourage the public to remain vigilant and to never provide personal identifiable information — such as a social security number or bank account information — without verifying the identity and the legitimacy of the other individual.” If a person receives what could be a scam phone call, email, or message from a someone claiming to be affiliated with a government agency, the recipient should not respond directly. Rather, he or she should access the agency’s website to find the agency’s legitimate contact information (email or telephone) and attempt to contact the agency to verify the information received. The public can view the Federal Trade Commission's How to Spot, Stop, & Report Government Imposter Scams infographic for information on avoiding and responding to these scams. Additionally, citizens may report scams to the Federal Trade Commission online at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ or by calling 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud .


title: Springfield Man Sentenced for Heroin, Fentanyl Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than four kilograms of heroin and/or fentanyl. Marquise D. Martin, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, June 14, to 12 years in federal prison without parole. On Nov. 3, 2022, Martin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and/or fentanyl. Martin admitted that he participated in the conspiracy that distributed more than four kilograms of fentanyl from Sept. 23, 2018, to Nov. 14, 2019. On Aug. 29, 2019, Martin sold .693 grams of fentanyl to a law enforcement confidential informant during a controlled transaction. Although Martin routinely claimed to be selling heroin, the drug in this case actually was fentanyl. Following a traffic stop in Springfield on May 11, 2019, Martin fled from officers on foot and discarded 7.1 grams of fentanyl in a convenience store bathroom. According to court documents, Martin received approximately one ounce (28.5 grams) of fentanyl from co-defendant Jerry D. Bedell, 32, of Springfield, every other day for two to three months. Bedell is responsible for distributing at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl. Martin has an apparent gang affiliation, according to court documents. Martin grew up in a neighborhood where the “Rollin’ 60s Crips” were present but denied association with them. However, a sentencing memorandum filed by the government refers to a review of his public Facebook page that revealed numerous posts indicative of Crips gang membership or affiliation. Martin is among 10 defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case and the first defendant to be sentenced. Bedell pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2022, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, as well as to illegally possessing a firearm, and awaits sentencing. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Bourbon, Mo., Police Department, and the Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Roderick L. Stewart, also known as “Memphis,” 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, June 14, to 12 years and 11 months in federal prison without parole. On Nov. 8, 2022, Stewart pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and/or fentanyl. Stewart admitted that he participated in the conspiracy that distributed more than a kilogram of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl from March 27, 2018, to Nov. 14, 2019, although he was incarcerated on unrelated cases for several months during that time. Co-defendant Derrick E. Dailey, 37, of Springfield, supplied Stewart and others with heroin and fentanyl for distribution. Court documents refer to a $10,000 drug debt that Stewart owed to Daily, which would represent approximately 100 grams of heroin or fentanyl. Stewart admitted that he sold $100 worth of fentanyl to a law enforcement confidential source on Nov. 5, 2019. According to court documents, there is evidence Dailey sold much larger quantities of fentanyl, sometimes by falsely claiming it was heroin, to others. When law enforcement officers attempted to arrest Stewart during a traffic stop, he fled from law enforcement. During the pursuit, which reached speeds over 90 miles per hour, Stewart drove on the wrong side of the road and turned off his headlights. He eventually crashed into two parked cars. He ran from officers but was apprehended. Stewart has prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and forgery. Stewart also was arrested in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in October 2013 for murder with a firearm, felonious assault with a firearm, and kidnapping with a firearm. Stewart and an accomplice shot a victim 14 times in an alleyway in Cleveland, Ohio, killing him. His accomplice bragged to friends that he and Stewart lured the victim to an alleyway, where Stewart shot the victim in the back and the accomplice shot him in the head. Stewart pleaded guilty to an amended charge of involuntary manslaughter during the middle of a court trial and was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He was on parole supervision for that offense when he committed the offense in this federal case. Dailey was sentenced on Dec. 2, 2022, to 34 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Antwanae L. Morgan,32, of Springfield, was sentenced on May 10, 2023, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Three additional defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Men for Wire Fraud and Odometer Tampering

