title: Kyle Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on August 1, 2024. Rudolfo Ceron III, 26, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Ceron will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Ceron was indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a federal grand jury in October of 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 5, 2024. The conviction stems from Ceron, who was 25 years old at the time of the assault, raping a 13-year-old girl. In sentencing Ceron to 14 years in prison, Chief Judge Lange noted a need to protect the public and provide both punishment and deterrence. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case. Ceron was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Watertown Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Heath Kelvin Hagen, age 37, of Watertown, South Dakota of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen. The verdict was returned on August 1, 2024. The charges carry a penalty of a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hagen was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023. Hagen was part of a group of people who trafficked thousands of pills in the Northeastern part of South Dakota. Hagen obtained the pills from Minneapolis and redistributed them to others primarily in Watertown and Sisseton. Witnesses identified Hagen as the biggest fentanyl dealer in Watertown for a period of time in early 2022. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for October 21, 2024. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Robert A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on August 1, 2024. Lucy Medicine Eagle, age 33, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Medicine Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. She pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024. On March 28, 2022, Medicine Eagle was at a residence in St. Francis, in the Rosebud Reservation, drinking alcohol with family members and had a verbal argument with her adult brother. She thought her brother had stolen and pawned her Xbox gaming console, but it was actually simply misplaced and sitting behind a couch on the premises. Not knowing this, Medicine Eagle struck and punched her brother in the face and head numerous times. He told her to stop, but she did not stop and he put his arms up in a defensive position as she continued to strike him. She stopped striking him when other household members intervened. By that time, the brother had suffered severe head injuries and was soon unresponsive. He was transported to Monument Health in Rapid City where he was kept alive on life support machines. He died on April 1, 2022 and his cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma injuries to the head. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case. Medicine Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal to serve her sentence.


title: Manderson Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Anthony Tibbitts, age 40, was sentenced on August 2, 2024, to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Tibbitts was indicted by a federal grand jury in the summer of 2023, and pleaded guilty on April 19, 2024. Tibbitts’ conviction stemmed from his involvement in a large-scale methamphetamine distribution operation in Rapid City, South Dakota, and on the Pine Ridge Reservation. During this conspiracy, Richard Glover and his significant other, Teresa Goodroad, were the source of supply for Mark Bond and Todd Pape in South Dakota. Bond and Pape would make trips to Colorado to pick up pounds of methamphetamine from Goodroad and Glover. Other times Goodroad and Glover would deliver the drugs to Bond and Pape in South Dakota. Once the drugs were in South Dakota they would be brought to various homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation, including Tibbitts’, where they would be further distributed by multiple individuals, including Tibbitts, Marlena Pond, Chris Janis, Tessie LaForge, Tyler LaForge, and others. All told, between 15 and 45 kilograms of methamphetamine was distributed during the course of this criminal enterprise. Glover, Goodroad, Bond, Pape, Pond, Janis, and Tessie LaForge were sentenced earlier this summer. Glover received a sentence of 17 years and six months in prison; Goodroad received a sentence of 17 years and six months in prison; Bond received a sentence of 26 years and eight months in prison; Pape received a sentence of 25 years in prison; Pond received a sentence of six years in prison; Janis received a sentence of six years in prison; and Tessie LaForge received a sentence of two years and six months in prison. Tyler LaForge is set for sentencing later this summer. This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Martin Police Department, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan N. Dilges and Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case. Tibbitts was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing.


title: Iowa Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Crime

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux City, Iowa, woman convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on July 29, 2024. Sara Raquel Torres, age 38, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. She pleaded guilty on May 15, 2024. The conviction stemmed from an incident on March 11, 2023, when Torres began communicating with someone who Torres thought was interested in buying methamphetamine from her, but turned out to be an undercover law enforcement agent. Torres set up a deal to sell one to two pounds of methamphetamine to the undercover agent. On her way to make the deal, Torres was stopped by the South Dakota Highway Patrol who, after searching her vehicle, found approximately 943 grams of methamphetamine and a handgun. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Torres was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: New Jersey Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter for 2022 Lehigh Valley Plane Crash That Killed Student Pilot

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Philip Everton McPherson II, 36, of Haddon Township, NJ, was charged by indictment with one count of involuntary manslaughter and 40 counts of serving as an airman without a certificate, in connection with a 2022 plane crash in Lehigh County that killed a student pilot. According to the indictment, on September 28, 2022, McPherson took off as the pilot-in-command of a Piper-28-140 aircraft from Queen City Airport in Allentown, PA, with student pilot K.K. Shortly after takeoff, McPherson crashed the plane, killing K.K. The indictment alleges that McPherson acted with gross negligence because he knew that he was not competent to safely fly an aircraft as the pilot-in-command. Specifically, McPherson knew that: (1) he was not competent to safely operate the aircraft because he had two prior accidents and almost a third; (2) he failed his September 29, 2021, reexamination for his pilot’s certificate for a lack of demonstrated competence; (3) he voluntarily surrendered his pilot’s certificate on October 7, 2021, acknowledging his lack of competence; and (4) he allowed his Temporary Airman Certificate to expire on November 8, 2021, thus further acknowledging his inability to demonstrate to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) his competence to fly safely. The indictment further charges McPherson with 40 counts of illegally serving as the pilot-in-command of an aircraft with passengers while not possessing an FAA pilot’s certificate permitting him to do so. These flights occurred between October 12, 2021, and September 20, 2022. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 128 years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, a $10.25 million fine, and a $4,100 special assessment. The case was investigated by the United States Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert W. Schopf and Special Assistant United States Attorney Marie Miller. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Pearl Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-Relief Fraud

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl woman pled guilty to carrying out a scheme to defraud the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to court documents, Robbie Reese, 46, fraudulently claimed and received over $1.3 million in federal tax rebates and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds. Reese submitted false Internal Revenue Service tax forms claiming reimbursement for payments to nonexistent employees and false loan documents for PPP loans. Reese is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Supervisory Special Agent Louis Norvell of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and Resident Agent in Charge Kyle Smith of the Secret Service made the announcement. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Secret Service are investigating the case. Deputy Criminal Chief Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Lexington Brothers Sentenced for Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving Luxury Cars

