title: Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – TIMREK ANDREWS , age 53, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2023 to a violation of the Federal Gun Control Act pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2) announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. The indictment charged ANDREWS in a single count with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Court documents reveal that ANDREWS and a co-defendant were under surveillance by federal agents. When agents approached ANDREWS , they found a firearm on the floorboard of the driver’s seat where he had been previously sitting. ANDREWS is prohibited from possessing a firearm since he had been previously convicted in federal court of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Strauss of the Violent Crimes Unit. * * *


title: Two Maui Men Sentenced for Racially Motivated Attack on White Man

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: WASHINGTON – Two men from the Hawaiian island of Maui were sentenced in federal court for their racially motivated attack on C.K., a white man who was attempting to move into their neighborhood of Kahakuloa. Kaulana Alo-Kaonohi, 33, was sentenced to 78 months in prison. Levi Aki Jr., 33, was sentenced to 50 months in prison. “The defendants in this case nearly killed a man because they believed he did not belong in their neighborhood because of the color of his skin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The law protects everyone in this country from racially motivated violence, and these sentences send a strong message that such violence will not be tolerated.” “No one should suffer the violence, cover up and injustice the defendants wrought in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii. “All persons have a right to freedom from violence motivated by racial hatred, and the Department is committed to ensuring that right is protected in a court of law.” “This horrific violence was motived by nothing other than hate,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill of the FBI Honolulu Field Office. “The FBI is committed to ensuring those who perpetrate such injustices are held accountable and that civil rights are respected and protected for all.” At trial, the evidence showed that the victim, C.K., purchased a house in Kahakuloa and decided to move there with his wife and three daughters after his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and forced to retire. When C.K. arrived in Kahakuloa, he was harassed and threatened by various Kahakuloa residents who told him things like, “This is a Hawaiian village. The only thing coming from the outside is the electricity,” and “You don’t even belong in Hawaii.” On Feb. 13, 2014, when C.K. was unpacking his belongings with his elderly uncle, the defendants, who had never met C.K. before, stormed onto his property and demanded that he pack his things and leave, threatening to “tie [him] up and drag [him]” and make him “go missing” if he did not comply. When C.K. replied that he owned the house, Alo-Kaonohi dragged his index finger along C.K.’s jaw and told him, “Your skin is the wrong f****** color.” Aki then picked up a roofing shovel and handed it to Alo-Kaonohi, who struck C.K. in the head with it, opening up a bloody wound on the back of C.K.’s head. Later on, after C.K. had already begun packing up his possessions, the defendants attacked him a second time. During that attack, Aki head butted C.K. and struck him in the face with the shovel a second time, giving C.K. a concussion and causing him to lose consciousness. When he came to, the defendants were kicking him in the side and broke two of his ribs. During the second attack, one of the defendants said, “no white man is ever going to live here.” At the sentencing hearing, the government introduced evidence that just months after his unprovoked attack on C.K., Alo-Kaonohi committed a similar unprovoked attacked on a whiteskinned man at the Steel Horse Saloon, a bar in Wailuku, Maui. In that attack, Alo-Kaonohi approached the victim from behind, tapped him on the shoulder and then punched him repeatedly in the head until he was unconscious. The victim sustained a large gash on his head that required seven staples to close and suffered permanent brain damage. Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Connors and Special Agent in Charge Merrill made the announcement. The FBI Honolulu Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Thomas for the District of Hawaii and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Covington Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Federal Gun Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA –JESSY AVILA-VENEGAS , age 28, of Covington, Louisiana, was sentenced on March 1, 2023 for five counts of violating the Federal Gun Control Act pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(a)(6) and 924(a)(2). AVILA-VENEGAS was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a total of $500.00 in mandatory special assessment fees, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. The sentence is pursuant to AVILA - VENEGAS’s federal conviction for making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms. On five separate occasions, he falsely represented that he was the true purchaser of the firearm(s) on the required Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) Form 4473. However, he was not the true purchaser and made the transactions on behalf of another person he knew was not eligible to receive a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the Violent Crimes Unit. * * *


title: Two Men Charged with Carjacking, Illegal Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Two men have been indicted for carjacking and firearms violations, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on January 3, 2022, Jordan James Smith, 26, of Ramsey, used force, violence, and intimidation to steal a Nissan Juke. On February 3, 2022, Smith and his co-defendant Carson Thomas McCoy, 21, of Blaine, used force, violence, and intimidation to steal a Honda Accord. During the carjacking, Smith brandished a Glock 21, .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a red and black camouflage slide. In November 2022, McCoy was charged in a federal criminal complaint after stealing a BMW sedan, breaking into a residence in Ham Lake, Minnesota, and stealing various items—including a firearm. McCoy was subsequently involved in a road rage incident and apprehended after fleeing law enforcement. A search of the vehicle revealed the firearm McCoy stole from the residential burglary and numerous other items of contraband. Because Smith and McCoy both have prior felony convictions, they are prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. The indictment charges Smith with two counts of carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. McCoy is charged with one count of carjacking and one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Smith had his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster and was ordered to remain in detention pending further court proceedings. McCoy has been detained since the November 2022 federal complaint. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Blaine Police Department, the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF), and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tompkins County Medical Practice Pays $70,377 to Resolve False Claims Act and Controlled Substance Act Allegations Relating to Opioid and Benzodiazepine Prescriptions

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Dr. Howard Silcoff, and his medical practice, Dryden Family Medical Practice, PLLC agreed to pay $70,377 to resolve the United States’ allegations that they prescribed controlled substances for non-legitimate medical purposes, outside the usual course of a professional practice, thereby causing false claims to be submitted to the Medicare program. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Naomi Gruchacz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General’s New York Region (HHS-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division. Under the Controlled Substances Act and analogous New York State law, controlled substances may only be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of a professional practice. Prescribers must regulate the dosage to that which is ordinarily recognized by the medical profession as sufficient for treatment. For the cost of a prescription to be reimbursable by Medicare, the prescription must be medically necessary, and comply with federal and state law. Dr. Silcoff admitted that for more than a decade, he prescribed an average of 35 morphine pills per day to a single patient. He also simultaneously prescribed to the same patient diazepam, also known as valium, which belongs to class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. Dr. Silcoff had been advised by the patient’s Medicare prescription drug carrier, that these medications were potentially contraindicated and that physicians should use caution when concurrently prescribing opioids, such as morphine, with benzodiazepines. Beginning in October 2017, Dr. Silcoff ordered drug urinalysis screens for this patient, which revealed that the patient was using cocaine and unprescribed oxycodone and was inconsistently taking the diazepam. Dr. Silcoff made no changes to the prescription regimen for 17 months, before ultimately initiating the patient on buprenorphine for opioid dependence, pain, and withdrawal symptoms . This settlement resolves the United States’ allegations that the morphine prescriptions were excessive and dangerous to both the patient and the general public, especially in light of concurrent use of diazepam, un-prescribed oxycodone, and cocaine. Because multiple drug screens were negative for benzodiazepines, the United States further contends that a portion of the diazepam prescriptions had no legitimate medical purpose. The $70,377 payment constitutes damages sustained by Medicare when it reimbursed for the prescriptions, and civil penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. This case was investigated by HHS-OIG and DEA Syracuse District Office’s Diversion Group. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Moran represented the United States in this matter.


title: United States Obtains Permanent Injunctions and Civil Penalties in Actions against California, Georgia, and Utah Distributors of Essential Oils and Nutritional Supplements