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on June 14, 2023, charging two Warren County men with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit odometer tampering, and four counts of odometer tampering. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Porter of the Department of Transportation made the announcement. According to the indictment, beginning in June 2018, through January 2023, Randy Huff , 60, aided and abetted by his employee Donnie Wilson , 50, devised a scheme to defraud the buyers of used cars by fraudulently reducing the mileage shown on the odometers, thereby inducing both the immediate and subsequent buyers of the vehicles to pay more for the motor vehicles than they would have paid if they had known the vehicles’ true mileages. As part of the scheme, mechanics working for Huff reduced the mileage shown on the vehicles’ odometers by swapping the odometers with lower-mileage replacement odometers. After altering the vehicles’ odometers and the titles, Huff , Wilson , and other employees sold the vehicles to customers at Huff’s Auto Sales in Beaver Dam, Kentucky, and South Side Auto Sales in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This led to larger profits for Huff . Huff and Wilson are scheduled to make their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on June 21, 2023. If convicted, each faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Department of Transportation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Two Chester County Men Indicted for Possession of a Machine Gun

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single count indictment against Zyquon DeAngelo Hudson, 23, and Ja’Vaughn Lonzell Brown, 22, both of Chester, South Carolina, for possession of a machine gun. The indictment alleges that on June 24, 2022, Hudson and Brown were in possession of a Glock 9mm pistol that was modified with a “Glock Switch” or “Glock Auto Sear” which allowed the pistol to be fired as a machinegun. Brown and Hudson face a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Chester County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Batesville Men Sentenced to Prison for Robbery of Postal Worker

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Oxford, MS – Three Batesville men were sentenced yesterday to over 10 years in prison for the armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service contract carrier. According to court documents, Jamarr Smith, 38, Gilbert McThunel II, 37, and Thomas Iroko Ayodele, 40, were each convicted on February 24, 2023, of using a dangerous weapon to rob a contract postal carrier of money belonging to the U.S. Postal Service and conspiracy to rob the employee. Evidence presented during a four-day jury trial revealed that on February 5, 2018, Smith, McThunel, and Ayodele drove to Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, where the Postal Service’s contract carrier was robbed as he picked up mail for delivery to the Distribution Center in Memphis. Evidence showed that when the carrier arrived at the Lake Cormorant Post Office at approximately 5:15 p.m. to pick up the mail, McThunel approached the carrier, struck him multiple times in the face with a firearm, threatened to kill him, and then stole bags containing U.S. Postal Service money from the carrier’s truck. Ayodele dropped McThunel off at the Lake Comorant Post Office prior to the robbery and picked him up afterward, while Smith acted as a lookout from a separate vehicle. At the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Smith and McThunel each to 121 months in prison and Ayodele to 136 months in prison. Each defendant will serve five years of supervision following their release from prison. The defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the U.S. Postal Service for the money taken in the robbery and to the contract carrier for medical costs associated with injuries he received during the robbery. “Combatting violent crime and protection of our citizens is one of the highest priorities for the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Mississippi,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We hope that today’s sentence will serve as a message to all who would target or victimize their fellow citizens in the hopes of easy personal gain. Such acts will not be tolerated and we will do all we can to see that violent criminals and those who assist them are incarcerated for their crimes.” “Postal Inspectors’ duties include protecting postal employees and investigating violent crimes that are committed against them,” said Scott Fix, Inspector-in-Charge of the Houston Division. “While these types of crimes are rare, when they do occur, they become a top priority for us. The sentencing of Jamar Smith, Gilbert McThunel and Thomas Ayodele for the armed robbery of a USPS Contract Driver at the Lake Cormorant, MS Post Office is a testament to the dedication of Postal Inspectors to bring to justice those individuals that threaten the safety of our postal employees. We extend our appreciation to the Desoto County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with this investigation.” The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Mims and Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.


title: Richland County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Shondel Antwan Crim, 48, of Columbia, was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence presented to the Court showed that Richland County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the home of a shooting victim. The victim stated that she and Crim had stopped dating. She saw him at a gas station, and they talked, and he tried to rekindle the relationship. She declined and left the gas station. Crim followed her and fired into her car at least 2 times striking her car. An arrest warrant was issued for Crim. A week later, the police see Crim at another gas station and arrest him. They found a 9mm Glock pistol in a holster inside his waistband. A search warrant was issued for his house where they found 9mm ammunition along with a small amount of crack cocaine. Crim was taken to police headquarters where he admitted that the gun found on him was the one, he had during the shooting. Crim was prohibited from possessing a firearm based upon convictions for possession of crack, possession of a stolen car, possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute in proximity of a school, possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine 2nd offense, and burglary 2nd offense. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Crim to 96 months (8 years) imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case. ###


title: St. Francis to Pay the United States $36.5 Million to Settle Allegations Under the False Claims Act

