title: Hendricks County Agrees to Change Policies and Pay $300,000 Following Justice Department Allegations the County Illegally Denied Zoning Approval for Islamic Seminary and Residential Housing

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS – Hendricks County Indiana, has agreed to implement new policies and training, to pay $295,000 in compensation to an Islamic educational organization, and to pay a $5,000 fine to resolve a Justice Department lawsuit alleging that the County violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by twice unlawfully denying zoning approval to Al Hussnain Inc., when it sought to develop a religious seminary, school, and residential housing in Hendricks County. “Animus directed towards the Muslim community masked under the guise of an ordinary zoning restrictions violates the law and runs contrary to the principles of fairness and tolerance that are core in our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “Federal law prohibits local governments from making zoning decisions about housing or religious land use on the basis of the religion of the developer or those whom they perceive might live at or worship at the development. The Department of Justice will use its authority to stop discriminatory anti-Islamic conduct and hold local governments accountable.” “Discrimination on the basis of religion has no place in the Crossroads of America,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “This office will steadfastly defend the right of all persons to enjoy housing free from discrimination. This complaint and consent decree demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to ensuring that people of all faiths are not discriminated against by unlawful local government actions.” The proposed consent decree, which was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and must still be approved by the court, resolves a lawsuit the United States also filed today. The complaint alleges that the County, facing significant community animus and opposition, denied Al Hussnain’s rezoning applications to develop a mixed-use community containing a residential neighborhood, community center, K-12 religious school, Islamic seminary and dormitories for seminary students at two different locations in the County, citing concerns that lacked a legitimate basis. The complaint further alleges that Hendricks County repeatedly departed from its own zoning ordinances as well as the county’s processes and procedures for reviewing zoning applications and treated Al Hussnain’s application worse than similar applications brought by non-Muslim developers. The complaint alleges that the County engaged in a pattern or practice of unlawful discrimination and denied rights to a group of persons because of religion in violation of the FHA and imposed a substantial burden on the Islamic organization’s religious exercise, treated the organization on less than equal terms with nonreligious assemblies or institutions and discriminated against the organization on the basis of religion in violation of RLUIPA. The consent decree requires Hendricks County to pay monetary damages of $295,000 to Al Hussnain, Inc., a civil penalty of $5,000 to the United States, adopt Fair Housing and Religious Land Use policies, train its officials and employees on the requirements of RLUIPA and the FHA, and establish a procedure for receiving and resolving RLUIPA and FHA complaints. The FHA prohibits discrimination by direct providers of housing, such as landlords and real estate companies as well as other entities, such as municipalities, banks or other lending institutions and homeowners’ insurance companies whose discriminatory practices make housing unavailable to persons because of race or color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status or disability. More information about the FHA can be found here . RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative, which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Unit at USAINS-CivilRights@usdoj.gov or the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or through the online form on Southern District of Indiana Civil Rights webpage. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Preston and Joi Kamper, along with attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who are handling this case. ###


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Ammunition

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jamel Lamont Lewis, 35, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition. Evidence presented to the court showed that in December 2020, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call of gunshots in the Ridgeway area of Fairfield County. Lewis and another man were firing shots as deputies approached. Deputies found 90 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition in Lewis’s pants pocket along with a quantity of crack cocaine. In July 2021, investigators with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department stopped a car that Lewis was riding in. During the stop, Lewis had to be restrained after he reached for a loaded .22 caliber pistol hidden in his waistband. Lewis also had approximately 65 grams of methamphetamine on him. The pistol was equipped with a large-capacity ammunition magazine. Lewis is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to previous felony convictions. In 2007 and 2009, Lewis was convicted of aggravated assault for shooting two different victims. In 2011, Lewis was convicted of assault and battery, first degree, after being involved in a drive-by shooting. In 2018, he was convicted of failure to stop for a blue light and unlawful possession of a firearm after leading police on a vehicle chase and ultimately losing control of the vehicle and tossing a firearm while fleeing on foot. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Lewis to 85 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Oxycodone

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former nurse was sentenced yesterday for tampering with liquid oxycodone syringes at a local rehabilitation center. Jaclyn McQueen, 44, of Dedham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to three years of probation. In January 2024, McQueen pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product. McQueen was charged by Information on Dec. 7, 2023. From approximately February through May 2020, McQueen worked as a registered nurse at a rehabilitation center in Dedham that provided long-term chronic and post-acute care to patients. In her capacity as a nurse, McQueen had access to oxycodone, a Schedule II narcotic, prescribed to patients at the rehabilitation center. During her work shifts, McQueen removed liquid oxycodone from syringes intended for use by patients, consumed the oxycodone herself and refilled the syringes with water to avoid detection. McQueen returned the diluted syringes to the medication carts where they could have been administered to patients. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; and Robert H. Goldstein, MD, PhD, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Begg Lawrence, Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against The Owner And Operator Of The Vessel That Destroyed The Francis Scott Key Bridge

