title: Maryland Man Sentenced to 18 Years on Sex Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Maryland man, who used the drug dependency of multiple adult women to compel them to engage in commercial sex work, was sentenced today to 18 years in federal prison. William O’Neil Murray III, 36, pled guilty in August 2024 to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. In addition to jail time, Murray was also ordered to pay $94,190 in restitution to his victims. “The fight against human trafficking is a cornerstone of the Department of Justice,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “Every day the men and women who investigate and prosecute these cases fight to protect those who are victims of these heinous crimes. I am grateful to the FBI, Virginia State Police, and Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for bringing this matter to justice.” “This sentencing is a powerful reminder that the FBI Richmond team will tirelessly work to free victims of sex trafficking and bring to justice those who seek to exploit their vulnerabilities for personal gain,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “I commend our team and partners on the I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force who investigated these heinous crimes here in Virginia and along the east coast. Every month, and especially during Human Trafficking Awareness month, we encourage the public to recognize the signs of human trafficking and report concerns to tips.fbi.gov.” "Human trafficking investigations can be very complex" said Lieutenant Colonel Matt Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. "I commend the investigative team for the outstanding cooperation that brought this case to a close." According to court documents, beginning in December 2021 and continuing through July 2022, Murray engaged in a multistate sex trafficking operation involving at least three adult female victims. Murray recruited and coerced his victims into commercial sex work using their drug dependency as his primary method of control. Murray controlled his victims’ narcotics supply and usage, not allowing them to obtain drugs from anyone but himself. Murray would withhold drugs from his victims if they did not follow his directions or engage in commercial sex. Many of the victims described becoming “dopesick” when Murray withheld drugs from them. Thus, Murray stood between them and the threat of painful withdrawal. Murray knew that withholding drugs from the victims would have a coercive effect and incentivize them to obey him and continue engaging in commercial sex. Murray managed every aspect of the commercial sex transactions for his victims. The defendant used various commercial sex websites, such as Skipthegames.com and Backpage.com, to set up dates with commercial sex customers, set the prices, booked the hotel rooms, and transported his victims to the dates. And in most cases, Murray received all the proceeds from the commercial sex acts. Murray maintained strict control over his victims’ activities including requiring them to stay in communication with him while they completed their commercial sex “dates.” Victims were not allowed to go anywhere without Murray’s permission and were punished if they did so. The criminal behavior occurred in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Florida. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force (I-81 HTTF), the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police investigated the case. The I-81 HTTF is a collaborative effort of law enforcement and community partners focused on identifying instances of human trafficking along the I-81 corridor in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland; prosecuting those responsible; and providing assistance to the victims impacted by these crimes. The I-81 HTTF includes law enforcement from Frederick, Clarke, and Shenandoah counties as well as the cities and towns of Front Royal, Hagerstown, and Frederick, Maryland, and Lord Fairfax Community College. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith, Sally J. Sullivan and Trial Attorney Christina Randall-James with the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case for the United States.


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Robbery and Weapon Violations

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Marquine Antonio Benbow, 34, of Charleston, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery affecting interstate commerce and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Evidence presented to the court showed that Benbow committed a series of armed robberies and a carjacking. On Aug. 22, 2017, Benbow carjacked a woman at gunpoint and later drove the vehicle to a Circle K in Summerville. Benbow entered the store where he pointed a weapon at the cashier and demanded money. An hour later, Benbow entered a Circle K in Charleston and again demanded money at gunpoint. Benbow left his DNA behind in the carjacked vehicle and video surveillance at the Summerville and Charleston Circle Ks matched his description. United States District Judge David C. Norton accepted a negotiated resolution and sentenced Benbow to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the North Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Marion County Man Admits to Fentanyl Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Emmanuel D. Gibson, 34, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Westover Police attempted a traffic stop on Gibson’s vehicle and Gibson fled, leading to a chase that ended with Gibson’s arrest. A vehicle search resulted in the seizure of fentanyl-laced pills, other controlled substances, two firearms, and drug paraphernalia. Gibson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge would determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Westover Police Department. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Man Charged in Federal Court With Robbing Postal Carrier at Gunpoint in Chicago Suburb; Second Man Charged With Firing at Investigating Agents

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been charged in federal court with robbing a United States Postal Service carrier at gunpoint in a Chicago suburb last week. A second man has been charged with firing shots at investigators near the scene of the robbery. AHMEL HOLMES, 18, of Kankakee, Ill., robbed the postal carrier on Jan. 8, 2025, in Harvey, Ill., according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The postal carrier was on duty that morning delivering mail along East 158th Street near Union Avenue when Holmes approached her with a gun equipped with a drum magazine and demanded her belongings, the complaint states. Holmes then demanded and obtained access to the victim’s postal vehicle, from which he took a USPS tub containing mail, the complaint states. Shortly after the robbery, two Postal Inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were canvassing the area when they observed three individuals near an alley. When the inspectors moved toward them to speak with them, one of the men – JESUS SANTILLAN, 19, of Harvey, Ill. – pointed a handgun at the inspectors and fired shots, the complaint states. The inspectors were not wounded and did not return fire, but they chased Santillan into a nearby residence, where they arrested him, the complaint states. The inspectors also found Holmes in the residence and took him into custody. Holmes is charged with armed robbery of a postal carrier, which is punishable by up to 25 years in federal prison. Santillan is charged with using a deadly and dangerous weapon to assault postal inspectors and impede performance of their official duties, which is punishable by up to 20 years. A detention hearing for Holmes is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffery T. Gilbert. Santillan waived his right to a detention hearing at this stage of the case and was ordered to remain held in federal custody. The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Harvey, Ill. Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Maione. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. holmes_and_santillan_complaint.pdf


title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Devontay Brian Johnson, 29, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 3, 2022, Johnson sold approximately 20 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while in a vehicle parked along Wilson Place in Huntington. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-24. ###


title: Art Dealer Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling Bankruptcy Estate of Miracle Mile and Beverly Hills Art Gallery

