title: U.S. Attorney Announces $2.5 Million False Claims Act Settlement With Diagnostic Testing Facility For Paying Kickbacks To Physicians For Patient Referrals

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today that the U.S. has settled a civil fraud lawsuit against Balance Diagnostics USA, LLC (“BALANCE”), a diagnostic testing facility based in Cedarhurst, New York, for paying kickbacks to physicians and their medical practices in the form of sham “rent payments” to secure patient referrals in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (the “AKS”). Specifically, the settlement resolves claims that from January 2009 through December 2019, BALANCE paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to over 100 physicians and their practices in the New York City area (the “Providers”) to induce them to refer patients for diagnostic testing services performed by BALANCE staff at the Providers’ offices. The U.S. alleges that the so-called rent payments were based entirely upon the number of patient referrals and, in many instances, were well above the fair market rental value of the leased office space. Under the settlement approved yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, BALANCE will pay the U.S. $1,725,850 and has admitted and accepted responsibility for conduct alleged in the U.S. Complaint, including that BALANCE determined the amount of rent to be paid pursuant to the subleases by taking into account the anticipated volume or value of the patients referred. BALANCE has also agreed to pay the State of New York $774,150 to resolve state law claims, for a total combined recovery of $2.5 million. BALANCE has executed judgments in favor of the U.S. for $4,280,108, and in favor of the State of New York for $1,919,892, for a total combined amount of $6.2 million, which may be enforced if BALANCE fails to make the payments required under the settlements. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The Anti-Kickback Statute is meant to ensure that medical decision-making is driven by what is best for the patient, and never by what is most profitable. Balance entered into sham office rental arrangements with scores of doctors in the New York City area, paying them to refer patients to Balance for diagnostic tests, pressuring them to meet referral expectations, and terminating the arrangements when referral rates were lower than expected. These are precisely the kind of business arrangements that the statute was enacted to prevent. This Office will continue to scrutinize such arrangements and hold accountable those providers whose dealings violate the law.” HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, as demonstrated by this lawsuit and settlement, can induce diagnostic testing referrals that are compromised by profit-making considerations. Individuals and entities that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds and the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients.” As alleged in the U.S. Complaint: BALANCE is a diagnostic testing facility based in Cedarhurst, New York, which provides on-site mobile diagnostic testing services, such as video steganography (used to diagnose balance disorders) and ultrasound procedures. During the period from 2009 through 2019, BALANCE orchestrated a kickback scheme designed to direct patients to BALANCE for diagnostic testing services. BALANCE entered into sham office rental arrangements with over 100 Providers, who referred thousands of patients to BALANCE for diagnostic testing services that were reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid. BALANCE routinely sent employees to visit physicians and medical practices to persuade them to enter these kickback arrangements. BALANCE representatives inquired about the volume of patients the Providers anticipated referring for diagnostic testing services each month. BALANCE and the Providers then used these anticipated referral rates to negotiate the amount BALANCE would pay in rent to the Providers each month. BALANCE characterized the payments to the Providers as rent payments because it knew that it was illegal to make payments in exchange for referrals and wanted to conceal the true purpose of the payments. BALANCE’s agreements with the Providers typically provided for the use of an exam room by BALANCE personnel, as well as for the use of basic equipment ( e.g. , a telephone, fax machine, a computer) and administrative staff to assist with patient flow and recordkeeping. In exchange, BALANCE agreed to pay monthly rent, which ranged from one to several thousand dollars per month. In many cases, the monthly payments exceeded the fair market value for BALANCE’s limited use of the rented space, equipment, and services. The sole factor BALANCE took into account when setting the monthly rent was the expected value of the patient referrals the Provider would generate. Many of the agreements misrepresented key terms, such as the square footage of the rented space and the number of days per month BALANCE would use the space. In some instances, BALANCE did not even enter into written lease agreement with the Providers. As part of the settlement, BALANCE admitted, acknowledged, and accepted responsibility for the following conduct: In a number of instances, BALANCE and the Providers determined the amount of rent to be paid pursuant to the sublease by taking into account the anticipated volume or value of the patients referred to BALANCE. Frequently, BALNCE representatives reached out to the Providers about leasing office space from them, and if the Providers were interested, the BALANCE representatives inquired about the volume of patient referrals for diagnostic testing services that BALANCE could expect to receive in a given month. The BALANCE representatives and the Providers then negotiated the monthly rent amount by taking into account the anticipated volume and/or value of such referrals. The greater the number of patients the Providers indicated they could refer to BALANCE for diagnostic testing service each month, the greater the monthly amount BALANCE agreed to pay the Providers. BALANCE typically performed no meaningful analysis to determine the fair market value of the subleased premises or to verify that the agreed-upon monthly rent payments were consistent with fair market value. In a number of instances, the payments made to the Providers substantially exceeded the fair market value of the rented space. BALANCE representatives monitored the number of patient referrals received each month from the Provider. BALANCE took a number of steps to address situations where the volume of patient referrals was meaningfully less than that which BALANCE had anticipated when setting the monthly rent amount. For example, BALANCE representatives routinely reached out to Providers to press them to achieve the expected patient referral rates. Sometimes, BALANCE representatives secured commitments from Providers to increase the number of patients they would refer for diagnostic testing services each month. In other instances, when there were fewer referrals or BALANCE did not use the space because of low patient referrals, BALANCE paid the Providers less than the amount specified in the sublease and/or varied its payment (between the amount specified in the sublease and a lesser amount) based on the actual patient referral volume. In other instances, BALANCE representatives renegotiated the rent amount downward or terminated the sublease arrangement entirely. In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and the settlement, the U.S. Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act. * * * Mr. Williams thanked HHS-OIG and the New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their assistance with the case. This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pierre G. Armand is in charge of the case.


title: Helena man sentenced to prison for meth trafficking

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

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Helena man who admitted to a methamphetamine trafficking crime after law enforcement intercepted a package containing approximately three pounds of the drug was sentenced on Tuesday to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Bret Russell Hamlin, 54, pleaded guilty in January to attempted possession with intent to distribute meth. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that in August 2021, a postal inspector intercepted a suspicious package that was mailed from Fresno, California, to an address in Helena. After obtaining a warrant to search the package, investigators located approximately three pounds of meth inside. The package was addressed to Hamlin. Law enforcement officers served a search warrant on Hamlin’s residence and found additional quantities of meth, drug paraphernalia, digital scales, plastic baggies, more than $2,000 in cash and a pistol. The government alleged that Hamlin received meth in the mail from an individual in California for distribution to others in the Helena area. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Ohio Felon Indicted for Possession of and Attempt to Conceal Three Firearms in Checked Luggage at Airport