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: WASHINGTON – Earlier today, the Justice Department filed a civil claim in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the Singaporean corporations that owned and operated the container ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge. In the early morning hours of March 26, the Motor Vessel DALI left the Port of Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka. While navigating through the Fort McHenry Channel, the vessel lost power, regained power, and then lost power again before striking the bridge. The bridge collapsed and plunged into the water below, tragically killing six people. In addition to this heartbreaking loss of life, the wreck of the DALI and the remnants of the bridge obstructed the navigable channel and brought all shipping into and out of the Port of Baltimore to a standstill. The loss of the bridge also severed a critical highway in our transportation infrastructure and a key artery for local commuters. The suit seeks to recover over $100 million in costs the United States incurred in responding to the fatal disaster and for clearing the entangled wreck and bridge debris from the navigable channel so the port could reopen. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring accountability for those responsible for the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the tragic deaths of six people and disrupted our country’s transportation and defense infrastructure,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “With this civil claim, the Justice Department is working to ensure that the costs of clearing the channel and reopening the Port of Baltimore are borne by the companies that caused the crash, not by the American taxpayer.” The United States led the response efforts of dozens of federal, state, and local agencies to remove about 50,000 tons of steel, concrete, and asphalt from the channel and from the DALI itself. While these removal operations were underway, the claim alleges that the United States also cleared a series of temporary channels to start relieving the bottleneck at the port and mitigate some of the economic devastation caused by the DALI. The Fort McHenry Channel was cleared by June 10, and the Port of Baltimore was once again open for commercial navigation. “The owner and operator of the DALI were well aware of vibration issues on the vessel that could cause a power outage. But instead of taking necessary precautions, they did the opposite,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Out of negligence, mismanagement, and, at times, a desire to cut costs, they configured the ship’s electrical and mechanical systems in a way that prevented those systems from being able to quickly restore propulsion and steering after a power outage. As a result, when the DALI lost power, a cascading set of failures led to disaster.” Indeed, the lawsuit specifically asserts that none of the four means that should have been available to help steer the DALI — the propeller, rudder, anchor, or bow thruster — worked when they were needed to avert or even mitigate this disaster. “In so many ways, the Key Bridge has symbolized the resilience of both the State of Maryland and our Nation. In a very real way, the Key Bridge was a pathway to the American Dream. A part of our culture is gone,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “Those responsible for the Key Bridge collapse will be held accountable.” “This was an entirely avoidable catastrophe, resulting from a series of eminently foreseeable errors made by the owner and operator of the DALI. The suit seeks to recover the costs incurred by the United States in responding to this disaster, which include removing the bridge parts from the channel and those parts that were entangled with the vessel, as well as abating the substantial risk of oil pollution,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. The Justice Department’s claim also seeks punitive damages to deter the owner and operator of the DALI and others. During a press call announcing the Justice Department’s actions, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Chetan Patil explained, “This accident happened because of the careless and grossly negligent decisions made by Grace Ocean and Synergy, who recklessly chose to send an unseaworthy vessel to navigate a critical waterway and ignored the risks to American lives and the nation’s infrastructure.” The Department’s claim is part of a legal action the owner and operator of the DALI initiated shortly after the tragedy, in which they seek exoneration or limitation of their liability to approximately $44 million. “Wholly preventable failures by the owner and operator of the DALI caused this tragic incident that cost six bridge construction workers their lives and closed one of the largest ports on the East Coast,” said Rear Admiral Laura M. Dickey, Deputy for Operations Capability and Policy, U.S. Coast Guard. “The Coast Guard quickly responded by establishing a Unified Command with federal, state, and local stakeholders to rapidly open alternative channels and restore the Port of Baltimore to full operations in just over two months. We stand ready to support the Department of Justice to ensure that those responsible for this tragedy pay the costs of reopening the Port.” The claim on behalf of the United States does not include any damages for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The State of Maryland built, owned, maintained, and operated the bridge, and attorneys on the State’s behalf may file their own claim for those damages. Subsequently, pursuant to the governing regulation, funds recovered by the State of Maryland for reconstruction of the bridge will be used to reduce the project costs paid by federal taxpayer dollars. The United States is represented in the filed action by attorneys from the Civil Division’s Aviation, Space & Admiralty Litigation section and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division. The claims alleged by the United States are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – A Springfield men was sentenced yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Isaias Diaz, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to five years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. In May 2024, Diaz pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. In July 2023, Diaz was indicted along with his co-defendant Robert Collado. From about June 2022 through June 2023, Diaz and Collado conspired with each other to distribute fentanyl and more than 500 grams of cocaine. Collado pleaded guilty in May 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; the Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, West Springfield and Easthampton Police Departments; and the Berkshire, Hampden and Franklin County Sherriff’s Offices; t provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch Unit is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Jury Convicts Two Men of Violent Kidnapping

