title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts “Protecting Places of Worship” Forum to Enhance Safety and Support for Religious Communities

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: On October 24, the U.S. Attorney’s Office held a “Protecting Places of Worship” forum to address security concerns faced by religious communities in the current climate of increased threats. The forum is part of a U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS) program that focuses on safeguarding religious institutions from violence, discrimination, and hate-based incidents. Leaders from diverse faith communities, law enforcement, and federal agencies gathered to discuss collaborative strategies for enhancing security and promoting unity. Community leaders and stakeholders gathered on October 24 to discuss collaborative strategies for enhancing security and promoting unity in faith communities. The PPOW forum included a panel discussion with faith and community leaders on assessing community safety and ways to prevent targeted violence. Key speakers at the event underscored the importance of fostering resilient partnerships between law enforcement and religious communities. Discussions centered on best practices for threat assessment, active shooter response, and emergency preparedness. Additionally, representatives from CRS and the Department of Homeland Security provided insights into federal resources , such as grants, and other support mechanisms available to religious organizations. In addition to security, the forum also addressed the need for greater understanding and respect among communities of different faiths. Religious leaders expressed concerns over rising incidents of hate crimes and emphasized the value of building trust with local authorities to ensure swift, effective responses to potential threats. Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the rights of all individuals to worship freely and safely. They highlighted the Office’s proactive role in prosecuting hate crimes and supporting communities through educational initiatives, outreach, and collaboration with religious organizations. This forum serves as a reminder of the shared responsibility to safeguard places of worship and promote inclusivity within communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains dedicated to working with community leaders and law enforcement to protect the freedoms that define our nation. For more information on resources available to religious institutions, please visit our grant resources page .


title: Owner of Arkansas Tree Service Business Sentenced for Tax Fraud

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 20 months in prison for filing a false individual income tax return. According to court documents and statements made in court, Carlos Gonzalez, 59, of Rogers, filed false tax returns that underreported the gross receipts from his tree-trimming and removal business, Charley’s Tree Service. From 2014 through 2020, Gonzalez cashed more than $3 million in customer checks instead of depositing them into his business’ bank account, knowing that his return preparer relied on the bank account records when preparing his returns. In addition, he did not tell his return preparer about the cashed checks. As such, the return preparer prepared tax returns that underreported gross receipts from his business resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of more than $900,000. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks for the Western District of Arkansas ordered Gonzalez to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $1.4 million in restitution to the United States and the State of Arkansas. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Curtis Weidler and Wilson Stamm of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall for the Western District of Arkansas prosecuted the case.


title: Galeas Patriarch, HSO Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Human Smuggling and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – The leader of a human smuggling organization (HSO) was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 360 months in federal prison on Wednesday. According to court documents, Roberto Galeas-Mejia, 48, of Honduras, led a San Antonio-based HSO, overseeing activities that included the transportation and harboring of undocumented noncitizens and the coordination of payments. Funds were funneled through conspirators’ bank accounts and used to pay load drivers and stash house operators, as well as to rent stash houses and further aid the HSO. Funds were also used for personal expenses such as vehicle purchases. Over the course of the investigation, Homeland Security Investigations thwarted multiple smuggling loads and arrested numerous co-conspirators and undocumented noncitizens. On July 27, 2022, a federal jury found Galeas-Mejia guilty of all three counts in a superseding indictment: conspiracy to transport illegal migrants, conspiracy to harbor illegal migrants, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. His wife Eva Maria Galeas and stepdaughter Lisa Marie Ortega, both of San Antonio, were also found guilty as co-conspirators. His sisters Sandra and Norma Galeas-Mejia, of Honduras, were also co-conspirators but pleaded guilty. The four women were sentenced in March . During the March sentence hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses ordered the forfeiture of $603,593.00, which was discovered in a safe during a search of Roberto’s home that he shared with Eva and Lisa Marie Ortega. On Wednesday, Roberto Galeas was also ordered to pay a money judgement of $1,008,000. HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Pass Police Department, Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holly Pavlinski, Antonio Franco and Rex Beasley prosecuted the case. ###


title: Okfuskee County Resident Pleads Guilty To Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Maiming, And Possessing A Firearm As A Felon

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Daniel Levi Magness, age 35, of Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Child Abuse, one count of Child Neglect, one count of Maiming, and one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Indictment alleged that between January 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024, Magness maliciously caused and threatened harm, failed to protect from harm, and tortured two children for whom Magness was responsible. The Indictment also alleged that during that same time, Magness willfully failed to provide adequate nurturance, food, shelter, hygiene, medical care, and supervision to those same children. Additionally, the Indictment alleged that during that same time, Magness, intending to torture, maim, and disfigure, cut the ear of one child. Finally, the Indictment alleged that on January 31, 2024, Magness knowingly possessed a Ruger semi-automatic pistol, one .22 caliber revolver, one .22 WMR caliber, bolt action rifle, and one 20 gauge shotgun after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Magness was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: New Braunfels Man Pleads Guilty After Planned Mass Murder Attacks Thwarted by Federal and Local Law Enforcement

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

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio to one count of attempt to receive firearm to use to commit a felony. According to court documents, Cameron Darrick Peterson, 20, began planning mass shootings since November 2022. On Jan. 4, 2024, Peterson attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun from a New Braunfels pawn shop. He completed the required background check and was denied due to his age and the type of firearm he was attempting to purchase. On May 31, he attempted to purchase an assault weapon-style 12-gauge shotgun from the pawn shop and was denied a second time. FBI agents obtained an arrest warrant on June 5, and Peterson was immediately taken into custody by the New Braunfels Police Department. During a search of his home, FBI agents found and seized an altered .22 caliber long rifle with a sawed-off buttstock and six magazines loaded with 60 rounds. On June 6, as part of a federal search warrant, agents reviewed Peterson’s Instagram account, revealing statements Peterson had made about plans to attack a gas station. Also on June 6, Peterson was recorded from jail instructing a witness to hide or destroy a videotape he had made in which he surveilled a grocery store to plan a future attack. On June 10, another search of Peterson’s home revealed a box that contained 11 aerosol containers and other ingredients to manufacture destructive devices. One of the containers was determined that it could be readily made operational and was categorized as an Improvised Explosive Device. The IED was not registered in the National Firearms Registry, nor could it be due to Peterson’s age. Peterson is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2025 and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, San Antonio Fire Department, New Braunfels Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Eric Yuen are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Gibsonia Man Sentenced for Insider Trading of Dick’s Sporting Goods Securities