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced the entry of stipulated orders for permanent injunction and civil penalty judgments against three distributors in relation to their allegedly deceptive COVID-19 claims made when marketing essential oils and nutritional supplements. Tina Wong, a pediatrician based in California, Eliza Johnson Bacot, a nurse practitioner based in Georgia, and Lauren Busch, a former registered nurse based in Utah, each agreed to pay $15,000 in civil penalties and to permanent injunctive relief to resolve allegations involving deceptive COVID-19 claims made in connection with their marketing of essential oils and nutritional supplements. The stipulated orders resolve lawsuits the government filed in the U.S. District Courts for the Central District of California (Wong), Northern District of Georgia (Bacot), and District of Utah (Busch). According to the court filings, the defendants are or were distributors for doTERRA International, LLC, a Utah-based multi-level marketing company that sells essential oils, supplements, and other products. The government alleged that, in public webinars that took place in January 2022, each defendant represented that products promoted and offered for sale prevent, reduce the risk or severity of, or cure COVID-19 and long-haul COVID-19 and counteract purported negative effects of COVID-19 vaccinations. Among the many deceptive claims that the government alleged that defendants made were: that the company’s chewable products help prevent children from contracting COVID-19 (Wong); that inhaling essential oils inhibit spike proteins (Busch) and viral replication (Bacot); that certain essential oils prevent the binding of the virus to human cells and help prevent one from contracting COVID-19 (Wong); that certain of the company’s products minimize inflammation from long-haul COVID-19 (Busch); and that the company’s supplements reduce purported negative health effects of COVID-19 vaccinations (Busch). The government alleged that no published report of any well-controlled human clinical study substantiates defendants’ COVID-19-related claims. The COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act, enacted in December 2020, makes it unlawful, for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, to engage in a deception in commerce associated with the treatment, cure, prevention, mitigation, or diagnosis of COVID 19. Persons who violate the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act may be subject to civil penalties, injunctive relief, and other remedies available under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The stipulated orders bar each defendant from making COVID-19 prevention, treatment, or cure claims for any product or service, except for claims specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Further, the orders require that any disease treatment, mitigation, or cure claims that each defendant makes in connection with the marketing of any food, drug, or dietary supplement be supported by a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled human clinical trial and that competent and reliable scientific evidence substantiate other health benefit and efficacy claims that each defendant makes when promoting or selling any food, drug, or dietary supplement. Each defendant also agreed to be enjoined from misrepresenting the results of any study regarding the efficacy of a food, drug, or dietary supplement. “The Department of Justice remains vigilant in its efforts to stem the deceptive promotion of supposed COVID-19 treatments that have no proven benefits in combatting the disease,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue working with our law enforcement and agency partners to stop those who seek financial gain by peddling unproven cures for COVID-19.” The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) referred these cases and the stipulated orders to the Department of Justice. The cases were handled by attorneys in the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, including Senior Litigation Counsel Christina Parascandola and Trial Attorney Zachary Dietert and Assistant Director Gabriel H. Scannapieco, in conjunction with attorneys at the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection/Division of Advertising Practices. The claims made in the complaints are allegations that the United States would have to prove if the cases had proceeded to trial. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.ftc.gov.


title: Two Defendants Arrested For Stealing Over $1 Million From ATMs Throughout The Bronx

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of a two-count Complaint today charging RAMDEO BALLIRAM and LEONARDO ORTIZ with bank theft and conspiracy to commit bank theft in connection with a years-long scheme in which they stole more than $1 million from Automated Teller Machines (“ATMs”) located in commercial establishments throughout the Bronx. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ were arrested today and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants carried out a calculated scheme for years, stealing over a million dollars from ATMs in businesses throughout the Bronx. The relentless efforts of this Office and our law enforcement partners have finally put an end to the burglaries and thefts allegedly perpetrated by the defendants, and we will continue to be diligent in seeking justice for those affected by these crimes.” NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “For nearly two years, these defendants allegedly targeted multiple small businesses in the Bronx – burglarizing, ransacking, and stealing more than $1 million. Their brazen scheme undermined public safety throughout an entire borough, and today’s complaint is the next step toward holding them accountable for their crimes. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and all the NYPD investigators who worked together to bring charges in this case.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint: [1] From at least in or about March 2021 through in or about January 2023, BALLIRAM, ORTIZ, and another individual (“CC-1”) engaged in a series of at least 23 burglaries of commercial establishments throughout the Bronx, in which they stole over $1 million from ATMs. The burglaries followed a simple pattern: on each occasion, BALLIRAM, ORTIZ, and at least one other individual broke into Bronx small businesses — often bodegas or restaurants — in the middle of the night in order to steal all the cash from the ATM inside the store. In the course of stealing all the cash from the ATMs, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ also ransacked each store, stealing all the cash from the register, cigarettes, lottery tickets, alcohol, and digital video recording systems. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole tens of thousands of dollars in cash and valuables each time. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ serially followed an armored car (“Bank Van-1”) as it refilled ATMs throughout the Bronx on behalf of a particular bank in order to determine which ATMs to target. Once BALLIRAM and ORTIZ learned which ATMs had been refilled, they then traveled to that location to break into the store and steal the cash. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ often used sophisticated tools to break into both the commercial establishments and the ATMs, as pictured below. On the occasion pictured below, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole more than $77,000 from the ATM: On a few occasions, when they were unable to break into the ATM to steal the cash, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole the entire ATM. On at least one occasion, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ also used a stolen vehicle to carry out the scheme. * * * BALLIRAM, 44, of Queens, New York, and Ortiz, 52, of Queens, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank theft, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, and one count of bank theft, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, particularly Detectives of the Bronx Grand Larceny Squad, and the Special Agents and Investigative Analysts of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Delligatti is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.


title: Indictment Names A Dozen Members of A Violent Transnational Criminal Gang In An Alleged RICO Conspiracy

