title: Two men are sentenced for distribution of fentanyl

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Jonathan Castillo, age 29 of Casper, Wyoming, and Tucker Donald Wirfel, age 36 of Cody, Wyoming, were recently sentenced for their involvement in a drug trafficking ring that was responsible for bringing large quantities of fentanyl into the Cody area. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the following sentences: Jonathan Castillo pled guilty to distribution of fentanyl and was sentenced on Oct. 18 to 90 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release. Tucker Donald Wirfel pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced on Nov. 27 to 92 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release. The judge also ordered him to make community restitution in the amount of $500. According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) received information that Wirfel was engaged in the use and distribution of illegal controlled substances in the Cody area. During the investigation, DCI learned that Wirfel and unknown subjects were communicating via text message and the messages were consistent with the use and distribution of fentanyl. During a subsequent search of Wirfel’s residence, agents recovered 124 fentanyl pills. Further investigation revealed that Castillo arranged for fentanyl to be shipped from Arizona to Wirfel by mail. Investigators intercepted one of the shipments and found a stuffed animal with 1,000 fentanyl pills stitched inside. Castillo admitted that he acted as the intermediary between the fentanyl distributors in Arizona and buyers in Wyoming. This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood. Case No. 23-CR-00029


title: California Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Attempted Coercion Of A Child

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: RENO – A Berkeley, Calif., resident was sentenced yesterday by Chief United States District Judge Miranda M. Du to 10 years in prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release for attempting to coerce a child to engage in prostitution. Dustin Michael Joseph (41) pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one-count of attempted coercion and enticement. In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Joseph must register as a sex offender and keep the registration current. According to court documents and admissions made in court, Joseph used social media to message who he believed to be a teenage girl. He asked if she would be interested in filming content for a paid subscription service where a lot of content involves sexually related activities. Between March 14, 2021 through June 24, 2021, Joseph told the girl that he would pay her a couple of hundred of dollars per video; and he was going to train her to be a working girl so that she could work the various Reno events and make money, which she would have to split with him. On June 24, 2021, Joseph traveled from Berkeley to Reno and paid for a hotel room in Carson City, so he and the girl could film a pornographic video and have sex. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Regional Human Trafficking and Exploitation Unit which is comprised of members from the Reno Police Department, Sparks Police Department, and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Rachow prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or https://report.cybertip.org . ###


title: Former Virginia Police Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Minor

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Former Portsmouth, Virginia, Police Department (PPD) Officer Cleshaun A. Cox, 31, was sentenced today in federal court to 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release and required to register as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act for violating the civil rights of a minor victim by forcibly sexually assaulting her while on duty. “The defendant abused the public's trust and exploited his authority as a law enforcement officer in one of the most egregious ways imaginable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Sexual assaults perpetrated by police officers are heinous crimes, especially when children are the targets, and particularly deplorable when facilitated by the sheer power and authority that police wield over the public. We commend this brave young survivor and her family for having the courage to come forward. We will continue to seek justice for victims of sexual misconduct by law enforcement officers and others who abuse their authority.” “There are no words to describe Cox’s breach of our public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The pain that he inflicted on the victim and the community is incalculable, but I hope this resolution can bring some measure of peace to those affected.” “Sworn police officers are entrusted with safeguarding and protecting our community. Cleshaun Cox broke that trust when he, while acting under color of law, physically assaulted a teenage girl and violated her rights to bodily integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Dugan of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “I hope today’s sentence brings some semblance of justice to the victim and her family, as well as sends a message that officers who abuse their positions of power to commit abhorrent acts will be held accountable.” According to court documents, Cox admitted that on or about May 27, 2019, while he was in uniform and working in his official capacity as an officer with PPD, he encountered Victim 1, a 17-year-old female, during a call for a noise complaint. After a more senior officer told Victim 1 to drive home, Cox followed Victim 1 in his marked police vehicle and instead Cox instructed Victim 1 to drive to a parking lot. There, he offered her a “deal” whereby he would not charge her for fabricated traffic offenses if she would perform a sexual act. Victim 1 stated that she did not want to engage in any sexual acts with Cox. Nevertheless, he instructed her to get into his vehicle as he drove to an isolated area. Victim 1 complied because she feared Cox and believed that she had no other choice. There, he raped Victim 1. Cox admitted that he knew that Victim 1 was only 17 years old and that he knew that she did not want to have sex with him. Cox also admitted to lying to state investigators about his actions that night. The FBI Norfolk Field Office investigated the case. Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Rebecca Gantt for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.


title: MS-13 Gang Leader Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Charges Including the Murder of 16-Year-Old Victim in Alley Pond Park in Queens