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by three months of home detention and 12 months of supervised release, on his conviction of securities fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The defendant also was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and restitution in the amount of $823,367 to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Frank T. Poerio Jr., 63. According to information presented to the Court, Poerio used sensitive, material non-public information (MNPI) obtained from a Dick’s Sporting Goods (Dick’s) employee to engage in 160 trades of the company’s securities on the New York Stock Exchange. These transactions included the purchase of individual shares and call option contracts and occurred between August 2019 and May 2021, when the insider worked in a data analytics role at the company’s corporate offices in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. The trades netted approximately $823,000 in profits for Poerio, who often spoke with the employee about finances and investing. Several of the trading incidents occurred in the days immediately preceding Dick’s release of periodic earnings statements—so called “blackout” periods, when Dick’s employees were prohibited from trading in the company’s securities. Poerio pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2024 (read the plea news release here ). Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Poerio.


title: Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that James Tyra Bowman, age 30, of Appleton, Wisconsin, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. As a result of his convictions, Bowman faces potential life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime period of supervised release—which includes sex offender registration requirements. According to admissions made during his plea, Bowman used social media applications and the name “Genius_Outlaw” to attempt to convince someone he believed was an 11-year-old girl to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. Bowman offered her gifts to entice her to engage in the sexual acts. The 11-year-old girl was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Bowman also sent the undercover officer a picture of himself and his penis and demanded that she send him sexually explicit videos and images of her. Bowman also planned an arrangement where Bowman would have the supposed 11-year-old girl (undercover officer) for a period to train her in illegal sex acts in Wisconsin. Bowman was arrested by law enforcement in January of this year. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief. 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 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Browning sex offender admits not registering and attempting to elude law enforcement

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man accused of not registering as a sex offender as required and attempting to flee law enforcement by leading officers on a high-speed chase admitted to charges this week, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Austin Kade Goings, 27, pleaded guilty on Oct. 28 to failure to register as a sex offender, a felony, and to attempting to elude a peace officer, a misdemeanor. Goings faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release on the failure to register charge, and a maximum of one year in prison, a $2,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the attempting to elude charge. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Feb. 26, 2025. Goings was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged Goings was on federal supervised release following his conviction by a guilty plea to sexual abuse of a minor. In April 2021, Goings was sentenced to 21 months of custody, followed by five years of supervised release. Goings was last released from federal custody following a revocation in early January 2024. Upon his release, Goings failed to update his sex offender registration as required by Montana state law and a warrant was issued for his arrest for violations of supervised release. On July 25, an undercover law enforcement officer observed Goings driving a vehicle on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Knowing of Goings’ federal arrest warrant, the officer notified other nearby law enforcement. Officers with Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office attempted to initiate a traffic stop of Goings and activated their emergency lights. Goings drove through a stop sign without stopping and reached 80 mph in a 25-mph zone. The pursuit reached 100 mph in a 65-mph zone, with Goings traveling at 100 mph through the Starr School community. Goings was observed swerving and driving down the center lane, and he approached another vehicle head on, forcing the vehicle into a ditch. Law enforcement called the Border Patrol for assistance. Goings led officers on a 45-mile pursuit that stopped just short of the border. There were three other occupants in the vehicle at the time of the stop, including two persons who were minors. Officers arrested Goings on his federal warrant. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Marshals Service, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. XXX


title: New Britain Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Distribution Offense, Admits Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that AKEEM MANOO, 34, of New Britain, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. He also admitted that he committed the offense while on supervised release from a prior federal conviction. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 26, 2016, Manoo was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 120 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for his participation in a gang-related narcotics trafficking conspiracy. He was released from federal prison in November 2022. On May 11, 2023, Manoo was arrested after Hartford Police stopped his vehicle and found him in possession of nearly a half-kilogram of cocaine. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for January 22, at which time Manoo faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for the cocaine distribution offenses, and a maximum term of imprisonment of five years for violating the conditions of his supervised release. Manoo is detained pending sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe.


title: Springfield woman pleads guilty to embezzling over $250,000 from prisoner of war organization

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Springfield woman pled guilty today to wire fraud relating to her scheme to embezzle over $250,000 from her employer. According to court documents, Jennifer Giorffino, 53, served as the administrator for an organization dedicated to accounting for prisoners of war. The organization is financed by donations. Giorffino’s duties included processing donor checks and paying bills of the organization. Only Giorffino and the Chairman of the Board had access to the organization’s bank accounts. Beginning in approximately October 2022, Giorffino began using debit cards associated with the organization’s bank accounts to make unauthorized personal purchases and payments, including hundreds of purchases from Amazon, payments to her husband’s bank account, payments made through PayPal to Walmart, PlayStation, DoorDash, Instacart, BarkBox, and Stich Fix. Beginning in October 2023, Giorffino, using the identification of the organization’s Chairman without her approval, applied for at least 30 credit cards and lines of credit, including with Lane Bryant, Kohls, TJ Maxx, LL Bean, B&H Photo, and Mission Lane. Giorffino used one of the fraudulently-opened credit cards to make $36,278.29 in purchases. Giorffino paid off the credit cards every month until April 2024 using the organization’s bank accounts. Between Oct. 3, 2023, and April 14, 2024, Giorffino checked the Chairman’s credit through a major credit reporting company 37 times to maintain an understanding of the Chairman’s creditworthiness for credit applications. During the same period, using the Chairman’s identification, Giorffino sought preapproval for small business loans and lines of credit 78 times. In February 2024, Giorffino opened a checking account in the organization’s name. Giorffino added that account to the organization’s online donation platform and began diverting donations meant for the organization into her fraudulently-opened account. In total, Giorffino diverted $29,746.67 in organization funds into her account, including online donations and 121 checks totaling $13,844.59. The checks were forwarded from the organization’s official address to a UPS mailbox controlled by Giorffino. By March 2024, Giorffino had largely emptied the organization’s bank accounts and began forging bank statements and writing checks she knew would be returned for insufficient funds. Around the same time the theft of funds was discovered, the Chairman’s credit card was declined at a restaurant because of Giorffino’s activity. At an April 2024 board meeting, Giorffino provided the Board falsified bank statements showing that the organization’s accounts had approximately $206,000 when the actual account balance was only $10,000. In total, Giorffino misappropriated approximately $257,259 from the organization and the organization’s bank accounts. Giorffino is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David E. Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth R. Simon Jr. is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-224.