body_text: WASHINGTON – An 11-count indictment, unsealed today, charges 12 members of a violent transnational criminal organization in a Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act conspiracy that included kidnapping, murder, robbery, witness tampering, and drug trafficking. Federal agents with the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), US Marshals Service, and officers of the Metropolitan Police Department arrested one defendant this morning; 11 defendants were previously taken into custody on these or other charges. The charges were announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Divisions, Field Office Director Russ Hott of the ICE-ERO Washington Field Office, the US Marshal Service Washington Office, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Charges include: conspiracy to participate in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, possession and discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States, and tampering with a witness, victim, or informant. (see defendant chart for list of charges pertaining to each) The indictment alleges that the defendants are members of “18th Street,” a violent international street gang who, between at least 2019 and August 2022, in the District of Columbia, District of Maryland, Eastern District of Virginia, District of Delaware and elsewhere, knowingly, and intentionally conspired to conduct and participate, directly and indirectly, in the conduct of the enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity consisting of multiple murders, kidnappings, and other crimes, and financed their enterprise through drug sales, illegal firearm sales, armed robberies, and the collection of dues from members. According to the indictment, members are required to commit acts of violence to further the interests of the gang. These violent acts are often directed against rival gang members, 18th Street members who violate gang rules or otherwise disrespect the gang, and persons who are suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. Additionally, 18th Street members sell and transport narcotics, weapons, and other contraband to generate money to support the gang and its criminal activities. Some of the proceeds of this criminal activity are wired to members of the gang’s leadership in other countries. 18th Street members control geographical areas and use violence to maintain their control. Members of 18th Street are organized into “cliques,” or smaller groups operating within specific cities or regions that all operate under the umbrella rules of 18th Street to include the following: the Tiny Locos Surenos (“TLS”), Los Crazy Brothers (“LCB”), and the Revolucionarios. Defendants Alvarado-Velasquez, Ibarra-Cristales, Maradiaga, Boteo, and Rolando and Andree Martinez-Mora were members and associates of LCB. Defendants Diaz-Lopez, Madrid-Flores, Hernandez-Menjivar, Rodriguez, Guevara-Villatoro, and Vasquez-Izara were members and associates of TLS. The 18th Street gang is highly organized and well structured. It follows initiation rituals, uses specific gang signs, colors and symbols, and requires adherence to and enforcement of specific rules of conduct and payment of dues that are used, in part, to support the gang and its members. 18th Street cliques often work cooperatively to engage in criminal activity and to assist one another in avoiding detection by law enforcement. The indictment further alleges that 18 th Street members engaged in murder, kidnapping, assault, threats of violence, and other crimes in order to: preserve, expand, and protect the power, territory, and reputation of the gang; be promoted within the gang; and punish and discipline members and associates who violate the rules, including improperly associating with rival gang members. For example, on July 14, 2021, members of the TLS and LCB cliques murdered Carlos Ramos Martinez in part due to his association with a rival faction within 18 th Street. In addition, on December 19, 2021, members of the TLS and LCB cliques murdered Danis Alcides Salgado Mata because they believed he was a member or associate of a rival gang. The government is also seeking forfeiture of all any and all assets acquired through the gang’s illegal activities. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves, SAC Jacobs, Field Director Hott, and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement Removal Operations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and the Montgomery County, Maryland State’s Attorney’s Office. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gilead Light, Jack Korba, Christopher Marin, and Will Hart, who are investigating and prosecuting the case. DEFENDANT LIST NAME AGE ADDRESS CHARGES Jose Santos Alvarado-Velasquez 22 Takoma Park, MD RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit VICAR-Murder, VICAR-ADW, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Possession of Firearm – Crime of Violence, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Illegal Alien Gerlin Neptali Diaz-Lopez 21 Washington, DC RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit VICAR-Murder, VICAR-ADW, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Possession of Firearm – Crime of Violence, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Illegal Alien Jose Anselmo Ibarra-Cristales 22 Beltsville, MD RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit VICAR-Murder, VICAR-ADW, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Possession of Firearm – Crime of Violence, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Illegal Alien Carlos Rolando Martinez-Mora 23 Hyattsville, MD RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit VICAR-Murder x2, VICAR-ADW x2, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Possession of Firearm – Crime of Violence x2 Bradley Andree Martinez-Mora 20 Hyattsville, MD RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit VICAR-Murder, VICAR-ADW, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death Jexon Madrid-Flores 21 Boston, MA RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death Sindy Paola Hernandez-Menjivar 19 Woodbury, NJ Witness Tampering Milton Benjamin Guevara-Villatoro 21 El Salvador RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit VICAR-Murder, VICAR-ADW, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death Cesar De La O Rodriguez 19 Washington, DC RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit VICAR-Murder, VICAR-ADW, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Possession of Firearm – Crime of Violence, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Illegal Alien Bryan Delfino Vasquez-Izara 20 Washington, DC RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death Elvis Mauricio Maradiaga 21 Bladensburg, MD RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death Carlos Giovani Linares Boteo 26 Washington, DC RICO-Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit VICAR-Murder, VICAR-ADW, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping Resulting in Death


title: Merrill Woman Sentenced to Prison for Making False Statements During Purchase of Firearms

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ashley Zastrow, 32, Merrill, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 1 year and 1 day in federal prison for making false statements during the purchase of two firearms. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. On January 13, 2022, Zastrow purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids. In order to complete the purchase of these firearms, she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when in fact she was not. An investigation by law enforcement revealed that she purchased these firearms for an individual who accompanied her to the store and provided her with cash at the time of purchase. This offense is known as a “straw purchase.” The person Zastrow provided the firearms is prohibited by law from possessing firearms as a result of previous felony convictions and allegedly used one of the firearms purchased by Zastrow to commit a homicide. In sentencing Zastrow, Judge Conley stated that she made a “disastrous” choice to transfer firearms to a prohibited person and could not ignore the fact that this choice contributed to a woman’s death. Judge Conley also reasoned that a prison sentence was warranted given the defendant’s poor performance on pre-trial release and nominal efforts to confront her methamphetamine addiction. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence. The charge against Zastrow was the result of an investigation conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Merrill Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Marshfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.


title: Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Attempting To Murder Fellow Service Members In Deadly Ambush

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ETHAN PHELAN MELZER, a/k/a “Etil Reggad,” was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information. MELZER planned a jihadist attack on his U.S. Army unit in the days leading up to a deployment to Turkey and sent sensitive details about the unit — including information about its location, movements, and security — to members of the extremist organization Order of the Nine Angles (“O9A”), a white supremacist, neo-Nazi, and pro-jihadist group. MELZER pled guilty on June 24, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist, and jihadist group. He used his membership in the military to pursue an appalling goal: the brutal murder of his fellow U.S. service members in a carefully plotted ambush. By unlawfully disclosing his unit’s location, strength, and armaments to other O9A members and jihadists in furtherance of this ambush, Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers he was entrusted to protect. Today’s sentence makes clear that Melzer’s brazen actions backfired and that this Office — along with our partners in law enforcement and the military — will work tirelessly to bring traitors like Melzer to justice and to protect the safety and integrity of our armed services.” According to the Indictment and other documents in the public record, as well as statements made in public court proceedings: MELZER is a member of O9A. O9A espouses neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, and Satanic beliefs and promotes extreme violence to accelerate and cause the demise of Western civilization. The group has expressed admiration both for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, such as Usama Bin Laden, the now-deceased former leader of al Qaeda. Members and associates of O9A have also participated in acts of violence, including murders. O9A members are instructed to fulfill “sinister” deeds, including “insight roles,” where they attempt to infiltrate various organizations, including the military, to gain training and experience, commit acts of violence, identify like-minded individuals, and ultimately subvert those groups from within. MELZER joined the U.S. Army in approximately 2018 and infiltrated its ranks as part of an insight role to further his goals as an O9A adherent. In approximately October 2019, MELZER deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. While stationed abroad, MELZER consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups, including O9A and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, which is also known as ISIS. For example, MELZER subscribed to encrypted online forums where he downloaded and accessed videos of jihadist attacks on U.S. troops and facilities and jihadist executions of civilians and soldiers, in addition to far-right, neo-Nazi, and other white supremacist propaganda. In approximately early May 2020, the Army informed MELZER that he would be reassigned to a unit scheduled for a further foreign deployment, where the unit would be guarding an isolated and sensitive military installation (the “Military Base”). After he was notified of the assignment, MELZER joined his new unit and attended weeks of training, including classified and unclassified briefings, to prepare for the deployment. As part of this intensive training, MELZER learned details about the purpose, layout, and security of the Military Base. MELZER and his unit also received in-depth training about and practiced for numerous threat scenarios at the Military Base, including how to respond to various potential terrorist attack scenarios. Upon learning the importance and sensitivity of his upcoming deployment, MELZER immediately began passing that information to members of O9A. MELZER secretly used an encrypted messaging application to propose, advocate for, and plan a deadly attack on his fellow service members. MELZER sent messages to members and associates of O9A and, in particular, a sub-group of O9A known as the “RapeWaffen Division,” providing details about his unit’s anticipated deployment including troop movements, relevant dates, locations, armaments, topography, and security, all in connection with the proposed attack on his unit and the Military Base. MELZER and his co-conspirators used this information to plan what they referred to as a “jihadi attack” with the objective of causing a “mass casualty” event victimizing his fellow service members. For example, after describing the unit’s weaponry during the deployment — and providing information consistent with the briefings he had received — MELZER described to his co-conspirators how an attack would “essentially cripple[]” the unit’s “fire-teams.” To further the attack plan, MELZER and his co-conspirators passed these messages to a purported member of al Qaeda. MELZER’s proposed attack evolved as he gathered and distributed additional sensitive information about the deployment. For example, MELZER also promised to leak more information once he arrived at the Military Base — including real-time photographs of the facility and the frequency and channel of U.S. Army radio communications — in order to maximize the likelihood of a successful attack on his unit or on a replacement unit deployed to the Military Base. MELZER told members of O9A in his encrypted electronic communications “[y]ou just gotta understand that currently I am risking my literal free life to give you all this” and that he was “expecting results.” MELZER further acknowledged that he could be killed during the attack and described his willingness to die for O9A’s goals, writing “who gives a fuck [. . .] it would be another war . . . I would’ve died successfully . . . cause [] another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.” MELZER also acknowledged in his messages that he deleted some of the communications regarding the planning of the attack because the plot amounted to treason. * * * In addition to the prison term, MELZER, 24, of Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, along with the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Rome, Italy, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Army Counterintelligence, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, Attorneys from the U.S. Army Africa Office of the Staff Judge Advocate and 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. Mr. Williams also thanked the Counterterrorism Section and the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, as well as the Department’s Office of International Affairs, for their assistance. This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Matthew J.C. Hellman, and Kimberly J. Ravener are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook of the Counterterrorism Section and Scott Claffee of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.


