title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with City of Virginia Beach to Improve Access for Individuals with Disabilities

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to city buildings and other civic programs. The agreement is part of the department’s commitment to ensure that civic institutions comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Virginia Beach has a large population of Veterans, active-duty military service members, retirees and their families. “The ADA mandates equal access to civic life for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that cities and other public entities eliminate physical, communication and other barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully in community life. We commend Virginia Beach for its commitment to work with the Civil Rights Division to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities, including Veterans.” “Ensuring that individuals who have disabilities are afforded equal access to local government programs and services is required by the ADA and a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are pleased that the City of Virginia Beach has agreed to take numerous steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to vital public services, including emergency services and the City’s website.” Under the agreement announced today, Virginia Beach will remove accessibility barriers to buildings such as police stations, libraries, technology centers, community centers and places of recreation. The agreement requires Virginia Beach to ensure that parking, routes into buildings, entrances, restrooms, signage, service counters and drinking fountains are accessible to people with disabilities, and that assembly areas, such as the Giant Screen Theater at the Aquarium, provide the required wheelchair and companion seating. The agreement also requires Virginia Beach to ensure effective communication for individuals with hearing and vision disabilities through methods such as sign language interpreters, real-time transcription services, Braille or large print documents and accessible electronic formats. The city will also provide access to emergency shelters, provide accessible websites, train employees on the requirements of the ADA, make sidewalks and curb cuts accessible and appoint an ADA coordinator. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov . If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you may file a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.


title: Scott County Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Tyler Brady Lawson, 27, was sentenced on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to 28 years in prison, for production of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, Lawson was the long-term boyfriend of a woman who had close connections to two young girls, Victim 1 and Victim 2. Through these connections, the young girls frequently visited the residences where Lawson and his girlfriend lived. In March 2023, law enforcement became aware of a disclosure to a therapist for one of the girls. The resulting investigation revealed that Lawson produced and possessed sexually explicit images of the girls, as well as cartoon and computer-generated images of the sexual abuse of children. In pleading guilty, Lawson admitted that he knowingly captured visual depictions of one of the girls and that he intended to create depictions of sexually explicit conduct. Court documents outlined that the sexually explicit pictures of Victim 1 and Victim 2 existed within a larger pattern of sexual abuse perpetrated by Lawson. Allegations of his abuse began when Victim 1 was just five year old. Eventually, Victim 1 disclosed to her therapist that Lawson had recently been sexually abusing her. She then disclosed to law enforcement that physical sexual abuse occurred nearly every time that she visited Lawson’s residence. According to Victim 1, Lawson also threatened to harm her if she told anyone about the abuse. The pictures that law enforcement eventually found on Lawson’s phone corroborated Victim 1’s reports. Under federal law, Lawson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. “This case demonstrates what many in law enforcement know: consumption and production of child pornography often exists side-by-side with physical child sexual abuse,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This correlation is one of many reasons why enforcement in this area is so critically important. The defendant’s conduct was egregious and appalling, and it certainly warrants the punishment he received. To those who are engaging in the production of child sexual abuse material, this case should serve as a warning that such conduct gives rise to substantial prison sentences.” United States Attorney Shier; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Darin Allgood, Georgetown Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Georgetown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: Peru Woman Pleads Guilty to Selling Methamphetamine to Undercover Officer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Peru, Maine woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiring to distribute and possess methamphetamine, and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court records, from July 2022 to January 2023, Mandy Shorey, 43, made multiple sales of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Portland after obtaining the drugs from her Massachusetts supplier. Following several successful controlled buys from Shorey, in November 2022 the undercover officer arranged to purchase two pounds of methamphetamine from her. That night, while waiting for her supplier to arrive, Shorey was armed with a handgun; she told the undercover officer that it was her practice to always carry a firearm for protection when conducting drug deals. On January 26, 2023, Shorey again supplied the undercover officer with a substantial quantity of methamphetamine—approximately one pound—at the same Portland location. That night, Shorey’s supplier, Angel Luis Lozano of Lowell, Massachusetts, who has also pleaded guilty to federal drug charges for his role in the conspiracy, sold Shorey approximately 459 grams of methamphetamine which she in turn sold to the undercover officer. Shortly after the transaction, the Portland Police Department initiated a traffic stop of Shorey’s vehicle, recovering the handgun. Shorey faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million followed by supervised release for at least five years and up to life for the drug charges. She faces a minimum sentence of five years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the firearms charge. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Portland Police Department. ###


title: South Texas woman sentenced for weapons cache exportation

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 33-year-old San Juan resident has been ordered to federal prison for attempting to exit the country with three dozen AK-47 and AR-15 rifles and other weapons and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jessica Alvarado pleaded guilty Jan. 25 to smuggling goods from the United States. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Alvarado to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how these types of weapons are typically those that end up in the hands of cartel members in Mexico and the dangers that are associated with their use. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the dangers associated with these firearms and the individuals they endanger. The court also heard that at the time of the offense, Alvarado admitted to dealing cocaine on several occasions. “Alvarado tried to sneak dangerous weapons across our southern border which could have had devastating effects,” said Hamdani. “This sentence should serve as a warning - put guns in the hands of others illegally and pay a hefty price with your freedom. An AK-47 or AR-15 doesn’t belong in the hands of a criminal.” “Drugs and guns are a deadly combination,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “This sentencing serves as a warning to those who attempt to export weapons into Mexico and distribute highly addictive narcotics like cocaine. HSI will aggressively pursue violators and hold them accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in the Rio Grande Valley and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” On Jan. 31, 2023, Jessica Alvarado attempted to depart the United States via the Hidalgo Port of Entry driving a Ford F-150. At the time, she denied having any firearms. However, authorities noticed the bed of the pickup truck was abnormally elevated and referred the vehicle to secondary inspection. A search resulted in the discovery of 33 AK-47 variant rifles, three AR-15 rifles, a .22 caliber long rifle, two .45 caliber handguns and 39 ammunition magazines. Alvarado did not possess a license to export firearms from the United States. The investigation led to a search at her residence in San Juan where law enforcement also found approximately 499 grams of a packaged white powdery substance that tested positive for the characteristics of cocaine and more than $13,000 in bulk U.S. currency. Alvarado was permitted to remain on bond and will surrender at a later date to serve her sentence. HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.