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man who earlier pleaded guilty in a separate kidnapping case has been convicted at trial by a federal jury, along with his accomplice, of kidnapping a woman who was rescued from her attacker at a Neosho, Mo., hotel room. Freddie Lewis Tilton, 51, of Joplin, Mo., and Alvin Dale Boyer, 39, of Rogers, Arkansas, were found guilty on Tuesday, September 17, of one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and one count of kidnapping. Tilton was also convicted of one count of stalking. This is Tilton’s second conviction in a federal kidnapping case. Evidence introduced during the trial demonstrated that Tilton and Boyer conspired on July 18 and 19, 2020, to kidnap the victim, identified in court documents as “S.T.” An employee at Boonslick Lodge in Neosho called police at approximately 11:46 p.m. on July 19, 2020, to report that a woman was being choked and dragged into a room. A police officer knocked on the door of the room, and S.T., bloody and injured, opened the door, and ran out of the room. Tilton had jumped out the back window and escaped. Boyer rented a room at the motel and invited S.T. to the motel to spend time with him. Unknown to S.T., Boyer had rented the motel room for Tilton and Tilton was waiting in the room for her. S.T. had separated from Tilton and had an ex parte order of protection against him. When S.T. entered the room, she was assaulted by Tilton. S.T. was observed on video surveillance struggling to get out of the room, but she was dragged back in by Tilton. Tilton struck S.T. repeatedly with a firearm and his fist. Tilton attempted to shoot S.T., but the gun jammed. S.T. was assaulted inside the room by Tilton for over eight minutes before law enforcement arrived. Tilton escaped out of a window inside the motel room with a handgun. Tilton attempted to climb down a vertical rain gutter, but fell to the ground as the guttering broke then ran away. Officers searched the motel room and found numerous indications that a violent, physical assault had taken place inside the room. In addition to blood on the room floor and door, officers found a chair with rope and zip ties attached, more nylon rope and zip ties, duct tape, a pair of pliers, a blowtorch and lighter fluid, a butane torch, drop cloths, plastic gloves, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and a Kimber .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle. S.T. was transported to a hospital for treatment of her injuries. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for one hour and 32 minutes before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, ending a trial that began Monday, Sept. 16. Under federal statutes, Tilton and Boyer each are subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ami Harshad Miller and Anthony Brown. It was investigated by the FBI and the Neosho, Mo., Police Department. USA v. Tilton, et al In addition to today’s trial conviction, Tilton has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing for his role in a kidnapping just a few days earlier, which resulted in the torture and death of the victim, and for illegally possessing firearms. Four co-defendants pleaded guilty in that case and have been sentenced. Amy Kay Thomas, 41, of Webb City, Mo., was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. James B. Gibson, also known as “Gibby,” 42, of Neosho, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 52, of Greenwood, Mo., was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole. Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 53, of Neosho, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Additionally, Carla Jo Ward, 50, of Joplin, pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3, 2024. Tilton admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Tilton offered Ward and Vaughan $5,000 each to locate and secure M.H. for him. Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence. Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, and shot at. Gibson burned M.H. with a blowtorch. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. Thomas and others cleaned up the blood and damage created during the assault and shooting of M.H. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and Thomas, Tilton, and Gibson transported it to Hurtt’s property. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended. Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number.


title: Crisp County Residents Plead Guilty in Armed Meth Trafficking Case

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – Two Southwest Georgia residents with criminal pasts pleaded guilty to federal charges resulting from an armed drug trafficking investigation conducted by local, state and federal level law enforcement agencies. Justin Harris Vinson, 42, of Warwick, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 17 and co-defendant Shana Rae Black, 34, of Cordele, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 15. Both defendants are facing a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life imprisonment to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner is presiding over the cases. The sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system. “Repeat convicted felons who illegally arm themselves and distribute the most highly addictive and dangerous drugs into our communities will face federal consequences for these crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office is working closely with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to identity those individuals creating the most havoc in the Middle District of Georgia and hold them accountable for their crimes.” “Drug traffickers drive addiction and destroy communities,” Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated. “DEA will use any resource necessary to remove these career criminals from our streets.” “Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug with devastating consequences to users, their families and communities,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Richard Bilson of FBI Atlanta’s Albany office. “This prosecution closes a pipeline for dangerous drugs flowing into the streets of Southwest Georgia.” “We are committed to holding those who traffic methamphetamine accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Collaborating closely with state, local and federal law enforcement agencies, we will work to ensure justice and dismantle these dangerous networks.” "I am incredibly proud of our agency's relentless efforts and the strong collaboration with our local and federal partners. Methamphetamine trafficking brings dangerous consequences to our community, often resulting in tragedy and loss of life. This case highlights our dedication to safeguarding the community and demonstrates the powerful results we achieve through collaboration," stated Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock. According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a confidential informant (CI) working with the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) contacted Black on Facebook to obtain methamphetamine on Oct. 27, 2022. Black sold the CI approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine at a Perry, Georgia, motel; the CI reported there was a pistol on a nightstand in the motel room, next to a bulk quantity of methamphetamine. On Oct. 31, an undercover Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agent contacted Black to purchase methamphetamine and met her at the Walmart in Cordele. Under audio and video surveillance, the GBI agent purchased methamphetamine from Black. On Nov. 2, FBI, DEA and GBI agents met with another CI to purchase methamphetamine from Vinson. Under surveillance, Vinson met the CI at his Warwick residence and traveled with Vinson to the Sunrise Inn in Cordele to meet with Black. During the transaction, Black provided 284.4 grams of methamphetamine and collected the majority of the cash payment for the drugs, with Vinson keeping $300 as a brokering fee. Vinson was seen with a firearm during the transaction. On Nov. 7, CCSO and GBI arrested Black in Crisp County as she traveled in a vehicle back from McDonough, Georgia. A search of the vehicle revealed Black was in possession of 982.7 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine, 15.89 grams of 91% pure methamphetamine, a digital scale and several cell phones. GBI executed a search warrant on the Baymont Inn motel room in Cordele where Black was staying and found a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, a small bag of suspected methamphetamine, four digital scales and bulk quantities of plastic baggies. Black’s cell phones showed extensive communications between her and known drug dealers. On Jan. 22, 2023, Vinson purchased 15 ounces of methamphetamine in Cordele and sold 277 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine to a CI utilized by GBI in Warwick. During the transaction, the CI observed Vinson place a firearm in the center console of his vehicle. A search warrant was executed at Vinson’s residence on Jan. 26, 2023. Law enforcement located a semiautomatic pistol in his bedroom, along with five other firearms inside of an open safe. Vinson told officers he had been selling methamphetamine in the South Georgia and North Florida area his entire life and that during the peak of COVID in 2020, he would sell approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine per week for six months. Vinson has a prior felony conviction in Lee County, Georgia, Superior Court for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Black also has a prior felony conviction in Jones County, Georgia, Superior Court for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This case was investigated by FBI, DEA, GBI and the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Baltimore BGF Gang Member Sentenced To 38 Years In Federal Prison For Racketeering Conspiracy Charge, Including Murder

