title: Carroll County Nurse Pleads Guilty to Stealing Controlled Substances from Life Care Center Employer

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A nurse, who stole controlled substances from a life care center where she was employed, pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City. Cassandra Lynne Vonnahme, age 32, from Arcadia, Iowa, entered a guilty plea to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters. Vonnahme had been scheduled to begin a jury trial on December 11, 2023. At the plea hearing, Vonnahme admitted that between November 2020 and December 2020, she diverted controlled substances and falsified related documents. The controlled substances Vonnahme stole and the records she falsified pertained to actual patients. Vonnahme was later convicted of burglary in Carroll County in 2021, where she stole controlled substances from a stranger’s home. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Vonnahme remains free on bond pending sentencing. Vonnahme faces a possible maximum sentence of 9 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 4- years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being investigated by the Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4019. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Serial Armed Robber Sentenced to More than Fifty-Five Years in Federal Prison

body_text: A seven-time convicted felon who robbed or attempted to rob employees of Cedar Rapids businesses at gunpoint seven times in a twelve-day period in November 2020 was sentenced today to more than fifty-five years in prison. Cardel Demetrius Redmond, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 6, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of six counts of interference with commerce by robbery, six counts of using and possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of those robberies, one count of attempt to interfere with commerce by robbery, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The evidence at trial showed that on November 17, 2020, Redmond robbed the Subway restaurant on Gateway Place SW in Cedar Rapids by displaying a firearm to the employees and demanding the cash from the register. On November 19, 2020, Redmond robbed a cashier at gunpoint in the Wine and Spirits area of the Hy-Vee grocery store on Oakland Road NE in Cedar Rapids. On November 25, 2020, Redmond robbed the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery on Southgate Court SW in Cedar Rapids by pointing a firearm at one of the employees of the business. On the night of November 27, 2020, Redmond used a firearm to rob an employee at the Hy-Vee grocery store on Mount Vernon Road SE in Cedar Rapids. Minutes later, Redmond robbed two employees at gunpoint at the Little Caesar’s Pizza on Mount Vernon Road SE. Less than twenty-four hours later, on November 28, 2020, Redmond attempted to rob two employees at the Hy-Vee Drugstore on 6th Street SW by brandishing a firearm. One of the employees told him there was a police officer in an unmarked car in the parking lot, and Redmond fled. The following night, November 29, 2020, Redmond robbed the same Subway restaurant on Gateway Place SW by pointing a firearm at an employee. Additional information from sentencing showed that Redmond was released on probation on November 4, 2020. He committed three burglaries on November 9, 2020. The first burglary was at restaurant. He stole a valuable truck parked in front of the restaurant belonging to the restaurant owner. He used the truck as transportation to commit two additional burglaries that morning at cellular telephone stores. After committing the three burglaries, Redmond was driving the stolen truck, when he crossed the center line and collided head-on with another car, causing serious injuries to the other driver. Redmond stayed at the scene of the accident and provided false information to a police officer. He committed another burglary at a retail store on November 12, 2020, that resulted in more than $4,000 in property damage. Redmond was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Redmond was sentenced to 666 months’ imprisonment. In imposing the sentence, Judge Williams noted the tremendous impact Redmond had had on the community in committing highly aggravating offenses and found that Redmond posed a grave danger to the public. Redmond was ordered to make $2,068.54 in restitution to the victims of the robberies. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyndra Lundquist and Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-0085. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Accessing Child Pornography

body_text: A man who participated in an online chat group where adult men made requests to a 13-year-old girl for sexually explicit photos and videos was sentenced November 29, 2023, to more than 11 years in federal prison. Jason Dean Anderson, age 50, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 16, 2023 guilty plea to one count of accessing child pornography including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. Information at the sentencing hearing showed that during 2021 and 2022, Anderson participated in a Snapchat group where men would sexually exploit a 13‑year-old girl. Anderson admitted to requesting that the girl take and post sexually explicit depictions of herself. Officers seized Anderson’s cell phone and found several videos and photos of child pornography, including depictions of adults sexually abusing infants. Anderson admitted that he was interested in teenagers and that he had chatted with some children online. Anderson had previously been encountered by law enforcement in 2012 after it was discovered that he was having sexually explicit conversations online with a seventeen‑year‑old girl who lived in a facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Anderson had been communicating with the seventeen‑year‑old for approximately two years and had requested that she send him sexually explicit pictures of herself. Anderson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Anderson was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $5,100 in special assessments. He must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Anderson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Dupuich and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23‑CR‑00008‑CJW‑MAR.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Cocaine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Miguel Avalos-Diaz, 26, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced November 30, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for four drug trafficking charges, including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Avalos-Diaz to 260 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Avalos-Diaz’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. In August, a jury convicted Avalos-Diaz of conspiracy to distribute meth and cocaine and found him not guilty of a gun charge. The day before trial, Avalos-Diaz pleaded guilty to three charges, including two counts of distribution of a controlled substance and one charge of possession with intent to distribute meth. Omaha police received information from a cooperator that Avalos-Diaz was distributing meth and cocaine. Police used the cooperator to make three “controlled buys” from Avalos-Diaz in February and March of 2022. All three times, the cooperator bought meth from Avalos-Diaz. During the third drug deal, Avalos-Diaz also “fronted,” i.e. provided on credit, one ounce of cocaine. After the third drug deal, police searched a residence in south Omaha near Bellevue on March 30, 2022. Inside, officers encountered and arrested Avalos-Diaz and co-defendant Jose Salvador Perez. Police seized approximately 2.5 pounds of meth, more than $36,000 in cash, and a loaded .45-caliber handgun. Officers also found evidence of cocaine distribution in the residence, including six digital scales, cutting agents, a vacuum sealer, and small amounts of cocaine packaged in baggies. Review of both defendants’ Facebook messages dating back to December 2021 revealed a conspiracy to distribute meth and cocaine throughout the time period of the messages. Avalos-Diaz’s advisory sentence under the United States Sentencing Commission guidelines was increased because he maintained a premise for the purpose of manufacturing or distributing a controlled substance and possessed a weapon in connection with a drug offense. A total of $36,598 in cash has been forfeited to the United States as proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. Perez, 27, of Omaha is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2024. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Omaha Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax Return

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Thomas Campbell, 41, of Bennington, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 30, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for filing a false individual income tax return. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Campbell to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Campbell’s release from prison, he will begin a 1-year term of supervised release. Campbell was also ordered to pay $407,665 in restitution to the United States. According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2014 and 2018, Campbell, a licensed attorney since 2011, was the owner and manager of TLN Law, a solo-practice law firm in Omaha. Campbell controlled the law firm’s finances and was aware of substantial amounts of cash payments his firm received for legal services. For 2014 through 2018, Campbell did not report over $2.8 million in cash his firm received, which flowed through to, and should have been reported on, his personal tax returns. In total, Campbell caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $400,000. “IRS Criminal Investigation takes violations of our tax laws very seriously,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock. “It’s important for all taxpayers to have confidence that the tax system is fair, and all are paying their share.” In praising the work IRS Criminal Investigation did on this case and the sentence imposed, Acting U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr stated, “This case ends years of investigation and goes to show that no one, regardless of their position or status, is above the law. Millions of Americans every year pay their taxes in accordance with the law. Mr. Campbell was not immune from that obligation.” Trial Attorney Mahana Weidler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Ferretti for the District of Nebraska prosecuted the case. This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.