component: Civil Division


title: Justice Department Launches Updated Voting Rights and Elections Website

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has updated www.justice.gov/voting , a one-stop resource providing voting and elections information for voters as well as state and local elections officials. As part of the update, the Civil Rights Division published two new informational guides on voting rights and updated five other guides. The Department’s longstanding practice is to update resources and provide information in election years on the efforts of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country, to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation, or criminal activity in the election process, and to ensure that our elections are secure and free from foreign malign influence and interference. Over the coming months additional resources will be published. “The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, the right from which all others flow,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “The Justice Department is using every available authority to defend that right, both from efforts to undermine voting rights and from efforts to threaten and intimidate those who administer our elections. These updated resources will help voters understand their rights and assist public officials in fulfilling their duties.” “Protecting the right to vote is one of the Justice Department’s highest priorities,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Today, the Department is issuing new guidance documents, updating others, and updating our main voting website to make available in one place the resources the Department offers on voting rights — from a guide on the laws governing voting-related language assistance to a video explaining the protections against voter intimidation. We hope that these resources will make it easier for voters to exercise their rights and to enlist our help whenever and wherever those rights are under attack.” “The Justice Department works every day to defend the right of every eligible American to exercise their voice in our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The new guides and updates we issue today, alongside our litigation, friend-of-the-court-briefs, and monitoring efforts demonstrate our commitment to using every tool available to protect the right to vote. These materials apprise voters about the protections provided by the Voting Rights Act and other civil rights laws and encourage voters to report violations. These resources also help state and local authorities comply with their obligations under the law.” The new guides issued today include one on Voter Intimidation Under Federal Law , discussing the prohibition on threats, obstruction, or deliberately false information about the time, manner, or place of voting to prevent people from casting their ballots or participating in the electoral process. The Department has prepared a short video explaining how to report such misconduct . The second new guide addresses Voting Protections for Language Minority Citizens under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act . Section 203 mandates language assistance to enable certain people with limited English proficiency to participate effectively in all phases of the electoral process. Along with the two new guides, the Department updated five existing guides on the Justice Department website. The Department updated its guide on The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities . This guide describes the legal protections designed to allow equal access to every aspect of elections, including registration and voting, for people with disabilities. The Department also revised its Guidance Under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act for redistricting and methods of electing government bodies . Another update addressed Federal Law Constraints on Post-Election “Audits.” In addition, the Department updated its Guidance Concerning Federal Statutes Affecting Methods of Voting . Along with these revisions, the Department updated information on how to request Federal Election Monitors in a jurisdiction. These guides on voting laws are just a few of the many resources the Department has made available on its website to help people exercise this foundational right and to assist public officials in fulfilling their duties. Other such resources include a brochure entitled Know Your Voting Rights , a 50-state Guide to State Voting Rules that Apply After a Criminal Conviction , explanations of the rights of voters with disabilities, including guides on Ballot Drop Box Accessibility , Solutions for Five Common ADA Access Problems at Polling Places, and How to File an ADA Complaint , and web pages addressing the voting rights of members of the armed services and U.S. citizens living overseas , the National Voter Registration Act , and the Help America Vote Act. The www.justice.gov/voting website also provides information on the Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which leads the Department’s efforts to address violence against election workers and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. You can report suspected criminal activity regarding voting to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by filing an online complaint at tips.fbi.gov . You can also contact local law enforcement. You can report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/ or 1-800-253-3931. If at any time you are in imminent danger, call 911.


title: Lexington Man Sentenced for Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Matthew Ryan Mullins, 29, was sentenced on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 168 months in prison, for receiving and possessing child pornography. According to his plea agreement, on June 21, 2022, law enforcement identified Mullins during an investigation into online groups involving the receipt and distribution of child pornography. Mullins admitted to exchanging large amounts of child sexual abuse material with others across the world using various online platforms. Over 3,300 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children were found on his phone. Under federal law, Mullins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: New York pair indicted for $1.4 million bank fraud scheme that victimized customers across the U.S.

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A couple from New York state are in custody tonight following their indictment for a nationwide bank fraud scheme, some of which was executed in Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Amber Towndrow, 35, and Darby Canfield, 34, were indicted by a Seattle federal grand jury on April 3, 2024. Towndrow is currently incarcerated for drug possession in New York. Canfield was apprehended in New York and is being transferred to the Western District of Washington for arraignment on the indictment. “These defendants are alleged to have cunningly and systematically drained victim bank accounts and cashed them out before anyone could stop them,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “While they traveled the country committing this fraud, it was investigators here in Western Washington who put the information together to understand and to prosecute this significant fraud scheme.” According to the indictment, Towndrow and Canfield acquired personal identifying information for a number of victims nationwide. In Western Washington, the two used that personal information to register businesses with the Washington Secretary of State. Armed with the business documents and false identification documents such as drivers’ licenses and passports, Towndrow would open business bank accounts at financial institutions where the victim already had a personal savings account. The bank system would link the new business bank account to the real customer’s bank account. The conspirators would then transfer money from the personal bank account to the business account. Towndrow would then use a business account debit card to purchase money orders and high value goods such as designer merchandise or electronics. Canfield and other conspirators would use various fake IDs to cash the money orders at locations such as Money Tree outlets. The indictment details how Towndrow set up a business called “Smitty Consulting Inc.,” listed a Colorado victim as a registered owner, and opened the business bank account using a Seattle address. After the business account linked to the victim’s personal account, Towndrow transferred funds to the business account and used the business debit card to purchase 128 U.S. Postal Service money orders totaling $126,653. The money orders were made payable to various people the co-schemers could impersonate with their fake IDs. Canfield then cashed several of the money orders at various locations in the Seattle area. The indictment alleges similar conduct regarding victims residing in Texas, Colorado, and New York. Some of the businesses were “registered” and used for fraud in Indiana, with others “registered” and used for fraud in Colorado. The investigation into the scope of the fraud continues. In addition to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, the pair are charged with seven counts of bank fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and three counts of money laundering. Conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and bank fraud are punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory minimum two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed in the case. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the Seattle Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite. towndrow_and_canfield_indictment.pdf