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – On September 17, 2024, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced David Warren, a/k/a “Meshawn,” age 32, of Baltimore to 467 months in federal prison, followed by 5years of supervised release, for conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as the Black Guerilla Family (“BGF”) gang. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department. According to his plea agreement and other court documents, beginning in 2015 Warren was a member and associate of the BGF, also known as “Jamaa,” and participated in the BGF criminal enterprise, including a murder and a drug distribution conspiracy; further, Warren was a “hit man” accepting money in exchange for murdering others. BGF is a nationwide gang which began operating in prisons and is now involved in criminal activity, including murder, murder-for-hire, robbery, extortion, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice and witness intimidation, in cities throughout the United States, including Baltimore and throughout Maryland. As detailed in his plea agreement, in May 2015, at the direction of a BGF leader, Warren and others fired upon a group of rivals who were attending a candlelight vigil for a deceased rival in east Baltimore. One man was shot during the attack and survived. A year later in May 2016, again at the behest of a BGF leader, Warren and a co-conspirator attempted to murder another rival and received a portion of an $8,000 payment in exchange for the attempt. Two weeks later, on Memorial Day weekend, Warrant attempted to murder a rival drug dealer at a holiday barbeque in north Baltimore. The man and four others were shot and survived but all sustained injuries. In or about 2018, Warren became a hit man for co-defendant Davante Harrison, a/k/a “YGG Tay.” Between February and August 2018, Warren and others targeted three of Harrison’s rivals. On April 4, 2018, Warren and co-conspirators sought to locate and murder one of Harrison’s rivals at a residence of Chanette Neal and Justice Allen, the sister and mother of the rival. Not finding the rival at the residence, Warren and co-conspirators murdered Neal and Allen using a .357 caliber handgun. Later that day, Warren messaged a female associate and wrote that he was “waiting on the bag” meaning payment for the murder. Additionally, on August 7, 2018 Warren and two co-conspirators, including co-defendant Wayne Prince, attempted to murder another rival of Harrison at a home that the rival owned and was having renovated. A construction crew was on site at the time. During the attempted murder, Prince and a co-conspirator shot and killed one of the construction workers, Bryan McKemy, using a .40 caliber handgun. They also shot a second construction worker in the head, but that person survived the attack. Afterwards, Warren messaged another that he was “waiting on a bag” indicating again that he anticipated being paid for the murder. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin . 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. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. United States Attorney Barron commended the ATF, the FBI, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ari D. Evans, Patricia C. McLane, and Kim Y. Hagan who are prosecuting 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: Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Ammunition He Used in Shooting a Man in Brooklyn in 2021

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Leo Oliver, also known as “Gam,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition related to a shooting in 2021. Oliver pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2023. The Court also found that Oliver was responsible for a second shooting in a convenience store in Brooklyn in 2020. As part of the sentence, Oliver was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12,000 to the victims. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence. “Today, Oliver has been justly punished for the harm he inflicted upon two people in separate, callous shootings in Brooklyn,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Fortunately, these victims survived. My Office will continue to work tirelessly with our federal and local law enforcement to reduce gun-related violence in our communities.” Mr. Peace thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations New York, and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding investigative work on the case. According to court filings and facts presented in court, Oliver shot a victim (“Victim-1”) on September 25, 2021 following an argument with Victim-1 on the sidewalk on Van Siclen Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn. Oliver shot Victim-1 in his torso, before fleeing on foot. Victim-1 was hospitalized for gunshots to his torso, a lacerated spleen, and fractured ribs, but he survived. Two .380 shell casing were recovered at the scene. Judge Irizarry also found today that Oliver committed a second shooting on July 8, 2020 inside a convenience store in East New York, Brooklyn. Victim-2 was working behind the counter when, after a dispute, Oliver pulled a black gun from his pocket and shot Victim-2 in the chest and hand before fleeing in an SUV. A .380 shell casing was recovered from the scene. Victim-2 was hospitalized with gunshot wounds, fractured ribs, lung bruising, and a fractured hand from the shooting. Victim-2’s injuries left him unable to earn a living. After the shootings, Oliver took steps to destroy evidence and conceal his crimes. Specifically, he deleted an image of two guns from his cell phone and threw the handgun used in the 2020 shooting into the East River. The defendant has a criminal history of at least seven felony convictions. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Amir is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : LEO OLIVER (also known as “Gam”) Age: 44 Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-279 (DLI)


title: Tracy Woman Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Fraudulent Scheme to Steal California Unemployment Insurance Benefits

