title: Chinese Nationals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Participating in a Fraudulent Gift Card Conspiracy Involving the Purchase and Export of Apple Products to China

body_text: CONCORD – Three Chinese nationals were sentenced in federal court for their roles in a sophisticated Chinese gift card fraud conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Naxin Wu, 26, a Chinese national unlawfully residing in Nashua, was sentenced by Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 33 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Mengying Jiang, 34, a Chinese national residing in Nashua, was sentenced by Chief Judge McCafferty to 60 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Mingdong Chen, 28, a Chinese national unlawfully residing in Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced by Judge Joseph N. Laplante to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Earlier this year, the defendants each pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. All three defendants face deportation to China after completing their sentences. “The defendants played a critical role in laundering proceeds of romance and other online scams by purchasing the stolen gift cards and using them to purchase Apple products,” said Acting U.S. Attorney McCormack. “While they may not have committed the initial fraud, the defendants’ actions helped convert stolen funds into tangible goods, enabling a large-scale financial crimes conspiracy. We remain committed to dismantling every link in the fraud supply chain.” “These individuals were part of a Chinese transnational criminal organization that used a complex scheme to steal and launder millions of dollars through gift card theft. After a sophisticated criminal investigation with our partners, their scheme was uncovered and their crimes brought to light. Now, they’ll serve federal prison sentences and face deportation back to China,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations New England Michael J. Krol. “The sentences imposed in New Hampshire emphasize the expansive reach of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service when it comes to dismantling criminal organizations. Anytime a criminal uses the U.S. Mail to further their illegal activity, postal inspectors will be there to bring them to justice. I’d like to thank our law enforcement partners involved in this case who, together with postal inspectors, brought these defendants to justice. This collaboration and dedication from law enforcement professionals plays a vital role in protecting the integrity of our communities from those who seek to exploit vulnerable Americans for personal gain,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Boston Division. “IRS – Criminal Investigations is committed to identifying, preventing, and disrupting all illicit activity perpetrated by transnational criminal organizations, no matter where they hide,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “The defendants acted as an integral cog of this international scheme by monetizing the ill-gotten gains obtained by Chinese hackers and scammers that victimized U.S. businesses and the citizens of the United States. IRS-CI is committed to our continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners, both at home and abroad, to stop and deter anyone who seeks to profit off the hard work of U.S. citizens.” According to court documents, organized criminal elements in China acquired well over $100 million in gift cards through multiple fraudulent means. For example, gift card data is obtained by hacking U.S. companies, tampering with physical gift cards, and targeting U.S. citizens through romance and elder fraud schemes. The criminal elements then send the gift card data to multiple cells of Chinese nationals operating in the United States through a Chinese-based messaging platform in exchange for cryptocurrency. Once U.S.-based cells receive the gift card data, they then spend the gift cards to purchase high-value electronics, principally Apple products. After purchasing the Apple products, cell members consolidate the electronics in warehouses for shipment to China, Hong Kong, or countries in Southeast Asia. The cells primarily operate in states with no sales tax, such as New Hampshire, to maximize their profits. Wu, Jiang, and Chen were members of one cell in New Hampshire. Wu and Jiang purchased fraudulent gift cards at a discount from their face value. They then either personally used the cards or disseminated them to others, including Chen, to use. Wu was responsible for $1.4 million, Jiang for $3 million, and Chen for $400,000 of fraudulent gift cards. Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Concord Police Department led the investigation. The Merrimack County Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case. This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Illegal alien sent to federal prison for assaulting law enforcement

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 27-year-old Mexican national unlawfully residing in Laredo has been sentenced for assaulting and inflicting bodily harm on a Border Patrol (BP) agent, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Guillermo Osto-Navarrete pleaded guilty Feb. 4. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now ordered Osto-Navarrete to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court noted it was a “miracle” that Osto-Navarette did not get someone seriously injured during the high-speed chase, further commenting about how he fought with law enforcement and later ran from the hospital while handcuffed. In imposing the sentence, Judge Saldaña said he needed to be deterred and should not be in the United States. “Federal, state, and local law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect the citizens of our communities, and violence against them will earn the strongest possible response from the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “Additionally, the citizens of Laredo are fortunate that Osto-Navarrete did not kill or seriously injure any innocent bystanders or other drivers during his failed escape from law enforcement. He will now pay for the danger he put the police and community in.” On Oct. 14, 2024, Osto-Navarrete picked up several illegal aliens after they exited and ran from the Rio Grande River. Law enforcement attempted to block his vehicle, but he evaded and sped through a residential area without headlights. After running multiple stop signs at an estimated 60 mph, he broadsided a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) unit, causing it to spin 180 degrees. Nearby law enforcement quickly apprehended three individuals who had tried to flee. A BP agent rushed to assist Osto-Navarrete and check for injuries. As he approached, Osto-Navarrete exited the vehicle and struck him. The agent wrapped his arms around Osto-Navarette to keep him from running away, but he struck the agent’s face and head several times in rapid succession while the agent was standing and after falling to the ground. Osto-Navarette fled, but law enforcement quickly located him and took him into custody. After receiving treatment at a local hospital, he escaped again on foot, but authorities soon captured him again. Osto-Navarrete admitted he was paid $50 for picking up and transporting the illegal aliens. The agent sustained a black eye, bruising to his head and face, scratches to his chin, lacerations on his hands–including a deep cut to one finger–and a scraped knee. The DPS officer driving the unit Osto-Navarrete struck received medical attention for minor injuries. Osto-Navarrete has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP, DPS and Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Over 18 Years In Prison For Child Sexual Exploitation

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 18 years and 4 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for sexually exploiting a child in his care, and possessing more than 2,000 files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting two children in his care and numerous other minors. “The defendant engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual exploitation of a young girl within his supervisory control and possessed CSAM depicting two children in his custody,” said United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The defendant not only traumatized the children who trusted him, but he also possessed child sexual abuse material of additional victims. Let today’s sentencing be a deterrent to others like this defendant.” “Exploiting young children and creating child sexual abuse material is among the most heinous crimes investigated by the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to seek justice for the victims of such predators. Today's sentencing exemplifies the unwavering determination of the FBI and our partners to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our community.” According to court documents, in December 2020, Daniel Lee Rhees messaged another Kik user that he sexually assaulted a six-year-old girl related to him. During the chats, Rhees stated that he formed a group of taboo parents and uses the Session platform as a place to chat and share CSAM. On December 16, 2020, investigators obtained a search warrant for Rhee’s residence and seized multiple devices belonging to him. During a forensic examination of the devices, investigators recovered CSAM of the six-year-old girl, and another four-year-old girl also related to Rhees. In total, Rhees possessed 1,803 images and 243 videos of child sexual abuse material. Rhees pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Rhees must register as a sex offender and keep the registration current. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement. The FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov . ###


title: Convicted Sexual Predator from Alabama Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Attempting to Meet a Child in D.C. for Sex