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Youngstown, Ohio, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on firearms charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The two-count Indictment named Luis Rojas Cay, 26, as the sole defendant. Rojas Cay is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and carrying a weapon on an aircraft. According to the Indictment, on or about April 26, 2024, Rojas Cay was planning to travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from the Pittsburgh International Airport on a commercial airline. The Indictment further alleges that Rojas Cay’s luggage contained a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, an unloaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, an unloaded 40 SW caliber semiautomatic handgun, and approximately 204 rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in packages wrapped in multiple layers of foil-backed tape and placed inside a metal briefcase that was also lined with sheet metal. The briefcase was found inside a suitcase that Rojas Cay checked with the airline. As a previously convicted felon, Rojas Cay is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. “Luis Rojas Cay allegedly tried to travel on a commercial airline with multiple firearms—one of which was loaded—hidden in his luggage,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “As a convicted felon, Rojas Cay should not be in possession of firearms anywhere, let alone in his bag at 35,000 feet. This office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to keeping unlawful firearms out of airports and off airplanes where they put ordinary, unsuspecting citizens at risk.” The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. 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. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Belleville Man Gets 20-Year Federal Prison Sentence for Committing Armed Robberies at Metro East Gas Stations

body_text: FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Belleville man to 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in a string of armed robberies at gas stations in Belleville and Shiloh. Treveon J. Ramsey, 21, pleaded guilty in January to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. “In order to protect business patrons and employees simply trying to do their jobs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting individuals who instill fear in gas station clerks by using firearms to demand money from cash registers,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I applaud this multijurisdictional investigation by local police and federal law enforcement officers to arrest the trio of dangerous criminals and help to improve public safety throughout the region.” According to court documents, Ramsey and two co-conspirators planned and committed three armed robberies at businesses around the Metro East from October through December 2021. “This 20-year sentence sends a clear message to anyone that brandishes a firearm in order to instill fear of violence with the threat of causing harm, you will be removed from our communities,” said ATF Kansas City Field Division Special Agent in Charge, Bernard G. Hansen. “ATF will always aggressively investigate violent offenders to remove them from our streets. This is a big win for public safety, our community is safer with this individual behind bars.” Accompanied by Javeon Dowell, Ramsey brandished a firearm and demanded money from the clerk at a Circle K gas station in Belleville on Oct. 29, 2021. On Nov. 30, 2021, Ramsey was with Dylan Harrington when he brandished a firearm and demanded money and a box of cigars from the clerk at a Circle K gas station in Shiloh. In addition, the trio targeted a Circle K gas station in Belleville on Dec. 1, 2021, in which Ramsey and Dowell brandished firearms and took money from the clerk. “The Fairview Heights Police Department is committed to working with our local and federal law enforcement partners to combat crime in our community, this sentence is a direct result of the cooperation. We will relentlessly pursue those that would commit violent acts in our community to ensure that Fairview Heights remains a safe and vibrant community,” said Chief Steve Johnson. Dylan Harrington, 21, of Fairview Heights, was sentenced to 127 months in federal prison in July 2023 after accepting charges of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and carry and use of a firearm during a crime of violence. Javeon Dowell, 21, of Fairview Heights, pleaded guilty to his charges and is scheduled to be sentenced at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis on June 5. ATF, Fairview Heights Police Department, Shiloh Police Department and Belleville Police Department officials contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura V. Reppert prosecuted the case.


title: 3 Plead Guilty to Robbing Mail Carrier at Gunpoint

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: Three men pleaded guilty to stealing a U.S. Postal Service arrow key, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Jlynn Laneil Dunn, age 21, Daylin Darden, age 24, and D Colby Vashion Lewis, age 23, were charged via criminal complaint in February and indicted the following month. Each pleaded guilty to robbery of mail matter, money, or other property of the United States, entering their pleas on May 8. According to plea papers, the defendants admitted they robbed a letter carrier at gunpoint on Oct. 2, 2023. The carrier, identified in court documents as T.W., reported to police that the robbers demanded a U.S. Postal Service master key used by letter carriers to gather mail deposited in blue collection boxes. (Unauthorized possession of these keys allows individuals to illicitly access mail boxes to steal victim mail, checks, credit cards, bank account information, and other sensitive information.) Surveillance video captured the robbery and the defendants’ subsequent flight. During a search of an address associated with one of the defendants, law enforcement recovered guns, drugs, mail, checks, and a DVR system. DVR footage showed all three robbers gathered at the residence prior to the robbery on Oct. 2. On the video, Mr. Darden can be seen exiting the residence with a gun matching the one used during the robbery. The DVR also showed them return to the residence after the robbery. On the video, Mr. Dunn can be seen holding a small item attached to a long gold chain — the same type of chain used to carry USPS arrow keys. A subsequent search of Mr. Dunn’s Instagram account revealed a direct message Mr. Dunn sent 10 to 12 minutes before the robbery that read, “I’m tryna go get us a key rn so I can get these real scam Money.” The defendants now face up to 10 years in federal prison; sentencing is set for Sept. 3. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Fort Worth and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. ATTORNEY PRIM ESCALONA RECOGNIZES POLICE WEEK

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. The week will be observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024. “As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.” “During Police Week, we honor the brave men and women in law enforcement for their selfless sacrifice to protect the citizens of the Northern District of Alabama,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “I extend my sincere gratitude for your courage and dedication.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. U.S. Attorney Escalona will attend the 9 th Alabama Law Enforcement Memorial Service on May 17, 2024, at 11:00 am in Centennial Memorial Park in Anniston. On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 were read during a Candlelight Vigil. Those officers’ names have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. A recording of the livestream of this event can be watched at https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/ . To learn more about National Police Week and the candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org .


title: Members of religious-based company charged in elder fraud scheme against WWII veteran