body_text: Columbia, South Carolina --- St. Francis Physician Services, Inc., St. Francis Hospital, and Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Inc., (collectively, “St. Francis”), owner and operator of the St. Francis healthcare system, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization in Greenville, South Carolina, has agreed to pay $36.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, the Federal Stark Law, and the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) by making payments to orthopedic surgeons that were tied to the volume or value of referrals. The settlement resolves allegations that St. Francis caused the submission of false claims to Medicare and to TRICARE as a result of an unlawful contractual payment structure between St. Francis and Piedmont Orthopedic Associates (“POA”), whereby POA’s compensation was tied to the volume or value of the practice’s referrals to St. Francis. Specifically, it is alleged that St. Francis’s bonus payments to POA physicians violated both the Stark Law and the AKS. “Medical providers should base health care decisions on what is best for the patient, and not on financial incentives and related schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We are grateful the relator brought these allegations forward. Relators are critical to identifying fraud and protecting the integrity of our Medicare system.” The settlement resolves a lawsuit originally brought by a relator under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. As part of this resolution, the relator will receive approximately $10.2 million of the settlement amount. The whistleblower in this case was represented by Bill Nettles and Fran Trapp of the Law Offices of Bill Nettles, and Bryan Vroon of the Law Offices of Bryan A. Vroon, LLC. The lawsuit resolved by this settlement is captioned United States of America, et al., ex rel. Lee v. Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Inc. , Case No. 6:18-cv-01932-DCC (D.S.C.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Possession of Short-Barreled Rifle and Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Rondrell Sumter, 39, of Columbia, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition and Possession of an Unregistered Short-Barreled Rifle. Evidence presented to the Court showed that on August 2, 2021, Richland County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at Sumter’s residence. They recovered over 14 pounds of marijuana and three firearms, including 5.56mm American Tactical, model Omni-Hybrid, Multi-Caliber, short-barreled rifle. The National Firearms Act (“NFA”) is a comprehensive scheme that regulates the manufacture, sale, and transfer of certain particularly dangerous and concealable weapons, and requires the registration of short-barreled rifles. Under the NFA, it is a violation of federal law to knowingly possess an unregistered short-barreled rifle. The rifle recovered at Sumter’s residence had not been registered. Further, federal law prohibits Sumter from possessing firearms due to his prior convictions, including four prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute or distribution of narcotics. United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Sumter to 180 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Oregon Man Indicted for Role in the Torture, Mutilation, and Murder of Monkeys

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—On June 14, 2023, a federal indictment was unsealed charging a Prineville, Oregon man with administering an online animal abuse group and illegally possessing firearms as a dismissed military officer. David Christopher Noble, 48, has been charged with conspiring to engage in animal crushing and creating and distributing animal crush videos, creating animal crush videos, and illegally possessing a firearm as a dishonorably discharged person. According to court documents, from an unknown date but no later than January 19, 2022, and continuing until February 2, 2023, Noble is alleged to have knowingly conspired with others to view, encourage, and fund animal crush videos as part of an online group using an encrypted chat application. As a group administrator, Noble paid for the creation of and celebrated videos depicting the torture, sexually-sadistic mutilation, and murder of adult and juvenile monkeys. Noble further managed the group’s membership and repeatedly changed the group’s name to evade detection by law enforcement. In 2006, Noble, a former United States Air Force Officer, was dismissed from the Air Force and ordered to serve six months in military custody following a court martial for fraud and an unprofessional relationship. Despite these offenses, Noble is alleged to have illegally possessed multiple firearms, including a Colt M4 carbine assault rifle. In January 2023, Noble relocated from Prineville to Henderson, Nevada after a federal search warrant was executed on his Prineville residence. On June 13, 2023, he was arrested in Henderson. On June 14, 2023, Noble made his first appearance in federal court in Las Vegas and was ordered detained pending his transfer to the District of Oregon. Creating animal crush videos is punishable by up to seven years in federal prison and three years’ supervised released. Illegally possessing a firearm as a dishonorably discharged person is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren and Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Jury Convicts Former Toledo City Councilman of Extortion