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kaymeisha Keyes, 33, of Tracy, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to nine years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Keyes was also ordered to pay $1,116,683 in restitution. According to court documents, between April 2020 and August 2021, Keyes executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing more than 70 fraudulent unemployment benefit claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Keyes collected personally identifiable information of numerous individuals — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — and used their identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Keyes did not have authority to file claims on their behalf. Since at least October 2021, EDD partnered with ID.me — a private company used by the EDD for ID verification of claimants — to implement a system for verifying claimant identities before EDD can process unemployment insurance claims. In executing this fraudulent scheme, Keyes submitted false information to ID.me that allowed fake and stolen identities to be verified. This false information included images of fake driver’s licenses that contained photos of Keyes and co-schemers and the names of the purported claimants. She also submitted photos of herself and co-schemers that were used to verify the photos on the fake driver’s licenses. Once these false identities were verified, Keyes filed the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD under the same identities. In the fraudulent unemployment insurance applications, Keyes requested that the unemployment insurance benefits be mailed to various addresses under her control, including her residence in Tracy. EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out EDD debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Keyes then activated the EDD debit cards and spent the benefits on herself. The scheme sought over $2 million in unemployment insurance benefits and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $1.1 million. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Office of Correctional Safety, and the California EDD – Investigation Division with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.


title: Justice Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development Secure Over $15M from OceanFirst Bank to Resolve Redlining Claims in New Jersey

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that OceanFirst Bank, N.A. has agreed to pay over $15 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining predominantly Black, Hispanic and Asian neighborhoods in Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties in New Jersey. Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color or national origin of residents in those communities. In October 2021, Attorney General Garland and Assistant Attorney General Clarke launched the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative , a coordinated enforcement effort to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. The initiative is expanding the department’s reach by strengthening partnerships with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country, regulatory partners, and its partners in state Attorneys General offices. Since 2021, the department has announced 13 redlining resolutions and secured over $137 million in relief for communities of color that have been the victims of lending discrimination across the country. “This settlement, and the over $137 million in relief the Justice Department has secured for communities across the country, will help to ensure that future generations of Americans inherit a legacy of home ownership that they have been too often denied,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Redlining is unlawful, it is harmful, and it is wrong. The Justice Department will continue to hold banks and mortgage companies accountable for redlining and to secure relief for the communities that continue to be harmed by these discriminatory practices.” “Far too often, communities of color have been denied equal access to credit and the opportunity to build generational wealth,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through our historic efforts to combat modern day redlining, we have opened up new homeownership opportunities for impacted families and communities. This agreement underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to holding banks and financial institutions accountable for their discriminatory actions while ensuring racial and economic justice for all Americans.” “We are committed to ensuring that everyone in New Jersey has access to the American dream of homeownership, regardless of race, color, or national origin,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “This agreement is an important step in leveling the playing field and removing illegal and discriminatory barriers in residential mortgage lending.” “Redlining is not only illegal, but it unfairly closes doors of economic opportunity for thousands of families of color in this country,” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “Together with our partners at the Justice Department, HUD remains committed to enforcing the Fair Housing Act by rooting out all forms of discrimination in housing. Today’s announcement underscores our shared commitment to achieving justice and creating equitable opportunities for Americans, particularly those who have historically been denied access.” The Justice Department’s complaint , which was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleges that, from 2018 through at least 2022, OceanFirst Bank failed to provide mortgage lending services to predominantly Black, Hispanic, and Asian neighborhoods in Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties and discouraged people seeking credit in those communities from obtaining home loans. Specifically, the complaint alleges that OceanFirst disproportionately focused its outreach and advertising on majority-white communities, placed its branches in majority-white neighborhoods, and closed its only branches in the majority-Black, Hispanic, and Asian neighborhoods in those counties. The Justice Department has resolved its claims via a proposed consent order , which is subject to court approval. Additionally, OceanFirst and HUD have entered into a conciliation agreement with equivalent terms. In those resolutions, OceanFirst has agreed to do the following: Invest at least $14 million in a loan subsidy fund to increase access to home mortgage, home improvement, and home refinance loans for residents of majority-Black, Hispanic, and Asian neighborhoods in Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties; Spend $400,000 on community partnerships to provide services related to credit, consumer financial education, homeownership, and foreclosure prevention for residents of predominantly Black, Hispanic, and Asian neighborhoods in those counties; Spend $700,000 on advertising, outreach, consumer financial education, and credit counseling focused on predominantly Black, Hispanic, and Asian neighborhoods in those counties; Open a loan production office and maintain the bank’s recently opened full-service branch, both located in predominantly Black, Hispanic, and Asian neighborhoods in those counties, with at least one mortgage loan officer assigned to each location; Conduct a community credit needs assessment, evaluate its fair lending compliance management systems, and conduct staff trainings on fair lending; and Hire a director of community lending who will oversee the continued development of home mortgage lending in communities of color. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey opened their investigation into OceanFirst’s lending practices after receiving a referral from the bank’s regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. OceanFirst cooperated with the investigation and worked with the Justice Department and HUD to resolve the redlining allegations. Information about the Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement work can be found at www.justice.gov/fairhousing . Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online . Information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s civil rights enforcement may be found at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement . Individuals in the District of New Jersey may also report civil rights violations here or by calling the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339.