title: Kansas Woman Sentenced for Embezzlement Scheme

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Amy Shepherd, age 44, of Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced on November 30, 2023, in federal Court in Omaha, Nebraska, for wire fraud. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Shepherd to 18 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Shepherd’s release from prison, she will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Shepherd was also ordered to pay $112,257.80 in restitution. Roadrunner Temperature Controlled is the refrigerated trucking division of Roadrunner Transportation Systems and it is located in Sarpy County, Nebraska. Roadrunner Temperature Controlled (hereinafter “Roadrunner”) uses Electronic Funds Source (hereinafter “EFS”), an electronic wire transfer service, for their driver cash advances. Amy Shepherd was employed by Roadrunner from July 25, 2016, through June 21, 2019. During her employment at Roadrunner, Shepherd was a Customer Service Manager, Driver Business Leader Manager, and, most recently, a Dispatch Lead Manager. Shepherd was a Dispatch Lead Manager from October 13, 2018, to June 21, 2019. Amy Shepherd worked remotely from her home in Kansas. Johnny Bradford II was a driver employed by Roadrunner from February 28, 2017, until May 4, 2018. From February 1, 2018, through June 21, 2019, Shepherd, used her position with Roadrunner as a Dispatch Lead Manager to fraudulently generate advances and enter EFS check codes into Roadrunner’s accounting system. Shepherd characterized the advances as relating to legitimate business purposes, for example repairs, washouts, or trailer unloading. Shepherd entered the advances for current Roadrunner drivers. After generating the check code, Shepherd sent the check code to Bradford. Bradford filled out the EFS Checks with the check code he received from Shepherd. Bradford then cashed the checks at vendor establishments. After Bradford received the funds, he would use Western Union to send portions of the money he received from the fraudulent driver advances back to Shepherd. One such wire occurred on June 9, 2019, when an Electronic Check in the amount of $826.64 was initiated by Shepherd, in Kansas purportedly being for “TRL16452 Alternator” through Roadrunner’s accounting system in Nebraska, to Bradford in Nevada. As a result of the scheme and artifice to defraud, from February 1, 2018, through June 21, 2019, Shepherd and Bradford caused an actual loss of $112,257.80. On September 19, 2023, Bradford pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14, 2023, at 1:30. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Alan Walker, 41, of Winnebago, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 30, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for abusive sexual contact with a minor and for failing to register as a sex offender. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Walker to 108 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Walker’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. In September 2022, Walker entered a family residence and groped an 11-year-old child’s buttocks as the child slept. The child woke up to Walker’s inappropriate touching and reported his conduct to a trusted adult, who notified law enforcement. In 2012, Walker was convicted in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, for Sexual Assault of a Child in the 3rd Degree, requiring him to register as a sex offender. Beginning in September 2022, Walker failed to update his registered address as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Four Individuals Charged with Drug-Distribution Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Four people have been indicted on drug-distribution charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley. A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Jasmond Dewand Foster , aka “Jazz” , 36, of Florence, Victor Manuel Alcocer-Gonzalez , 37, of Mexico, Edgar Camacho-Reyes , 36, of Mexico, and Jose Salomon Gorozquieta-Gusman , 31, of Mexico, with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine These crimes allegedly occurred between July 16, 2023 and July 26, 2023, in Lauderdale County. Alcocer-Gonzalez, Camacho-Reyes and Gorozquieta-Gusman were also charged with manufacturing and possessing with intent to manufacture 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Camacho-Reyes and Gorozquieta-Gusman were charged with illegal re-entry after deportation. The minimum penalty for conspiracy to distribute and manufacture methamphetamine is 10 years in prison. The maximum penalty for illegal re-entry after deportation is 10 years in prison. The DEA investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Mary Stuart Burrell is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Birmingham-area Musician “88 DayDay” Charged for Role as Administrator of “Glass House Records,” a Telegram Channel Dedicated to Sale of Stolen Checks

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury indicted a Birmingham-area musician and a co-conspirator for their roles in a cyber-enabled check fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Scott D. Fix, Houston Division, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. A nine-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Daylin R. Banks , aka “30Skiii Only 1” and “88 DayDay,” 22, of Springville, Alabama, and Gabriel Samuel Odiot , aka “Motion,” 19, of Kissimmee, Florida, with conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud, possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, and aggravated identity theft. The indictment alleges that between August 2022 and July 2023, Banks participated in a scheme to sell stolen or otherwise fraudulent checks on a Telegram channel called “Glass House Records.” Banks obtained checks that had been stolen from the custody of the U.S. Postal Service and marketed a portion of them for sale on the “Glass House Records” Telegram channel. At the same time, Banks collaborated with Odiot and others to alter, duplicate, or forge other stolen checks and have them deposited into accounts controlled by the conspiracy. The charges against Banks and Odiot relate to an indictment filed in August against Mekhi Diwone Harris , an administrator of an Alabama-based scam Telegram channel called “Work Related.” According to court documents, thousands of stolen or fraudulent checks totaling more than $15 million were posted to the “Work Related” channel. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit bank fraud or conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution is 30 years in prison. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison. The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years in prison. The maximum penalty for possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices is 10 years in prison. The minimum penalty for aggravated identity theft is two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment. The U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Canter. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Heflin Police Department, and the Hueytown Police Department have all provided significant assistance during the course of the investigation. An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 46 months in Prison for Bank Robbery

body_text: Springfield, Ill. – A Springfield man, Javon Young, 25, of the 2000 block of Normandy Road, has been sentenced to 46 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for Bank Robbery. Young will also have to pay over $5,000 in restitution to the victim bank. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Myerscough noted the robbery “terrified” the victims and she remarked on the emotional toll such crimes take on bank employees’ ability to feel safe at work. At the time Young committed the offense, he was already serving a term of supervised release for a previous charge of interference with commerce by threat or violence. Judge Myerscough revoked that term of supervision and sentenced Young to a consecutive 6-month term of imprisonment for his supervised release violations. Young was indicted on January 19, 2022, he pled guilty on July 31, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. McNaught. Young has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since January 2022. The statutory penalties for Bank Robbery are up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The Springfield Police Department with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.


title: Holdenville Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Bryant Dilbeck, age 27, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The charges arose from an investigation by the Holdenville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Jason Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Dilbeck remains in custody pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Sallisaw Resident Sentenced For Sexual Abuse Offenses

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Dewayne Rogers, age 61, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, and 180 months in prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. The sentences run concurrently. The charges arose from investigations by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On April 20, 2022, after a three-day trial, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts on one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, three counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, and one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that over the course of five years, Rogers sexually abused a child under the age of twelve at the time of the crimes. The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Rogers will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced for Assaulting Officer

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – An inmate at the Federal Medical Center in Butner (“FMC Butner”) was sentenced yesterday for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer working at FMC Butner in 2022. According to the indictment, on May 15, 2022, the inmate, Timothy Leak, 47, refused the officer’s orders to wear his mask and return to his cell. Instead, he became aggressive, and ran to a nearby room on the housing unit. As the officer approached Leak from the room, he rushed toward her and slammed the heavy metal door on the officer’s arm, pinning it in the door. Throughout this altercation, Leak was verbally aggressive toward the officer. The officer was only able to free her arm after calling for assistance from other staff members. As a result of this contact, the officer suffered injuries to her arm that ultimately required surgical repair. Thomas Scarantino, Complex Warden at FCC Butner stated, “I would like to thank the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina for their continued support in prosecuting these cases. I would also like to thank the legal team and staff at FCC Butner who have assisted with this case. I have zero tolerance for inmates assaulting, resisting, or impeding the staff members who work tirelessly at FCC Butner.” Citing Leak’s criminal history and the severity of the assault, Unites States Federal District Court Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Leak to 21 months in prison. Leak previously pled guilty to the count of Assault on a Federal Officer on August 30, 2023. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Prisons investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Brooks Storus prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00263-D-RN.


title: Former Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Arrested in Florida for Multiple Sex Crimes Involving Minors

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – James Bond, former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter “Underdog,” of Scottsdale, was arrested early Thanksgiving morning at Miami International Airport after being denied entry into Argentina. Bond faces charges for Sex Trafficking of Minors, Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct in Foreign Places, Production of Child Pornography for Importation to the United States, and other related offenses. James Bond, who changed his name from Jaymes Christopher Schulte, had his initial court appearance on his indictment on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami. He will be transported to the District of Arizona to face charges. The indictment alleges that he had sex with eight minors in Colombia and that he solicited, recruited, and enticed the minors to engage in commercial sex acts. He is also alleged to have produced videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and to have distributed these videos through his website. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Homeland Security Investigations – Phoenix is conducting the investigation in this case, jointly with the Columbian National Police, HSI Bogota’s Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit- DIPRO, with assistance from HSI Miami, and HSI Attache offices in Buenos Aires. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-187_Bond # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Charges In Connection With Foiled Plot To Assassinate U.S. Citizen In New York City