title: Louisville Teaching Assistant Sentenced to Over Thirty-Six Years in Federal Prison for Grooming and Sexually Exploiting Children

body_text: NEW ALBANY—Shawn Riedesel, 29, of Burnsville, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 440 months in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Riedesel must also pay $69,000 in restitution to his victims. Upon his release from federal prison, he must register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law. According to court documents, between December 2021 and July 2022, Shawn Riedesel enticed and coerced at least three underage girls to produce and send sexually explicit images and videos. He also met at least one child in person for sex on multiple occasions. While he was committing these crimes, Riedesel began a teacher preparation program through Teach Kentucky and stayed in a dorm room on Bellarmine University's campus, while also living at another residence in Louisville. Riedesel was not enrolled as a student at Bellarmine University. In late June of 2022, a witness learned of inappropriate electronic communications between an Riedesel and a 15-year-old Indiana girl over a school computer. The child told Riedesel she was fifteen, and she initially believed he was a 19-year-old boy. In fact, he was a 29-year-old man who used an end-to-end encrypted email program to communicate. The witness used the child’s email account to continue the conversation. Riedesel indicated that he and the child had previously had sex in person, and that he would help the victim run away from home so that they could meet and engage in specific sex acts. He was concerned the victim’s parents might know what he looked like, and that he would be in trouble for having sex with a child. The witness contacted the Indiana State Police to investigate. Investigators learned that Riedesel had crossed state lines on multiple occasions to have sex with the child, including over multiple days at an Indiana hotel, her parents’ house in Indiana while they were away, and a church. Riedesel also picked the child up from her home in Indiana and transported her across state lines to his dorm room in Louisville to have sex. On July 2, 2022, Riedesel was arrested when he arrived to meet the child at her parents’ house. Investigators seized his iPhone and conducted court-authorized searches of the device as well as his dorm room and residence. Investigators found printed sexually explicit images of the Indiana child affixed to a wall in his dorm room, arranged in the shape of a heart. State Police collected an additional iPhone, an iPad, and multiple computers and digital storage devices during the searches. Investigators were able to access the data contained on some of Riedesel’s devices, including thousands of sexually explicit images and videos of children obtained online, and images of Riedesel engaged in sex acts with his Indiana victim. The child later informed investigators that he forced her to watch the “huge collection” of child sexual abuse material he kept hidden on his computer, including recordings of the sexual abuse of prepubescent children and infants. While staying at a hotel to have sex with the Indiana victim, Riedesel saved a “shopping list” on his iPhone that included condoms, sex toys, a pacifier, coloring books, and crayons. Investigators found sexually explicit conversations between Riedesel and other underage girls on his iPhone, including sexually explicit video calls with another underage girl he recorded engaged in sex acts. His iPhones also showed that he coerced and enticed a 13-year-old girl to send him images and sexually explicit videos of herself. He told her he’d like to have sex with children even younger than her, and that “they should warn kids about guys like me. Cause we turn innocent underage girls into sex toy for us using their insecurities to lure them into trusting us. Then once they trust us they will do anything sexual for us…I mean that’s what grooming is.” He further stated that, “[s]ome pedos try to hide the fact that their grooming a girl, but she only feels betrayed when she finds out. I like to be open an honest with what I’m doing . . . I’m doing these things to turn you into my sex slave.” “Pedophiles like this would-be teacher use technology to find, groom, and exploit our children—from across the river and across the country,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This time, investigators were able to accesses the digital evidence needed to identify additional victims and secure a serious federal prison sentence. However, many companies are designing their technology to make it impossible to conduct court-authorized searches—hampering our ability to rescue children and hold sexual predators accountable. Together with our law enforcement partners at the FBI and Indiana State Police, our office will continue to do all we can to secure necessary evidence and make our children safer by removing these heinous offenders from our communities.” “The protection of our children must be a priority - every child deserves an environment safe from exploitation and abuse,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “Partnerships between the FBI and other agencies create effective responses to such heinous crimes to ensure offenders are held accountable and can never hurt another innocent child.” “Indiana State Police investigators work diligently every day, all across Indiana, and in close collaboration with its law enforcement partners, to help bring to justice those who seek to perpetuate the victimization of children”, said Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas G. Carter. The FBI and Indiana State Police investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina M. Korobov, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Plea in Fatal Drunk Driving Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault in connection with a drunk driving crash on the Navajo Nation reservation that resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries. According to court documents, on December 1, 2023, Brian Gonnie , 44, of the Navajo Nation, was driving under the influence of alcohol on Highway 64 in Shiprock, New Mexico. Gonnie was traveling at approximately 86 mph in a 35-mph zone when he crossed into the oncoming lane and struck another vehicle head-on. The collision resulted in the deaths of Gonnie 's passenger and the driver of the other vehicle. A passenger in the struck vehicle sustained serious injuries, including broken ribs, a broken pelvis, and a leg fracture that required surgery. Gonnie ’s blood alcohol concentration was .267% and his vehicle was littered with empty alcohol containers. When interviewed by FBI agents, Gonnie admitted to drinking and driving that night. Gonnie will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Gonnie faces up to ten years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Gonnie will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. This case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Montgomery County Man Charged With Insider Trading Linked to CVS’s 2023 Acquisition of Oak Street Health

