title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Election Day Program to Protect Election Workers and Voting Rights

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Federal law protects elections against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today that the public can call the office’s Election Day Hotline at 888-636-6596 to report voting rights concerns, threats against election officials, or any other activity that would interfere with the right to vote in the District of New Jersey. This number will be active Oct. 26, 2024, through Nov. 8, 2024, and will be staffed live on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024. “We are committed to ensuring that every citizen in New Jersey is able to vote without interference or discrimination, and to have that vote counted. In coordination with the Department’s Election Day Program, our office will do everything in its power to protect voters and election workers throughout New Jersey.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (when voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). In addition to the Election Day Hotline, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI can be reached by the public at 973-792-3000. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws, or any civil rights violation, can be made at any time to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Hotline, 855-281-3339, or by submitting an online complaint here , or to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form here . In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan Millenky, Mark McCarren, and Joseph McFarlane will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election.


title: Truist Bank Pays Over $9M to Resolve Allegations Concerning SunTrust Bank’s Administration of Trust Accounts

component: Civil Division

body_text: Truist Bank (Truist), based in Charlotte, North Carolina, has agreed to pay the United States $9,125,000 to resolve claims under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), in connection with the administration of certain trust accounts by SunTrust Bank (SunTrust) from December 2011 through December 2015. SunTrust was acquired by Branch Banking and Trust Company in December 2019, and the combined entity was renamed Truist. “Our federally insured financial institutions must act in accordance with the law, including meeting their obligations to beneficiaries when they serve as trustees,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement makes clear that the department will hold banks accountable when they knowingly run afoul of applicable legal requirements.” The settlement announced today resolves claims arising out of SunTrust’s management of certain trust accounts it administered as part of its relationship with a New Jersey company doing business as The Halpern Group (Halpern). Halpern served as a “structured settlement facilitator” in matters involving individuals who received settlement awards in personal injury litigation and referred those individuals to SunTrust. These individuals then established trusts at SunTrust that were intended to help them preserve their recoveries by protecting against unwise disbursements. Both SunTrust and Halpern collected fees in exchange for their agreement to provide these services. In or around December 2011, SunTrust began administering a group of trust accounts, known as the “Doe Run Accounts,” that were referred to the bank by Halpern and resulted from the settlement of lead poisoning cases near Herculaneum, Missouri. Those accounts involved beneficiaries who claimed various health and cognitive issues from lead poisoning. The United States contends that, rather than helping these beneficiaries avoid unwise disbursements, Halpern requested and SunTrust frequently approved imprudent disbursements that were not in the beneficiaries’ best interests, including disbursements for the benefit of third-parties ( e.g. , relatives). The United States contends that SunTrust’s approval of these disbursements violated its fiduciary obligations as the trustee of these accounts. “Banks occupy a special place of trust in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “This settlement shows that when banks violate that trust — especially in situations involving vulnerable customers — they will face accountability.” The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. Senior Trial Counsel David W. Tyler of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin M. Hall for the Northern District of Georgia handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Grand Forks, ND, Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Stolen Firearms and Assaulting a Federal Agent

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on October 21, 2024, Michael Allen Otto, age 45 from Grand Forks, ND, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, and was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, followed by three years supervised released, $175.00 in Special Assessments, and ordered to pay restitution for damaged vehicles totaling $2,713.72 for the offenses of Possession of Stolen Firearms and Assaulting a Federal Agent. On September 15, 2023, Michael Otto was stopped by law enforcement for a routine traffic stop, he then led officers on a high-speed chase. Officers eventually stopped Otto, at which time they found two stolen firearms in Otto’s vehicle. In July of 2024, a warrant was issued for Otto for violating terms of his pretrial release. While Grand Forks Police Officers and FBI Agents attempted to take Otto into custody, Otto rammed his vehicle into a Grand Forks Police Department vehicle and an FBI vehicle occupied by two FBI agents. “This defendant endangered the safety of federal and local law enforcement officers all while violating the court-imposed terms of his pretrial release,” Schneider said. “Today’s strong sentence is therefore a fair one. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to keeping our communities safe, and that means aggressively prosecuting assaults on agents and officers in every instance where we have jurisdiction.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grand Forks Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Richard Lee. # # #


title: Marion County Tax Preparer Convicted of Filing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Marion County tax preparer was convicted today on 26 counts of filing false tax returns, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced. Jack Lee Oliver, age 56, of Rivesville, West Virginia, was found guilty by a jury for the preparation and filing of false tax returns. Oliver is the owner of an insurance sales and tax return preparation business known as Insurance Depot located in Fairmont. The evidence at trial established that Oliver prepared tax returns for clients claiming business losses for non-existent businesses without the knowledge of the clients. He also prepared returns for clients who did have businesses, but falsely inflated expenses to cause a business loss, again without the knowledge of the clients. In both instances, his actions caused the clients to receive tax refunds to which they were not entitled. The evidence also demonstrated that Oliver, on his own tax returns, claimed the foster son of one of his clients resulting in thousands of dollars in refundable credits to which he was not entitled. “Jack Oliver stole from American taxpayers when he falsified returns to benefit himself and others,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “We will continue to crack down on anyone who attempts to game the system by falsely claiming losses, expenses, or dependents in order to obtain a bigger tax refund.” The United States expects that the evidence at Oliver’s sentencing will establish that he caused a tax loss of more than $500,000. Oliver is facing up to three years in federal prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod Douglas and Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The trial began last Tuesday and concluded with the verdict this morning. The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Involving Drug and Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston area man pleaded guilty today to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang. Jose Afonseca, 32, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and dealing in firearms without a license. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 30, 2025. During the investigation, Afonseca was identified as member of the Cameron Street gang, who worked with other Cameron Street members to distribute hundreds of grams of cocaine and cocaine base, more commonly referred to as “crack” cocaine, from a stash house in Somerville. Afonseca was recorded discussing his ability to acquire illegal firearms and was recorded selling two firearms and over 30 rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness. On Aril 15, 2022, agents executed a series of arrest and search warrants in this case. Three hundred ninety-eight grams of cocaine, along with packaging materials, two hydraulic presses, a digital scale, a cell phone, and $14,986 in U.S. currency were seized from the stash house. According to court documents, Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect, and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear, and enhance its reputation. The charge of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, a $5 million fine, and a minimum four years supervised release up to life. The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department Sues Rocket Mortgage, Appraisal Management Company and Appraiser for Race Discrimination in Mortgage Refinance Application