title: El Departamento de Justicia y el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano aseguran más de $15 millones de OceanFirst Bank para resolver las reclamaciones de exclusión financiera en New Jersey

body_text: La División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia, la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito de New Jersey y el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD) anunciaron hoy que OceanFirst Bank, N.A. ha acordado pagar más de $15 millones para resolver alegaciones de que participó en un patrón o una práctica de discriminación crediticia al practicar la exclusión financiera en barrios de mayoría negra, hispana y asiática en los condados de Middlesex, Monmouth y Ocean en New Jersey. La exclusión financiera es una práctica ilícita en la que los prestamistas evitan la provisión de servicios crediticios a individuos que viven en comunidades de color por motivos de la raza, el color o el origen nacional de las personas que viven en esas comunidades. En octubre de 2021, el Fiscal General Garland y la Fiscal General Adjunta Clarke lanzaron la Iniciativa del Departamento de Justicia para Combatir la Exclusión Financiera , un esfuerzo de cumplimiento coordinado para abordar esta forma persistente de discriminación contra las comunidades de color. La iniciativa está ampliando el alcance del departamento al fortalecer las asociaciones con las Fiscalías de los Estados Unidos en todo el país, los socios reguladores y sus socios en las oficinas de los Fiscales Generales estatales. Desde 2021, el departamento ha anunciado 13 resoluciones de discriminación y ha obtenido más de $137 millones en ayuda para las comunidades de color que han sido víctimas de discriminación crediticia en todo el país. “Este acuerdo, y los más de $137 millones en ayuda que el Departamento de Justicia ha conseguido para comunidades de todo el país, ayudarán a garantizar que futuras generaciones de estadounidenses hereden un legado de propiedad de vivienda que se les ha negado con demasiada frecuencia”, dijo el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland. “La exclusión financiera es ilegal, es perjudicial y está mal. El Departamento de Justicia seguirá haciendo que los bancos y las compañías hipotecarias rindan cuentas por la exclusión financiera y garantizará ayuda para las comunidades que siguen viéndose perjudicadas por estas prácticas discriminatorias”. “Con demasiada frecuencia, a las comunidades de color se les ha negado el acceso igualitario al crédito y la oportunidad de generar riqueza generacional”, dijo la fiscal general adjunta Kristen Clarke de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “A través de nuestros esfuerzos históricos para combatir la exclusión financiera moderna, hemos abierto nuevas oportunidades de propiedad de vivienda para las familias y comunidades afectadas. Este acuerdo subraya el compromiso del Departamento de Justicia de responsabilizar a los bancos y las instituciones financieras por sus acciones discriminatorias, al tiempo que garantiza la justicia racial y económica para todos los estadounidenses”. “Nos comprometemos a garantizar que todos en New Jersey tengan acceso al sueño americano de ser propietarios de casa, independientemente de su raza, color de piel u origen nacional”, comentó Philip R. Sellinger, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito de New Jersey. “Este acuerdo es un paso importante para nivelar el campo de juego y eliminar las barreras ilegales y discriminatorias en los préstamos hipotecarios residenciales”. “La exclusión financiera no solo es ilegal, sino que cierra injustamente las puertas de oportunidades económicas para miles de familias de color en este país”, dijo la secretaria interina de HUD, Adrianne Todman. “Junto con nuestros socios del Departamento de Justicia, HUD sigue comprometido con hacer valer la Ley de Vivienda Justa erradicando todas las formas de discriminación en la vivienda. El anuncio de hoy subraya nuestro compromiso compartido de lograr justicia y crear oportunidades equitativas para los estadounidenses, en particular para aquellos a quienes históricamente se les ha negado el acceso”. La queja del Departamento de Justicia, que se presentó hoy en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito para el Distrito de New Jersey alega que, desde el 2018 hasta al menos el 2022, OceanFirst Bank no proporcionó servicios de préstamos hipotecarios a barrios de mayoría negra, hispana y asiática en los condados de Middlesex, Monmouth y Ocean, y desalentó a personas que buscaban crédito en esas comunidades de obtener préstamos hipotecarios. En concreto, la queja alega que OceanFirst centró, de forma desproporcionada, su difusión y publicidad en comunidades de mayoría blanca, ubicó sus sucursales en barrios de mayoría blanca y cerró sus únicas sucursales en los barrios de mayoría negra, hispana y asiática en esos condados. El Departamento de Justicia ha resuelto sus reclamaciones a través de una orden por consentimiento propuesta , que está sujeta a la aprobación del tribunal. Además, OceanFirst y HUD han celebrado un acuerdo conciliatorio con términos equivalentes. En esas resoluciones, OceanFirst ha acordado hacer lo siguiente: Invertir al menos $14 millones en un fondo de subsidios para préstamos para aumentar el acceso a préstamos hipotecarios, a mejoras en la vivienda y al refinanciamiento residencial para residentes de barrios de mayoría negra, hispana y asiática en los condados de Middlesex, Monmouth y Ocean. Desembolsar $400,000 en asociaciones comunitarias para proporcionar servicios relacionados con el crédito, la educación financiera del consumidor, la adquisición de viviendas y la prevención de ejecuciones hipotecarias para residentes de barrios de mayoría negra, hispana y asiática en esos condados; Desembolsar $700,000 en publicidad, proyección comunitaria, educación financiera al consumidor y asesoramiento de crédito centrado en barrios de mayoría negra, hispana y asiática en esos condados; Abrir una oficina de generación de préstamos hipotecarios y mantener abierta la sucursal de servicio completo recientemente abierta, ambas en barrios de mayoría negra, hispana y asiática en esos condados, con al menos un funcionario encargado de préstamos hipotecarios asignado a cada sucursal; Llevar a cabo una evaluación de las necesidades crediticias comunitarias, evaluará sus sistemas de gestión de cumplimiento con las leyes de préstamos justos y celebrará capacitaciones del personal sobre el tema de préstamos justos y Emplear a un Director de Préstamos Comunitarios que supervisará el desarrollo continuo de préstamos hipotecarios en comunidades de color. La División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia y la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito de New Jersey iniciaron su investigación de las prácticas crediticias de OceanFirst después de recibir una notificación del regulador del banco, la Oficina del Contralor de la Moneda. OceanFirst cooperó con la investigación y trabajó con el Departamento de Justicia y HUD para resolver las alegaciones de exclusión financiera. Puede encontrar información sobre la aplicación de las leyes de préstamos justos del Departamento de Justicia en www.justice.gov/fairhousing . Para informarnos de incidentes de discriminación en el ámbito crediticio, llame a la línea informativa del Departamento de Justicia para discriminación en la vivienda al 1-833-591-0291 o entregue un informe en línea . Información sobre la aplicación de las leyes de derechos civiles por parte de la Fiscalía Federal puede encontrarse en www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement . Personas en el Distrito de New Jersey también pueden proporcionar información sobre vulneraciones de derechos civiles aquí o llamando a la línea directa para asuntos de derechos civiles del Fiscal Federal al (855) 281-3339.