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Carlos Sacanell, 58, of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with insider trading and making a false statement to a federal agency. The indictment alleges that the defendant obtained material nonpublic information from his domestic partner, who was an executive at Oak Street Health, about CVS Health Corporation’s acquisition of Oak Street Health in 2023. At all times relevant to the indictment, both CVS and Oak Street Health were publicly traded companies on the New York Stock Exchange, with ticker symbols CVS and OSH, respectively. The defendant allegedly used the material nonpublic information obtained from his domestic partner to trade stock and options in Oak Street Health before the transaction was publicly announced by CVS and Oak Street Health on February 8, 2023, resulting in him obtaining profits of approximately $617,000. The indictment further alleges that on April 3, 2024, when the defendant was interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, he falsely told the FBI that he did not obtain from his domestic partner information regarding CVS’s planned acquisition of Oak Street Health before the acquisition was publicly announced on February 8, 2023. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber. In a parallel matter, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against Sacanell today. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Plea in Shiprock Assault Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty in federal court to charges stemming from a highway shooting in Shiprock, New Mexico, that left one person seriously injured. According to the plea agreement, on January 9, 2024, Larence Cambridge , 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, flashed a firearm at the occupants of a vehicle before repeatedly shooting at it. As a result of the shooting, the vehicle was struck repeatedly, and one of the occupants was seriously injured. The shooting occurred on U.S. Highway 64 in Shiprock, New Mexico. Cambridge pled guilty to one count each of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Cambridge will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Cambridge faces seven to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Cambridge will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement (Cambridge).pdf # # #


title: Felon Sentenced After Eluding Police While  Possessing Loaded Firearms

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jacob James McCord, 31, of Tulsa, for Eluding a Law Enforcement Officer in Indian Country and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Judge Frizzell ordered McCord to 120 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, in November 2023, McCord was driving a vehicle with fraudulent tags when Sand Springs Police officers attempted to pull him over. Instead of pulling over, McCord led several officers on a pursuit where he endangered the lives of others when he drove over 120 mph. McCord crashed into another vehicle, injuring one person. He was finally stopped and arrested once his vehicle became inoperable. During a search of the vehicle, officers found several loaded firearms. Court records show that while McCord was on bond in state court for the November incident, he was pulled over again in December 2023. When officers asked if he had a firearm on him, McCord said no. When officers searched McCord, they found a loaded stolen handgun inside his jacket. McCord is a citizen of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sand Springs Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: United States Attorney Designates Election Officer For Eastern District Of Oklahoma

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Cameron McEwen will lead the Eastern District’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA McEwen has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District, which is comprised of twenty-six counties in eastern, southeastern, and southcentral Oklahoma. In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). “The right and ability to vote is the cornerstone of our American democracy,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “We all must ensure that those entitled to participate in the election process can exercise that right if they choose, and those who seek to corrupt it are held accountable. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA McEwen will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by calling 918-684-5174.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI National Threat Operations Center can be reached by the public at 1-800-CALL-FBI [(800) 225-5324]. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ . Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: Fleeing felon found with firearm faces federal fate

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Feb. 28, 2024, Israel Maleek Mangram, 23, failed to maintain his lane while driving on Interstate 95. A Trooper with Virginia State Police ran the information on the vehicle and learned that the owner had a suspended driver’s license. The Trooper could not see the driver, so he initiated a traffic stop to investigate. Mangram pulled the vehicle onto the right shoulder of the interstate but did not stop. Mangram returned to the travel lanes of the interstate and increased his speed to over 100 mph. After a high-speed chase, Mangram lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a single-family home. Mangram tried to climb out of the passenger-side window. The Trooper approached Mangram, who was lying next to the passenger-side of the SUV and ordered Mangram to show his hands. Lying next to Mangram was a handgun. Mangram was convicted of robbery on Aug. 5, 2020. As a previously convicted felon, Mangram cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Mangram is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-109.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced for Preparing False Tax Returns

body_text: An Illinois tax return preparer was sentenced yesterday to 16 months in prison for preparing and filing false tax returns for clients. According to court documents and statements made in court, Gary Sandiego, of Barrington, owned and operated G. Sandiego and Associates, a tax preparation business. For tax years 2014 through 2017, he prepared and filed false income tax returns for his clients. Instead of relying on information provided by the clients, Sandiego either inflated or entirely fabricated expenses to falsely claim on the returns residential energy credits and employment-related expense deductions. As a result, Sandiego caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $4,586,154. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Jorge L. Alonso for the Northern District of Illinois ordered Sandiego to serve one year of supervised release and pay $2,910,442 in restitution to the IRS. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Andrew Kameros and Sara Henderson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Travel with Intent to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Frank Twing, Sr., age 33, of West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, pled guilty today to one count of sexual exploitation of a child involving a then-15-year-old victim and one count of travel with intent to engage in unlawful sexual conduct involving an approximately 12-year-old victim. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Twing admitted that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old child during which he created sexually explicit videos depicting that child. He also admitted to traveling from his home in Massachusetts to New York, planning to have sex with an approximately 12-year-old child. At sentencing scheduled for March 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Twing faces a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 15 years and a maximum imprisonment term of 60 years, post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $250,000, special assessments, restitution to the victims, and forfeiture of the property he used to commit he offenses. Twing also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the New York State Police, and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office, which itself also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Benjamin A. Gillis are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Ten-Time Convicted Felon, Who Fled From Girlfriend’s Violent Death, Sentenced To 14 Years In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Albert Ayala (34, Orlando) to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ayala entered a guilty plea on May 21, 2024. According to court records, Ayala was driving a vehicle on I-4 when his girlfriend, the sole passenger in the vehicle, was ejected from the car. The woman was struck by multiple vehicles, causing her death. Ayala continued driving and crashed the vehicle at the base of an I-4 exit. Ayala then fled the scene on foot, leaving behind a pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. Ayala’s DNA was located on the firearm and airbag that had deployed during the crash. Prior to possessing the firearm, Ayala had been convicted of 10 felonies. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. “We’re proud to have helped put this heartless suspect behind bars for a long time,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff. 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: “OkieMalePerv007” Sentenced for Possessing and Distributing Thousands of Images and Videos of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Randal Dewayne Davis, 48, of Salina, for Receipt, Distribution, and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Davis to serve a total of 121 months of imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Davis will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Hill further ordered Davis to pay $44,000 in restitution. According to court documents, investigators received several tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) related to Davis sharing sexually explicit content of children being abused under the screen names “OkieMalePerv007” and “randyman.” After a search warrant was served on his home, the investigation revealed that Davis possessed and distributed thousands of images and videos of minor victims being sexually abused and exploited. Davis admitted that some of the sexually explicit content was of infants. Davis will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshals Service, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: U.S. Attorney Avery Announces 2024 Election Day Program