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the filing of murder-for-hire charges against Indian national NIKHIL GUPTA, a/k/a “Nick,” in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. The charges are contained in a Superseding Indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero. Czech authorities arrested and detained GUPTA on June 30, 2023, pursuant to the bilateral extradition treaty between the United States and the Czech Republic. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant conspired from India to assassinate, right here in New York City, a U.S. citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. I am grateful that my Office and our law enforcement partners neutralized this deadly and outrageous threat. We will not tolerate efforts to assassinate U.S. citizens on U.S. soil, and stand ready to investigate, thwart, and prosecute anyone who seeks to harm and silence Americans here or abroad.” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “The dedicated law enforcement agents and prosecutors in this case foiled and exposed a dangerous plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil. The Department of Justice will be relentless in using the full reach of our authorities to pursue accountability for lethal plotting emanating from overseas.” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “When a foreign government employee allegedly committed the brazen act of recruiting an international narcotics trafficker to murder a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil, DEA was there to stop the plot. I want to recognize the outstanding work of the DEA New York Field Division for their leadership in this investigation, the prosecution team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan for pursuing today’s indictment, and our federal and global law enforcement partners for their assistance.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Murder for hire is a crime out of a movie, but the plot in this case was all too real. The excellent teamwork of the law enforcement partners in this case exposed this brazen conspiracy and is why Nikhil Gupta finds himself in jail waiting to answer to these charges.” As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and other public court documents: [1] Earlier this year, an Indian government employee (“CC-1”), working together with others, including GUPTA, in India and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the “Victim”). GUPTA is an Indian national who resides in India, is an associate of CC-1, and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with CC-1 and others. CC-1 is an Indian government agency employee who has variously described himself as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence,” and who also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” CC-1 directed the assassination plot from India. In or about May 2023, CC-1 recruited GUPTA to orchestrate the assassination of the Victim in the United States. The Victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The Victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the Victim and his separatist organization from India. At CC-1’s direction, GUPTA contacted an individual whom GUPTA believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source working with the DEA (the “CS”), for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the Victim in New York City. The CS introduced GUPTA to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the “UC”). CC-1 subsequently agreed in dealings brokered by GUPTA to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the Victim. On or about June 9, 2023, CC-1 and GUPTA arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. CC-1’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan. In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, CC-1 provided GUPTA with personal information about the Victim, including the Victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the Victim, and details about the Victim’s day-to-day conduct, which GUPTA then passed to the UC. CC-1 directed GUPTA to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which GUPTA accomplished by forwarding to CC-1, among other things, surveillance photographs of the Victim. GUPTA directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but GUPTA also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of anticipated engagements scheduled to occur in the ensuing weeks between high-level U.S. and Indian government officials. On or about June 18, 2023, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the Victim, and like the Victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, GUPTA told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” GUPTA added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, CC-1 sent GUPTA a news article about the Victim and messaged GUPTA, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.” * * * GUPTA, 52, of India, has been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case 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 DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Counterintelligence Division of the FBI’s New York Field Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the DEA’s Special Operations Division, the DEA’s Vienna Country Office, the FBI’s Prague Country Office, the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters for their assistance. The DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force comprises agents and task force officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, and the New York State Police. This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit, Violent and Organized Crime Unit, and Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Trial Attorneys Christopher Cook and Robert McCullers of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, as well as Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Justice Department Announces Charges in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York City

body_text: Today in the Southern District of New York, a superseding indictment was unsealed alleging murder-for-hire charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta, aka Nick, 52, in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. Czech authorities arrested and detained Gupta on June 30, 2023 pursuant to the bilateral extradition treaty between the United States and the Czech Republic. According to court documents, earlier this year, an Indian government employee (CC-1), working together with others, including Gupta, in India and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the Victim). Gupta is an Indian national who resides in India, is an associate of CC-1 and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with CC-1 and others. CC-1 is an Indian government agency employee who has variously described himself as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence,” and who also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” CC-1 directed the assassination plot from India. In or about May 2023, CC-1 recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the Victim in the United States. The Victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The Victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the Victim and his separatist organization from India. At CC-1’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source working with U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) (the CS), for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the Victim in New York City. The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). CC-1 subsequently agreed in dealings brokered by Gupta to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the Victim. On or about June 9, CC-1 and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. CC-1’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan. In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, CC-1 provided Gupta with personal information about the Victim, including the Victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the Victim, and details about the Victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC. CC-1 directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by forwarding to CC-1, among other things, surveillance photographs of the Victim. Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of anticipated engagements scheduled to occur in the ensuing weeks between high-level U.S. and Indian government officials. On or about June 18, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the Victim, and like the Victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, CC-1 sent Gupta a news article about the Victim and messaged Gupta, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.” Gupta is charged with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. Each count carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The DEA’s New York Division and the Counterintelligence Division of the FBI’s New York Field Office are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the DEA’s Special Operations Division, DEA’s Vienna Country Office, FBI’s Prague Country Office, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorneys Christopher Cook and Robert McCullers of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, as well as Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Nikhil Gupta Superseding Indictment


title: न्याय विभाग ने न्यूयॉर्क शहर में अमेरिकी नागरिक की हत्या की नाकाम साजिश के संबंध में आरोपों की घोषणा की

body_text: आज न्यूयॉर्क के दक्षिणी जिले में, 52 वर्षीय भारतीय नागरिक निखिल गुप्ता उर्फ निक के विरुद्ध भाड़े-पर-हत्या का आरोप लगाते हुए एक अभियोग पत्र खोला गया। यह आरोप न्यूयॉर्क शहर में एक अमेरिकी नागरिक की हत्या की नाकाम साजिश में उसकी भागीदारी के संबंध में लगाया गया है। चेक अधिकारियों ने संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका और चेक गणराज्य के बीच द्विपक्षीय प्रत्यर्पण संधि के अनुसार 30 जून, 2023 को गुप्ता को गिरफ्तार कर लिया और हिरासत में ले लिया। अदालती दस्तावेजों के अनुसार, इस वर्ष के प्रारंभ में, एक भारतीय सरकारी कर्मचारी (CC-1) ने भारत और अन्य स्थानों पर गुप्ता सहित अन्य लोगों के साथ मिलकर, अमेरिकी धरती पर एक वकील और राजनीतिक कार्यकर्ता की हत्या की निर्देश दिया, जो न्यूयॉर्क शहर में रहने वाला भारतीय मूल का अमेरिकी नागरिक था (पीड़ित)। गुप्ता एक भारतीय नागरिक है जो भारत में रहता है, CC-1 का सहयोगी है और उसने CC-1 तथा अन्य के साथ अपने संचार में अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मादक पदार्थों और हथियारों की तस्करी में अपनी संलिप्तता का उल्लेख किया है। CC-1 एक भारतीय सरकारी एजेंसी का कर्मचारी है, जिसने खुद को “वरिष्ठ फील्ड अधिकारी” के रूप में वर्णित किया है, जिसकी जिम्मेदारियाँ “सुरक्षा प्रबंधन” और “खुफिया” हैं, और जिसने पहले भारत के केंद्रीय रिजर्व पुलिस बल में सेवा करने और “युद्ध शिल्प” और “हथियारों” में “अधिकारी प्रशिक्षण” प्राप्त करने का भी उल्लेख किया है। CC-1 ने भारत से हत्या की साजिश का निर्देशन किया था। मई 2023 के आसपास, CC-1 ने संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका में पीड़ित की हत्या की योजना बनाने के लिए गुप्ता को भर्ती किया। पीड़ितभारत सरकार का मुखर आलोचक है और एक अमेरिकी संगठन का नेतृत्व करता है जो पंजाब के अलगाव की वकालत करता है। पंजाब उत्तर भारत का एक राज्य है, जहां सिखों की एक बड़ी आबादी रहती है, जो भारत में एक जातीय-धार्मिक अल्पसंख्यक समूह है। पीड़ित ने सार्वजनिक रूप से पंजाब के कुछ या पूरे हिस्से को भारत से अलग करने और खालिस्तान नामक एक सिख संप्रभु राज्य की स्थापना करने की मांग की है, और भारत सरकार ने पीड़ित और उसके अलगाववादी संगठन पर भारत में प्रतिबंध लगा दिया है। CC-1 के निर्देश पर, गुप्ता ने एक व्यक्ति से संपर्क किया, जिसके बारे में गुप्ता का मानना था कि वह एक आपराधिक सहयोगी है, लेकिन वास्तव में वह यू.एस. ड्रग प्रवर्तन प्रशासन (DEA) (CS) के साथ काम करने वाला एक गोपनीय स्रोत (CS) था, ताकि न्यूयॉर्क शहर में पीड़ित की हत्या करने के लिए एक हत्यारे को अनुबंधित करने में सहायता मिल सके। CS ने गुप्ता को एक कथित हिटमैन से मिलवाया, जो वास्तव में DEA का एक गोपनीय स्रोत अधिकारी (UC) था। इसके बाद CC-1 ने गुप्ता द्वारा मध्यस्थता किए गए सौदों में पीड़ित की हत्या के लिए UC को 100,000 डॉलर का भुगतान करने पर सहमति व्यक्त की। 9 जून के आसपास, CC-1 और गुप्ता ने एक सहयोगी के माध्यम से हत्या के लिए अग्रिम भुगतान के रूप में UC को 15,000 डॉलर नकद पहुंचाने की व्यवस्था की। इसके बाद CC-1 के सहयोगी ने मैनहट्टन स्थित UC को 15,000 डॉलर की राशि पहुंचा दी। जून 2023 में या उसके आसपास, हत्या की साजिश को आगे बढ़ाने के लिए, CC-1 ने गुप्ता को पीड़ित के बारे में व्यक्तिगत जानकारी प्रदान की, जिसमें न्यूयॉर्क शहर में पीड़ित का घर का पता, पीड़ित से जुड़े फोन नंबर और पीड़ित के दिन-प्रतिदिन के आचरण के बारे में विवरण शामिल थे, जिसे गुप्ता ने फिर UC को दे दिया। CC-1 ने गुप्ता को हत्या की साजिश की प्रगति पर नियमित अपडेट प्रदान करने का निर्देश दिया, जिसे गुप्ता ने अन्य चीजों के अलावा, पीड़ित की निगरानी तस्वीरें CC-1 को भेजकर पूरा किया। गुप्ता ने UC को यथाशीघ्र हत्या को अंजाम देने का निर्देश दिया, लेकिन गुप्ता ने UC को यह भी स्पष्ट निर्देश दिया कि वह उच्च-स्तरीय अमेरिकी और भारतीय सरकारी अधिकारियों के बीच आगामी सप्ताहों में होने वाली संभावित बैठकों के समय के आसपास हत्या न की जाए । 18 जून के आसपास, नकाबपोश बंदूकधारियों ने कनाडा के ब्रिटिश कोलंबिया में एक सिख मंदिर के बाहर हरदीप सिंह निज्जर की हत्या कर दी। निज्जर पीड़ित का सहयोगी था और पीड़ित की तरह ही सिख अलगाववादी आंदोलन का नेता तथा भारत सरकार का मुखर आलोचक था। निज्जर की हत्या के अगले दिन यानी 19 जून को गुप्ता ने UC को बताया कि निज्जर भी “लक्ष्य था” और “हमारे पास बहुत सारे लक्ष्य हैं।” गुप्ता ने कहा कि निज्जर की हत्या के मद्देनजर, पीड़ित को मारने के लिए अब “इंतजार करने की कोई जरूरत नहीं है।” 20 जून के आसपास, CC-1 ने गुप्ता को पीड़िता के बारे में एक समाचार लेख भेजा और गुप्ता को संदेश दिया, "यह अब [एक] प्राथमिकता है।" गुप्ता पर भाड़े-पर-हत्या करने और भाड़े-पर-हत्या की साजिश रचने का आरोप है। प्रत्येक मामले में अधिकतम 10 वर्ष की जेल की वैधानिक सजा का प्रावधान है। संघीय जिला न्यायालय का न्यायाधीश अमेरिकी सजा संबंधी दिशानिर्देशों और अन्य वैधानिक कारकों पर विचार करने के बाद ही कोई सजा निर्धारित करेगा। DEA का न्यूयॉर्क प्रभाग और FBI के न्यूयॉर्क फील्ड ऑफिस का काउंटरइंटेलिजेंस प्रभाग मामले की जांच कर रहे हैं, जिसमें DEA के विशेष ऑपरेशन प्रभाग, DEA के वियना कंट्री ऑफिस, FBI के प्राग कंट्री ऑफिस, न्याय विभाग के अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मामलों के कार्यालय और चेक गणराज्य के राष्ट्रीय ड्रग मुख्यालय द्वारा बहुमूल्य सहायता प्रदान की गई है। सहायक अमेरिकी अटॉर्नी केमिली एल. फ्लेचर, एशले सी. निकोलस, और अलेक्जेंडर ली, दक्षिणी जिला न्यूयॉर्क के लिए राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा प्रभाग के प्रति-खुफिया और निर्यात नियंत्रण अनुभाग के ट्रायल अटॉर्नी क्रिस्टोफर कुक और रॉबर्ट मैककुलर्स के साथ-साथ राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा प्रभाग के आतंकवाद-रोधी अनुभाग के ट्रायल अटॉर्नी ए.जे. डिक्सन की सहायता से मामले पर मुकदमा चला रहे हैं। अभियोग केवल एक आरोप है। सभी प्रतिवादियों को तब तक निर्दोष माना जाता है जब तक कि उन्हें न्यायालय में उचित संदेह से परे दोषी साबित नहीं कर दिया जाता है। निखिल गुप्ता पर अभियोग हटाया गया