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Graham Daniel Ash, 41, of Pinson, Alabama, was sentenced today to 216 months in federal prison for attempting to sexually abuse a child in the District of Columbia and for distributing child pornography to show that he was serious about his goal. Ash was previously convicted of a sex offense against a minor. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Ash pleaded guilty on Nov. 26, 2025, to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. In addition to the 216-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Ash to serve a lifetime of supervised release. According to court documents, on Aug. 29, 2023, an undercover officer with the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF) began communicating with a user of an online messaging platform. The user, who identified themselves as darkmind36, was later determined to be defendant Graham Ash. The undercover agent was based in an office in the District and posed as the father of an 8-year-old girl. In conversations over the course of a month, Ash said he was actively seeking parents living on the East Coast for the purpose of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct. To show he was serious, Ash sent the undercover officer a link to 60 files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Ash also discussed other attempts when he had sought out children to sexually abuse. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ash’s Alabama residence on Oct. 3, 2023. Prior to entering the residence, officers knocked and announced their presence. Ash did not open the door and 11 minutes passed before law enforcement gained entrance. Officers arrested Ash after finding him inside with two phones that had been smashed and pulled apart. Ash’s guilty plea in this case was the second time he had been found guilty of a sex offense against a minor. On July 22, 2022, he was convicted of electronic solicitation of a child, in violation of Alabama state law, for traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act. Based upon that conviction, Ash was required to register as a sex offender at the time of the offense in this case. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, in conjunction with law enforcement in the Northern District of Alabama. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Bond and Rachel Forman. 23cr0381


title: Armed Waterbury Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JONATHAN SUBH-MARCANO, 28, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents and statements made in court, Subh-Marcano was arrested on August 15, 2024, after a court-authorized search of his Waterbury residence revealed approximately 300 individual bags of fentanyl, approximately 30 grams of crack cocaine, a loaded Polymer 80 “ghost gun,” additional rounds of ammunition, and more than $9,000 in cash. Subh-Marcano is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1 by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford. He faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Subh-Marcano has been detained since his arrest. This case has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Freismuth through Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), 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: L.A. Pawn Shop Owner Indicted for Allegedly Conspiring to Sell Stolen Andy Warhol Trial Proof and Lying to the FBI About Its Sale

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The owner of a pawn shop in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles was indicted today for allegedly conspiring to sell a stolen Andy Warhol print trial proof, which was shipped from the Beverly Hills office of an auction house to Dallas, then lying about it to federal agents. Glenn Steven Bednarsh, 58, of Farmington, Michigan and formerly of Beverly Hills, is charged in a two-count federal grand jury indictment with conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen goods. He is expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to the indictment, in February 2021, Bednarsh knowingly purchased for $6,000 a stolen Warhol trial proof depicting Russian revolutionary and Soviet Union leader Vladimir Lenin, which is worth an estimated $175,000. Bednarsh allegedly asked a co-conspirator, Brian Alec Light, 58, of Hudson, Ohio, and formerly a resident of downtown Los Angeles, to help him sell the stolen Warhol Lenin trial proof. Light then contacted the Beverly Hills of an auction house based in Dallas about selling the Warhol trial proof. In March 2021, Bednarsh transported the trial proof to the Beverly Hills office of the auction house, which then shipped it to Dallas. Light e-signed an auction house consignment agreement and called the auction house to state he had dropped off the trial proof and to ask about receiving a cash advance for it. An employee of the auction house in Dallas reached out to the gallery in West Hollywood for its opinion of the piece, according to court documents. The gallery immediately recognized the piece as stolen, then notified the auction house and the FBI. Later in March 2021, when FBI agents began inquiring about the stolen Warhol trial proof, Light lied to them by saying he bought it at a Culver City garage sale for $18,000 and provided a fake receipt. In August and September of 2021, Bednarsh lied to FBI agents by telling them Light asked him to store the Warhol Lenin trial proof for him and that he agreed to do so out of friendship and not for financial gain. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Light pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods. His sentencing is currently set for May 27, and he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The FBI’s Art Crime Team is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik M. Silber of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Matthew W. O’Brien of the Environmental Crime and Consumer Protection Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Cartel cocaine conspirator sentenced to 10 years in federal prison

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A Cartel del Noreste (CDN) operative has been ordered to federal prison for her role in a conspiracy to deliver over 10 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Rebeca Guzman-Rios, 39, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, pleaded guilty Aug. 30, 2024. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now sentenced Guzman-Rios to 120 months in federal prison. Also sentenced was Rogelio Garcia-Ayala, 65, who illegally resided in Laredo, and received 60 months. Not U.S. citizens, both are expected to face removal proceedings after completing their sentences. In April 2024, a CDN sicario aka hitman dispatched Guzman-Rios to Laredo to facilitate the sale of 10 kilograms of cocaine. She crossed into Laredo at the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge from Mexico and proceeded to downtown Laredo where Ana Maria Escobedo picked her up and drove her to the location of the drug transaction. Meanwhile, Cesar Gerardo Rodriguez Salazar and Brenda Odet Nery Castro retrieved the cocaine from their residence, which was being used as a CDN stash house, and provided it to Francisco Herrera-Moresco. Garcia-Ayala drove Herrera-Moresco and the drugs to the parking lot where Guzman-Rios and Escobedo were waiting. Salazar and Castro followed to observe. Herrera-Moresco was supposed to deliver the cocaine to the buyer Guzman-Rios had arranged, but believed the transaction had fallen through and left the area instead with Escobedo and the cocaine. Law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Escobedo began to evade and led them on a pursuit, during which time the cocaine was thrown from the vehicle. After hitting a fence, the pair finally came to a stop and tried to flee, but authorities took them into custody as well as Salazar and Castro. They also arrested Guzman-Rios, who remained at the location of the drug transaction. Law enforcement was also able to retrieve the cocaine. “If you work with, work for, or assist CDN, or any other cartel, you will be arrested and prosecuted to full extent of the law, without exception,” said Ganjei. “The cartels are not welcome in Texas.” Mexican citizens Salazar, 42, Herrera-Moresco, 42, and Castro 37, were all previously sentenced to 87, 50 and 30 months, respectively, while Escobedo, 33, Laredo, was ordered to serve a 65-month-term of imprisonment. All remain in custody. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel Cardenas is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: West Haven Man Who Made and Trafficked Narcotic Pills Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIS TAYLOR, 68, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 138 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for operating a drug trafficking ring involving fentanyl and methamphetamine pills disguised as legitimate prescription medication, as well as other controlled substances. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force targeting the manufacture and distribution of thousands of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall tablets containing methamphetamine, and the distribution of heroin and cocaine, in the New Haven area. The investigation revealed that Taylor coordinated the manufacture and distribution of the counterfeit narcotic pills. Taylor obtained drugs from others, including gang members, and sold them, or pressed them into pills at locations in New Haven, Branford, and Shelton, before selling them. Taylor also arranged counterfeit pill transactions between second and third parties, sometimes being supplied by a co-conspirator. On October 20, 2022, Taylor was arrested on related state charges when, after having been directed by his girlfriend to clear drugs out of her home, he was stopped in a car and found in possession of more than three kilograms of various narcotics. A subsequent search of his residence revealed additional quantities of narcotics and drug paraphernalia. The investigation also revealed that an individual overdosed and died at Taylor’s West Haven residence on May 7, 2022. During the investigation, investigators seized from Taylor and his co-conspirators more than two kilograms of fentanyl, including thousands of counterfeit Oxycodone tablets; approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, including thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills; three kilograms of cocaine and other drugs; four pill-press machines; one industrial mixer; five firearms; and more than $200,000 in cash. Fourteen individuals were charged as a result of this investigation. Taylor has been detained since his federal arrest on March 28, 2023. On September 4, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 500 grams or more of cocaine. This matter has been investigated by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police, and the East Haven, West Haven, and Hamden Police Departments. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the West Haven, Hamden, Manchester, Bristol, Fairfield, and Seymour Police Departments. The FBI Task Force includes participants from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr., Konstantin Lantsman, and Katherine Boyles through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Teen’s Murder in September 2019 Results in Guilty Verdict