body_text: U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery today announced that Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Francis will lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Francis serves as the District Election Officer for the District of Connecticut and is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). “The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.” U.S. Attorney Avery noted that in order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Francis will be on duty while the polls are open and will be in regular communication throughout the day with the FBI and with state election and law enforcement authorities. The Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) is staffing a hotline during polling hours on Election Day. Anyone with knowledge of election fraud or voting rights abuses is encouraged to call 1-866-733-2463 ( 1-866-SEEC-INFO ) to report suspected violations. The SEEC staff will answer questions, advise on complaint procedures and, if appropriate, request the assistance of state criminal or federal law enforcement authorities in the investigation and possible prosecution of the matter. The FBI in Connecticut and across the country will have special agents available to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office in New Haven can be reached directly at 203-777-6311. In addition, complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ . “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the public,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, individuals should call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. More information on the Justice Department’s efforts to protect the right to vote and make elections secure is available here .


title: "Booker" for High-End Brothel Network Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dedham, Mass., man who served primarily as the “booker” for an interstate prostitution network that operated sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Boston. Junmyung Lee, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Feb. 12, 2025. Junmyung Lee was arrested and charged in November 2023 with co-defendants Han Lee, 42, of Cambridge, Mass. and James Lee, 69, of Torrance, Calif. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 . Han Lee pleaded guilty on Sept. 27, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20, 2024. From at least January 2022 through and including November 2023, Junmyung Lee knowingly conspired with Han Lee and, allegedly, James Lee to operate an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia designed to entice women to travel interstate to engage in prostitution. Junmyung Lee and his alleged co-conspirators also knowingly conspired with one another, and others, to launder the proceeds of the prostitution network by concealing that the money was derived the prostitution conspiracy. Junmyung Lee was recruited to work for the prostitution network in approximately late 2021 through early 2022, as the business expanded. His main role in the conspiracy was that of the appointment “booker” and assisted with various tasks to maintain the prostitution network. In exchange, Han Lee paid Junmyung Lee $6,000-$8,000 per month. As “booker,” Junmyung Lee was responsible for vetting sex buyers, booking appointments, as well as communicating directly with vetted customers via at least two cell phones – for Massachusetts and for Virginia, respectively. These brothel cell phones each contained over 2,800 verified customers of the prostitution business. An additional known cell phone containing additional contacts for the Virginia brothel was never recovered. Junmyung Lee also helped transport women to and from the airport, with some women working at the brothel locations on multiple occasions and in multiple states. The defendants allegedly rented high-end apartments in Massachusetts and Virginia to serve as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. In June 2022, Junmyung Lee leased one of the brothel locations in Cambridge, Mass. under his own name. In exchange for the lease, Junmyung Lee received a large cash payment of prostitution proceeds from Han Lee. A portion of the cash payment went towards the purchase of a Corvette. Additionally, Junmyung Lee collected the cash proceeds from the various brothel locations at the direction of Han Lee. Junmyung Lee would then conceal the proceeds via structured deposits into personal bank accounts. Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds. These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at the brothel locations. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . The charge of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of funds laundered, whatever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central District of California and the Eastern District of Virginia; the U.S. Postal Service; and Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye, of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Son of Sinaloa Cartel Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – On October 30, 2024, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Brian Jesus Zazueta, age 23, of Sunnyside, Washington, to 160 months in federal prison on drug trafficking charges. Judge Rice also imposed 5 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) developed information that Zazueta was working as a mid-level manager for a drug trafficking organization out of Mexico that was responsible for distributing drugs in Spokane and across Eastern Washington. Zazueta is the son of Adolfo Zazueta-Bueno, a significant member of the Sinaloa cartel. Zazueta-Bueno was a previous resident of the Tri-Cities area, but now resides in Sinaloa, Mexico where he runs his drug trafficking organization. Zazeuta was operating as his father’s eyes and ears in the United States; he is a U.S. Citizen and could travel freely to and from Mexico. Judge Rice found that Zazueta is a leader and organizer for his father’s operation and sentenced him accordingly. On March 9, 2023, the DEA and the Spokane Police Department executed a federal search warrant on a stash house in Kennewick, Washington. Zazueta was in the apartment along with more than 42,000 fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and heroin. Additionally, DEA found $6,000 in cash, receipts showing money transfers to Sinaloa, Mexico, drug scales, and ledgers with information about drug transactions. “By targeting drug trafficking organizations, we disrupt the supply of deadly drugs that are causing harm in our neighborhoods,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Mr. Zazueta was responsible for an organization distributing a large amount of illegal narcotics. Thanks to the excellent work by DEA, the Spokane Police Department, and federal prosecutors, Mr. Zazueta is headed to federal prison, and as a result, our communities are safer and stronger.” “Mr. Zazueta sowed the seeds of despair in Eastern Washington while he reaped the profits of his methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin distribution,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Thanks to the DEA, Spokane Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Zazueta learned that these actions had consequences and the sentence in this case should make others pause before selling drugs that harm our communities.” This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Spokane Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard. 2:23-cr-00036-TOR


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison Following His Participation In A Fatal Shooting