title: Justice Department Sues Jacksonville, North Carolina-based Goines Towing Company For Violating Rights of Servicemembers

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit in the Eastern District of North Carolina alleging that Billy Joe Goines, the owner and operator of Goines Towing & Recovery (Goines), auctioned off, sold or otherwise disposed of motor vehicles owned by servicemembers using court judgments obtained without filing proper military affidavits, in violation of federal law. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides a wide variety of financial and housing protections to members of the military. For example, it requires plaintiffs seeking a default judgment in court to file an accurate military affidavit stating whether or not the defendant is in military service, or that the plaintiff is unable to determine the defendant’s military service status. The SCRA also requires that that towing companies seeking court orders in civil proceedings make a good faith effort to determine whether a defendant is in military service. If it appears that the defendant is in military service, the court may not enter a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff until after it appoints an attorney to represent the interests of the servicemember. The complaint alleges that since at least 2017, Goines disposed of motor vehicles belonging to servicemembers after either failing to file, or filing inaccurate, military affidavits in court proceedings against those servicemembers. The complaint further alleges that Goines filed military affidavits stating that he did not know whether the defendants were in military service even though many of the motor vehicles were originally towed from locations on or near the Camp Lejeune military installation, and there were multiple indications that the vehicles were owned by individuals in military service. “By failing to file, or filing ‘rubber stamp’ affidavits without doing due diligence to determine a vehicle owner’s military service status, this company unlawfully auctioned off, sold, or otherwise disposed of servicemembers’ vehicles in violation of federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “This conduct is especially egregious because many of the vehicles were towed from a military bases, had military decals, patches, and decorations, were financed through lenders geared towards members of the military, and contained military uniforms and paperwork, including orders. This lawsuit helps ensure that these servicemembers receive compensation for these actions and puts all towing companies on notice that such unlawful business practices will not be tolerated.” “Our troops put their lives on the line to secure our freedom, and should never have to deal with unscrupulous tow truck operators unlawfully taking and selling their vehicles,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “Our troops fight for our freedom abroad, and we will zealously fight for their rights here at home. Predatory conduct against members of our military is unacceptable, especially in North Carolina, one of the most military-friendly states in the nation. We stand with our troops, and insist that they be treated with the respect they deserve.” In addition to seeking damages for the aggrieved servicemembers, including the value of the vehicles auctioned, sold or otherwise disposed of by Goines, the Justice Department’s complaint seeks to enjoin the company from failing to file, or filing inaccurate, military affidavits in the future. The lawsuit also seeks a civil penalty. This lawsuit resulted from a referral to the Justice Department from U.S. Marine Corps legal assistance. Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/ . The Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Justice Department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 123,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at www.servicemembers.gov . The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct, and the allegations must be proven in federal court.


title: Fairbanks U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Employee Charged with Fraud, Embezzlement for Falsifying Bank Records and Stealing Over $100,000

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: FAIRBANKS – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Fairbanks U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee with wire fraud and embezzlement of public funds for perpetrating a years-long scheme to steal money from her employer. According to court documents, Kimberly C. Robinson was employed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 2003, and in 2020 was promoted to the role of Budget Analyst in charge of reconciling the budgets for each USFWS regional office. To perform her duties the federal government issued Robinson multiple credit cards to pay for official government expenses and travel. As set out in court filings, from at least 2018 through June 2021, Robinson engaged in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by using her government issued credit cards for unauthorized personal purchases and expenses. She then deleted and altered the unauthorized transactions on the credit card statements submitted to her supervisor for reconciliation to conceal the scheme and to cause USFWS to disburse public funds to pay the credit card balances. According to statements at court proceedings, Robinson embezzled over $100,000 through this scheme. On February 28, 2023, Robinson was arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott A. Oravec in Fairbanks federal court. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of up to 20-years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The United States Department of the Interior, Office of Inspector General is investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Tansey for the District of Alaska is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### usao/ak/23-14


title: Justice Department Announces Application Form for Marijuana Pardon Certificates

component: Office of the Pardon Attorney

body_text: Today, the Justice Department is launching an application for eligible individuals to receive certificate of proof that they were pardoned under the Oct. 6, 2022, proclamation by President Biden. On Oct. 6, 2022 , the President announced a full, unconditional and categorical pardon for prior federal and D.C. offenses of simple possession of marijuana. The President’s pardon lifts barriers to housing, employment and educational opportunities for thousands of people with those prior convictions. President Biden directed the Justice Department to develop a process for individuals to receive their certificate of pardon. The online application will be available on the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s website: Application for Certificate of Pardon . The web form allows eligible persons to submit documentation to the Office of the Pardon Attorney and receive a certificate indicating the person was pardoned on Oct. 6, 2022, for simple possession of marijuana. The President’s pardon, effective Oct. 6, 2022, may assist pardoned persons by removing civil or legal disabilities — such as restrictions on the right to vote, to hold office or to sit on a jury — that are imposed because of the pardoned conviction. The application released today may also be helpful as proof of pardon for those who seek to obtain licenses, bonding or employment. As President Biden said at the time of the proclamation, his action intends to “help relieve the consequences arising from these convictions.” Those who were pardoned on Oct. 6, 2022, are eligible for a certificate of pardon. Consistent with the proclamation, to be eligible for a certificate, an applicant must have been charged or convicted of simple possession of marijuana in either a federal court or D.C. Superior Court, and the applicant must have been lawfully within the United States at the time of the offense. Similarly, an individual must have been a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident on Oct. 6, 2022. Those who were convicted of state marijuana offenses do not qualify for the pardon. The department is committed to carefully and expeditiously reviewing the applications and issuing certificates to those pardoned under the proclamation. For more information regarding eligibility and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit Presidential Proclamation on Marijuana Possession .