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An internationally known art dealer was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for embezzling from the bankruptcy estate of Ace Gallery Los Angeles, an art gallery located in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, while acting as the estate’s trustee and custodian. Douglas J. Chrismas, 80, of the Mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who also ordered him to pay $12,809,192 in restitution. At the conclusion of a four-day trial in May 2024, a jury found Chrismas guilty of three counts of embezzlement against a bankruptcy estate. “Instead of performing his fiduciary duty and properly managing the gallery’s bankruptcy estate, this defendant chose to use funds that belonged to the creditors of the gallery to make them whole, but for his dream of an art museum that never came to be,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Today’s sentence provides a just punishment for these crimes, which were brazenly undertaken by a thief who gamed a system designed to protect those in financial desperation.” Chrismas was the president and CEO of Art and Architecture Books of the 21st Century, which did business as Ace Gallery and had offices located in the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles as well as in Beverly Hills. In February 2013, Ace Gallery filed a Chapter 11 petition in federal bankruptcy court in Los Angeles and continued to operate while in bankruptcy with Chrismas acting as its fiduciary and trustee. In late March and early April of 2016, Chrismas embezzled approximately $264,595 that belonged to the Ace Gallery bankruptcy estate, including a $50,000 check that Chrismas signed, was drawn against the estate, and was paid to Ace Museum, a separate non-profit corporation that Chrismas owned and controlled. Chrismas also embezzled $100,000 owed to Ace Gallery by a third party for the purchase of artwork. Instead, the funds were paid – at his direction – to Ace Museum. Finally, Chrismas embezzled approximately $114,595 owed to the gallery by a third party that purchased artwork, but which Chrismas instead had paid to Ace Museum’s landlord to keep current with its $225,000 monthly rent. Chrismas funneled money from the bankrupt Ace Gallery for over three years, until April 2016, when the bankruptcy court appointed an independent trustee to run Ace Gallery’s bankruptcy estate and Chrismas was removed. The FBI’s Art Crime Team investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Valerie L. Makarewicz of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.


title: Army Veteran Sentenced to Federal Prison For Over Three-Quarter Million Dollar Benefit Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Kevin Paul McMains, 44, of Milton, Florida, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of theft of government money and two counts of making false statements to a federal agency. The sentence was announced today by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Our service members, and their families, make incredible sacrifices to defend our country and are deserving of our deepest respect and the disability benefits intended for our injured patriots,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Consequently, the defendant’s fabrication of documents and false claims of service-connected injuries, to include his assertion he was awarded a Purple Heart, is not only criminal, but repugnant. We remain committed to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who defraud government disability programs, stealing benefits earned by our veterans.” Court documents reflect that for nearly 14 years, McMains received over $779,000 in government disability benefits by providing false information to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). McMains submitted fraudulent documentation and made false statements to medical professionals and in his applications claiming that post-traumatic stress was affecting his life to the extent he was unable to work, do normal daily activities, or care for himself, knowing that was not true. In addition, he also falsely claimed he was awarded a Purple Heart as proof of his service-connected injuries. As a result of his fraud, McMains also qualified for and received Social Security disability benefits and Medicare coverage to which he would not have otherwise been entitled. “This sentence sends a clear message that veterans who defraud VA by exaggerating their disabilities will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov of the VA Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “VA’s programs and services are established to justly compensate deserving veterans and the VA OIG is committed to investigating those who would exploit these programs.” “Mr. McMains defrauded the Social Security Administration (SSA) of $357,847 with fabricated documents that falsely reported his medical condition. His malicious acts are inexcusable. and this 33-month prison sentence holds him accountable for his crimes,” said Jermaine Jack, Acting Special Agent in Charge, SSA Office of the Inspector General, Atlanta Field Division. “I commend the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General and Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General for their invaluable work in this investigation. Further, I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting this case.” “Individuals who fraudulently obtain Medicare benefits that they are not entitled to divert taxpayer funds meant to pay for essential health services for legitimate enrollees, including the elderly and disabled,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG remains committed to thoroughly investigating health care fraudsters to hold them accountable for their actions and to send a warning to those considering such fraudulent schemes.” In addition to a 33-month prison sentence, McMains was ordered to pay restitution of $378,380.82 to the VA, $357,847.80 to the SSA, and $43,451.56 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. McMains’ prison sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release. This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. Former Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love and Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes prosecuted this case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 Benefits

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Scott Christie, 38, of Petrolia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to four years of federal probation and ordered to pay $24,338 in restitution for theft of public money, property or records. Christie fraudulently obtained $24,338 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds, while a resident of Leon, West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, between February 29, 2020, and August 22, 2020, and between February 27, 2021, and August 14, 2021, Christie fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits from WorkForce West Virginia, which administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia. Christie submitted a total of 50 weekly certifications to WorkForce West Virginia that failed to disclose his employment during those time periods. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Christie received 52 unemployment benefits payments from WorkForce West Virginia totaling $24,338 that he was not entitled to receive. The unemployment benefits fraudulently obtained by Christie included supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As part of his fraudulent scheme, Christie falsely stated in the weekly certifications he submitted that he was unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-107. ###


title: Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving and Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Roman Rodriguez, 26, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to receipt and distribution of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, between Feb. 18, 2024, and Feb. 22, 2024, Rodriguez used an iPhone and the internet to receive and distribute more than 600 images containing visual depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images included depictions of the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors and at least one toddler. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case. Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Fentanyl “M30 King of Fresno” Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr., 24, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 23 years and one month in prison for distribution of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, the investigation began after a series of fentanyl-pill overdoses in the Fresno area. These overdoses were caused by counterfeit oxycodone M30 tablets containing fentanyl, referred to on the street as M30s. The investigation, dubbed “Operation Killer High,” targeted the drug dealers believed to have supplied the toxic pills that caused the spike in fentanyl-related overdoses. The operation uncovered a large drug-trafficking ring led by Torrecillas Urias, the self-proclaimed “M30 king of Fresno.” Torrecillas Urias was obtaining, directly from sources in Mexico, tens of thousands of counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills and large quantities of fentanyl powder, cocaine, and methamphetamine. He and his co-defendants were then distributing these illicit drugs to dealers inside and outside of California. During the investigation, federal, state, and local law enforcement agents conducted traffic stops, intercepted packages, and executed residential search warrants that resulted in the recovery of over 55,000 fentanyl pills, 6 pounds of fentanyl powder, 10 pounds of methamphetamine, a pound of cocaine, 25 firearms, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Operation Killer High resulted in three federal cases charging a total of 20 defendants. All but one pleaded guilty. The remaining defendant, Alma Garza, was found guilty in September 2024, after a four-day jury trial. She is set for sentencing on Feb. 24, 2025. This case is the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Weslee Nathaniel Black, 39, of Huntington, was sentenced today to eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a short-barrel shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2024, law enforcement officers ordered Black to exit a vehicle on the 1300 block of Marcum Terrace in Huntington and arrested him for grand larceny of the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and seized a Hatfield Gun Company model PAS 12-gauge shotgun with a shortened barrel. Black admitted that he possessed the firearm, that he knew it had a shortened barrel when he purchased it, and that it was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Black knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for domestic battery in Cabell County Magistrate Court on January 31, 2023. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-84. ###


title: Former President And Executive Vice President Of Local Teachers Union Indicted For Stealing Union Funds In Leave Scam