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Melvi Amador-Rios, a leader of the Centrales Locos Salvatruchas (CLS) clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner to life in prison for murder in-aid-of racketeering. The defendant was also sentenced to 80 years in prison for four Hobbs Act robberies, 40 years in prison for ordering a non-fatal shooting and 38 years in prison for firearms charges, to run consecutive to the sentences on all other counts. Amador-Rios was convicted of racketeering, murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the May 16, 2017 fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Julio Vasquez in Queens, attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering, assault-in aid-of racketeering, firearms offenses and four counts of Hobbs Act robbery after a three-week jury trial in July and August 2023 . Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence. “The defendant will deservedly serve a life sentence for the murder, attempted murder and armed robberies he committed on behalf of MS-13,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence reflects justice for the heinous and senseless nature of the defendant’s crimes and the terror he inflicted on his victims, their families and the community.” “This is the culmination of another thorough, intelligence-led investigation of a violent gang member who will thankfully never have the opportunity to victimize another New Yorker,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I commend our NYPD investigators and law enforcement partners, whose tireless efforts on this important case ensured today’s meaningful prison sentence. We vow to remain relentless in identifying, arresting, and holding to full account everyone responsible for driving crime and disorder in our city.” Murder of Julio Vasquez As proven at trial, beginning in fall 2016, the CLS clique, led by Amador-Rios, decided to kill a CLS chequeo , or low-level MS-13 member (referred to in the superseding indictment as John Doe 3) who had been violating the clique’s rules, including by associating with members of the rival 18th Street gang. Amador-Rios ordered Julio Vasquez, also an MS-13 chequeo , to carry out the killing of John Doe 3. Vasquez was tasked with killing John Doe 3 because he too had been violating the clique’s rules and was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. After Vasquez failed to kill John Doe 3, Amador-Rios ordered Vasquez be killed. On May 16, 2017, Vasquez was lured to a wooded area of Alley Pond Park where co-conspirators Josue Leiva and Luis Rivas stabbed him more than 30 times, killing him. Vasquez’s body was discovered by a bird watcher in the park on May 21, 2017. Leiva and Rivas pleaded guilty on July 14, 2023 to racketeering charges, including Vasquez’s murder. They are awaiting sentencing. 2016 Attempted Murder In October 2016, Amador-Rios ordered a CLS chequeo to kill a member of the rival 18th Street gang. The chequeo targeted a boy that he believed to be a member of the rival 18th Street gang (referred to in the superseding indictment as John Doe 1). In the early morning hours of October 23, 2016, in the vicinity of 179th Street and 90th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, the CLS chequeo , accompanied by two others, confronted John Doe 1, who was 16 years old at the time. At Amador-Rios’s direction, the chequeos beat John Doe 1, shot him in the head, and attempted to shoot him a second time as he lay on the ground. The gun malfunctioned, but, as a result of the gunshot wound, John Doe 1 was permanently paralyzed. Following the arrests of the chequeos for the shooting, Amador-Rios informed them in a prison call that “you guys already have the pass, you know, to be homeboys, you know,” indicating that they would be promoted in the gang for committing the attempted murder. The three c hequeos have each pleaded guilty to their participation in the assault and attempted murder of John Doe 1, including variously assault in-aid-of racketeering, attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Amador-Rios also participated in the armed robbery of a money transfer business during which an employee was pistol whipped, three armed robberies of convenience stores in Jamaica, Queens, one during which a four-year-old child was present, and related firearms offenses. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF Today’s sentencing is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13. The MS-13’s leadership was based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore, Anna L. Karamigios, and Raffaela S. Belizaire are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Emily Moosher. The Defendant : MELVI AMADOR-RIOS (also known as “Letal” and “Pinky”) Age: 32 Briarwood, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-398 (S-3) (RPK)


title: Mishawaka Man Sentenced to 102 Months in Prison

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Damone McFerren, 28 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. McFerren was sentenced to 102 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in October 2022, following a verbal argument in a South Bend residence, McFerren fired three gunshots at one of the persons inside the house. Officers who responded to the scene were able to recover the firearm McFerren attempted to hide in a discarded tire in the alley he ran to after leaving the residence. At the time of the offense, McFerren was on federal supervised release for a felony drug conviction, and he had multiple prior felony convictions, any one of which prohibited him from possessing the firearm. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Eastern Kentucky Hospital System and Cardiologist Agree to Collectively Pay More Than $3 Million to Resolve Civil Liability  for Improper Healthcare Billings

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. (“ARH”), a hospital system based in eastern Kentucky, and one of its cardiologists have agreed to collectively pay the United States $3,033,861.92 to settle civil allegations that they submitted, or caused the submission of, improper claims to Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for non-covered services. The case arises from diagnostic cardiac catheterizations and associated services performed or ordered by Padubidri Chandrashekar, M.D., a cardiologist who had admission privileges at ARH. Diagnostic catheterizations are minimally-invasive imaging procedures that can be used to evaluate heart problems. During the procedure, a thin, hollow tube is introduced into a patient’s blood vessel and then advanced to the heart, so that pressure and blood flow can be measured in the heart’s chambers or dye can be injected to allow x-ray visualization of the heart. Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid reimburse medical providers for services and procedures, such as diagnostic catheterizations, only when medically reasonable and necessary. Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid require that the patient’s records adequately document the medical need for the service provided. The United States alleged that Dr. Chandrashekar caused ARH to bill Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for diagnostic catheterizations performed at ARH Hazard that did not have sufficient documentation to support the medical necessity of the procedures. The United States also alleged improper billing in connection with services performed prior to the unnecessary catheterizations. Specifically, the United States contended that Dr. Chandrashekar and his practice, Mountain Heart Center, billed for medically unnecessary appointments in the days preceding patients’ diagnostic catheterizations and admitted patients to ARH Whitesburg in advance of their diagnostic catheterizations. The United States contended that ARH then submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for those admissions, because the admissions did not meet Medicare and Medicaid’s requirements for severity of illness or intensity of services. Finally, the United States alleged that Dr. Chandrashekar caused the submission of improper claims for ambulance transfers for patients unnecessarily admitted to ARH Whitesburg who needed transport to their catheterizations at ARH Hazard. In its settlement agreement with the United States, ARH agreed to pay the United States $2,884,046.50 to resolve its civil liability for improper billings, including its liability under the federal False Claims Act. In a separate settlement agreement, Mountain Heart Center and Dr. Chandrashekar agreed to pay $149,815.42 to resolve their False Claims Act liability. This matter arose from ARH’s self-disclosure of false or non-covered claims. Because ARH self-reported the conduct to the government, it was able to resolve its False Claims Act liability for only 1.5 times the amount of monetary loss caused by its false claims. The False Claims Act establishes liability for three times the amount of loss suffered by the government. Healthcare providers may voluntarily disclose self-discovered evidence of fraud to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General. More information about how to self-disclose misconduct under the Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol is available at https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/self-disclosure-info/protocol.asp . The United States also encourages anyone with information about potential fraud, abuse, or mismanagement of Medicare or Medicaid funds to call the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ hotline at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control, and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Stubblebine, Benjamin Long, and Jennifer Williams represented the United States. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. – END –


title: Asheboro Man Charged with Possession of a Machinegun

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO – An Asheboro man was charged today with possession of a machinegun, announced Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. According to publicly filed court documents, KEANDRE BARETTA LEGRAND, 23, of Randolph County, was charged with unlawful possession of a machinegun and illegal possession of a firearm by a felon stemming from an incident which occurred on September 13, 2022. If convicted, LEGRAND faces a maximum term of 15 years of imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $250,000, or both. In addition to a possible prison sentence, LEGRAND will be ordered to forfeit a firearm and ammunition. A criminal indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the Asheboro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: California man pleads guilty to defrauding local business out of $10 million