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Five individuals are now in custody following allegations they tricked an elderly man in his 90s out of over $300,000 in retirement funds, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Authorities arrested Lenel Hopkins, 52, Antoinette Monique Hopkins, 42, Alichia Webster, 60, Neil John Halvorson, 65, and Victor Evans Jr., 70. The arrests occurred in Alabama and Florida where they will first appear before their arraignments in Houston. All five individuals as well as their company - Ternion Group International LLC aka Ternion Training and Education Center Corporation - are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. The indictment alleges Ternion self-identified as a “Christian” company that claimed to be an international investment group performing construction projects and job training for believers. They promised investors high monetary returns and ownership in local development projects in exchange for large investment deposits into Ternion, according to the charges. Potential investors would allegedly become “hubs” associated with Ternion which would have a Ternion name and the investor’s address as its physical location. According to the indictment, investors would make monetary payments and were supposed to receive millions of dollars in return. The charges allege they actually never received anything in exchange for their payments. As part of the indictment, Ternion owners convinced a then 92-year-old World War II veteran to form a hub, telling him he would receive $13 million in return if he invested $300,000. The money was supposedly to be used to build a vocational school and to purchase 100 homes, according to the allegations. The charges allege Evans actually drew a salary from the money the victim transferred from his retirement account. In furtherance of the scheme, Halvorson also allegedly caused the victim to enter into a new will which gave Evans successor rights and power of attorney over the victim’s property (including his hub), bank accounts and contracts as well as a medical power of attorney he used to execute a do-not-resuscitate form for the victim. The victim has not received any monies in return for the $300,000 he invested nor heard from anyone from Ternion since 2020, according to the charges. The indictment also alleges the location they had told the victim would be the site of the project is privately owned and not for sale. If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each count. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Laurence Goldman is prosecuting the case. The case is brought as part of the Elder Justice Initiative. Its goal is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Chelsea Woman Pleads Guilty to Using Counterfeit Identifications as Part of Account Takeover Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Chelsea woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiring to possess and use false identifications as part of an identity theft scheme to target a wireless company. Perla Soto, 24, pleaded guilty to an Information charging conspiracy to possess and use more than five false identifications. U.S. District Court Judge Julie E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Aug. 9, 2024. Soto was originally charged by criminal complaint in March 2024. From January 2022 through November 2023, Soto was captured on surveillance video conducting 20 transactions where she posed as customers of a wireless company. These transactions took place in retail stores throughout the United States. Soto used counterfeit driver’s licenses and identification bearing her photograph and the personal identifying information of customers of the wireless company in order to conduct transactions at these retail stores. While posing as the customer, Soto would purchase new phones and accessories on the customer’s account. Working as part of a larger group, Soto provided these fraudulently obtained phones and accessories to other coconspirators who would sell them on the black market. In total, over 120 customers of the wireless company had their personal information utilized in transactions totaling over $290,000 in fraudulently obtained phones and accessories. The charge of conspiring to possess of five or more identification documents with intent to use them unlawfully provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. 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; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: United States Attorney's Office For The Eastern District Of Tennessee Recognizes National Police Week

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. This year, the National Police Week is observed from Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17. During this week, communities across the United States will honor and remember those law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as the family members, friends, and fellow officers left behind. In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. This year, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These 282 officers include 118 officers who were killed during 2023, plus 164 officers who died in previous years, but whose stories of sacrifice had been lost to history until now. For more information, go to https://nleomf.org . For more information about National Police Week, please visit https://nleomf.org/policeweek . ### Reference to any specific organization or service(s) offered by an organization is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Department of Justice.


title: Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Conditions at Kentucky Youth Detention Centers

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Remote video URL The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a statewide investigation into the conditions at eight youth detention centers and one youth development center run by the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. The investigation will examine whether Kentucky protects children confined in these facilities from harm caused by excessive force by staff, prolonged and punitive isolation and inadequate protection from violence and sexual abuse. The investigation will also examine whether Kentucky provides adequate mental health services and required special education and related services to children with disabilities. “Confinement in the juvenile justice system should help children avoid future contact with law enforcement and mature into law-abiding, productive members of society. Too often, juvenile justice facilities break our children, exposing them to dangerous and traumatic conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching this investigation to ensure that children in Kentucky youth detention facilities are safe from harm, receive adequate mental health care and get appropriate special education services. All children held in the custody of the state deserve safe and humane conditions that can bring about true rehabilitation and reform.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky stands ready to protect the rights of all children in Kentucky, including those who end up in juvenile detention,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “We look forward to partnering with the Civil Rights Division and our colleagues in the Eastern District to conduct a fair and thorough investigation of these allegations.” This investigation focuses on detention centers, which primarily hold children awaiting a court hearing. Nationally, detention centers admit nearly 200,000 children every year, holding approximately 16,000 youth on any given night. The average length of stay for a child in detention is 27 days. Research shows that even far shorter stays can have profound and potentially lifelong negative consequences for children. The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of young people in juvenile justice facilities. The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via phone at (888) 392-8241 or by email at Kentucky.Kids@usdoj.gov . The division recently secured a settlement agreement involving the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice’s Broad River Road Complex , the state’s only long-term post-adjudication facility for children, and is currently investigating conditions at five post-adjudication facilities for children in Texas . Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work protecting children’s rights in the juvenile justice system is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-juveniles .


title: Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Racketeering, Drug and Firearm Offenses

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston-area man was sentenced yesterday for his role in a violent Boston street gang as well as gun and drug trafficking charges. Kenny Romero, a/k/a “KG,” 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in November 2023 to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy); three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Romero was also sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be served consecutively, for committing the offenses while on federal supervised release. According to court documents, Cameron Street is a violent gang based largely in Dorchester that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation. Cameron Street members also allegedly distribute narcotics and firearms, commit armed robberies and engage in human trafficking. Additionally, members allegedly post videos or use social media applications to promote Cameron Street, celebrate murders and other violent crimes committed by the gang and denigrate rivals – in particular the NOB gang – an abbreviation for the Norton/Olney/Barry Streets in Dorchester. Romero had a “3113” tattoo, which referred to the third, first and 13th letters of the alphabet (“C,” “A,” “M”): During a two-year investigation, Romero was recorded selling eight firearms, as well as ammunition, cocaine base and cocaine to a cooperating witness who Romero believed was a member of Cameron Street: Data from Romero’s cell phone and Snapchat accounts determined that Romero generated income for Cameron Street through gun and drug sales as well as human trafficking. At the time of Romero’s conduct, he was on supervised release for a 2019 federal conviction for interstate transportation of a firearm, for which he was sentenced to 21 months in prison . Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Two Brothers Arrested for Attacking Ethereum Blockchain and Stealing $25M in Cryptocurrency