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that Rocket Mortgage LLC; Solidifi US Inc.; Maverick Appraisal Group Inc.; and Maksym Mykhailyna discriminated against a Black homeowner by undervaluing her home based on her race in an appraisal required as part of a home mortgage refinance application. The United States also alleges that Rocket Mortgage retaliated against the homeowner and interfered with her rights by cancelling her mortgage refinance application when she reported this discrimination. “This lawsuit is part of our ongoing efforts to bring an end to appraisal bias which prevent Black communities and other consumers of color from accessing credit and benefitting from homeownership,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Appraisal bias exacerbates the racial wealth gap, and runs contrary to the principles of fairness, transparency and equity that we need in our housing market today. The Justice Department will continue to hold appraisers, lenders and others who discriminate against loan applicants accountable for their actions. No one should have to suffer the indignity and financial harm associated with appraisal bias.” “The complaint alleges racially discriminatory practices by a lender and an appraiser that harmed a homeowner. These discriminatory practices have gone on for too long in Denver,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to addressing persistent inequities in housing through vigorous enforcement of federal laws prohibiting discrimination in housing and lending.” The Justice Department’s complaint alleges that a homeowner applied for a mortgage refinance loan from Rocket Mortgage in January 2021, and Rocket Mortgage contracted with an appraisal management company, Solidifi US Inc., to complete the required home appraisal. Solidifi retained Mykhailyna and his company, Maverick Appraisal Group, to appraise the home, which is located in a neighborhood in Denver that is predominantly white. The complaint alleges that Mykhailyna used sales from properties in further-away neighborhoods with larger Black populations instead of closer neighborhoods that were predominantly white. In fact, the complaint alleges Mykhailyna failed to consider data from sales of homes less than a mile from the complainant’s property in an adjoining neighborhood, even though a few months earlier he had used sales of homes in that same neighborhood to support an appraisal of a home with a white owner in the complainant’s neighborhood. The complaint alleges that these and other errors demonstrate Mykhailyna undervalued the property because of race and color. Mykhailyna appraised the property to be over $200,000 lower than an appraisal on the same property that had been completed less than a year before, a more than 25% decrease at a time of rising home values in the Denver. As alleged in the complaint, Mykhailyna sent his appraisal to Solidifi, which reviewed it and then forwarded it to Rocket Mortgage and the homeowner. When the homeowner received the appraisal, she contacted Rocket Mortgage and explained why she believed it was discriminatory. In response, Rocket Mortgage cancelled her refinance application. She filed a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which later conducted an investigation, determined that there was reasonable cause to conclude the defendants had violated the Fair Housing Act, and referred the matter to the Justice Department. “HUD applauds today’s action and remains committed to working with DOJ to ensure appraisal companies and mortgage providers are held accountable when they violate our nation’s fair housing laws.” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Diane M. Shelley of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “It has been over 56 years since the passage of the Fair Housing Act, and it is unconscionable that Black and Brown families still face discrimination during housing transactions.” More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Along with several federal agencies, the Justice Department issued a letter to The Appraisal Foundation underscoring the importance of incorporating federal nondiscrimination standards into appraisal standards. More information about the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity is available at pave.hud.gov . Individuals may report housing discrimination to the Justice Department by calling 1-833-591-0291, emailing fairhousing@usdoj.gov or submitting a report online . Individuals also may report housing discrimination to HUD by calling 1-800-669-9777 or filing a complaint online . rocket_complaint.pdf fourth_exposure_joint_letter.pdf


title: DOJ Establishes Local Contacts for November 2024 Election

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) JoAnna McFadden will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA McFadden has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of North Carolina, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. “Free and fair elections require that every eligible citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination, and election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence,” said United States Attorney Hairston. “The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can do so if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt the voting franchise –the cornerstone of American democracy – are brought to justice.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO McFadden will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 336-332-6362. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI office can be reached by the public at (704) 672-6100 and callers should ask to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. United States Attorney Hairston said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. ###


title: Springfield, Vermont Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Ernest Lamphere, 44, of Springfield, Vermont, pleaded guilty today to a gun possession charge before U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions III. According to court records including the stipulated facts in the plea agreement between the parties, in late February 2024, Lamphere was subject to a State of Vermont relief from abuse order, which was sought by his family members and prohibited his possession of firearms. When law enforcement served the relief from abuse order on Lamphere on February 27 at his home, he turned over four firearms and also admitted opiate use. Two days later Lamphere was located alone in his vehicle, blocking the drive-thru lane at the McDonald’s in Springfield, Vermont and nodding off from illegal drug use. Lamphere had opiates in his system at the time. Along with significant quantities of illegal drugs located in his vehicle and on his person, Lamphere was also in possession of two AR-style rifles, a silencer, and assorted ammunition. Lamphere pleaded guilty today to being a drug user in possession of a firearm, a charge which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years. The actual sentence will be determined by the District Court with reference to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and statutory sentencing factors of the United States Code. If accepted by the court, the plea agreement signed by Lamphere and the government recommends (1) that sentencing be delayed for one year, and (2) that Lamphere receive a time-served sentence, to be followed by three years of supervised release, if he abides by the terms of the plea agreement during the intervening year. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Springfield, VT Police Department for their work on this case. U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest has handled the case for the government. Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth represents Ernest Lamphere. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: California Man Admits Fentanyl Distribution