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A California man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to embezzling more than $10.2 from his employer and violating orders of the Court in a lawsuit against him. Brinson Caleb Silver, 43, of Culver City, California, pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and contempt of court. As part of his guilty plea, Silver agrees to pay more than $10.2 million in restitution. According to court documents, Silver was the Chief Marketing Officer of Root, Inc., an online car insurance company. From November 2021 through November 2022, Silver entered into contracts with four vendors for marketing services. Silver directed the vendors to send a portion of their contract proceeds to bank accounts in the names of businesses that Silver owned and controlled. Those diverted payments totaled more than $10.2 million. Silver used the millions he embezzled to buy a $1.4 million dollar yacht, a Mercedes-Benz G550 for nearly $165,000, an amphibious plane, luxury watches and other items. As a result of his fraud scheme, in February 2023, Root sued Silver. The Court granted a motion in his civil suit that limited him to financial transactions no greater than $5,000. Silver failed to appear in court for a hearing related to his civil suit and instead spent lavishly while traveling the globe. His expenditures in February and March 2023 violated the Court’s orders and include $20,000 on plastic surgery, more than $25,000 at Indonesian businesses (including $8,000 at a luxury resort in Bali) and in withdrawals made in Indonesia, and more than $88,000 through PayPal to individuals. Silver also withheld from the Court information about a $1.8 million house he owned in California. During this time, Silver also made two phone calls to an “international relocation” company and asked for citizenship within a country that would not extradite him to the United States, and a foreign bank account that the United States could not freeze. Silver was charged criminally and arrested in June 2023. Parties involved in his case have recommended a sentence range of 24 to 51 months in prison in addition to the $10.2 million in restitution. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Repeat Offender Sentenced to 6 Years for Heroin Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert Seymour, 37, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for distributing heroin. Seymour pleaded guilty to this charge on August 31, 2023. In May 2023, an informant told police that Seymour was trafficking heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from an apartment in Madison and regularly carried a firearm. This information was quickly corroborated when, on May 31, and June 23, 2023, the informant made two controlled buys of heroin from Seymour, totaling over 70 grams. The heroin from the second buy was later determined to contain fentanyl. Upon searching Seymour’s apartment, police found more heroin and three loaded firearms. Seymour has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon. Further, he was on state court bond for drug trafficking at the time he committed this offense. In sentencing Seymour, Judge Peterson stated that this was a highly aggravated crime involving dangerous drugs and firearms. He further explained that armed drug traffickers, like Seymour, pose a serious risk to the community. Lastly, Judge Peterson highlighted Seymour’s recent poor performance on federal supervision as a justification for a sentence above the advisory sentencing guideline range. The charge against Seymour was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard prosecuted this case.


title: Florida man and woman plead guilty to stealing bank customers’ information through phone scams

body_text: CINCINNATI – Two defendants pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to conspiring to commit bank fraud through a phone scam that compromised 11 bank accounts and more than $108,000. Deon O. Noel, 28, and Diamond Bezada, 25, both of Miami, Florida, admitted to a scheme to defraud Fifth Third Bank and multiple individuals in the Southern District of Ohio with Fifth Third Bank accounts. According to court documents, in August and September 2019, Noel and Bezada would call bank customers and fraudulently represent themselves as employees of the bank. These calls were used to obtain the bank account and security information of the customers. Coconspirators would then use the stolen information and contact the bank pretending to be the bank customer and get the bank account information added to a pay app. Noel and Bezada received more than $108,000, which they used to purchase goods, services and money orders, primarily in Las Vegas, Nevada. As part of their plea agreements, they agree to pay the total funds in restitution. Conspiracy to commit bank fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the guilty pleas entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Ryan A. Keefe are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Former Insider At Major Financial Services Organization Admits Involvement In Multimillion-Dollar Insider Trading Ring

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty plea of LAWRENCE BILLIMEK in connection with his participation in a multimillion-dollar insider trading scheme. BILLIMEK was arrested in December 2022 and pled guilty to securities fraud based on insider trading before U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For more than five years, Lawrence Billimek abused his trusted position in a major financial services organization to illicitly generate tens of millions of dollars in profits through insider trading. Billimek knew his actions were wrong, using burner phones and lies to try to cover his scheme, but he continued to undermine the integrity of the market anyway. Insider trading is a serious crime, and Billimek now faces substantial prison time.” As alleged in the Indictment and statements made during court proceedings: Through his employment at TIAA-CREF, BILLIMEK had advance access to certain of TIAA-CREF’s anticipated trades. Due to the size of certain of these TIAA-CREF trade orders, they often caused market movement in the securities they traded. From at least 2016 through his arrest in December 2022, BILLIMEK misused his insider access and provided inside information about these trades to his co-conspirator (“CC-1”) who then bought or sold the same securities in advance of the TIAA-CREF trading. CC-1 then provided BILLIMEK with a portion of the profits on these trades. BILLIMEK and CC-1 engaged in these front-running trades on over a thousand occasions between in or about 2016 and December 2022. In an effort to hide their scheme, BILLIMEK used prepaid, unregistered “burner” phones to communicate with CC-1 throughout the trading day. BILLIMEK and CC-1 also lied to various financial institutions about the source of funds they received during the scheme, claiming that they were, among other things, gifts. In total, BILLIMEK and CC-1 generated tens of millions of dollars in profits. * * * BILLIMEK, 52, of Hailey, Idaho, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. BILLIMEK will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Richman is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Mount Airy Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Scheme

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Francesco Illiano, a/k/a Frank Illiano, age 62, of Mount Airy, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to willfully failing to pay employment taxes withheld from employees of his businesses to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. According to court documents and statements made in court, Illiano owned and operated two restaurants and a property management company which employed over 100 people. Illiano was responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying the income and Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from the wages of employees of the three companies he controlled. From at least April 2014 to at least July 2016, Illiano did not pay the taxes withheld from the wages of his employees to the IRS. Illiano had previously been assessed a Trust Fund Recovery Penalty for not paying more than $1.4 million in taxes withheld from employees of five Green Turtle restaurants the defendant owned in 2011 and 2012. In total, from April 2011 to July 2016, Illiano caused a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of approximately $1.729 million. Illiano faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for willfully failing to pay employment taxes to the IRS. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2024. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg commended the IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jefferson M. Gray and Trial Attorney Shawn T. Noud of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Federal Prisoner Charged with Escape Returned to Middle District of Georgia