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today charging Anton Peraire-Bueno, 24, of Boston, and James Pepaire-Bueno, 28, of New York, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges in the indictment arise from an alleged novel scheme by the defendants to exploit the very integrity of the Ethereum blockchain to fraudulently obtain approximately $25 million worth of cryptocurrency within approximately 12 seconds. Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Peraire-Bueno were arrested yesterday in Boston and New York, respectively, and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson for the District of Massachusetts and U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo for the Southern District of New York. “As alleged in today’s indictment, the Peraire-Bueno brothers stole $25 million in Ethereum cryptocurrency through a technologically sophisticated, cutting-edge scheme they plotted for months and executed in seconds,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Unfortunately for the defendants, their alleged crimes were no match for Department of Justice prosecutors and IRS agents, who unraveled this first-of-its kind wire fraud and money laundering scheme. As cryptocurrency markets continue to evolve, the Department will continue to root out fraud, support victims, and restore confidence to these markets.” “Today, my office indicted two brothers — Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Peraire-Bueno — for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, all stemming from their alleged scheme to exploit the Ethereum blockchain and to obtain about $25 million worth of cryptocurrency from it,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “As we allege, the defendants’ scheme calls the very integrity of the blockchain into question. The brothers, who studied computer science and math at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, allegedly used their specialized skills and education to tamper with and manipulate the protocols relied upon by millions of Ethereum users across the globe. And once they put their plan into action, their heist only took 12 seconds to complete. This alleged scheme was novel and has never before been charged. But as the indictment makes clear, no matter how sophisticated the fraud or how new the techniques used to accomplish it, the career prosecutors of this office will be relentless in pursuing people who attack the integrity of all financial systems.” “These brothers allegedly committed a first-of-its-kind manipulation of the Ethereum blockchain by fraudulently gaining access to pending transactions, altering the movement of the electronic currency, and ultimately stealing $25 million in cryptocurrency from their victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) New York Field Office. “In this case, IRS-CI New York’s Cyber Unit simply followed the money. Regardless of the complexity of the case, we continue to lead the effort in financial criminal investigations with cutting-edge technology and good-ole-fashioned investigative work, on and off the blockchain.” As alleged in the indictment, Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Pepaire-Bueno are brothers who studied mathematics and computer science at one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Using the specialized skills developed during their education, as well as their expertise in cryptocurrency trading, Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Pepaire-Bueno exploited the very integrity of the Ethereum blockchain in order to fraudulently obtain approximately $25 million worth of cryptocurrency from victim cryptocurrency traders (the “Exploit”). Through the Exploit, which is believed to be the very first of its kind, Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Pepaire-Bueno manipulated and tampered with the process and protocols by which transactions are validated and added to the Ethereum blockchain. In doing so, they fraudulently gained access to pending private transactions and used that access to alter certain transactions and obtain their victims’ cryptocurrency. Once the defendants stole their victims’ cryptocurrency, they rejected requests to return the stolen cryptocurrency and took numerous steps to hide their ill-gotten gains. Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Pepaire-Bueno meticulously planned the Exploit over the course of several months. Among other things, they learned the trading behaviors of the victim traders whose cryptocurrency they ultimately stole. As they planned the Exploit, they also took numerous steps to conceal their identities and lay the groundwork to conceal the stolen proceeds, including by setting up shell companies and using multiple private cryptocurrency addresses and foreign cryptocurrency exchanges. After the Exploit, the defendants transferred the stolen cryptocurrency through a series of transactions designed to conceal the source and ownership of the stolen funds. Throughout the planning, execution, and aftermath of the Exploit, Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Pepaire-Bueno also searched online for information about, among other things, how to carry out the Exploit, ways to conceal their involvement in the Exploit, cryptocurrency exchanges with limited “know your customer” procedures that they could use to launder their criminal proceeds, attorneys with expertise in cryptocurrency cases, extradition procedures, and the very crimes charged in the indictment. If convicted, Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Pepaire-Bueno each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. IRS-CI New York’s Cyber Investigations Unit investigated the case, with the assistance of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran and Danielle Kudla for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to Year and a Day in Prison for Multistate Patient Brokering and Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Maryland man was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for participating in a conspiracy to defraud health insurance companies through a multistate patient brokering scheme in which he directed recruiters to bribe drug-addicted individuals to enroll in drug rehabilitation in exchange for referral fees from the rehabilitation centers, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. John Devlin, 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence on May 14, 2024. Six other individuals have previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme: Peter Costas; Seth Logan Welsh; John C. Devlin; Akikur Mohammad; Lauren Philhower; and Anastasia Passas. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh, and their conspirators owned and operated a marketing company in California. Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh used the marketing company to help orchestrate a scheme in New Jersey, Maryland, California, and other states that involved bribing individuals addicted to heroin and other drugs to enter into drug rehabilitation centers so Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh, and their conspirators could generate referral fees from those facilities. Two facilities in California that paid such referral fees were owned or operated by Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas. The marketing company run by Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh maintained contractual relationships with drug treatment facilities around the country, including the ones run by Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas. The marketing company also engaged a nationwide network of recruiters – including Costas in New Jersey – to identify and recruit potential patients, from New Jersey and other states, who were addicted to heroin or other drugs and who had robust private health insurance. To convince drug-addicted individuals to travel to and enroll in rehabilitation when they otherwise would not have, Costas and other recruiters offered to bribe them – often as much as several thousand dollars – with the approval of Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh. Once the patients agreed to enroll in drug rehabilitation in exchange for the offered bribe, Devlin, Dickau, Welsh, and Costas would arrange and pay for cross-country travel to the drug treatment centers in California and other states, in concert with the owners of the facilities themselves, including Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas. Costas would stay in touch with the New Jersey patients at the facilities and specifically instruct them to stay at the facilities long enough to generate referral payments, and he would pass along information to Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh about the patients’ status at the facilities. Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh would monitor the other patients they brokered by speaking to other recruiters or to the owners and employees of the drug treatment facilities themselves. The drug treatment facilities run by Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas had contracts with the marketing company. Those facilities typically paid the marketing company a fee of $5,000 to $10,000 per patient referral. Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh, and their conspirators shared that money among themselves. Costas and other recruiters received approximately half that amount for each patient they brokered. Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh, and their conspirators brokered scores of patients to drug treatment facilities around the country, including the ones run by Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas, and the conspiracy caused millions of dollars of losses for health insurers. In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Devlin to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading the sentencing. He also thanked the FBI, under the direction of Acting Assistant Director in Charge Amir Ehsaei in Los Angeles and the District Attorney’s Office in Orange County, California. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason S. Gould, Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark, Angelica Sinopole of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark, and Aaron Webman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.