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Bernard Eddy, 24, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury, earlier today, of second-degree murder while armed and related weapons offenses for the September 2019 shooting of 16-year-old Steffen Brathwaite, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2025. Eddy faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison for the murder conviction. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 12:12 a.m., on September 10, 2019, in the 3000 block of 24th Place, S.E., Eddy approached Steffen as Steffen was walking alone through the neighborhood, on his way to a friend’s house. Eddy, who was armed with a 9 mm handgun, proceeded to fire multiple gunshots at Steffen. Steffen fell to the ground and the defendant fled on foot. Steffen was declared deceased several hours later. The evidence against the defendant included a 15-second audio-video recording found on the defendant’s cell phone, which was recovered eight days after the murder. In the recording, which was made about three hours after the shooting, Eddy is shown celebrating Steffen’s murder. Eddy was arrested on January 6, 2023, and has been held without bail since then. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Mark Levy.


title: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Hosts First Task Force Meeting to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias in the Federal Government

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi hosted members of the President’s Cabinet at the U.S. Department of Justice for the inaugural meeting of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias in the federal government. The Task Force, which was established by President Trump under Executive Order 14202 , was joined by peaceful Christian Americans who were unfairly targeted by the Biden Administration for their religious beliefs. The witnesses included: Michael Farris : First Amendment Litigator and Founding President of Patrick Henry College Farris spoke on behalf of Senior Pastor Gary Hamrick to discuss how Cornerstone Church was under investigation and charged by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for so-called Johnson Amendment violations. Farris is an elder at the church, previously led Alliance Defending Freedom, and served as counsel on this case. Dr. Scott Hicks : Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Liberty University Hicks described how Liberty University and Grand Canyon University were singled out by the Biden Administration for fines due to the schools’ Christian worldview. Phil Mendes: Navy Seal Mendes was relieved of duty during Biden Administration for not taking the COVID-19 vaccine due to religious exemption requests that were denied by the Department of Defense. “As shown by our victims’ stories today, Biden’s Department of Justice abused and targeted peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Thanks to President Trump, we have ended those abuses, and we will continue to work closely with every member of this Task Force to protect every American’s right to speak and worship freely.” Attorney General Pamela Bondi with members of the Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias Task Force at the U.S. Department of Justice Additionally, members of the Task Force highlighted specific cases within their own agencies where the Biden Administration unfairly and harshly punished Christian Americans for their religious beliefs. FBI Director Kash Patel discussed the impact of the anti-Catholic memo issued by FBI Richmond and reiterated the FBI’s commitment to rooting out any anti-Christian bias that could be directing decisions or investigations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised several concerning allegations of bias, including some against Christian Foreign Service Officers who preferred to homeschool their children. In one case, a family was threatened with an investigation for child abuse and curtailment if they insisted on homeschooling. In another case, a family was referred to the IRS, threatened with prosecution, and investigated by Biden’s Inspector General for insisting they homeschool their son. He shared how State Department employees were stigmatized for opposing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on religious grounds, including being called “murderers” and “troublemakers.” In one instance, an ambassador yelled at an employee, accusing the employee of wanting to kill the ambassador’s mother despite her being back in the States. Other reports alleged retaliation against employees for opposing DEI/LGBT ideology that violated their religious conscience. Employees recounted being required to push LGBT agendas while serving overseas, even in countries where such activity constituted a blatant violation of the acceptable religious beliefs and practices. He also detailed allegations that that religious freedom policy offices and programs were sidelined unless they were promoting DEI-related programs. He also highlighted how Christian holidays at American embassies under the Biden Administration were frequently stripped of any religious overtones, but non-Christian religious holidays like Losar, Eid, or Ramadan, used proper names and appropriate celebratory greetings. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discussed how the previous administration ordered St. Francis Health System in Oklahoma to extinguish its sanctuary candle or lose its ability to treat patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. He also discussed progressive rules put in place under the Biden Administration that would make it harder for Christians to become foster parents. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon discussed how Oregon educators Katie Medart and Rachel Sager were suspended and terminated for starting the movement, “I Resolve.” The movement spoke about gender identity education policy and offered solutions for how educators could teach without violating their conscience and also respect the rights of parents . Additionally, officials at the Skaneateles Central School District in New York began treating a middle-school girl as a boy without her mother’s knowledge or consent – violating their religious liberties as parents. Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender discussed financial surveillance under the Biden Administration, including the previous removal of certain tax classifications of Christian and pro-life organizations by the IRS, the lack of involvement within Treasury to protect organizations from the issue of debanking, and FinCEN’s identification of certain pro-Christian groups as “hate groups.” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins discussed actions the VA took to stop the speech code that the previous administration used to punish Chaplain Trubey of the Coatesville VA Medical Center for fulfilling his duties and preaching a sermon from the Bible. Director of the Domestic Policy Council, Vince Haley, discussed how the previous DPC Director Neera Tanden helped lead and coordinate the Biden Administration’s efforts to push radical and anti-Christian gender ideology on kids in classrooms, foster care, sports, and healthcare. Additional attendees included: Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Nominee to be Associate Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense Kristi Noem, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Andrew Hughes, Chief of Staff (Dep. Sec. Nom.) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Lori Chavez DeRemer, U.S. Secretary of Labor Andrea Lucas, Acting Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Cameron Hamilton, Acting Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Dan Bishop, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration Pastor Paula White-Cain, Senior Advisor, White House Faith Office Jennifer Korn, Faith Director, White House Faith Office Read the Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias Executive Order HERE .


title: Multiple-time felon pleads guilty to illegally reentering the United States

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Salvadoran national pled guilty today to illegally reentering the United States after felony convictions. According to court documents, Carlos Azucar-Menjivar, 27, entered the country illegally and committed an attempted felony armed robbery in Chesterfield County. In January 2015, Azucar-Menjivar was sentenced to 10 years in prison (with seven years and six months suspended) for that attempted armed robbery. After his release from state prison, Azucar-Menjivar was convicted in federal court of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In June 2019, Azucar-Menjivar was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for the firearm offense. Azucar-Menjivar was removed from the United States in September 2022 after completing his sentence. Azucar-Menjivar then again illegally reentered the United States and was found in Virginia in 2024. Azucar-Menjivar is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-4.