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Cristian Ponce (32, Orlando) to 20 years’ imprisonment following his role in a fatal, drug-related shooting. Ponce entered a guilty plea on February 13, 2024. According to court documents, on November 2, 2022, at approximately 2 p.m., a drug-related shooting occurred at the Oak Ridge Shopping Plaza in Orlando. Ponce and S.H. had arrived at the shopping plaza in a gray SUV to sell drugs to addicts who congregated there. They had cocaine and fentanyl packaged for individual sale and two loaded firearms in the vehicle. Video surveillance footage shows that when the SUV arrived in the plaza, an individual approached the front passenger side of the vehicle and Ponce gave him a small bag of cocaine. At almost the same time, E.E. and another associate approached the SUV and gunshots were fired into and from the SUV. E.E. was shot, ran a short distance, and fell to the ground. S.H. was also shot. The SUV reversed uncontrollably, flipped over, and crashed in the rear of the plaza. Ponce assisted S.H. out of the SUV and fled before law enforcement arrived. The confrontation was an alleged turf battle over who could sell drugs in the shopping plaza. Both E.E. and S.H. died from their wounds. During the following week, Ponce continued to sell drugs. On November 8, 2022, law enforcement observed vehicles and individuals visit Ponce’s residence for short periods of time, consistent with drug dealing. During that time Ponce also sent and received text messages to conduct his drug business. On November 11, 2022, at Ponce’s residence in Orlando, law enforcement executed a search warrant related to the shooting. As officers approached the residence, they observed Ponce seated in a vehicle in the driveway with co-defendant Rodney Hernandez. Ponce again had cocaine packaged for individual sale and two loaded firearms inside the vehicle. Hernandez previously pleaded guilty for his role in this case. He was sentenced in June 2024 to seven years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stoia. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Sheriff’s Deputy Admits Sex with Minor, Child Pornography Charges

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former Phelps County Sheriff’s deputy on Thursday admitted engaging in sex acts with a minor, requesting and receiving child pornography and destroying evidence to impede the FBI. Justin Bradley Durham, 43, of Rolla, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and three counts of destroying records in a federal investigation. Durham admitted as part of his plea that he requested and received a sexually explicit video from a 16-year-old in 2013. He later provided $200 to the victim after she engaged in sex acts with him. He also admitted engaging in sex acts multiple times with a 17-year-old victim, including in his patrol vehicle. He exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with her. Durham met the second victim in 2016 when her friend contacted the police and he responded to the call. The FBI interviewed Durham in 2023 after learning that his PayPal account had been used to send money to another account associated with the sale of child pornography. Durham denied purchasing child pornography and claimed that he hadn’t accessed his Dropbox account for years. He refused agents’ request to search his cell phone. Two days later, Durham bought a new phone, destroyed his old phone and deleted about 37 gigabytes of data in his Dropbox account before deactivating it. Among those files were hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos, including files containing child sexual abuse material. Durham was terminated by the Sheriff’s Department on Aug. 9, 2023, and arrested by them . In jail, he told FBI agents that he also destroyed a laptop computer, threw away his phone and conducted a “digital footprint scrub” of his online accounts, his plea agreement says. Durham is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 5, 2025. The production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and the receipt of child pornography charge has a five-year mandatory minimum. The FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Demetrius Terrell Burns, 32, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base. Burns admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2024 Burns received fentanyl from a supplier in Beckley that he used to supply Tilford Joe Bradley Jr., a co-defendant. Burns admitted that on April 12, 2024, he told Bradley by phone that he had received a shipment of “raw” fentanyl. Burns further admitted that he offered to sell Bradley $1,800 worth of raw fentanyl, and they discussed adding cutting agent to the fentanyl to make a larger profit when it was sold. Burns also admitted that he knew Bradley intended to redistribute these drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on February 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Burns is among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. Burns is also among four defendants who have pleaded guilty. The charges against Bradley and the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90. ###


title: Cleveland Man Sentenced to Nearly 15 Years in Prison for Firearm and Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine Trafficking Crimes

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, has been sentenced in federal court to 178 months in prison for committing drug trafficking and firearm crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Justin Nichols, 30, also ordering Nichols to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. According to information presented to the Court, for several months in 2023, Nichols engaged in high-volume, interstate fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine trafficking in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and in Cleveland, also possessing a firearm. At the time, he was on parole in Ohio following several prior convictions and prison sentences for violent gun and drug crimes. Nichols previously pleaded guilty in this case to committing the following crimes on July 3, 2023: (1) possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin and a quantity of cocaine at an address in Sharon, Pennsylvania; (2) possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and a quantity of cocaine at a second address in Sharon; and (3) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Mercer County Drug Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Nichols.


title: U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow Announces $4.8 Million in United States Department of Justice Grants to Support Victims of Domestic Violence and Related Crimes

component: Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – In addition to the $12.1 million in grants announced on September 23, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico announces another $4,803,662 in grants related to protecting vulnerable victims from domestic violence and related crimes, as listed below: Puerto Rico Department of Justice received $1,265,216 from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Formula Solicitation. Coordinadora Paz Para la Mujer, Inc. received $693,750 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program. Solo Por Hoy received $450,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program. Proyecto Matria, Inc. received $400,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program. Hogar Nueva Mujer Santa María de la Merced, Inc. received $400,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program. Puerto Rico Instituto de Ciencias Forenses received $294,696 from OJP BJA for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program and $600,000 for the Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction. Hogar Ruth, Inc. received $200,000 from OJP BJA for the Meeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims. Puerto Rico Department of Justice received $500,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women for the Local Law Enforcement Grants for Enforcement of Cybercrimes Program. The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about these and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page . About the Office of Justice Programs The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime, and SMART Office – can be found at www.ojp.gov . ###


title: Lawrence Man Indicted for Distributing Fentanyl

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national, most recently residing in Lawrence, Mass., has been indicted on drug charges after serving a federal prison sentence and being deported in 2023. Angel Martinez, a/k/a Aneudy Rios, 44, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal entered a voluntary order of detention and scheduled the matter for a further court hearing on Dec. 3, 2024. Martinez is currently on supervised release for 2019 federal drug distribution charges that resulted in 60 months in prison. Following his sentence, Martinez was transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation. In September 2024, Martinez unlawfully returned to the United States and sold fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Haverhill, Mass. which was captured on video. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by North Andover Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Jury Finds Non-Fungible Token Developer Guilty Of Defrauding Investors And Laundering Proceeds Through Solana And Ethereum Blockchains