title: Man Convicted for $110M Cryptocurrency Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in New York convicted a man residing in Puerto Rico today of commodities fraud, commodities market manipulation, and wire fraud in connection with the manipulation on the Mango Markets decentralized cryptocurrency exchange. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Avraham Eisenberg, 28, engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $110 million worth of cryptocurrency from Mango Markets and its customers by artificially manipulating the price of certain perpetual futures contracts. “Avraham Eisenberg executed a manipulative trading scheme on a cryptocurrency exchange, defrauding the exchange and its investors out of $110 million,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Manipulative trading puts our financial markets and investors at risk. This prosecution—the first involving the manipulation of cryptocurrency through open-market trades—demonstrates the Criminal Division’s commitment to protecting U.S. financial markets and holding wrongdoers accountable, no matter what mechanism they use to commit manipulation and fraud.” “Moments ago, Avraham Eisenberg was found guilty by a unanimous jury in the first-ever cryptocurrency open-market manipulation case,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “This ground-breaking prosecution epitomizes this office’s ability to employ innovative methods and cutting-edge law enforcement tools to continue to protect all financial markets. The career prosecutors of this office continue their expertise in prosecuting financial fraud, one of our core priorities, and would-be financial criminals should think twice before daring to engage in illicit conduct on our watch.” “The FBI and its partners will not stand by when criminals engage in illicit activity at the expense of the American people and our financial institutions,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “If you engage in fraudulent activity, whether that be in the cryptocurrency space or through other forms of market manipulation, you will be held accountable for your ill-gotten gains.” Eisenberg is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the commodities fraud count and the commodities manipulation count, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tian Huang of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, a member of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Burnett and Peter Davis for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case. The NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that are enabling the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also works to set strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identify areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and lead the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.


title: Justice Department Seizes Four Web Domains Used to Create Over 40,000 Spoofed Websites and Store the Personal Information of More Than a Million Victims

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today the seizure of four domains used by the administrators and customers of a domain spoofing service. The domain seizures were authorized pursuant to seizure warrants issued in the Western District of Pennsylvania and were executed in coordination with the arrest of dozens of administrators and customers of the illicit service by foreign law enforcement agencies. According to court records, the United States obtained authorization to seize the domains as part of an investigation of the spoofing service operated through the Lab-host.ru domain (LabHost), which resolves to a Russian internet infrastructure company. LabHost provided online infrastructure and interactive functionality for its subscription-based services. According to court records, customers of LabHost used its services to create and manage spoofed websites designed to look like the legitimate websites of businesses such as Amazon, Netflix, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Chase Bank. LabHost customers used the spoofed websites to lure unwitting victims into disclosing their personally identifiable information (PII)—e.g., date of birth, email address, password, address, and credit card information—on the websites the victims believed were legitimate. In turn, according to court documents, LabHost’s customers used the stolen PII to engage in unauthorized financial transactions at the expense of the victims. As outlined in court records, LabHost has been used to create over 40,000 spoofed websites, and its infrastructure has stored over one million user credentials and nearly 500,000 compromised credit cards. The warrants authorized the seizure of the following four domains associated with application programming interface (API) services used to install spoofed websites and manage LabHost’s phishing and credential-theft operations: Instapi-1xoa93z90o348fz.co, Api2-4hdfix74ks.co, Api1-9kcpqcf7olw1w300w3m6.cc, and Api-d789342789342uy432hjf87df87dfk.cc. The four LabHost API domains were registered to NameSilo, LLC, a third-party webhosting service based in the United States. According to court records, the seized domains represented property used to commit violations of federal criminal law, including access device fraud, computer fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. The effect of the domain seizures was to shut down the LabHost platform. “Together with our international partners, the Justice Department has disrupted another cybercrime scheme originating from Russia that enabled criminals to steal from over a million victims in the United States and around the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the FBI, and our partners at the Secret Service for their work on this case, and to our foreign law enforcement partners whose efforts have led to the arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and users.” “The theft of personal information—and the financial ruin that often follows—should never be just another cost of using the internet for ordinary citizens,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “Today’s domain seizures show that cybercriminals’ greed will not go unchecked—no matter their sophistication and geographic reach. We will continue to work with our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners, using all available tools, to protect the global public.” “Seizing LabHost and arresting those involved will have a systemic impact on transnational cybercrime,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy P. Burke, U.S. Secret Service Pittsburgh Field Office. “We are proud to work with our foreign and domestic law enforcement partners as we continue to counter those engaged in cybercrime.” “Behind every cybercrime-as-a-service operation lurks one thing: financial devastation,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The FBI and our global partners will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who thinks they can get rich by stealing from hard-working Americans. Selling cybercrime tools has ripple effects that go far beyond the businesses and borders of America. With every theft and intrusion, the public loses more and more trust in our critical digital infrastructure.” The domain seizures in the United States occurred in conjunction with the international arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and customers facing criminal charges in more than a dozen foreign countries. Law enforcement authorities from the following countries participated in the investigation: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is representing the government in this matter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Secret Service conducted the investigation in the United States, and the international investigation was led by the United Kingdom’s London Metropolitan Police, with the support of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce. ### Link to seizure warrant (unsealed by the Court on 4/18/2024) Link to Europol press release on seizures


title: Braxton County Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thomas Jason Drake, 48, of Gassaway, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Drake, a lawyer, admitted that he possessed and pawned a Taurus Model G3C 9mm handgun on December 20, 2021, a Winchester Model Grand European XTR .257-caliber rifle on November 22, 2021, and a Colt Model Single Action .45-caliber revolver on December 7, 2021, at Charleston businesses. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Drake knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for embezzlement in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 13, 2012. Drake is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman, Gabriel Price and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-64. ###


title: Crow Agency man sentenced to more than five years in prison for sexually abusing two girls on the Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLINGS — A Crow Agency man convicted by a federal jury of sexually abusing two girls on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. After a two-day trial, the jury on Dec. 12, 2023, found Edwin Ivan Don’tMix, 60, guilty of abusive sexual contact of a child and abusive sexual contact of a minor. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that in January 2015, Jane Doe 2 disclosed to the FBI that Don’tMix touched her vaginal area over her clothes while she was sledding. Jane Doe 2 was 13 years old at the time. Jane Doe 2 also disclosed in the same interview, that in 2012 or 2013, she was asleep and awoke to Don’tMix touching her vaginal area over her clothes. The touching occurred at a Crow Agency residence. In October 2021, another child, Jane Doe 1, disclosed to a school counselor that Don’tMix touched her vaginal area over her clothes when she was either 6, 7 or 8 years old and that the touching happened three or four times at a Crow Agency residence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Five Members of Marion Gardens Jersey City Gang Plead Guilty to Racketeering, Violent Crimes