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two Lexington men, Hussein Qasim, 34, and Ibrahim Qasim, 29, were sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 57 months and 45 months, respectively, for their roles in a money laundering conspiracy. Hussein and Ibrahim Qasim were also each ordered to pay $3,274,690 in restitution. According to their plea agreements, the Qasims’ co-conspirators, who lived outside the United States, targeted luxury car dealerships via email and phone calls in which they impersonated real employees of other dealerships. The co-conspirators would deceive the luxury car dealerships into purchasing expensive vehicles that the co-conspirators did not own and would not deliver. At the co-conspirators’ direction, the luxury car dealership victims sent payments to specific bank accounts opened by the Qasims, who then collected the money and transferred it through a sophisticated web of financial transactions, which eventually ended with investments, payments for personal expenditures, and payments to accounts outside the United States, often in crypto-currency, for the benefit of the co-conspirators. Between June 2022 and December 2023, the Qasims and other co-conspirators were responsible for laundering over $6 million in victim funds, which had been sent from at least seven different luxury car dealerships across the country. Under federal law, the Qasims must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will both be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Two Charged in Red Lake Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two Bemidji individuals have been indicted for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in and around the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between October 2023 and November 2023, Derek Jon Paddy, 28, and Robyn Lea Lussier, 20, conspired to distribute fentanyl throughout the state of Minnesota. On November 2, 2023, Paddy and Lussier were found in possession of over 40 grams of fentanyl. Paddy and Lussier made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty on August 2, 2024. They are both charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Red Lake Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Winchester Man Arrested for Making Threats Against Vice President

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: Charlottesville, Va. – A Winchester, Virginia man, who made online threats against the Vice President and thousands of posts and replies in online forums targeting the President of the United States, FBI Director, and other public officials, was arrested today on federal charges. Frank Lucio Carillo, 66, made his initial court appearance this morning in U.S. District Court in Roanoke, Virginia after being arrested last week at his home in Winchester. Carillo is charged in a federal criminal complaint with one count of making threats against the Vice President of the United States. “Open political discourse is a cornerstone of our American experience. We can disagree. We can argue and we can debate. However, when those disagreements cross the line to threats of violence, law enforcement must step in,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia said today. “The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people. We take all threats of violence seriously, and we will investigate them to the fullest and hold those responsible accountable,” Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division said today. According to court documents, on July 27, 2024, the Maricopa County, Arizona, Recorder’s Office notified the FBI’s Phoenix Office of potential threats being made on the social media platform GETTR. The threats were being made by a user with the name “joemadarats1.” FBI searched the “joemadarats1” user account and discovered approximately 4,359 posts and replies made by the user targeting various public officials including, but not limited to, President Joseph Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and FBI Director Christopher Wray. Vice President Harris was mentioned 19 times by “joemadarats1,” including numerous threats of violence. In a February 2024 post, “joemadarats1” said he had his “AR-15 LOCKED AND LOADED.” Authorities used GETTR subscriber information and other investigative methods to match the “joemadarats1” username with Carillo and to locate his physical location in Winchester, Virginia. On August 2, 2024, authorities at the FBI Richmond executed a search warrant at Carillo’s home and seized a 9 mm pistol, an AR-15 rifle and thousands of rounds of ammunition. The FBI in both Richmond, Virginia and Phoenix, Arizona, and the United States Secret Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Welsh is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Essex County Man Sentenced to 440 Months in Prison for His Role in Three Murders in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was sentenced to 440 months in prison for his role in three murders in furtherance of a large-scale narcotics enterprise, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Leevander Wade, 44, of East Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz on Feb. 22, 2024, to racketeering conspiracy. Judge Farbiarz imposed the sentence on Aug. 1, 2024, in Newark federal court. According to court documents and evidence presented in court: In February 2018, the drug enterprise’s leader, Michael Healy, found out that one of his conspirators in the drug trafficking enterprise was providing information about the DTE to law enforcement. Healy ordered members of the Bloods in East Orange to kill the informant, referenced in the indictment as “A.S.” At the time, Wade was a manager in the enterprise and ran a series of “stash” houses in Essex County used to package heroin and fentanyl for street-level distribution. Wade – who shared a close relationship with one of the leaders of the East Orange Bloods – assisted Healy in contracting the East Orange Bloods to carry out the murder of the informant. On Feb. 3, 2018, members of the East Orange Bloods, acting on Healy and Wade’s behalf, shot and killed a bystander, believing the bystander was the informant. At the time of his death, the bystander was parked outside of the informant’s residence in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in a vehicle that appeared similar to the one that the informant drove. Realizing they killed the wrong person, Healy ordered the Bloods to finish the job. On March 12, 2018, in Bloomfield, the conspirators killed the informant while he was walking his dog in the area of his residence. On April 6, 2018, believing that another member of the enterprise – identified in the indictment as “J.C.” – might also pose a risk to the enterprise, Healy shot and killed “J.C.” in Newark. Wade drove Healy to and from the murder scene, and then helped to destroy evidence by hiring someone to burn the vehicle. In addition to the prison term, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Wade to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $6,223. Thomas Zimmerman, Tyquan Daniels, and Ali Hill – all members of the Brick City Brims subset of the Bloods street gang in East Orange – previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy for their respective roles in the murders of the bystander and A.S. Zimmerman was sentenced on July 6, 2023, to 37 years in prison; Daniels was sentenced on July 6, 2023, to 35 years in prison; and Hill was sentenced on July 6, 2023, to 25 years in prison. On April 3, 2024, Healy was convicted after a jury trial of multiple counts of murder in aid of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, and various gun and drug offenses. Healy is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 1, 2024. He faces multiple mandatory life sentences. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of special agent in charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the East Orange Police Department; and the Montclair Police Department. The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Robert L. Frazer and Samantha C. Fasanello, Chief of the OCDETF Unit.