title: ન્યુ જર્સી ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ માટે યુએસ એટર્ની ઓફિસ, ન્યાય વિભાગ અને ડિઆવાસ અને શહેરી વિકાસ વિભાગે ન્યુ જર્સીમાં રેડલાઇનિંગના આક્ષેપો ઉકેલવા માટે ઓશનફર્સ્ટ બેંક પાસેથીથી $15 મિલિયનથી વધુની ચુકવણી પ્રાપ્ત કરી

body_text: ન્યાય વિભાગના નાગરિક અધિકાર વિભાગ, એટલે કે ન્યુ જર્સી ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ માટે યુએસ એટર્ની ઑફિસ અને આવાસ અને શહેરી વિકાસ વિભાગ (HUD) એ આજે જાહેરાત કરી કે ઓશનફર્સ્ટ બેંક, N.A એ ન્યૂ જર્સીમાં મિડલસેક્સ, મોનમાઉથ અને ઓશન કાઉન્ટીઝમાં મુખ્યત્વે આફ્રિકન, હિસ્પેનિક અને એશિયન લોકોની લોન નામંજૂર કરીને ધિરાણમાં ભેદભાવની પદ્ધતિ અથવા પ્રથા અપનાવવાના આક્ષેપોનું નિરાકરણ કરવા $15 મિલિયનથી વધુની ચુકવણી કરવા માટે સમંતિ આપી. રેડલાઇનિંગ એ એક ગેરકાયદેસર પ્રથા છે જેમાં ધિરાણકર્તાઓ, જાતિ, રંગ અથવા રાષ્ટ્રીય મૂળના આધારે, યુએસની બહારના નાગરિકોને ધિરાણ સેવાઓ આપવાનું ટાળે છે. ઑક્ટોબર 2021માં, એટર્ની જનરલ ગારલેન્ડ અને આસિસ્ટન્ટ એટર્ની જનરલ ક્લાર્કે ન્યાય વિભાગની કોમ્બેટિંગ રેડલાઇનિંગ પહેલ શરૂ કરી, જે મિશ્રિત વંશના વિવિધ સમુદાયો સામેના ભેદભાવની આ નિરંતર પ્રથાને દૂર કરવા માટેનો સંકલિત રીતે અમલમાં મુકેલો પ્રયાસ છે. આ પહેલથી દેશભરમાં યુએસ એટર્ની ઑફિસો, નિયમનકારી ભાગીદારો અને રાજ્યની એટર્ની જનરલ ઑફિસમાં તેના ભાગીદારો સાથે ભાગીદારીને મજબૂત જેથી આ વિભાગની પહોંચ પણ વધી છે. 2021 થી, વિભાગે 13 રેડલાઇનિંગના આક્ષેપોના ઉકેલો લાવ્યા અને સમગ્ર દેશમાં ધિરાણના ભેદભાવનો સામનો કરી ચુક્યા વિવિધ નાગરિકો માટે $137 મિલિયનથી વધુની રાહત મેળવી છે. એટર્ની જનરલ મેરિક બી. ગારલેન્ડે જણાવ્યું હતું કે, "આ રકમ, અને ન્યાય વિભાગ દ્વારા સમગ્ર દેશમાં સમુદાયો માટે $137 મિલિયનથી વધુની મેળવેલી રાહત, તે ખાતરી કરવામાં મદદ કરશે કે અમેરિકનોની ભાવિ પેઢીઓને વારસામાં પોતાનું ઘર મળે કે જેના માટે તેઓએ પણ નામંજૂરીનો સામનો કર્યો હતો". “રેડલાઇનિંગ ગેરકાનૂની છે, તે હાનિકારક છે અને તે ખોટું છે. ન્યાય વિભાગ બેંકો અને મોર્ટગેજ કંપનીઓને રેડલાઇનિંગ માટે જવાબદાર ઠરાવવાનું ચાલુ રાખશે અને આ ભેદભાવપૂર્ણ પ્રથાઓથી સતત પીડાતા સમુદાયોને રાહત પ્રદાન કરશે." યુએસ એટર્ની ફિલિપ આર સેલિંગરે જણાવ્યું હતું કે, "રેડલાઇનિંગ એક અસમાન વાતાવરણ બનાવે છે જે અયોગ્ય રીતે યુએસની બહારના નાગરિકોને, અમેરિકનનું સપનું, એટલે કે પોતાનું ઘર ખરીદવાથી અટકાવે છે, અને આ પ્રકારનો પ્રણાલીગત અને ઇરાદાપૂર્વકનો ભેદભાવ અસહ્ય છે અને સહન કરવામાં નહીં આવે." “21મી સદીમાં રેડલાઇનિંગ ચાલુ રહે છે તે સંપૂર્ણપણે અસ્વીકાર્ય છે અને