title: ਨਿਆਂ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਨੇ ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਸਿਟੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕ ਦੀ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਦੀ ਅਸਫਲ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਦੇ ਸਬੰਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਦੋਸ਼ਾਂ ਦਾ ਐਲਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ

body_text: ਅੱਜ ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਦੇ ਦੱਖਣੀ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹੇ ਵਿੱਚ, ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਸਿਟੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕ ਦੀ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਨਾਕਾਮ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਗ ਲੈਣ ਦੇ ਸਬੰਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕ ਨਿਖਿਲ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਉਰਫ਼ ਨਿਕ, 52, ਦੇ ਖਿਲਾਫ ਕਿਰਾਏ ਦੇ ਲਈ ਕਤਲ ਦੇ ਦੋਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਪਰਤੱਖ ਮੁਕੱਦਮਾ ਅਣ-ਸੀਲ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਚੈੱਕ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਸੰਯੁਕਤ ਰਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਚੈੱਕ ਗਣਰਾਜ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਦੁਵੱਲੀ ਹਵਾਲਗੀ ਸੰਧੀ ਦੇ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ 30 ਜੂਨ, 2023 ਨੂੰ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਗ੍ਰਿਫਤਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਨਜ਼ਰਬੰਦ ਕੀਤਾ। ਅਦਾਲਤੀ ਦਸਤਾਵੇਜ਼ਾਂ ਦੇ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ, ਇਸ ਸਾਲ ਦੇ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਵਿੱਚ, ਇੱਕ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਕਰਮਚਾਰੀ (CC-1), ਭਾਰਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਥਾਵਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਸਮੇਤ ਹੋਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਕੰਮ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ, ਨੇ ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਦੀ ਧਰਤੀ 'ਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਅਟਾਰਨੀ ਅਤੇ ਰਾਜਨੀਤਿਕ ਕਾਰਕੁਨ ਜੋ ਕਿ ਇੱਕ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕ ਹੈ, ਦੀ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਰਚੀ ਸੀ। ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਸਿਟੀ (ਪੀੜਤ) ਵਿੱਚ ਰਹਿਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਮੂਲ ਦੇ। ਗੁਪਤਾ ਇੱਕ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਭਾਰਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ, CC-1 ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਸਹਿਯੋਗੀ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਉਸਨੇ CC-1 ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਆਪਣੇ ਸੰਚਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਅੰਤਰਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ ਨਸ਼ੀਲੇ ਪਦਾਰਥਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਹਥਿਆਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਤਸਕਰੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਪਣੀ ਸ਼ਮੂਲੀਅਤ ਦਾ ਵਰਣਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ। CC-1 ਇੱਕ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਏਜੰਸੀ ਦਾ ਕਰਮਚਾਰੀ ਹੈ ਜਿਸਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਨੂੰ "ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਨ" ਅਤੇ "ਖੁਫੀਆ" ਵਿੱਚ ਜ਼ਿੰਮੇਵਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ "ਸੀਨੀਅਰ ਫੀਲਡ ਅਫਸਰ" ਵਜੋਂ ਦਰਸਾਇਆ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਜਿਸਨੇ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਭਾਰਤ ਦੇ ਕੇਂਦਰੀ ਰਿਜ਼ਰਵ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਬਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਨ ਅਤੇ "ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ" ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਹਵਾਲਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ। "ਲੜਾਈ ਕਰਾਫਟ" ਅਤੇ "ਹਥਿਆਰਾਂ" ਵਿੱਚ [] ਸਿਖਲਾਈ”। CC-1 ਨੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਤੋਂ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਦੀ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਰਚੀ ਸੀ। ਮਈ 2023 ਵਿੱਚ ਜਾਂ ਲਗਭਗ, CC-1 ਨੇ ਸੰਯੁਕਤ ਰਾਜ ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੀੜਤ ਦੀ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਨੂੰ ਅੰਜਾਮ ਦੇਣ ਲਈ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਭਰਤੀ ਕੀਤਾ। ਪੀੜਤ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਵੋਕਲ ਆਲੋਚਕ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਯੂਐਸ-ਅਧਾਰਤ ਸੰਗਠਨ ਦੀ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਵੱਖ ਹੋਣ ਦੀ ਵਕਾਲਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉੱਤਰੀ ਭਾਰਤ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਰਾਜ ਜੋ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਇੱਕ ਵੱਡੀ ਆਬਾਦੀ, ਭਾਰਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਨਸਲੀ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਘੱਟ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਸਮੂਹ ਦਾ ਘਰ ਹੈ। ਪੀੜਤ ਨੇ ਜਨਤਕ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਕੁਝ ਜਾਂ ਸਾਰੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਰਤ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਖ ਕਰਨ ਅਤੇ ਖਾਲਿਸਤਾਨ ਨਾਮਕ ਸਿੱਖ ਪ੍ਰਭੂਸੱਤਾ ਸੰਪੰਨ ਰਾਜ ਸਥਾਪਤ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਅਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਵਿਕਟਿਮ ਅਤੇ ਉਸਦੀ ਵੱਖਵਾਦੀ ਸੰਗਠਨ 'ਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਤੋਂ ਪਾਬੰਦੀ ਲਗਾ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਹੈ। CC-1 ਦੇ ਨਿਰਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ 'ਤੇ, ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੇ ਇੱਕ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਸੰਪਰਕ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਿਸਨੂੰ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਇੱਕ ਅਪਰਾਧਿਕ ਸਹਿਯੋਗੀ ਮੰਨਦਾ ਸੀ, ਪਰ ਜੋ ਅਸਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਗੁਪਤ ਸਰੋਤ ਸੀ ਜੋ ਯੂਐਸ ਡਰੱਗ ਇਨਫੋਰਸਮੈਂਟ ਐਡਮਿਨਿਸਟ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ (ਡੀਈਏ) (CS) ਨਾਲ ਕੰਮ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ, ਇੱਕ ਹਿੱਟਮੈਨ ਨੂੰ ਕਤਲ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਇਕਰਾਰਨਾਮੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਲਈ। ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਸਿਟੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੀੜਤ। CS ਨੇ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਦੀ ਜਾਣ-ਪਛਾਣ ਇੱਕ ਕਥਿਤ ਹਿੱਟਮੈਨ ਨਾਲ ਕਰਵਾਈ, ਜੋ ਅਸਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਡੀਈਏ ਅੰਡਰਕਵਰ ਅਫਸਰ (UC) ਸੀ। CC-1 ਨੇ ਬਾਅਦ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੀੜਤ ਦੀ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ UC $100,000 ਦਾ ਭੁਗਤਾਨ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਦਲਾਲ ਸੌਦੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਹਿਮਤੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ। 9 ਜੂਨ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਂ ਇਸ ਦੇ ਲਗਭਗ, CC-1 ਅਤੇ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੇ ਕਤਲ ਲਈ ਪੇਸ਼ਗੀ ਭੁਗਤਾਨ ਵਜੋਂ UC ਨੂੰ $15,000 ਨਕਦ ਦੇਣ ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਸਹਿਯੋਗੀ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧ ਕੀਤਾ। CC-1 ਦੇ ਸਹਿਯੋਗੀ ਨੇ ਫਿਰ ਮੈਨਹਟਨ ਵਿੱਚ UC ਨੂੰ $15,000 ਡਿਲੀਵਰ ਕੀਤਾ। ਜੂਨ 2023 ਵਿੱਚ ਜਾਂ ਇਸ ਦੇ ਆਸ-ਪਾਸ, ਕਤਲ ਦੀ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਨੂੰ ਅੱਗੇ ਵਧਾਉਣ ਲਈ, CC-1 ਨੇ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਪੀੜਤ ਬਾਰੇ ਨਿੱਜੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਪ੍ਰਦਾਨ ਕੀਤੀ, ਜਿਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਸਿਟੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੀੜਤ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਦਾ ਪਤਾ, ਪੀੜਤ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜੇ ਫ਼ੋਨ ਨੰਬਰ, ਅਤੇ ਵਿਕਟਿਮ ਦੇ ਡੇ-ਟੂ ਬਾਰੇ ਵੇਰਵੇ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਸਨ। ਦਿਨ ਦਾ ਆਚਰਣ, ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੇ ਫਿਰ UC ਨੂੰ ਦਿੱਤੀ। CC-1 ਨੇ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਦੀ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰਗਤੀ ਬਾਰੇ ਨਿਯਮਤ ਅੱਪਡੇਟ ਪ੍ਰਦਾਨ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਨਿਰਦੇਸ਼ ਦਿੱਤਾ, ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੇ ਪੀੜਤ ਦੀਆਂ ਨਿਗਰਾਨੀ ਵਾਲੀਆਂ ਤਸਵੀਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ-ਨਾਲ CC-1 ਨੂੰ ਅੱਗੇ ਭੇਜ ਕੇ ਪੂਰਾ ਕੀਤਾ। ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੇ UC ਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਕਤਲ ਨੂੰ ਜਲਦੀ ਤੋਂ ਜਲਦੀ ਅੰਜਾਮ ਦੇਣ ਦੇ ਨਿਰਦੇਸ਼ ਦਿੱਤੇ, ਪਰ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੇ UC ਨੂੰ ਇਹ ਵੀ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਨਿਰਦੇਸ਼ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਕਿ ਉਹ ਉੱਚ ਪੱਧਰੀ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਫ਼ਤਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਅਨੁਮਾਨਿਤ ਰੁਝੇਵਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਸਮੇਂ ਦੇ ਆਲੇ-ਦੁਆਲੇ ਕਤਲ ਨਾ ਕਰਨ। 18 ਜੂਨ ਜਾਂ ਇਸ ਤਰੀਕ ਨੂੰ, ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੇ ਬ੍ਰਿਟਿਸ਼ ਕੋਲੰਬੀਆ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਸਿੱਖ ਮੰਦਰ ਦੇ ਬਾਹਰ ਨਕਾਬਪੋਸ਼ ਬੰਦੂਕਧਾਰੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਹਰਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਿੱਝਰ ਦਾ ਕਤਲ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਨਿੱਝਰ ਵਿਕਟਿਮ ਦਾ ਸਹਿਯੋਗੀ ਸੀ, ਅਤੇ ਵਿਕਟਿਮ ਵਾਂਗ, ਸਿੱਖ ਵੱਖਵਾਦੀ ਲਹਿਰ ਦਾ ਆਗੂ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦਾ ਸਪੱਸ਼ਟ ਆਲੋਚਕ ਸੀ। ਨਿੱਝਰ ਦੇ ਕਤਲ ਤੋਂ ਅਗਲੇ ਦਿਨ 19 ਜੂਨ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਂ ਲਗਭਗ, ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੇ UC ਨੂੰ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਨਿੱਝਰ ਵੀ "ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨਾ ਸੀ" ਅਤੇ "ਸਾਡੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੇ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨੇ ਹਨ।" ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੇ ਅੱਗੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ, ਨਿੱਝਰ ਦੇ ਕਤਲ ਦੇ ਮੱਦੇਨਜ਼ਰ, ਪੀੜਤ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰਨ ਲਈ "ਹੁਣ ਇੰਤਜ਼ਾਰ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਕੋਈ ਲੋੜ ਨਹੀਂ" ਸੀ। 20 ਜੂਨ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਂ ਇਸ ਦੇ ਲਗਭਗ, CC-1 ਨੇ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਪੀੜਤ ਬਾਰੇ ਇੱਕ ਖ਼ਬਰ ਭੇਜੀ ਅਤੇ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਨੇਹਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ, "[i] ਹੁਣ [a] ਤਰਜੀਹ ਹੈ”। ਗੁਪਤਾ 'ਤੇ ਕਿਰਾਏ 'ਤੇ ਕਤਲ ਕਰਨ ਅਤੇ ਕਿਰਾਏ 'ਤੇ ਕਤਲ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਰਚਣ ਦਾ ਦੋਸ਼ ਹੈ। ਹਰੇਕ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਵਿੱਚ 10 ਸਾਲ ਦੀ ਕੈਦ ਦੀ ਅਧਿਕਤਮ ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਹੈ। ਇੱਕ ਸੰਘੀ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਾ ਅਦਾਲਤ ਦਾ ਜੱਜ ਯੂ.ਐੱਸ. ਸਜ਼ਾ ਸੁਣਾਉਣ ਦੇ ਦਿਸ਼ਾ-ਨਿਰਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਕਾਰਕਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਵਿਚਾਰ ਕਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਕੋਈ ਵੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਨਿਰਧਾਰਤ ਕਰੇਗਾ। ਡੀਈਏ ਦੀ ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਡਿਵੀਜ਼ਨ ਅਤੇ ਐਫਬੀਆਈ ਦੇ ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਫੀਲਡ ਆਫਿਸ ਦੀ ਕਾਊਂਟਰ ਇੰਟੈਲੀਜੈਂਸ ਡਿਵੀਜ਼ਨ, ਡੀਈਏ ਦੇ ਸਪੈਸ਼ਲ ਓਪਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਡਿਵੀਜ਼ਨ, ਡੀਈਏ ਦੇ ਵਿਏਨਾ ਕੰਟਰੀ ਆਫਿਸ, ਐਫਬੀਆਈ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਗ ਕੰਟਰੀ ਆਫਿਸ, ਅੰਤਰਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ ਮਾਮਲਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਨਿਆਂ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਦੇ ਦਫਤਰ, ਅਤੇ ਚੈੱਕ ਗਣਰਾਜ ਦਾ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ ਡਰੱਗ ਹੈੱਡਕੁਆਰਟਰ। ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ ਦੇ ਦੱਖਣੀ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹੇ ਲਈ ਸਹਾਇਕ ਯੂਐਸ ਅਟਾਰਨੀ ਕੈਮਿਲ ਐਲ. ਫਲੈਚਰ, ਐਸ਼ਲੇ ਸੀ. ਨਿਕੋਲਸ ਅਤੇ ਅਲੈਗਜ਼ੈਂਡਰ ਲੀ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਡਿਵੀਜ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਕਾਊਂਟਰ ਇੰਟੈਲੀਜੈਂਸ ਅਤੇ ਐਕਸਪੋਰਟ ਕੰਟਰੋਲ ਸੈਕਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਟ੍ਰਾਇਲ ਅਟਾਰਨੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਟੋਫਰ ਕੁੱਕ ਅਤੇ ਰਾਬਰਟ ਮੈਕੁਲਰਸ ਦੀ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਨਾਲ ਕੇਸ ਦੀ ਪੈਰਵੀ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਟ੍ਰਾਇਲ ਅਟਾਰਨੀ ਏ.ਜੇ. ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਡਿਵੀਜ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਅੱਤਵਾਦ ਵਿਰੋਧੀ ਸੈਕਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਡਿਕਸਨ। ਇਲਜ਼ਾਮ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਇਲਜ਼ਾਮ ਹੈ। ਸਾਰੇ ਬਚਾਓ ਪੱਖ ਉਦੋਂ ਤੱਕ ਨਿਰਦੋਸ਼ ਮੰਨੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਜਦੋਂ ਤੱਕ ਕਨੂੰਨ ਦੀ ਅਦਾਲਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਾਜਬ ਸ਼ੱਕ ਤੋਂ ਪਰੇ ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਸਾਬਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ। ਨਿਖਿਲ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਪਰਸਾਈਡਿੰਗ ਇਲਜ਼ਾਮ