title: Defendant Sentenced for Illegal Gun Crime Committed While on Probation for Another Offense

body_text: WASHINGTON – Charles Wesley Monroe, 20, a previously convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison in connection with three separate incidents in April 2024 that included an armed robbery, his involvement in a street shooting, and a foot chase with police during which he discarded a Smith & Wesson 9mm firearm. The sentencing was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Monroe pleaded guilty on Jan. 27, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. He previously had been convicted of armed robbery in Superior Court and, in September 2023, was sentenced to 66 months in prison with all but 36 months suspended. In addition to the today’s 30-month prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Monroe to serve three years of supervised release. According to the plea documents, on April 17, 2024, at about 1:22 a.m., Monroe robbed an Uber Eats deliveryman of the man’s jewelry at gunpoint in an apartment building on the 1300 block of Columbia Road NW. The entire incident was captured by one of the building’s surveillance cameras. On April 20, 2024, a photo posted to Instagram depicted Monroe and another individual wearing the jewelry that had been stolen from the Uber Eats driver. On April 23, 2024, Monroe was with a group of friends standing in front of a restaurant on the 3300 block of 14 th Street, NW. At 9:24 p.m., a man walked by the group with his daughter. As the pair entered the intersection of 14 th St. and Monroe, NW, the man heard several gunshots. The man turned around to see one of the group members firing in his direction. The man was hit in his left leg by one of the stray bullets. Surveillance cameras captured several images of the incident. On April 29, 2024, two uniformed police officers were patrolling near the 1400 block of Girard Street, NW, when they spotted a group, including Monroe, on the sidewalk. One member of the group appeared to be smoking marijuana. As the officers approached the group, Monroe fled unprovoked. Officers pursued Monroe on foot. Monroe ran towards a basement stairwell and appeared to be holding the front of his waistband as if he was concealing a heavy object. Monroe then discarded a black and silver Smith & Wesson handgun into a small flower bed. Officers apprehended Monroe and recovered the handgun. The firearm and its magazine were swabbed for DNA and submitted for testing and analysis. The results linked both the firearm and magazine to Monroe. He has remained held without bond since his arrest. This case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle McWaters and Jared English. The discarded Smith & Wesson. 24cr321


title: Grant manager sentenced to over two years in prison for embezzling funds intended to serve Native Alaskans

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Orange, Virginia, man was sentenced today to two years and four months in prison for wire fraud relating to his scheme to misappropriate grant funds through fraudulent invoices. According to court documents, from at least December 2021 to March 2024, Larry Todd Morgan, 57, was employed at a company, identified in court records as Company A, as President of Strategy and Innovation. Company A was an Alaska Native Corporation headquartered in Tongass, Alaska, with a contracting office in Manassas and later Chantilly. Company A sought and, on July 26, 2022, received a $1.9 million National Telecommunications and Information Administration grant to bring high-speed broadband and related computer software, services, and devices to Alaska Natives living in the villages of Saxman and Ketchikan who were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Company A selected Morgan to administer and manage the NTIA Grant and only Morgan and one other employee had authority to make purchases using NTIA Grant funds. Between Oct. 31, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, Morgan submitted four expense reports containing six fraudulent invoices purportedly for the purchase of large quantities of electronics and showing that he paid for the electronics using his own personal credit card. Based on the false expense reports and fraudulent invoices, on Nov. 9, 2023, Company A sent a reimbursement payment for $82,815.20 via interstate wire to Morgan's personal account. Over time, Morgan increased the quantity of the electronics he purported to purchase. On Feb. 6, 2024, Morgan submitted an expense report with three fraudulent invoices. On Feb 15, 2024, Company A sent $198,756.48 via ACH transaction to Morgan's account. Every expense report and invoice Morgan submitted to Company A for reimbursement was false. In total, Morgan submitted at least eight falsified expense reports and at least 21 fraudulent invoices to Company A’s accounting personnel, falsely claiming to have purchased over 2,500 electronic items for the NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Project such as monitors, keyboards, cell phones, tablets, and headsets. Morgan did not make any of the purchases he represented. In total, Morgan misappropriated at least $828,152.99 from the NTIA Grant, representing 43% of the total grant received by Company A. He then used the fraud proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles and expensive farming equipment. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Roderick Anderson, Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary H. Ray and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-247.


title: Former Lay Leader Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Commit Wire Fraud And Mail Fraud For Role In Scheme To Defraud AME Zion Church Congregations In California