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Teresa Brady (69, Jacksonville) and Ruby George (81, Jacksonville) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, eight counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud, and three counts of aiding and abetting mail fraud. Brady is also charged with two counts of money laundering. If convicted on the conspiracy, wire fraud, and mail fraud counts, Brady and George each face a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment on each count. Brady also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years on each money laundering count. The indictment notifies Brady and George that the United States intends to forfeit at least $2,600,235.99, which are alleged to be proceeds obtained from the fraud. According to the indictment, Brady and George were the President and Executive Vice President of Duval Teachers United (DTU), a labor union that represents Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) teachers, paraprofessionals, and office personnel. DTU has approximately 6,500 members and represents approximately 80 percent of eligible DCPS employees. DTU’s annual revenue is approximately $5 million, which is comprised of funds paid by dues-paying members. The indictment alleges that between 2013 and 2022 Brady and George engaged in a conspiracy to steal more than $1.2 million each from the DTU by selling back leave time that they had not accrued or earned back to DTU. Brady and George allegedly hid this activity by providing false information to DTU’s auditors (Certified Public Accountants), and by signing each other’s checks when distributing the unaccrued and unearned leave money, hiding those payments from the DTU Secretary/Treasurer. The indictment further alleges that Brady and George withheld this unearned compensation from the Florida Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC), responsible for public labor unions in Florida, in required annual financial statement filings, some of which were mailed to PERC. Brady also allegedly used the fraud proceeds and engaged in two monetary transactions of more than $10,000 to pay personal credit card debt. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Tysen Duva and Kelly S. Milliron. 20250113_brady_george_indmt.pdf Download Indictment


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Michael Vernon Pinson Jr., 30, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 20, 2024, law enforcement officers responding to reports of an unresponsive male in a vehicle in Huntington encountered Pinson in the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Officers searched the vehicle during the encounter and found a loaded Taurus model PT111 Millennium Pro 9mm pistol in the vehicle. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Pinson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Cabell County Circuit Court on February 16, 2016. Pinson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-149. ###


title: Mexican national imprisoned for attempting to smuggle drugs with her daughter in tow

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old woman has been sentenced for her role in conspiring to import nearly six kilograms of cocaine from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Carmen Julia Carreon Segovia pleaded guilty June 12, 2024. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Carreon Segovia to serve 120 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face removal proceedings following her imprisonment. "Even more insidious than smuggling a dangerous and highly addictive drug into the United States is bringing along your own minor child, exposing her needlessly to a dangerous underworld,” said Hamdani. “Segovia will now have 10 years in a prison cell to contemplate the consequences of her actions, actions that affect and endangered her teenage daughter.” On Jan. 19, 2024, Carreon Segovia drove an SUV to the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in Laredo to apply for admission into the United States. Her 16-year-old daughter was riding as passenger. Authorities inspected the vehicle and found eight bundles containing 6.30 kilograms of cocaine with an approximate street value of $90,000. Law enforcement discovered the bundles hidden in the front fender areas of the SUV. Carreon Segovia denied any knowledge of the drugs. After her arrest, authorities revoked her non-immigrant visa. She subsequently admitted to knowing the other co-conspirators concealed drugs somewhere within the vehicle for her to attempt to smuggle them into the United States. Carreon Segovia will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.


title: Snohomish County man pleads guilty to producing images of child sexual abuse and attempted enticement of minors

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 43-year-old Snohomish County man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to production of images of child sexual abuse and attempted enticement of minors, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Bennett S. Park was arrested in August 2023, when he was attempting to pick up a 13-year-old in a residential area of Everett, Washington. Park had told an undercover law enforcement officer that he planned to pick up and molest the 13-year-old. When Park is sentenced by U. S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez, prosecutors will recommend no more than 25 years in prison and the defense will recommend no less than 20 years. Judge Martinez is not bound by the recommendations. Sentencing is scheduled for April 25, 2025. According to the plea agreement, in July 2023, Park responded to an online add placed by an undercover Homeland Security Investigation agent, falsely claiming that the agent had two young children that could be molested. In his response, Park indicated that he was actively molesting children between the ages of 11 and 17. Park indicated he wanted to molest the agent’s fictional children but was already meeting a 13-year-old. Law enforcement quickly put Park under surveillance to identify and protect the 13-year-old. Just after 1:45 am on August 8, 2023, law enforcement arrested Park just after the 13-year-old got in his vehicle. After Park’s arrest a review of his electronic devices revealed he had communicated with dozens of minors. Twenty-three of the minor victims were identified. Park had convinced them to provide images of sexual abuse via Instagram, Discord, Snapchat, Facebook, Gmail and Zoom platforms. In the plea agreement Park details his crimes with eight different minor victims. Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison. Attempted enticement of a minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.