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A recently convicted felon facing a federal charge alleging his participation in a Bibb County, Georgia, jailbreak on Oct. 16 had his initial appearance today at the U.S. Courthouse in Macon. Johnifer Dernard Barnwell aka “Whoop” aka “Malixe,” 37, of Macon, had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle for the Middle District of Georgia; Barnwell had a prior initial appearance in the Southern District of Georgia on Nov. 13 after he was taken into custody in Augusta, Georgia, on Nov 12. Today, Barnwell was ordered to continue to be held in federal custody without bond. Barnwell’s arraignment is expected to occur later this week. Barnwell is charged by indictment with one count of escape from custody. Co-defendant Janecia Green, 30, of Macon, is charged by indictment with one count of aiding and abetting Barnwell’s escape from custody and one count of assisting escape of a person committed to custody. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. According to the indictment, Barnwell was being held in the Bibb County Jail on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) after he was convicted by a federal jury on Oct. 2 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base for which Barnwell faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been scheduled by the Court. In the indictment, Barnwell is alleged to have escaped the custody of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of Green. Green had her initial appearance in Macon on Nov. 15 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle of the U.S. Court for the Middle District of Georgia. On Nov. 21, Green had a detention hearing where she was ordered to remain in federal custody pending trial. The case is being investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes represented the Government at today’s initial appearance. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United States

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Mexican national was sentenced today in federal court for his illegal reentry into the United States after being deported twice, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Luis Aragon-Lara, 40 was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release. On August 16, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry. “The defendant was using counterfeit United States currency, which impacts our local businesses and economy. Even worse, he conducted this criminal behavior after having been removed from this country repeatedly,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Today’s sentence sends a deterrent message that this office will vigorously prosecute individuals that are in the United States illegally and committing crimes in New Hampshire.” “Those who seek to exploit our immigration law and engage in fraudulent financial crimes will not be allowed to use our immigration system to victimize the residents of New Hampshire,” said Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Boston. “We applaud the commitment of the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire in prosecuting this case. Together with the great teamwork of our law enforcement partners at the Office of the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire and the Keene Police Department we remain committed to protecting communities in New Hampshire from criminal immigration violators.” On October 26, 2022, the Keene Police Department arrested the defendant in connection with the passing of counterfeit currency at retail stores in the area. A subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant was again illegally in the United States, after having been deported on or about June 9, 2009, and April 3, 2020. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Keene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward prosecuted the case. ###


title: Ohio Diesel Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Emissions Tampering

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: An Ohio man pleaded guilty yesterday to removing emissions control devices required by the Clean Air Act from customers’ vehicles after previously agreeing to a civil resolution with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for similar misconduct. According to court documents, David Owens, 33, of Cleves, was previously a co-owner and operator of a diesel shop based in North Bend, Ohio. In 2020, Owens entered a consent agreement and final order with the EPA regarding allegations that he knowingly removed or rendered inoperative various emissions control devices. As part of this civil resolution, Owens agreed to cease removing these devices. Instead, Owens continued this activity through another company, this time called Cincy Diesel, at the same North Bend location. The act of removing or disabling a vehicle’s emissions control system can increase particulate matter emissions by a factor of 40 times, nitrogen oxides by a factor of 310 times, carbon monoxide by a factor of 120 times, and non-methane hydrocarbons by a factor of 1,100 times. Owens pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the tampering with a monitoring device required under the Clean Air Act. He will be sentenced on a future date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement. The EPA, Criminal Investigation Division and Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Environmental Enforcement Unit are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.


title: Raytown Man Indicted for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for sexually assaulting a child victim to produce child pornography. Cecil L. Pulluaim, 53, was charged in an 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Pulluaim was previously charged in a related case by the Jackson County, Mo., Prosecutor’s Office. Today’s indictment charges Pulluaim with 10 counts of using a minor victim to produce videos of child pornography on 10 separate occasions from April 27 to June 15, 2023. Pulluaim is also charged with one count of possessing child pornography on June 16, 2023. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Raytown, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Lead Inspectors for City of Trenton Admit Receiving Illegal Overtime Payments

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man and a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, man today admitted participating in a conspiracy to obtain overtime payments from the city of Trenton for work they did not perform by fraudulently inflating the overtime hours they claimed to have worked conducting residential lead inspections, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Michael Ingram, 71, of Trenton, and William Kreiss, 40, of Yardley, Pennsylvania, each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to informations charging them with one count of conspiracy to embezzle, steal, and obtain by fraud more than $5,000 in funds from the city of Trenton. According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Trenton’s Department of Health and Human Services (Trenton HHS) was required to provide services to identify lead sources in homes in Trenton where children had tested positive for elevated levels of lead in their blood. Beginning in approximately 2018, a New Jersey State grant funded inspections of Trenton properties identified with children with elevated blood lead levels. Trenton’s Bureau of Environmental Health (BEH), a subdivision of Trenton HHS, was responsible for performing these residential lead inspections. Ingram, a public health investigator for BEH, and Kreiss, a registered environmental specialist for BEH, conducted residential lead inspections with other members of BEH from February 2018 through May 2022. The BEH employee to whom Ingram and Kreiss reported began directing them to bill overtime hours for work they did not perform. Ingram and Kreiss submitted their fraudulent and inflated overtime claims to this BEH employee, who then authorized overtime payments to each of them. Ingram and Kreiss each admitted submitting claims for overtime work as directed by the BEH employee, including for work they had not performed. The two defendants also admitted they had inflated claims for overtime hours worked in connection with a meal delivery program administered by the city. Through this fraudulent overtime scheme, Ingram admitted he received $22,144 in overtime payments to which he was not entitled, while Kreiss separately admitted he received $32,806 in overtime payments to which he was not entitled. Ingram and Kreiss each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for April 24, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency, under the direction of Special Agents in Charge Tyler Amon, Criminal Investigation Division, and Nic Evans, Office of Inspector General; and special agents of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Janine Rocheleau, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office, under the supervision of the Special Prosecutions Division. kreiss.information.pdf ingram.information.pdf