title: Wise County Man Who Trafficked Methamphetamine, Possessed Firearms  Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Wise County, Virginia man was sentenced yesterday to serve 10 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms. Randall Scott Hileman, 56, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, to possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing methamphetamine, and to possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He was sentenced today to serve 120 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, Hileman’s conviction stems from five undercover drug transactions in 2021 and 2022 during which Hileman sold methamphetamine to informants. When law enforcement in Wise County attempted to arrest Hileman on outstanding warrants in September of 2022, a standoff ensued, and Hileman was found to be in possession of four firearms and assorted ammunition. Due to his multiple felony drug convictions, Hileman is prohibited from possessing any firearms. After his arrest, Hileman admitted his connection to co-defendant Justin Elliott, who law enforcement had previously identified as a methamphetamine trafficker as a result of Elliott’s August 2021 arrest in Coeburn, Virginia. That arrest resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of methamphetamine and several additional firearms. As a result of this investigation, both Hileman and Elliott admitted not only to being involved in the distribution of methamphetamine throughout Southwest Virginia, but also admitted they trafficked a massive quantity of crystal ice methamphetamine into the same area over the course of a two year span, including over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, some of which was 100% pure. In May 2023, Elliott was sentenced to serve 188 months in federal prison. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, and Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Coeburn Police Department, the Norton Police Department, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force investigated the case. Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, prosecuted the case for the United States.


title: Pair Sentenced for Roles in Lee County Heroin Conspiracy

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of out-of-state men, one from Tennessee and another from Michigan, who conspired with others to traffic heroin into Lee County, Virginia, were sentenced yesterday in federal court. David Edward Farmer, 57, of Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute heroin and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Farmer was sentenced to yesterday to eight years in federal prison. Robert Lee Jenkins, 26, of Detroit, Michigan, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 1,000 grams or more of heroin. Jenkins was sentenced yesterday to 12 months and one day in prison. According to court documents, beginning in September 2021, Jenkins, Farmer, and others, including John Joel Foster, Ray Anthony McSwain, Garrett Lee Teffeteller, Darin Thomas, and Robert Warr, conspired to sell heroin in and around Lee County, Virginia. During the relevant time periods, Farmer sold heroin to co-conspirator Darin Thomas and others, some of which was then resold. Farmer also was widely known to trade heroin in exchange for firearms. Jenkins often drove his co-conspirator and half-brother, Robert Warr, around the Knoxville, Tennessee area to distribute heroin to other members of the conspiracy. Although Warr handled most of the supplying of the drugs, Jenkins was aware he was driving Warr around for the purpose of trafficking heroin. In addition, Jenkins handled money from the drug transactions and, at one point, rented a hotel room for Warr and other co-conspirators in order to sell their heroin. Warr pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later this year. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nine Years for Illegally Possessing Firearm

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Duffield, Virginia man, whose criminal history includes 15 previous felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms, was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison for illegally possessing a revolver. Lynn Edward Bowen, 46, pled guilty in October 2023 to one count of receiving any firearm affecting interstate or foreign commerce, while knowing or having a reasonable cause to believe such receipt would constitute a felony. According to court documents, on June 16, 2022, Bowen was arrested outside of Glamorgan Church in Wise County, Virginia in possession of a Smith and Wesson .38 revolver and a small quantity of methamphetamine. Bowen told the arresting officer he was a convicted felon and was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Bowen later informed officers he had been given the revolver from a friend earlier that month. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Wise County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.


title: Jenks Woman Sentenced and Ordered to Repay More than $1.2 Million in Restitution

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Lauren Michelle Owen, 40, of Jenks, to 27 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In January, Owen pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. Judge Kern further ordered Owen to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution. “Lauren Owen engaged in multiple fraudulent schemes, including taking advantage of her employer’s kindness solely to enrich her luxurious lifestyle at the expense of others,” stated U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “This sentencing and restitution will show criminals that fraudulent schemes will not go unpunished.” “Miss Owen thought stealing from the government would be a victimless crime, but the money set aside for COVID relief was designed to help small businesses stay open through the pandemic,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “Miss Owen’s actions kept money out of the hands of others who would have used it to pay employees and keep their businesses open, as it was intended. Instead, she used it and other illegal financial activities to elevate her lifestyle. CI and our partners have ensured she has been held accountable for her actions.” According to court documents, in 2010, Lauren Owen was hired by her employer as a secretary. She gained the trust of her employer and was eventually promoted to vice president and sole financial officer. Owen’s duties included handling the financial books and records for the company, paying bills and preparing checks for legitimate business expenses, overseeing payroll, hiring and firing personnel. She would make unauthorized checks to herself, payments on her personal credit cards, and unauthorized wage payments to herself from her employer’s accounts. These fraudulent transactions totaled more than $750,000 loss to her employer. After losing her job, in November of 2021, Owen devised a plan to defraud the Small Business Association (SBA) after Congress passed the CARES Act in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and economic crisis. She falsified an application for a loan, on behalf of Platinum Assets, LLC, a company she owned and controlled. She lied on the application stating that she’d never been criminally charged, when in fact she had previously been arraigned in state court for embezzlement. She falsely signed and certified the application that the information she provided was true and correct, to the best of her knowledge. After approving the loan, the SBA deposited more than $384,000 in Owen’s bank account whereafter Owen improperly misapplied the loan proceeds by purchasing a 2018 Chevrolet Corvette, a 40-foot yacht and paying off a loan on a 2018 Ford F-250. From 2016 through 2020, Owen further attempted to evade substantial income tax from her misconduct. She failed to report her extra, illegal income she was received from her embezzlement. Owen admitted that she tried to hide her income by making unauthorized transactions. She knew reporting her income correctly would leave her owing more than $61,000 in unpaid taxes and agreed to pay the IRS an additional $67,800 in other unpaid taxes. Owen was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date. The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by 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 justice.gov/coronavirus and justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud . 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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form


title: Richmond County man sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for illegal gun possession

body_text: AUGUSTA, GA: A Richmond County man with a violent criminal history has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for illegal possession of a gun. Todd Joseph Harbuck, 48, of Augusta, was sentenced to 188 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also found that Harbuck violated the terms of his supervised release after a prior conviction and imprisonment for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and sentenced Harbuck to an additional 24 months in prison to run consecutively with the new sentence. Upon release from prison, Harbuck must serve an additional five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. “Todd Harbuck’s disturbing record of violent attacks on women and public safety officers and illegal drug use makes it abundantly clear he is danger to society,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “With our law enforcement partners, we will work to keep our community safe and remove guns from the hands of violent offenders.” As described in court, Columbia County sheriff’s deputies responded in July 2022 to a report of domestic violence in Grovetown, Ga., and found Harbuck’s ex-girlfriend with injuries that included a serious laceration to her head and a bite mark on her arm. Harbuck threatened to shoot her and struck her in the head with a pistol before taking a gun from her. He then shoved a neighbor who came to her defense, pointed a weapon at her and fired into the air as he left and drove away. Harbuck was arrested the next day in Oconee County, Ga. Deputies found drugs in Harbuck’s vehicle and later located the pistol taken from his ex-girlfriend. Harbuck previously was sentenced to prison 2008 in U.S. District Court after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He has prior state felony convictions that include assaulting and stabbing a loss prevention officer; attacking a Medical College of Georgia police officer who attempted his arrest for a felony probation violation in 2000 by punching her in the face and shoving her into a concrete floor; and for firing at McCormick County, S.C., deputies during a vehicle chase in July 2008. This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes.