title: Justice Department Sues Stockton-based Nurse Practitioner to Stop Her Sale of Illegal Opioid Prescriptions

body_text: rubinger_complaint.pdf SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The United States has filed a civil complaint against nurse practitioner Joan Rubinger, registered in Stockton, that alleges a long-running nationwide scheme to sell illegal opioid prescriptions for cash, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. The lawsuit asks the Court to prohibit Rubinger from prescribing controlled substances and to impose civil penalties on Rubinger for her conduct in providing more than 900 illegitimate prescriptions to customers around the country. According to court documents, between Nov. 1, 2019, and June 17, 2024, Rubinger traveled from city to city, providing a range of services from intravenous flushes to prescriptions for controlled substances. Her unorthodox practice consisted of her, a personal assistant, and a person who managed billing. No licensed physician supervises Rubinger, and no licensed physician is associated with, or employed by, her practice. She usually met customers in non-medical environments, such as hotel rooms, without access to necessary diagnostic tools, proper medical records, or any other infrastructure required to treat chronic pain. According to the complaint, Rubinger sold opioid prescriptions to her customers for cash, often during brief text message conversations over the encrypted messaging application Telegram. The complaint alleges that Rubinger provided her customers with price lists that invited them to select their own prescriptions from a menu of highly addictive drugs intended to treat a wide variety of medical conditions, including Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and Adderall, some of which can be dangerous in combination. Once customers paid Rubinger, she allegedly issued the requested prescriptions without conducting any examination or creating any medical records. The complaint further alleges that, to conceal the excessive quantities of drugs that she prescribed to her customers, Rubinger wrote prescriptions in the names of the customers’ friends and family members, many of whom did not consent to participate in Rubinger’s scheme, which allowed the customers to obtain opioids under false names. Many of Rubinger’s customers allegedly abused the drugs or resold them on the street. According to court documents, Rubinger knew her conduct was illegal and gave her customers specific instructions that she told them would “make sure each patient appears as a legitimate medical patient.” In a document that she titled “THE RULES,” Rubinger explained to new customers the steps they had to take “to minimize the attention we attract from the DEA.” Among other things, Rubinger told customers they were required to pay her for prescriptions in advance because “just like at McDonald’s, you gotta pay for your burger before they hand it to you.” The investigation and litigation of this matter illustrates the government’s continued emphasis on combating opioid abuse. Tips and complaints from all sources can be reported to the DEA at 1-877-792-2873 or https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip . Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Tennyson is litigating the case. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The complaint contains allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The case is United States v. Rubinger , 2:25-cv-00091-DAD-JDP (E.D. Cal.).


title: Florida Client of Tax Refund Scheme Sentenced to Prison for Obstructing the IRS

body_text: Orlando, FL – A Florida man was sentenced to 21 months in prison for obstructing the IRS in connection with his use of the “Note Program,” a tax fraud scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2018, Arthur Grimes, of Ocoee and Orlando, was a client of a tax fraud scheme promoted by Jasen Harvey and Christopher Johnson. The scheme involved Harvey and Johnson filing false tax returns for clients that claimed that large nonexistent income tax withholdings had been paid to the IRS and sought substantial refunds based on those purported withholdings. Grimes participated in the scheme by causing four false income tax returns prepared by Harvey to be filed that sought refunds totaling $627,587 of which the IRS paid approximately $270,000. When the IRS attempted to recover a refund issued to Grimes based on one of those returns, Grimes made false statements and submitted false documents to an IRS revenue officer and transferred funds to a nominee bank account. Harvey and Johnson previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS and were respectively sentenced to 48 months in prison and 37 months in prison. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. for the Middle District of Florida ordered Grimes to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $238,973 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind, Jeffrey McLellan and Caroline Pearson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.


title: Virginia Construction Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns underreporting the income he received through his construction company. According to court documents and statements made in court, Timothy Agnew owned and operated Red Hill Construction (RHC), which was located in Hillsville, Virginia. RHC repaired and installed roofs, remodeled homes and built home additions. Between 2017 and 2021, Agnew filed false personal tax returns that substantially underreported his gross receipts, and thus his income, from RHC. Specifically, Agnew omitted over $2,000,000 in gross receipts earned from construction projects for which the customers did not directly report those payments to the IRS, through IRS Form 1099. In all, Agnew caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $375,000. Agnew is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Brian Flanagan of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett for the District of Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.


body_text: A Florida man was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for obstructing the IRS in connection with his use of the “Note Program,” a tax fraud scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2018, Arthur Grimes, of Ocoee and Orlando, was a client of a tax fraud scheme promoted by Jasen Harvey and Christopher Johnson. The scheme involved Harvey and Johnson filing false tax returns for clients that claimed that large nonexistent income tax withholdings had been paid to the IRS and sought substantial refunds based on those purported withholdings. Grimes participated in the scheme by causing four false income tax returns prepared by Harvey to be filed that sought refunds totaling $627,587 of which the IRS paid approximately $270,000. When the IRS attempted to recover a refund issued to Grimes based on one of those returns, Grimes made false statements and submitted false documents to an IRS revenue officer and transferred funds to a nominee bank account. Harvey and Johnson previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS and were respectively sentenced to 48 months in prison and 37 months in prison. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. for the Middle District of Florida ordered Grimes to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $238,973 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind, Jeffrey McLellan and Caroline Pearson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Beecher Lee Shuler, 43, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 21, 2023, Shuler sold approximately 3.48 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $275. Shuler admitted that he conducted the transaction at his Huntington residence and arranged the transaction beforehand with the confidential informant. On July 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Shuler’s residence and seized cocaine, oxycodone, at least 3,787 tablets containing protonitazene, six firearms and approximately $1,111. Protonitazene is a synthetic opioid potentially more dangerous and deadly than fentanyl, and the seized tablets weighed approximately 813 grams. Shuler is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-151. ###


title: Man Admits Staging Auto Accidents to Commit Insurance Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man on Monday admitted staging a series of vehicle accidents and injuries to defraud insurance companies. Adrian Peebles, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Peebles admitted that from September of 2021 to January of 2023, he staged auto accidents, usually at night in remote areas to reduce his chances of getting caught. Peebles nearly always told the responding police officers that he had been injured. He went to the emergency room complaining of “non-determinative pain that required expensive tests that never identified any particular injury.” Peebles insisted that the resulting payments from the vehicle insurance companies be made to him rather than the hospital and then did not pay his medical bills. Two insurance companies lost a total of $107,951 to Peebles’ scheme. Peebles is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware is prosecuting the case.