title: Pediatric Physician Indicted for Child Pornography

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Kansas, pediatric physician faces an additional charge after being indicted by a federal grand jury today for producing and possessing child pornography. Brian Michael Aalbers, 49, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Aalbers on Nov. 15, 2023, and includes an additional charge. Aalbers, a pediatric neurologist at Overland Park Regional Hospital in Overland Park, Kan., remains in federal custody without bond until his trial. Today’s indictment retains the original charge of attempting to produce child pornography from Dec. 28, 2020, to Oct. 28, 2023, and includes an additional charge of possessing child pornography on Oct. 28, 2023. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Lenexa, Kan., Police Department, the Merriam, Kan., Police Department, and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Kansas. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Former Portsmouth Police Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Minor

component: Civil Rights - Criminal Section

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A former Portsmouth Police Department (PPD) officer was sentenced today in federal court to 18 years in prison, and required to register as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act for violating the civil rights of a minor victim by forcibly sexually assaulting her while on duty. “There are no words to describe Officer Cox’s breach of our public trust,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The pain that he inflicted on the victim and the community is incalculable, but I hope this resolution can bring some measure of peace to those affected.” “The defendant abused the public trust and his authority as a law enforcement officer in one of the most egregious ways imaginable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend this brave victim and her family for coming forward. We will continue to seek justice for victims of sexual misconduct by law enforcement officers and others who abuse their authority.” “Sworn police officers are entrusted with safeguarding and protecting our community,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “Cleshaun Cox broke that trust when he, while acting under color of law, physically assaulted a teenage girl and violated her rights to bodily integrity. I hope today’s sentence brings some semblance of justice to the victim and her family, as well as sends a message that officers who abuse their positions of power to commit abhorrent acts will be held accountable.” According to court documents, Officer Cleshaun A. Cox, 31, admitted that on or about May 27, 2019, while he was in uniform and working in his official capacity as an officer with PPD, he encountered Victim 1, a 17-year-old female, during a call for a noise complaint. After a more senior officer told Victim 1 to drive home, Cox followed Victim 1 in his marked police vehicle and instead Cox instructed Victim 1 to drive to a parking lot. There, he offered her a “deal” whereby he would not charge her for fabricated traffic offenses if she would perform a sexual act. Victim 1 stated that she did not want to engage in any sexual acts with Cox. Nevertheless, he instructed her to get into his vehicle as he drove to an isolated area. Victim 1 complied because she feared Cox and believed that she had no other choice. There, he raped Victim 1. Cox admitted that he knew that Victim 1 was only 17 years old and that he knew that she did not want to have sex with him. Cox also admitted to lying to state investigators about his actions that night. In August 2021, Cox pleaded guilty in Portsmouth Circuit Court to charges of carnal knowledge and abduction and was sentenced to serve 5 years in prison. He completed his state sentencing pending federal sentencing and served approximately 4.5 years in state custody. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes. Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Rebecca Gantt for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-84.


title: Trafficker admits to importing $800,000 of liquid meth

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 53-year-old naturalized citizen residing in Mexico has pleaded guilty to importing nearly 91 pounds of meth from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On April 30, Manuel Ignacio Ley Villa approached the Hidalgo port of entry driving a maroon Chrysler Pacifica. Law enforcement noticed he appeared nervous and referred him to secondary inspection. There, an x-ray inspection revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s fuel tank. Upon further investigation, law enforcement discovered a fuel tank filled with a liquid material which crystalized upon contact with the floor. The weight of the liquid meth was approximately 41.14 kilograms and had an estimated street value of $810,000. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez accepted the plea and set sentencing for Feb. 13, 2024. At that time, Ley Villa faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia is prosecuting the case.


title: Johnstown, PA Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Possess Cocaine

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of attempting to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Clinton Dudley, age 36, of Johnstown, PA pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about August 11, 2021, Dudley knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully, attempted to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. According to facts presented to the court, Dudley attempted to possess a United States Postal Service parcel found to contain 622 grams of cocaine. Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for March 27, 2024. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Postal Inspection Service and FBI Safe Streets Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dudley.


title: Mobile Man Convicted of Transmitting Interstate Threats to Injure

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A federal jury convicted a Mobile man this week for transmitting an interstate threat to injure. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, following his termination from a local construction company, Cloepha Franks sent a series of threatening text messages to his former boss threatening to kill him. The jury heard evidence that Franks sent the messages from Alabama to the victim who was in Mississippi. Records of the text messages and cell phone records confirmed Franks’ phone transmitted the messages to the victim. The victim testified about receiving the threats. He and other witnesses from the construction company testified about precautions taken after Franks transmitted the threats and the fear his actions caused. The FBI testified concerning the ongoing threat to life investigation and evidence obtained from Franks’ cell phone and cell phone records. Franks faces up to 5 years in prison and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose in March 2024. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Beth Stepan and Chris Bodnar prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: German Man Admits Traveling to New Jersey to Engage in Sexual Activity with Minor

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A German man today admitted traveling from Germany to New Jersey in order to engage in illicit sex acts with a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Christian Stefan Walther, 39, of Erfurt, Germany, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Law enforcement authorities have been investigating Walther since January 2023 for child exploitation offenses. Two undercover officers communicated with Walther via email, phone, and an encrypted messaging app concerning Walther’s desire for sexual encounters with young children. During the investigation Walther sent an undercover officer two videos, each of which depicted children being sexually abused. Walther also expressed his desire to engage in sexual conduct with children aged 8 to 12. On March 23, 2023, Walther traveled from Germany to New Jersey to meet the undercover officers in advance of what he believed would be a sexual encounter with one or more children at a hotel. The charge of interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct carries a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police, under the leadership of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, for its assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark. walther.information.pdf


title: Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 160 Months in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug Charges

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Hakeem Allen, age 28, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 160 months in federal prison following his convictions for distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, clonazepam, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Allen to four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm used be forfeited. According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, between September 15, 2022, and October 2, 2022, Allen sold fentanyl and clonazepam to confidential informants in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, during controlled purchases monitored by law enforcement. On October 4, 2022, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives executed search warrants on three residences associated with Allen’s drug activities. Upon arrival of law enforcement officers, Allen attempted to flee but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. Agents located approximately $3,105 in U.S. currency in his pants pocket. Agents walked the route of Allen’s flight and located a Glock, model 19, 9mm handgun with an extended magazine. Agents also located a plastic bag containing approximately 7.28 ounces of marijuana, as well as a plastic bag containing 42.79 grams of a mixture and substances containing heroin and fentanyl on the route. A search of one of the residences revealed approximately 153 grams of fentanyl, 8 grams of crack cocaine, 17 grams of cocaine, 18 grams of methamphetamine, 186 grams of marijuana, and one handheld digital scale. Allen was found to be in possession of more than $84,000 in drug proceeds at the time of his arrest. Agents later determined that approximately $300 of this seized money was pre-recorded East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office funds used during the previous controlled purchases from Allen. This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eli J. Abad.