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Berman Jerry Nowlin, Jr. (21, Huntsville, Alabama), a/k/a “Repulse” and “Zayous,” guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Nowlin faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for January 23, 2025. According to evidence presented at trial, Nowlin and his codefendant, Devin Alan Rhoden (25, Pinellas Park, Florida), a/k/a “Denny” and “Deviinz,” minted two non-fungible token (NFT) collections on the Solana blockchain named “UndeadApes” and “Undead Lady Apes” (representative samples from each collection are depicted below). UndeadApes Collection Undead Lady Apes Collection Nowlin served as the developer for both projects by, among other things, using an art engine to create the NFTs, managing the blockchain protocol, and coding the Solana smart contracts. Rhoden marketed the projects on Discord and X (formerly Twitter). In the weeks following the respective mints, the average sale price of both NFT collections increased dramatically. For instance, though minted at the cryptocurrency equivalent of $5, NFTs from the UndeadApes collection resold for the equivalent of $360 at their peak. Nowlin and Rhoden used the success and enthusiasm from the first two collections to perpetrate a “rug pull,” a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme where developers abandon a project, take investor funds, and leave investors with a worthless asset. Specifically, in April 2022, Nowlin and Rhoden announced their intention to mint a third NFT collection named “Undead Tombstone.” In the announcement and subsequent advertisements, Nowlin and Rhoden made exaggerated, misleading, and outright false statements to investors, including regarding utilities the NFTs would have, the amount of cryptocurrency that would be reinvested into the project, and partnerships with other prominent businesses. On April 19, 2022, Nowlin and Rhoden minted 632 Undead Tombstone NFTs before abruptly terminating the mint and executing the rug pull. A short time later, Nowlin and Rhoden deleted their Discord and Twitter accounts, cutting off all communication with investors. The mint resulted in approximately $135,000 in cryptocurrency being sent to cryptocurrency wallets under the control of Nowlin and Rhoden. Using decentralized cryptocurrency tumbler Tornado Cash, Nowlin moved the fraud proceeds from the Solana blockchain to the Ethereum blockchain, also known as “chain-hopping.” This confusion technique is used by cybercriminals and money launderers to make identifying and tracing illicit funds more difficult. Nowlin then used the cryptocurrency to purchase U.S. dollars and transferred that currency into his bank account. In a matter of weeks, the three NFT collections resulted in Nowlin and Rhoden receiving nearly $400,000 in cryptocurrency from hundreds of victim-investors all over the world. “These cybercriminals concocted a scheme to defraud investors through a grand illusion and orchestrated a ‘rug pull’ to steal money from unsuspecting people, and laundered their ill-gotten gains though other cybercurrencies,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI Tampa, alongside our partners with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office this guilty verdict should serve as a stark reminder that criminals can easily exploit the allure of digital fortunes through would be cryptocurrency investments.” Rhoden pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering on May 24, 2024. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 20, 2024. This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force - Office of Special Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of Defense - Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.


title: Cincinnati woman sentenced to 2 years in prison for defrauding insurance company of $200,000 through fake rental insurance applications

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Erlisa King, 37, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for committing wire fraud by submitting hundreds of untrue applications for rental insurance. According to court documents, in May and June 2022, King defrauded an insurance company by submitting 247 applications for rental insurance for apartments in which she did not reside. King applied online for the insurance and used fraudulent bank information so the insurance company could not collect the initial premium. She then immediately canceled the policy and directed the insurance company to refund the premium to a different bank account. In total, King received more than $212,000 in fraudulent refunds. When she was arrested in March 2023, King’s cell phone contained multiple bank applications for lines of credit and Target debit cards, as well as stolen identity information for numerous victims. King pleaded guilty in February 2024. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Lincoln County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeffrey R. Lambert, 63, of Ranger, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 2, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Lambert’s residence and found approximately 186 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 57 grams of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, several firearms, and $4,402. Lambert admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized controlled substances. Lambert also possessed a loaded pistol in his bedroom along with his cash and some of the controlled substances. Lambert further admitted to selling a total of approximately 70 grams of methamphetamine on four occasions between July 25, 2022 and August 1, 2022, each time to a confidential informant at his Ranger residence. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-14. ###


title: Hamilton man pleads guilty to illegally possessing firearms, Glock switch

body_text: CINCINNATI – A previously convicted felon pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally possessing firearms, including a fully automatic weapon. Justin Ervin, 35, of Hamilton, admitted to possessing a machinegun-conversion device, known as a switch. The device converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon. Ervin’s plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 60 months in prison. According to court documents, in May 2024, Hamilton police officers executed a search warrant at a residence in which Ervin had been living. Officers were originally called to the house in response to a strangulation incident, for which Ervin has pleaded guilty in state court. Officers discovered seven firearms, one conversion device and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition at the residence. As a previously convicted felon for robbery and arson, Ervin is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Ervin was indicted by a federal grand jury and arrested in June 2024. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Hamilton Police Chief Trent Chenowith announced the guilty plea entered on Oct. 30 before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe and Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Former Accountant for New Jersey Manufacturing Company Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Prison for Criminal Tax Offenses