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jaron Andrew O'Neal, 38, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators obtained a search warrant for a package addressed to a Barboursville address after a K9 alerted to the package. Investigators opened the package and found it contained approximately 1 kilogram of fentanyl. Investigators replaced the fentanyl with a sham substance and conducted a controlled delivery of the package to the Barboursville address. On January 24, 2023, O'Neal retrieved the package from the address and drove away with it in his vehicle. Investigators conducted a traffic stop of O’Neal’s vehicle and found the package in the vehicle. O’Neal told investigators that he retrieved the package believing that it contained controlled substances. O'Neal is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-85. ###


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Minnesota Restaurant Group to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it secured an agreement with a Minnesota-based restaurant group doing business as Brick & Bourbon. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that the restaurant group routinely discriminated against lawful permanent residents when verifying their permission to work in the United States by requiring them to provide more documents than necessary. “It is unlawful for employers to impose additional or unnecessary requirements on employees because of their citizenship status when checking their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Discriminatory treatment during any step of the employment process harms workers who are lawfully participating in our economy and can deprive employers of their talents.” After conducting an investigation, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that Brick & Bourbon had a longstanding practice of requiring additional and unnecessary documentation from lawful permanent residents, even after they had presented sufficient proof of their permission to work, because of their citizenship status. Lawful permanent residents are sometimes referred to as “green card holders,” but they can show their permission to work using different types of documentation. As explained in the department’s recently-released fact sheet for lawful permanent residents , the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) protects lawful permanent residents from discrimination when an employer is verifying their permission to work. The INA prohibits employers from asking for specific or unnecessary documents because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and cannot reject valid documentation that reasonably appears to be genuine and to relate to the worker. Under the terms of the settlement, Brick & Bourbon will pay a $95,000 civil penalty to the United States, train its employees on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring. IER is responsible for enforcing the INA’s anti-discrimination provision. This law prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices ; and retaliation and intimidation . IER’s website has more information on lawful permanent residents’ rights under the INA and how employers can avoid unlawful discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify), or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a live webinar; watch an on-demand presentation ; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un grupo de restaurantes de Minnesota para resolver las reclamaciones por discriminación relacionada con la inmigración

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia ha anunciado hoy que llegó a un acuerdo con un grupo de restaurantes de Minnesota que opera bajo el nombre de Brick & Bourbon. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento de que el grupo de restaurantes discriminaba sistemáticamente a los residentes permanentes legales a la hora de verificar su permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos, exigiéndoles más documentos de los necesarios. “Es ilegal que los empleadores impongan requisitos adicionales o innecesarios a los empleados debido a su estatus de ciudadanía cuando verifican su permiso para trabajar”, dijo la fiscal general auxiliar Kristen Clarke, de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “El trato discriminatorio durante cualquier paso del proceso de empleo perjudica a los trabajadores que participan legalmente en nuestra economía y puede privar a los empleadores de su talento”. Tras llevar a cabo una investigación, la Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles concluyó que Brick & Bourbon tenía la práctica habitual de exigirles documentación adicional e innecesaria a los residentes permanentes legales, incluso después de que hubieran presentado pruebas suficientes de su permiso para trabajar, debido a su condición de ciudadanía. A los residentes permanentes legales se les denomina a veces “titulares de la tarjeta verde”, pero pueden demostrar su permiso para trabajar usando distintos tipos de documentación. Como se explica en la hoja informativa para residentes permanentes legales publicada recientemente por el Departamento, la Ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) protege a los residentes permanentes legales de la discriminación cuando un empleador verifica su permiso para trabajar. La INA les prohíbe a los empleadores solicitar documentos específicos o innecesarios debido a la ciudadanía, el estatus migratorio o la nacionalidad de origen del trabajador. Los empleadores deben permitir que los trabajadores presenten cualquier documentación aceptable que elijan y no pueden rechazar documentación válida que parezca razonablemente auténtica y relacionada con el trabajador. Según los términos del acuerdo, Brick & Bourbon pagará una multa civil de $95,000, capacitará a sus empleados sobre los requisitos de la INA, revisará sus políticas de empleo y se someterá a supervisión departamental. La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición contra la discriminación de la INA. Esta ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en la contratación, el despido o el reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; las prácticas documentales injustas y las represalias y la intimidación . El sitio web de la IER tiene más información sobre los derechos de los residentes permanentes legales según la INA y cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación ilegal al verificar el permiso de trabajo de alguien. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo obtener ayuda a través de este breve video . Los solicitantes o empleados que crean haber sido discriminados por razón de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en la contratación, despido, reclutamiento o durante el proceso de verificación de elegibilidad de empleo (Formulario I-9 y E-Verify), o sometidos a represalias, pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, número de TTY para personas con discapacidad auditiva); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, número de TTY para personas con discapacidad auditiva); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; inscribirse en un seminario web en vivo; ver una presentación a pedido; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico de la IER.


title: Kennebunk Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining PPP Funds During Pandemic

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Kennebunk woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to wire fraud. According to court records, in April 2021, Meghan Martell , 33, submitted an application to a California lender for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Martell falsely stated on the application that she was the sole proprietor of a beauty salon with gross income in 2019 of $99,870. She also submitted fraudulent documentation in support of the application, including a false tax form. The California lender transferred $20,806 in PPP funds to Martell’s bank account in Maine. Martell faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA. ###


title: Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Stolen Firearm

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robey Lee Butler, age 35, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Stolen Firearm. The Indictment alleged that on November 7, 2023, Butler knowingly possessed a stolen semi-automatic rifle, and had reasonable cause to believe that firearm was stolen. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Butler will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarrod Leaman, Lewis Matthew Reagan, and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Okmulgee County Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gabriel Lee Williams II, a/k/a Chi-Chi, age 26, of Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Indictment alleged that on or about April 27, 2024, Williams knowingly possessed one 9mm handgun and one .40 caliber handgun, despite having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Okmulgee Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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. Williams will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.


title: Oklahoma City Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Stephanie Leigh Rodgers, a/k/a Stephanie Larsen, age 40, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Indictment alleged that on or about August 19, 2024, Rodgers knowingly and intentionally possessed methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, intending to distribute it. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Rodgers was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.