title: Sparta Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal Firearm

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Sparta, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a firearm. Gabriel Eric Robinson, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 11 years and five months in federal prison without parole. On June 5, 2023, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. On Aug. 23, 2021, Robinson was found unconscious behind the driver’s seat of a black Ford Explorer that was parked in the grass at the rear of a residence in Reeds Spring, Mo. The vehicle was not running but the keys were in the ignition. A Stone County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy found a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm pistol lying on the passenger seat next to a bag that contained methamphetamine. The deputy also found a green cloth bag in the back seat that contained several additional bags of methamphetamine and a Ziploc bag of marijuana. The deputy also found $1,674 in cash in the center console. In total, Robinson was in possession of 188.8 grams of methamphetamine, 30 pills containing buprenorphine, and .64 grams of a powder that contained tramadol, fentanyl and methamphetamine. Robinson had only been out of prison in connection with a drug trafficking offense for approximately two and a half months and was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of this federal offense. According to court documents, Robinson has three prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, and prior felony convictions for resisting arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, and theft. In connection with these prior felony convictions, Robinson has fled from police officers on numerous occasions, once at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour while in possession of a firearm. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.


title: Lake St. Louis Woman Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Ailing Uncle

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a woman from Lake St. Louis, Missouri to 15 months in prison for stealing from her elderly, ailing uncle. Judge Autrey also ordered Jessica Medrano, 42, to repay $79,827. Medrano pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to five felony counts of wire fraud and one felony count of access device fraud and admitted defrauding her uncle in two ways. Medrano’s uncle, who is now 73 and suffers multiple health issues, entrusted Medrano with his debit card so she could make purchases on his behalf. Medrano instead used the card to make online and in-store purchases totaling more than $12,000 at Walmart for herself and other relatives between Jan. 21, 2022 and May 16, 2022, her plea agreement says. Between Jan. 24, 2022 and June 6, 2022, Medrano also transferred a total of $57,950 from her uncle’s bank account to her own account via Cash App and her uncle’s debit card. An investigation began when the victim’s bank alerted the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, according to testimony during the sentencing hearing. In a sentencing memorandum, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry said Medrano’s “financial exploitation of vulnerable individuals and her family members has escalated” since she stole and forged two checks from her stepfather’s relative while he was hospitalized in 2009. Medrano’s used her uncle’s debit card to buy clothing and food at Walmart, but also jewelry, electronics, candy, beer, furniture, art supplies, home décor, phone cards, cat food, cat treats, fashion accessories, dishes, warranty protection plans and party supplies, the memo says. Medrano also nearly drained her uncle’s bank account with Cash App, with her final transfer leaving $88 in an account that once exceeded $71,000. The Warren County Sheriff’s Department and Homeland Security Investigations handled the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.


title: Mansfield Woman Defrauds Health and Human Services Technology Solutions Company Out of $3.7 Million

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Mansfield woman pleaded guilty today to a $3.7 million wire fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Tanisha Adderley, 51, was charged via criminal information in September. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez. “We are very proud of the work our Secret Service partners did in this investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton. “No company should face the scenario that this one did, in which a trusted employee steals millions of dollars from its accounts. The Justice Department will not tolerate such breaches of trust.” “The Secret Service has a long tradition of investigating those who aim to exploit our financial systems,” said Christina Foley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Dallas Field Office. “Working together with our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s office, we were able to put an end to this fraud scheme and ensure that those involved will be brought to justice.” According to court documents, Ms. Adderley worked for a health and human services technology solutions company that recovered fees paid by their clients and remitted refunds to them via wires from their funds recovery bank account. Ms. Adderley had access to the funds recovery bank account and was responsible for obtaining approvals and processing fee refunds. Over the course of five years, from 2019 to 2023, Ms. Adderley prepared false approvals and processed wire payments to non-vendor business bank accounts that were controlled by Ms. Adderley. Ms. Adderley fraudulently obtained $3.7 million in company funds. She now faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Her sentencing date is slated for May 6, 2024. The United States Secret Service Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nashonme Johnson is prosecuting the case.


title: D.C. Man Sentenced to 30-Year Prison Term For the Brutal Slaying of a Local Married Couple

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Alonzo Lewis, 38, of Washington, D.C. has been sentenced to a 30-year prison term for two counts of second-degree murder while armed stemming from the brutal shooting of a local married couple, Venius Badgett – a school bus aide and Jaquan Helm – a youth football coach, which took place over Memorial Day weekend in 2018, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Lewis pleaded guilty in October 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of second-degree murder while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s, approval calls for an agreed upon 30-year prison term. Today, the Honorable Rainey Brandt approved the agreement and sentenced Lewis accordingly. Following his prison term, Lewis will be placed on five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, on Saturday, May 26, 2018, at approximately 10:10 p.m., Ms. Badgett and her husband, Mr. Helm, encountered Lewis’s young son riding his bike in a dark parking lot. Fearful that the child might get hit, Ms. Badgett told Lewis’s son not to ride his bike in the parking lot at night. Lewis’s son then told his mother, Lewis’s wife, about the incident, and Lewis’s wife engaged Ms. Badgett in a physical altercation. Mr. Helm was able to break up the altercation, and as he and Ms. Badgett returned home on foot, Lewis’s son called Lewis to the scene. Lewis arrived on scene and fatally shot the couple in front of a number of children who were outside playing over the holiday weekend. The couple leaves behind a number of children, some of whom were on scene that day and who witnessed the murders. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long and Emma McArthur.