title: Working with Mexican drug trafficker lands South Texan back in prison

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old McAllen man has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Raul Mendiola-Flores pleaded guilty Feb. 22. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Mendiola-Flores to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about his nine prior criminal convictions to include a felony possession with intent to deliver cocaine in which he previously served five years in prison. Law enforcement determined Mendiola-Flores was in direct communication with Mexican drug traffickers to coordinate the importation of meth. In May 2023, Jorge Lopez imported one kilogram of meth from Mexico into the United States through the Hidalgo Port of Entry. The Mexican drug trafficking organization communicated with Mendiola-Flores to facilitate pick-up and delivery further north. Mendiola-Flores then arranged a meeting at a local convenience store parking lot in McAllen to receive the drugs. Lopez, 19, a U.S. citizen residing in Reynosa, Mexico, previously pleaded guilty and remains in custody pending his sentencing. At that time, he faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. Mendiola-Flores will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Warwick Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice a Minor to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Warwick man who admitted that he attempted to entice a minor boy he communicated with online to engage in illicit sexual activity was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Richard Senecal, 64, previously admitted to a federal judge that in April 2022, he engaged in a series of sexually explicit online communications with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. Senecal sent sexually explicit images and suggested sharing drugs, including methamphetamine, with the boy, and made arrangements to meet in Warwick to engage in sex with the boy. According to information presented to the court, that conduct occurred only months after Senecal was released on bail after being arrested in October 2021 for attempting to solicit a different 14-year-old boy for sex. In both instances, the individuals that Senecal thought were 14-year-old boys were, in fact, members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Senecal pled guilty on February 28, 2024, to attempted inducement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release. Senecal will be required to register as a sex offender. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. McAdams and Julie M. White. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. ###


title: United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Cole Finegan to Step Down

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: United States Attorney Cole Finegan announced today that he has submitted his resignation to President Joe Biden effective at 11:59 p.m. on May 31, 2024. President Biden appointed Mr. Finegan and he was confirmed by the United States Senate, taking the oath of office on December 1, 2021. “I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of Colorado,” said Mr. Finegan. “I am equally thankful to the career attorneys and professional staff who work every day to help keep our citizens safe, to make sure that the rule of law is applied equally, and to protect the civil rights of every citizen. We are fortunate to have these outstanding public servants in our state. Serving the people of Colorado alongside them will always remain one of the most significant experiences of my life.” As United States Attorney, Finegan was responsible for overseeing the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. The office represents the United States in virtually every court matter, criminal or civil, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado and in cases from that Court before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. During his years in office, U.S. Attorney Finegan focused his efforts, and those of his team, on multiple challenges and opportunities. Commitment to Partnerships As a former City Attorney of Denver, Finegan recognized that there could be unique ways to partner with local and state law enforcement to prosecute the most violent criminals in our communities. After meeting with leaders in Denver and Aurora, those cities provided and funded a total of five attorneys who were appointed as federal prosecutors (Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys) to handle violent crimes at the federal level. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also partnered successfully with the District Attorney’s Office in Mesa County and the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area to add a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to prosecute drug crimes in Grand Junction. Under Mr. Finegan’s direction, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado revived the then dormant Protecting Houses of Worship seminars across Colorado. These seminars teach members of faith communities ways to battle against hate crimes and possible acts of terrorism, and work to foster better communication and relationships within local communities and with law enforcement. During USA Finegan’s tenure, hundreds of faith community leaders attended these seminars across Colorado and engaged with local, state, and federal law enforcement leaders. Prosecutions of Violent Offenders U.S. Attorney Finegan and his team partnered to lead multiple prosecutions of those who bring drugs, including the deadly scourge of fentanyl, into our communities along with illegal firearms and ammunition. Among its successes, the office, under Mr. Finegan, secured a life sentence for a notorious drug dealer who distributed fentanyl that killed users in 2023. The office was also successful in prosecutions related to violent crime and guns in Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. Other high profile criminal cases during Finegan’s tenure included the conviction of a dentist who murdered his wife while in Zambia, a guilty plea from a government employee who attempted to sell classified information to a foreign government, and a guilty plea to federal hate crimes by the person who killed five people and injured 19 others at Club Q in Colorado Springs. Civil Rights, Fraud, and Public Lands The Civil Section of the office remains notably innovative and successful in protecting civil rights of Coloradans, recovering monies lost due to fraud, and pursuing other misconduct against the United States. Under Mr. Finegan, the Civil Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office protected civil rights for Coloradans through settlements with multiple law enforcement agencies and other businesses that required them to provide more and higher-quality services to people with various disabilities and who speak different languages. In 2024, the office resolved a False Claims Act Case with two farmers in southeast Colorado requiring them to pay over $6.5 million back to the United States to resolve claims that they defrauded federal crop insurance programs by tampering with rain gauges. In a parallel criminal case, those farmers were also sentenced to federal prison terms. On the Western Slope, the office negotiated a creative, groundbreaking settlement between the United States and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad that recovered $20 million for damages incurred in the catastrophic Colorado wildland fire known as the “416 Fire.” The settlement also allowed the historic railroad to keep operating, but also to modernize its equipment and create a compensation fund to guard against future fires. Economic Crimes, Fraud, and Asset Recovery Aggressively building upon a task force established to investigate COVID-19 Fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has seized over $1 billion in Economic Injury Disaster Loans that were stolen and over $25 million in misused Colorado Unemployment Insurance funds. During Mr. Finegan’s time as U.S. Attorney, the office has also added additional prosecutors to continue recovering COVID-19 relief funds stolen from taxpayers. Challenges and Opportunities U.S. Attorney Finegan began his tenure during the COVID-19 pandemic and worked closely with his team to steer the office through the constantly changing environment, while also seeking to rebuild community connections and partnership. In managing the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Finegan has worked diligently to guide the organization through multiple budget crises, including the substantial reductions by Congress in funding U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide in FY2024. Despite these shifts in funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Colorado remains well staffed and well prepared for the future. Building upon his past experiences at all levels of government, Mr. Finegan served as a member of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. The Committee is a small, select group of U.S. Attorneys who advise the Attorney General on the many challenges that confront the Department of Justice every day. Mr. Finegan plans to return to the private sector. ###


title: Former Credit Union Employee Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Federal Prison for Scheme that Stole Over $2 Million from Members’ Accounts