body_text: TOLEDO – Former Toledo City Councilman Garrick “Gary” Johnson, 61, was found guilty of Hobbs Act Extortion Under Color of Official Right by a jury after a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Helmick. The jury acquitted Mr. Johnson of a similar count related to a different special use permit in the same Superseding Indictment. According to court documents and testimony, a friend of a FBI source applied for a special use permit to open an internet café on Secor Road in Toledo, Ohio. The source then paid former Councilman Johnson $2,000 in return for his support of the special use permit. The special use permit ultimately failed to garner the required votes in City Council. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to make the prosecution of public corruption a priority,” said United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “Public officials who betray the trust of those they serve will be aggressively pursued and held accountable.” “Investigating matters of Public Corruption is one of the highest priorities of the FBI,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen. “Upholding public trust, especially as an elected official, is paramount. The FBI will continue to protect the American Public by ensuring the people who are elected to serve are virtuous in their conduct.” No sentencing date has been set. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jody King and Gene Crawford.


title: Husband And Wife Charged In Connection With The Murder Of The Wife’s Ex-Husband

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Steven A. Nigrelli, the Acting Superintendent of the New York State Police (“NYSP”), announced today the arrest of NICHOLAS ORSINI and JAMIE ORSINI, who were each charged in a Complaint with one count of carjacking resulting in death and one count of conspiracy, each related to the 2020 murder of JAMIE ORSINI’s ex-husband, Steven Kraft. The ORSINIs will be presented in federal court later today. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “A little over three years ago, Nicholas and Jamie Orsini allegedly plotted to and did kill Jamie’s ex-husband, Steven Kraft. Their alleged scheme was sophisticated — it involved burner phones, stealing and dumping Kraft’s car, and, ultimately, disposing of Kraft’s body. In doing so, the Orsinis denied Kraft’s family — including Kraft’s children with Jamie — the dignity of having a proper burial. This complaint shows that no matter how well you cover up your heinous act, law enforcement will not relent until they have uncovered your crimes.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “The charges today allege that the defendants planned, practiced, and carried out a heinous series of actions in an attempt to get away with murdering Steven Kraft. This complaint today demonstrates our continued commitment to the community – the FBI will ensure those involved in such horrendous violence are held responsible in the criminal justice system.” NYSP Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli said: “I commend our State Police members and our partners with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their tireless efforts to find justice for the grieving loved ones of Mr. Kraft. These two murderous individuals allegedly deliberately took the life of another person and will now be held accountable for their actions. State Police and our partners will continue to work together to keep our communities safe and make sure those who commit senseless, violent acts are placed behind bars.” According to the allegations made in the Complaint: [1] In 2020, JAMIE ORSINI and NICHOLAS ORSINI planned to, and did, murder Steven Kraft — who was JAMIE ORSINI’s ex-husband and the father of two children with her — take and get rid of Kraft’s car, and dispose of Kraft’s body, covering their tracks. During the days leading up to April 28, 2020, the ORSINIs began preparing to murder Steven Kraft at their home in Beacon, New York, and to cover up that murder. Among other things, they purchased a 10x100 foot paint tarp, duct tape, a Tyvek suit and boots, and a “burner phone,” all paid for in cash. They also drove from their home in Beacon, New York, to a location in the City of Newburgh, New York, in what would be a “dry run” for how they ultimately got rid of Kraft’s car. On April 28, 2020, the ORSINIs carjacked and murdered Kraft. That afternoon, Kraft picked up his children from the ORSINIs’ home in Beacon. The ORSINIs followed Kraft and activated their burner phone before returning home. Kraft brought his children back to the ORSINIs’ at approximately 7:00 p.m.; he was never seen again. After falsely telling a co-worker that he was not coming to work because his wife’s car broke down, NICHOLAS ORSINI drove Kraft’s car along the same circuitous route the pair travelled in their dry run the day before from their home in Beacon to the same location in Newburgh. After leaving Kraft’s car on the street, NICHOLAS ORSINI walked over a mile to a gas station. He used the burner phone to call a taxi to take him home and then threw out the burner phone. In the days after the murder and carjacking, the ORSINIs continued to cover up their crimes. Among other things, they bought a new burner phone (changing the number on it at least once), drove repeatedly to and from Amsterdam, New York — where NICHOLAS ORSINI had family — which is more than 120 miles north of Beacon, staying for no more than a few hours before returning to Beacon, and purchased equipment that can be used to chop up and burn a body. In particular, on April 29, 2020, NICHOLAS ORSINI — who, like JAMIE ORSINI, left his own phone at home in Beacon — purchased a new burner phone and then drove approximately two-and-a-half hours to Amsterdam either by himself or with JAMIE ORSINI, stayed for less than three hours, and then drove back to Beacon. The next day, on April 30, 2020, NICHOLAS ORSINI used his phone to search for “How to view your location history in google maps.” On May 1, 2020, the ORSINIs again drove to and from Amsterdam, again leaving their personal phones behind but using their burner phone. Later that day, the ORSINIs changed the phone number of their burner phone in an apparent attempt to hide their tracks. The next day, NICHOLAS ORSINI used his phone to search for “Orange County News” (the City of Newburgh is in Orange County) and “Montgomery County News” (Amsterdam is in Montgomery County). At about the same time that he was conducting those searches, NICHOLAS ORSINI texted his mother: “Who did u tell I was coming up.” He then went to a Home Depot and a Walmart before using Google to search for “is galvanized steel fireproof.” Not long thereafter, NICHOLAS ORSINI returned to the Home Depot and purchased two 31-gallon galvanized steel round trash cans, a coarse stainless-steel rod, an angle grinder with grinding wheel, five metal disks, three 32-ounce bottles of odorless charcoal grates, an axe, and a flame lighter. The next morning, he returned to the Home Depot to purchase 16 bundles of firewood. * * * NICHOLAS ORSINI, 35, and JAIME ORSINI, 36, both of Amsterdam, New York, are each charged with one count of carjacking resulting in death, which carries a maximum potential sentence of life in prison or death, and one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the NYSP and the FBI for their outstanding work on the investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaiya Arroyo and Michael D. Maimin are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint 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 Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Jamie and Nicholas Orsini Complaint