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A California man today admitted possessing with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of fentanyl in Bergen County, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Timothy Alan Blank, 55, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On March 8, 2024, law enforcement pulled Blank over while he was driving in Bergen County and discovered the fentanyl concealed in the vehicle. The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl comes with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing for Blank is scheduled for March 11, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Lee Police Department, and the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the Criminal Division in Newark. blank.information.pdf


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DONALD MILLER (“MILLER “) a/k/a “Duck,” age 43, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on October 16, 2024, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to Conspiracy to Distribute and, Possess with Intent to Distribute, five hundred grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride. At his sentencing set for January 15, 2024, MILLER faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years up to a maximum term of forty (40) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. According to court documents, MILLER , and other co-conspirators, distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine within the Eastern District of Louisiana. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Philadelphia Resident Charged for Election-Related Threat to State Party Representative

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today charging a Pennsylvania man with threatening to kill a representative of a state political party who was recruiting official poll watchers. According to the indictment, on Sept. 6, John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, sent threatening text messages to Victim 1. Victim 1 had previously posted online, in Victim 1’s capacity as an employee of a state political party, that Victim 1 was recruiting volunteers to “help[] observe at the polls on Election Day” and included Victim 1’s phone number. Pollard allegedly texted Victim 1 that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and included Victim 1’s first name. Pollard then allegedly texted three threats to Victim 1: “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!” “Your days are numbered, B****!” “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!” Pollard was arrested today and appeared in federal court in Philadelphia. He is charged with one count of transmitting interstate threats. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole A. Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun. Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by PIN and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo . To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/ . You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov . Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. View the indictment here.


title: Baltimore Man Admits to Fentanyl Charge

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Donald McDuffin Williams, age 49, of Baltimore, Maryland, has admitted to the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, as part of an investigation into the sale and distribution of fentanyl, agents searched the defendant's home and discovered drugs, drug paraphernalia, and cash. Williams faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.


title: Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency Employee  Pleads Guilty to Leaking Confidential Information

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Dameshia Cooper, 35, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to one count of disclosing confidential information held by the D.C. Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), which is an independent federal entity within the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (CSOSA), announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. According to court documents, Cooper was a Pretrial Services Officer employed at PSA within CSOSA. As a Pretrial Services Officer, Cooper had access to PSA’s Pretrial Real-Time Information System Manager database, and also to CSOSA’s offender case management system, both of which track and maintain sensitive identifiable data on individuals the agencies supervise. On several occasions in October and November 2022, Cooper looked up confidential information about an individual who was under pretrial supervision and shared the information, including the individual’s name, photograph, and home address, with a member of the individual’s rival gang with whom she was in a personal relationship. Cooper faces up to a year in prison. Her conviction today also requires mandatory removal from her employment with PSA. However, Cooper separated from employment with PSA in early February 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Public Corruption & Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Kelly is prosecuting the case. 24cr380


title: Anderson Accountant Sentenced to Over Three Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling Nearly One Million Dollars from his Employer

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS—Nathaniel Wills, 34, of Anderson, has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $877,507 in restitution after pleading guilty to wire fraud. According to court documents, for nearly six years, Wills was employed as an accountant and Director of Administration for an Indiana business. In these roles, Wills was entrusted with performing business accounting functions including among other things, writing and signing checks, making electronic payments, performing reconciliations between the company’s accounting and banking records, and maintaining the company’s accounting ledgers. Beginning in August 2020, and continuing until at least February 2022, Wills defrauded his employer by transferring nearly $1 million to which he knew he was not entitled from the company’s payroll and operating accounts to his personal bank accounts. The stolen funds were used to pay off his outstanding personal debts and for his own personal use, including online gambling. It an attempt to conceal his scheme, Wills made false entries in the company’s accounting system by recording that transfers of funds were payments of invoices, falsifying inventory logs, listing jobs as unpaid, and voiding checks. Wills also obtained a principal advance of $80,000 from his employer’s line of credit in order to meet the company’s payroll and vendor payment obligations. In total, Wills stole approximately $952,237.06 from his employer through 120 transactions. Wills’ conduct resulted in substantial financial hardship to the company. “For a year and a half, this defendant repaid the trust of his employer with deceit and theft, helping himself to nearly one million dollars and cooking the books to hide the evidence,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Fraud and embezzlement can have devastating effects on the victim individuals and companies. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that those who commit financial crimes will pay a serious price. I commend the FBI and our federal prosecutors for their efforts to investigate these crimes and hold the defendant accountable.” “This was not just a financial crime but an act of betrayal of the defendant’s employer that could have had a devastating and crippling effect on the business and its employees,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “Anyone who believes they can steal without consequence will find out the FBI aggressively pursues those who exploit their positions of trust for personal gain to ensure they are held accountable.” The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Wood and Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case. ###


component: Criminal - Public Integrity Section

body_text: WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today charging a Pennsylvania man with threatening to kill a representative of a state political party who was recruiting official poll watchers. According to the indictment, on Sept. 6, John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, sent threatening text messages to Victim 1. Victim 1 had previously posted online, in Victim 1’s capacity as an employee of a state political party, that Victim 1 was recruiting volunteers to “help[] observe at the polls on Election Day” and included Victim 1’s phone number. Pollard allegedly texted Victim 1 that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and included Victim 1’s first name. Pollard then allegedly texted three threats to Victim 1: • “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!” • “Your days are numbered, B****!” • “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!” Pollard is charged with one count of transmitting interstate threats. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five 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 Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole A. Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun. Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by PIN and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo . To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/ . You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov . Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Jury Finds Little Rock Man Guilty of Possession With Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Marijuana