title: Slidell Chiropractor Convicted of Health Care Fraud

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DENNIS MICHAEL PEYROUX (“PEYROUX”) , age 57, of Slidell, Louisiana, pled guilty on January 8, 2025 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347 and 1349, in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for over the counter (“OTC”) COVID-19 test kits that were not requested or otherwise ineligible for reimbursement. According to court documents, starting in November 2022, PEYROUX conspired with others to purchase Medicare beneficiary information, including names, Medicare identification numbers, and clearly fabricated recordings of individuals posing as beneficiaries and “requesting” OTC COVID-19 test kits, that PEYROUX used to bill Medicare for test kits through his chiropractic clinic. PEYROUX then misappropriated the credentials of a former nurse practitioner who worked for him and falsely listed the nurse practitioner as the referring provider on the thousands of false and fraudulent claims. In total, in around six months, PEYROUX allegedly billed Medicare approximately $3.3 million in false and fraudulent claims for OTC COVID-19 test kits through his clinic, for which Medicare reimbursed approximately $3.2 million. Under the terms of the plea agreement, PEYROUX agreed to pay over $3.2 million in restitution to Medicare. The government also forfeited over $1 million seized from PEYROUX’s bank accounts. The Honorable Lance M. Africk set sentencing for April 23, 2025. At sentencing, the maximum penalty PEYROUX may receive is ten years of imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under 18 U.S.C. § 3571, or both. PEYROUX also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, of the Financial Crimes Unit and Health Care Fraud Coordinator, and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters, of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, are in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: St. Francois County Sex Offender Admits Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A registered sex offender from St. Francois County, Missouri, on Friday admitted being caught with child sexual abuse material. Shane Elijah Bottom, 39, of Bismarck, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography as a prior offender. He admitted being caught by investigators with the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control, who were conducting an online investigation of those sharing child sexual abuse material. On Nov. 19 and 20 of 2023, Bottom distributed numerous files containing child sexual abuse material to the investigator via a peer-to-peer file sharing program. After the files were traced to Bottom, he eventually admitted downloading and viewing the images. At least 904 images were found on Bottom’s phone by an agent with the U.S. Secret Service. Of those, 373 images depicted the sexual abuse of minors who have been identified by law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In 2016, Bottom was convicted in Johnson County (Missouri) Circuit Court with two counts of child molestation first degree for the sexual abuse of a 7-year-old. He was sentenced to eight years in prison. Both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 20 years in prison followed by life on supervised release. The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI– On Dec. 10, Blake Alfonso Kolessa, 27, of Greenacres, Fla., was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks for possessing with intent to distribute metonitazene, N-desethyl isotonitazene, and methamphetamine. Kolessa previously pled guilty to selling thousands of pressed pills containing metonitazene, N-desethyl isotonitazene, and methamphetamine, between January and June 2024. Kolessa also admitted possessing over six kilograms of powders and pressed pills containing fentanyl, protonitazene and N-pyrrolidino protonitazene. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter of the DEA Miami Field Division, and West Palm Beach Police Chief Tony Araujo made the announcement. DEA West Palm Beach and the West Palm Beach Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Funk prosecuted it. According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment , nitazenes are synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, but some nitazenes can match or surpass the potency of fentanyl. Different nitazenes have been appearing in fentanyl mixtures in the United States since 2019. When combined with fentanyl, the effects of both drugs are heightened, which significantly increases the chance of a fatal drug poisoning. Synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning the nation. Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate. Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida. For more information visit: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx ; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html# ; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl . You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-80077. ###


title: Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad announced that on January 8, 2025, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach accepted the guilty plea of Douglas Larson to one count of failure to truthfully account for and pay over employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202. On November 15, 2024, a one-count information was filed alleging that Larson had failed to pay over employment taxes for each quarter from January 2018 through September 2021. During that time period, Larson failed to pay over approximately $396,082.77 in employment taxes that he withheld from his employees' paychecks. According to the plea agreement , Larson was the owner and operator of Mods International, later known as Mods Client Services (Mods), which manufactured and installed residential and commercial buildings out of shipping containers. In addition to the tax loss alleged in the information, the parties agreed in the plea agreement that Mods (and a related company owned and operated by Larson) failed to pay over employment taxes they withheld as well as employment taxes they owed before and after time period described above. The total tax loss agreed to in the plea agreement was $1,102,805.13. Sentencing is scheduled for April 4, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., before Judge Griesbach. At sentencing, Larson faces up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. He also faces up to three years of supervised release after completing any period of imprisonment. The IRS, Criminal Investigation Division, investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Zachary J. Corey is prosecuting. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison Announces Resignation