title: Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced for Concealment of Information from the Supplemental Social Security Income Program

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Concealment of Information from the Supplemental Social Security Income Program. The sentencing took place on June 12, 2023. Dale Arthur, a/k/a Dale Hendricks, age 41, was sentenced to four months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $10,825.00, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Arthur was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2022. She pleaded guilty on March 16, 2023. The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between December 9, 2022, and March 20, 2023, when Arthur fraudulently claimed financial benefits from the Supplemental Social Security Income Program for dependents that were no longer under her care, during time periods she was incarcerated, and was not entitled to benefit payments on behalf of another. This case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case. Arthur was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Providence Resident Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Providence man admitted to a federal judge on Tuesday that he possessed nearly 449 grams of methamphetamine and 64 grams of fentanyl that was intended for distribution, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. According to information presented to the court, John Walker, 51, was detained by a member of the DEA Drug Task Force on March 3, 2022, moments after he left his Providence residence- a location where, as he acknowledged to a federal judge, he had just sold an individual a small amount of methamphetamine. According to information presented to the court, at the time of his arrest, Walker was found to be in possession of approximately 59 grams of methamphetamine and $5,902 in cash. Walker told agents that he had additional narcotics inside an apartment that he described as a “drug den,” and provided them with a door code to enter the residence and directions as to where the drugs would be found. Inside the apartment, DEA personnel located and seized approximately 449 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 64 grams of fentanyl. Walker pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and to a charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2023. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and G. Michael Seaman. ###


title: Mission Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal Officer

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on June 13, 2023. Dylan Blue Bird, age 30, was sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Blue Bird was indicted for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. He was found guilty after a jury trial on March 16, 2023. On September 30, 2022, at approximately 11:30 pm, officers with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services attempted a traffic stop on Blue Bird after observing traffic violations in Todd County. Blue Bird did not stop and led officers on a high-speed pursuit on Highway 18, reaching speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour. During the pursuit, Blue Bird drove in the opposing lane of travel towards an officer engaged in the pursuit, forcing the officer off the roadway. The pursuit came to an end after officers deployed spike strips, disabling Blue Bird’s vehicle. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case. Blue Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Construction Company Owners Charged With $5.4 Million Fraud Scheme