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—A Little Rock man has been convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana at the conclusion of a three-day trial. On Thursday, a federal jury found Marquis Hunt, 42, guilty of four federal narcotics violations: and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The jury returned their verdict after deliberating for approximately 2.5 hours. United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. presided over the trial and will sentence Hunt at a later date. Hunt faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with a maximum of life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Hunt was indicted by a federal grand jury on third superseding indictment on August 6, 2024. An investigation revealed that on July 8, 2022, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made contact with Hunt at a residence in southwest Little Rock. Hunt was detained while a search warrant was obtained and executed. During a search, agents located more than 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 16 pounds of fentanyl throughout the residence, as well as distributable amounts of cocaine and marijuana. Through further investigation, it was discovered that the fentanyl was distributed or sprayed on a shredded vegetable material with a mixture of tramadol, which made it appear to be a form of synthetic marijuana or “K2.” During the jury trial, Hunt acknowledged selling drugs, but then denied selling the drugs located at the residence. The methamphetamine and fentanyl convictions carry minimum statutory sentences of not less than 10 years and not more than life in prison, not less than five years supervised release, and a fine of not more than $10,000,000. The cocaine conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, not less than four years supervised release, and a fine of not more than $1,000,000. The marijuana conviction carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, not less than two years supervised release, and a fine of not more than $250,000. The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Arkansas State Police and Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. The and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Fields and Reese Lancaster. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – OSMAN CARDONA-SUAZO (“CARDONA-SUAZO”), age 30, a native of Honduras, was indicted on October 18, 2024, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the indictment, CARDONA-SUAZO reentered the United States illegally after being previously removed on June 22, 2017. If convicted, CARDONA-SUAZO faces up to 2 years imprisonment, up to 1 year of supervised release, up to a $250,00 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul J. Hubbell and Spiro Latsis of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.


component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that Rocket Mortgage LLC; Solidifi US Inc.; Maverick Appraisal Group Inc.; and Maksym Mykhailyna discriminated against a Black homeowner by undervaluing her home based on her race in an appraisal required as part of a home mortgage refinance application. The United States also alleges that Rocket Mortgage retaliated against the homeowner and interfered with her rights by cancelling her mortgage refinance application when she reported this discrimination. “This lawsuit is part of our ongoing efforts to bring an end to appraisal bias which prevent Black communities and other consumers of color from accessing credit and benefitting from homeownership,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Appraisal bias exacerbates the racial wealth gap, and runs contrary to the principles of fairness, transparency and equity that we need in our housing market today. The Justice Department will continue to hold appraisers, lenders and others who discriminate against loan applicants accountable for their actions. No one should have to suffer the indignity and financial harm associated with appraisal bias.” “The complaint alleges racially discriminatory practices by a lender and an appraiser that harmed a homeowner. These discriminatory practices have gone on for too long in Denver,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to addressing persistent inequities in housing through vigorous enforcement of federal laws prohibiting discrimination in housing and lending.” The Justice Department’s complaint alleges that a homeowner applied for a mortgage refinance loan from Rocket Mortgage in January 2021, and Rocket Mortgage contracted with an appraisal management company, Solidifi US Inc., to complete the required home appraisal. Solidifi retained Mykhailyna and his company, Maverick Appraisal Group, to appraise the home, which is located in a neighborhood in Denver that is predominantly white. The complaint alleges that Mykhailyna used sales from properties in further-away neighborhoods with larger Black populations instead of closer neighborhoods that were predominantly white. In fact, the complaint alleges Mykhailyna failed to consider data from sales of homes less than a mile from the complainant’s property in an adjoining neighborhood, even though a few months earlier he had used sales of homes in that same neighborhood to support an appraisal of a home with a white owner in the complainant’s neighborhood. The complaint alleges that these and other errors demonstrate Mykhailyna undervalued the property because of race and color. Mykhailyna appraised the property to be over $200,000 lower than an appraisal on the same property that had been completed less than a year before, a more than 25% decrease at a time of rising home values in the Denver. As alleged in the complaint, Mykhailyna sent his appraisal to Solidifi, which reviewed it and then forwarded it to Rocket Mortgage and the homeowner. When the homeowner received the appraisal, she contacted Rocket Mortgage and explained why she believed it was discriminatory. In response, Rocket Mortgage cancelled her refinance application. She filed a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which later conducted an investigation, determined that there was reasonable cause to conclude the defendants had violated the Fair Housing Act, and referred the matter to the Justice Department. “HUD applauds today’s action and remains committed to working with DOJ to ensure appraisal companies and mortgage providers are held accountable when they violate our nation’s fair housing laws.” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Diane M. Shelley of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “It has been over 56 years since the passage of the Fair Housing Act, and it is unconscionable that Black and Brown families still face discrimination during housing transactions.” More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Along with several federal agencies, the Justice Department issued a letter to The Appraisal Foundation underscoring the importance of incorporating federal nondiscrimination standards into appraisal standards. More information about the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity is available at pave.hud.gov . Individuals may report housing discrimination to the Justice Department by calling 1-833-591-0291, emailing fairhousing@usdoj.gov or submitting a report online . Individuals also may report housing discrimination to HUD by calling 1-800-669-9777 or filing a complaint online . rocket_complaint.pdf fourth_exposure_joint_letter.pdf


title: Social Security Administration Employee Charged with Attempting to Induce a Social Security Beneficiary for Prostitution

body_text: BOSTON – A Social Security Administration (SSA) employee was arrested today for attempting to persuade a Social Security beneficiary to cross state lines to engage in prostitution. Dae Sung Kim, 35, of Auburn, Mass., was charged with one count of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. According to the criminal complaint, in March 2024, Kim handled an in-person visit at the Gardner SSA field office from an individual seeking Social Security benefits after losing her job. After redirecting the individual to another SSA field office near her residence in another state, Kim allegedly called the individual, using the phone number he obtained from SSA’s computer system. Kim allegedly indicated that he understood she was in a difficult situation and stated that maybe they could “work something out” that would benefit them both. During a call monitored by law enforcement later that month, Kim allegedly again stated to the individual that they could “help each other out” and proposed giving the individual money in exchange for sex. In several subsequent text messages, Kim allegedly suggested that the individual travel to Massachusetts to meet him, offering to pay $100 to have sex in a car at a hotel parking lot. When Kim traveled to the hotel parking lot to execute his plan in October 2024, he was confronted by law enforcement. The charge of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fitchburg and Gardner Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Threats Against Veterans Affairs Hospital