title: Salem Man Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Salem man was sentenced today in federal court for drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Todd Mobley, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 60 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. On April 15, 2024, Mr. Mobley pled guilty to four counts of distribution of controlled substances, namely methamphetamine, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, namely methamphetamine and cocaine. “Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for trafficking dangerous narcotics in our state and puts an end to his drug dealing activities,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “We remain committed to working with our federal, state, and county law enforcement partners to stem the sale of illegal narcotics in our communities.” Between May 22, 2023 and June 26, 2023, Mobley sold a total of more than 534 grams of methamphetamine on four occasions. On July 10, 2023, he was arrested en route to another sale. On July 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant and recovered more than 890 grams of methamphetamine in the defendant’s vehicle and 84 grams of cocaine in the defendant’s storage unit. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Strelzin prosecuted the case. ###


title: Two Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Coercion and Enticement, and Sex Trafficking of a Minor

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Juan Carlos Peña-Luguera, 39, and Joshua Jandel Pérez-Lebrón, 20, with coercion and enticement of a minor, sex trafficking of minors, and receipt of child pornography. The FBI is in charge of the investigation and is seeking information from the public regarding these two individuals. According to court documents, from July 2023 through December 2023, the defendants knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, and solicited a male minor, between the ages of 16 and 17 years old, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that the male victim had not attained the age of 18 years, to engage in a commercial sex act. The defendants used cellular phones, as well as internet instant messaging services to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce the male minor to engage in sexual activity. In addition, Peña-Luguera and Pérez-Lebrón are charged with receipt of child exploitation material, that is, images and videos depicting a male minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct via an instant messaging application using a cellular telephone. “Those who engage in child exploitation, including the sex trafficking of children and possession of child sexual abuse material, will be held accountable for their criminal conduct,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies will continue to take full advantage of our investigative tools and prosecution powers in order to protect our children from sexual predators. We want to remind the public to report all inappropriate behavior with children to their local authorities and together, local and federal law enforcement will see that justice is carried out.” If you have been a victim of these subjects or know someone who may have been, call the FBI San Juan Field Office at 787-987-6500. We need the public to come forward, it is everyone’s responsibility to keep our children safe. “Sex trafficking of children is and will continue to be a priority for our office,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “We want victims and their families to know that the FBI is here for them and will continue to pursue these cases aggressively. There is no place in our society for those who exploit our youth. Witnesses and victims can trust that we will protect them and that all available federal government resources will be at their disposal.” If convicted, the defendants face the following possible sentences: a minimum of 10 years up to life in prison for enticement and coercion of a minor and sex trafficking charges, and not less than 5 years up to 20 years of imprisonment for the receipt of child pornography, followed by a term of supervised release of 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Yuba City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Gun Trafficking

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Aug. 1, 2024, Sukhmanpreet Singh Jawanda, 22, of Yuba City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl pills and illegally dealing firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in 2022, Jawanda sold fentanyl and at least six firearms to an undercover agent. On March 25, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Jawanda as he traveled on Interstate 5 in San Joaquin County and recovered more than 30,000 fentanyl pills, a kilogram of cocaine, and a firearm. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, and the Yuba Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET-5). Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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: Court Sentences Brewton Man to 60 Months Imprisonment for Cocaine Trafficking

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – On August 2, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Michael Anthony Woods II to 60 months imprisonment for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Documents filed with the court established that on May 1, 2023, officers with the Brewton Police Department had had an active arrest warrant for Woods for violation of a protection order. During the execution of the arrest warrant, at Woods’s home in Brewton, Woods ran from the officers but was captured and arrested. While at the scene of the arrest officers looked through the windshield of a Dodge Charger “Scat-Pack” parked in the driveway that they had seen Woods retrieve something from just before the arrest. Officers were able to see drugs in the vehicle. A later full search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a total of approximately 608 grams of cocaine and crack cocaine. The powder cocaine was still in the form of what was left of a kilogram brick. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the City of Brewton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.


title: United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana to Take Part in Community Events During National Night Out 2024

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana will join community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in National Night Out events on August 6, 2024. During this year’s National Night Out, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers will attend block party events in the surrounding Indianapolis areas and IMPD’s Crime Fighter of the Year ceremony, honoring outstanding civilian leaders in their communities committed to public safety. “A positive, ongoing relationship between neighbors and law enforcement is vital to building trust and keeping the public safe,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “It is important for people to see that we are a part of the communities we serve, and I am looking forward to visiting with several different neighborhoods for the second year in a row. Through events like National Night Out, community members can place a friendly face to the law enforcement agencies that serve to protect them and engage in meaningful discussions about crime, safety, and responsibility.” National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country. National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization. Coordinated by local law enforcement agencies and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe. For more information, visit https://natw.org/ . ###


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Evan Riley Bucci, 23, of Charleston, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of production of child pornography* and one count of possession of child pornography. Evidence presented to the court showed that in 2022 law enforcement was alerted that Bucci had been seeking out minors on social media apps, such as Omegle and Instagram, and was engaging in sexually explicit conversations centering around bondage and sexual servitude. There were multiple female victims ranging in age from 12 to 16 years old. Bucci cultivated relationships with these minors, gained their trust, and then coerced them into sending him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. Bucci would threaten to harm or kidnap the child’s family members if they did not send the materials. United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Bucci to 240 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Bucci was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, with valuable assistance the Steamboat Springs, Colorado Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Orville is prosecuting the case. HSI’s Know2Protect: Together We Can Stop Online Child Exploitation campaign offers valuable resources to combat the escalating crisis of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Visit www.dhs.gov/know2protect to learn strategies to stop future victimization. ### NOTE: While the current federal statutes still contain the term “child pornography,” experts in the field now recognize “child sexual abuse material” as the more accurate terminology.