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Jose Prado-Valero, 35, of Carmel has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to financial institution fraud. He must also pay $2,132,517 in restitution. According to court documents, from 2016 through August of 2019, Jose Prado-Valero served as the Automated Clearing House coordinator at a credit union beginning in 2019. His duties included posting and coordinating transactions into and out of the accounts of credit union members, which gave him access to members’ personally identifiable information, including Social Security numbers, date of birth, home address and telephone numbers. Prado-Valero also had access to members’ account numbers and account balances. Sometime prior to February 14, 2019, Prado-Valero was approached by individuals not employed by the credit union who sought his assistance in conducting a scheme to defraud the financial institution and steal money held in member accounts. The co-conspirators promised to pay Prado-Valero a portion of the fraud proceeds if he stole members’ identity and account information. Prado-Valero agreed to join the scheme and used his position of trust at the credit union to access members’ account information and steal their money. Between February 14, 2019, and August 16, 2019, Prado-Valero and accomplices successfully made 34 fraudulent transfers to themselves out of credit union members’ accounts, in the aggregate amount of $2,078,725. Prado-Valero was paid over $100,000 by his co-conspirators for his role in the scheme. “Account holders and financial institutions depend on people in positions of trust to keep their information and money safe,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This corrupt employee facilitated the theft of millions of customer dollars to satisfy his own greed. The serious federal prison sentence imposed demonstrates that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are watching, and those who abuse positions of trust to line their pockets at the expense of others will be held accountable.” “Prado-Valero was entrusted with a great deal of responsibility over the hard-earned money of the credit union’s members. Instead of using his authority and access to protect the accounts of these customers, he sold his access to a criminal conspiracy so he could enrich himself,” said Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office. “I commend the investigative team for their expert, detailed work in this case, which resulted in this defendant being held accountable for his crimes.” The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Warden, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Essex County Woman Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Role in Three Robberies and Two Shootings in Jersey City

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced to 144 months in prison for her role in a one-night crime spree involving robberies and shootings in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Siobhan Chandler, 21, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to use and carry a firearm in relation to crime of violence, attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and using and carrying a firearm in relation to crime of violence. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence on May 14, 2024, in Newark federal court. The charges against her conspirator, Rodney Williams, are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On the evening of Nov. 14, 2023, Chandler and Williams robbed a gas station, where Williams pointed his gun at an attendant and demanded money. Chandler and Williams threatened force, violence, or fear of injury to two employees by demanding money while pointing a firearm at the employees. Chandler and Williams then fled. Chandler and Williams later entered another store, and Williams again pointed his firearm at a clerk and demanded money. The clerk handed money to Williams and he and Chandler then fled. Chandler and Williams entered a nearby restaurant and threatened force, violence or the fear of injury to a cashier. Williams pointed his gun at the cashier and demanded money. Williams discharged the firearm, shooting the cashier in the chest. The cashier handed money to Williams, after which Williams and Chandler fled. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Chandler to five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited officers of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanks the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A manager for a drug trafficking organization that purchased over 100 kilograms of cocaine in Puerto Rico and shipped the kilograms to residences in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey was sentenced to 120 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Jose Gonzalez, 51, Philadelphia, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Judge O’Hearn imposed the sentence on May 14, 2024, in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From March 2019 to August 2020, Gonzalez and other conspirators traveled on commercial flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on numerous occasions. They purchased multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from wholesale drug suppliers based in the San Juan area in exchange for cash payments. Gonzalez and the other conspirators then shipped the kilograms of cocaine by overnight delivery from U.S. Post Offices in San Juan to addresses in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. Gonzalez resold the kilograms to other drug dealers in the Philadelphia area for a profit. Gonzalez admitted that he had a management role in the conspiracy, and that he and the other conspirators purchased and shipped over 100 kilograms of cocaine. When Gonzalez was arrested in August 2020, agents seized over $120,000 in cash during a search of his residence in Philadelphia and a 9mm handgun from an auto garage that Gonzalez operated in Philadelphia. As part of his plea agreement, Gonzalez agreed to the forfeiture of the U.S. currency and the 9mm handgun, as well as the forfeiture of a Dodge Ram pickup truck that was used in connection with the drug trafficking conspiracy. In addition to the prison term, Judge O’Hearn sentenced Gonzalez to five years of supervised release and ordered forfeiture of $120,900, a 9 mm handgun, and a Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi; special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs in Philadelphia; troopers assigned to the New Jersey State Police Strategic Investigations Unit South, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and officers and detectives of the Philadelphia Police Department, under the direction of Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.


title: Federal Jury in Bridgeport Finds 2 Members of Violent Waterbury Gang Guilty

body_text: On May 10, 2024, a federal jury in Bridgeport found GABRIEL PULLIAM, also known as “G, ” 30, and JULIAN SCOTT, also known as “Ju Sav,” 25, guilty of offenses related their participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang. Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo. In an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging 960 members Pulliam, Scott, and 14 other alleged gang members, with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses. According to the evidence presented during the approximately five-week trial: On October 6, 2018, in a drive-by shooting, Scott and other gang members attempted to murder individuals believed to be members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to an individual. On October 11, 2018, in an effort to murder rival gang members, Pulliam, Scott, and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of an innocent bystander, 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, and the paralysis of a second victim. On November 18, 2018, Scott and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting of rival gang members, which resulted in gunshot wounds to two individuals. The jury found Pulliam and Scott guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence, attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Pulliam was also found guilty of conspiracy to possess, with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Pulliam and Scott face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. To date, 14 members and associates of the 960 gang who were charged federally in September 2021 have been convicted. The convictions include four defendants who, after a six-week trial, were found guilty on February 14, 2024 . Three of the four convicted on that date were found to have committed the murders of Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos on November 22, 2017, as well as other violent acts. They also face mandatory sentences of life imprisonment. “This type of gang-related activity, coordinated crimes, and the destruction they cause will not be tolerated by law enforcement, and we will continue to bring all of our resources to bear and combat them,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “No person or group of people is entitled to wreak havoc by engaging in repeated acts of violence, instilling fear and trauma on the children and families who reside in our communities. We are pleased that this investigation and prosecution have had a significant impact on the violence being perpetrated in Waterbury. I thank State’s Attorney Platt, Chief Spagnolo, the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, the DEA Laboratory, and those police departments that have assigned personnel to multiple federal tasks forces, for the invaluable partnership that has made possible these convictions, removed numerous violent individuals from the community, and made Waterbury safer.” “The 14 pleas and convictions obtained in this case are the result of years of painstaking work, and illustrate what can be accomplished when both federal and state agencies cooperate by sharing information and working together to make our communities safer,” said Waterbury State’s Attorney Platt. “We are very grateful for the tremendous effort and resources that the U.S. Attorney’s Office put forward to stop these violent gang offenders. I am extremely proud of the hard work, dedication, and professionalism exhibited by members of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office who were led by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen, and included Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alex Arroyo and Inspector Mike Slavin. Lastly, the Waterbury Police Department, under the leadership of Chief Fernando Spagnolo, must be commended for its thorough and complete investigation of this complex and difficult prosecution.” “Waterbury community members and surrounding towns are experiencing a sense of relief as a result of this specific operation,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. “Thanks to the joint efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we have halted a violent group from operating in Waterbury. We will continue to utilize all of our resources to dismantle violent groups and improve the quality of life in Connecticut communities.” “The Waterbury Police Department and City of Waterbury are pleased with the results of the recent 960 RICO trial,” said Waterbury Police Chief Spagnolo. “We are grateful for the relationships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Waterbury States Attorney’s Office, and all members of the Violent Crime Task Force. The individuals that have been convicted posed a significant threat to our community, engaging in acts of violence and causing fear throughout a number of different neighborhoods. Waterbury is a much safer place today as a result of this joint investigation and dedicated prosecution of these individuals.” This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr., Natasha M. Freismuth, and Geoffrey M. Stone, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Five Georgia men sentenced to federal prison for participating in a dog fighting operation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: DUBLIN, GA: Five middle Georgia men have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a large-scale dog fighting operation. The 96 dogs rescued from the operation were discovered during searches conducted as part of an investigation into a drug trafficking conspiracy in Laurens, Treutlen, Johnson, and Emanuel Counties, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Two of those implicated in the dog-fighting operation also were sentenced in connection with the drug-trafficking conspiracy. “As this investigation shows, animal fighting operations often occur in conjunction with other illegal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “In this case, holding these defendants accountable protects the welfare of these rescued animals while also removing dangerous drugs from the community.” The five defendants each pled guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Animal Welfare Act, and were sentenced in U.S. District Court. They include: Travis Martin , a/k/a “Fat,” 43, of Wrightsville, Ga., sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined $1,000. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen ordered the new sentence to be served consecutively to the 200-month sentence Martin is serving as the leader of the drug trafficking conspiracy; Sentell Carey , 41, of Wrightsville, Ga., sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined $2,000. Carey is serving a sentence of probation in the drug trafficking conspiracy; Dennis Wilcher , a/k/a “Buck,” 42, of Wrightsville, Ga., sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $3,000; Terry Gilmore , 28, of Sandersville, Ga., sentenced to 23 months in prison and fined $2,500; and, Jonathan Linder , 35, of Rentz, Ga., sentenced to 20 months in prison and fined $2,000. The defendants are all prohibited from owning dogs or engaging in any activity involving dogs, and must serve three years of supervised release upon completion of their prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system. As described in court documents and testimony, the 2022 investigation by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration led to a 27-county federal indictment charging 11 defendants with participating in an operation distributing methamphetamine and heroin in the greater Laurens County area. That investigation led to multiple searches of residences and vehicles and the seizure of large amounts of drugs, cash, and firearms. During that investigation, authorities rescued 96 dogs suspected to be part of a dog fighting operation from three locations in Johnson County, and two other locations in Laurens and Washington counties. The dogs were seized in a civil action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and the U.S. Marshals Service contracted with an agency to provide veterinary service, care, and rehabilitation of the rescued dogs. “The intentional infliction of pain and suffering on animals for sport is unfathomable,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Miles Davis of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “We appreciate the commitment of our law enforcement partners to pursue these individuals who choose to participate in these heinous acts while also committing other severe offenses in our communities.” The criminal dog fighting prosecution was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and lead Agent Kelsey Tolomeo, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and local law enforcement agencies, and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica K. Rock, while the civil forfeiture of the dogs was coordinated by Southern District of Georgia Civil Division Chief Shannon Heath Statkus. The drug trafficking case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Southeastern Regional Drug Enforcement Office, the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland. 28-24


title: Armored Truck Robber Sentenced To Ten Years In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced James Battle, Jr. (29, Palm Harbor) to 10 years in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Battle entered a guilty plea on January 22, 2024. According to court documents, on the morning of June 9, 2023, Battle and Carlos Keanu Smith met for the purposes of robbing an armored truck. They followed the armored truck along its route from Pinellas County to eastern Hillsborough County before eventually reaching a gas station in Ellenton. Toll records from the Florida Department of Transportation show Battle’s vehicle following seconds behind the targeted armored truck that morning. Surveillance video showed the vehicle also following the armored truck to other locations before conducting the robbery at the gas station in Ellenton when the driver returned to his vehicle. Battle and Smith approached the victim with pistols pointed at him, forcing him to the ground. They stole more than $150,000 from the armored truck. Smith pleaded guilty on December 14, 2023. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 25, 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench. 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: Plaquemines Parish Man  Sentenced for Violating the  Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DWAN RILEY, age 37, a Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana resident, was sentenced on May 9, 2024 to 90 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. RILEY previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents started investigating RILEY and other co-conspirators in October 2019 as a narcotics distributor in the New Orleans metropolitan area. The investigation revealed HERBERT RICHARDSON and RAY MARSHALL were RILEY’s primary sources of supply for counterfeit oxycodone pills, which contained both heroin and fentanyl. On numerous occasions, RICHARDSON and MARSHALL supplied RILEY with 100 to 250 pills containing heroin and fentanyl. Further, MARSHALL regularly supplied RILEY with quantities of cocaine. RILEY would subsequently distribute the narcotics to his own customers. This prosecution is part of an Organizes Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force's (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money, launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of frderal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Springer Resident Of Federal Firearm Violation

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Colbert Johnston, age 64, of Springer, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, including aiding and abetting another felon in illegally possessing a firearm. The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, May 6, 2024, and concluded on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, with the guilty verdict. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on May 11, 2023, while serving arrest warrants on Cord Sikes Hutchins at Johnston’s Springer residence, law enforcement officers discovered two semi-automatic firearms, one bolt action rifle, one handgun, and assorted ammunition in the home. After obtaining a federal search warrant, law enforcement seized the weapons and ammunition as evidence. At the time of the discovery, Johnston and Hutchins were both prohibited from possessing the firearms due to prior felony convictions. On April 24, 2024, Hutchins pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The guilty verdict was the result of investigations by the United States Marshal Service, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Madill Police Department, the Love County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Kenneth J. Gonzales, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal until sentencing. Assistant United States Attorneys Edith Singer and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Felon in Possession of Firearm Convicted by Federal Jury

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Following a two-day trial, a federal jury today convicted Mario Terrell McBee, 39, of Tulsa, for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on April 23, 2021, McBee was taken to the hospital for a possible drug overdose by a family friend. McBee was unconscious by the time he reached Claremore Indian Hospital. Emergency room nurses removed McBee from the vehicle, placed him on a stretcher, and rushed him into the exam room. While nurses began lifesaving measures, a nurse noticed a firearm in McBee’s waistband. The nurses removed the firearms and administered several doses of Narcan to McBee and he regained consciousness. The FBI and ATF took possession of the loaded 9mm firearm and discovered that McBee had previously been convicted of several felonies. State court records show that McBee’s previous felonies consist of drug-related offenses, assault and battery on a police officer, and eluding a police officer. McBee is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and he will remain in custody until sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mandy M. Mackenzie and Thomas E. Buscemi 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: Edinburg resident sentenced for using Snapchat to entice minor

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 31-year-old Mexican citizen who resided in Edinburg has been sent to prison for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Santos Emilio Marcial-Castro pleaded guilty Aug. 29, 2023. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Marcial-Castro to serve 120 months in prison. The sentence will be immediately followed by five years on supervised release during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence. At the hearing, the court noted that despite the likelihood of his removal from the country, he still needed to follow all the conditions imposed on him and not re-enter the country illegally. In April 2023, law enforcement had discovered numerous conversations between Marcial-Castro and a then 15-year-old minor. The investigation revealed he had been communicating with the victim from May 2021 to April 2023 via Snapchat. Marcial-Castro was aware the victim was a minor. During their initial conversations, the child told him about her upcoming 14 th birthday. Over the course of the next two years, Marcial-Castro sent sexually explicit messages to the victim and enticed the minor to send nude images on multiple occasions. He also told her about his desire to have sex with minors and specifically requested nude photos of the victim’s genitals. Marcial-Castro will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations – Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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: Jury Convicts New Orleans Man of Carjacking and Federal Firearms Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA- United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHAMPAIN POOLE , 23, of New Orleans, was found guilty by a federal jury on April 29, 2024 after a one-day trial of carjacking, brandishing a weapon during a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm. Jurors heard evidence that POOLE carjacked a car from an eighty-year-old woman at gunpoint in front of her home. She immediately reported the crime. He was spotted driving the car down a one-way street the wrong way within minutes by an NOPD marked unit. POOLE abandoned the car but was caught on a home security video as he walked away. He ran from the scene and went to the home of a nearby relative. NOPD officers, who established a perimeter, observed POOLE outside the relative’s home but he again fled. He then attempted to hide the gun used in the carjacking in the crawl space of a nearby house. The owner of that home notified police that the attempt was caught on his home security camera. NOPD officers retrieved the security video and recovered the gun, a Smith & Wesson Model M&P 40 Shield, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, which was fully loaded with one bullet in the chamber. POOLE had previously been convicted of two felony offenses, including illegal use of a weapon, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. United States Attorney Duane A Evans praised the work of the NOPD in this matter as the evidence revealed that their investigation identified the perpetrator within 15 minutes of the offense. POOLE faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for the carjacking offense; a minimum of seven years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to five years of supervised release for the brandishing a weapon during a crime of violence offense; and, up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for the felon in possession of a firearm offense. Each count also requires the imposition of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. United States District Judge Jay Zainey, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2024. He also ordered that POOLE remain in custody. 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. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit and Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit conducted the trial of this matter.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with National Home Healthcare Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with Maxim Healthcare Services (Maxim), a home healthcare company based in Columbia, Maryland, with operations in 35 states. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Maxim violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) at its Gardena, California, office by discriminating against a non-U.S. citizen worker when it rejected her valid document showing her permission to work and requiring lawful permanent residents working for the company to prove their continued permission to work even though it was unnecessary. “Employers cannot treat employees differently based on their citizenship status when verifying their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that employers do not deny workers equal treatment in the workplace, whether in hiring, checking employees’ permission to work or otherwise.” After opening an investigation based on a worker’s complaint, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that Maxim improperly rejected the worker’s valid document based on her citizenship status. Specifically, the department determined that the company rejected the worker’s employment authorization document (EAD) because the last name on it was different from the last name on her driver’s license and Social Security card, even though the company accepted documents from U.S. citizens under similar circumstances and believed that the EAD reasonably appeared to be genuine and to relate to the worker, which is all that the Department of Homeland Security rules require. The investigation also determined that Maxim routinely required lawful permanent residents to present unnecessary documentation when their Permanent Resident Cards expired, which is not required by law. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from rejecting valid documents or asking for specific or unnecessary documents because of a worker’s citizenship or immigration status. If a lawful permanent resident provides an unexpired Permanent Resident Card to prove their permission to work, employers are not permitted to request new documentation if the Permanent Resident Card later expires. Under the terms of the settlement, Maxim will pay a civil penalty to the United States and lost wages to the affected worker, train its employees on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies and processes and be subject to monitoring by the department. IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation . Find more information about how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work on IER’s website . More information on how employers may handle discrepancies in the names that appear on employees’ Form I-9 documents is available as well. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a live webinar; watch an on-demand presentation or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.