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Sheila Quintana pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with her role in a scheme to defraud congregations of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion Church) across California as well as private lenders. Quintana, 71, of Vallejo, was indicted along with co-defendant Staccato Powell, 65, of Wake Forest, N.C., by a federal grand jury in January 2022 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and two counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Powell was additionally charged with one count of mail fraud. On April 18, 2025, an information was filed charging Quintana with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and re-alleging the three counts against her in the indictment. Quintana waived indictment on the charges in the information. She pleaded guilty this afternoon to the count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and agreed to cooperate with the government. According to court documents, Powell and Quintana were officers of the Western Episcopal District, Inc. (WED, Inc.), an entity that Powell formed in 2016 after Powell’s selection as bishop to AME Zion Church’s Western Episcopal District, a geographic division of the church covering several states in the western United States, including California. AME Zion Church is an historically African-American denomination of approximately 1.4 million adherents worldwide. Powell was the chief executive officer (CEO) of WED, Inc., and Quintana became the chief financial officer (CFO) in March 2017. In pleading guilty, Quintana admitted to using false statements and material omissions to obtain from local pastors grant deeds to church properties, and then using fake resolutions to memorialize the agreement of the local congregations to new mortgages on the local church properties when no such authorization had been given. Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement. Quintana admitted to fraudulently obtaining mortgages on the following church properties: Kyles Temple in Vallejo : Quintana was part of a group that assisted with the purchase of a $1.5 million episcopal residence in Granite Bay, with approximately $1 million covered by a bank loan. To obtain the additional $500,000 in funding, Quintana learned that the anticipated loans required the use of two church properties as collateral. The group identified two church properties that would be used as collateral to secure financing to purchase the episcopal residence, including Kyles Temple in Vallejo. At the time, Quintana was the chair of the Board of Trustees of Kyles Temple as well as the CFO of WED, Inc. Quintana drafted a fake resolution reflecting authorization by Kyles Temple for the loan and giving herself authority to execute loan documents in her role as Chair of the Board of Trustees. She admitted that there was no meeting at Kyles Temple to approve (or even discuss) this resolution. First AME Zion Church in San Jose : In October 2017, Quintana assisted with documents and transactions to use the First AME Zion Church in San Jose as collateral for a new loan to buy a parsonage, a residence for the congregation’s new pastor. Quintana prepared a fake resolution on the San Jose congregation’s letterhead stating that the new pastor was authorized to sign all documents pertaining to the real estate transactions, following a “unanimous vote by the membership.” During the processing of the loan paperwork, Quintana learned that a title search for the San Jose church revealed a title interest in the property held by the AME Zion Church of Los Angeles. She then prepared another fake resolution stating that the AME Zion Church in Los Angeles held a membership meeting on or about Oct. 12, 2017, and voted to deed the church in San Jose to WED, Inc. Using the resolutions, WED, Inc. obtained a loan, the proceeds of which were used to purchase the parsonage. Quintana learned in late November 2017 that the San Jose congregation disputed the transaction, including the assertion that the church’s membership voted unanimously to approve the resolution. In or about August 2019, Quintana assisted with an additional transaction to refinance the 2017 loan using the First AME Zion Church of San Jose as collateral. Greater Cooper AME Zion Church in Oakland : As CFO of WED, Inc., Quintana executed loan documents in May 2019 to borrow $525,000 using the Greater Cooper AME Zion Church in Oakland as collateral. Quintana signed the grant deeds transferring the property of Greater Cooper AME Zion Church in Oakland to WED, Inc. and other closing documents on May 16, 2019, and signed the deed of trust for the transaction as CFO of WED, Inc. on May 24, 2019. Following that, Quintana emailed Powell to inform him that the “expected cash amount from the Cooper loan is $506,000 . . . .” Quintana later learned that the property of Greater Cooper had been encumbered with approximately $1.5 million in debt and that the congregation objected to the encumbrance as unauthorized. University AME Zion Church of Palo Alto : Quintana understood in 2017 that Powell had informed the Reverend of University AME Zion Church of Palo Alto that Powell planned to use the University church as collateral for a loan. Quintana prepared the paperwork needed for the transfer of the University AME Zion Church to WED, Inc. In March 2018, Quintana received paperwork for a $2 million loan using University AME Zion Church as collateral, and emailed the loan papers to Powell for him to sign. WED, Inc. encumbered the University AME Church with loans totaling $3.6 million, which Quintana admitted was debt that the congregation’s membership neither knew about nor authorized. First AME Zion Church in Los Angeles : Beginning in December 2017, Quintana assisted with documents and transactions to use the First AME Zion Church in Los Angeles as collateral for a new loan. Quintana understood from Powell that the pastor of the Los Angeles church had told Powell that the membership had approved the transfer of title from the Los Angeles church to WED, Inc. Quintana prepared a resolution that purported to document a meeting at which the membership approved the transfer and authorized the Reverend of the Los Angeles church to sign documents pertaining to the transfer, as well as an updated resolution that purported to document a meeting at which the membership approved the transfer of title to WED, Inc., and authorized Powell to sign all documents pertaining to the transaction. She sent both fake resolutions to the lender. Quintana signed a resolution of the Board of WED, Inc. on Dec. 15, 2017, approving the obtaining of a loan using the Los Angeles church property as collateral, and executed loan documents on Dec. 20, 2017. Quintana admitted that she knew that the resolution included false information that was material to obtaining the loan using the church as collateral, and intended that the use of the false and material information would result in the loan’s approval and funding. Quintana further admitted that between September 2018 and June 2019, in recognition of the amount of time she had spent assisting Powell with the business of the Western Episcopal District, she prepared and signed three checks drawn on WED, Inc.’s bank account and made payable to her spouse totaling $67,500. The checks were payable to Quintana for her benefit. Quintana wrote and signed these checks making payment to her spouse because she did not want anyone other than Powell to know of the payments. According to the information filed on April 18, 2025, WED, Inc. filed a bankruptcy petition in July 2020 in which it claimed its assets included 11 churches, a parsonage, and Powell’s official residence. The petition stated that WED, Inc.’s real property was worth $26,338,031 and had debts totaling $12,475,453. Quintana is next scheduled to appear in court on July 15, 2025, for a status hearing. She faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan U. Lee is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kathy Tat and Helen Yee. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: San Fernando Valley Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining at Least $1.8 Million Through Mail and ID Theft

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 61 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining at least $1.8 million by stealing Beverly Hills residents’ identities – often by stealing mail and packages from their homes – then using that information to open fraudulent bank accounts to which he unlawfully transferred money from the bank accounts of the victims, of which included elderly people. Oren David Sela, 36, of North Hills, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who also ordered him to pay $1,818,369 in restitution. Sela pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Sela has been in federal custody since October 2023. From November 2021 to October 2023, Sela stole mail to obtain debit cards, bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal identifiable information (PII) belonging to victims, especially victims living in and around Beverly Hills. He then used the victims’ PII to gain access to their online bank and financial accounts, at times SIM-swapping – a type of identity theft where a fraudster illegally obtains a victim’s phone number by transferring it to a new Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card – or porting the victims’ phone numbers to gain temporary control over those numbers to defeat two-factor authentication security protocols in place on their accounts. Sela then opened additional fraudulent accounts in the victims’ names to transfer funds into intermediary accounts he controlled and withdrew money from those accounts or used them to make purchases or transfers. He also caused debit or credit cards linked to victim accounts to be issued to him, so he could spend directly from those cards. Sela engaged in hundreds of fraudulent withdrawals and transfers from dozens of victim accounts, attempting to steal at least approximately $2,590,836, and stealing at least approximately $1,818,369. He defrauded numerous banks and at least 62 individual victims, including various elderly victims. Sela often used victim funds to purchase expensive goods for himself, including, for example, a nearly $17,000 watch. In 2022, Sela was arrested in Beverly Hills and found with nearly $25,000 in cash, various expensive items of jewelry, and numerous fraudulent debit and credit cards belonging to four elderly victims. After Sela’s 2022 arrest, he was released, and his conduct persisted. During two subsequent searches of Sela’s properties in 2022 and 2023, law enforcement identified more than $70,000 in cash, many items of expensive jewelry and similar such receipts, stolen mail, extensive PII, means of identification including driver’s licenses, and banking information including debit cards, credit cards, and checks, belonging to dozens of victims. The United States Secret Service and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron B. Frumkin of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.


title: East Bay Property Developers Charged In Scheme To Bribe Antioch City Councilmember

body_text: OAKLAND – A two-count indictment was unsealed today charging property developers David Sanson and Trent Sanson with conspiracy and bribery in connection with offering to pay an Antioch City Councilmember $10,000, and later giving the Councilmember a company travel mug with $5,000 in cash, in exchange for favorable treatment for one of their development projects. The Councilmember reported the alleged bribe to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Both defendants made their initial appearances in federal court this morning. According to the indictment filed April 3, 2025, David Sanson, 60, of Philipsburg, Mont., is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of a home building and development company based in Concord, Calif., and his son, Trent Sanson, 33, of Walnut Creek, Calif., is the Vice President. The development company has a number of projects in Antioch and neighboring areas, including the Aviano project, a multi-phase 533-unit residential development project. As alleged, the Antioch Engineering and Development Services Division indicated that the development company had not completed all of its required public infrastructure improvements and that Phase 3 of the Aviano project should not be deemed complete or approved by the City Council until those improvements were completed. As a result, the City of Antioch had not approved the release of bonds secured for the project. To get the Antioch Engineering and Development Services Division to affirm completion and release the bonds associated with the project, Trent Sanson allegedly contacted an Antioch City Councilmember via iMessage on May 29, 2024, stating that he wanted to discuss with the Councilmember issues that the development company was facing with the Antioch “Engineering department” on a number of projects, including Phase 3 of the Aviano project. The indictment describes a video-recorded meeting between the Councilmember and Trent Sanson on June 12, 2024, during which Trent Sanson allegedly stated that he wanted the Councilmember to place on the City Council agenda, and vote in favor of, “acceptance for Phase 3 at Aviano to release the completion and guarantee bonds . . . .” Trent Sanson allegedly stated that David Sanson was willing to pay the Councilmember $10,000 in exchange for the requested actions. A second video-recorded meeting took place on June 20, 2024, at which David Sanson allegedly paid the Councilmember $5,000 in cash concealed in a travel coffee mug branded with the logo of the Sansons’ development company. “This indictment alleges that the defendants tried to bribe an Antioch City Councilmember to take favorable action on their real estate project and to evade having to make the public infrastructure improvements that the City required,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “This case is another example of my Office’s commitment to working closely with our partners at the FBI to root out bribery and attempts to corrupt public office.” “Attempting to bribe a public official is a blatant attack on the integrity of our government and the trust of the communities we serve,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “The allegations in this case reflect a clear attempt to manipulate the system for personal gain. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate and hold accountable anyone who seeks to corrupt public institutions through bribery or abuse of power.” The defendants are next scheduled to appear in district court on June 12, 2025, for a status conference before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. The indictment charges each defendant with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(2). The bribery count also includes an allegation that defendants aided and abetted one another in bribing the Antioch City Councilmember. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the count under 18 U.S.C. § 371 and 10 years in prison for the count under 18 U.S.C. §§ 666(a)(2). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas R. Green and Benjamin K. Kleinman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. Sanson, David and Trent Indictment