title: Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking Charges

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor. According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, of River Falls, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. He also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in between October 2021 and January 2022. “Sex trafficking continues to be prevalent because traffickers see the profits they can make from exploiting the vulnerable victims they target,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This type of abuse — particularly of minors — will not be tolerated. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses and standing up for the victims exploited by these abusers.” “My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are heinous crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.” “Sex trafficking has lasting and devastating impacts on victims and their families throughout the state of Wisconsin,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The investigation into Koeckeritz is just one example which highlights the dedication of the men and women of the FBI who work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners across the state to hold anyone accountable who chooses to exploit and harm others for profit.” A sentencing hearing will be scheduled on a later date. Koeckeritz faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office. Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Picayune Man Pleads Guilty to Possession  with Intent to Distribute 27 Grams of Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Picayune man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 27 grams of methamphetamine. According to court records, Conel Lamont Holloway, 40, sold 27 grams of methamphetamine for $700 during a controlled sale by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Picayune, MS. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 7, 2022, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Holloway is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2024. He faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years with a maximum penalty of up to 40 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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.


title: Lame Deer woman admits distributing meth on Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLINGS — A Lame Deer woman today admitted to methamphetamine trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Jacklyn Marcel Garcia-Littlebird, 58, pleaded guilty to distribution of meth. Garcia-Littlebird faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Garcia-Littlebird was detained pending further proceedings. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The government alleged in court documents that in August 2022, Garcia-Littlebird sold approximately one ounce of meth to an individual at a location on the Crow Indian Reservation. Garcia-Littlebird was indicted as part of large-scale narcotics trafficking investigation on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian reservations and elsewhere in Montana. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation. XXX


title: River Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – A River Falls, Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor. According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, of River Falls, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. The defendant also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in between October 2021 and January 2022. “Sex trafficking continues to be prevalent because traffickers see the profits they can make from exploiting the vulnerable victims they target,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This type of abuse — particularly of minors — will not be tolerated. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses and standing up for the victims exploited by these abusers.” “My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are heinous crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.” “Sex trafficking has lasting and devastating impacts on victims and their families throughout the state of Wisconsin,” stated Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The investigation into Koeckeritz is just one example which highlights the dedication of the men and women of the FBI who work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners across the state to hold anyone accountable who chooses to exploit and harm others for profit.” A sentencing hearing will be scheduled on a later date. Koeckeritz faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus of the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Lewiston Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Exchanging Cash/Drugs for Illegal Firearms Purchases

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

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in an illegal straw purchasing conspiracy and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Abdullahi Issak, 26, to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Issak pleaded guilty on April 13, 2023. According to court records, between December 2021 and July 2022, Issak conspired to have 36 firearms straw purchased for him at federal firearms dealers throughout central and southern Maine. Issak directed the purchasers where to buy the firearms, what firearms to buy, and provided them cash or drugs in return for engaging in the illegal transactions. Issak took possession of the firearms from the straw purchasers following each sale. He was also sentenced for knowingly possessing one of the firearms which was purchased for him at a federal firearms dealer in Jay. A 2019 New York felony conviction precluded Issak from possessing firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Straw Purchasing: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her. Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn . ###


title: SSNDOB Marketplace Administrator Who Sold Millions Of Social Security Numbers Sentenced To Eight Years In Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Vitalii Chychasov (37, Ukraine) to eight years in federal prison for his administration of SSNDOB Marketplace, a series of websites that operated for years and were used to sell personal information, including the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers belonging to individuals in the United States. On June 7, 2022, seizure orders were executed against the domain names of the SSNDOB Marketplace—BLACKJOB.BIZ, SSNDOB.CLUB, SSNDOB.VIP, and SSNDOB.WS—effectively ceasing the website’s operation. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $5 million, the proceeds of the fraud, and ordered Chychasov to forfeit his interest in the BLACKJOB.BIZ, SSNDOB.CLUB, SSNDOB.VIP, and SSNDOB.WS domains. Chychasov was arrested in March 2022 while attempting to enter Hungary. He was extradited to the United States from Hungary in July 2022. According to court records, Chychasov and other Marketplace administrators advertised on dark web criminal forums for the Marketplace’s services, provided customer support functions, and regularly monitored the activities of the sites, including monitoring when purchasers deposited money into their accounts. The administrators also employed various techniques to protect their anonymity and to thwart detection of their activities, including strategically maintaining servers in various countries, and requiring buyers to use digital payment methods. The SSNDOB Marketplace listed for sale the personal information for millions of individuals in the United States, generating more than $19 million USD in sales revenue. Stolen Social Security numbers, like those sold on the Marketplace, are used to commit a variety of frauds, including U.S. tax fraud, unemployment insurance fraud, loan fraud, and credit card fraud. Sales on the Marketplace skyrocketed during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when federal and state governments began to disburse monies—through a variety of programs—to American businesses and families at a time of a national (and international) emergency. The U.S. investigation was led by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tampa Division, with assistance from the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. Substantial assistance was also provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices responsible for Latvia and Cyprus, the Latvian Police, the Hungarian authorities, and the Cypriot authorities. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones and asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.


title: Indian National Sentenced For Money Laundering Conspiracy Related To Government Impersonator Scam

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Jignesh Purshottambhai Vekaria (30, Tampa) to four years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $372,000, the proceeds of the offense. Vekaria had pleaded guilty on July 20, 2023. According to court documents, India-based conspirators working in call centers placed calls to United States residents. The conspirators falsely and fraudulently identified themselves as federal law enforcement officers, such as Social Security Administration officials, FBI agents, or IRS officers. They provided “official” titles and/or “badge numbers,” and threatened their victims with imminent arrest, a lawsuit, and/or other economic consequences—usually based on alleged drug trafficking or money laundering crimes supposedly committed using the victims’ identities. The conspirators told victims, the majority of whom were older adults, that they could avoid these consequences by mailing checks or cash equivalents to conspirators in the United States. From April 2018 through at least September 2018, Vekaria laundered money that had been extorted from these victims in the United States. Specifically, Vekaria acted as an intermediary between other U.S.-based conspirators who had a direct line of communication to the foreign call centers and the “runners” who received and cashed the victims’ checks. Vekaria’s intermediary role involved relaying information regarding the arrival of packages containing the victims’ checks to the runners, driving the runners to pick up the checks and cash them, and retrieving the fraudulently obtained funds from the runners. Once he retrieved the fraud proceeds, Vekaria provided them to his coconspirators and was paid for his role in obtaining the funds. “Every day, countless Americans receive annoying spam calls from imposters pretending to be with the IRS. Today’s sentencing of Jignesh Vekaria serves as reassurance that IRS-CI agents will answer the call to bring justice to those who extort money and defraud hard-working citizens,” said Tara K. Reed, IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “Putting dishonest fraudsters like Vekaria behind bars reinforces that the IRS is committed to ensuring the safety and trust of Americans throughout every community we serve.” This case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA/OIG), the Tampa Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.