title: Orlando Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Xavier Hernandez-Gerena, (34, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Hernandez-Gerena faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing is set for October 23, 2024. According to court records, in July 2022, Hernandez-Gerena was pulled over for a traffic violation as the sole occupant of a vehicle. Sitting near his lap was an unzipped bag that contained a Ruger firearm. Prior to possessing the firearm, Hernandez-Gerena had been convicted in federal court for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. As a convicted felon Hernandez-Gerena was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Three Men Sentenced for Trafficking Firearms and Other Gun-Related Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ATLANTA – Alvin Demar and Joshua Carter have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking dozens of firearms that were later recovered from crime scenes in multiple states and Canada. Jamal Plunkett was sentenced for possessing one of the trafficked firearms. “Firearm traffickers present an acute and dangerous threat to communities within and outside our district,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The sentencing of these defendants is an example of our office’s unwavering commitment to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify and dismantle gun trafficking operations, and to prosecute those who jeopardize the wellbeing of our communities by funneling firearms to criminals.” “Identifying and disrupting firearms trafficking is one of ATF’s key missions,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “These convictions and subsequent sentences send a clear message that firearm trafficking and the illegal possession and use of firearms will not be tolerated.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between July 2021 and January 2022, Alvin Demar, a convicted felon with convictions for drug trafficking and aggravated robbery, paid individuals, including Joshua Carter, to straw purchase dozens of handguns in the metro Atlanta area. Demar then sold the straw-purchased weapons to other people who also trafficked them or used them in additional crimes. The guns purchased and sold by Carter and Demar were recovered from crime scenes in Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; the District of Columbia; Gainesville, Georgia; French Camp, California; Edmonton, Canada; and Toronto, Canada. Some of the firearms were used in shootings before they were confiscated by law enforcement. For example, in November 2021, Carter purchased a Glock pistol that was linked to three shootings in Atlanta. Carter also purchased a Ruger pistol equipped with an extended magazine, and within two months of the purchase, Jamal Plunkett, a convicted felon, stole and discharged the pistol 17 times in Gainesville, Georgia. Demar also illegally possessed numerous firearms for his own use. For example, in December 2019, Demar was arrested by Atlanta police officers after a loaded Glock pistol was found in a vehicle he was driving. In November 2022, federal agents found another loaded Glock pistol in Demar’s bedroom, and they also seized a USAS-12 semiautomatic shotgun from his garage. The USAS-12 is a large-bore, military-type assault shotgun with a 10- or 20-round magazine. Under federal law, the USAS-12 is classified as a destructive device that must be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Due to his criminal history, Demar was prohibited from possessing firearms of any type. Alvin Marvin Demar, 47, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross to 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Demar was convicted of two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, conspiracy to make false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer, making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer, and possession of an unregistered destructive device. He pleaded guilty to these charges on March 27, 2024. Joshua Carter, 29, of McDonough, Georgia, was sentenced by Judge Ross to three years in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release on June 5, 2024. Carter was convicted of conspiracy to make false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer after he pleaded guilty on January 23, 2024. Jamal Plunkett, 36, of Snellville, Georgia, was sentenced in a separate case on October 10, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones. He is currently serving a sentence of four years, three months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Plunkett was convicted of possession of a stolen firearm after he pleaded guilty on May 19, 2023. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the DeKalb County (Georgia) Police Department and Gainesville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg 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 further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Lynn Man Sentenced for Counterfeit Pill Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Nelson Mora, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 44 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Mora was among 23 individuals charged in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The defendants were subsequently indicted along with two additional alleged co-conspirators in December 2022. Two additional defendants were indicted for money laundering in connection with the drug conspiracy in April 2024. The DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. Mora is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the case. Co-defendant, Lawrence Michael Nagle, distributed controlled substances to a small network of individuals who would then redistribute the drugs to other traffickers, including Mora, who also had access to a pill press machine which he used to create counterfeit pills. In 2022, Mora sold 2,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer. In October 2022 several hundred pharmaceutical grade oxycodone pills were recovered during a search of Mora’s residence. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office and the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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 indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Man Admits St. Louis Carjacking

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Monday admitted carjacking and robbing two people in St. Louis, Missouri in 2023. Bradley C. McKinney, 35, pleaded guilty to carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possession of a machine gun. McKinney admitted as part of his plea agreement that shortly after midnight on July 29, 2023, he and an accomplice were both armed with handguns when they approached two people who had just exited a 2015 Chevy Cruze near the intersection of 16th Street and Lucas Avenue. The robbers rummaged through the victims’ pockets and took the keys to the Cruze and other valuables. McKinney’s associates pulled up in a white GMC Terrain and McKinney got into the Cruze with another accomplice. Both vehicles then sped off. After the victims called police, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) found footage of the vehicles crossing into Illinois. Investigators identified the GMC Terrain and put out a “wanted” for both vehicles. Later that morning, the Cruze was found abandoned in East St. Louis with the key still in the ignition. About 25 hours after the carjacking, the RTCC received a license plate recognition hit for the GMC Terrain, and officers used a spike strip to deflate several tires. McKinney was the driver and sole occupant. In plain view beneath the driver seat, officers noticed a black Glock 17 handgun with an extended magazine and an auto-sear, or “switch,” installed, making it a machinegun. McKinney admitted owning the fully automatic Glock, knowing that he was a convicted felon and prohibited from doing so. McKinney is scheduled to be sentenced November 6. Both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 19 years in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the East St. Louis Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Aryan Brotherhood Prison Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder in Aid of Racketeering