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced her resignation today, effective January 19, 2025. “Capping my years-long public service to the Eastern District of Michigan as the United States Attorney will forever serve as the crowning point of my career,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “I want to express my sincere appreciation to President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland for the opportunity to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this District. I am also extremely grateful for the confidence U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters had in me to carry out this charge. With the extraordinary talent at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, I am extremely proud of all that we have accomplished to reduce violent crime, empower communities through transparency and engagement, and protect the civil rights of all within our borders. We have collaborated with purpose, used innovative and evidence-based strategies to operate under the principles of focus, balance, and fairness in our work, and effectively included community stakeholders as partners in our efforts. It is through this shared responsibility for safety that we have accomplished so much. And so it is my hope as I prepare to leave this office, that this work—this partnership—will continue.” Ms. Ison was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on November 12, 2021, and confirmed by the Senate on December 14, 2021. She was sworn in as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Michigan on December 21, 2021. Under Ms. Ison’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan worked to rebuild community trust in law enforcement, restructure the office’s approach to violent crime, and reinvigorate the office’s civil rights practice. Rebuilding Community Trust Under Ms. Ison’s leadership the office engaged in outreach to communities across the District. This community engagement included communities at risk of discrimination or hate crimes, communities experiencing disproportionate rates of violence, and returning citizens. That engagement also included transparency about the office’s work and enforcement efforts, educational programming, prevention efforts, and listening sessions to understand the specific concerns and needs of the various diverse communities within the District. “I sincerely hope that any legacy I leave includes empowering communities to know that they deserve to live in peaceful neighborhoods, free of violence, hate, and other threats and that they are partners in this effort to achieve public safety for all,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. Restructuring Approach to Violent Crime Ms. Ison prioritized lowering the rate of violent crime in the district which resulted in a restructuring of the office’s approach to violent crime. In 2023, the office formalized its violence reduction strategy: One Eastern District of Michigan or One EDMI. The initiative is designed to identify evidence-based strategies that have proven effective in reducing violent crime and bringing together a coalition of community, government, and law enforcement stakeholders to implement those strategies. One EDMI is a vision for the District that aims to empower local communities to use those tools they believe will be the most effective in their area, rather than apply the same practices to every situation or location. Under Ms. Ison’s leadership, and as a part of the One EDMI partnership, the office relied on evidence-based strategies and partnered with stakeholders in the community, government, and law enforcement to lower the rate of violent crime. As a result, Assistant United States Attorneys were able to focus their efforts on the true drivers of violence–the people, groups, and places most likely to be engaged in violent crime. The office’s efforts coalesced around three principles: focus, balance, and fairness, with the goal of balancing law enforcement strategies with prevention and outreach to deter future violence. The office also committed to being transparent about its work and its outcomes so that the community would commit to this effort with a renewed confidence in the fairness of our approach. In April 2023, the office announced the creation of the first One EDMI subgroup, One Detroit. The United States Attorney’s Office joined with a broad coalition of law enforcement, government, community, and faith partners to create One Detroit. The One Detroit partners committed to reducing violence while fostering legitimacy through engagement, coordination, and action. In addition to revamping the enforcement strategy, Ms. Ison and the One Detroit partners focused on crime prevention. One Detroit’s prevention efforts brought Peacenics to Detroit’s 8 th and 9 th Precincts over the last three summers. The Peacenics are a collective gathering of the community and law enforcement coming together in the name of peace and where residents can have fun, engage with law enforcement, and obtain resources to improve the quality of their lives. The Peacenics featured vendors offering a variety of resources including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial and career development programs, expungement assistance, and more. One Detroit’s reentry pillar focused on engaging with justice-impacted residents through community roundtables. The roundtables are made up of people who are currently on federal supervised release or state court probation who have been identified by the United States Probation Department and the Michigan Department of Corrections as being at moderate or severe risk of committing violent crimes. More than 200 justice-impacted residents have been served through the community roundtables so far. One Detroit’s efforts have been successful. Violent crime in Detroit has plummeted to historic lows. Detroit ended 2024 with 203 criminal homicides, a 19% drop from 2023, and the fewest number of homicides since 1965. As a result, the One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership was recognized as a national model by the Department of Justice. The U.S. Attorney’s office has implemented elements of the violence reduction strategy across the Eastern District of Michigan, focusing its enforcement efforts on the drivers of violence. Those efforts have resulted in significant reductions in violent crime in Jackson and Pontiac. The prevention and reentry strategies have also been deployed elsewhere in the Eastern District of Michigan as Flint hosted its first community roundtable for justice-impacted residents in November 2024. Protecting Civil Rights Protecting civil rights has long been a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Department of Justice. Similarly, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has a long history of engaging in robust civil rights enforcement efforts. But under Ms. Ison’s leadership, the office redoubled its efforts. In addition to the office’s Civil Rights Unit, which is responsible for pursing civil enforcement actions, she formed the new Public Corruption and Civil Rights Unit to emphasize our commitment to prosecuting criminal civil rights cases. Ms. Ison paired these vigorous prosecutions with robust community engagement. During Ms. Ison’s tenure, the United States Attorney’s office has trained more than 800 community members how to identify, report, and help prevent hate crimes in 10 events across the District as part of DOJ’s United Against Hate Initiative. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also handled several significant civil rights matters under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Ison. Those matters include: Prosecuting Traditional Federal Crimes Under Ms. Ison’s leadership, the office also focused on rooting out public corruption, combatting white collar crime, including pandemic-related fraud, and protecting the District’s citizens. Significant accomplishments in those areas include: The Mayor of Inkster was indicted and later pleaded guilty to bribery charges. The Mayor of Taylor was sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison for conspiracy to receive bribes and wire fraud. The President of the Madison Heights School Board pleaded guilty to bribery and tax evasion charges and was sentenced to almost 4 years in prison. A guilty plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges from the former Chief Financial Officer of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy for embezzling more than $40 million from the nonprofit. The plea also included a restitution agreement requiring him to pay no less than $44.3 million in restitution because of his conduct. The office has charged 127 individuals with participating in pandemic fraud schemes, ranging from unemployment insurance fraud conspiracies to fraud in pandemic loan programs. Of the individuals charged in such cases, the United States has thus far obtained more than 81 convictions. FCA US LLC (now known as Stellantis) paid a $300 million fine after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States as part of a scheme to cheat U.S. regulators and customers by making false and misleading representations about its emissions control systems on diesel vehicles. A conviction at trial against an ISIS fighter who left his home in Michigan and travelled to Yemen and Syria where he obtained ISIS training and spent more than 2 years as an ISIS soldier. The U.S. Attorney’s Office under Ms. Ison’s leadership has also protected the federal treasury by successfully defending lawsuits brought against the United States and collecting dollars that were owed to the United States. The office has collected more than $400 million in criminal and civil actions in judgments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture. These funds were returned to victims and taxpayers and represent more than four times the office’s operating budget over the last three years. Ms. Ison became U.S. Attorney after serving as an Assistant United States Attorney for 19 years. In addition to being United States Attorney, Ms. Ison also served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, advising the Attorney General on policy, procedure, and management impacting U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Prior to becoming United States Attorney, Ms. Ison served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Public Corruption Unit, the Drug Task Force, and the General Crimes Units. She also served for four years as the Chief of the Drug Task Force. Prior to her government service, Ms. Ison spent twelve years in private practice as criminal defense attorney. U.S. Attorney Ison has not announced her future plans. Under the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant United States Attorney, Julie A. Beck will become the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan until a successor for U.S. Attorney Ison is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws, protecting civil rights, and representing the federal government in civil litigation in 34 counties in the Eastern District of Michigan. The Office currently has approximately 120 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately 90 staff members at offices in Detroit, Flint, and Bay City.


title: Minnesota Construction Company Agrees to Pay $5.9M to Resolve False Claims Act Violations