title: Licking County man sentenced to more than 24 years in prison for possessing child pornography, making notices with plans to sexually abuse young boys

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Hamilton, 27, of Heath, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 293 months in prison for child pornography related crimes. According to court documents, Hamilton and a co-defendant communicated extensively and graphically about their intent to sexually abuse young boys, including boys to whom they could gain access. Their messages on the Telegram app discussed Hamilton’s plans to babysit an approximately 6-year-old boy and then drug him with an anti-depressant and sexually abuse him. Hamilton and his co-defendant also discussed starting a family of all boys whom they could sexually abuse together. When law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Hamilton’s home, they discovered a bag belonging to Hamilton containing two types of anti-depressants, children’s overnight diapers in a variety of sizes, lubricating jelly, condoms and stuffed animals. Court documents also detail that the FBI received an additional report from another minor male about Hamilton’s online exploitation activities. Law enforcement learned that Hamilton requested the minor produce images of child pornography for him. Hamilton gave the minor male his username and password to various platforms to upload the created content there, threatening the minor male if he did not comply. The minor male confirmed Hamilton was in online groups that raped, hurt, drugged and killed minors. On his electronic devices, Hamilton possessed thousands of videos and images of child sexual abuse, including exploitation material involving babies, toddlers and children. Hamilton pleaded guilty in August 2024 to making a notice for child pornography and possessing child pornography. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp announced the sentence imposed on April 21 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Tyler Aagard are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Felon Who Hid Loaded, Fully Automatic Handgun In 6-Year-Old Nephew’s Pants Sentenced To Nearly Four Years In Federal Prison

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Darneko Yates, 30, of Richmond, Calif., was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín handed down the sentence. Yates was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), following a one-day bench trial on Jan. 17, 2025. The evidence at trial established that on Aug. 27, 2023, police officers stopped Yates for a vehicle infraction. Yates’s young nephew and niece were in the backseat of his car. Police officers discovered that Yates possessed a loaded automatic handgun, which was concealed in the front of his six-year-old nephew’s pants. At the time, Yates was on parole following three felony convictions for carjacking, solicitation to commit murder, and possessing a loaded firearm. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinez-Olguín ordered Yates to serve three years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement. 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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leif Dautch and Richard Ewenstein are prosecuting this case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Pablo Police Department.


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffry Gabriel Zamora-Pineda, age 33, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Seminole, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division. The Indictment alleged that on March 19, 2025, Zamora-Pineda, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Zamora-Pineda will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.


title: Walgreens Agrees to Pay Up to $350M for Illegally Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions and for Submitting False Claims to the Federal Government