title: Former Executive Assistant to Former Mayor of Trujillo Alto Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Accepting Bribes

component: Criminal - Public Integrity Section

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, Radamés Benítez-Cardona, former assistant to the former mayor of Trujillo Alto, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado-Hernández to serve 30 months in prison, announced United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. Benítez-Cardona pleaded guilty on November 30, 2022, and admitted to receiving monthly bribe payments from a municipal waste management contractor, including separate $17,250 cash payments on May 22, 2021, June 12, 2021, and July 25, 2021. “The citizens of Trujillo Alto entrusted the defendant with serving their communities with honesty and integrity -- instead he participated in an illegal scheme and used his position for personal gain,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “Public officials who fail to faithfully discharge the duties of their office, and those who conspire with them, will be investigated, prosecuted, and punished for their actions.” According to court documents, Radamés Benítez-Cardona, enriched himself by accepting bribes and kickbacks in exchange for securing municipal contracts for a waste management contractor as opportunities arose. The scheme required Individual A to pay a $0.75 per house monthly kickback to defendant Benítez-Cardona in connection with Trujillo Alto municipal contract 2018-000004 awarded to Company A for trash pick-up. The monthly kickback amounted to approximately $17,250 for 23,000 houses. In addition, Benítez-Cardona agreed to give a portion of the kickback money to José Luis Cruz-Cruz, the mayor of Trujillo Alto. Cruz-Cruz was sentenced on January 11, 2023, to 24 months in prison for his participation in the bribery scheme. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. These cases are part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo , 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres , 21-464 (RAM); and United States v. Raymond Rodríguez , 21-465 (RAM) ; United States v. Mario Villegas , 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiques , 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintron-Suarez , 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez , 22-221 (PAD); United States v. Pedro Miranda-Marrero, 22-251 (RAM); United States v. Jose Cruz-Cruz , 22-276 (SCC); and United States v. Javier García-Pérez , 22-185 (ADC); United States v. Jose Bou-Santiago , 22-379 (ADC). Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero , 21-474 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez , 22-186 (PAD). An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Attempting for Murder Fellow Service Members in Deadly Ambush

body_text: A Kentucky man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information. Ethan Phelan Melzer, aka Etil Reggad, 24, of Louisville, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information on June 24, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods, who imposed today’s sentence. According to court documents, Melzer planned a jihadist attack on his U.S. Army unit in the days leading up to a deployment to Turkey and sent sensitive details about the unit — including information about its location, movements, and security — to members of the extremist organization Order of the Nine Angles (O9A), a white supremacist, neo-Nazi and pro-jihadist group. “Today’s sentence holds Mr. Melzer accountable for an egregious and shameful act of betrayal against his own military unit and his country,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will use all available resources to disrupt and bring to justice those who would aid foreign terrorist organizations and use violence to harm our men and women in uniform or any American anywhere.” “Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “He used his membership in the military to pursue an appalling goal: the brutal murder of his fellow U.S. service members in a carefully plotted ambush. By unlawfully disclosing his unit’s location, strength, and armaments to other O9A members and jihadists in furtherance of this ambush, Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers he was entrusted to protect. Today’s sentence makes clear that Melzer’s brazen actions backfired and that this office — along with our partners in law enforcement and the military — will work tirelessly to bring traitors like Melzer to justice and to protect the safety and integrity of our armed services.” “Melzer betrayed his fellow soldiers and his country,” said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Americans serving their country overseas should never have to fear a terrorist attack from within their own ranks, and today’s sentence holds him accountable for his deadly plan to attack the brave men and women of the armed forces who protect our nation.” According to court documents, Melzer is a member of O9A. O9A espouses neo-Nazi, antisemitic and Satanic beliefs and promotes extreme violence to accelerate and cause the demise of Western civilization. The group has expressed admiration both for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, such as Usama Bin Laden, the now-deceased former leader of al Qaeda. Members and associates of O9A have also participated in acts of violence, including murders. O9A members are instructed to fulfill “sinister” deeds, including “insight roles,” where they attempt to infiltrate various organizations, including the military, to gain training and experience, commit acts of violence, identify like-minded individuals, and ultimately subvert those groups from within. Melzer joined the U.S. Army in approximately 2018 and infiltrated its ranks as part of an insight role to further his goals as an O9A adherent. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. While stationed abroad, Melzer consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups, including O9A and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, which is also known as ISIS. For example, Melzer subscribed to encrypted online forums where he downloaded and accessed videos of jihadist attacks on U.S. troops and facilities and jihadist executions of civilians and soldiers, in addition to far-right, neo-Nazi, and other white supremacist propaganda. In approximately early May 2020, the Army informed Melzer that he would be reassigned to a unit scheduled for a further foreign deployment, where the unit would be guarding an isolated and sensitive military installation (the Military Base). After he was notified of the assignment, Melzer joined his new unit and attended weeks of training, including classified and unclassified briefings, to prepare for the deployment. As part of this intensive training, Melzer learned details about the purpose, layout, and security of the Military Base. Melzer and his unit also received in-depth training about and practiced for numerous threat scenarios at the Military Base, including how to respond to various potential terrorist attack scenarios. Upon learning the importance and sensitivity of his upcoming deployment, Melzer immediately began passing that information to members of O9A. Melzer secretly used an encrypted messaging application to propose, advocate for, and plan a deadly attack on his fellow service members. Melzer sent messages to members and associates of O9A and, in particular, a sub-group of O9A known as the “RapeWaffen Division,” providing details about his unit’s anticipated deployment including troop movements, relevant dates, locations, armaments, topography, and security, all in connection with the proposed attack on his unit and the Military Base. Melzer and his co-conspirators used this information to plan what they referred to as a “jihadi attack” with the objective of causing a “mass casualty” event victimizing his fellow service members. For example, after describing the unit’s weaponry during the deployment — and providing information consistent with the briefings he had received — Melzer described to his co-conspirators how an attack would “essentially cripple” the unit’s “fire-teams.” To further the attack plan, Melzer and his co-conspirators passed these messages to a purported member of al Qaeda. Melzer’s proposed attack evolved as he gathered and distributed additional sensitive information about the deployment. For example, Melzer also promised to leak more information once he arrived at the Military Base — including real-time photographs of the facility and the frequency and channel of U.S. Army radio communications — in order to maximize the likelihood of a successful attack on his unit or on a replacement unit deployed to the Military Base. Melzer told members of O9A in his encrypted electronic communications “[y]ou just gotta understand that currently I am risking my literal free life to give you all this” and that he was “expecting results.” Melzer further acknowledged that he could be killed during the attack and described his willingness to die for O9A’s goals, writing “who gives a fuck [. . .] it would be another war . . . I would’ve died successfully . . . cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.” Melzer also acknowledged in his messages that he deleted some of the communications regarding the planning of the attack because the plot amounted to treason. The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Rome; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; U.S. Army Counterintelligence; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Matthew J.C. Hellman and Kimberly J. Ravener for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.


title: Readout of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Trip to Ukraine