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging RAWINDER DHILLON and AMNINDER SINGH, the owners of a construction company, with participating in a scheme to submit fraudulent bonds to the New York State Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (“GOSR”) in order to obtain payments on false pretenses in connection with construction projects funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). The defendants were arrested this morning and will be presented in Manhattan federal court later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “New Yorkers rely on the New York State Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery and the construction companies and subcontractors supported by GOSR to rebuild after devastating storms. As alleged, Rawinder Dhillon and Amninder Singh greedily defrauded GOSR and obtained more than $5 million of construction payments on false pretenses. Thanks to our partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dhillon and Singh will now be brought to justice for their conduct.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “The defendants allegedly conspired to obtain over five million dollars from the state of New York based on phony construction surety bonds. Unfortunately, this is another example of a program intended to help communities recover from disaster being targeted for manipulation and fraud. The FBI is committed to ensuring that individuals who conspire to commit fraud against the government face the consequences for their schemes.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint: [1] GOSR was established in 2013 – following Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and Superstorm Sandy – to centralize recovery and rebuilding efforts in impacted areas of New York State. GOSR utilizes federal funding to provide aid for housing recovery, small businesses, community reconstruction, and infrastructure. DHILLON and SINGH owned and operated a construction company based in Staten Island, New York (“the Construction Company”). The Construction Company was awarded contracts by GOSR in connection with certain construction projects (the “Construction Projects”) funded by HUD. For each of the Construction Projects, the Construction Company was required to obtain surety performance bonds (meant to ensure satisfactory completion of a construction company’s contractual obligations) and payment bonds (meant to ensure payment by a construction company to subcontractors and/or vendors supplying labor and/or materials). In or about April 2021, the Construction Company emailed to GOSR documents purporting to be the required performance bonds and payment bonds for the Construction Projects. Following the submission of the purported bonds, GOSR paid the Construction Company more than approximately $5.4 million in connection with the Construction Projects. In or about February 2022, a subcontractor (the “Subcontractor”) that had contracted with the Construction Company to perform roofing work in connection with one of the Construction Projects contacted GOSR to report that the Construction Company had not paid the Subcontractor for its work. In response, GOSR provided the Subcontractor with a copy of one of the purported bonds so that the Subcontractor could obtain payment from the insurance carrier. However, when the Subcontractor contacted the insurance broker that allegedly issued the bond, the insurance broker informed the Subcontractor, in substance and in part, that the insurance broker had no record of issuing the bond and that the bond was fraudulent. Thereafter, the insurance broker informed GOSR, in substance and in part, that each of the purported payment and performance bonds provided by the Construction Company to GOSR were fraudulent. Accordingly, on or about February 20, 2022, GOSR terminated its contracts with the Construction Company. * * * DHILLON, 32, of Staten Island, New York, and SINGH, 37, of New Hyde Park, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence. The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra S. Messiter is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint 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 Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Dhillon and Singh Complaint


title: Rapid City Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Raymond Contreras, age 28, was indicted in May of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on June 9, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The charge relates to Contreras, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly being in possession of a Sporting Arms Manufacturing shotgun in Rapid City in March of 2023. The charge is merely an accusation and Contreras is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 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 investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case. Contreras was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Sioux Falls Man Charged with Child Pornography Charges

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man for two counts of Possession of Child Pornography and Transportation of Child Pornography. Jeffrey Michael Dicus, age 38, was indicted in June of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on June 9, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The Indictment alleges that on or about between April 12, 2013, and February 8, 2023, and also between February 16, 2018, and February 8, 2023, Dicus knowingly possessed and attempted to possess material which contained images of child pornography that had been shipped and transported using an electronic device, and had been shipped and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. The Indictment also alleges that on or about between January 5, 2017, and February 8, 2023, Dicus knowingly transported child pornography into his Dropbox account. The charges are merely accusations and Dicus is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigation and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Dicus was remanded back to the custody of the State pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Air National Guardsman Indicted for Unlawful Disclosure of Classified National Defense Information