body_text: WASHINGTON — Today, The Justice Department, together with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), announced a $300 million settlement with Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walgreen Co., and various subsidiaries (collectively, Walgreens) to resolve allegations that the national chain pharmacy illegally filled millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and then sought payment for many of those invalid prescriptions by Medicare and other federal health care programs in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). The settlement amount is based on Walgreens’s ability to pay. Walgreens will owe the United States an additional $50 million if the company is sold, merged, or transferred prior to fiscal year 2032. The government’s complaint, filed on Jan. 16 and amended April 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that from approximately August 2012 through March 1, 2023, Walgreens, one of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains, knowingly filled millions of unlawful controlled substance prescriptions. These unlawful prescriptions included prescriptions for excessive quantities of opioids, opioid prescriptions filled significantly early, and prescriptions for the especially dangerous and abused combination of three drugs known as a “trinity.” Walgreens pharmacists allegedly filled these prescriptions despite clear red flags indicating a high likelihood that the prescriptions were invalid because they lacked a legitimate medical purpose or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. The complaint further alleges that Walgreens pressured its pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly and without taking the time needed to confirm that each prescription was lawful. Walgreens’s compliance officials also allegedly ignored substantial evidence that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions and even intentionally deprived its own pharmacists of crucial information, including by refusing to share internal data regarding prescribers with pharmacists and preventing pharmacists from warning one another about certain problematic prescribers. In light of Friday’s settlement, the United States has moved to dismiss its complaint. Walgreens will also move to dismiss a related declaratory judgment action filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. “Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.” “With the power to dispense potentially harmful substances comes the responsibility to ensure that every prescription is legitimate before it is filled,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “When pharmacies fail that responsibility, this office will work with others across the country to hold accountable those who put patients and communities at risk.” “This settlement resolves allegations that, for years, Walgreens failed to meet its obligations when dispensing dangerous opioids and other drugs,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Granston of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those entities and individuals whose actions contributed to the opioid crisis, whether through illegal prescribing, marketing, dispensing or distributing activities.” “Importantly, Walgreens’s agreements with the DEA and HHS-OIG provide swift relief in the form of monitoring and claims review that will improve Walgreens’s practices immediately,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that opioids are properly dispensed and that taxpayer funds are only spent on legitimate pharmacy claims.” “This landmark civil settlement is the largest Controlled Substances Act resolution in our district’s history and once again confirms the high priority our office has placed upon confronting those responsible for the opioid crisis here,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We are grateful for the energy and collaborative spirit brought to this effort by our colleagues in the DEA, the Department of Justice Civil Frauds Section and Consumer Protection Branch, and the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois, District of Maryland, Eastern District of New York, and Eastern District of Virginia.” “This settlement holds Walgreens accountable for failing to comply with its critical responsibility to prevent the diversion of opioids and other controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “The settlement also underscores our office’s continued commitment to ensure that all persons and businesses that fill controlled-substance prescriptions adhere to the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act that are designed to prevent highly addictive medications from being used for illegitimate purposes.” “Strict compliance with the law is essential to safeguarding the public, who rely on carefully considered and limited prescriptions for their health and wellbeing,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Those companies and individuals authorized to provide controlled substances have a professional responsibility to ensure that the prescriptions they fill are within the course of professional practice and regulations. Medically unnecessary prescriptions are a cost ultimately borne by the taxpayers and consumers. As we continue to address the opioid crisis here in Virginia and across the nation, we are determined to ensure pharmacies and pharmacists operate within the law.” In addition to the monetary payments announced today, Walgreens has entered into agreements with DEA and HHS-OIG to address its future obligations in dispensing controlled substances. Walgreens and DEA entered into a memorandum of agreement that requires the company to implement and maintain certain compliance measures for the next seven years. Walgreens must maintain policies and procedures requiring pharmacists to confirm the validity of controlled substance prescriptions prior to dispensing controlled substances, provide annual training to pharmacy employees regarding their legal obligations relating to controlled substances, verify that pharmacy staffing is sufficient to enable pharmacy employees to comply with those legal obligations, and maintain a system for blocking prescriptions from prescribers whom Walgreens becomes aware are writing illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions. Walgreens has also entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG, which further requires Walgreens to establish and maintain a compliance program that includes written policies and procedures, training, board oversight, and periodic reporting to HHS-OIG related to Walgreens’s dispensing of controlled substances. “Pharmacies have an obligation to ensure that every prescription for highly addictive controlled substances is legitimate and issued responsibly in compliance with the Controlled Substances Act,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz. “When one of the nation's largest pharmacies fails at this obligation, they jeopardize the health and safety of their customers and place the American public in danger. The DEA remains committed to protecting all Americans from unscrupulous practices that prioritize profit over patient safety.” “Pharmacies that neglect their legal duties and their critical role in delivering safe and appropriate medications to enrollees of federal health care programs, and instead exploit these programs for market advantage, squander taxpayer dollars and put patient safety at risk,” said Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins of HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will use every tool in our arsenal to prevent these outcomes. This settlement and corporate integrity agreement reflect HHS-OIG’s commitment to ensuring compliance, correcting failures in oversight, and protecting the foundation of federally-funded health care.” “In the midst of the opioid crisis that has plagued our nation, we rely on pharmacies to prevent not facilitate the unlawful distribution of these potentially harmful substances,” said Norbert E. Vint, Deputy Inspector General Performing the Duties of the Inspector General at OPM OIG. “We applaud our investigative staff, law enforcement partners, and partners at the Department of Justice for their hard work and unwavering commitment to protecting patients from harm.” The civil settlement resolves four cases brought under the qui tam , or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA by former Walgreens employees. The FCA authorizes whistleblowers to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a share of any recovery. It also permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it did here. The relators will receive a 17.25% share of the government’s FCA recovery in this matter. The United States’ pursuit of this matter underscores the government’s commitment to combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS-OIG, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The DEA, HHS-OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Defense Health Agency (DHA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General, FBI Chicago Field Office, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Colorado, Southern District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Eastern District of Washington, Southern District of Alabama, Southern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, District of Arizona, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, District of Puerto Rico, and Eastern District of Louisiana provided substantial assistance in the investigation. The United States is represented in this matter by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division Consumer Protection Branch (Assistant Director Amy DeLine and Trial Attorney Nicole Frazer) and Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section (Assistant Director Natalie Waites and Trial Attorney Joshua Barron), as well as from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois (Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie R. Raedy), Middle District of Florida (Chief of the Civil Division Randy Harwell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Tapie), District of Maryland (Chief of the Civil Division Thomas Corcoran), Eastern District of New York (Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot M. Schachner) and Eastern District of Virginia (Assistant U.S. Attorney John Beerbower). Fraud Section senior financial analyst Karen Sharp provided support for the matter. The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Additional information about the Fraud Section of the Civil Division and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/fraud-section . For information about the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, visit: Middle District of Florida, www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl ; Northern District of Illinois, www.justice.gov/usao-ndil ; District of Maryland, www.justice.gov/usao-md ; Eastern District of New York, www.justice.gov/usao-edny ; and Eastern District of Virginia, www.justice.gov/usao-edva . For information about the federal agencies involved in this investigation and their work to combat the opioid crisis and federal healthcare fraud, visit: DEA at www.dea.gov ; FBI at www.fbi.gov ; HHS-OIG at www.oig.hhs.gov ; DHA at www.health.mil/About-MHS/OASDHA/Defense-Health-Agency ; OPM at www.opm.gov ; and DOL at www.dol.gov . -###-


title: Felon Charged with Possession of Firearm Following Arrest in Southeast

body_text: WASHINGTON – Rhondell Williams, 38, of the District of Columbia, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. Williams is charged in an indictment unsealed in federal court with three charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of a prohibited weapon. According to court documents, on April 4, 2025, MPD officers observed an individual, later identified as the defendant, holding an open bottle of tequila in the 2800 block of Pomeroy Road SE. Upon approaching Williams, officers discovered the open container of alcohol and subsequently arrested him. During the arrest, it is alleged that a search revealed that Williams was also in possession of a concealed, loaded 9mm semi-automatic "ghost gun" with no serial number. Further investigation revealed that Williams does not possess a permit to carry a firearm in Washington, D.C., and has a prior conviction for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. View Williams indictment here. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Oshkosh Man Indicted on Production of Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 15, 2025, a federal grand jury issued an indictment alleging that Bradley D. Hounsell (age: 43) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, “attempted to and did employ a minor under the age of 18, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct” in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a), 2251(e), and 2(a). According to the unsealed indictment, between on or about November 4, 2023, and November 8, 2023, Hounsell is alleged to have employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor for the purpose transporting child pornography via the internet. If convicted of the offense, Hounsell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years of incarceration. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law. 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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Previously Convicted Felons from Waushara County Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Firearms, including Machineguns

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 15, 2025, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced John D. Taylor (age: 37) to a total of eight years’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release after Taylor pled guilty to Dealing Firearms Without a License, Felon in Possession of Firearms, Transfer and Possession of Machineguns, and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(a)(1)(A), 922(g)(1), 922(o), & 924(c). Relatedly, on November 22, 2024, Judge Griesbach had sentenced Taylor’s co-defendant, Allison A. Mundt (age: 31) to a total of seven years’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release after Mundt pled guilty to Dealing Firearms Without a License, Felon in Possession of Firearms, and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(a)(1)(A), 922(g)(1), & 924(c). According to court records, in March and April 2024, law-enforcement officers developed information that Taylor and Mundt, previously convicted felons living in Waushara County, were offering firearms for sale. Law enforcement arranged controlled purchases of firearms and methamphetamine from Taylor and Mundt, which culminated in a search warrant. In all, the investigation recovered approximately 35 firearms, including machineguns, short-barrel rifles, short-barrel shotguns, and pistols, some with no serial numbers. Officers also seized drum magazines and other high-capacity magazines, over 1,700 rounds of ammunition, and an ounce of methamphetamine intended for distribution. In sentencing Taylor and Mundt, Judge Griesbach stressed that trafficking in firearms without a license circumvents background checks, increasing the risk that firearms will end up in the hands of convicted felons and other prohibited persons. The court noted that such conduct is even more dangerous with machineguns and other high-capacity rifles and pistols. Moreover, these defendants were previously convicted felons who were using and distributing methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Waushara County Sheriff’s Department, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group Drug Unit, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Funnel. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