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOHN POWELL (“POWELL”) , age 77, a New Orleans native, was indicted on October 18, 2024, for making interstate threat communications, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). According to the court documents, POWELL called the National Veterans Crisis Hotline and threatened to kill as many employees of the Veterans Affairs Hospital in New Orleans as he could. POWELL faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and Veterans Affairs Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Timothy Ryan Wolfe, 39, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing firearms. According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least April 30, 2024, through June 6, 2024, Wolfe engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a Federal Firearms License (FFL). Wolfe advertised the sale of firearms on various social media platforms during this time. Wolfe admitted that he received requests from individuals for specific firearms that he purchased from FFL entities to sell to these individuals, and also purchased firearms without a specific buyer in mind with intent to sell them to other individuals. Wolfe further admitted that he is not licensed to deal in firearms and knew that he needed an FFL based on the quantity and regularity with which he was buying and selling firearms. Wolfe sold a total of 11 firearms to a confidential informant over the course of five transactions during this time period, each time at Wolfe’s residence. Wolfe admitted to these transactions and further admitted that they included the sale of two short-barrel rifles that were not registered to Wolfe in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law. Wolfe also admitted to purchasing and converting one of those firearms after the confidential informant requested a short-barrel rifle. Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced on February 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, at least one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-160. ###


title: Belgian National Charged with Attempting to Breach Cockpit and Assaulting Flight Crew Members on March 2024 Flight

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Belgian national was arrested today for attempting to breach the cockpit and assaulting flight attendants aboard flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Zurich, Switzerland, in March 2024, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced. Jan Daeninck, 43, of Belgium, is charged by complaint with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants by assault and intimidation, one count of assault, and one count of abusive sexual contact on an airplane. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On March 31, 2024, Daeninck was a passenger aboard a Swiss International Airlines flight from Newark to Zurich. Shortly after takeoff, Daeninck walked up to a female flight attendant, grabbed both of her breasts with his hands, shook her, and began yelling at her. After the flight attendant was able to wrest herself away from Daeninck, he then approached and attempted to enter the cockpit, repeatedly striking, kicking and beating the cockpit door. While Daeninck was attempting to gain entrance to the cockpit, a male flight attendant approached Daeninck. After repeatedly striking, punching, and kicking the cockpit door and failing to gain entry to the cockpit, Daeninck assaulted the male flight attendant by repeatedly punching and kicking the flight attendant, striking him in head and upper body with a closed fist. Flight crew members were able to intervene and assist with restraining Daeninck on the floor in the vicinity of the cockpit door for the remainder of the flight. As a result of Daeninck’s actions, the flight turned around and landed back at Newark Liberty International Airport. The charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The charge of assault by beating or striking carries a maximum punishment of one year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000. The charge of abusive sexual contact carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Edward T. Cetnar, for its assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Goldman of the Office’s General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. daeninck.complaint.pdf


title: Former Bosnian Prison Camp Supervisor Convicted of Concealing Participation in Wartime Persecution

body_text: BOSTON – A Swampscott, Mass. man was convicted on Oct. 18, 2024, following a two-week jury trial in Boston, of a 25-year scheme to conceal his persecution of ethnic Serbs during the Bosnian War. He was also convicted of making false claims to become a refugee to the United States and ultimately a United States citizen. Kemal Mrndzic, 52, was convicted of engaging in a scheme to conceal his involvement in persecution of Serb prisoners at the notorious Celebici prison camp in Bosnia in 1992; making a false statement to Homeland Security agents about his role at the camp; possessing a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate and Social Security card; and using a fraudulently obtained passport and certificate of naturalization. The jury acquitted him of two counts of making false statements to a Homeland Security Investigations special agents. In June 2023 , Mrndzic was indicted by a federal grand jury. “The heartbreaking testimony of the Celebici survivors reminded us that the physical pain and mental anguish inflicted by Kemal Mrndzic and his fellow guards at that notorious camp still haunts them 30 years later,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Mrndzic concealed his crimes for decades, but gravely underestimated the bravery of these victims and law enforcement’s dedication to finding and prosecuting those who engage in wartime persecution. Investigating and prosecuting these historical transnational cases demands extraordinary commitment and we are deeply grateful for the exceptional work of our federal law enforcement partners and our partners in countries across the globe.” “A jury found Mrndzic guilty of lying about his past to come to the U.S. under false pretenses, concealing his work as a guard at the notorious Celebici prison camp, a prison with well-documented cases of violence, abuse and even murder of prisoners during the Bosnian War,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New England. “HSI continues to use our international reach and regional expertise to uncover the past and bring to justice those who lie to undeservingly seek refuge in the U.S. We want to express our deep gratitude to the bravery of the survivors who came forward to testify during this trial.” Mrndzic served as a supervisor of the guards at a notorious prison camp in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the sectarian war which fractured the country in the 1990s. Five camp survivors testified at trial, recounting the horrific conditions at the Celebici camp in 1992 when Mrndzic was a supervisor there. Survivors testified about their detention in a lightless, airless tunnel for months on end, their near suffocation after being sealed in manholes for hours at a time, and the daily and nightly beatings that were administered by the guards at the camp — with baseball bat, wooden poles and rifle buts. The survivors testified to murders, the burning of one detainee’s tongue with a heated knife blade, the wrapping of another detainee with a long fuse cord and then lighting it on fire, sexual abuse, and other harrowing acts committed over a period of many months. One survivor recounted the beating death of a 70-year-old detainee whom guards pinned a military badge to his forehead while he was still dying. Survivors also testified about being starved and deprived of the most basic needs, including sleeping on the concrete floor of a sheet metal hanger for months on end while being fed only a slice of bread a day. A United Nations tribunal investigated the crimes committed at Celebici in the 1990s and convicted the two top commanders of the camp and one particularly sadistic guard on numerous crimes including murder and torture. While Mrndzic was interviewed by investigators in connection with that case in 1996, he was not charged by international authorities. Mrndzic subsequently concocted a scheme to leave Bosnia by crossing the border into Croatia and applying as a refugee to the United States using a fabricated story. In his refugee application and interview, he falsely claimed that he fled his home after he was captured, interrogated and abused by Serb forces, and could not return home for fear of future persecution. As the government argued at trial, Mrndzic used his own experience as a persecutor to press a false narrative that he had been persecuted. He was admitted to the U.S. as a refugee in 1999, and ultimately became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2009. The charges of using a fraudulently obtained passport and fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The three remaining charges each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HSI SAC Krol; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Assistance was provided by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the United States Embassies in Sarajevo, Belgrade and Helsinki. The Australian Federal Police, Bosnian and Herzegovinian Ministry of Justice, Serbian Ministry of Justice, law enforcement authorities in Finland and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police all provided valuable assistance. The Cook County (Ill.) Sheriff’s Office and Swampscott (Mass.) Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. McNeil and Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Attempting to Impede Federal Tax Laws Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for Three Years