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Five members and associates of a Jersey City gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex pleaded guilty this week to racketeering, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Jervon Morris, aka “Sticky,” 35; Kevin Williams, aka “KK,” aka “Kay Kay,” 30; Jakeem Gibson-Madison, aka “Beanz,” 29; K’shawn Jackson, aka “Lil Kay,” 23; and Terick Rogers, aka “Moot,” 32, all of Jersey City, New Jersey, all pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to racketeering conspiracy and related crimes. Morris and Gibson-Madison will be sentenced on Aug. 20, 2024; Rogers and Williams will be sentenced on Aug. 21, 2024; and K’Shawn Jackson will be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2024. “Criminal street gangs – whether they are structured organizations with international reach or, as here, neighborhood based and local – cause devastating damage to the community. Two of these defendants murdered a victim and all the defendants caused senseless violence and shootings and funneled dangerous drugs for personal profit. These defendants will now deservedly face significant sentences in prison as a result of the harm they’ve caused.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “Neighborhood street gangs hold communities hostage with the constant threat of violence and dangerous proliferation of illicit drugs,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “These men admit they used all methods of criminal activity to defend their turf around the Marion Gardens House Complex, including targeting and murdering rival gang members. This investigation is just one of many cases we are working through the FBI Newark Violent Crimes Task Force with our law enforcement partners, focusing all of our resources, time and energy on taking out the leadership of these groups and ending the brutality they inflict on our city.” “Each of these defendants threatened public safety and instilled fear in neighborhoods throughout Jersey City,” Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. “The outcome here reaffirms a commitment by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office to utilize all its resources and law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served on behalf of victims and the communities affected by these senseless crimes.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: The defendants are all members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex, which routinely distributes cocaine and heroin, among other controlled substances, in and around the Marion Gardens Housing Complex. Members and associates of the gang also engaged in acts of violence, including numerous assaults, shootings, and murders, which targeted rival gang members and others, including the following: On July 28, 2011, Morris and Williams, along with another member of the Marion Gardens street gang, murdered a victim in the area of Gifford Avenue and Bergen Avenue in Jersey City; On Nov. 5, 2017, members and associates of the Marion Gardens street gang shot a victim in the area of Van Nostrand Avenue and Bergen Avenue in Jersey City; On Feb. 7, 2018, Williams and another member of the Marion Gardens street gang assaulted a victim R.B. in the area of Summit Avenue and Magnolia Avenue in Jersey City; On June 30, 2018, Rogers, Jackson, and another member of the enterprise shot five people while celebrating “Meech Day” in honor of a deceased fellow gang member; On Jan. 9, 2019, Gibson-Madison, with another member of the enterprise, traveled to the area of Grant Avenue and Ocean Avenue to target a rival gang member, at which time three victims were shot at, two of whom were hit, and On June 9, 2019, after being shot at by rival gang member, Kevin Williams brandished a firearm and attempted to shoot back at the rival gang member. Lakief Grayson, aka “LaLa,” previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and related charges in July 2023. Charges remain pending against Jalil Holmes, aka “Broad Day,” aka “BD,” and Willie Williams, aka “Willz,” both of whom are scheduled to appear in court in the coming weeks. The charges and allegations against these defendants are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, investigators of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for the investigation leading to the charges. This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division for the District of New Jersey in Newark. mariongardens.sindictment.pdf


title: Elkhart Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Cornelius Nelson, 34 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Nelson was sentenced to 66 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, from June through mid-August 2021, Nelson conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Michigan City area. Nelson delivered controlled substances and was present and helped facilitate other transactions when co-defendants sold pills purporting to be oxycodone that were actually fentanyl. Nelson admitted to selling fentanyl to customers, handling money, and aiding in resupplying controlled substances. Nelson is the final member of this group to be sentenced in this case. Others previously sentenced were: Rico Marion - 444 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release; Brandon Harris - 151 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release; Meliki Marion - 130 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release; and Carissa McCoy - 63 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (including the Chicago Field Division, the Merrillville District Office, the Amarillo Texas Resident Office and the Albuquerque New Mexico District Office) with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, an Indiana HIDTA Initiative, and the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Joel Gabrielse. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case is also 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: Career offender sentenced after found passed out in vehicle

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Adolfo Tovar pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2022. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Tovar to serve 200 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Tovar’s serious and significant criminal history, including his attempted robbery and second-degree robbery convictions. On the late evening of April 10, 2021, a concerned citizen reported a vehicle parked crooked in a parking space with a male driver who appeared to be unconscious at a local gas station. Authorities approached the driver, later identified as Tovar. They asked him to exit the vehicle and to provide identification. When he did so, Tovar pulled out two blue baggies typically used as packaging for illegal narcotics which fell to the ground. Further investigation resulted in the discovery of other drug paraphernalia visible inside Tovar’s SUV. Law enforcement searched his vehicle and found meth, scales and baggies in the center console and a firearm under the driver’s seat. Tovar has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Dunn prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Launches Carjacking Task Force

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that it will join 10 other U.S. Attorney’s Offices in establishing a multi-agency task force to address carjacking, an important public safety threat impacting communities in Oregon and beyond. “We are pleased to join our Justice Department colleagues from across the country in taking this important, targeted step to address carjacking, a dangerous, violent crime. We thank all our law enforcement partners for their ongoing commitment to protecting Oregonians through this and other violent crime reduction efforts.” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “The Justice Department has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe. We do so by targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime and by acting as a force multiplier for our state and local law enforcement partners. We’re seeing results — with violent crime declining broadly nationwide,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today, we are launching seven new carjacking task forces across the country to build on the success of task forces in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Tampa, where available data shows that carjacking rates are now falling. When prosecutors, officers, agents, and analysts come together to crunch data, share intelligence, and apply best practices, we can make real progress in the fight against all forms of violent crime, including carjacking.” In keeping with the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime , the District of Oregon carjacking task force will focus federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting individuals responsible for committing carjackings and related crimes throughout the state. Carjacking task forces have proven to be an effective part of successful violent crime reduction strategies by focusing on a significant driver of crime and taking violent offenders off the streets. For example, carjackings in Philadelphia declined by 31 percent from 2022 to 2023, and armed carjackings are down 28 percent in the District of Columbia so far this year compared to the same period in 2023. In Chicago, carjackings decreased 29 percent from their high in 2021 through the end of 2023. Local efforts to combat carjacking have already produced positive results. On Tuesday, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging, Raheim Carter, 41, a Portland resident, with carjacking, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On March 15, 2024, Carter and an accomplice are alleged to have stolen a vehicle at gunpoint from a North Portland resident. Carter and the accomplice are alleged to have approached the victim while he was unloading groceries from his vehicle, demanded he hand over his keys at gunpoint, and drove off with the vehicle. The case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau with assistance from the FBI. The newly formed carjacking task forces will be led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with state and local law enforcement partners.


title: Texas man sentenced to over 6 years for distributing Spice to Alaska

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Texas man was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and three years’ supervised release for trafficking more than 21 kilograms of the drug known as Spice from Texas to Alaska. “Spice” is a generic term for synthetic cannabinoids, which are mind-altering chemicals that are formed by dissolving psychotropic drugs in acetone and spraying them on dried plant material. According to court documents, between 2020 and 2022, law enforcement officers intercepted over 21 kilograms of Spice that Jacob Trujillo, 36, of San Antonio, shipped through the mail to local distributors in Alaska. Trujillo also laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in two separate bank accounts between January 2020 and October 2021. “Starting in 2015, Spice was flooding the streets of Anchorage, resulting in an influx of medical emergency response calls related to Spice use and six fatal overdoses outside the Brother Francis Shelter,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “This sentence represents one of the final pieces in a joint effort to get Spice off our streets and bring justice to the culprits who brought it to our great state.” “The Drug Enforcement Administration works everyday with our partners to ensure Alaska is safe from those who seek to target the vulnerable for profit,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence that Mr. Trujillo received for harming our community serves as a reminder of the seriousness with which we all take this threat.” “Alaskans have seen first-hand the harm that synthetic cannabinoids, or “Spice,” has caused to our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), Seattle Field Office. “Mr. Trujillo is facing the consequences of his actions, and his sentencing is evidence of IRS:CI’s commitment to keeping harmful and illegal drugs off our streets.” The DEA Anchorage Field Office and Seattle Division Office, and IRS:CI Seattle Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder prosecuted the case. ###


title: Bank Employee Admits Stealing Federal Benefits Intended for Deceased Customer

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A former bank employee admitted fraudulently withdrawing more than $105,000 in federal retirement benefits from the bank account of a deceased beneficiary at the same bank where the man was previously employed, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Jorge Nova, 35, of Passaic, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court on April 17, 2024, to an indictment charging him with one count of wire fraud. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In 2014, Nova was an employee at a commercial bank in Nutley, New Jersey, where a customer received Social Security Administration (SSA) retirement benefits via direct deposit. The Social Security Administration was not notified of the beneficiary’s death and continued to deposit retirement benefits into the beneficiary’s bank account for more than four years, until October 2018. Nova fraudulently obtained funds from the beneficiary’s account by causing debit cards to be issued to himself in the beneficiary’s name, which he then used to drain the retirement benefits from the beneficiary’s bank account. Nova also registered new accounts with a money service provider in the name of the deceased beneficiary and withdrew money from a second bank account held in the beneficiary’s name. Nova fraudulently obtained more than $105,000 intended for the deceased beneficiary. The count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2024 U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Sharon MacDermott, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Organized Crimes and Gang Unit in Newark. nova.indictment.pdf


body_text: The Justice Department announced today the seizure of four domains used by the administrators and customers of a domain spoofing service. The domain seizures were authorized pursuant to seizure warrants issued in the Western District of Pennsylvania and were executed in coordination with the arrest of dozens of administrators and customers of the illicit service by foreign law enforcement agencies. “Together with our international partners, the Justice Department has disrupted another cybercrime scheme originating from Russia that enabled criminals to steal from over a million victims in the United States and around the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the FBI, and our partners at the Secret Service for their work on this case, and to our foreign law enforcement partners whose efforts have led to the arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and users.” According to court records, the United States obtained authorization to seize the domains as part of an investigation of the spoofing service operated through the Lab-host.ru domain (LabHost), which resolves to a Russian internet infrastructure company. LabHost provided online infrastructure and interactive functionality for its subscription-based services. According to court records, customers of LabHost used its services to create and manage spoofed websites designed to look like the legitimate websites of businesses such as Amazon, Netflix, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Chase Bank. LabHost customers used the spoofed websites to lure unwitting victims into disclosing their personally identifiable information (PII) — e.g., date of birth, email address, password, address, and credit card information — on the websites the victims believed were legitimate. In turn, according to court documents, LabHost’s customers used the stolen PII to engage in unauthorized financial transactions at the expense of the victims. As outlined in court records, LabHost has been used to create over 40,000 spoofed websites, and its infrastructure has stored over one million user credentials and nearly 500,000 compromised credit cards. The warrants authorized the seizure of the following four domains associated with application programming interface (API) services used to install spoofed websites and manage LabHost’s phishing and credential-theft operations: Instapi-1xoa93z90o348fz.co, Api2-4hdfix74ks.co, Api1-9kcpqcf7olw1w300w3m6.cc, and Api-d789342789342uy432hjf87df87dfk.cc. The four LabHost API domains were registered to NameSilo, LLC, a third-party webhosting service based in the United States. According to court records, the seized domains represented property used to commit violations of federal criminal law, including access device fraud, computer fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. The effect of the domain seizures was to shut down the LabHost platform. “The theft of personal information — and the financial ruin that often follows — should never be just another cost of using the internet for ordinary citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Today’s domain seizures show that cybercriminals’ greed will not go unchecked — no matter their sophistication and geographic reach. We will continue to work with our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners, using all available tools, to protect the global public.” “Seizing LabHost and arresting those involved will have a systemic impact on transnational cybercrime,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy P. Burke of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Pittsburgh Field Office. “We are proud to work with our foreign and domestic law enforcement partners as we continue to counter those engaged in cybercrime.” “Behind every cybercrime-as-a-service operation lurks one thing: financial devastation,” said Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “The FBI and our global partners will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who thinks they can get rich by stealing from hard-working Americans. Selling cybercrime tools has ripple effects that go far beyond the businesses and borders of America. With every theft and intrusion, the public loses more and more trust in our critical digital infrastructure.” The domain seizures in the United States occurred in conjunction with the international arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and customers facing criminal charges in more than a dozen foreign countries. Law enforcement authorities from the following countries participated in the investigation: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark V. Gurzo for the Western District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting the case. The FBI and USSS investigated the case in the United States, and the United Kingdom’s London Metropolitan Police investigated the international case, with the support of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce.