title: Superseding Indictment Charges 3 More for Involvement in Scheme to Steal and Sell Catalytic Converters

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that four men have been charged with federal offenses related to their participation in a stolen catalytic converter trafficking ring. On November 14, 2023, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an eight-count superseding indictment charging ALEXANDER KOLITSAS , 29, of Wolcott; YANQUEE RODRIGUEZ , also known as “Yankster Rodriguez,” 27, of West Hartford; MERVIN FIGUEROA , 26, of New Haven; and MICHAEL ALMODOVAR , also known as “Eme ElColorado,” 30, of New Haven. Kolitsas and four other men were originally charged by indictment in August 2022. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement continues to investigate the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut. A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves. The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component. The superseding indictment alleges that Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford. At Downpipe Depot, Kolitsas and a co-conspirator purchased stolen catalytic converters from a network of suppliers, including Rodriguez, Figueroa, and Almodovar. Kolitsas and his associate instructed their suppliers on the types of catalytic converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale. Kolitsas and his associate then transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey. The superseding indictment further alleges that Kolitsas and his associate acquired and maintained firearms as Kolitsas’s residence and Downpipe Depot’s warehouse. The superseding indictment charges Kolitsas, Rodriguez, Figueroa, and Almodovar with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and with one or more counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. The superseding indictment also charges Kolitsas with one count of promotional money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, for using proceeds from the theft and sale of catalytic converters to purchase a Ford Transit Van. He also is charged with two counts of engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count, related to his using Downpipe Depot funds to make a payment to a Mercedes Benz dealership in Florida, and to purchase a home entertainment system. Kolitsas also is charged with one count of possession of firearms by an unlawful drug user or addict, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. The superseding indictment seeks the forfeiture from Kolitsas of the Ford Transit Van, a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado, a 2016 Polaris Slingshot, a 2022 Toyota Supra, approximately $55,000 in cash, and $92,581 that is held in a Downpipe Depot bank account. Rodriguez and Figueroa were arrested on November 15, 2023, and Almodovar surrendered to law enforcement yesterday. As alleged in statements made in court, during one incident, while Almodovar was in the process of stealing a catalytic converter from a car parked in a parking lot, he was interrupted by a witness, who used his cellphone take pictures of Almodovar. Almodovar attacked the witness, smashed his car window, cut him with the saw he used to steal the converter, and then fled. As alleged in the indictment, the day after this incident, Almodovar sold six converters to Downpipe Depot in exchange for $2,180. Each of the four defendants entered pleas of not guilty and are released on bond pending trial. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Four other individuals have been convicted of federal charges stemming from this investigation, which is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham.


title: Sanostee Man Pleads Guilty to Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Melvin C. Smith pled guilty to assault. Smith, 62, of Sanostee, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to court records, on Oct. 6, 2022, Smith used a long, hard wooden walking stick to assault his brother-in-law and his brother-in-law’s girlfriend. Smith repeatedly hit his brother-in-law as he shielded his girlfriend from Smith’s blows. The assault caused physical pain to Smith’s brother-in-law and the brother-in-law’s girlfriend. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-274


title: Arkansas Man Sentenced for Meth Conspiracy, Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Arkansas man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Douglas County, Mo., and for illegally possessing a firearm. Marcelino Sauseda, Jr, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Tuesday, Nov. 28, to 13 years and four months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Sauseda to forfeit to the government $24,830 in drug-trafficking proceeds that was seized by law enforcement. On Sept. 13, 2022, Sauseda pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Sauseda admitted that he was in possession of a loaded Rossi firearm and methamphetamine at the time of his arrest. On Oct. 10, 2020, a corporal with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department was notified that Sauseda, a fugitive with Arkansas warrants for his arrest, was staying at the Twin Bridges Campground. Officers contacted Sauseda at a cabin in the campground and placed him under arrest. Officers found a black zip up bag, which contained 196 grams of methamphetamine, next to the back porch of the cabin. Officers also found a bag under the back porch with $24,820 in cash, which Sauseda admitted were the proceeds of illegal drug sales. Officers found the firearm in an air vent. Sauseda had absconded from parole in Arkansas at the time of this federal offense, after being incarcerated for robbery, residential burglary, and theft of property related to robbing another person at gun point with an SKS rifle. Sauseda also has a prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Douglas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


title: Atlanta man sentenced in large-scale methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking scheme

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Quintilis Davenport has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking operation involving large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl that were intended for distribution in and around the Atlanta area. Davenport possessed three firearms, multi-kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, and nearly an entire kilogram of fentanyl at the time of his arrest. “This sentence is a reflection of the seriousness of this conduct and the necessity to deter others from engaging in such dangerous drug trafficking activities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We are proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to keep our community safer, especially from life-threatening narcotics like fentanyl.” “This violent drug trafficker can no longer distribute dangerous drugs, such as methamphetamine and fentanyl, as he now faces the consequences for his poor choices,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On August 24, 2022, Davenport planned to sell a kilogram of methamphetamine and 1,000 fentanyl pills to a DEA special agent acting in an undercover capacity. Davenport fled and tossed a firearm into a pond when law enforcement attempted to arrest him. After eventually taking Davenport into custody, law enforcement searched his apartment in Union City and recovered 14 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1,500 fentanyl pills, nearly half a kilogram of fentanyl powder, and three firearms. According to the DEA, the amount of fentanyl was enough to kill thousands of people. One of the firearms was reported stolen and contained a 50-round drum magazine. Investigators also seized seven additional magazines and a large amount of ammunition from Davenport’s apartment. Quintilis Davenport, 33, of Union City, Georgia, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Davenport was convicted on these charges on August 22, 2023, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Cobb County Police Department, South Fulton Police Department, and Union City Police Department also assisted with the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert and Richard Beaulieu prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following websites: www.justthinktwice.gov ; www.operationprevention.com/ ; www.dea.gov/onepill For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Lake Placid man pleads guilty to producing child pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Nov. 28, a Lake Placid man entered a guilty plea in federal court to production of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of minors. Frederick Anderson Bowen, 76, of Lake Placid, Florida, recorded himself performing oral sex on a child. Highlands County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the video saved on Bowen’s cellphone. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 27, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Bowen faces up to 30 years in federal prison, and up to lifetime supervised release. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Sheriff Paul Blackman of Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, announced the guilty plea. FBI Miami, Fort Pierce Resident Agency and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock is prosecuting it. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child pornography , you can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com , call 1-800-843-5678, or contact the FBI directly at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-14028. ###


title: Five Queens Men Charged With Kidnapping And Murder

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging DONXING ZHENG, WANGCHAO HE, a/k/a “Ah Chao,” JIANGNAN LIN, a/k/a “Xiao Pang,” a/k/a “Little Fatty,” DONG LIU, a/k/a “Ah Dong,” and SUI ZHANG, a/k/a “60,” with kidnapping resulting in the death of Peng Cheng Li (the “Victim”), kidnapping conspiracy, and conspiring to distribute ketamine. HE, LIN, LIU, and ZHANG were arrested today and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik. ZHENG was arrested on a complaint on July 31, 2023, and presented on August 1, 2023, before Judge Reznik. ZHENG will be arraigned on the Indictment at a later date. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, these five defendants lured Peng Cheng Li to a location with the intent to hold him for ransom, assaulting him and transporting him to the resulting of his death. Today’s arrest is a testament to my Office’s dedication to protecting the safety and security of our citizens and pursuing those who dare violate that to justice.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “These five defendants deprived the victim Peng Cheng Li of his freedom and ultimately his life when they allegedly kidnapped, assaulted, and murdered him in a failed attempt to collect a payment. This type of barbaric behavior has no place in our society and will not be tolerated. The FBI will be sure that anyone attempting to use violence to make money will be brought to justice.” NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “As demonstrated by this case, the dangerous combination of illicit drugs and brutal violence will never be tolerated in New York City. Today’s charges are the next step in our journey toward justice for Mr. Li. The tireless work of NYPD investigators, FBI agents, and prosecutors from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District will ensure that all involved in these grievous crimes are held accountable for their despicable acts.” As alleged in public court filings and the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court: [1] On or about July 19, 2023, ZHENG, HE, LIN, LIU, ZHANG, and others known and unknown used an Internet-based cellphone application to call a restaurant to lure the Victim, an employee of the restaurant, to a location in Flushing, Queens. When the Victim arrived at that location, ZHENG, HE, LIN, LIU, ZHANG, and others known and unknown abducted, assaulted, and held the Victim for the promise of payment. Thereafter, ZHENG and others known and unknown drove the Victim through, among other locations, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Westchester County, and eventually took the Victim to New Hampshire. At some point after he was abducted, the Victim died, and ZHENG and others known and unknown buried the Victim’s body in a forest in New Hampshire. * * * HE, 29, LIN, 22, LIU, 35, ZHANG, 22, and ZHENG, 28, all of Queens, New York, are each charged with kidnapping resulting in death, which carries a maximum potential sentence of death or life in prison; kidnapping conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; and conspiracy to distribute ketamine, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the work of the FBI and the NYPD. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison and Jared D. Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Laplace Resident Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Defrauding Cares Act Financial Assistance Program