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – KEVIN LANE BIERIG , 51, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 36 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum, for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct or impede the due administration of the federal tax laws, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On April 4, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a four-count Indictment against Bierig, charging him with one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct or impede the due administration of the federal tax laws and three counts of failing to file a tax return. According to the Indictment, Bierig, a career drilling consultant in the energy industry, has not filed a tax return since at least 2005, despite being required to do so based on his level of income. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) initiated enforcement action in 2013, which included the collection of levied funds from Bierig’s paychecks. Court documents allege that beginning in 2017, while knowing of the IRS enforcement actions, Bierig forged the signature of an IRS revenue officer onto IRS forms, including an IRS Installment Agreement and an IRS Release of Levy, in an attempt to have levied funds paid to himself rather than be sent to the IRS. On June 13, 2024, Bierig pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment. As part of his plea, Bierig admitted that he has earned substantial income since 2004, yet has not filed a federal tax return since that year. He further admitted that he knew the IRS had been investigating him since at least 2017, that the IRS was attempting to collect the delinquent taxes, and that he forged official IRS forms and sent the fraudulent forms to his billing company in an effort to have the frozen funds sent to himself instead of the IRS. At the sentencing hearing on October 17, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Bierig to serve 36 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release. The court also ordered Bierig to pay $951,643.62 in restitution to the IRS. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the escalation of Bierig’s criminal conduct over several years from not filing and paying his taxes, to willfully impeding the IRS’s efforts to collect taxes. This case is the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Brown prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Vandalizing Federal Building

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brian Scott Murray, 50, pleaded guilty today to injuring property of the United States in excess of $1,000. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 16, 2024, Murray threw multiple rocks at the Sidney L. Christie U. S. Courthouse and Federal Building in Huntington. Murray admitted that he threw the rocks at windows on the west side of the building and broke the outer layers of three windows. Murray further admitted that he walked to the Huntington Police Department afterward and told multiple officers there what he had done. Murray also admitted that the Sidney L. Christie U. S. Courthouse and Federal Building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Murray is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Murray also owes restitution. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the United States Marshals Service (USMS). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-48. ###


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Offense

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JEREL CLAVO (“CLAVO”) , age 36, of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 15, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to 62 months incarceration, five (5) years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D) (Count 1); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(i) (Count 2). According to court documents, on November 27, 2021, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) received a call regarding shots being fired near North Claiborne Avenue and Columbus Street. NOPD Officers arrived at the scene and discovered a deceased black female. Officers learned that the victim had been riding in a gray Dodge Charger driven by CLAVO when she was shot. An NOPD officer present at University Medical Center (UMC) saw CLAVO pull up outside the emergency room driving a gray Dodge Charger with several bullet holes in the front windshield. CLAVO sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including to his neck and right arm. NOPD Detectives executed a state search warrant for the Dodge Charger and located two firearms and marijuana inside the vehicle. CLAVO admitted possessing the marijuana for later sale. Additionally, CLAVO possessed the firearms to further his marijuana sales activities. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Former Attorney Charged with Stealing Settlement Money from Clients

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal grand jury Indictment has been unsealed, charging TUAN ANH KHUU , 55, of Houston, Texas, with nine counts of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. Khuu is a former attorney and former member of the Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA), who owned and operated several law offices in Oklahoma and Texas, including Law Offices of Tuan Khuu & Associates, Khuu & Associates, The Affordable Law Group, and Global Law Group LLC. According to the Indictment, between March 2015 and October 2020, Khuu knowingly executed a scheme in which he defrauded his clients out of legal settlement money. In one instance alleged in the Indictment, in September 2018, Khuu represented an Oklahoma City couple after their son died in a car accident. Khuu and his agents reached an agreement with an insurance company to settle the claim for the car accident for $55,000. However, Khuu’s clients did not approve of the settlement, were not notified of the settlement, and were not paid any of the settlement funds. Through a series of transfers, Khuu and his agents instead diverted the settlement funds to Khuu’s business bank account and Khuu’s personal bank account for his own benefit. In July 2020, amidst an ongoing OBA investigation into allegations of professional misconduct, Khuu submitted an application to resign from the OBA pending disciplinary proceedings, which was approved by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in October 2020. As alleged in the Indictment, approximately 22 of Khuu’s former clients submitted grievances to the OBA, alleging monetary loss due to Khuu’s failure to perform promised services after payment of fees and failure to pay over funds on behalf of clients. If found guilty, Khuu faces up to 20 years in federal prison and $250,000 in fines for each count of wire fraud. The public is reminded these charges are merely allegations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson Eldridge is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Stowe Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Jail for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on October 21, 2024, Theodore Bland, 29, of Stowe, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 14 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a two-year term of supervised release. Bland previously pleaded guilty to possessing a Mossburg 12-gauge shotgun on March 17, 2023, while being an unlawful user of controlled substances and knowing that he was an unlawful user of controlled substances. According to court records, on March 17, 2023, Bland brandished a 12-gauge Mossburg Model 88 Maverick shotgun while threatening the driver of a vehicle in the parking lot of a South Burlington convenience store. The two female passengers that had been travelling with the threatened driver then got in Bland’s car. Bland and the two females then drove around for several hours, during which time Bland smoked cocaine base and continued to possess the shotgun. When Bland was stopped by the Vermont State Police, officers observed the Mossburg shotgun and various controlled substances located in the vehicle. After the sentencing hearing, Bland was arraigned on a separate, pending indictment, which charges drug and firearms crimes. The United States issued a press release on that matter on September 19, 2024. Bland pleaded not guilty to those charges and was detained pending trial. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the South Burlington Police Department, the Vermont State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Stowe Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Morristown Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Turner and Paul Van de Graaf. Bland is represented by David Sleigh, Esq. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Aliquippa Resident Pleads Guilty to Cocaine and Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Kijana Stephaun Lowe, 27, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, as well as one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that federal, state, and local law enforcement operating under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program in Beaver County conducted a joint investigation into a local drug trafficking organization in which Lowe was a participant. Law enforcement determined that Lowe frequently communicated with a co-defendant who was an inmate at State Correctional Institution Phoenix. Prison call recordings between Lowe and the inmate revealed that Lowe would order kilogram quantities of cocaine and fentanyl from the prisoner, who would then direct a co-defendant to deliver the controlled substances to Lowe. Lowe supplied the drugs to another co-defendant, who would subsequently sell them to end users. In November 2021, investigators learned that an in-person delivery of kilogram quantities of cocaine was planned to Lowe in the Western District of Pennsylvania. On November 8, 2021, law enforcement conducted a surveillance operation at the Greyhound Bus Station in downtown Pittsburgh, where they observed two co-defendants exit the bus station with suitcases and enter a vehicle driven by third co-defendant. Mobile surveillance followed the vehicle to a motel in Coraopolis. A separate surveillance detail followed Lowe from his residence to the same motel, where they observed Lowe enter the motel room occupied by the three co-defendants, and then, back outside, accept one of the suitcases transported from the bus station. Law enforcement detained the individuals and executed search warrants on the suitcase, the motel room, and Lowe’s vehicle. The suitcase contained nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, while Lowe’s vehicle contained over $280,000 that was to be used to purchase the seized cocaine. In conjunction with the interdiction, law enforcement obtained search warrants for cell phones found in the possession of Lowe and one of the co-defendants. Digital extractions revealed numerous communications and photographs between the conspirators regarding their drug trafficking activity. Judge Stickman scheduled Lowe’s sentencing for March 12, 2025. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the Court remanded Lowe to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kara Cotter are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lowe. One of Lowe’s co-defendants, Adelin Hernandez Amparo of the Dominican Republic, today was sentenced, also by Judge Stickman, to 41 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of federal supervised release, for his role in the conspiracy.


title: Quincy Woman Charged with Social Security Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Quincy woman was charged today in federal court in Boston with fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits. Crystal Gesumaria, 41, was charged with one count of theft of government money. She will appear in court at a later date. According to the charging documents, July 2013 to August 2022, Gesumaria stole approximately $93,603 in Social Security disability benefits. The misdemeanor charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release, five years of probation and a fine of $100,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Dominican Republic Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of the Dominican Republic has been sentenced in federal court to 41 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of federal supervised release, on his conviction for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Adelin Hernandez Amparo, 31. According to information presented to the Court, federal, state, and local law enforcement operating under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program in Beaver County conducted a joint investigation into the Kijana Lowe drug trafficking organization. On November 8, 2021, law enforcement conducted a surveillance operation at the Greyhound Bus Station in downtown Pittsburgh, and observed Hernandez Amparo and another individual exit the bus station with two suitcases and get into a vehicle driven by a third co-defendant. Mobile surveillance followed the vehicle to a motel in Coraopolis. Surveillance observed Lowe enter the motel room occupied by Hernandez Amparo and the two co-defendants, and then, back outside, accept one of the suitcases transported from the bus station. Law enforcement detained the individuals and executed search warrants on the suitcase, the motel room, and Lowe’s vehicle. The suitcase contained nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, while Lowe’s vehicle contained over $280,000 that was to be used to purchase the seized cocaine. A search of cell phones revealed text messages from Lowe in which Lowe complained about having to pay three people for the drug re-supply, referring to Hernandez Amparo and his associates. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kara Cotter prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hernandez Amparo. Also before Judge Stickman today, Hernandez Amparo’s co-defendant Lowe pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, as well as to possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Lowe’s sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2025.


title: Wyoming County Man and Raleigh County Woman Sentenced for Evading Financial Reporting Requirements

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Today, Merrick Rice, 44, of Mullens, was sentenced to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Miranda Aliff, 32, of Rock Creek, was sentenced to five years of federal probation. Each pleaded guilty to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions, admitting that they structured bank deposits of illicit drug proceeds to evade currency transaction reporting requirements. According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in or around mid-2019 Rice and Aliff, both then in a romantic relationship, became involved in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana and other controlled substances in and around Mullens. Aliff admitted that Rice obtained the marijuana in wholesale quantities from Jack Paskin, who caused the marijuana to be shipped to them from various sources in California, Oregon and elsewhere. On March 2, 2020, Rice created She Paints Quite a Lot LLC, a single-member limited liability corporation, with the West Virginia Secretary of State. Aliff was listed as the LLC’s sole member. On March 3, 2020, Paskin, Rice and Aliff traveled to the Beckley branch of domestic financial institution where they opened a business bank account in the name of the LLC. Paskin and Aliff were listed as signers on the bank account. Rice and Aliff admitted that the LLC had no legitimate business purpose. Rice and Aliff further admitted that the LLC was created to transfer the proceeds of the marijuana distribution conspiracy from them to Paskin. Beginning on March 17, 2020 and continuing through August 13, 2020, Rice, Aliff and others connected to this conspiracy made cash deposits of less than $10,000 in the LLC’s bank account at the Beckley branch. The deposits were made in 27 transactions and totaled $228,000. Rice and Aliff admitted that these transactions were specifically designed to avoid currency reporting requirements. Financial institutions are required to report cash deposits of more than $10,000, and federal law prohibits structuring multiple cash deposits to avoid this reporting requirement. Rice and Aliff further admitted that the $228,000 consisted of proceeds from the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Rice also admitted to assisting other individuals in depositing a total of $54,000 in increments of $9,000 in the LLC’s bank account on six separate occasions between June 1, and June 23, 2020. Rice admitted that he knew the June 23, 2020, bank deposit was made in an amount that would avoid triggering the reporting requirement. Aliff also admitted that she and Rice purchased 111 U.S. Postal Service money orders totaling $109,000 as part of a method to pay Paskin. Rice drove Aliff to different posts offices in or near Raleigh County and directed Aliff to purchase a $1,000 money order at each post office. Federal law requires the U.S. Postal Service to obtain information from the purchaser of money orders, wire transfers, and stored value cards when the dollar amount of cash purchases total $3,000 or more. Aliff admitted that Rice advised her how to structure these transactions to avoid triggering the U.S. Postal Service reporting requirements. Aliff further admitted that Rice involved another individual to travel to these posts offices and purchase the money orders. The money orders were payable to Paskin or to Akashic Connections, a business entity established by Paskin. Once Rice had secured the necessary amount of money orders, usually totaling $8,000, he and Aliff would deposit them at Beckley bank branches into Paskin’s personal bank account or a business account in the name of Akashic Connections. Paskin, 34, of Nelsonville, Ohio,pleaded guilty August on 21, 2024, to money laundering and awaits sentencing. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the cases. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:24-cr-66 (Rice) and 5:24-cr-65 (Aliff). ###


title: Canadian on Homeland Security’s Most Wanted List Extradited and Convicted of Drug Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges in the trial of a Canadian man dealing drugs in the United States, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit Field Division. Following a six-day trial before United States District Judge Sean F. Cox, Khaophone Sychantha, 43, a dual citizen of Laos and Canada, was convicted of one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, ecstasy, and BZP, one count of possession of methamphetamine, ecstasy, and BZP with intent to distribute, and one count of possession of ecstasy and BZP with intent to distribute. Evidence at trial showed that Sychantha led an organization that directed several couriers to transport hundreds of thousands of pills and tens of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds across the United States-Canada border over an eight-year span. His couriers—many of whom were caught and convicted themselves—traveled to multiple states to deliver the pills. David Sok, Sychantha’s right-hand man, was also extradited from Canada and pleaded guilty earlier in the proceedings. Prior to Sychantha’s extradition to the United States, he fled house arrest in Canada and HSI Detroit added him to the Homeland Security Investigations’ Ten Most Wanted List. He was subsequently arrested in the Montreal, Canada area in 2017 following an assault on a police officer and a short pursuit. “Drug dealers who think they can hide behind international borders and couriers they hire to take all the risks, should think again,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “Together with our agency partners, we remain committed to working up drug trafficking supply chains to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and hold their leaders accountable, and this case demonstrates the depth of that commitment.” “Sychantha sought to flood our communities with illicit drugs, bringing violence and pain to both sides of the border,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “HSI special agents, prosecutors, and law enforcement partners worked diligently for more than a decade to seek justice and accountability for these crimes. This conviction is a testament to their perseverance.” Sychantha is facing a mandatory 10-year prison sentence, with a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. Sentencing will occur on February 19, 2024. Sychantha remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Norwood and T. Patrick Martin.


title: New Rochelle Physician Pleads Guilty To Selling Thousands Of Oxycodone Pills For Cash

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Agency ("DEA"); and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced that MORDECHAI BAR pled guilty today to one count of illicitly distributing and dispensing oxycodone and other controlled substances. BAR pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel, to whom his case is assigned. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Dr. Mordechai Bar hid behind his medical license while he prescribed oxycodone without a legitimate medical need. Like any drug dealer, he pumped highly addictive substances into the streets for profit, with no regard for the impact on the community. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggresively prosecute physicians who help fuel the opioid crisis.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “This guilty plea from Doctor Mordechai Bar is the result of the hard work of our DEA New York’s Westchester Office and our law enforcement partners in pursuing those individuals who put profit and greed over the health and safety of their patients. The DEA remains committed in pursuing those individuals who exacerbate the ongoing opioid crisis.” HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “This physician accepts responsibility for illegally prescribing controlled substances, an action that is especially egregious given the ongoing opioid epidemic. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure individuals involved in fraud schemes that exploit federal health care programs and threaten patient safety are held accountable.” According to documents filed in this case including the Complaint, the Information, BAR’s plea agreement, and statements made in Court: Between in or about January 2023 and in or about June 2024, BAR, a physician, repeatedly prescribed oxycodone without a legitimate medical purpose and outside of the usual course of professional practice. Oxycodone, a Schedule II narcotic, is a highly addictive opioid that is used to treat severe and chronic pain, as well as pain associated with certain forms of cancer and other terminal illnesses. Oxycodone prescriptions command high prices in the black market because of demand by drug abusers. BAR often prescribed oxycodone in combination with amphetamines and/or alprazolam, controlled substances that are themselves frequently abused and resold illicitly. BAR sold these prescriptions for cash, and he did so without performing physical examinations or medical tests on the patients in whose names the prescriptions were issued. * * * BAR, 71, of Larchmont, New York, pled guilty to one count of distributing oxycodone and other controlled substances, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing will be determined by a judge. BAR is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seibel on February 18, 2025. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA New York’s Westchester Office, HHS-OIG, the FBI, IRS-CI, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement for their assistance in this case. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorja N. Knauer, David A. Markewitz, and Kathryn Wheelock are in charge of the prosecution.