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A member of the United States Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly retaining and transmitting classified National Defense Information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continuing until his arrest in April 2023. Jack Douglas Teixeira, 21, of North Dighton, Mass., was indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information). Teixeira was arrested on April 13, 2023 and charged by criminal complaint with retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials. On May 19, 2023, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy granted the government’s motion for detention. Teixeira remains federal custody. “The unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified information jeopardizes our nation’s security. Individuals granted access to classified materials have a fundamental duty to safeguard the information for the safety of the United States, our active service members, its citizens and its allies,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We are committed to ensuring that those entrusted with sensitive national security information adhere to the law.” “The American people entrust security clearance holders with our nation’s secrets, and anyone who flagrantly violates their duty to protect those secrets by unlawfully communicating classified national defense information to people who are not entitled to receive it will be brought to justice to answer for their criminal conduct,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “As laid out in the indictment, Jack Teixeira was entrusted by the United States government with access to classified national defense information — including information that reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if shared,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Teixeira is charged with sharing information with users on a social media platform he knew were not entitled to receive it. In doing so, he is alleged to have violated U.S. law and endangered our national security.” “Individuals granted security clearances are entrusted to protect classified information and safeguard our nation’s secrets. The allegations in today’s indictment reveal a serious violation of that trust,” said Christopher A. Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The FBI and our partners remain firm in our commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our national security and the security of our allies around the world.” According to the charging documents, Teixeira enlisted in the USANG in September 2019 and has held a Top-Secret security clearance since 2021. It is alleged that, beginning in or around January 2022, Teixeira willfully, improperly and unlawfully retained and transmitted National Defense Information classified as “TOP SECRET” or “SECRET” and/or Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), which he had reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation, on a social media platform to persons not authorized to receive such information. According to the charging documents, Teixeira transmitted the classified National Defense Information on the social media platform in two ways. First, Teixeira allegedly accessed classified documents containing National Defense Information from a classified workstation at the Otis USANG Base and transcribed and transmitted the information in written paragraphs to other users on the social media platform. Teixeira also allegedly posted images of classified documents to the social media platform, which bore standard classification markings – including “SECRET,” “TOP SECRET,” and SCI designations – indicating that they contained highly classified United States government information. At least one of the documents containing national defense information was allegedly found in digital form in a particular account associated with Teixeira. The charges of unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC DiMenna; Attorney General Garland; FBI Director Wray; Matt Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini, Jared C. Dolan and Jason A. Casey of Levy’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 12, 2023. Sydney Garreau, age 44, was sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Garreau was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2022. He pleaded guilty on February 22, 2023. The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in February of 2021 and continuing until August of 2022, when Garreau was involved with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. Garreau received distributable quantities of methamphetamine from a source of supply and then distributed the methamphetamine to various individuals on the reservation. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. Garreau was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced for Receipt of Child Pornography

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on June 9, 2023. Harland Bernard Johnson, 74, was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund. Johnson was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Johnson was indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in November of 2021. He pleaded guilty on September 23, 2022. The conviction stems from Johnson receiving child pornography between January of 2018 and February of 2021, at Rapid City. 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case. Johnson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Jury Convicts Belleville Man of Attempted Sex Crimes Against a Minor

component: Criminal Division

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – In a U.S. District courtroom Tuesday, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against a Belleville man accused of two attempted sex crimes against a minor, after he tried to meet with an alleged 15-year-old girl in Collinsville. The jury found Gerald S. Sewell, 59, guilty of one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Sewell’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 20, 2023. “As technology becomes more integrated into our daily lives, internet safety is critical for healthy development in children of all ages,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Fortunately, the FBI is working aggressively to remove online predators looking for children to abuse, and I’m grateful for their partnership.” "There is an inherent risk to children anywhere the opportunity exists to communicate online. That’s why the FBI continues to be proactive in our efforts to protect them, casting a wide net over the various online applications and internet platforms where children are vulnerable," said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Shannon Fontenot. "Investigations like these demonstrate the outstanding work achieved in a collaborative environment with our law enforcement partners." Sewell was one of 14 defendants charged in June 2020 as the result of an FBI-led operation involving multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies that targeted online predators. According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Sewell initiated a conversation online with an FBI agent posing as a 15-year-old girl. Using sexually-explicit language, he made plans to meet with the purported girl for sex at a house in Collinsville. Sewell was arrested at the scene once he arrived. In an interview with law enforcement, Sewell stated he was living at a friend’s house in Missouri and therefore had crossed over state lines to engage in the criminal sexual activity. The operation was led by the FBI Springfield Field Office with assistance from the FBI St. Louis Field Office, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Belleville Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the Edwardsville Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police, the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Swansea Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service. Additional assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Alton jail, the Monroe County jail, and the St. Clair County jail. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Reppert and Zoe Gross are prosecuting the case.