title: Fargo Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Murder and Manslaughter in Navajo Nation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Shilo Aaron Oldrock was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Oldrock, 30, an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, pled guilty in federal court to second degree murder and voluntary manslaughter relating to the deaths of two victims, E.B and P.S., on August 14, 2023. According to court documents, on the night of January 29, 2021, Oldrock and the victims were drinking and Oldrock was using methamphetamine. P.S. and E.B. got into an altercation resulting in injury to P.S. Instead of rendering aid, Oldrock decided to “finish off” P.S. and struck him in the head with a metal iron, killing him. Oldrock burned P.S.’s body in a burn barrel to cover up his crime. P.S.’s family reported him missing when they found his abandoned car. P.S. was subsequently added to the FBI’s List of Native Americans Verified as Missing Throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. P.S.’s family continued to search for him for the next two years. On October 10, 2021, driven by paranoia from the killing of P.S. and the death of Oldrock’s grandmother, Oldrock attacked E.B., stabbing him approximately 22 times before using an ax to decapitate him. Oldrock later admitted to law enforcement that he killed both P.S. and E.B. Both murders occurred within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. “It is our solemn duty to bring justice and answers to grieving Tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “No amount of investigation, prosecution, or years in prison will bring back a murdered loved one. But this team of local, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners will meet the case of each missing and murdered Indigenous person with urgency, transparency, and coordination. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community and confident that law enforcement will be vigilant in the investigation of missing community members.” "The rationale behind the depraved violent criminal acts committed in this case may be hard to understand, but our message today is crystal clear: the FBI and its partners will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who show such a callous disregard for innocent lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Bujanda. “The investigation of Oldrock, and his 35-year sentence, stand as a testament to the collaboration and dedication of the FBI, Navajo Nation Criminal Investigators, and the United States Attorney’s Office to bring justice to victims of violent crimes in Indian County.” The FBI’s List of Native Americans Verified as Missing Throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation is the first of its kind in the nation and was created in an effort to improve the reporting of missing persons throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. Partners involved in the project include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, New Mexico Department of Public Safety, New Mexico Department of Indian Affairs, Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, and the City of Albuquerque Office of Equity and Inclusion. The FBI also receives information and support from the Navajo Nation, Native American pueblos, and local law enforcement. The list is updated monthly and can be found at fbi.gov/mmip. The FBI is seeking public assistance and information on these cases. If you have information, please contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations and the Gallup Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case. # # # 1_criminal_complaint.pdf 20_indictment.pdf 43_plea_agreement.pdf 23-273


title: KC Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing child pornography over the internet. Daniel J. Street, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 16 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court ordered Street to pay $15,000 in restitution to three victims. The court also sentenced Street to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Street will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. On April 17, 2023, Street pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography over the internet. Street admitted that he possessed a MEGA account, a cloud storage and file-hosting service, that was used to distribute thousands of videos of child pornography. Street sent links to his MEGA account to online covert employees of the FBI on three occasions in 2022. In February 2022, he sent a MEGA link to an online covert employee in the Oklahoma City FBI division, with whom he was communicating on a social media platform, to more than 2,000 videos and images of child pornography. In July 2022, Street communicated with an online covert employee in the Jacksonville FBI division using the Kik application and sent at least two videos of child pornography via Kik as well as a MEGA link to hundreds of videos of child pornography. In July 2022, Street engaged in a group chat message conversation, which included an online covert employee of the San Francisco FBI division using the Kik application. Street posted several videos of child pornography during the group chat. On Aug. 26, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Street’s residence. Officers seized Street’s cell phone, which contained hundreds of videos of child pornography. Following his arrest, Street told investigators he had sexually abused a minor female on several occasions. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the FBI. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Carterville Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carterville, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute. Cody Goucher, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Goucher was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions. On May 18, 2023, Goucher pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute. On Oct. 7, 2022, a Carl Junction, Mo., police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the gray Nissan Titan pickup truck Goucher was driving. Goucher initially stopped, but then began slowly driving away. As the officer followed the vehicle and activated his siren, Goucher increased his speed. Eventually the truck left the roadway and crashed into a ditch. Goucher was found lying in the ditch and was arrested. The officer found a green backpack beside the vehicle that contained approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine as well as drug paraphernalia. According to court documents, Goucher was also in possession of more than 100 rounds of ammunition for two separate types of firearms. According to court documents, Goucher’s criminal history includes six prior felony convictions and numerous misdemeanor or other convictions, including felony property crimes, felony drug crimes, and felony and misdemeanor acts of assault and violence. In one of his three convictions for domestic assault, Goucher threatened his girlfriend with a firearm, put the firearm to her chin and pulled the trigger, though a bullet was not fired. He also threatened a law enforcement officer involved in the investigation of this federal case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, and the Carl Junction, Mo., Police Department. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Local Magician Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Sutton man who worked as a magician for over 20 years pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and transportation of child pornography. Scott Jameson, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and one count of transportation of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2024. Jameson was charged by criminal complaint in October 2022. In early 2022, Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE), a Cambodian Non-Governmental Organization founded to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation, contacted federal authorities to report that Jameson engaged in inappropriate behavior with minors in Cambodia. In September 2022, authorities in the United States were notified that Jameson, a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, had again traveled from Boston to Cambodia in August 2022. Upon his return to the United States on Oct. 19, 2022, Jameson was stopped at Logan Airport. During a search of his belongings, a video was discovered which he produced during his most recent trip to Cambodia, depicting the genitals of a young boy, 5-7 years old. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Jameson stated that he worked as a magician for over 20 years, regularly performing at libraries and private and family events across New England, usually for children as young as kindergarten age and up to the eighth grade. He admitted to creating the video and transferring it from his camera to a hard drive that he possessed when he was stopped at Logan Airport. The charge of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a sentence of not less than five years and not more than 20 years, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $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. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations and the Littleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .