title: Mission in Action: OJP Focuses on Community as Co-Producer of Safety and Justice

component: Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

body_text: The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) recently marked its new mission statement with events and products that highlight OJP’s work to support community-centered public safety strategies. Square One Convening, “Creating Community-Led Safety: What Does It Take?” Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon delivered keynote remarks at “Creating Community-Led Safety: What Does It Take?,” an event convened by Columbia University Justice Lab’s Square One Project. She shared OJP’s vision for delivering on its new mission statement: To provide resources, leadership and solutions to advance community safety, build community trust and strengthen the community’s role as co-producer of safety and justice. “By explicitly embracing the community's role as co-producer of safety and justice, we’re expanding the scope of responsibility and possibility for the future of our communities,” said Assistant Attorney General Solomon. “We're bringing communities disproportionately impacted by crime, violence and victimization to the forefront of our strategy and broadening our concept of safety, from the mere absence of crime to the presence of thriving neighborhoods and greater opportunity for all.” Solomon highlighted the ways in which OJP is bringing its mission to life, through its grantmaking portfolio, research strategies and technical assistance, and within its own organization. She noted that OJP is delivering much-needed federal funding to community-based services through initiatives dedicated to interrupting community violence , improving responses to individuals in crisis , meeting the needs of underserved victims of crime , supporting young people impacted by violence and the juvenile justice system , reimagining responses to low-level crime and more. OJP is also opening up new pathways to funding by investing in intermediary organizations to provide both microgrants and technical assistance to smaller community-based organizations implementing high-impact safety interventions, with a focus on building organizational capacity to grow and sustain their work over the long term. Solomon noted that many of OJP’s funding opportunities offer priority consideration for projects designed to advance equity, and to applicants that can demonstrate that their capabilities and competencies are enhanced because they identify as a population-specific (or by/for) organization. Finally, she shared the ways in which OJP is bringing the perspective of community into the federal government, growing the ranks of professionals whose lived experience in the justice system is helping to guide OJP’s work. Solomon reflected on the contributions of The Square One Project, founded in 2018 with the goal of reimagining safety and justice from the ground up. “Square One inspired us to conceive of a future that elevates the principles of fairness, equity, truth-telling, parsimony and human dignity as central to safety and justice. To consider what’s possible if our center of gravity were to shift from overreliance on the criminal legal system to the community – to the organizations, institutions and people who have a deep and vested interest in creating opportunity and improving lives in their home neighborhoods.” Solomon concluded, “What we’re trying to achieve here is a fundamental reimagining of public safety. How do we expand the pool of resources so that community investments begin to approach the scale provided for the justice system?... At OJP, we are using the levers we’ve got to strengthen – to invest in – to support – the role of community as co-producer of safety and justice. Let us broaden our coalition and build out the community ecosystem so that it is a central and lasting part of our public safety infrastructure.” The Square One Project event was moderated by Executive Director Katharine Huffman and also featured a panel discussion with Pastor Michael McBride of LIVE FREE USA, Jocelyn Fontaine of the Black and Brown Collective for Community Solutions to Gun Violence, Jawanna Hardy of Guns Down Friday and Chief Ernie Cato, a longtime veteran of the Chicago Police Department who is now with the Illinois Department of Corrections. Roundtable on Supporting Communities as Co-Producers of Safety and Justice Assistant Attorney General Solomon and Public Welfare Foundation President and CEO Candice Jones co-hosted a roundtable that brought together community leaders and philanthropic partners from across the country to identify opportunities to better support community-based organizations as key partners in the public safety infrastructure. The roundtable offered a forum for OJP leadership and philanthropic partners to hear directly from organizations on the front lines of addressing violence and other criminal justice issues, with the goal of identifying opportunities to better support and strengthen the community’s role as co-producer of safety and justice. The CBOs who participated in the roundtable represented a wide range of community-based work, including efforts to respond to and end domestic, sexual and community violence; divert youth from the juvenile justice system; and support reentry outcomes. New Funding Opportunities and Other Resources Assistant Attorney General Solomon wrote a recent blog post about the tangible ways that OJP is working to advance the new mission statement and support communities as co-producers of justice. For example, the Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking a training and technical assistance provider to support justice-focused CBOs that will primarily work with historically marginalized and underserved communities, including rural communities. The provider will help remove barriers to applying for OJP funding, while also enhancing the quality of services provided to communities disproportionality impacted by crime, delinquency, victimization and violence. In addition, OJP is working to make solicitations more streamlined and clearer for potential applicants. The Office for Victims of Crime, for instance, is seeking to fund organizations that provide for the basic needs of crime victims , such as transportation, temporary and transitional housing, clothing, food and other items necessary for their well-being, healing or safety. This funding opportunity presents the information in simple, clear language, with an option to submit a project plan instead of a written project narrative and abstract. The project plan can be submitted through written answers to a questionnaire, a video describing the plan or a live oral presentation to OVC via video meeting. Additional funding opportunities include the Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative , which aims to prevent and reduce violent crime in communities; Second Chance Act programs designed to improve reentry education and employment outcomes and incubate community-based reentry programs ; community-based approaches to prevent and address hate crimes ; the development of community-based continuums of care for youth at risk of becoming or already involved in the juvenile justice system; the BJA Visiting Fellows Program , which invests in current and future leaders in the criminal justice field and encourages those with lived experience to apply; and the OVC Human Trafficking Fellowship Program , which will assist the anti-trafficking field in identifying and promoting culturally responsive service models and activities, and encourages those with lived experience to apply. About the Office of Justice Programs The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime and SMART Office – can be found at www.ojp.gov .


title: New Jersey Men Sentenced for Roles in ‘Ghost Gun’ Trafficking Network

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – Several members of a gun manufacturing and trafficking network in Passaic and Hudson counties have been sentenced to prison terms for weapons offenses related to the fabrication and sale of personally made firearms (PMFs), commonly known as “ghost guns,” and other offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Corey Jenkins Jr., 31, of Paterson, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release; Richard Mullane, 27, of Bayonne, New Jersey, was sentenced on June 5, 2024, to 72 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release; and Savion Clyburn, 21, of Paterson, was sentenced on May 30, 2024, to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The defendants previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to one count of conspiracy to engage in unlicensed dealing of firearms and one count of engaging in unlicensed dealing of firearms. In addition, Jenkins pleaded guilty to one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and Mullane pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. According to documents filed in the cases, and statements made in court: Beginning in December 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with state and local law enforcement agencies, began investigating a firearms trafficking network, operating largely in Paterson and Bayonne, that included Clyburn, Jenkins, and Mullane, among others. During December 2022 and January 2023, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases which resulted in the recovery of over a dozen firearms. Law enforcement recovered additional firearms during the execution of search warrants on Jan. 30, 2023, including a loaded PMF that Jenkins threw out of a window of his home upon realizing that law enforcement was nearby. While examining electronic devices seized from Mullane’s home on Jan. 30, 2023, pursuant to a court-authorized warrant, law enforcement officers discovered more than 600 images of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of ATF, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti in Newark; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Acting Sheriff Gary F. Giardina; the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office; under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes; the Passaic Police Department, under the direction of Chief Luis A. Guzman; and the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Officer in Charge Isa Abbassi, with the investigation leading to the sentencings. He also thanked the Elizabeth, Plainfield, Hillside, Bayonne and East Orange police departments, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the New Jersey State Police, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.


title: The Office of the Pardon Attorney Releases New Presidential Pardon Application

component: Office of the Pardon Attorney

body_text: The Office of the Pardon Attorney (Pardon) today released a new version of its application for presidential pardons. The new pardon application is the culmination of a year-long collaboration with the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) to make the application more user-friendly and accessible. A pardon can help those who have completed their federal sentences receive relief from the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction. Pardon and ATJ engaged with applicants, stakeholders and advocates to receive and incorporate their valuable feedback. Pardon and ATJ used a people-centered approach and best practices in form design to align with access to justice principles and research. The revisions are part of a department-wide effort to expand access to justice by simplifying public-facing forms and documents, consistent with the recommendations described in the 2022 and 2023 Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Reports. Notable changes to the pardon form include: Eliminating the requirement for notarized signature pages, to reduce the burden on applicants and their character references; Asking for less information about applicants’ histories, to streamline the application and make it easier to complete; Reducing legal jargon and implementing plain language throughout; and Adding user-focused resources, including enhanced instructions and explanations, a checklist for completion and a table of contents. “I am very excited to announce the launch of our new-and-improved pardon form, which greatly simplifies and improves the user experience,” said Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer. “It is an important piece of Pardon’s broader efforts to simplify and demystify the clemency process. It is vital that we take data-driven and forward-thinking steps to maintain a clemency process that is accessible and user-friendly. Along with our community outreach and educational visits to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, this form shows our ongoing commitment to the public to reduce the burden of applying for clemency.” If your application for pardon is already pending, you do not need to resubmit using the new form. Pardon will continue to process any application received using either form. To learn more about the work and outreach of the Office of the Pardon Attorney, visit Office of the Pardon Attorney | Office of the Pardon Attorney (justice.gov) .


title: Federal Grand Jury Indictment Charges Money Laundering, Obstruction, and Falsifying Documents

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on June 4, 2024, charging money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, obstruction of government proceedings, and falsifying documents related to a federal investigation. Three Louisville residents were charged in the indictment. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, made the announcement. According to the indictment, Joseph Lanham , 41, Laura Lanham , 64, and Richard “Ricky” Elble II , 43, between April 2016 and May 2023, conspired to launder proceeds from Joseph Lanham’s drug trafficking operation, primarily through real estate transactions and other large purchases made with drug money. Joseph Lanham is also charged with four counts of money laundering for conducting transactions over $10,000 with criminal proceeds, one count of obstruction of government proceedings, namely administrative asset forfeiture proceedings, and one count of falsifying documents related to a federal investigation. Laura Lanham is also charged with one count of money laundering for conducting transactions over $10,000 with criminal proceeds. On June 6, 2024, Laura Lanham and Joseph Lanham each made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Elble made his initial appearance on June 7, 2024. If convicted, Joseph Lanham faces a maximum sentence of 85 years in prison, Laura Lanham faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and Elble faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Jeffersontown Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Louisville Metro Police Department, and the Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne E. Keel and Erin G. McKenzie are prosecuting this case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Two Honduran Nationals Arrested In Charlotte County

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrests and filing of criminal complaints charging Noe Armando Melendez-Amador (35, Honduras) and Carlos Damian Acosta-Melendez (28, Honduras). Both were arrested in Charlotte County, Florida, on June 7, 2024. Melendez-Amador has been charged with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Acosta-Melendez has been charged with illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien and prior convicted felon and faces up to 10 years in federal prison. According to the complaints and court records, an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent negotiated with Melendez-Amador to purchase approximately 15,000 pills of fentanyl. Melendez-Amador then traveled from Denver, Colorado, to Charlotte County, Florida, accompanied by Acosta-Melendez to conduct the drug transaction with the undercover agent. Upon their arrival, both were arrested, and the drugs were seized. The pills, which weighed nearly four pounds in total, bore the counterfeit marking “M 30,” giving them the appearance of pharmaceutical grade oxycodone pills. A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Customs and Border Protection. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael V. Leeman and Trenton Reichling.


title: Lee County Man Sentenced To Prison For $1.35 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Evan Graves (40, Alva) to 18 months in federal prison for committing wire fraud in connection with a $1.35 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme. The court also ordered Graves to forfeit approximately $1,355,600 and five Fort Myers properties he purchased or funded using proceeds of his fraud. Graves entered a guilty plea on December 13, 2023. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted to provide immediate financial assistance to individuals, families, and organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to offer Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to court documents, between June 20 and July 23, 2020, Graves electronically submitted 10 EIDL applications to the SBA on behalf of his various Fort Myers-based companies. In each EIDL application, Graves falsely represented his companies’ number of employees, gross revenues, and lost rental income due to the COVID-19 disaster to qualify for large loan amounts and advance funding. In total, Graves’s fraudulent representations caused the SBA to approve his 10 loans and deposit approximately $1.35 million into bank accounts controlled by Graves. Following disbursement of the EIDL funding, Graves unlawfully used the money to pay off personal credit card debt, fund personal investment accounts, satisfy mortgages, and purchase real estate. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Simon Eth and Suzanne Nebesky.


title: Jerry Wayne Asbill Sentenced To Life In Prison For Aggravated Sexual Abuse

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Wayne Asbill, age 42, of Adair County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment for two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. The terms will be served concurrently. The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office. On May 10, 2023, a federal jury convicted Asbill on two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse. At trial, the Government presented evidence that in November of 2018, Asbill sexually assaulted a child he knew to be under the age of 12. The crimes occurred in Adair County, on the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “Mr. Asbill’s crimes were abhorrent and morally reprehensible,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Kaplan of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Thanks to the bravery of the victim who came forward, and the tenacity of the investigators and the prosecution team, we were able to achieve some measure of justice in this case. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will never waver in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our population – our children.” “The despicable crimes perpetrated upon this child warrant the life sentences imposed by the Court,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Violent crime in Indian country remains a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office, and through continued cooperative efforts of our local, state, Tribal, and federal law enforcement partners, we are committed to seeking justice for victims and holding offenders like Asbill accountable.” The Honorable Kea W. Riggs, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Asbill will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: Three Essex County Men Indicted for Gunpoint Robbery of Orange, New Jersey, Pharmacy

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Three Essex County, New Jersey, men were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their role in a January 2024 gunpoint robbery of a pharmacy in Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Reginald Ware, 54, Nyiron Williams, 22, and Jamon Crosby, 35, all of Newark, are charged in a three-count indictment with conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Ware, Williams and Crosby, who were previously charged by complaint and were detained, will be arraigned on a date to be determined. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Jan. 16, 2024, Ware, Williams, and Crosby drove together to a pharmacy and then entered the pharmacy within minutes of each other while wearing black masks. Once inside the pharmacy, Ware and Williams each brandished a handgun and demanded money. Crosby then entered the pharmacy, brandished a handgun, and the three men demanded that the store employees hand over their cell phones. Ware, Williams and Crosby then took cash and at least 10 bottles of prescription medication. Once they noticed that law enforcement had arrived, Ware, Williams and Crosby ran out of the store toward a parking lot. Ware was immediately apprehended in the parking lot, Williams was apprehended approximately two blocks away, and Crosby was apprehended after breaking into a nearby residence. The handguns that Ware and Williams brandished during the robbery were recovered by law enforcement. The count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and in this case, a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison for Williams and Crosby, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison for Ware because he was previously convicted of the same crime in 2012 in connection with four gunpoint robberies of pharmacies in New Jersey. The sentence on this charge must be consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery and Hobbs Act Robbery counts each carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, and members of the Orange Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Todd Warren, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Douek of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Threatening and Harassing Interracial Couple and Obstructing Justice

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today for threatening an interracial couple via Facebook Messenger in January 2021, and to attempting to prevent the couple from reporting the threats and harassment to law enforcement. Stephen M. DeBerardinis, 48, of Boston and Dedham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 90 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2024, DeBerardinis pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting in interstate commerce threats to injure a person; one count of tampering with a witness and victim by intimidation, threats, and corrupt persuasion; and one count of tampering with a witness and victim by harassment. “The toxic brew of racist hate, threats of violence and use of social media to amplify vile and violent attitudes is a corrosive danger to every law-abiding member of our community. The nearly eight-year sentence imposed on this defendant should send a message that when you engage in hate crimes, there is a serious price to be paid. This defendant’s horrifying and vicious threats were not only imperiled the safety and well-being of the victims here, but they were also a broadside attack on the values of equality and respect that our nation upholds. This office is deeply grateful for the victims’ courage to report this incident to law enforcement and assist us in prosecuting this important case,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Hate crimes and acts of intimidation have no place in our society. Our office will continue to work tirelessly to combat hate crimes and to foster an environment where every member of our community can live without fear of violence or discrimination.” “Stephen DeBerardinis is a career criminal with multiple felony convictions who continued to demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law by sending a series of horribly racist, hate-motivated threats of brutal violence to an interracial couple he had never met,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “It’s time to stop this defendant from committing further harm, and today’s sentence does exactly that. It also serves as a warning to other repeat offenders that the FBI and our partners will continue to root out and bring to justice anyone who is intent on threatening violence based on racism or bigotry.” In late December 2020, the victims, a white woman and a Black man, announced their engagement on Facebook and included photographs of themselves. DeBerardinis, who did not know the couple personally, could view the announcement and photographs because he was a friend of one or more of the victims’ Facebook friends. On Jan. 6, 2021, DeBerardinis, using his own Facebook account, used Facebook Messenger to send the couple a series of threatening and harassing messages. For example, DeBerardinis wrote, “EWWWWWWWW YOUR A N***** F***** F****** DIRTY A** WHITE TRASH,” and continued with similar messages. When the couple messaged DeBerardinis that they were reporting him to law enforcement, he sent them a message that said, “SNITCHES GET STITCHES” with a picture of brass knuckles. DeBerardinis also threatened, “Read up more on me lol… you will see how me and my crew burn n*****s alive,” and “And white whores like you well [sic]…. get rape and killed THAN [sic] we cut off body parts and mail them to your family lol.” The victims reported the incident to local police, who contacted federal law enforcement. According to court filings, a subsequent investigation revealed DeBerardinis’ extensive criminal record of more than 100 arrests over the past 24 years, including prior state convictions for threats, intimidation, false reports of a crime, impersonation of a police officer, and larceny, among other crimes. The investigation also revealed that in September 2021, months after his Facebook threats to the interracial couple, DeBerardinis threatened a journalist who wrote an unflattering article about his involvement in a protest where he was seen trying to punch protestors at a rally. In addition, DeBerardinis’ Facebook account contained multiple posts of race motivated, hate filled speech and white supremacist symbolism: During a search of his residence, over 70 knives, 22 brass knuckles, swords, bullets, black powder for guns, stun guns, rifles and a number of other weapons were recovered. According to court filings, the investigation located photos of weapons posted on DeBerardinis’ Facebook. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Nadine Pellegrini, Chief of the National Security Unit, prosecuted the case.


title: Windsor Woman Admits Providing Smuggled Narcotics to Inmate at Pennsylvania Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SAMANTHA ELLIS, 34, of Windsor, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to providing contraband to an inmate at a federal prison in Pennsylvania. According to court documents and statements made in court, Tyshawn McDade was serving a term of incarceration at the U.S. Penitentiary in Allenwood, Pennsylvania (USP Allenwood). On November 12, 2022, Ellis smuggled a small blue balloon containing approximately 20 packaged strips of Suboxone Sublingual Film, which is a Schedule III controlled substance and narcotic, into USP Allenwood’s visiting room and provided the contraband to McDade. McDade then swallowed the balloon. A corrections officer noticed what occurred and immediately ended the visit, and the exchange was captured on video. On September 28, 2023, a federal grand jury in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, returned an indictment charging McDade and Ellis with the offense. The case against Ellis was subsequently transferred from the Middle District of Pennsylvania to the District of Connecticut for further prosecution. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for September 3, at which time Ellis faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. She is released on a $10,000 bond pending sentencing. As to McDade, an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard of the District of Connecticut and Geoffrey W. MacArthur of the Middle District of Pennsylvania.


title: Houstonian convicted for sending death threats to U.S. senator

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A federal judge has returned a guilty verdict against a local man for making threats to injure a U.S. senator, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal, after careful deliberation, found Issac Ambe Nformangum, 24, guilty on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure following a two-hour stipulated bench trial. Nformangum called the senator’s office from his cellular phone and left a lengthy threatening message. He stated the senator would be found and killed. The court heard evidence that Nformangum made a direct threat intended for the senator in which he disregarded the extent of the seriousness of his words. “Nformangum called the office of a U.S. senator and made threatening comments.” said Hamdani. “It was a frightening call. This is never acceptable, and the Southern District of Texas will always seek to hold actors like Nformangum to account for their actions, to deter others like him, to protect the rule of law and to ensure a safe environment for all public servants. Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that dedication.” “You can criticize, refute and disagree with someone’s political view or vote, but you don’t get to threaten an elected official with violence just because you don’t like their political platform,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston field office. “Those actions are not protected under the Constitution. On the contrary, as Mr. Nformangum found out, they’re a crime.” Judge Rosenthal has set sentencing for Oct. 2. At that time, Nformangum faces up five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. FBI-Houston conducted the investigation with assistance from the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Imperato and Craig M. Feazel are prosecuting the case.


title: Houston resident heads to prison for armed robbery of local Waffle House

body_text: HOUSTON – A 32-year-old man has been sentenced for Hobbs Act robbery and related firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Deonta Rashawn Brown pleaded guilty March 7. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Brown to serve 162 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Brown must also pay restitution to the victims. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the traumatic impact Brown’s crime had on his victims. At the time of the plea, Brown admitted to aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting use, carry and brandish of a firearm during a crime of violence. On Oct. 24, 2019, Brown robbed a Waffle House restaurant in the 1200 block of Wilson Road in Houston with Fabian Bradley. Bradley brandished a pistol during the attack. Together, the two stole an employee’s mobile phone and a small amount of cash from the restaurant. This robbery was one of three that law enforcement believe the duo committed that night – including another Waffle House restaurant and a gas station convenience store. The three robberies occurred within approximately one hour of each other, beginning at 10:57 p.m. and ending shortly after midnight. The robbery locations appeared to have been carefully chosen in either a low-traffic area or close to I-69 – which would allow the co-conspirators to make a quick getaway from each scene. Bradley, 22, also pleaded guilty and previously received a sentence of 168 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Brown 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 along with police departments in Humble and Houston. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ganz and Joseph Porto prosecuted the case.


title: Gresham Man Caught Selling Drugs to Minors Online Faces Federal Charges

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Gresham, Oregon man is facing federal charges today after he was caught using Telegram, an encrypted messaging service, to sell various controlled substances to minors. Timothy Jeffrey Monahan, 31, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. “Drug trafficking has had an alarming impact on children in our communities. We thank the FBI, Clackamas County Interagency Task Force, and all our law enforcement partners for their continued focus on holding accountable individuals that target children,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. According to court documents, early in 2024, law enforcement obtained information that an individual, later determined to be Monahan, was allegedly using Telegram to advertise the sale of various illegal narcotics including cocaine, LSD, ketamine, DMT, psilocybin mushrooms, and various marijuana and vaping products. Monahan is alleged to have used the Telegram usernames “Thepdxyokai” and “Yokai” to advertise and broker the sale of narcotics and used an adult drug runner to deliver the drugs to customers on his behalf. On June 7, 2024, investigators executed federal search warrants on Monahan’s residence and vehicle wherein they located and seized quantities of cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms, two loaded firearms, drug packaging materials and scales, and more than $106,000 in cash. After he was placed under arrest, Monahan admitted to operating the Telegram accounts located by investigators to sell narcotics to a customer based composed mostly of minors. Monahan further admitted to trading controlled substances in exchange for sex acts or sexually explicit photos from his customers. Monahan made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). CCITF is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.


title: Laguna Niguel Man Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Shoot Down Orange County Sheriff’s Department Helicopter After Birthday Party

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he repeatedly fired a rifle at an Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter after his birthday party acrimoniously ended earlier this year. Justin Derek Jennings, 39, of Laguna Niguel, is charged with one count of attempting to damage, destroy, or disable an aircraft. Jennings was arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana and pleaded not guilty to the charge against him. A federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond and scheduled an August 5 trial date in this matter. According to court documents and the indictment that a grand jury returned on June 5, Jennings and his family were celebrating his birthday party on March 9. Jennings allegedly had been drinking and became enraged. As his outburst escalated, family members in attendance left the home. After most of his family left, Jennings allegedly removed a rifle from his gun safe and fired an entire magazine worth of ammunition inside the home. The rest of Jennings’ family fled and reported the incident to law enforcement. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department responded with several deputies and a police helicopter that flew in circles around the area. Jennings allegedly then went to the home’s second story and began shooting a rifle upwards in the sky, firing only when the helicopter was visible to him. The shooting continued intermittently for at least 20 minutes, court documents state. After speaking with an Orange County sheriff’s deputy, Jennings exited the residence and surrendered. During a search of Jennings’ residence, law enforcement seized two revolvers, two handguns, and two rifles along with multiple rounds of ammunition. Bullet casings were scattered throughout the floor and law enforcement also seized two magazines and a box of ammunition that was on a couch beneath the window from where Jennings allegedly fired. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Jennings would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office charged Jennings in connection with this incident, but dismissed the case so the federal case against him could proceed. The FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin J. Campbell of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: Two Hudson County, New Jersey, Men Charged with Drug Offenses in Connection with Jersey City Street Gang

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two Hudson County, New Jersey, men have been charged in connection with their respective roles in a Jersey City neighborhood street gang that distributed cocaine and heroin, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Anthony Phillips, aka “Ant,” aka “Little Ant,” 31, of Jersey City, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court on June 6, 2024, and was detained. Phillips was charged by complaint on April 30, 2024, with conspiring with Shannon Tisdale, aka “Doonk,” 32, of Jersey City, New Jersey, to distribute heroin and cocaine. Phillips was also charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Phillips pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter on June 11, 2015, in Hudson County Superior Court, New Jersey in connection with shooting and killing an individual in Jersey City. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Phillips was released from the Department of Corrections under parole supervision on March 14, 2024. Tisdale appeared before U.S. Magistrate Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on May 17, 2024, and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In December 2023, law enforcement began investigating individuals distributing narcotics in the area of Lexington and Bergen avenues in Jersey City, including members and associates of “Lex Mob,” a neighborhood street gang. On April 24, 2024, law enforcement observed Tisdale and Phillips distributing controlled substances in the Lexington Area. Law enforcement attempted to arrest Tisdale and Phillips, who both initially ran when law enforcement approached them. During the pursuit of Phillips, law enforcement observed Phillips remove and discard a firearm. Immediately after discarding the firearm, Phillips was apprehended. During a search of Phillips’s person, law enforcement recovered 12 orange containers of suspected cocaine and 13 orange glassine bags of suspected heroin. Law enforcement recovered the firearm that Phillips had discarded. That firearm was loaded with eight rounds of ammunition. On the count of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, Phillips faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. On the count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Phillips faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, which must run consecutively to any other prison sentenced imposed. On the count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances crime, Phillips and Tisdale each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, 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 Megan Linares of the Organized Crime/Gang Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. phillipstisdale.complaint.pdf


title: Two Individuals Plead Guilty to Health Care Fraud Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A former doctor and her wife pleaded guilty today to crimes involving the medical practice they ran in north Alabama for many years. United States Attorney Prim Escalona, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer, and Special Agent in Charge Tamela Miles of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General Atlanta Region made the announcement. Francene Aretha Gayle, 50, of Apopka, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District. Judge Liles Burke to five counts of unlawful drug distribution, one count of health care fraud conspiracy, and one count of wire fraud conspiracy. Gayle’s wife, Schara Monique Davis, 48, also of Apopka, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud conspiracy. According to the defendants’ plea agreements, between about 2014 and early 2020, Gayle was a doctor who operated a multi-clinic practice in Huntsville, Athens, and Killen. Davis owned the practice and served as business manager. In 2019, the Killen clinic shut down. In March 2020, the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission revoked Gayle’s license, and the other two clinics closed shortly after that. Gayle admitted that she had unlawfully distributed drugs, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone. Gayle and Davis both admitted to having conspired to commit health care fraud for several years by billing insurers for office visits under Gayle’s name even when she did not see the patients, was not in the same building, and sometimes was not in the same town. The defendants knew that the billing scheme was fraudulent. In 2015, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama audited the practice and discovered that Gayle was absent, other staff were seeing patients, and yet all office visits were being billed under Gayle’s name. Blue Cross flagged the issue, and Gayle promised it would stop. Instead, the practice continued fraudulently billing insurers for office visits for the next four years. In total, between 2015 and 2020, Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross paid more than $2.3 million for office visits billed under Gayle’s name. Gayle and Davis both also admitted to having conspired to commit wire fraud. In March 2020, based on concerns about her prescribing and billing practices, Gayle’s Alabama medical license was revoked. Months later, Gayle and Davis applied for and obtained more than $450,000 in COVID-19 disaster relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Those funds were designed to stabilize businesses struggling because of the pandemic. In their funding applications, Gayle and Davis certified that their medical practice needed the money because of economic uncertainty or injury caused by the pandemic. In reality, Gayle and Davis’s practice had closed, and they used COVID-19 funds they received on other things. The maximum penalty for unlawful drug distribution is twenty years in prison. The maximum penalty for health care fraud conspiracy is ten years in prison. The maximum penalty for wire fraud conspiracy is twenty years in prison. The FBI, DEA, and HHS-OIG investigated the case. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office provided exceptional investigative assistance after the Alabama Medicaid Agency’s Program Integrity Division initiated the case and referred it. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J.B. Ward and Ryan Rummage are prosecuting the case.


title: Cedar Rapids Woman Involved in Methamphetamine Conspiracy Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A woman who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 12 years in federal prison. Brandy Herman, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 7, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and three counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Herman was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for mailing methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service. Herman received multiple packages to her address in Cedar Rapids containing methamphetamine from California on behalf of one of her co‑conspirators. In addition, Herman and one of her co-conspirators utilized Herman’s daughter’s address to receive packages from California that contained methamphetamine. Herman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Herman was sentenced to 145 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Herman is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-91. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: California Man Involved in Methamphetamine Trafficking Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison. Alan Sanchez, age 32, from San Jacinto, California, received the prison term after an October 23, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Sanchez was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for mailing methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service. Sanchez mailed packages that contained many pounds of methamphetamine on behalf of the drug trafficking organization. Sanchez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Sanchez was sentenced to 76 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Sanchez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-91. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Ada Resident Pleads Guilty To Assault With A Dangerous Weapon

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Curtis Ray McClendon, III, age 41, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. On January 9, 2024, McClendon was indicted on the charge. The Government Indictment alleged that on November 6, 2023, McClendon assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, with intent to do bodily harm. The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, which is within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department, and the Ardmore Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. McClendon will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Lookout Mountain Man Indicted For Sexual Exploitation Of Children

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - On June 5, 2024, a federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a three-count indictment against James C. Thompson, 71, of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, for transporting minors with the intent to engage in sexual activity. Thompson appeared in court today before the Honorable United States Magistrate Judge Christopher H. Steger and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He is in custody pending trial, which has been set for August 12, 2024, in United States District Court, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, before the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, United States District Judge. The indictment alleges that Thompson transported minors in interstate commerce intending to engage in sexual activity with them in November and September 2000. If convicted, Thompson faces a maximum term of 15 years in prison, up to a $350,000 fine, and 3 years on supervised release. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement. The FBI believes there may be additional victims and is attempting to identify them. Potential victims most likely include males who were between the ages of 10 and 15 and may have been involved in various youth wrestling programs or youth hunting organizations. They or anyone else who believes that they were victimized by Thompson, or anyone who may have information about potential victims fitting this description can contact the Chattanooga FBI Office at 423-265-3601 or report it at tips.fbi.gov . This indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jackson County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office, and the Lookout Mountain, Tennessee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Brooks represents the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc or for more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources." Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. ###


title: New Bedford Man Charged With Stealing Over $450,000 in Veterans’ Disability Benefits

body_text: BOSTON – A New Bedford man has been charged with stealing over $450,000 in disability benefits issued by the United States Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) intended for a 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Joseph Smith, 71, was charged with one count of theft of government benefits and one count of conspiracy to steal government benefits. Smith is currently in custody on unrelated charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at 12:30 p.m. on June 11, 2024. According to the charging documents, shortly after the victim’s ALS diagnosis in August 2015, the VBA approved the victim’s application for disability benefits and awarded him approximately $8,318 in monthly payments. The VBA began issuing payments in September 2015 via monthly checks mailed to the victim’s former residence in New Bedford, where he had resided with Smith’s relative and others prior to hospitalization. It is alleged that between approximately 2015 and 2020, while the victim was hospitalized for ALS, Smith and others received monthly VBA disability checks intended for the victim and deposited those checks into bank accounts they controlled. Smith allegedly first deposited the disability checks into a bank account in his own name and then began depositing the checks into a bank account that he and others fraudulently opened in the name of victim. Shortly after depositing the disability checks, Smith allegedly withdrew the funds in cash and used the money for personal expenses. In total, between in or around 2015 and 2020, Smith and others allegedly stole more than $450,000 in VBA disability benefits intended for the victim. “80 years ago this week, incredibly brave members of our military stormed the beaches of Normandy to save Europe. Every citizen owes a debt of gratitude to the veterans who have served our country. It is beyond the pale to steal disability payments that were intended for a 20-year military veteran facing a life-threatening disease, as is alleged here. The immorality exposed by the criminal justice system is, at times, simply stunning,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “It is difficult to imagine a financial crime more despicable than one alleged to have targeted a vulnerable member of our community. But targeting a vulnerable person who proudly served our nation is exactly that ‘difficult to imagine’ offense. The Postal Inspection Service, working with our law enforcement partners is committed to identifying these predators and bringing them to justice,” said Ketty D. Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who allegedly steal VA benefits intended for veterans with disabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in pursuing justice in this case.” “We will continue to pursue those who misuse the Social Security number and identities of others for their own personal and selfish gain,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I thank our law enforcement partners for working with us in this investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in prosecuting this case and holding this individual accountable for their alleged conduct.” The charge of theft of government benefits provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to steal government benefits provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, USPIS INC Larco-Ward, VA-OIG SAC Algieri and SSA IG Ennis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Lafayette Man Sentenced to Imprisonment term and ordered to pay $127,667 in Restitution

body_text: HAMMOND – Yesterday, Tyrus Veals, 30, of Lafayette, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to Access Device Fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Veals was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $127,667 to the victims of the offense. According to documents filed in the case, Veals used stolen debit card information to fraudulently obtain at least $127,667 from a bank account belonging to a retired Arizona couple. Veals connected the victims’ debit card to certain online gambling accounts he owned or controlled, enabling him to make regular withdrawals from the victims’ account over the course of approximately 6 months. Veals then moved the stolen funds out of his online gambling accounts in the form of cash withdrawals and deposits into a personal bank account. He ultimately spent the stolen funds on personal expenses including vacation travel and other big-ticket purchases. Veals’ conduct depleted the retirement savings of the victims, one of whom had retired after 40 years of public service. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Indiana Gaming Commission and the Purdue University Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Shares Tips For Increasing Children's Online Safety During The Summer Months

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – During the summer months, the internet can be an essential tool for children and families, as digital technology can provide educational material and entertainment for kids while helping them stay connected with friends and classmates. At the same time, increased online presence, if unmonitored, may expose children to potentially adverse effects, including predatory individuals and cyberbullying. “Ensuring the safety of the most vulnerable in our society is my Office’s highest priority,” said Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “Protecting children and helping them develop and maintain healthy online behaviors requires a concerted effort by everyone entrusted with the well-being of young people. Our tips and tools can aid parents, guardians, caregivers, and children understand the risks that lurk online and how to stay safe in the digital realm.” Engaging in discussions about online safety with children at an early age and maintaining those conversations over time can help them better navigate the online sphere. The following topics can facilitate conversations about enhancing children’s cyber safety: Elementary School-Age Children: Discuss Internet Safety and Develop an Online Safety Plan for engaging in online activity. Establish clear guidelines, teach children to spot red flags, and reinforce open communication. Review Games, Apps, and Social Media Sites before they are downloaded, paying special attention to apps and sites that feature end-to-end encryption, direct messaging, video chats, file uploads, and user anonymity, which are frequently exploited by online child predators. Make the profile private and teach children NOT to accept requests from people you don’t know in real life. Adjust Privacy Settings and Use Parental Controls for online games, apps, social medial sites, and electronic devices. Extra caution should be used in gaming platforms that can commonly expose children to cyberbullying, scams, predators, and inappropriate content. Supervise Young Children’s Use of the Internet and Gaming Platforms , including periodically checking their profiles and posts. Keep electronic devices in open and common areas and consider setting time limits for their use. Encourage Children to Tell a Parent, Guardian, or Other Trusted Adult if anyone asks them to engage in inappropriate behavior. Middle School and High School-Age Children: Establish the Importance of Online Privacy , by emphasizing the dangers of sharing personal information, photos, and videos online especially in public forums or with people they don’t know in real life. Explain that sharing with friends can also lead to concerns because of re-sharing, and help children understand that once images are posted online, they will remain permanently accessible on the internet. Teach Children About Body Safety and Boundaries , including the importance of saying ‘no’ to inappropriate requests in the physical and the virtual world. Remain vigilant against sextortion schemes that routinely target children using common social media sites, gaming sites, or video chat applications. Develop Healthy Skepticism by encouraging children to challenge the authenticity of what they see and read in online posts, messages, forums, and social media platforms. In particular, urge minors to be wary of online predators using fake accounts to pose as their peers and using fake photos or videos to lure children into sharing pictures and videos of themselves, which can easily lead to a sextortion scheme. Be Alert to Potential Signs of Abuse , including changes in children’s use of electronic devices, attempts to conceal online activity, withdrawn behavior, angry outbursts, anxiety, and depression. Proactively Engage in Discussions About the Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence which can be misused by child predators and others to cyberbully children and produce fake content that looks real. Adolescents and Young Adults: Reinforce Strong Online Habits such as robust passwords, two-factor authentication, using a password manager, and applying routine system updates on devices and operation systems. Build Upon Privacy Lessons with an emphasis on how over-sharing personal information on social media platforms can lead to potential adverse impacts, to include online reputations and cyberbullying. Avoid Dangerous Distractions through the responsible use of devices while driving and remain extra vigilant against device and password theft. Be Vigilant Against Scams prevalent on ads that appear on shopping platforms and other social media sites that can lead to the fraudulent sale of defective or counterfeit items or to non-delivery of purchased items. Protect Against Phishing schemes in texts, emails, and social media posts where fraudsters can impersonate a trusted individual or organization and trick users into providing login credentials, sending money through Cash App, Zelle, or Venmo, or unwittingly installing malware on devices. Immediately Report Suspected Online Enticement or Exploitation of a Child by alerting law enforcement or filing a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or report.cybertip.org . For More Information, Helpful Tools and Additional Resources please visit https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-ceos/keeping-children-safe-online . To Learn More About the U.S. Attorney’s Office Project Safe Childhood initiative go to https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/project-safe-childhood .


title: Virginia Man Charged With Sexual Exploitation Of A Child

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: U.S. Attorney’s Office Requests Public’s Help in Ongoing Investigation MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a grand jury has charged Erich Zeeb, 49, of Roanoke, Virginia, with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Each count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years. “We’re prepared to make our case as part of our ongoing mission to protect children and teenagers from sexual exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “As part of our work to ensure justice and protect victims, I strongly encourage anyone with information about this matter or related criminal acts committed by Erich Zeeb to contact our office.” The indictment, which was unsealed today, alleges that on multiple occasions, Zeeb “employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced” a 15-year-old to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. The indictment further alleges that the conduct occurred in Marquette County in July 2012. “Protecting children from crimes of exploitation is a top priority for HSI in Michigan, around the country, and across the world,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey . “I encourage anyone with information to reach out to law enforcement.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations are continuing to investigate Zeeb. Anyone with information about conduct involving Zeeb should contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, Marquette Branch Office, at 906-226-2500. Zeeb previously lived in Houston, Texas, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Zeeb may have communicated using the following email addresses: ewzeeb@gmail.com ezeebs@gmail.com bzez88@gmail.com doublezeeb@gmail.com erichzeeb@gmail.com twozeebsinapod@gmail.com erichzeeb@yahoo.com Williamzeeb@comcast.net ezeeb@mwbuilders.com Ezeeb@crosslandconstruction.com ezeeb@bellsouth.net Zeeb may also have communicated via social media, including Instagram and Facebook, and dating apps, including WhosHere, Plenty of Fish, and Tinder. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Gang Member Sentenced for Assault on a Federal Correctional Officer

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Cody Todd has been sentenced for assault on a Bureau of Prisons correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia (USP-Atlanta). “This defendant’s pattern of violent behavior continued while he was in custody, resulting in a vicious attack that left a correctional officer seriously injured,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Correctional officers must be permitted to do their jobs without the threat or fear of violence, and those who bring them harm will be prosecuted.” “The FBI has zero tolerance for anyone who uses violence against law enforcement officers,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We will always hold criminals accountable for their actions and will not hesitate to pursue those who repeatedly violate the law, even behind bars.” “Todd’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who threaten or harm our correctional officers will be held accountable,” said Randilee Giamusso, Spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. “The safety of our corrections employees and security of our facilities will always be the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ top priority in our mission to ensure public safety.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On January 28, 2021, Cody Todd assaulted a correctional officer while he was in custody as a pretrial detainee at USP-Atlanta. Todd hit the officer in the face, knocked him to the floor, and then struck the officer several more times while the officer was incapacitated. This assault left the officer with significant injuries. At the time of the assault, Todd was being detained on charges of racketeering activity in connection with his crimes committed as a member of the Ghost Face Gangsters. The racketeering activity included, among other offenses, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and robbery. Todd was separately convicted of conspiracy to commit racketeering and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Todd had also previously been convicted of battery on four separate occasions. Cody Ryan Todd, 34, of Carrollton, Georgia, was sentenced by U. S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert to six years and five months in prison, two years and 11 months of which will be served concurrently with the sentence on his racketeering conviction. Todd was found guilty by a jury on February 1, 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Richard Beaulieu and Alison Prout prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Susquehanna Township Man Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison For Role In Multi-Million Dollar Marijuana Ring

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Laboy, age 40, of Susquehanna Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 9 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for his role in a multi-million dollar marijuana ring. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Laboy previously entered a guilty plea to being a part of a group that received marijuana shipped from sources in California and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The drug trafficking group operated out of Fastlane Auto Sales located on Paxton Street in Harrisburg. Over that time, hundreds of parcels full of marijuana were shipped from California to Harrisburg. The group mailed cash back to California. They used a sophisticated system of GPS tracking devices, which they placed in their parcels, to keep track of their drugs and money. The Fastlane Group learned that a postal employee was stealing their marijuana as it was being secretly shipped through the U.S. Mail. To stop the suspected thief, they shot at a car in Harrisburg, at a home Susquehanna Township, and at home in Steelton. They also robbed and assaulted the postal employee at gunpoint. Judge Wilson found that Laboy was responsible for trafficking between 100 and 400 kilograms of marijuana from 2017 to May 2020. Judge Wilson noted that Laboy was not responsible for the violence associated with the Harrisburg drug trafficking group. Co-defendant Christopher Texidor, age 36 of Harrisburg, had a jury trial and was convicted in May 2024 of drug trafficking and weapons offenses. He is awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant William Kuduk, age 37 of Harrisburg, pled guilty to marijuana trafficking and cocaine trafficking associated with the Fastlane Group. Co-defendant Justin Laboy, age 36, of Harrisburg, pled guilty to marijuana trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to use a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking. Co-defendant Julio Arellano, age 33, of Harrisburg, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to traffic marijuana and conspiracy to use a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking. They are all awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Jonathan Cobaugh, age 25, of Harrisburg, pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and wire fraud related to a pandemic related fraud scheme. He was sentenced to 63 months in prison on May 29, 2024. Co-defendant Jamie Valenzuela, age 32 of Santa Ana, California, pled guilty to being a source of marijuana from California for the conspiracy. He was sentenced to 57 months in prison on February 8, 2024. These cases were investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Susquehanna Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the cases. # # #


title: Arsonist sentenced to federal prison for setting fires in Savannah

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

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man who set fires in Savannah has been sentenced to nearly 13 years in federal prison. Marvin Antwon Williams , 44, of Savannah, was sentenced to 151 months in prison after pleading guilty to Arson, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Fires in an urban area are highly dangerous and potentially devastating to nearby residents,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Fortunately, the Savannah Fire Department’s fast response prevented greater harm, and Marvin Williams is now being held accountable for his criminal acts.” As described in court documents and testimony, Savannah firefighters were called to a vacant home under renovation on 39 th Street on the evening of April 10, 2022, and extinguished a fire on the front porch roof. A short time later, firefighters were called to another fire in a lane near the same home, and while extinguishing that fire were notified that a new fire had started at the same home. Investigators learned that Williams had been staying in the residence without the owner’s authorization, and Williams was later was taken into custody. He pled guilty in February in U.S. District Court to one count of Arson, and at sentencing was designated as a career offender due to a long history of criminal convictions, including multiple crimes of violence or controlled substance offenses. “Arson is an extremely violent crime that not only destroys property but also places firefighters, first responders, and the public at great risk,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “The ATF, along with the Savannah Fire Department Arson Unit and our other law enforcement partners, are committed to ensuring that our communities are safe and that those who commit these dangerous acts are held accountable.” “The Savannah Fire Arson Unit would like to thank the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s office for their assistance in this investigation,” said Fred Anderson Chief Investigator for the Savannah Fire Arson Unit. “Arson is a serious crime that affects the entire community. I’m happy that we were able to remove this arsonist from the community and ensure he will not be able to set any more fires and put more lives in danger.” The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Savannah Fire Department Arson Unit, and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Z. Spitulnik.


title: Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty to Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty yesterday to distributing methamphetamine hydrochloride (“crystal meth”). Vincent Lambert, 41, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In June 2023, Lambert was indicted by a federal grand jury. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2024. In August 2022, Lambert was identified as a supplier of crystal meth in the Boston area by a cooperating source. Lambert distributed 24 grams of crystal meth to the cooperating source in Boston on Feb. 15, 2023. On March 2, 2023, Lambert distributed another 110 grams of crystal meth in Cambridge to the cooperator. On April 4, 2023, Lambert distributed another 83 grams of crystal meth in Dorchester to the cooperator. On June 7, 2023, 1,102 grams of crystal meth, 4,437 grams of butanediol, 100 grams of fentanyl, 43 grams of ketamine, 39 grams of cocaine, and 25 grams of MDMA were seized during a search of Lambert’s residence. In 2017, Lambert was sentenced to 18 months in prison for drug charges out of the West Roxbury District Court. In 2019, Lambert was sentenced to one year in prison for drug charges out of the Cambridge District Court. Later in 2019, Lambert was also sentenced to 3.5-5 years in prison for additional drug charges out of the Suffolk Superior Court. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Hot Springs Man Sentenced To 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Possession

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: HOT SPRINGS – A Hot Springs man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person – Felon. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs. According to court documents, in June of 2020, an Officer with the Hot Springs Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being operated by Carl Lee Tate, Sr , age 44. The Officer determined that Tate was a convicted felon on parole through the State of Arkansas and that Tate had a search waiver on file. The Officer searched Tate’s vehicle and located, among other things, a loaded handgun, methamphetamine, and digital scales. This case was investigated by the Hot Springs Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas. This case was prosecuted as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov .


title: Five Individuals Arrested for Defrauding Medicare of Over $15M Through Sham Hospices and Money Laundering

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Five individuals were arrested yesterday in Los Angeles on criminal charges related to their roles in a years-long scheme to defraud Medicare of more than $15 million through sham hospice companies and then to launder the fraud proceeds. According to an indictment unsealed yesterday, three of the defendants—Petros Fichidzhyan, 43, of Granada Hills, California, Juan Carlos Esparza, 32, of Valley Village, California, and Karpis Srapyan, 34, of Van Nuys, California—allegedly operated a series of sham hospice companies that were purportedly owned by foreign nationals but were in fact owned by the three defendants. The defendants allegedly used the foreign nationals’ identifying information to open bank accounts, to sign property leases, and, by Fichidzhyan, to make phone calls to Medicare, and submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services. In submitting the false claims, the defendants misappropriated the identifying information of doctors, claiming to Medicare that the doctors had determined hospice services were necessary, when in fact the purported recipients of these hospice services were not terminally ill and had never requested nor received care from the sham hospices. In some instances, the defendants falsely claimed that the same beneficiary received services from multiple sham hospices. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan, together with defendants Susanna Harutyunyan, 38, and Mihran Panosyan, 45, both of Winnetka, California, then allegedly laundered the proceeds fraudulently obtained from Medicare. The defendants are alleged to have spent the money on real estate and vehicles, among other things. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. Fichidzhyan and Esparza are also charged with health care fraud. All of the defendants are charged with conspiracy to launder money and money laundering. Fichidzhyan is further charged with making false statements. If convicted, all five defendants face a maximum penalty of at least 40 years in prison. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan face an additional mandatory minimum of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. The charges announced today are the most recent in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Assistant Director in Charge Krysti E. Hawkins of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Eric C. Schmale and Sarah E. Edwards of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tampa Man Indicted For Possessing A Firearm And Ammunition As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Jermonte Jerome Thornton (42, Tampa) with possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted, Thornton faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The indictment also notifies Thornton that the United States intends to forfeit a Diamondback firearm and ammunition used in the commission of the offense. According to the indictment, on or about January 3, 2024, Thornton was in possession of a Diamondback firearm and two rounds of ammunition. Prior to possessing the firearm and ammunition, Thornton had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault or battery, and false imprisonment. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Bradenton Man Indicted For Firearms And Narcotics Offenses

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Terry McDonald, Jr. (31, Bradenton) with possession of firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted on all counts, McDonald faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies McDonald that the United States intends to forfeit a Smith & Wesson firearm and ammunition traceable to the offense. According to the indictment, on or about October 5, 2023, McDonald possessed cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute it. In furtherance of that crime, he also possessed a loaded Smith & Wesson firearm after knowing he had previously been convicted of multiple felonies. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Provides Outreach in Advance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, 2024 and because of the prevalence of financial fraud perpetrated against older adults, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont has joined with its partners at the U.S. Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Diplomatic Security Service to share information and training with the Vermont elder community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners presented information and training at the Charlotte Senior Center on May 15, 2024, the Residences at the Essex on June 6, 2024, and will be presenting at the Shelburne Town Hall on June 24, 2024. First recognized on June 15, 2006, by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) seeks to promote a better understanding of the abuse and neglect suffered by millions of older adults – crimes that are often overlooked or unreported. WEAAD brings attention to the cultural, social, economic, and demographic factors that contribute to elder abuse. “Elder abuse comes in many forms, including physical, emotional, and financial abuse. These threats to older adults demand our attention,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest. “In addition to prosecuting those who take advantage of older adults, participating in outreach and providing useful information to our elder community members is a priority of this office. By doing this work, we can create a safer, more supportive environment for our older Vermonters and ensure that they receive the respect and protection they deserve.” In addition to the outreach efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners, in April 2024, a scam alert issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) warned of fraudsters impersonating SSA OIG agents. In this latest iteration of government imposter scams, fraudsters request victims to meet them in person to hand off cash. Variations of the scam include fraudsters posing as IRS agents demanding money for unpaid taxes, as sheriff’s office deputies threatening arrest for purported outstanding fines, and as prosecutors or court personnel threatening prosecution or jail time for failing to comply with jury duty service. Additional financial schemes targeting older adults are: Tech Support Scams – Convince victims to pay for non-existent computer problems. Non - Delivery Scams – Induce victims to pay for goods or services online, but never receive them or convince victims that additional payment or personal information is required to complete a package delivery. Romance Scams – Lull victims into believing they are in an online romantic relationship and money needs to be sent to pay for a visit to the U.S. or for some other purpose. Grandparent Scams – Dupe victims into thinking that their grandchildren or other relatives are in trouble and need money right away for bail or another emergency. Charity Scams – Solicit donations for fake charities, or by altering or “spoofing” caller IDs to show the name of a real charity on the phone. Lottery Scams – Use phone calls, letters, or emails to convince victims that a large fee or taxes must be paid before they can receive lottery winnings. Debt Collection Scams – Threaten arrest and jail time if payment for a fake debt is not made immediately. Money Mule/Money Laundering Scams – Convince victims to use their bank accounts to quickly move funds in and out of those accounts thereby laundering ill-gotten funds. Timeshare Scams – Target timeshare owners with false promises of resale and exit from their timeshares for a fee. Sham Business Opportunities – Convince victims to invest in lucrative business opportunities or fake investments. Here are some tips on how to avoid falling victim to a financial scam: Don’t share personal or financial information with anyone you don’t know. If the person asking the information claims to be a relative, a friend, someone you know, or a representative of a financial institution or government agency, do not respond right away. Instead, contact the person/entity independently or ask a trusted family member or friend for help. Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning. Don’t click on pop-up ads, messages, or virus warnings. Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls. Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank account information to a stranger or someone who claims to be a relative without verification. Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or lucrative business deals. If you suspect fraud, take the time to talk to a trusted friend or family member. It’s not rude to say, “NO.” Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life. A good rule of thumb is, if it’s too good to be true, it’s likely a scam. And remember, there is no shame in falling prey to an online scammer. These are professional criminals that use tried-and-true tactics to perpetrate fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office urges the public to report suspected elder fraud by calling the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311) or visiting the Elder Justice Initiative at Justice.gov/elderjustice for additional information and resources. If other communities or organizations in Vermont are interested in having the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners provide information and training specific to elder fraud, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 802-651-8298.