title: Darknet Fentanyl Dealer Convicted At Trial

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A darknet fentanyl dealer who used the moniker “Fent4U” was found guilty yesterday of multiple drug crimes and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. After four days of trial and five hours of deliberation, a jury convicted Sean Shaughnessy, 55, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance analogue, distribution of controlled substances, and possession of child pornography. “Drug traffickers who think operating on the darknet will shield them from prosecution should think again,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “We will scour the darkest recesses of the internet to find those dealing fentanyl, a drug that shatters lives and wrecks futures. We are grateful to the many agents and officers – both in uniform and undercover – that worked together to arrest Mr. Shaughnessy, and to the jurors who thoughtfully weighed the evidence and voted to convict.” “This drug dealer, who used the cloak of the dark web to peddle fentanyl and other illicit drugs, is no longer in business thanks to the investigative efforts and technological expertise of our agents and law enforcement partners,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas. “Criminals who seek personal gain by trafficking illicit drugs at the expense of victims in our communities cannot hide on the dark web. Our team of special agents and criminal analysts will never relent in our resolve to bring to justice those that seek financial gain by selling this poison in our neighborhoods as we all work tirelessly as a community to address drug addiction and fatal overdoses throughout the country.” According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Shaughnessy sold fentanyl, carfentanil (a frequently abused elephant tranquilizer), pentedrone, and fentanyl and pentedrone analogues over the dark web, an unindexed portion of the internet accessible only via specialized software that allows users to conduct transactions with relative anonymity. His buyers purchased the drugs on dark web marketplaces using cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, and Mr. Shaughnessy shipped the drugs to their addresses. Multiple former customers testified at Mr. Shaughnessy’s trial, noting the drugs Shaughnessy sold them, including fentanyl and its analogues, arrived to their DFW are homes very quickly and were of high potency. Just days after purchasing fentanyl analogues from Mr. Shaughnessy, one of his customers, a young man in his 20s, died of an overdose involving that substance. An undercover Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent testified about the undercover operation that identified Mr. Shaughnessy, explaining that Mr. Shaughnessy directed tens of thousands of dollars of his illicit drug proceeds to be sent to Mr. Shaughnessy in the Dallas area. Another agent testified that during an interview with law enforcement, Mr. Shaughnessy claimed that the agents would have to “check his taxes” to determine what Mr. Shaughnessy did for a living. Agents contacted the Internal Revenue Service, which indicated Mr. Shaughnessy had filed no taxes for the relevant time periods. In a video of his July 2016 arrest played for the jury, Mr. Shaughnessy, with white powder visible around his nose, removed and dropped a baggie of drugs from his pocket while officers were placing handcuffs on him, and he then attempted to kick it out of officers’ view. When officers noticed the baggie, the defendant insisted, “that ain’t mine,” though it was plainly visible on the officers’ body-camera footage. The defendant now faces up to 80 years in federal prison. Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas and New York Field Offices conducted the investigation in partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, the Irving Police Department, and the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Magliolo, Gary Tromblay, Nicole Dana, and Jordan Ganz are prosecuting the case. U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay presided over the trial.


title: Pigeon Forge Man Sentenced To 50 Years Imprisonment For Child Production And Distribution Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 15, 2023, Roger Glenn Boland, 68, currently of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, was sentenced to 600 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Boland agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with, one count of production of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e); and one count of distribution of CSAM in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252A(a)(2). Following his incarceration, Boland will be on a lifetime of supervised release, he also will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release. According to the plea agreement filed with the court, after receiving a tip that a 13-year-old child was in imminent danger of sexual abuse, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Knoxville Police Department Internet Crimes against Children Unit (KPD-ICAC) executed a search warrant at the home where the child victim was residing. The child victim, Boland’s granddaughter, has cerebral palsy, is non-verbal, and is wheelchair bound. Boland admitted the victim was the result of an incestual relationship between Boland and his daughter, co-defendant Felina Shockley. Authorities searched Boland’s cellphone and located CSAM of the victim produced by Boland and Shockley. Boland admitted to distributing the CSAM images to other men with whom he was in ongoing communications. Shockley has pled guilty and will be sentenced at a later date. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and HSI Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud made the announcement. Both express gratitude to the Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children (KPD-ICAC) Unit for their collaboration in this investigation. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by KPD-ICAC and HSI. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.” ###


title: Salt River Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Fentanyl Overdose Death of Her Baby

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz.– Sarah Caitlin Burnette, 23, of the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community, was sentenced on June 12, 2023, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 180 months in prison. Burnette previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter. On February 27, 2021, Burnette’s 18-month-old baby boy died of acute fentanyl toxicity after ingesting the drug. On October 19, 2021, Burnette was charged with murder and child abuse for the fentanyl overdose death of her son, and exposing another child to the same risk of death by fentanyl overdose. The Salt River Police Department and FBI jointly conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer E. LaGrange and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alane Breland, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. SAUSA Breland is also the Chief Prosecutor for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00867-PHX-SPL RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-093_Burnette # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.