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pat Brady, 53, of Lake Forest, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to life in prison for murder in aid of racketeering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between 2011 and 2016, Aryan Brotherhood (AB) members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. AB members oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their California prison cells using smuggled cellphones to direct drug trafficking activities, order murders, and oversee other criminal activities inside and outside of the prisons. According to Brady’s plea agreement, on July 28, 2018, Brady murdered an inmate at High Desert Prison as part of an AB-related killing. Brady admitted that he committed the murder because the victim falsely claimed to be an AB member and had run up a significant drug debt at his previous prison — both violations of the AB’s expected codes of conduct. Brady willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation, murdered the victim in order to maintain his status within the gang. On Jan. 17, 2024, Brady’s co-defendant in the murder, Jason Corbett, 52, pleaded guilty to the same murder in aid of racketeering. His sentencing is set for Nov. 25, 2024. In April 2024, following a nine-week trial, a federal jury found three of Brady’s co-defendants guilty of RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to murder, murder in aid of racketeering, and multiple counts of drug trafficking. Ronald Yandell, 61, Danny Troxell, 71, and Billy Sylvester, 55, are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on Sept. 11, 2024. Charges are pending against Kevin MacNamara, 44, of La Palma, and Kathleen Nolan, 69, of Calimesa. A status conference is set for Sept. 23, 2024. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Erie Man Convicted at Trial of Brokering the Illegal Transfer of Fully Automatic Machineguns, Including One with an Obliterated Serial Number

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for four hours, a federal jury on August 2, 2024, found Erie, Pennsylvania, resident Joseph Leonard Stratton-Kiehlmeier guilty of one count of aiding and abetting the transfer of unregistered fully automatic firearms, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Stratton-Kiehlmeier, 36, was tried before Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone in Pittsburgh. According to evidence presented during the four-day trial, in January 2020, law enforcement learned that Stratton-Kiehlmeier was offering to broker the sale and transfer of illegal, unregistered machineguns. Those firearms – a Yugo rifle with an obliterated serial number and a Tikkakoski submachine gun – were both operable and fully automatic. Pursuant to the National Firearms Act, machineguns must be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. In January 2020, a confidential source, acting under the direction and supervision of federal law enforcement, traveled with Stratton-Kiehlmeier to a barn in Erie County to receive the illegal weapons. During the meeting, which was recorded, the source paid $2,000 for the machineguns, which he turned over to law enforcement after the meeting. “Joseph Stratton-Kiehlmeier brokered the unlawful sale and transfer of two fully automatic machineguns—weapons that are capable of unleashing devastating violence with a single pull of the trigger,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “The defendant sought to fuel the dangerous black market in illicit firearms, indifferent to who was acquiring these unregistered weapons and what they might do with them. This conduct poses a grave danger to the citizens of Western Pennsylvania, and our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to take these illegal weapons off of our streets.” “High-powered weapons in the hands of criminals endangers our community and increases the risk for deadly violence,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “Public safety is a shared mission, and the FBI and our partners stand committed to protecting the lives of innocent citizens everywhere.” Assistant United States Attorneys Molly W. Anglin and Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for December 2, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE) Safe Streets Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and Erie Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Stratton-Kiehlmeier. A specialist from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also testified during the trial. 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 of Justice 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: Two Sentenced for Shooting Death of Minor

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter, and a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Misprision of a Felony. The sentencings took place on August 2, 2024. Tyson White Plume, 29, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Sarah Stone, 44, was sentenced to time served, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. In February of 2022, a federal grand jury indicted White Plume for Second Degree Murder and Stone for Accessory After the Fact to Second Degree Murder. White Plume pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter and Stone pleaded guilty to Misprision of a Felony. The change of plea hearings took place on May 3, 2024. The convictions arose out of the shooting death of White Plume’s seventeen-year-old girlfriend on February 5, 2022. White Plume admitted pointing a pistol at the minor’s face and pulling the trigger, after removing the magazine but failing to ensure the firearm did not have a bullet in the chamber. The shooting occurred in Stone’s residence near Rockyford, South Dakota, in the Pine Ridge Reservation. Stone knew the minor had been killed in her home, but concealed and lied about what she knew when she was questioned by law enforcement officers. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. White Plume was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Carjacking and Armed Robbery in 2022 Crime Spree

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Deangelo Richardson, 22, of Washington, DC, pleaded guilty on August 2, 2024, to committing an armed carjacking on July 14, 2022 and armed robbery on November 26, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Richardson pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of armed carjacking and one count of armed robbery. The Honorable Erik Christian scheduled sentencing for November 1, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, on July 14, 2022, Richardson along with two unidentified co-conspirators committed a series of violent offenses in Washington, D.C., ending with an armed carjacking near the 600 block of Morton Place NE. During the commission of each violent crime, all three assailants covered their faces. Richardson and his unidentified co-conspirators, armed with firearms, attempted to carjack two separate individuals before proceeding to the 600 block of Morton Place NE at approximately 6:49 p.m. Once at the location, they approached the victim who was parking her car at the location. One of the co-conspirators brandished a handgun and stated, “Give me everything!” Richardson and two associates took the victim’s car keys, phone, and credit cards attached to her phone, and other property. Then they took her car. Richardson later used the victim’s credit card at gas stations and a restaurant. Richardson also pleaded guilty to an armed robbery that took place on November 26, 2022, near the 1300 block of South Carolina Avenue SE. At approximately 7:54 p.m., Richardson parked a car ahead of the victims who were walking their dog after dinner. When the couple walked near his car, the defendant jumped out with a gun and robbed the husband of his phone. Richardson was arrested that evening after a vehicle pursuit. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce Unit. This case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Evans and Omeed Assefi.