title: Passaic County Correctional Officer Admits Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice in Connection with Civil Rights Investigation Involving Assault of Pretrial Detainee

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. –A Passaic County correctional officer today admitted conspiring to obstruct justice in connection with an investigation of an assault of a pretrial detainee, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Officer Lorenzo Bowden, 39, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to obstruct justice. “Lorenzo Bowden, a correctional officer, admitted today that he helped transport a detainee to an area where there were no video cameras and stood by while other officers repeatedly hit and assaulted the handcuffed detainee who posed no threat. The vast majority of law enforcement officers understand the trust placed in them by our community when they wear the badge. But when law enforcement officers abuse the trust the community places in them – when they violate the constitutional rights of the people of New Jersey, including prisoners, they will be held accountable.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “There are methods to hold accountable suspected criminals who act out while in custody,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge Hames E. Dennehy said. “Corrections officers know these procedures and policies. Instead of following those rules, Bowden admits he and his co-conspirators took matters into their own hands and then decided to lie about it. As law enforcement, we must live up to a higher standard of behavior because of the legal and physical power we wield.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Jan. 22, 2021, a pretrial detainee at the Passaic County Jail (PCJ) squirted a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer. The following day Bowden admitted that he, along with Sergeant Jose Gonzalez and Sergeant Donald Vinales, who were also charged in this case, transported the detainee through an area of the PCJ that does not have a video surveillance camera, which correctional officers and inmates at the PCJ have referred to as a “blind spot.” Gonzalez and Vinales assaulted the detainee, as he was handcuffed, when they knocked him to the ground and struck him multiple times. Bowden later admitted that he did not intervene to stop the assault. One day after the assault, the detainee was taken to a local hospital, which documented injuries from the assault. In April 2022, after receiving federal grand jury subpoenas in connection with this investigation, Gonzalez, Vinales, and Bowden, among others, met to discuss the federal investigation. The group agreed not to cooperate with the federal investigation and also agreed to say that nothing had happened to the detainee (referring to the assault). During an interview with federal investigators in October 2022, Bowden falsely stated that the detainee had not been assaulted and that there had not been any meeting or communication among those who participated in or witnessed the assault. The charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Bowden’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Division of Internal Affairs, under the direction of Acting Sheriff Gary F. Giardina, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Civil Rights Task Force, and R. Joseph Gribko, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division. The charges and allegations against Sergeants Gonzalez and Vinales, which are still pending, are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. bowden.information.pdf


title: Indictment Returned for Arson at Burlington Office of Senator Sanders

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that a federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Shant Soghomonian (also known as Michael Soghomonian), 35, previously of Northridge, California with using fire to damage the building at One Church Street – a building used in interstate commerce. He will be arraigned on the indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle next week, likely on Tuesday April 23, 2024. Soghomonian also appeared before Judge Doyle today for a continuation of a detention hearing, and Judge Doyle ordered that Soghomonian be detained pending further proceedings. According to court records, Soghomonian entered the building at One Church Street in Burlington on the morning of April 5, 2024, and proceeded to the third floor where the Vermont office of Senator Sanders is located. Soghomonian was recorded on a security video spraying a liquid near the outer door of the office and then lighting the area with a handheld lighter. A blaze quickly began while Soghomonian departed via a staircase. The video recordings showed Soghomonian wearing and carrying distinctive items, and those distinctive items were later recovered during his arrest and subsequent searches of his hotel room and vehicle. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment contains only allegations and that Soghomonian is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. If convicted, Soghomonian faces a maximum possible penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and sentencing factors in the United States Code. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher. Soghomonian is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino.


title: Morris County Man Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison For Creating Female and Male Personas to Induce Dozens of Minors to Send Sexually Explicit Pictures and Videos

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man who was employed by a New Jersey elementary school and helped run a youth soccer club was sentenced today to 204 months in prison for producing and possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Steven Brooks, 37, of Morristown, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before former U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In January 2021, law enforcement officers were notified about possible child pornography on an external hard drive belonging to Brooks. Pursuant to judicially authorized search warrants, law enforcement officers searched Brooks’ external hard drive, electronic devices and social media accounts. Brooks utilized fake online personas on social media platforms to solicit photos and videos from dozens of minors that depicted the minors engaging in sexual activity. Brooks acknowledged, as relevant conduct, the attempted online enticement, production and possession of child pornography involving at least 79 victims. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Brooks to 10 years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $237,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and members of the Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force of the Newark field office of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, as well as special agents from the FBI’s San Francisco field office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.


title: Peoria Man Sentenced to 81 Months in Prison for  Federal Firearm and Drug Offenses

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Detrey D. Robinson, 28, of the 1800 block of West Ann Street, was sentenced on April 17, 2024, to a total of 81 months in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for the following offenses: Count 1: Felon in Possession of a Firearm, 21 months. Count 2: Possession of a Machine Gun, 21 months. Count 3: Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, 21 months. Count 4: Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, 60 months. Counts 1 through 3 will be served concurrently, with the sentence on the 4 th Count to be consecutive to the other three Counts, as mandated by statute. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government established that on June 22, 2023, agents from the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force executed a federal search warrant at Robinson’s residence on W. Ann Street in Peoria. Robinson, a felon, was located inside the residence, along with a loaded AR-15, 5.56 caliber rifle, a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a 9mm Glock pistol. The Glock pistol was loaded as well and was equipped with a high-capacity extended ammunition magazine. The gun was further equipped with an auto-sear, commonly referred to as a “switch”. The switch enabled the pistol to fire as a fully automatic machinegun. In addition to the firearms, several drugs and drug-related items were found in Robinson’s bedroom, including cocaine, a scale, and over 200 plastic baggies consistent with those used in trafficking illicit drugs. Robinson was originally charged by a criminal complaint filed in June 2023, followed by a four-count indictment in July 2023. He pleaded guilty to all 4 counts in November 2023. Robinson has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in June 2023. The statutory penalties are as follows; Felon in Possession of a Firearm is up to 15 years imprisonment; Possession of a Machine Gun, up to 10 years imprisonment; Possession of a Controlled Substance, up to 20 years imprisonment; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, 5 years to life, to run consecutive to the other charges. The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution. 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: District Man Indicted on Murder, Assault, and Other Related Charges in July 9, 2023 Slaying of Charles Sullivan