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for filing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Thomas Kohutich, 34, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to a two-count information that charged him with subscribing to false tax returns for calendar years 2018 and 2019. Judge Castner imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Kohutich, a former accountant for a New Jersey-based manufacturing company, filed with the IRS U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, Forms 1040, for calendar years 2018 and 2019 on his and his wife’s behalf. Kohutich failed to report funds that he embezzled from his former employer and which he knew constituted reportable income. Kohutich signed the tax returns under penalties of perjury, despite knowing that they contained materially false information. As part of his plea agreement, Kohutich agreed to pay full restitution to the IRS for tax losses resulting from filing the false tax returns, as well as restitution to his former employer. In addition to the prison term, Judge Caster sentenced Kohutich to one year of supervised release and ordered Kohutich to pay restitution of $234,821 to the IRS and $829,457 to his former employer. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the sentence. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edeli Rivera of the Special Prosecutions Division.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington Observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month

body_text: Spokane, Washington - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington proudly commemorates Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) this October. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Vanessa R. Waldref, joins the U.S. Department of Justice in reaffirming its unwavering commitment to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and promoting justice for all affected by domestic violence. DVAM serves as a crucial opportunity to shed light on the profound impacts of domestic violence and emphasize the importance of collective action. Each year, millions of individuals are impacted by intimate partner violence, and far too many families endure the tragic consequences of domestic abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that survivors are heard, and perpetrators are held accountable. This year is a special year to commemorate DVAM because it is also the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. In 1994, the passage of this landmark, bipartisan legislation transformed the way our nation addresses domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by increasing protections for survivors, providing critical federal resources to support a coordinated community response to these crimes, and awarding grants at the local, state, territory, Tribal, and national levels. Recent grant awards include $350,000 to the City of Yakima to combat domestic violence and sexual assault and $600,000 the Kalispel Tribe of Indians to respond to and prevent sexual assault. “Everyone deserves to live in a safe home free of domestic violence,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Domestic violence victims often struggle to access the justice system and get the protection and resources they need, which is why we use all the tools at our disposal—including leveraging our partnerships with local law enforcement, domestic violence advocacy organizations, and local prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.” Domestic violence is one of the root causes underlying the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis. Prosecuting cases on Tribal lands that involve intimate partner violence is a critical tool to bringing justice to victims and safety to Tribal communities. Recent cases include: United States v. Marvin Samson Butterfly , 2:23-cr-00110-TOR: Butterfly was found guilty of assaulting and suffocating his partner, as well as Attempted Witness Tampering. United States v. James Edward Kensler , 2:18-cr-00096-TOR: Kensler was sentenced to 60 months in prison for violently assaulting his girlfriend. United States v. Branden Scott Higgins, 1:23-cr-02056-SAB: Higgins was sentenced to nearly three months in federal prison for choking his pregnant girlfriend United States v. Xander Lee Ostenberg, 2:23-cr-00031-TOR: Ostenberg was sentenced to 60 months in prison for violently assaulting his partner and tribal elders. Another crucial part of combatting domestic violence and reducing violent crimes includes enforcing federal firearm prohibitions. Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners. In addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Under federal law, people with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions and those subject to domestic violence protective orders are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. In October 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref announced her office’s Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative to prevent domestic violence homicides and prevent abusers who have previously been convicted of domestic violence offenses from having access to firearms. Partnering with the Yakima Police Department, Yakima County Prosecutor’s Office, Spokane Police Department, and Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, and domestic violence prevention advocates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focuses enforcement on individuals identified as repeat domestic violence abusers who unlawfully possess firearms. Recent cases charged as part of the Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative include: United States v. Benjamin D. Cliett , 1:22-cr-02111-MKD: Pleaded guilty to Person Subject to a Court Order in Possession of Firearms, in connection to violating a no-contact order and possessing more than a dozen firearms. United States v. Tyler Jonas Senator , 1:23-cr-02027-SAB: Sentenced to 84 months on one count of Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangling or Suffocating, in connection with a violent attack on his partner. United States v. Michael Brian Ross , 2:23-cr-00021-MKD: Sentenced to 4 years on count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in connection with threating his partner with a firearm. “Federal prosecutors witness the devastating impacts of domestic violence on the lives of victims and their families, who may endure long-term trauma and are at increased risk for returning to abusive relationships. Firearms are used by abusers to control their victims through fear and intimidation. Law enforcement responding to active domestic violence scenes are also at increased risk when firearms are present,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. Video Message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRNct8hfuxw U.S. Attorney Waldref continued, “My Office’s Safe Homes, Safe Community Initiative focuses on curbing gun violence by removing firearms unlawfully possessed by individuals with a track record of violent crime and domestic violence – these efforts protect victims, law enforcement, and the entire community.” Facing domestic violence? Find support in your state through @OVWJustice's Local Resources: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-for-survivors Immediate help for domestic violence victims: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (@ndvhofficial) at 1-800-799-7233 or Strong Hearts Native Helpline (@strongheartsdv) at 1-844-762-8483.


title: St. Louis County Woman Accused of Three Different Frauds

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis County, Missouri was indicted Wednesday and accused of aiding a romance fraud conspiracy and committing a nearly $40,000 pandemic relief loan fraud as well as a separate mortgage fraud. Shirley Waller, 42, was indicted on three counts of wire fraud, two counts of mortgage fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and use of an assumed name to commit mail fraud. The indictment accuses Waller of applying for and receiving a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $19,235 for a Michigan business in 2021, as well as a second loan for a St. Louis resale shop. Waller used the proceeds of the first loan on personal flights to Ghana, Germany and Jamaica instead of approved business purposes, the indictment says. On May 14, 2022, Waller applied for a home loan of more than $196,000 by lying about her marital status, salary and job and by submitting counterfeit W-2 forms and paystubs, the indictment says. Finally, the indictment accuses Waller of aiding scammers who tricked a 71-year-old St. Louis County woman into believing that she was in an online relationship with a U.S. military surgeon deployed overseas. Scammers told the victim to send $30,000 in cash to Waller’s address, the indictment says. The shipment was tracked on its journey by several IP addresses in Nigeria. In a two-week period, at least 35 Express Mail shipments sent to Waller’s address by other victims were also tracked by Nigerian IP addresses, the indictment says. Waller would open the packages and forward the cash to others via cryptocurrency transactions and other means, it says. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others in order to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including the multiple individual consumer and business victims in this investigation,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. Each mail theft charge carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Town and Country Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.