title: Five Charged with Operating Cockfighting Events in Inland Empire

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – Four Inland Empire residents have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging they organized and ran cockfighting events in San Bernardino County. The following defendants, who were arrested Sunday at a cockfighting event, are charged with aiding, abetting, inducing, and willfully causing another person to sponsor and exhibit an animal in an animal fighting venture and are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside: Isidro Chaparro Sanchez, 59, of Corona; Luis Octavio Angulo, 61, of Rialto; Sergio Jimenez Maldonado, 51, of San Bernardino; and Eva Anilu Pastor Uriostegui, 53, of Moreno Valley. Law enforcement is looking for Cirilo Esquivel Alcantar, 56, of San Bernardino, who also is charged in this case. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the defendants organized and facilitated cockfighting events in Muscoy. The defendants held events on Sundays during the cockfighting “season,” which generally runs from January to August. Individuals brought roosters to fight (i.e., cockfighters) and spectators attended the events, which at times drew more than 100 attendees. Attendees parked – at the cost of $20 – at a different location nearly one mile away from the event location. Attendees were then shuttled to the cockfighting location, where they paid another fee – usually $40 – to enter the arena where the cockfights took place. Attendees could also place bets on the cockfights and participate in a raffle. Cockfighters paid a fee to enter their roosters into fights – $1,000 for four roosters – and then entered the fighting arena with their roosters when it is their turn to fight. Several cockfights took place on a given day. Before the fights, a sharp blade, known as a “gaff” and usually curved and approximately 1.5 inches in length, was often attached to each rooster’s leg. At times, the fights ended in the death of one or both roosters. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, the defendants would each face a statutory maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Cory L. Burleson of the Riverside Branch Office and Dennis Mitchell of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Distribution and Gun Possession Crimes

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Kendrick Watson, 44 , of Memphis, has been sentenced to 540 months in federal prison after being convicted by a federal jury of multiple drug distribution and firearm offenses. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to the information presented in court, law enforcement officers intercepted a package containing cocaine sent from Houston, Texas and set for delivery to Watson’s residence. After a search of the residence, officers found fentanyl, methamphetamine, drug-distribution materials and proceeds, multiple firearms, ammunition, and gun magazines. In February 2024, a federal jury found Watson guilty of one count of possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, three counts of possession of a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and three counts of possession of a gun as a convicted felon. The conviction mandated a 300-month sentence, consecutive to any other sentence, based on Watson’s prior conviction for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Watson was also designated as a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines due to his prior convictions for a crime of violence and controlled substance offenses in Memphis. On August 1, 2024, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Watson to a total of 45 years of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration - Memphis Resident Office and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Allen and Naya Bedini, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated this case. ### F or more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Justice Department Statements on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia's Decision in U.S. v Google

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department issued the following statements from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, regarding the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia’s decision in United States v. Google : “This victory against Google is an historic win for the American people,” said Attorney General Garland. “No company — no matter how large or influential — is above the law. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce our antitrust laws.” “This landmark decision holds Google accountable. It paves the path for innovation for generations to come and protects access to information for all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Kanter. “This victory is a reflection on the tireless efforts of the dedicated public servants at the Antitrust Division and our state law enforcement partners whose work made today’s decision possible.”


title: United States Attorney's Office to Participate in Community Events During National Night Out

body_text: BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts will join community organizers, neighbors and law enforcement partners in National Night Out events across the Commonwealth. “Protecting Massachusetts would be impossible without the critical support from our law enforcement partners. In doing their job, it is imperative that they are seen and known across the communities they serve,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “National Night Out is a terrific opportunity to build additional trust between our law enforcement partners and the neighborhoods in which they work. We look forward to joining our colleagues across the state, meeting members the communities we all serve.” National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country. National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization. Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe. For more information, visit https://natw.org/ .


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Firearms

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – The lead defendant in a firearms trafficking case was sentenced to 67 months’ imprisonment, three years supervised release, and the forfeiture of multiple firearms. Leslie Eugene Gittoes, 53, of Ontario, California, also known as “Big Craze,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge David Sam, after he pleaded guilty in February 2024 to conspiracy to travel interstate with intent to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license. According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, from September 2020 to August 2021, Gittoes and his coconspirators, who have been sentenced or awaiting sentencing, intentionally agreed to violate federal firearms laws by conspiring to travel interstate from Utah to California with the intent to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Gittoes admitted he provided monetary compensation to Israel Luis Gonzalez, 60, of Roy, Utah, Emmette James Kibodeaux, 48, of Clearfield, Utah, and Taiesha Ann Kibodeaux, 40, of Clearfield, Utah, in exchange for firearms. Gittoes further admitted that the conspiracy involved 25 to 99 firearms. According to court documents, the case was initiated after a 2021 shooting between rival gangs in Ontario, California. The investigation revealed that firearms were transferred from purchasers in Utah to restricted persons, including gang members in the Los Angeles and San Bernadino, California areas. Several firearms were recovered in California and one of the involved firearms was utilized in a gang-related shooting which resulted in death. Taiesha Ann Kibodeaux and Emmette James Kibodeaux were sentenced in March 2024. The court sentenced Taiesha to 60 months’ probation and Emmette was sentenced to 52 months’ imprisonment. Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced September 9, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. The case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Riverside Field Office with assistance from the Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Victoria K. McFarland and Samuel S. Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Jodi Lathrop Sentenced to 15 Months of Imprisonment for Fraud, Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Jodi Lathrop, 55, of Bristol, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to 15 months of imprisonment following her guilty plea to charges of wire fraud and federal tax evasion. U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered that Lathrop pay restitution totaling approximately $479,000, pay a fine of $15,000, and serve a two-year period of supervised release following completion of her prison term. The court directed Lathrop to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on September 10, 2024 to begin serving her sentence. In 2023, a federal grand jury returned a 19-count indictment charging Lathrop with 11 counts of mail and wire fraud; four counts of personal tax evasion; and four counts of aiding the preparation of false corporate tax returns. Lathrop pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion last December. In pleading guilty, Lathrop admitted that between 2014 and 2020, while serving as office manager and bookkeeper for Claire Lathrop Band Mill, Inc., a logging and woodchipping business in Bristol, she engaged in a scheme to embezzle from the business. Lathrop executed the scheme by using company credit cards to make personal purchases of goods and services; by using company funds to pay the personal credit card obligations of Lathrop and other family members; and by using company money to pay for other personal expenses. Lathrop concealed the embezzlement in several ways. Lathrop falsely recorded the unauthorized checks in CLBM’s books as checks for legitimate business expenses, wrote false notes on some checks so they appeared to be for legitimate business expenses, and caused CLBM to file false tax returns which falsely deducted Lathrop’s personal expenses as legitimate business expenses. This case was investigated by the Vermont office of IRS-Criminal Investigation and by Homeland Security Investigations. Lathrop was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq. The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Waples.