body_text: Note: View settlement here. The Justice Department, together with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), today announced a $300 million settlement with Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walgreen Co., and various subsidiaries (collectively, Walgreens) to resolve allegations that the national chain pharmacy illegally filled millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and then sought payment for many of those invalid prescriptions by Medicare and other federal health care programs in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). The settlement amount is based on Walgreens’s ability to pay. Walgreens will owe the United States an additional $50 million if the company is sold, merged, or transferred prior to fiscal year 2032. The government’s complaint, filed on Jan. 16 and amended April 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that from approximately August 2012 through March 1, 2023, Walgreens, one of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains, knowingly filled millions of unlawful controlled substance prescriptions. These unlawful prescriptions included prescriptions for excessive quantities of opioids, opioid prescriptions filled significantly early, and prescriptions for the especially dangerous and abused combination of three drugs known as a “trinity.” Walgreens pharmacists allegedly filled these prescriptions despite clear red flags indicating a high likelihood that the prescriptions were invalid because they lacked a legitimate medical purpose or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. The complaint further alleges that Walgreens pressured its pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly and without taking the time needed to confirm that each prescription was lawful. Walgreens’s compliance officials also allegedly ignored substantial evidence that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions and even intentionally deprived its own pharmacists of crucial information, including by refusing to share internal data regarding prescribers with pharmacists and preventing pharmacists from warning one another about certain problematic prescribers. In light of Friday’s settlement, the United States has moved to dismiss its complaint. Walgreens will also move to dismiss a related declaratory judgment action filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. “Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.” “This settlement resolves allegations that, for years, Walgreens failed to meet its obligations when dispensing dangerous opioids and other drugs,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Granston of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those entities and individuals whose actions contributed to the opioid crisis, whether through illegal prescribing, marketing, dispensing or distributing activities.” “Importantly, Walgreens’s agreements with the DEA and HHS-OIG provide swift relief in the form of monitoring and claims review that will improve Walgreens’s practices immediately,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that opioids are properly dispensed and that taxpayer funds are only spent on legitimate pharmacy claims.” “This landmark civil settlement is the largest Controlled Substances Act resolution in our district’s history and once again confirms the high priority our office has placed upon confronting those responsible for the opioid crisis here,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We are grateful for the energy and collaborative spirit brought to this effort by our colleagues in the DEA, the Department of Justice Civil Frauds Section and Consumer Protection Branch, and the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois, District of Maryland, Eastern District of New York, and Eastern District of Virginia.” “With the power to dispense potentially harmful substances comes the responsibility to ensure that every prescription is legitimate before it is filled,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “When pharmacies fail that responsibility, this office will work with others across the country to hold accountable those who put patients and communities at risk.” “This settlement holds Walgreens accountable for failing to comply with its critical responsibility to prevent the diversion of opioids and other controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “The settlement also underscores our office’s continued commitment to ensure that all persons and businesses that fill controlled-substance prescriptions adhere to the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act that are designed to prevent highly addictive medications from being used for illegitimate purposes.” “Strict compliance with the law is essential to safeguarding the public, who rely on carefully considered and limited prescriptions for their health and wellbeing,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Those companies and individuals authorized to provide controlled substances have a professional responsibility to ensure that the prescriptions they fill are within the course of professional practice and regulations. Medically unnecessary prescriptions are a cost ultimately borne by the taxpayers and consumers. As we continue to address the opioid crisis here in Virginia and across the nation, we are determined to ensure pharmacies and pharmacists operate within the law.” In addition to the monetary payments announced today, Walgreens has entered into agreements with DEA and HHS-OIG to address its future obligations in dispensing controlled substances. Walgreens and DEA entered into a memorandum of agreement that requires the company to implement and maintain certain compliance measures for the next seven years. Walgreens must maintain policies and procedures requiring pharmacists to confirm the validity of controlled substance prescriptions prior to dispensing controlled substances, provide annual training to pharmacy employees regarding their legal obligations relating to controlled substances, verify that pharmacy staffing is sufficient to enable pharmacy employees to comply with those legal obligations, and maintain a system for blocking prescriptions from prescribers whom Walgreens becomes aware are writing illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions. Walgreens has also entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG, which further requires Walgreens to establish and maintain a compliance program that includes written policies and procedures, training, board oversight, and periodic reporting to HHS-OIG related to Walgreens’s dispensing of controlled substances. “Pharmacies have an obligation to ensure that every prescription for highly addictive controlled substances is legitimate and issued responsibly in compliance with the Controlled Substances Act,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz. “When one of the nation's largest pharmacies fails at this obligation, they jeopardize the health and safety of their customers and place the American public in danger. The DEA remains committed to protecting all Americans from unscrupulous practices that prioritize profit over patient safety.” “Pharmacies that neglect their legal duties and their critical role in delivering safe and appropriate medications to enrollees of federal health care programs, and instead exploit these programs for market advantage, squander taxpayer dollars and put patient safety at risk,” said Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins of HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will use every tool in our arsenal to prevent these outcomes. This settlement and corporate integrity agreement reflect HHS-OIG’s commitment to ensuring compliance, correcting failures in oversight, and protecting the foundation of federally-funded health care.” “In the midst of the opioid crisis that has plagued our nation, we rely on pharmacies to prevent not facilitate the unlawful distribution of these potentially harmful substances,” said Norbert E. Vint, Deputy Inspector General Performing the Duties of the Inspector General at OPM OIG. “We applaud our investigative staff, law enforcement partners, and partners at the Department of Justice for their hard work and unwavering commitment to protecting patients from harm.” The civil settlement resolves four cases brought under the qui tam , or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA by former Walgreens employees. The FCA authorizes whistleblowers to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a share of any recovery. It also permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it did here. The relators will receive a 17.25% share of the government’s FCA recovery in this matter. The United States’ pursuit of this matter underscores the government’s commitment to combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS-OIG, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The DEA, HHS-OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Defense Health Agency (DHA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General, FBI Chicago Field Office, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Colorado, Southern District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Eastern District of Washington, Southern District of Alabama, Southern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, District of Arizona, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, District of Puerto Rico, and Eastern District of Louisiana provided substantial assistance in the investigation. The United States is represented in this matter by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division Consumer Protection Branch (Assistant Director Amy DeLine and Trial Attorney Nicole Frazer) and Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section (Assistant Director Natalie Waites and Trial Attorney Joshua Barron), as well as from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois (Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie R. Raedy), Middle District of Florida (Chief of the Civil Division Randy Harwell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Tapie), District of Maryland (Chief of the Civil Division Thomas Corcoran), Eastern District of New York (Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot M. Schachner) and Eastern District of Virginia (Assistant U.S. Attorney John Beerbower). Fraud Section senior financial analyst Karen Sharp provided support for the matter. The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Additional information about the Fraud Section of the Civil Division and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/fraud-section . For information about the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, visit: Middle District of Florida, www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl ; Northern District of Illinois, www.justice.gov/usao-ndil ; District of Maryland, www.justice.gov/usao-md ; Eastern District of New York, www.justice.gov/usao-edny ; and Eastern District of Virginia, www.justice.gov/usao-edva . For information about the federal agencies involved in this investigation and their work to combat the opioid crisis and federal healthcare fraud, visit: DEA at www.dea.gov ; FBI at www.fbi.gov ; HHS-OIG at www.oig.hhs.gov ; DHA at www.health.mil/About-MHS/OASDHA/Defense-Health-Agency ; OPM at www.opm.gov ; and DOL at www.dol.gov .