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Morcon Construction Company, Inc., based in Fridley, Minnesota, has agreed to pay $5.9 million dollars to resolve allegations of False Claims Act violations. Founded in 1982, Morcon is a general contractor responsible for certain repair, maintenance, and related work at U.S. Postal Service sites throughout Minnesota and elsewhere. The United States alleged that beginning in approximately January 1, 2016, to the present, Morcon intentionally failed to disclose the use of subcontractors to perform repairs and maintenance; falsely certified work as self-performed rather than performed by subcontractors; and falsified subcontractor invoices as part of its claims submissions. The United States contended that Morcon’s fraudulent conduct resulted in millions of dollars of false claims paid by the United States Postal Service. “This case demonstrates the dedication of the United States Attorney’s Office along with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who undermine the integrity of the government contracting process,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. “We are gratified to have contributed to this investigation and applaud the exceptional work by the United States Attorney’s Office for protecting both U.S. Postal Service funds and the integrity of our repairs and maintenance program,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “Special Agents of the USPS OIG will continue to aggressively investigate those who would engage in fraudulent activities designed to defraud the Postal Service. This settlement demonstrates that the USPS OIG will pursue contractors that overcharge the government and enrich themselves at the expense of USPS customers.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Rau and U.S. Attorney’s Office investigator Maleko Lattin-McCrary with the assistance of the USPS Office of Inspector General investigated the matter. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Fayette County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeff Allen Adkins, 66, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to 12 years eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 8, 2022, Adkins was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in Oak Hill. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 113 grams of fentanyl and 109 grams of methamphetamine. Adkins told officers he possessed the controlled substances and intended to distribute them. Adkins has a long criminal that includes prior convictions for such offenses as grand larceny, breaking and entering, possession of a controlled substance, carrying a concealed weapon, hit and run, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Oak Hill Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess, Alexander A. Redmon and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-57. ###


title: Missouri Man Who Triggered Standoff Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a man from Moberly, Missouri who triggered a 19-hour standoff with law enforcement to 10 years in prison. According to the evidence and testimony presented at the July trial of Stephen J. Thorp, 62, members of a U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force were attempting to arrest Thorp on a warrant issued by the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole. Thorp was on parole after having been convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in Marion County Circuit Court. The warrant was triggered by new charges of resisting arrest in Callaway County. After learning that Thorp was at another man’s home in Randolph County, near Moberly, members of the Fugitive Task Force and the Northern Missouri Drug Task Force went there on April 11, 2022. Two occupants exited the house and said Thorp was inside. Thorp ignored loudspeaker announcements to leave. A robot and a K-9 were both unsuccessful in getting him out. After a search warrant was obtained, the Moberly SWAT team sent a drone into the home. Thorp fired three shots while the drone was in the house. The drone later captured video of Thorp with a gun in his hand before he used that gun to disable the drone, evidence and testimony showed. Thorp finally left after a Missouri State Highway Patrol SWAT team deployed a chemical agent. Jurors in July found Thorp guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. After his release from prison on the second-degree murder charge, Thorp grabbed and threatened his mother in 2018 and led police on a high-speed chase in 2021, prosecutors said in a sentencing memo. The U.S. Marshals Service, the Moberly Police Department, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office aided in the arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Finlen and Paul Rebar are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Federal Government Employee and Co-Conspirator Plead Guilty to Hobbs Act Extortion

body_text: WASHINGTON—Ruth Nivar, 57, a former D.C. Department of Human Services employee, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthews M. Graves, FBI Office Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and the District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas. The charges stemmed from a years-long scheme in which Nivar extorted money from low and no-income individuals to process applications for public assistance programs, even though it was part of her job responsibilities to do so free of charge. Nivar took money herself from these low-income victims simply to apply for public assistance. U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 25, 2025. According to the plea paperwork, beginning at least since 2018 and continuing through at last May 2023, Nivar used the authority of her public office to obtain money from public assistance applicants to which neither she, nor the District of Columbia, were entitled. In 2022, after Nivar understood that law enforcement may have become aware of her scheme, she added an accomplice, civilian Yessica Moya, who did not work for the D.C. government, to assist in the extortion scheme. Because Nivar worked on public assistance programs for the D.C. government, Nivar was able to provide information to Moya about eligibility requirements for applicants – including certain documents that needed to be submitted with applications – as well as information about applicants from the internal DHS database, including historical benefits information, status of benefits, identity verification, and dependent information. Moya then created online accounts and submitted application materials for health care coverage on behalf of the individuals they extorted. Nivar told individuals to pay Moya, who would then split the monies evenly with Nivar, even though it was Nivar’s duty to provide all these services for the community free of charge. Moya pleaded guilty in the same case on January 8, 2025, to one count of aiding and abetting Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right. Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division and D.C. Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Madhu Chugh and Will Hart of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 24cr222


title: United States Attorney’s Office releases 2024 Community Report

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider today announced the release of the 2024 Community Report of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota (USAO-ND). The report summarizes the office’s efforts over the course of fiscal year 2024 in the courtroom and in communities throughout the district. “I could not be prouder of the career prosecutors, civil litigators, and talented staff of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota,” Schneider said. “They exhibit not just excellence in the courtroom, but also a commitment to our communities and law enforcement partners that makes North Dakota a safer place. Upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights is not just a mission statement, it’s the daily work of the office.” According to Department of Justice statistics, USAO-ND was number one among the 10 districts in the Eighth Circuit in defendants per Assistant United States Attorney and number six out of 94 districts nationally in this category. Even with this significant caseload, the office secured a conviction rate of over 95% in 2024. Additionally, over 95% of criminal appeals decided on the merits were resolved in USAO-ND’s favor last year. The report discusses office initiatives to target the drivers of violent crime, new resources to increase public safety in Indian country, and prosecutions to protect children, combat dangerous drugs, fight fraud, and keep people safe along the northern border. The important work of the office’s Civil Division, which includes protecting taxpayers by representing the United States in complex litigation and enforcing federal civil rights statutes, is also highlighted. The full report is available here : # # #


title: Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to 9.5 Years in Prison for Identity Theft and Firearms Crimes

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 114 months of imprisonment on his conviction of firearms and identity theft offenses, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Cheron Tucker, 28. According to information presented to the Court, Tucker participated in an identity theft scheme in which he used the dark web to purchase credit card numbers and other identifying information of numerous individuals, using that information to rent vehicles through a complicit manager at a rental car company. Tucker and his conspirators then rented the fraudulently obtained vehicles to other individuals for cash. The Court ordered Tucker to pay nearly $900,000 in restitution to the rental car company. While investigating one of the vehicles fraudulently obtained from the rental car company, the Brentwood Police Department conducted a search of a home associated with Tucker. The search revealed numerous documents and other evidence associated with the identity theft scheme, but also two loaded firearms, including one with an obliterated serial number. Tucker has prior felony convictions, including a previous federal conviction for use of unauthorized access devices for which Tucker was on federal supervised release when he committed these new offenses. Federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. U.S. Attorney Olshan commended the United States Secret Service and Brentwood Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tucker.