title: Gilmer County Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Duncan Currie Canter, age 30, of Glenville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 170 months in federal prison for methamphetamine and firearms convictions. According to court documents and statements made in court, Canter was working with others to distribute methamphetamine in Gilmer County. A semi-automatic pistol was located in Cantor’s vehicle during a traffic stop. At the time, Canter was on supervised release due to a prior methamphetamine conviction in the Northern District of West Virginia and was prohibited from possessing firearms. After the traffic stop, United States Probation Officers conducted a visit to Cantor’s home and discovered methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Canter has an extensive criminal history, including drug trafficking, which caused him to be classified and sentenced as a career offender. Canter will also serve 21 months in prison for a violation of his supervised release status at the time of the crime. He will be on an additional three years of supervised release following this prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Labor union president arrested for embezzling over $280,000 in union funds

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 41-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been taken into federal custody for alleged embezzlement from a local labor union, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Authorities have arrested Robert Cirilo. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby at 9:45 a.m. Aug. 6. According to the indictment returned July 31, Cirilo was the president of the United Steelworkers Local 13-1647 in Corpus Christi. While serving in that role, he allegedly used a union debit card to make approximately 430 unauthorized personal purchases and ATM cash withdrawals. The indictment charges Cirilo with 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement from a labor organization. If convicted, Cirilo faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine on each of the wire fraud counts. He also faces up to five years and up to a $10,000 fine upon conviction of embezzlement. The FBI and Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster and John Marck are prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Two Foreign Nationals Indicted for Alleged Series of Armed Robberies of Convenience Stores Across Southern California

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A South Los Angeles man was arraigned today, charged in an eight-count federal grand jury indictment that alleges he and another defendant conducted a series of armed robberies at eight convenience stores across Southern California over a period of just over five months earlier this year. The following defendants were both arrested fleeing from a robbery on June 13 and have been charged with eight counts of Hobbs Act robbery: Jesus Soto-Parada, 26, who was deported to El Salvador during the robbery spree but later returned to the United States, continued the robbery spree, and was found to be residing in South Los Angeles, is scheduled to begin his trial on September 24. Daniel Pavon, 20, a Honduran national living in Gardena, is currently in state custody and awaiting transfer to federal custody to face charges. According to court documents, Soto, Pavon, and co-conspirators allegedly entered convenience stores wearing surgical masks. One suspect would reportedly brandish a handgun at the clerk while stealing money, while the other served as a lookout. According to the indictment filed on June 26, Soto, Pavon, and their co-conspirators beginning on January 11, allegedly robbed convenience stores in Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Pomona, Newport Beach, Agoura Hills, and Gardena. The group reportedly stole approximately $13,950 in cash and $7,415 in merchandise. Following the Gardena robbery on June 13, law enforcement located the suspects and conducted a traffic stop, resulting in the arrest of Soto and Pavon. During the search, officers reportedly discovered cash, a box of blue medical face masks, the tracking device, a black replica semi-automatic handgun, and two long-sleeved black hooded sweatshirts. Shortly afterward, a clerk at the victimized Gardena store was brought to the scene and identified Soto and Pavon as the individuals who committed the robbery, noting they were wearing the hooded sweatshirts during the robbery. An indictment and complaint contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. “These defendants’ alleged violent crime spree has now earned them federal criminal charges carrying major potential prison time,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Criminals should take note that we are partnering with local law enforcement more than ever to send a clear message that violent crime has no place in our community.” Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments. If convicted, Soto and Pavon face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each Hobbs Act robbery count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Orange County Violent Crime Task Force (OCVCTF), which is comprised of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the ATF, the Brea Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and the Fullerton Police Department, is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jena MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Caitlin Campbell of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this matter.


title: Another charged with selling fentanyl resulting in death in Laredo

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 31-year-old former resident of Laredo for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl which caused the death of another, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Authorities have arrested Rene Antonio Melendez in Appleton, Wisconsin. He will make his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, after which authorities will transport him to Laredo for all subsequent proceedings. The three-count indictment, returned July 9, alleges Melendez conspired with other people to distribute fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance, to another individual March 11, 2023. That person subsequently died after using the drug, according to the charges. The indictment also charges Melendez with one count of distributing fentanyl that resulted in death as well as one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Melendez faces up life in federal prison as well as a possible $1 million maximum fine. Melendez is the third federal indictment in Laredo in the last year charging someone with distributing fentanyl resulting in death. There others were in August 2023 and December 2023 . The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department and Webb County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez are prosecuting the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . More information on the dangers of fentanyl can be found on the DEA’s website. #OnePillCanKill An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Burlington Man Sentenced to 11 Months in Prison in Pharmacy Burglary

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 5, 2024, Manuel Francis, 48, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 11 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a two-year term of supervised release. Francis previously pleaded guilty to burglary of a pharmacy. According to court records, late in the night on January 5, 2023, Francis broke into the Lakeside Pharmacy on Pearl Street, in Burlington, Vermont. Francis broke through the window of the pharmacy’s back door and kicked his way through the drywall to access the stock area where he stole: 37 60-mg tablets of buprenorphine; 55 packets of various dosages of Suboxone (buprenorphine); one vial of testosterone; and more than 400 tablets of various doses of clonazepam. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Burlington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Colin Owyang. Francis was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino.