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Antwain Ulmer, 19, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on one count of first degree murder while armed, one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, and other related charges stemming from a July 9, 2023 shooting inside of a convenience store that resulted in the death of 30-year-old Charles Sullivan, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. Ulmer was indicted on April 17, 2024, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on multiple charges including first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. In addition to indicting Ulmer on first degree murder while armed for firing the shots that killed Charles Sullivan, the grand jury also indicted him for firing a shot that came within inches of striking and injuring or killing an uninvolved shopper that was in the zone of harm created by Ulmer’s conduct. Ulmer is to be arraigned on April 19, 2024, at a hearing before the Honorable Robert Okun. If convicted, he faces a maximum of ninety years in prison. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. ##


title: Three Men Sentenced for Federal Firearms Violations

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three men have been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations. Julian McGuire, age 35, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 46 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of firearms. According to court documents and statements made in court, officers were called to a domestic disturbance at McGuire’s home. After a search of the home and McGuire’s vehicle three firearms and firearms parts were discovered. McGuire is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior felony drug conviction. Aiyontae Michael Moye, age 20, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation of shots being fired in Cumberland, Maryland led investigators to Moye. It was later discovered that Moye, who is prohibited from possessing firearms, had another individual straw purchase the firearm for him. Talten Dominic Hall, Jr., age 39, of Edinburg, Virginia, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and five years of supervised release for possession of a firearm in connection to a drug trafficking crime. According to statements made in court, Hall fired a gun outside of a nightclub in Martinsburg. He was later found with two firearms. Hall is prohibited from having firearms because of three domestic battery and assault convictions in Virginia. Hall will be on supervised release for five years following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the McGuire and Moye cases on behalf of the United States and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the Hall case. The following investigative agencies were involved in the various investigations: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office; the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office (MD); the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; and the Loudon County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided. ###


title: Southbury Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Sawed-Off Shotguns and Silencers

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that ANTHONY ENGLEHARDT, 44, of Southbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to a firearm offense related to his unlawful possession of sawed-off shotguns and silencers. According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly before midnight on March 13, 2023, Torrington Police received a report that Englehardt used a rifle and shot a hole in the ceiling of a Torrington residence, and then left the residence. At the time, Englehardt was subject to a protective order issued by the Waterbury Superior Court that required him to surrender all of his firearms and ammunition. At approximately 12:30 a.m. on March 14, 2023, Connecticut State Police stopped Englehardt’s vehicle, took him into custody, and charged him with multiple offenses. Later that day, a search of Englehardt’s Southbury residence revealed 10 firearms, six silencers, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and various firearms parts and accessories. Three of the firearms were sawed-off shotguns and were not registered pursuant to the National Firearms Act. The six silencers also were not registered. Englehardt pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered National Firearms Act firearms and silencers, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled. Englehardt has been detained since his federal arrest on May 25, 2023. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police, Torrington Police Department, and Southbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret M. Donovan and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis, with the assistance of Law Student Intern Eli Scher-Zagier.


title: Essex County Man Admits Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Firearms Charges

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing with intent to distribute over five kilograms of fentanyl and four kilograms of cocaine, and possessing six firearms as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Carlos Santiago, 49, of East Orange, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in Newark federal court to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Oct. 24, 2022, federal agents encountered Santiago as he was moving controlled substances from a storage unit to his vehicle in Newark. Santiago was arrested after law enforcement located several kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as one firearm, in Santiago’s storage unit. Law enforcement searched Santiago’s residence in East Orange and located several additional kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, and five other firearms. Santiago had previously been convicted, in New Jersey Superior Court, Essex County, of a drug offense and resisting arrest. The count of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life imprisonment, and a $10 million fine. The count of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine carries a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark. santiago_information_final.pdf


title: Mahopac Man Charged With Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor And Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging JOHN TOWERS with sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography. TOWERS was arrested this morning and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “John Towers’s alleged disturbing conduct violated the public’s trust by placing hidden cameras in a public bathroom and using those cameras to capture sexually explicit images of children. As today’s arrest shows, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those alleged to have sexually exploited children.” As alleged in the Complaint filed on April 17, 2024, in White Plains federal court and unsealed today: [1] From at least on or about July 24, 2018, up to and including at least on or about December 9, 2019, TOWERS placed hidden cameras in a bathroom in a privately owned, public park in Putnam County, New York, to surreptitiously record prepubescent minors in order to capture sexually explicit images of the minors. TOWERS then transferred the recordings to a hard drive. Following the execution of a search warrant at TOWERS’s residence, law enforcement recovered a hard drive that was found to contain over 800 videos of females, including prepubescent females, using a bathroom. Approximately 78 of the videos had file names that included the term “yung.” On or about March 29, 2024, TOWERS, while in Putnam County, New York, possessed DVDs containing video files he downloaded from the internet depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit activity. On March 29, 2024, TOWERS was arrested and charged in Carmel Town Court in Putnam Valley with two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child less than 17 years old, three counts of possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. He was on bail at the time of today’s arrest. Anyone who may have relevant information regarding JOHN TOWERS is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). * * * JOHN TOWERS, 54, of Mahopac, New York, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office, and the Putnam County Sherriff’s Office in connection with this investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Fake Concert Promoter Charged with Million Dollar Fraud

