title: Justice Department Announces Distribution of Over $158.9M to Nearly 25,000 Victims of Madoff Ponzi Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the Madoff Victim Fund (MVF) began its ninth distribution of over $158.9 million in funds forfeited to the U.S. government in connection with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS) fraud scheme. In this distribution, payments will be sent to 24,875 victims across the globe, bringing their total recoveries to 91% of their fraud losses. Through its nine distributions, MVF has paid over $4.22 billion to 40,843 victims as compensation for losses they suffered from the collapse of BLMIS. “The department’s Madoff Victim Fund has exceeded expectations in the level of recovery provided to victims of the fraud committed by Bernard Madoff, which devastated thousands of lives,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “To date, the Madoff Victim Fund has assisted more than 40,800 individual victims in recovering over 90% of victim losses. The department continues to prioritize the use of civil asset forfeiture to ensure compensation is available for victims of fraud.” “In 2009, when the Southern District of New York charged Bernie Madoff for his $64 billion securities fraud ‘Ponzi’ scheme, it was one of the most prolific financial crimes in American history. Among Madoff’s many victims were not only wealthy and institutional investors, but charities and pension funds alike — some of which invested money with Madoff on behalf of individuals working paycheck-to-paycheck who were relying on their pension accounts for their retirements,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “The financial toll on those who entrusted their money with Madoff was devasting, and this office’s unprecedented efforts to return money to Madoff’s victims has now resulted in clawbacks of 91% of fraud losses to their rightful owners. I commend the career prosecutors of this office for today’s distribution of over $158 million and for their relentless pursuit of justice for victims of Wall Street fraudsters, like Bernie Madoff.” According to court documents and information presented in related proceedings, for decades, Bernard L. Madoff used his position as chairman of BLMIS, the investment advisory business he founded in 1960, to steal billions of dollars from his clients. On March 12, 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle. On June 29, 2009, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison for running the largest fraudulent scheme in history. Of the over $4 billion that has been made available to victims, approximately $2.2 billion was collected as part of the historic civil forfeiture recovery from the estate of deceased Madoff investor, Jeffry Picower. An additional $1.7 billion was collected as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. and civilly forfeited in a parallel action. The remaining funds were collected through a civil forfeiture action against investor Carl Shapiro and his family, and from civil and criminal forfeiture actions against Madoff, Peter B. Madoff, and their co-conspirators. The MVF’s payouts would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and FBI in the prosecution of Madoff’s crimes and the recovery of assets supporting the forfeiture in the case. The MVF is overseen by Richard Breeden, former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, who serves as Special Master appointed by the Justice Department to assist in connection with the victim remission proceedings. Breeden and his team at MVF provided essential assistance to evaluate over 68,000 remission petitions involving billions in cash flows, and to compute each victim’s fraud losses to enable payments to be made. More information about MVF and its compensation to victims of BLMIS is at www.madoffvictimfund.com , such as eligibility criteria, process updates, and frequently asked questions. Further questions may be directed to the MVF at 866-624-3670 or info@madoffvictimfund.com .


title: Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Relief Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Scott Solomon, age 37, of Albany, pled guilty today to defrauding a loan program meant for businesses struggling with the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Solomon admitted that in 2020, he fraudulently applied for and obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for two restaurants in Saratoga Springs, New York, that he had once operated. Solomon submitted false and forged tax documents as part of each loan application, and lied about each restaurant’s number of employees and payroll. At the time Solomon applied for the loans, neither restaurant was operational, and Solomon used the loaned funds, totaling $163,993, in ways he knew were prohibited by the PPP. Solomon also fraudulently obtained forgiveness of one of the loans, in the amount of $87,500, by falsely telling the lender that he used most of the loaned funds for payroll. PPP loans, which were issued by financial institutions in 2020 and 2021 and guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, needed to be used by the borrowing businesses only on certain, permissible expenses, such as payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Solomon pled guilty to two counts of bank fraud. He faces up to 30 years in prison, and up to 5 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, when he is sentenced on April 30, 2024 by Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Solomon has also agreed to pay $163,993 in restitution and to forfeit that same amount as proceeds of his crimes. The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting this 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 .


title: St. John the Baptist Parish Man Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EDEL FREYRE-SOTO , age 54, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, was indicted on December 7, 2023, for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. For both counts, FREYRE-SOTO faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Five Colombian Nationals Arrested for International Cocaine Distribution

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, Alexander Valencia Garcia will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Marcia M. Henry at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with two counts of international cocaine distribution. On November 7, 2023, the defendant, a Colombian citizen, was arrested in Florida on an arrest warrant issued from the Eastern District of New York. On the same day, his co-defendants—Cesar Valencia Garcia, Diego Beltran Alvarez, Oscar Valencia Florez, and Jhonatan Samboni Ruiz—were all arrested in Colombia, and their extradition is pending. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Dominick L. Chiumento, Acting Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP), announced the arrests and arraignment. “As alleged, these five co-defendants were members of an international drug trafficking organization that produced and exported hundreds of kilos of cocaine from Colombia to the United States,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We will not relent in our efforts to bring to justice those who are responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities whether here or in a foreign country.” Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the DEA’s office in Bogota, Colombia, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of State, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office in Colombia, the Colombian National Police, and the Government of Colombia. “Alexander Valencia Garcia has been brought to justice for his alleged role in a multi-million dollar cocaine trafficking conspiracy spanning from Colombia to New York. DEA and our law enforcement partners do not rest and continue to pursue those responsible for bringing illegal drugs into the United States. I commend the DEA New York Drug Enforcement Task Force and the United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York for their tireless efforts in this investigation,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Tarentino. “Our job is to identify, investigate, and arrest anyone responsible for distributing illegal drugs throughout New York City, wherever they are based,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I thank and commend the dedicated NYPD investigators who partner every day with our federal task force colleagues for extending their efforts beyond our borders to stop this poison from reaching our streets.” NYSP Chiumento said, “The coordination and investigative persistence of all partners responsible for this indictment, sends a strong message that we will not tolerate dangerous drugs coming into our country or state. We will continue to work vigilantly to put dangerous individuals like Mr. Garcia behind bars. I want to thank our members and law enforcement partners for their tenacious dedication to tracking illegal drugs and intercepting them at their source before they infiltrate our communities." According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made in Court, the defendant and his co-defendants were members of a sophisticated drug trafficking organization that operated in southwestern Colombia. The organization produced and transported thousands of kilograms of cocaine to locations along the coast of Colombia so that the cocaine could eventually be exported and smuggled into the United States. Valencia Garcia specifically helped oversee production in labs as well as transportation of finished cocaine. As part of the investigation, law enforcement authorities seized over 500 kilograms of cocaine attributable to the defendant’s drug trafficking enterprise. The arrests of Alexander Valencia Garcia and his co-defendants are the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The charges in the indictment allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Wang is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants : ALEXANDER VALENCIA GARCIA Age: 57 Colombia CESAR VALENCIA GARCIA Age: 55 Colombia DIEGO BELTRAN ALVAREZ Age: 32 Colombia OSCAR VALENCIA FLOREZ Age: 24 Colombia JHONATAN SAMBONI RUIZ Age: 34 Colombia E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-513 (PKC)


title: Five Federal Agencies Issue Joint Advisory on Safe Business Practices and Compliant Transfer of Goods

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: The Department of Justice, Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), and Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today issued a joint compliance note highlighting common tactics deployed by malign actors in the maritime and other transportation industries as well as recent enforcement actions taken in response to alleged violations. Today’s note marks the first collective effort by the five agencies to inform the private sector about enforcement trends and provide guidance to the business community on compliance with U.S. sanctions and export laws. The Departments of Justice, Commerce, and the Treasury have previously issued two tri-seal compliance notes. “Cargo shipments occur in increasingly complex geopolitical environments, and companies operating in this high-risk space must adhere vigilantly to U.S. sanctions and export control laws,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “As today’s joint alert makes clear, we will hold accountable companies that do not maintain rigorous compliance programs and violate the law.” “Those who move cargo play a key role in helping to prevent sensitive goods and technologies from falling into the hands of proliferators, terrorists, and other malign actors,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. “Across the federal government, we are united in our message – if you have a role in moving cargo, you have a responsibility to ensure your services are not being exploited by those who would do this country harm.” “As Iran and other sanctioned actors increasingly use deceptive shipping practices to attempt sanctions evasion, those operating in the shipping sector need to be vigilant and employ risk-based compliance measures to counteract these threats,” said Director Brad Smith of OFAC. “Engaging with these actors not only risks civil penalties for U.S. companies, but also non-U.S. companies that cause U.S. persons to violate sanctions.” “Training, outreach, and information sharing between the federal government and the transportation industry are the first lines of defense in preventing foreign adversaries from illegally obtaining sensitive U.S. technology for nefarious purposes,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of HSI. “It’s extremely important we remain vigilant and work collaboratively to ensure compliance remains at the forefront of what we do, as our nation depends on it.” The compliance note describes various deceptive shipping and transportation tactics deployed by malign actors to facilitate the illicit transfer of cargo. In addition, the note advises companies doing business in these industries to implement and strengthen their compliance controls as necessary, especially when operating in high-risk areas or with counterparties who exhibit odd behavior. The note further identifies several compliance practices that may assist companies in identifying potential efforts to evade U.S. laws. The compliance note also highlights criminal and civil enforcement authorities that the relevant agencies have taken to combat the illicit shipment of cargo as well as recent enforcement actions. These cases include the first-ever criminal resolution by the Department of Justice against a bareboat charter of a crude oil tanker carrying contraband Iranian oil and civil enforcement actions taken by BIS and OFAC imposing civil monetary penalties. The note makes clear that companies engaged in the maritime or other transportation industries must be vigilant in their compliance efforts. Such vigilance includes assessing their risk profile for potential violations of U.S. sanctions and export laws, implementing rigorous compliance controls to mitigate those risks, and taking any other steps necessary to verify the true nature, origin, and destination of cargo they are involved in transporting. Compliance note


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and State and Local Law Enforcement Officials Release Third “Don’t Click December” PSA

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BOISE – During the holiday season, online criminals increasingly target Idahoans through online scams and fraud schemes. Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, along with the FBI, the Idaho State Police, the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Boise Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, and the Garden City Police Department, released a third PSA as part of their joint “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign. The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, AARP Idaho, and the Better Business Bureau also participated in the announcement. The campaign advises members of the public to exercise skepticism and caution when receiving unsolicited online, email, pop-up, or text communications from unknown or unverified sources. If there is any doubt about a link, message, or attachment, law enforcement cautions: “don’t click it.” In the third PSA, available here , Ada County Prosecuting Attorney Jan Bennetts, Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea, and U.S. Attorney Hurwit warn the public about the “Account subscription” scam and explain some of the ways in which individuals can protect themselves. In this scam, you could receive an email or text message indicating a subscription has been renewed for another year. The message encourages you to click a link to verify or to receive a receipt for the subscription. The criminals on the other end could be posing as a subscription service you participate in or as one you do not actively have. If you receive an unsolicited message asking you to click a subscription link you did not sign up for, don’t click it . If it appears to be a subscription you have signed up for, check the email address to verify it is from that service. Report as spam and delete any messages about auto-renewals from companies you don’t have subscriptions with. As part of the ongoing campaign, one final PSA is planned to be released next week. These series of PSAs being released in the weeks leading up to Christmas is an effort to alert the public to other common online fraud schemes that Idaho law enforcement has seen affect Idahoans. Unfortunately, these are not the only schemes affecting the public, and new schemes arise all the time. Law enforcement hopes that the “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign will raise public awareness and encourage individuals to talk to their friends and relatives about not clicking suspicious links, texts, messages, pop-ups, or attachments. “We have witnessed many Idahoans lose their hard-earned money or their entire retirement savings to online scams. And, sadly, this type of crime tends to spike during the holiday season,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “But, together, we can reduce the risks by talking with each other about how to avoid such scams, and I’m grateful to our law enforcement partners and the AARP for joining us in the Don’t Click December campaign. We also encourage Idahoans to report any scams as soon as possible so that law enforcement can investigate and we can bring these vicious online criminals to justice.” “We can all play a part in preventing scammers from targeting their next victim in our communities,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “If you do find yourself the victim of a scam, contact local law enforcement. My office works closely with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable for victimizing people through scams.” “While the partnerships between our state and federal partners are vital, it is the partnerships with our community members that have the most impact on these types of crimes,” said Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners recognize that we all must work to eliminate the stigma individuals may experience if they are victimized. There is no shame to falling victim to an online scheme, which are often designed by professional criminals, sophisticated, and tested repeatedly across the country. For this reason, the “Don’t Click December” Consumer Protection Campaign also publicizes ways to report scams and incidents of fraud to the FBI and local law enforcement. To learn more about these and other scams targeting Americans visit FBI.gov , and if you believe you are the victim of a scam, take action by reporting it to FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov or by contacting your local law enforcement agency. ###


title: Lebanon, Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to $1.4 Million Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Lebanon, Virginia man, who set up a fictitious business for the sole purpose of assisting a co-conspirator to fraudulently obtain $1.4 million in payments from an out-of-state aircraft company, pled guilty last week to one count of wire fraud. In July 2022, William B. Sink, 55, and an unidentified co-conspirator named “Vanessa,” created a fictitious business, “The Rockn U Farms, LLC,” and then opened a business checking account at Truist Bank in Lebanon, Virginia for the sole purpose of obtaining money fraudulently. Over the course of several months, The Rockn U Farms LLC business account received several wire transfers totaling approximately $1.4 million from a Minnesota company that sells personal aircraft. Sink immediately transferred the proceeds to various bank accounts and cryptocurrency exchanges at the direction of “Vanessa.” He also made cash withdrawals and transfers to his personal Truist bank account in the amount of nearly $10,000. At sentencing, scheduled for February 22, 2024, Sink faces up to 20 years in prison. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge, Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Washington D.C. Field Office. made the announcement. The Russell County Sheriff’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher is prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Case Alleging Pennsylvania Jail Unlawfully Denied Access to Medication to Treat Opioid Use Disorder

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today explaining how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to the provision of medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) in jails and prisons. The statement of interest was filed in Strickland v. Delaware County , a lawsuit pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleging that a county jail violated the ADA by denying an individual access to methadone that was medically necessary to treat his OUD. “People held in our nation’s jails and prisons, including those with substance use disorders, do not surrender their civil rights at the jailhouse door,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The ADA requires that jails and prisons individually assess the medical needs of people with disabilities and not categorically deny access to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved OUD medications that many need to effectively treat their disability. The Justice Department will continue to enforce federal civil rights laws to ensure the rights of people with disabilities are protected.” “My office is dedicated to fighting the opioid epidemic with every tool that we have,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “That includes enforcing the ADA to remove discriminatory barriers to treatment for OUD. Today’s statement of interest reminds jails and prisons about their obligations to address the needs of individuals with OUD and comply with the ADA.” The Strickland lawsuit alleges that the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, unlawfully denied an incarcerated person access to methadone that he was taking to treat OUD under the supervision of a qualified medical provider before his incarceration. The lawsuit also alleges that the jail had a policy of providing methadone only for pregnant individuals and requiring all other individuals who were on methadone when entering the jail to undergo medically supervised withdrawal. Through the statement of interest, the department explains that the ADA prohibits jails from categorically restricting access to FDA-approved OUD medications, like methadone, without individually assessing whether the person being denied access needs that medication to effectively treat their disability. The statement then sets out why this is required by the ADA and its regulations and aligns with broad consensus in the medical community, including the FDA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The ADA prohibits state and local governments from discriminating against individuals with disabilities and protects people in recovery from OUD, including individuals who are taking OUD medication at the direction of a medical provider. The Justice Department’s submission of this statement of interest furthers its broader efforts to combat discrimination against individuals with OUD and to remove discriminatory barriers to treatment. The Justice Department has issued public guidance on the ADA’s protections for those with OUD. It has entered into multiple settlements with jails and prisons to increase access to OUD medication, including recent agreements in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania ; Eastern Kentucky ; and Massachusetts . It has undertaken enforcement efforts to combat discrimination against individuals with OUD in court supervision programs in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts . It has also entered numerous settlements to address discriminatory barriers to treatment for OUD outside of the criminal justice context, including barriers related to employment , professional licensing , social services and healthcare . The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section filed this statement of interest in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. For more information about the Justice Department’s work to address discrimination against individuals with opioid use disorder, please visit www.ada.gov/topics/opioid-use-disorder/ . For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . If you believe you have been discriminated against based on disability and wish to file a complaint, please visit www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/ .


title: National Roofing Company Settles PPP Fraud Allegations for $9 Million

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: Fort Worth, Texas-based commercial roofing contractor Empire Roofing, Inc. and its nationwide network of roofing and disposal companies agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by falsely certifying that eight of their affiliates were eligible to receive loans through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an applicant qualified for a PPP loan as a small business depended on various factors, including the number of employees of both the applicant and corporate affiliates. Subject to limited exceptions, only businesses that employed 500 or fewer employees were eligible to receive a PPP loan. When applying for PPP loans and loan forgiveness, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications. Empire Roofing, Inc., along with affiliated businesses within its nationwide network, applied for and received a total of $6,705,700 in PPP loans. The loans were all later forgiven in full. Each applicant certified that they were a small business with fewer than 500 employees. Under applicable SBA rules, however, applicants were required to include employees of all affiliated companies when determining eligibility. The government contends that the Empire Roofing network of affiliated companies employed more than 500 employees and therefore that none of Empire Roofing’s affiliates were eligible to receive PPP loans or loan forgiveness under the CARES Act. “PPP loans were intended to help small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said United States Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Our office invests significant time and resources to hold accountable those who obtained PPP funds for which they were not eligible and will continue to do so going forward.” “The settlement in this matter demonstrates the excellent results achieved through the combined efforts of SBA and the Department of Justice to uncover and forcefully respond to PPP misconduct,” said SBA General Counsel Therese Meers. “The federal government is strongly committed to identifying and aggressively pursuing any instances of fraud or misconduct within the Paycheck Protection Program.” The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the FCA, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Sidesolve v. Empire Roofing, Inc., et al., No. No. 3:22-CV-2060-B (N.D. Tex.). The relator, Sidesolve, Inc., will receive a $1 million share as part of the settlement. This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys William Admussen and Andrew Robbins, with assistance from Sandra Mazzoni of the SBA. The civil claims settled by this FCA agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.


title: United States Files Statement of Interest to Prevent Discrimination and Ensure Access to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Pennsylvania Jails

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: Philadelphia, PA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today that the United States Department of Justice has filed a Statement of Interest in federal court to clarify state and local jails’ obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide inmates with access to medication to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). The Justice Department filed its Statement in the matter of Strickland v. Delaware County et al. , a private action alleging that a jail denied methadone to an inmate who was taking it for OUD in accordance with a doctor’s prescription prior to being incarcerated. The lawsuit alleges that the jail banned methadone to all inmates except those who were pregnant and taking methadone prior to incarceration. As the Justice Department explains in its Statement, the ADA prohibits a jail from categorically denying an incarcerated person access to OUD medications without individually assessing whether such medication is medically necessary to treat their disability. “My office is dedicated to fighting the opioid epidemic with every tool that we have,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “That includes enforcing the ADA to remove discriminatory barriers to treatment for OUD. Today’s Statement of Interest reminds jails and prisons about their obligations to address the needs of individuals with OUD and comply with the ADA.” “Jails and prisons are on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Individuals with substance use disorders who are in desperate need of treatment pass through these facilities daily. The ADA requires that jails individually assess the medical needs of each of these individuals and not categorically deny access to the Food and Drug Administration-approved OUD medications that many may need to effectively treat their disability.” The Justice Department’s submission of this Statement furthers its broader efforts to combat discrimination against individuals with OUD and to remove discriminatory barriers to treatment. The United States has entered into settlements with jails and prisons in Pennsylvania and across the country to increase access to OUD medication, including in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania , Eastern Kentucky , and Massachusetts . It has also brought enforcement actions to combat discrimination against individuals with OUD in court supervision programs in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts . And it has issued public guidance on the ADA’s protections for those with OUD. Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Civil Chief for Civil Rights Lauren DeBruicker handled this matter for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with attorneys from the Disability Rights Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. For more information about the Justice Department’s work to address discrimination against individuals with opioid use disorder, please visit: https://www.ada.gov/topics/opioid-use-disorder/ . For more information on the ADA, please call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov . If you believe you have been discriminated against based on disability and wish to file a complaint, please visit www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/ . Anyone in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by calling 215-861-8555 or emailing USAPAE.civilrights@usdoj.gov .


title: Millbrook, Alabama Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced the sentencing of a Millbrook, Alabama man who had previously been convicted of federal gun and drug offenses. On December 7, 2023, a federal judge sentenced 45-year-old Kawasi Wilson to 32 years in prison, followed by 8 years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at Wilson’s August 2023 trial, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Wilson’s house on August 10, 2022. During the search, agents found over 1,000 grams of cocaine and 2 firearms, along with over $20,000 in cash. Wilson had previously been convicted of felony offenses, including a federal drug trafficking offense, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. As for the cocaine, when it returned its verdict, the trial jury determined that Wilson possessed the cocaine with the intent distribute. This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Elmore County Drug Task Force investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Justin L. Jones and Joshua J. Wendell prosecuted.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office reminds hoteliers of obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington is investigating six hotels following complaints the facilities violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. In addition to the six active investigations, three area hotels have entered into settlement agreements after findings that they were not compliant with the ADA. “As we enter the busy holiday travel season, it is critical that hotels and motels review their properties and reservation systems to ensure people with disabilities can reserve and be appropriately accommodated in rooms that meet their needs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “I’m pleased that three hotels have agreed to fix their accessibility issues, and we thank those customers who brought these issues to our attention. However, we’d rather see the hospitality community embrace the ADA guidelines without an investigation and action from our office.” Over the last year, the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office received and resolved complaints about three hotels in the Seattle area: The MarQueen Hotel on Queen Anne Avenue North in Seattle, The Hampton Inn and Suites in Lynnwood, Washington and the Holiday Inn and Suites in Bothell, Washington. In each case, a traveler who is disabled was assigned a room that did not meet the ADA even though the customer had requested appropriate accommodation. The MarQueen Hotel allegedly ignored the customer’s request for a first-floor room since the customer has mobility issues and the historic hotel has no elevators. While the investigation did not determine whether the hotel had promised a first-floor room, it did conclude that the MarQueen does not have the required number of rooms that accommodate people with mobility disabilities. Under the resolution, the hotel will provide the U.S. Attorney’s office with it’s plan to add an additional room for those with mobility disabilities. The Lynnwood Hampton Inn Suites resolved a claim that it failed to honor a request for an accessible bathroom from a guest with mobility impairment. Under the terms of the resolution the hotel will improve the reservations system and training for employees. If the hotel fails to have an accessible room for the person who has reserved one, it will assist the customer with finding an accessible room at another property or will move a non-disabled customer to provide such a room. The Bothell Holiday Inn and Suites similarly failed to have a room with an accessible bathroom for a customer who had reserved a room and believed the room would accommodate their disability. However, the hotel website was unclear as to the accommodation and the room did not have an accessible bathroom. The hotel has agreed to make changes to it’s website and changes in training for its employees so that it is ADA compliant. In each of the resolutions listed above, the hotel management has agreed to alert the U.S. Attorney’s Office to any complaints of ADA violations that the hotels receive over the next year. In some instances, the complainant is financially compensated as part of the resolution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office actively works to ensure ADA compliance. You can learn more about our efforts here. The resolutions in these cases were handled by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Kas.


title: Settlement Agreement Reached to Resolve American with Disabilities Act Complaint

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI –United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Fresh Start Learning Center (“Fresh Start”), a childcare center in Middletown, RI, that provides childcare for children ages 18 months to 5 years old, to resolve allegations that Fresh Start was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”). The settlement agreement addresses an ADA complaint filed by the parent of a child with autism, alleging that Fresh Start refused to make any reasonable accommodations and terminated the child from the program because of his disability. According to information contained in the settlement agreement, the child was initially enrolled at Fresh Start in January 2022, shortly after he turned three years old. After attending childcare at Fresh Start for more than one year, the child’s mother provided Fresh Start with an evaluation stating that her child had a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and suggesting recommended reasonable accommodations. Shortly after receiving the evaluation and request for accommodations, and without any prior warnings or incidents, Fresh Start notified the parent that her child would be disenrolled from the daycare due to the standard of care that was required. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Fresh Start will implement new nondiscriminatory policies, practices, and procedures for children with disabilities who wish to attend their daycare; train its staff on compliance with Title III of the ADA; and evaluate each request for reasonable modifications on an individualized basis. Fresh Start has also agreed to pay a total of $7,000 in compensatory damages to the Complainant. Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in places of public accommodations, including daycare centers. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Department of Justice is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties. The United States’ case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Amy R. Romero. For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a place of public accommodation or public entity in Rhode Island is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 401-709-5000. ### fresh_start_ada_agreement_0.pdf


title: District Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Prison for Repeated Acts of Sexual Abuse of a Child

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Charles Johnson, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 32 years in prison on multiple counts of first degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, multiple counts of first degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, second degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, attempted first degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, and assault. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the sentence. Johnson was convicted in July 2023 after a five-day trial in Superior Court in the District of Columbia. According to evidence and testimony presented at trial, on multiple occasions between November 2019 and September 2021, Johnson sexually abused a child who was nine- and 10-years-old at the time of the assaults. Johnson subjected the child to sexual acts and repeatedly forced her to perform sexual acts on him. Johnson, who was an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, resided in the home with the victim and took advantage of occasions when he was left in a position of supervision and care over her. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe sentenced Johnson to a total of 384 months across multiple counts, to be followed by a period of supervised release. Upon his release, Johnson will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Kathleen Houck, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Cape Girardeau Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Gun, Methamphetamine Crimes

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Monday sentenced a previously-convicted felon who was caught with two stolen guns, two other guns and methamphetamine to 12 years in prison. Daniel T. Aguilar, 39, of Cape Girardeau, pleaded guilty in September to four felonies: possession of stolen firearms, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. Aguilar admitted to breaking into a storage unit in Jackson, Missouri on Sept. 30, 2022, and stealing a Maverick 12-gauge shotgun and an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 pistol. The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force learned on Jan. 10, 2023, that Aguilar had meth, a pistol and stolen property in his home. Detectives watched as Aguilar took license plates off his Toyota Scion and placed them on an SUV with expired plates. Aguilar then drove off in the SUV. The Missouri State Highway Patrol stopped the SUV and found 42 grams of meth inside. A court-approved search of Aguilar’s home and vehicle found 14 grams of meth hidden in a couch cushion, stolen property and bolt cutters in his bedroom and two handguns hidden in a speaker box in the trunk of his vehicle. The two stolen guns were recovered from his girlfriend’s house. Aguilar has five prior felony convictions, including carjacking. He was on probation for state charges at the time of his federal offenses. The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton prosecuted the case.


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Summit

component: Office on Violence Against Women

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland delivered remarks at the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Summit today. Before that national audience, he discussed the Northern District of Alabama’s work in Jefferson County on domestic violence matters. U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona, AUSA Jeremy Sherer, and Kelly Klehm, Deputy Director of One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center (One Place), and Director of Camp Hope – Alabama, are presenting at the Summit on the Safe at Home: PSN’s Role in Reducing Domestic Violence panel. Since 2022, the Department of Justice has committed more than $1.6 million of funding for new projects to address domestic violence within the Northern District of Alabama. In 2022, the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $500,000 to One Place to facilitate and implement the Domestic Violence and Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP) in Jefferson County, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office in Birmingham approximately $340,000 to enhance the response of local law enforcement and prosecutors in Jefferson County. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has dedicated Project Safe Neighborhoods grant resources to enhance protections for domestic violence victims within the district. In 2023, the OVW awarded One Place $800,000 to support its mission as the comprehensive service provider for victims of domestic and sexual violence in Jefferson County. The Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (¡HICA!) and the Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH) partnered with One Place in its application to enhance services to survivors of domestic violence in Jefferson County. The award comes to One Place through OVW’s Improving Criminal Justice Responses grant program. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Remarks Delivered: Thanks everybody. Thanks, Amy. Thanks to everybody from the team at the Office of Justice Programs. Thanks, Karhlton, and everybody from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. I know how hard it is to put something like this together and how much work. And I greatly appreciative everyone’s efforts. Thank you, Mayor Hogsett, and Chief Taylor for welcoming us to Indianapolis. We are grateful to both of you for being here today and for hosting us. Mayor Hogsett, as a former U.S. Attorney, we regard you as one of our own, and we are grateful that you are here. I also want to recognize the state and local law enforcement leaders, city and town leaders, and community partners who have traveled from across the country to be here for the next three days. I speak for all of us at the Justice Department when I say that your perspectives and your insights are invaluable to us. We have an enormous amount of respect for the work you do every single day in your communities. And speaking of all of us at the Justice Department, I really mean that. I am also joined here this morning by Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, whom you all know well. Also here are leaders from each of the Department’s law enforcement components, the ATF, FBI, DEA, and U.S. Marshals Service; 40 of our United States Attorneys and senior leaders from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country; leaders from the Office on Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ); and many other components. I am very pleased that all of them are here; I am very proud of their work. Convenings like this one, with our law enforcement and community partners, are always important to us at the Justice Department. We know that the best time to build relationships across agencies and jurisdictions is before a crisis or an incident occurs in our communities. But this is an especially critical time in our work together to keep our communities safe. Today, we are confronting a global threat environment that makes it particularly urgent for us to remain vigilant in the face of risks of terrorism and hate-fueled violence. We are closely monitoring the impact that the conflict in the Middle East may have in inspiring foreign terrorist organizations, homegrown violent extremists, and domestic violent extremists both in the United States and abroad. And all of us have seen the extremely sharp increase in the volume and frequency of threats against Jewish, Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities across our country since October 7. The fear that so many communities are feeling is palpable. This comes at a time when law enforcement agencies and communities across the country have already been facing significant challenges in the form of violent crime. We are here together today because we know that no one law enforcement agency, no one community, no one town or city can address these challenges on its own. We need each other. We need to work together. We are also here in Indianapolis for the same reason that all of us came to public service in the first place: we believe that everyone in our country deserves to feel safe and to be safe in our communities. Every person, in every neighborhood, deserves to feel protected. Every parent deserves to know that their children will be safe when they play outside. Violent crime is not just a threat to people’s physical safety; it is a threat to their ability to freely go about their daily lives. Violent crime isolates people and their communities. It deepens the fractures in our public life. And when it is not addressed, it can undermine people’s trust in the government and in each other. Combating the threat that violent crime poses to people’s safety, and to our shared future, is what motivates us at the Justice Department every day. Shortly after I was sworn in as Attorney General, we launched our Department-wide Violent Crime Reduction Strategy aimed at addressing the spike in violent crime during the pandemic. Central to that strategy is the importance of our partnerships. That includes partnership among federal law enforcement agencies assisting in the fight against violent crime; partnership with the local communities harmed by that crime; and partnership with the state, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies protecting those local communities every day. Another element of that strategy is the recognition that the best anti-violent crime strategies are tailored to the needs of, and are developed with, individual communities. That’s why one of the first things we did was focus on strengthening Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). We oriented the program around a set of principles that put community partnerships, community trust, violence prevention, and measuring results at the center of our efforts. Since then, each of our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices has worked with its partners in state and local law enforcement to develop and implement data-driven, district-specific, anti-violent crime efforts. Our U.S. Attorneys have brought together law enforcement, research, and community partners to develop PSN programs designed to focus on the drivers of violent crime in their communities. And I am proud of the work they have done. To give just a few examples: Right here in Indianapolis, less than two weeks ago, a PSN case out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana brought together its partners at the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to secure the conviction and sentencing of a repeat violent offender. In the Middle District of Florida, the office’s PSN strategy has focused not only on the investigation, disruption, and prosecution of violent crime, but also on targeted outreach to members of the community, including students, community leaders, and people incarcerated in state prisons nearing their release dates. This outreach is aimed at preventing violence before it occurs. And in the Northern District of Alabama, the office created a PSN program, the Operation Safe Families Initiative, to combat the domestic violence that is driving a significant part of the violent crime in that district. In Jefferson County, Alabama, domestic abusers annually commit more than 70% of the homicides. The Northern District of Alabama’s PSN program brings together — in one building — federal and local prosecutors as well as law enforcement, victim service providers, and other partner agencies. This program gives victims of domestic violence a place to go that can meet their needs — not just in terms of pursuing enforcement options against the perpetrator, but also in regaining a sense of safety and well-being. Like PSN, the National Public Safety Partnership, or PSP, is focused on strengthening partnerships across communities to tackle violent crime. PSP makes DOJ tools and expertise available to local law enforcement agencies as they work to address the unique challenges of their communities. Sites participating in this program are able to consult with and receive training, technical assistance, and an array of Department resources to combat violent crime. Today I want to welcome the newest sites participating in PSP this year, all of which are represented here today. Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California; You join more than 50 communities that have worked with DOJ personnel, outside experts, and each other to better understand and tackle the violent crime challenges specific to their communities. We look forward to working together with you. In addition to PSN and PSP, the Justice Department is putting to use every resource at our disposal in the fight against violent crime. This includes our prosecutors, who are going after the recidivists and gangs that are responsible for the greatest violence. This includes our law enforcement components, each of which is working with its state and local law enforcement partners to seize illegal guns and deadly drugs. And this includes our grantmaking components, which are working closely with communities across the country to provide targeted support and assistance. We are funding evidence-based, community-centered initiatives aimed at preventing and disrupting violence. We are funding community policing efforts that build the public trust between law enforcement and the community that we know is essential to public safety. And we are making critical investments in hiring more law enforcement officers in communities nationwide to address the crisis in recruitment and retention to support much-needed resources for law enforcement officer health and wellness. As we work with our partners nationwide to implement community-tailored approaches to combating violent crime, we also recognize that there are universal challenges that require a comprehensive approach. That includes the epidemic of gun violence. And that is why ATF is working with its state and local partners to trace more firearms than ever before in its history. That is why we are operating Crime Gun Intelligence Centers in every ATF Field Division to coordinate comprehensive tracing and ballistics analysis. These centers, which are represented here today, allow state and local law enforcement agencies to harness the power of ATF’s ballistics database and firearms-tracing technologies. This information helps lead them to the repeat shooters who fuel violent crime. In addition, all 94 of our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are bringing gun trafficking cases under the new provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Those provisions have given us new authorities to go after gun traffickers and straw purchasers responsible for flooding our communities with guns. Our prosecutors have now charged nearly 300 defendants under that Act and seized hundreds of firearms in connection with these cases.” I have mentioned several examples of how the Justice Department is working to implement our partnership-based violent crime strategy. In implementing that strategy, we have generated a wealth of resources shaped heavily by the feedback we have received from all of you. But information is only as helpful as it is accessible. That is why, today we are releasing a new publication through the Office of Justice Programs, our Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap. We have spent two and a half years using every available resource to combat the violent crime spike, and this is a guide to the programs and strategies that we have seen work. We have seen them work in the District of New Jersey. There, federal, state, and local law enforcement have worked together to target their resources on the individuals and organizations that were primarily driving violent crime in five target cities with the worst violent crime. These efforts have paid off, as the number of shootings have decreased significantly in New Jersey, statewide. And we have seen them work in the Eastern District of Michigan, where the U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with both law enforcement and the community to drive down violent crime in Detroit. Through the One Detroit Partnership, they have aggressively prosecuted the primary drivers of violence, worked with community groups to prevent violence from occurring, and collaborated with corrections experts to support those who are returning to the community to ensure they do not return to violence. This kind of partnership works: recent data from the Detroit Police Department indicate that this year the city is on track for the fewest homicides in Detroit in over 60 years. It is our hope that the Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap provides a starting point for communities across the country to learn about resources available to help them replicate these efforts. As I said at the start of my remarks, all of our communities are facing urgent and unprecedented challenges today. But I am encouraged by the data we have been seeing indicating a recent decline in homicides. The FBI has reported that the number of homicides fell over 6% nationally between 2021 and 2022. And earlier this year, the Major Cities Chiefs Association reported an over 10% decrease in the number of murders across 69 major cities through September of this year, compared to the same time period last year. These developments are encouraging. But this is not a time to relax our efforts. We have so much more to do. I am even more encouraged by your presence here. We know that the only way to replicate what is working and to bring violent crime down in every community is learning from each other and by investing in our partnerships. I know that is what you’re going to be doing over the next three days. Our work together is our best hope to fulfill the promise that brought us all here — that we will protect each other. Thank you for your commitment to that work.


title: Separate Indictments Charge Multiple Defendants in  Armed Carjacking Conspiracies

body_text: WASHINGTON – A 19-count indictment filed in Superior Court in the District of Columbia and a 33-count superseding indictment filed in U.S. District Court charge a total of 10 people as members of separate alleged carjacking rings that held victims, in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, at gunpoint, stole their vehicles and then sold them. The defendants are believed responsible for at least a dozen incidents involving carjacking or attempted carjacking in the District and parts of Maryland. The charges and arrests were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg, of the Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. According to documents filed in Superior Court, seven defendants, five of whom were juveniles at the time of the alleged crimes, conspired to steal cars at gunpoint and sell some of the stolen vehicles. Cedae Hardy, the lead defendant in the federal indictment, who was indicted in August 2023 on 18 counts, is charged in 11 additional counts, including an attempted carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury for allegedly shooting a rideshare driver multiple times. The superseding indictment also adds two defendants. “Carjackings are among the most violent crimes we prosecute,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The overwhelming majority arrested for carjacking are juveniles and many of the adults are themselves teenagers. To the teenagers fueling these crimes, know that there is no such thing as a “free ride.” Masks will not protect you. We will track you down and aggressively pursue the charges that fit the crime in our continuing effort to make the community safe - including charging juveniles as adults where appropriate - and bringing federal charges.” “The number of armed carjackings Cedae Hardy and his co-conspirators are alleged to have committed is truly astonishing,” said David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Today’s indictment illustrates the ruthlessness with which these carjackers selected vulnerable targets of opportunity as their victims, including a dentist on her way to work; a mother buckling her young children into her vehicle in front of an elementary school; an elderly couple pulling into the driveway of their home; and a rideshare driver who was allegedly shot by Hardy. The FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force, the Metropolitan Police Department, and our other law enforcement partners who jointly investigated these crimes will continue to use all of our authorities to bring these and other carjackers to justice so they can no longer terrorize our communities.” “These cases are an example of what we can accomplish through hard work by our detectives, community cooperation, and by bringing together our local, regional, and federal law enforcement partners,” said Chief Pamela A. Smith. U.S. v Jordan, et al View the press release for the Superior Court Indictment: Jordan et al Jaelen Jordan, 18, and Warren Montgomery, 19, both of Washington, D.C., along with Byron Gillum, also known as Bryon Gillum, 18, Isaiah Flowers, 18, Jahkai Goff, 19, Taj Giles, 18, and Irshaad Ellis-Bey, 18, all of Prince George’s County, MD, are charged in a 19-count indictment arising from a conspiracy to commit armed carjackings in an around the District of Columbia between February and May 2023. The conspiracy charges 90 overt acts, including multiple armed carjackings and robberies in the Maryland and Washington DC areas. Jordan, Montgomery, Gillum, Flowers, Goff, Giles, and Ellis-Bey were also charged with the armed carjackings committed in the District, and trafficking stolen property. Jordan was arrested on May 17, 2023, following an investigation. Montgomery and Gillum were arrested on warrants on October 10, 2023, and Goff, Giles, and Ellis-Bey were arrested on December 7, 2023. All defendants have been detained since their arrest. The seventh defendant, Isaiah Flowers, is detained in Prince George’s County on separate charges. The defendants will be arraigned on December 14, 2023, before the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Marshals Service (USMS), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Valuable assistance was provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department. This case is being investigated and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily R. Kubo and Gregory J. Evans. U.S. v Cedae Hardy, et al View the press release for the District Court Indictment: Hardy et al The superseding indictment charges two additional defendants - Landrell Jordan III and Malik Norman, both 19 of Washington, D.C. – for conspiring with Hardy and for their role in multiple carjackings in May and June 2023. The initial 18-count indictment charged Cedae Hardy , also 19, of Washington, D.C., in six separate carjackings throughout Washington, D.C., and Maryland, between April and June of 2023. The 33-count superseding indictment adds charges against Hardy in connection with five more carjackings between January and May of 2023, including an attempted carjacking in which he allegedly shot the victim multiple times. All of the defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit carjacking. Hardy is charged in 29 of the 33 counts, including four counts of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle and three counts of sale or receipt of a stolen vehicle. Norman is charged in 13 counts, including four counts of carjacking, four counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle, and two counts of sale or receipt of a stolen vehicle. Jordan is charged in five counts, including two counts of carjacking and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. According to the indictment, as part of the conspiracy, Hardy drove the carjacked vehicles to a garage adjoining an apartment complex located at 1326 Florida Avenue Northeast, Washington, D.C. (the “Florida Avenue Garage”). A co-conspirator would contact potential buyers, who in these instances were undercover officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The co-conspirator would arrange a time to meet the undercover officers at a predetermined location - usually the Florida Avenue Garage – and complete the sale of the carjacked vehicles. The co-conspirators and Hardy would then split the proceeds. For example, on April 8, 2023, Hardy arrived at the Florida Avenue Garage in a victim’s stolen Mercedes. Co‑Conspirator 1 and Co-Conspirator 2 opened the door to the Florida Avenue Garage for Hardy. The victim’s Mercedes was sold on April 10, 2023, by Co-Conspirator 1 to MPD undercover officers for $1,200. It is further alleged that in May and June 2023, Norman contacted Hardy on multiple occasions to request that he obtain vehicles. In response to these requests, Hardy committed armed carjackings and transferred the carjacked vehicles to Norman in exchange for money. Landrell Jordan is charged for his direct participation, alongside Hardy, in two such armed carjackings committed in May 2023; following both offenses, the carjacked vehicle was then transferred to Norman. It is also alleged that on June 13, 2023, Norman sent a text message to Hardy requesting two vehicles. A day later, Hardy carjacked a woman in Southeast Washington as she was putting her children into her car, picked up Norman in the carjacked vehicle and, after driving at a high rate of speed, crashed into another motorist. All of the defendants are in custody. Following the execution of search warrants, law enforcement recovered multiple guns and proceeds from carjacking victims. In federal court, the statutory maximum sentence for carjacking is 15 years in prison, or up to 25 years in prison if serious bodily injury occurs; the mandatory minimum sentence for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence is seven years in prison. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The sentence imposed will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Prince George’s County, Hyattsville, and Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Paul V. Courtney, and Jared English, of the Federal Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. View the District Court Superseding Indictment View the Superior Court Indictment


title: Two South Jersey Men Charged for Roles in Dog Fighting Ring

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two South Jersey men have been charged for their participation in a dog-fighting ring that involved the “DMV Board,” a Telegram-based dog fighting collective, spanning several states, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Todd S. Kim of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice announced today. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Tommy J. Watson, aka “Snakes,” 43, of Clayton, New Jersey, and Johnnie Lee Nelson, aka “Johnny,” 34, of Bridgeton, New Jersey, conspired with others to violate the Animal Welfare Act, by fighting, training, transporting, and possessing pit bull-type dogs in dog-fighting ventures, from August 2017 through March 2019. Watson and others conducted a dog-fighting operation known as “From Da Bottom Kennels,” which posted bloodline information of fighting dogs owned by the kennel on the dog fighting website “Peds Online.” Watson and others also used the “DMV Board” to transmit videos of live dog fights, of training dogs for fights, and of the killing of underperforming fighting dogs, including by hanging. In separate Animal Welfare Act counts, Watson is charged with fighting two pit bull-type dogs in dog fights on December 2, 2018. He is also charged with transporting a third dog, Rambo, along with do-it-yourself veterinary equipment, such as a skin stapler, to a location on Center Road in Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey, for a dog fight on March 23, 2019. Law enforcement officials prevented that dog fight from occurring. At that location, law enforcement discovered, concealed in a car, two other dogs that had already fought. Both Watson and Nelson are charged with possessing and training Rambo for the March 23 fight. Watson is also charged with one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Watson surrendered today and is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King in Camden federal court. Nelson was arrested Dec. 5, 2023, and appeared before Judge King. The Animal Welfare Act counts, and the count of conspiracy to violate that statute, each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The count of being a felon in possession of ammunition carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Kim credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, under the supervision of Acting Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker; and the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to the charges. They also thanked detectives with the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, for their assistance with the investigation. The government is represented by Deputy Chief Desiree Grace and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O’Leary of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. watsonetal.sindictment.pdf


title: District Court Employee Convicted At Trial In Connection With Decade-Long Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced on December 11, 2023, that a federal jury found DIONISIO FIGUEROA, a/k/a “Dionicio,” an employee of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (“the SDNY District Court”), guilty of bribery, conspiracy, and false statements charges for his participation in a scheme in which he referred criminal defendants to a criminal defense attorney and encouraged those defendants to retain the attorney, all in exchange for cash bribes. The attorney pled guilty to all counts on November 16, 2023. FIGUEROA will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on April 8, 2024. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Figueroa, a longtime clerk at the SDNY District Court, betrayed his employer, the public, and those who rely on the court to remain impartial. His actions violated his duties as a court employee, undermined the fair administration of justice, and undermined the work of the many good people in the courthouse who serve the criminal justice system with honesty and integrity. A federal jury has now held Figueroa accountable for his crimes. This verdict should remind public servants in positions of trust that if you betray the public, my Office will not hesitate to enforce the law.” According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial: As a clerk in the SDNY Magistrate Clerk’s Office since in or about 2002, FIGUEROA was responsible for performing duties that included, among other things, making data entries regarding official case events in criminal cases, making summary entries of documents and proceedings on case dockets, and performing inquiries and furnishing information, either in person or by correspondence, regarding the status of cases. FIGUEROA also played a role with respect to the intake of criminal cases, including by preparing appearance bonds, advising defendants and their family members about the conditions of the bonds, and ensuring that appearance bonds were signed by all parties prior to a defendant’s release. SDNY District Court personnel policies prohibited FIGUEROA from having outside employment that would pose a conflict of interest; receiving payments, gifts, or other benefits from persons having business before the District Court; and recommending particular attorneys to members of the public. FIGUEROA was also subject to the U.S. Courts’ Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees (the “Code of Conduct”), which cautioned judicial employees that “[a] number of criminal statutes of general applicability govern federal employees’ performance of official duties. These include: 18 U.S.C. § 201 (bribery of public officials and witnesses) . . . ” The Code of Conduct likewise admonished, among other things, that “[a] judicial employee should never influence or attempt to influence the assignment of cases, or perform any discretionary or ministerial function of the court in a manner that improperly favors any litigant or attorney, nor should a judicial employee imply that he or she is in a position to do so.” TELESFORO DEL VALLE, JR., was a private attorney who had appeared in numerous federal criminal cases pending before the SDNY District Court. Between at least 2011 and 2022, FIGUEROA and DEL VALLE engaged in a scheme whereby FIGUEROA used his position as an employee of the SDNY District Court to encourage criminal defendants to retain DEL VALLE to represent them in pending criminal cases. In return, DEL VALLE paid FIGUEROA a portion of the fees clients paid to DEL VALLE. Over the course of more than a decade, FIGUEROA referred at least 45 SDNY criminal defendants to DEL VALLE, and DEL VALLE paid FIGUEROA tens of thousands of dollars in referral fees. DEL VALLE paid FIGUEROA directly and through an intermediary who would pick up envelopes of cash for FIGUEROA from DEL VALLE’s law office. Many of the clients who ended up retaining and paying DEL VALLE were assigned free, court-appointed counsel. Nevertheless, FIGUEROA encouraged those individuals to change counsel, including by vouching for DEL VALLE’s abilities as a lawyer. FIGUEROA and DEL VALLE were also charged with making false statements to law enforcement during the investigation. In November 2022, federal law enforcement agents separately interviewed both FIGUEROA and DEL VALLE. After advising each that lying to federal law enforcement agents is a federal crime, FIGUEROA and DEL VALLE each made materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements and representations in response to the agents’ questions. In particular, FIGUEROA denied making any referrals to DEL VALLE except on a small number of occasions concerning close relations or friends. He further denied ever having received payments from DEL VALLE for referrals. DEL VALLE, upon being served with a federal grand jury subpoena requiring the production of records from his law firm, falsely denied having any records reflecting client referrals from or payments to FIGUEROA or anyone else. DEL VALLE pled guilty to all charges on November 16, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge D’Agostino on March 12, 2024. * * * FIGUEROA, 66, of New York, New York, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to bribe a federal employee and pay illegal compensation to a judicial employee, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; one count of federal employee bribery, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 15 years in prison; one count of receiving illegal compensation as a judicial employee, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; and one count of making material false statements, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. DEL VALLE, 65, of Leonia, New Jersey, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to bribe a federal employee and pay illegal compensation to a judicial employee, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; one count of federal employee bribery, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 15 years in prison; one count of paying illegal compensation to a judicial employee, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; and one count of making material false statements, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Balsamello, Jarrod L. Schaeffer, and Stephanie Simon, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Christopher de Grandpre, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Leader of $6.8 Million Pandemic Fraud Scheme Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Charges