title: Three Additional Dominican Nationals Extradited to Face “Grandparent Scam” Charges

component: Civil Division

body_text: Three residents of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, were extradited to the United States last week and made their initial appearance in Newark federal court yesterday on charges relating to their participation in a sprawling “grandparent scam” that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions of dollars. Juan Rafael Parra Arias, also known as Yofre, 41; Miguel Angel Vasquez, also known as Miguel Disla, 24; and Jose Ismael Dilone Rodriguez, 34, are among 11 Dominican Nationals charged in a 19-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and unsealed on April 29. Following their initial appearance yesterday, the court ordered the three men detained pending trial. The extradition of Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez follows that of their co-conspirators Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman, also known as Max Morgan, 59, and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, also known as Fili and Filly the Kid, 37, who appeared in Newark federal court on July 22 to answer the indictment. According to the indictment, Parra Arias, Vasquez, Dilone Rodriguez and their co-conspirators engaged in a long-running “grandparent” or “family in need of bail” scam against hundreds of seniors across the United States, including in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Parra Arias is alleged to have led a network of call centers in Santiago, Dominican Republic, while Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez worked in these centers to recruit co-conspirators in the United States. As detailed in court filings, members of the conspiracy referred to as “openers” called elderly victims in the United States and impersonated the victims’ children, grandchildren or other close relatives. The call centers used technology to make it appear that the calls were coming from inside the United States. Typically, the victim was told that their grandchild had been in a car accident, was arrested in connection with an accident, and needed help. Once openers tricked victims into believing their loved ones were in dire trouble, others working at the call centers, known as “closers,” allegedly impersonated defense attorneys, police officers or court personnel and convinced victims to provide thousands of dollars in cash to help their loved ones. The cash was typically retrieved by couriers — including those recruited and dispatched by Parra Arias, Vasquez, and Dilone Rodriguez — from the victims’ homes, or mailed by victims at the direction of the closers. “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue criminals who defraud victims through so-called ‘grandparent scams,’” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable Americans from abroad. We thank the government of the Dominican Republic for extraditing these defendants to the United States to face charges.” “As alleged, these three defendants played a role in a scheme that relied on the love and devotion of elderly victims in order to cheat them out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ some of the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. Conspirators like Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez allegedly operated the call centers or dispatched couriers to pick up money from the victims. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings.” “These defendants and their co-conspirators are accused of heartlessly robbing countless elderly victims of their precious time and often their life savings – all from more than 1,500 miles away,” said Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez were among the 16 individuals charged in this appalling scheme, which spanned at least four U.S. states and allegedly threatened hundreds of innocent Americans’ livelihoods. The merciless greed of perpetrators is boundless, but is no match for HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force, its Cyber Intrusion Group and the greater law enforcement community. I am proud to stand alongside our global partners in our relentless commitment to the safety and overall wellbeing of the vulnerable public." “The grandparent scam is a cruel fraud scheme that deliberately preys on elderly and vulnerable persons within society. Perpetrators, often cowardly operating off-shore, cause extreme emotional and financial harm to the innocent people they target in commission of this crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) Boston New York Field Division. “SSA-OIG proudly joined HSI, the FBI, the Justice Department and the NYPD in investigating these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding SSA beneficiaries and we appreciate the diligence of the U.S. Marshals Service in facilitating the extradition of these defendants from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey to hold them accountable for their actions.” “We are now one step closer to holding accountable the alleged fraudsters who financially exploited hundreds of elderly Americans,” said Commissioner Edward A. Caban of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). “This should serve as a reminder to other criminals about the extensive reach of New York law enforcement and our unwavering commitment to delivering justice to all victims. I applaud our NYPD investigators and all of our federal partners for their dedication to this important case.” Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez each face multiple charges, including mail and wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count of mail and wire fraud and a maximum fine of $500,000 for money laundering conspiracy and money laundering. HSI, SSA-OIG, NYPD and the FBI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from the Dominican Republic of the defendants with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Justice Department officials also recognized the critical cooperation of the Dominican government in effecting the extradition of Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez pursuant to the treaty between the two countries. Trial Attorneys Jason Feldman, Joshua Ferrentino and Emily Powers of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey are prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov / or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement of Lawsuit Alleging Illegal Premerger Coordination by Legends Hospitality in Connection with its Acquisition of ASM Global

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department today filed a civil lawsuit and announced a proposed settlement with Legends Hospitality Parent Holdings LLC (Legends) for an alleged violation of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HSR Act). As alleged in the department’s complaint, Legends engaged in illegal premerger coordination in connection with its proposed acquisition of ASM Global Inc. (ASM) by exercising operational control over aspects of ASM during the HSR waiting period involving venue management services for an arena in California. “Companies must remain separate and independent before they close their merger. Our complaint alleges that Legends did not live up to that obligation,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Andrew Forman of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The proposed settlement requires Legends to pay a meaningful civil penalty and imposes significant obligations to try to ensure that Legends complies with the law moving forward. I commend our tremendous investigative teams who remain vigilant in trying to ensure that there is no improper coordination between parties before closing.” The civil antitrust lawsuit against Legends for an HSR Act violation was filed in the Southern District of New York. At the same time, the department filed a proposed final judgment that, if approved by the court, would resolve the department’s lawsuit. The HSR Act prohibits companies from improperly combining operations or other aspects of their businesses before expiration of the required HSR Act waiting period. Under the terms of the proposed settlement, among other things, Legends must pay a $3.5 million civil penalty, refrain from certain conduct, appoint an Antitrust Compliance Officer, implement an antitrust training and compliance program and submit regular compliance reporting to the department. Legends is a global venue services company headquartered in New York. ASM is a venue management and services company headquartered in Los Angeles. As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed consent decree, along with the competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register . Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed consent decrees during a 60-day comment period to Chief Owen Kendler of the Antitrust Division’s Financial Services, Fintech, and Banking Section at 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 4000, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the District Court for the Southern District of New York may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest. The claims resolved by the resolution announced today are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.