body_text: A man who claimed to be a concert promoter for artists like Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, and others has been charged with fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Carlos Desean Goodspeed, 43, who operated under the assumed business name, “Straight Like That Entertainment,” was indicted on April 16 on three counts of wire fraud. He was arrested without incident at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday, and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée H. Toliver on Thursday. According to the indictment, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly told investors he was a concert promoter working in partnership with a multinational event marketing company. He allegedly solicited hefty investments and guaranteed returns as high as 50% in a short period of time. For example, in July 2018, he allegedly solicited $400,000 from one victim, promising to pay him back $650,000 ($250,000 in profit) within four months. He claimed the money would be used to promote touring shows for artists Nicki Minaj and Future. The same day the would-be investor wired Straight Like That Entertainment the money, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly withdrew $200,000 to pay a court-appointed receiver in connection with an SEC lawsuit; wired $20,000 to another duped investor; and withdrew $100,000 in cash and cashier's checks. He paid back only a fraction of the investor’s $400,000 investment. In January 2022, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly solicited $50,000 from another investor, telling the investor the funds would be used to purchase concert tickets and suites for an upcoming Tyler, the Creator show. Despite the show taking place as planned, Mr. Goodspeed did not return the principal or pay out the return as promised, allegedly making excuse after excuse. He eventually told the investor he would be paid in full after two additional concerts, including a second concert by Tyler, the Creator and another by Ludacris. The investor wired an additional $130,000 to Straight Like That Entertainment, which Mr. Goodspeed allegedly used for personal expenses, including rental payments at an upscale apartment complex, a purchase at a high-end retail store, and airline fees and hotels; and to make lulling payments to other duped investors. In total, as a result of Mr. Goodspeed’s alleged fraud, investors collectively suffered a loss of over one million dollars. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Goodspeed is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to 60 years in prison (20 years per count). The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican National Guilty of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Mexican national was convicted by a federal jury of drug trafficking and firearms offenses after less than 22 minutes of deliberation. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on February 22, 2022, Albuquerque Police Department Officers (APD) were dispatched to a stolen vehicle call in Southeast Albuquerque. Upon arrival, APD Officers observed three male subjects inside a parked pick-up truck matching the description given by the calling party. Octavio Jimenez-Marquez , 37, exited the front driver’s side of the vehicle and began to grab items from the bed of the truck. Officers gave commands for Jimenez to get on the ground and he complied. After placing Jimenez under arrest, officers conducted an inventory search of the vehicle. During the inventory, officers located a large vacuum-sealed package containing 445 grams of methamphetamine and a stolen firearm underneath driver seat and an assault rifle up within arm’s reach of Jimenez . The truck also contained a Ziplock bag with 84 grams of methamphetamine. Jimenez claimed that he had borrowed the truck from a friend but was unable to provide the friend’s name and did not know any further information about him. When asked about the firearms and drugs, Jimenez admitted there was a rifle inside the truck, but stated that the guns and drugs were not his. Subsequent investigation uncovered evidence on Jimenez’s cell phones that was consistent with drug-trafficking activity and firearm possession. Investigators also learned that Jimenez was born in Mexico and never sought or obtained legal status in the United States. On March 1, 2022, Jimenez was released to the third-party custody of the La Pasasda Halfway House pending trial. In July 2022, Jimenez absconded from supervision and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Jimenez was re-arrested in Albuquerque in December 2022. The Court ordered that Jimenez remain in detention pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Jimenez faces a minimum of fifteen years and up to life in prison followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, made the announcement today. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, Albuquerque Police Department, Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis Mattei and Elaine Y. Ramirez prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Joshua Shonubi Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Visa and Marriage Fraud

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman today sentenced Joshua Shonubi, age 59, of Bowie, Maryland, for federal charges of Conspiracy to Commit Visa and Marriage Fraud and a charge of Aggravated Identity Theft. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Ron Rosenberg, District Director, Washington District Office of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. According to the guilty plea, the Defendant, who was a pastor at New Life City Church, used his position of trust to recruit church members who were U.S. Citizens to marry foreign nationals for financial compensation. The Defendant accepted payment from the foreign nationals for facilitating these marriages. The Defendant used his role as a pastor to recruit and groom economically disadvantaged United States citizens to marry these foreign nationals and then sponsored them for permanent residence in the United States. In furtherance of the fraud, the Defendant created false documentation and submitted it to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services so that the fraudulent marriage would be accepted and the foreign national could apply for lawful permanent residency, and later United States Citizenship. Among other things, the Defendant submitted letters written on his church letterhead asserting under oath that he had performed and officiated the weddings himself. The Defendant also procured and submitted fraudulent leases and paystubs to support the façade that the marriage between the U.S. Citizen and the foreign national was legitimate. Between June 2008 and June 2021, the Defendant facilitated over 60 fraudulent marriages and submitted well over 100 fraudulent documents in support of his scheme. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI and USCIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, who prosecuted 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: Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mariah Diane Keffer, 26, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 12, 2022, Keffer sold approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Robert C. Byrd Drive residence in Beckley. Keffer admitted to this transaction and further admitted to selling a total of approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant for a total of $900 during separate transactions on December 22, 2022, and January 9, 2023. On January 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Keffer’s residence. Officers seized 71.5 grams of methamphetamine, 20.5 grams of fentanyl and various amounts of marijuana, oxycodone pills, alprazolam pills, suboxone, diazepam pills and psilocybin mushrooms. Officers also seized a Taurus model G2c 9mm pistol, a Ruger LCP .380-caliber pistol, and $2,011. Keffer admitted that she intended to distribute the seized drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-116. ###


title: Webb City Woman Sentenced to 20 Years for Kidnapping Conspiracy, Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Webb City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the torture and death of the victim, and for illegally possessing a firearm. Amy Kay Thomas, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 20 years in federal prison without parole. On April 27, 2023, Thomas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Thomas is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in this case. James B. Gibson, also known as “Gibby,” 41, of Neosho, Mo., was sentenced on Monday, April 15, to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 52, of Greenwood, Mo., was sentenced on Tuesday, April 16, to seven years in federal prison without parole. Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 52, of Neosho, was sentenced on Nov. 7, 2013, to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Two co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing in this case. Sentencing hearings have not yet been scheduled for Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 51, and Carla Jo Ward, 50, both of Joplin, Mo. Thomas admitted that she participated in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Tilton offered Ward and Vaughan $5,000 each to locate and secure M.H. for him. Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence. Vaughan texted Tilton, stating “Call me quickly handing (M.H.) to you.” Vaughan and Tilton continued communicating throughout the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. Vaughan sent a text message to Tilton that read, “He’s got 2 guns.” A few hours later, Vaughan sent a text message to Tilton that read, “OK we’ve got both his guns put up,” and “Guns are secure I’m waiting for you.” Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, and shot at. Gibson burned M.H. with a blowtorch. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. Thomas and others cleaned up the blood and damage created during the assault and shooting of M.H. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and Thomas, Tilton, and Gibson transported it to Hurtt’s property. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended. Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Thomas has two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and prior felony convictions for forgery, possession of ephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine, and distribution of a controlled substance. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Ozark Drug Enforcement Team, and the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force 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.