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BASHIR SCHOFIELD , age 24, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to a bill of information charging him with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, for his role in preparing and filing false applications for loans related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to court documents, BASHIR SCHOFIELD and two relatives, submitted applications to fraudulently obtain money from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans. SCHOFIELD and his relatives submitted loan applications that falsely represented that the applicant had a sole proprietorship and generated substantial income from that business. SCHOFIELD and his relatives’ false representations included the overinflation of the business’s gross receipts, as well as the claim that the loan proceeds were for business purposes when, in fact, the defendants intended to use the money for personal purposes. Indeed, the entities either did not exist at all or earned far less money than BASHIR SCHOFIELD and his relatives represented. For example, on about April 14, 2021, SCHOFIELD completed and submitted a false PPP loan application in the name of an entity he claimed to control, “Vison Six, LLC.” SCHOFIELD falsely stated in the application that SCHOFIELD’s gross income from Vison Six in 2019 was $100,000 and that the money would be used for business-related purposes. In fact, Vison Six was not incorporated until November 2020 and performed no business and had no gross receipts in 2019. As a result of the fraudulent application, SCHOFIELD received approximately $20,833. Additionally, SCHOFIELD and his relatives collectively submitted false applications for several other entities, including “AfroTouch, Inc.,” “Afromerica Touch 360, LLC,” and “Just Jocin.” BASHIR SCHOFIELD faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing before Judge Guidry is scheduled for March 5 2024. For more information on the Department of Justice’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 . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Officers Found Illegal Drugs, Firearms after KC Man Called 911 for His Mother

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who called 911 emergency assistance for his mother was sentenced in federal court today after the police officers who responded to his home found illegal drugs, six firearms he illegally possessed, and large amounts of cash. Michael Thomas Cummings II, also known as “Blue,” 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 18 years in federal prison without parole. On Feb. 15, 2023, Cummings pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Kansas City police officers arrived at Cummings’s residence shortly before midnight on June 7, 2021, after he had called 911 for his mother because she was unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel were in the process of attempting lifesaving measures when police officers arrived, but she was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at approximately 12:04 a.m. on June 8, 2021. Cummings, who lived with his mother, told officers she suffered from cognitive decline. Officers noted she appeared to be emaciated. Officers saw a loaded Heckler & Koch .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol sitting next to $438 in cash on a table. They also saw an SKS-style 7.62 x 54mm assault rifle with a magazine leaning against the wall of a back stairwell that led to the basement. Cummings, a felon, was arrested for illegally possessing the firearms. Officers executed a search warrant at Cummings’s residence later the same day. They found a total of 351.37 grams of methamphetamine in Cummings’s bedroom and a Pioneer Arms 7.62 x 39mm AKM-47 style pistol in a bedroom closet. On a desk in the bedroom, officers also found a baggie that contained approximately .24 grams of fentanyl/heroin, and two baggies that contained approximately 28.1 grams of crack cocaine, as well as a baggie of marijuana in a desk drawer. Officers also found $3,512 in cash in the bedroom. Officers found a Ruger .22-caliber pistol in another bedroom that had been converted into a weight room. In a third bedroom, officers found a Smith and Wesson AR-15 style assault rifle in the closet and a safe that contained $175,100 in cash and a Ruger revolver that had been reported as stolen. Officers also found $180 under the couch cushion, and sodium sulfate, which is often used by drug dealers as a cutting agent to dilute drugs, on a coffee table. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Cummings has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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: Robeson County Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years After Being Found with Child Holding a Bag of Fentanyl

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Robeson County man was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for orchestrating and directing a 2020 fentanyl distribution conspiracy while in custody for multiple state charges including possession of a firearm by a felon, trafficking heroin, and discharging a weapon into an occupied property. His role in the conspiracy continued after his release from prison and continued after his arrest. On August 22, 2022, Clarence Jamar Graham pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. During a traffic stop executed during the investigation, Graham was found in a car with a child in the backseat holding a bag of fentanyl. “Small amounts of fentanyl can be deadly, especially for small children,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This fentanyl dealer jeopardized the safety of the community and put a small child at risk. We will not tolerate callous narcotics dealers who endanger the innocent. Our message with this case is clear –distributing fentanyl in North Carolina will lead to prison.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, Graham, 36, utilized co-defendant Jania Leggett to sell fentanyl on his behalf while he was serving a state prison sentence between April and September of 2020. Witnesses reported to law enforcement that they had seen AR-15 style rifles and small children in the house that Leggett used as a hub for her fentanyl sales. In October of 2020, investigators learned that Graham had been released from prison and using a Lumberton area hotel for drug sales made by him and Leggett. Lumberton Police Department detectives stopped Leggett and Graham leaving the hotel on October 13, 2020. When detectives approached their vehicle, they observed that Leggett had a .40 caliber handgun in her lap and that there was a small child in the backseat holding a bag of fentanyl. Detectives then searched the vehicle and a storage unit in Graham’s name and found a total of 334.98 grams of fentanyl, $46,647 in cash, an additional handgun in Leggett’s purse, and a variety of items used to package drugs for sale. After Graham was arrested for the traffic stop, he continued to run fentanyl sales from the Robeson County Jail. Investigators located multiple recorded jail phone calls made in November and December of 2020 where Graham gave directions to another co-conspirator about the prices and quantities of drugs being sold. In total, investigators determined that Graham was involved in the distribution of over 4,600 grams of fentanyl during the year 2020. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Lumberton Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-95-D-1. ###


title: Texas Man Sentenced for Antisemitic Hate Crime After Seeking to Burn Down Synagogue

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Texas man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $470,000 in restitution for a hate crime and arson in which he set fire to the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 31, 2021. Franklin Sechriest, 19, of San Marcos, pleaded guilty to a hate crime and arson charges on April 7. Sechriest admitted that he targeted the synagogue because of his hatred of Jews, and journals recovered from the defendant were replete with virulent antisemitic statements and views. Sechriest also possessed several decals and stickers expressing antisemitic messages. “This defendant is being held accountable for this depraved, antisemitic attack on Congregation Beth Israel, a community with a rich history and heritage that dates back to 1876,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This hate-filled act of violence against a house of worship was an attempt to sow fear in the Jewish community and was intended to intimidate its congregants. Attacks targeting Jewish people and arsons aimed at desecrating synagogues have no place in our society today, and the Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute antisemitic violence.” “No one should have to fear that their daily lives will be inflicted by hate-fueled violence, or that their place of worship and community could become a target of hate,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “We stand firmly committed to those impacted by this arson, and my office will continue to combat criminal acts of hate while seeking justice for the victims.” “Hate crimes have the power to devastate and terrorize entire communities. To target a place of worship, a space meant to be a sanctuary in every sense of the word, is one of the most heinous acts that can be committed,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “We remain dedicated to investigating hate crimes and will continue to work relentlessly to hold responsible those who would commit violent acts based on hate.” According to court documents and admissions made during his plea and sentencing hearings, on Oct. 28, 2021, three days before the arson, Sechriest drove to the synagogue’s parking lot outside its sanctuary. According to Sechriest’s journals, he went there to “scout out a target.” The night of the arson, Sechriest drove to the synagogue and was seen on surveillance video carrying a five-gallon container and toilet paper toward the synagogue’s sanctuary. Moments later, multiple surveillance videos captured the glow of a fire from the direction of the sanctuary. A security camera captured Sechriest jogging away from the direction of the fire and toward the open driver’s side door of a vehicle. A concerned citizen reported the fire, and the Austin Fire Department responded quickly to extinguish it. In Sechriest’s journal, in an entry dated Oct. 31, 2021, he wrote “I set a synagogue on fire.” In the days following the arson, Sechriest’s journal noted that he was actively monitoring media reports to track the progress of the investigation into the arson. The FBI San Antonio Field Office and Austin Fire Department investigated the case. Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.