body_text: Seattle - Paradise Williams, 29, the leader of a wide-ranging fraud scheme that stole more than $3.3 million from federally funded pandemic assistance programs and attempted to obtain more than $6.8 million, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and money laundering charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Williams personally received more than $2 million in fraudulent proceeds and spent the money on extravagant expenses such as luxury cars, lavish trips, cosmetic surgery, jewelry, and designer goods. According to the plea agreement, from June 2020 to February 2022, Williams personally participated in the submission of over 125 fraudulent applications for the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds administered by King County, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment benefits. Williams enlisted dozens of associates, including her five codefendants, in successfully defrauding the programs of more than $3.3 million by posing as fake tenants, landlords, and small business owners in need of assistance. In submitting these applications, Williams, among other things, created falsified bank statements, tenant ledgers, and landlord attestations. Upon receipt of the illegal funds, Williams and her associates methodically laundered the funds through cash withdrawals, wire transfers, and expensive personal purchases. Williams received more than $1.2 million in kickback payments from her associates for facilitating the fraudulent submissions. According to the terms of the plea agreement, Williams will pay restitution in the amounts of $2,7791,241 to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and $512,730 to the U.S. Small Business Administration. The defendant will forfeit $2,023,104, the proceeds Williams personally obtained through the scheme. Williams will also forfeit a Lexus sedan and a Range Rover SUV that she purchased with the fraudulent gains. Wire fraud in relation to a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The government has agreed to recommend no more than 110 months in prison for Williams. The recommendation is not binding on U.S. District Judge John H. Chun, who will determine the appropriate sentence on February 26, 2024, after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Williams’ codefendants D’Arius Jackson, Tia Robinson, Rayvon Peterson, and David Martinez previously entered guilty pleas for their participation in the scheme and will be sentenced by Judge Chun in January and February 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang. 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


title: Justice Department Announces Release of Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today the release of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap , a one-stop shop to assist local jurisdictions in developing, implementing, and evaluating strategies to prevent, intervene in, and respond to violent crime. The Roadmap helps connect jurisdictions with the information and resources they need to meet the complex and evolving challenges to help reduce violent crime. The announcement came during the opening session of the Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Summit, which brings together federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners across the country to identify evidence-informed practices to increase public safety, enhance partnerships in the participating communities, and reduce violent crime. The Summit is convening executive leaders and key stakeholders from Project Safe Neighborhoods and National Public Safety Partnership sites, as well as grantees from several violent crime reduction programs including the Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative, Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, and the Rural and Small Department Violent Crime Reduction Program. Also in attendance at the Summit are top Justice Department officials, including Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta and leaders of offices and federal law enforcement agencies across the Department. The Roadmap is part of a comprehensive Justice Department strategy to reduce violent crime. “We have spent two and a half years using every available resource to combat the violent crime spike we saw during the pandemic, and this is a guide to the programs and strategies that we have seen work,” said Attorney General Garland. “But this is not a time to relax our efforts. We know that the only way to replicate what is working and to bring violent crime down in every community is by learning from each other and by investing in our partnerships.” The dozens of Justice Department resources available from the Roadmap are organized around actions outlined in Saving Lives: Ten Essential Actions Cities Can Take to Reduce Violence Now , developed by the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank for the criminal justice field. These strategies were identified by the Council on Criminal Justice’s (CCJ)’s Violent Crime Working Group, which included experts from community organizations, law enforcement, the public health sector, and academia. “Effectively addressing violent crime requires partnerships and investments at every level — federal, state, and local law enforcement, and the communities we serve,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta. “This Roadmap is a one-stop shop for Justice Department resources — from funding to training to publications — that can help law enforcement, local leaders, and community members tackle this problem together.” “This Roadmap lifts up proven solutions and the resources we have available for communities across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP). “The effort to address violent crime will require continued collaboration and engagement between all stakeholders, and communities themselves. OJP is pleased to identify resources available here and, eventually, across the federal government that can support city leaders to implement these essential actions to save lives.” The Police Executive Research Forum , funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, will provide local jurisdictions with tailored training and technical assistance on how to implement the 10 essential actions and utilize the Justice Department’s resources identified in the Roadmap, to reduce violent crime while building community trust. Training and technical assistance offerings include specialized expertise to help organizations solve problems and build capacity, and they provide direct connections to subject matter experts as well as how-to materials.


title: Scranton Man Sentenced To 84 Months In Prison For Luzerne County Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Wazny, age 33, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to a term of 84 months’ imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence – bank robbery. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Wazny pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm during the bank robbery at an M&T Bank located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on July 23, 2021. During the robbery, Wazny pointed a 12-gauge shotgun at employees, demanding cash. After the robbery, Wazny fled the area in a vehicle while in high-speed pursuit by local officers. Wazny crashed his vehicle into a pole and fled on foot with a backpack containing the cash from the bank robbery. Police quickly apprehended him, took him into custody, seized the backpack, recovering the cash from the bank. Police also recovered a single-shot Sears and Roebuck 12-gauge shotgun and three buckshot shells from the crash location. This case was jointly investigated by the FBI in Scranton and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley 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. # # #


title: Bronx Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day in Prison for Nationwide Credit Card Fraud Affecting Thousands of Account Holders

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A manager for a conspiracy that used stolen credit card information to make fraudulent retail purchases around the United States was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Trevor Osagie, 32, of the Bronx, New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William Martini to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Judge Martini imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From at least 2015 through November 2018, Osagie conspired with a network of individuals based in the New Jersey/New York area who made trips around the United States in order to use stolen credit card information to purchase gift cards, flights, hotels, rental cards, and other goods and services. Other participants in the conspiracy obtained stolen credit card information through the “dark web” and other sources. In addition to recruiting at least one individual to create the fraudulent credit cards, Osagie managed the individuals who traveled around the United States conducting the fraudulent transactions. The conspirators made over $1.5 million in fraudulent purchases using over 4,000 stolen credit card accounts. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Osagie to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1.43 million in restitution. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.


title: Union County Man Sentenced to 407 Months in Prison for Multiple Armed Robberies and Firearms Offenses

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County man was sentenced today to 407 months in prison for participating in a multi-state armed robbery spree that spanned several months, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Vincent Chan-Guillen, 33, was convicted on March 8, 2023, of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during a Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm during a Hobbs Act robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Chan-Guillen was convicted following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler, who imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial: Chan-Guillen committed nine armed robberies between August 2018 and November 2018 – five in New York and four in New Jersey. During each robbery, Chan-Guillen brandished a firearm, which he pointed at store employees and customers. The New Jersey robberies victimized liquor stores in Elizabeth, Woodbridge Township, Bloomfield, and Linden. In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Chan-Guillen to five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction. He also credited the Elizabeth, Rahway, Woodbridge, Bloomfield, Linden, Kenilworth, Union, and Lyndhurst police departments; the New Jersey State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division; and the New York Police Department for their assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Mezzanotte of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.