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: On Friday, March 3, the Attorney General made an unannounced trip to Lviv, Ukraine, at the invitation of Ukrainian Prosecutor General to join international partners at the “United for Justice Conference.” The Attorney General reaffirmed our determination to hold Russia accountable for crimes committed in its unjust and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The conference provided a forum to discuss specific initiatives and measures that the international community, alongside Ukraine, is taking to comprehensively seek justice and accountability for all those responsible for war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine. At the Opening Session of the conference, the Attorney General provided remarks in which he discussed, among other things, the Justice Department’s role in collaborating with the Ukrainian Prosecutor General and the moral and personal responsibility he feels in pursuing accountability. “Just over twelve months ago, invading Russian forces began committing atrocities at the largest scale in any armed conflict since the Second World War. We are here today in Ukraine to speak clearly, and with one voice: the perpetrators of those crimes will not get away with them,” said Attorney General Garland. “In addition to our work in partnership with Ukraine and the international community, the United States has also opened criminal investigations into war crimes in Ukraine that may violate U.S. law. Although we are still building our cases, interviewing witnesses, and collecting evidence, we have already identified specific suspects. Our prosecutors are working day and night to bring them to justice as quickly as possible.” This trip is an important part of the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to the freedom of Ukraine. That commitment takes two forms: A determination to hold Russia accountable for war crimes committed in its unjust invasion, through the investigations and other work of the Department of Justice’s War Crimes Accountability Team; and Our ongoing work to seize illicit Russian assets for the benefit of the people of Ukraine, and to prosecute those who facilitate the evasion of sanctions imposed on Russia, through Task Force KleptoCapture. The Attorney General’s presence in Ukraine is thus not only symbolic, but strategic as well — since it serves the purpose of driving forward the operational work of the War Crimes Accountability Team and Task Force KleptoCapture. In addition, the United States became the first country to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the seven-member Joint Investigative Team (JIT) that is investigating Russian atrocities in Ukraine. The MOU, signed by the Attorney General, will facilitate the United States’ cooperation and coordination with the JIT members as we collect evidence and investigate Russia’s atrocity crimes. It also signals our resolve that Russia’s invasion will not undermine our collective commitment to uphold human rights and preserve a free and democratic society. At the conference, the Attorney General also met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Brink, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Kostin, EU Commissioner Reynders, Polish Minister of Justice General Ziobro, and Polish National Public Prosecutor Barski, regarding operational cooperation on Russian war crimes and illicit finance and to further discussions about how the U.S. can partner internationally on these issues. In sum, this conference both signals our joint resolve that Russia’s invasion will not undermine our collective commitment to preserving a free and democratic world and charts the way forward for our practical work to achieve that goal. Photo Credit: U.S. Embassy in Ukraine Attorney General Merrick B. Garland shakes hands with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Photo Credit: U.S. Embassy in Ukraine Attorney General Merrick B. Garland meets with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Photo Credit: U.S. Embassy in Ukraine Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the with the seven-member Joint Investigative Team. Photo Credit: President Zelenskyy's Office


title: Former Anchorage Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug Conspiracy and Passport Fraud

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

body_text: ANCHORAGE – Jose Luis Rodriguez-Vazquez was sentenced on February 23, 2023, to 46 months in prison for federal drug conspiracy and passport fraud charges. According to a criminal complaint filed in September of 2010 by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Rodriguez-Vasquez distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent during a controlled purchase operation. Following the operation in early 2010, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service received information from HSI that Rodriguez-Vasquez may have applied for a U.S. passport in a different name. Investigation found that Rodriguez-Vasquez applied for a U.S. Passport in 2002 in the name of Erik Ivan Cardiel and had received a United States visa in the Rodriguez-Vasquez name. Rodriguez-Vasquez was indicted in October of 2010 for passport fraud. Rodriguez-Vasquez was able to evade law enforcement for over 10 years until he was located and arrested in 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana by the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Rodriguez-Vasquez signed a plea agreement in December of 2021, pleading guilty to drug conspiracy and passport fraud charges. “Drug trafficking and identity theft are serious crimes, and we will work with our law enforcement partners in Alaska and across the country to bring these offenders to justice,” said S. Lane Tucker, United States Attorney for the District of Alaska. “If these offenders think they have escaped liability for their crimes, they are wrong. Like Mr. Rodriguez-Vazquez, they will be caught, they will be prosecuted, and they will be held accountable.” “The successful outcome of this case is a result of the dedicated efforts of HSI and our partners to identify and combat individuals and transnational criminal organizations who pose a threat to public safety and national security,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “After ten years on the run, the subject in this case was held responsible for his drug trafficking and document fraud crimes based on the multi-jurisdictional cooperation across law enforcement agencies.” "The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to investigating and pursuing anyone who applies for or obtains a United States passport using false documents," said Special Agent in Charge William Chang of the DSS San Francisco Field Office. "The U.S. passport is the most coveted travel document in the world. There are foreign nationals who attempt to fraudulently acquire U.S. passports to carry out criminal activities, including terrorism, inside our borders. These crimes threaten the national security of the United States." This case results from a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted by James Klugman, Assistant United States Attorney, District of Alaska. ### usao/ak/23-015


title: Florida’s Lakeland Regional Medical Center Agrees to Pay $4 Million to Settle Common Law Allegations for Impermissible Medicaid Donations

body_text: Lakeland Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Lakeland, Florida, has agreed to pay the United States $4 million to resolve allegations that it made donations to a local unit of government to improperly fund the state’s share of Medicaid payments to LRMC. The Florida Medicaid program provides medical assistance to low-income individuals and individuals with disabilities, and is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Under federal law, Florida’s share of Medicaid payments must consist of state or local government funds, and may not come from “non-bona fide donations” from private health care providers, such as hospitals. A non-bona fide donation is a payment — in cash or in kind — from a private provider to a governmental entity that is then returned to the private provider through a payment by Medicaid. Because Medicaid services are reimbursed jointly by the federal and state governments, a non-bona fide donation causes federal expenditures to increase without any corresponding increase in state expenditures, since the state share of the Medicaid payments to the provider comes from and is returned to the provider. The prohibition of this practice ensures that states are in fact paying a share of Medicaid payments and thus have an incentive to curb Medicaid costs and prevent unnecessary services. The United States alleged that, between October 2014 and September 2015, LRMC made improper, non-bona fide donations to Polk County, Florida by assuming and paying certain of Polk County’s financial obligations to other healthcare providers. These donations were designed to increase Medicaid payments received by LRMC, by freeing up funds for the County to make payments to the State as the state share of Medicaid payments to LRMC. This state share was “matched” by the federal government before being returned to LRMC as Medicaid payments. The Medicaid payments LRMC received were thus funded by the federal government and LRMC’s own donations, in violation of the prohibition on non-bona fide donations. “When private parties make improper donations to fund the state share of Medicaid, they undermine a key safeguard for ensuring the integrity of the Medicaid program,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Medicaid expenditures should be determined by beneficiaries’ medical needs rather than by donations by private hospitals to local units of government.” “Protecting the Medicaid program is crucial, as millions of Floridians rely on it for their medical care and related services,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We are committed to ensuring that government funds are used for their intended purposes and are not improperly obtained.” The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Alison B. Rousseau and Jonathan T. Thrope and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn B. Tapie. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Two Maui Men Sentenced for Racially Motivated Attack on White Man

body_text: Two men from the Hawaiian island of Maui were sentenced in federal court for their racially motivated attack on C.K., a white man who was attempting to move into their neighborhood of Kahakuloa. Kaulana Alo-Kaonohi, 33, was sentenced to 78 months in prison. Levi Aki Jr., 33, was sentenced to 50 months in prison. “The defendants in this case nearly killed a man because they believed he did not belong in their neighborhood because of the color of his skin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The law protects everyone in this country from racially motivated violence, and these sentences send a strong message that such violence will not be tolerated.” “No one should suffer the violence, cover up and injustice the defendants wrought in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii. “All persons have a right to freedom from violence motivated by racial hatred, and the Department is committed to ensuring that right is protected in a court of law.” “This horrific violence was motived by nothing other than hate,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill of the FBI Honolulu Field Office. “The FBI is committed to ensuring those who perpetrate such injustices are held accountable and that civil rights are respected and protected for all.” At trial, the evidence showed that the victim, C.K., purchased a house in Kahakuloa and decided to move there with his wife and three daughters after his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and forced to retire. When C.K. arrived in Kahakuloa, he was harassed and threatened by various Kahakuloa residents who told him things like, “This is a Hawaiian village. The only thing coming from the outside is the electricity,” and “You don’t even belong in Hawaii.” On Feb. 13, 2014, when C.K. was unpacking his belongings with his elderly uncle, the defendants, who had never met C.K. before, stormed onto his property and demanded that he pack his things and leave, threatening to “tie [him] up and drag [him]” and make him “go missing” if he did not comply. When C.K. replied that he owned the house, Alo-Kaonohi dragged his index finger along C.K.’s jaw and told him, “Your skin is the wrong f****** color.” Aki then picked up a roofing shovel and handed it to Alo-Kaonohi, who struck C.K. in the head with it, opening up a bloody wound on the back of C.K.’s head. Later on, after C.K. had already begun packing up his possessions, the defendants attacked him a second time. During that attack, Aki head butted C.K. and struck him in the face with the shovel a second time, giving C.K. a concussion and causing him to lose consciousness. When he came to, the defendants were kicking him in the side and broke two of his ribs. During the second attack, one of the defendants said, “no white man is ever going to live here.” At the sentencing hearing, the government introduced evidence that just months after his unprovoked attack on C.K., Alo-Kaonohi committed a similar unprovoked attacked on a white-skinned man at the Steel Horse Saloon, a bar in Wailuku, Maui. In that attack, Alo-Kaonohi approached the victim from behind, tapped him on the shoulder and then punched him repeatedly in the head until he was unconscious. The victim sustained a large gash on his head that required seven staples to close and suffered permanent brain damage. Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Connors and Special Agent in Charge Merrill made the announcement. The FBI Honolulu Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Thomas for the District of Hawaii and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Dover Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – Tyler Ward, 36, of Dover, pleaded guilty in federal court today to two counts of distributing fentanyl and one count of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute it, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced. According to court documents and statements made in court, Mr. Ward distributed five grams of fentanyl in each of two separate hand-to-hand controlled transactions conducted at Mr. Ward’s apartment in Dover on February 2, 2022 and February 11, 2022. On March 3, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Mr. Ward’s apartment and arrested Mr. Ward, who had approximately eight grams of fentanyl on his person at the time. A search of the apartment revealed an additional 625 grams of fentanyl. Mr. Ward subsequently admitted to law enforcement in a post-arrest interview that he had intended to sell the fentanyl recovered from his apartment. Ward is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2023. This matter was investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande. ###


title: Federal Jury Convicts O’Fallon Man of Enticing a Minor

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – In a U.S. District courtroom on Wednesday, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict after a three-day trial for an O’Fallon man charged with enticing a minor. Eric Richardson, 40, was convicted of using his cellphone to persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity. “We have a civic duty to protect children from sexual predators, and I’m reassured by the jury’s decision to convict the defendant of trying to persuade a minor into sexual acts with him,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I appreciate the involved officers with the O’Fallon Police Department for their efforts to apprehend this offender.” According to evidence presented at trial, Richardson used his cellphone to persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity upon his return from a trip to Florida in October 2019. The term of imprisonment is a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life. Richardson’s sentencing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on June 15, 2023. Officers Nicholas Schmidt, Nicholas Stewart and Adam Krack with the O’Fallon Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karelia Rajagopal and Tom Leggans prosecuted the case.


title: Owner of New York Commercial Drum Company Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraudulent Billing Scheme

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby sentenced Robert A. DiNoto, age 48, of Huntington, New York, late yesterday to one year of incarceration to be served as six months in federal prison and six months of home detention, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a fraudulent billing scheme involving a manufacturing company with facilities in Harford County, Maryland. Judge Griggsby also ordered DiNoto to pay restitution and to forfeit a total of $514,352. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. According to his guilty plea, Robert A. DiNoto, is the owner and President of American Pride Distributors (“American Pride”), located in, Woodbury, New York. American Pride sold commercial drum containers used by manufacturers to store and transport products. Robert DiNoto is the brother of Eugene DiNoto (E. DiNoto), a former longtime employee of Company 1, a family-owned global business headquartered in New York, but with manufacturing facilities in Belcamp and Abingdon, Maryland, both in Harford County. As detailed in his plea agreement, beginning no later than 2014, Robert and E. DiNoto agreed to execute a fraudulent billing scheme to defraud Company 1, through the submission of false invoices for undelivered drums. As the facility manager for Company 1, E. DiNoto oversaw the purchasing and storing of drums for use at the Harford County manufacturing facilities and had the authority to review drum invoices and authorize payments to the drum vendors. Robert DiNoto approached E. DiNoto about how he could start his own drum vending company. E. DiNoto subsequently told Robert DiNoto about other drum vendors that were defrauding Company 1 using a fraudulent billing scheme. Robert DiNoto, who was in the real estate business at the time, decided to use a company he owned, called Sandpiper Properties, Inc., trading as American Pride Distributors, to facilitate the scheme to defraud Company 1. Once American Pride Distributors was formed, Robert DiNoto began receiving drum purchase orders from E. DiNoto for Company 1 to establish a legitimate pattern of drum sales between American Pride and Company 1. However, because Robert DiNoto was never in the business of manufacturing or reconditioning drums, he filled Company 1’s orders by buying the requisite number of drums from an actual drum manufacturer and arranging to ship them to Company 1’s facilities in Harford County, Maryland. Robert DiNoto billed Company 1 for the drums using American Pride invoices, which E. DiNoto approved for payment via emails to Company 1’s accounting department in New York. Soon thereafter, Robert DiNoto began fraudulently invoicing Company 1 for drums that he and American Pride never delivered to the company. To conceal the fraudulent invoices, he would intermittently send the bogus invoices before and after sending legitimate ones. For example, in 2017, Robert DiNoto sent legitimate invoices #1555 through #1558 between February 15 and April 12 in the amounts of $19,223, $19,419, $18,038, and $20,908, respectively. He then submitted a fraudulent invoice, #1559, and received a payment from Company 1 for $19,448 for a shipment of 358 “NEW 55 GALLON STEEL DRUMS” that were never delivered. Between December 2016 and August 2019, Robert DiNoto used American Pride’s invoices to bill and receive a total of approximately $257,181 from Company 1 for nonexistent drum deliveries. Robert DiNoto used the proceeds from the fraudulent billings for personal expenses, including to pay his credit card bills. To avoid scrutiny throughout the conspiracy, the DiNotos kept their familial relationship with American Pride a secret from Company 1 employees. Despite their best efforts, third-party vendors used by American Pride would sometimes inadvertently forward an email or invoice intended for Robert DiNoto to Company 1. E. DiNoto would criticize Robert DiNoto for the mistake and ask him to remind his third-party vendors never to send correspondence to Company 1’s address. On at least one occasion, Robert DiNoto used an alias to conceal his identity when communicating with Company 1 employees. Eugene Andrew DiNoto, age 51, of Bel Air, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, engaging in an illegal monetary transaction, and filing a false tax return, in connection with schemes that defrauded his employer of more than $29 million. He is awaiting sentencing. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin J. Clarke and Harry M. Gruber, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Malcolm Goods, age 31, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm within a school zone. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department. According to Goods’ guilty plea, on September 12, 2021, Baltimore Police officers received a call for an armed person at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Cumberland Avenues in Baltimore. The person was carrying a gun, wearing a white construction hat and orange safety vest, and riding a bicycle. An officer monitoring a closed-circuit television camera located an individual, later identified as Goods, matching that description in the 600 block of Cumberland Avenue. When officers arrived on scene, Goods got on a bicycle and rode on the sidewalk for a few blocks. Near the 1600 block of N. Carey Street, officers pulled over next to Goods told Goods to stop in an area about one block away from Sandtown-Winchester Achievement Academy, a Baltimore public elementary and middle school. Goods initially agreed to stop, then rode away on the bicycle. After briefly losing sight of Goods, officers found him knocking on someone’s front door and placed him into custody. An officer saw the grip of a firearm in Goods’ waistband and recovered a.40 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number, loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. During his arrest, including after he was read his Miranda rights, Goods made several statements which indicated that he was aware that he possessed a firearm. Goods agreed that he knew or had reasonable cause to believe that he was within 1,000 feet of the grounds of the Sandtown-Winchester Achievement Academy. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Moore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Staten Island Man Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison For Conspiracy To Commit Antisemitic Hate Crimes

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SAADAH MASOUD was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to commit hate crimes in connection with MASOUD’s repeated physical attacks of Jewish victims in New York City between 2021 and 2022. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Saadah Masoud repeatedly attacked New Yorkers based on their religion and national origin. The prosecution of this case and the sentence imposed today make clear that hate-fueled violence will not be tolerated in our community and that this Office will be unrelenting in our efforts to hold accountable those who perpetrate senseless crimes of hate.” According to the Indictment, other public filings, and statements made in court: From at least in or about May 2021 through at least in or about April 2022, MASOUD and others conspired to commit hate crime acts in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere. In furtherance of the conspiracy, MASOUD assaulted at least three victims based upon the victims’ actual and perceived religion and national origin. Specifically, the defendant admitted to committing the following acts of violence that were motivated by the victims’ Jewish or Israeli identity or perceived identity: On or about April 20, 2022, in Manhattan, MASOUD assaulted a victim who was wearing an Israeli flag; On or about June 2, 2021, in Brooklyn, MASOUD and a co-conspirator assaulted a victim who was wearing clothing traditionally associated with the Jewish religion, including a yarmulke, while the victim was sitting outside the victim’s own home; and On or about May 20, 2021, in Manhattan, MASOUD assaulted a victim who was wearing a Star of David necklace. * * * In addition to his prison term, SAADAH MASOUD, 29, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department’s Hate Crime Task Force and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Keenan and Mitzi Steiner are charge of the prosecution.


title: Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to Florida

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: Yesterday, Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa Monaco traveled to Florida to highlight the Department of Justice’s wide-ranging efforts to pursue equal justice under the rule of law, including by combatting corporate crime and by ensuring the right to counsel for all criminal defendants. The Deputy AG delivered the annual E. Lawrence Barcella Jr. Memorial Address at the American Bar Association's 38th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime. In her speech, she discussed the progress the Justice Department has made in implementing the corporate criminal enforcement policy changes that she directed last September . She also announced the Justice Department’s first-ever pilot program on compensation incentives and clawbacks, to align executives and all employees’ financial incentives with corporate compliance. The Deputy AG also announced that the Justice Department will be surging resources to respond to the increasing intersection of corporate crime and national security threats by adding over 25 new prosecutors to investigate and prosecute these violations. You can read her full remarks here . While in Miami, the Deputy Attorney General and the department’s Director of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ), Rachel Rossi, as well as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe, met with leaders of the federal and state public defenders offices and indigent defense advocates to launch the Justice Department’s cross-country National Public Defense Day Tour in honor of the 60 th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright , guaranteeing the right to counsel to anyone accused of a crime. The meeting in Miami kicked off ATJ’s “six stops for the Sixth Amendment” to elevate the importance of and appreciation for public defense services. In highlighting the significance of launching this tour in Florida, the Deputy AG recalled her experience working for Attorney General Janet Reno, a former Miami-Dade State Attorney, who as Attorney General convened a historic National Symposium on Indigent Defense in 1998 on the 36th anniversary of Gideon to highlight the role of the Justice Department in strengthening indigent defense services. To carry that commitment forward, the Deputy Attorney General announced the launch of a comprehensive, 100-day review of current practices and policies to improve access to counsel at BOP pretrial facilities. On her trip, the Deputy AG visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, where she met with U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe and his leadership team, as well as the prosecutors and professional staff of the office. She thanked them for their hard work and dedication. She also met with state, local and federal law enforcement leaders to emphasize the importance of the ongoing partnerships in tackling violent crime and other public safety challenges. Finally, the Deputy AG visited Federal Correctional Institute Miami to meet the Warden and staff, review their operations, and ensure implementation of BOP’s dual mission of providing safe, humane custody while also preparing individuals for a return to society. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco with Leslie Caldwell


title: Maryland Residents Get Lengthy Sentences on Federal Charges Related to Sex Trafficking of Minors

body_text: Minor Victims Exploited for Commercial Sex, Forced to Turn Over All Proceeds WASHINGTON – Willis Lewis, 49, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, and Brittany Jones, 33, of Suitland, Maryland, were sentenced today for their roles in a sex trafficking operation involving teenage victims. Lewis was sentenced to life in prison; Jones was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The result was announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Lewis was found guilty by a jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, in May of last year, of 12 counts including four counts of sex trafficking of children by force, fraud, and coercion, one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, three counts of coercion or enticement of a minor, two counts of transporting for prostitution, one count of interstate travel and transportation in aid of racketeering, and a firearms offense; Jones was convicted of four counts including sex trafficking, conspiracy, and transportation in aid of racketeering. The defendants were charged in connection with their trafficking of a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl between April and May of 2019. Lewis was sentenced to life on ten counts and to 15 years on the two remaining counts. His two sentences will run concurrently. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered 10 years of supervised release for each defendant and ordered each to pay $17,000 in restitution to the victims. “This lengthy sentence gets a dangerous predator off the streets for a very long time.” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “His lengthy confinement will keep other teenagers safe and serve as a warning to those who are considering exploiting our youth. Those harming our young women and girls need to know that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with the FBI and our other law enforcement partners, will track you down and hold you accountable for the pain and suffering you cause.” “This defendant targeted children, callously exploiting their vulnerability,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “The Department of Justice remains committed to holding traffickers accountable for the pernicious and inhumane exploitation of young children despite the harm these crimes inflict. We will use every tool at our disposal to obtain justice and restitution for the victims of human trafficking. We commend the courageous young victims here who stood up to their traffickers.” “Today’s sentences demonstrate that the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate all members of sex trafficking networks, from the leader of the operation to those involved in the recruitment, transportation, and harboring of victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacobs. “Let this be a message to anyone who would engage in trafficking minors: The FBI will ensure that those engaged in these horrid crimes are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” According to the government’s evidence, Jones, working with two co-conspirators who since pleaded guilty, brought the two victims to Lewis for the purposes of trafficking them. After they were in Lewis’s custody, Lewis set up “dates” for the two girls each day for almost two weeks and Lewis pocketed the money that the two girls made from these dates. Lewis used a loyalty contract, a firearm, and acts of violence to coerce the victims into performing commercial sex for his profit. Law enforcement became involved in this investigation after the two victims ran away from a residential facility in Virginia and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued a missing person’s report. At trial, the co-conspirators testified against Lewis and Jones and were corroborated by independent evidence, including material from the digital devices and cell phone location data. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia, including the Metropolitan Police Department. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhoodgov In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, as well as the MPD’s Human Trafficking Unit. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department, including Paralegal Specialists Genevieve De Guzman, Karla Nunez, and Irina Tchernoskoutova, and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Justice Department Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.