અમે એ સુનિશ્ચિત કરવા માટે પ્રતિબદ્ધ છીએ કે અમારા તમામ નાગરિકોને તેમનું પોતાનું ઘર ખરીદવાની તક મળે કારણ કે આ આપણા બધા માટે સમુદાયોને મજબૂત બનાવવામાં મદદ કરે છે. આ કરાર ન્યુ જર્સીમાં રેસિડેન્શિયલ મોર્ટગેજ લેન્ડિંગમાં ગેરકાયદેસર અને ભેદભાવપૂર્ણ અવરોધોને દૂર કરવા માટે એક મોટું પગલું છે.” ન્યાય વિભાગના નાગરિક અધિકાર વિભાગના આસિસ્ટન્ટ એટર્ની જનરલ ક્રિસ્ટન ક્લાર્કે જણાવ્યું હતું કે, "ઘણી વાર, મિશ્રિત વંશના લોકોને લોનની સમાન ઉપલબ્ધતા અને પેઢીગત સંપત્તિનું નિર્માણ કરવાની તક આપવામાં નથી આવી". “વર્તમાન દિવસના રેડલાઇનિંગને દૂર કરવાના ઐતિહાસિક પ્રયાસો દ્વારા, અમે પીડિત પરિવારો અને સમુદાયો માટે પોતાનું ઘર ખરદીવાની નવી તકો ખોલી છે. આ કરાર તમામ અમેરિકનો માટે વંશીય અને આર્થિક ન્યાય પ્રાપ્ત કરવા સહીત બેંકો અને નાણાકીય સંસ્થાઓને તેમના ભેદભાવપૂર્ણ કાર્ય માટે જવાબદાર ઠરાવવાની ન્યાય વિભાગની પ્રતિબદ્ધતા દર્શાવે છે." HUDના કાર્યકારી સચિવ એડ્રિયન ટોડમેને જણાવ્યું હતું કે, "રેડલાઇનિંગ ગેરકાયદેસર હોવાની સાથે-સાથે દેશના હજારો રંગીન પરિવારો માટે અયોગ્ય રીતે આર્થિક તકોના દરવાજા બંધ કરે છે". “ન્યાય વિભાગમાં અમારા ભાગીદારો સાથે મળીને, HUD આવાસ ક્ષેત્રમાં તમામ પ્રકારના ભેદભાવને જડમૂળથી દૂર કરીને ફેર હાઉસિંગ એક્ટ લાગુ કરવા માટે પ્રતિબદ્ધ છે. આજની જાહેરાત ન્યાય હાંસલ કરવા અને અમેરિકનો માટે, ખાસ કરીને જેમને ભૂતકાળમાં લોન નામંજૂર કરવામાં આવી છે, તેમના માટે સમાન તકો ઊભી કરવા માટેની અમારી સહિયારી પ્રતિબદ્ધતા દર્શાવે છે." ન્યાય વિભાગની ફરિયાદ, જે આજે ન્યુ જર્સીના ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ માટે યુએસ ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ કોર્ટમાં દાખલ કરવામાં આવી હતી, જેમાં આરોપ છે કે, 2018 થી અંદાજે 2022 સુધી, ઓશનફર્સ્ટ બેંકે મિડલસેક્સ, મોનમાઉથ અને ઓશન કાઉન્ટીઝમાં મુખ્યત્વે આફ્રિકન, હિસ્પેનિક અને એશિયન લોકોની લોન નામંજૂર કરી હતી અને તે સમુદાયોમાં લોન મેળવવા માંગતા લોકોની હોમ લોન મેળવવાની આશા પર પાણી ફેરવી દીધું હતું. ફરિયાદમાં એવો વિશિષ્ટ આક્ષેપ કરવામાં આવ્યો છે કે ઓશનફર્સ્ટએ મુખ્યત્વે અમેરિકન સમુદાયો પર અપ્રમાણસર રીતે તેની પહોંચ વિસ્તૃત કરવા અને જાહેરાત પર ધ્યાન કેન્દ્રિત કર્યું, તેની શાખાઓ અમેરિકન ક્ષેત્રોમાં ખોલી, અને તે કાઉન્ટીઓમાં મોટી સંખ્યામાં- અમેરિકન હિસ્પેનિક અને એશિયન ક્ષેત્રમાં તેની થોડી-ઘણી શાખાઓ બંધ કરી દીધી. ન્યાય વિભાગે તેના આક્ષેપો, કોર્ટની મંજૂરીને આધીન, પ્રસ્તાવિત સંમતિ આદેશ દ્વારા ઉકેલ્યા છે. વધુમાં, ઓશનફર્સ્ટ અને HUD એ સમકક્ષ શરતો સાથે સમાધાન કરાર કર્યા છે. તે ઠરાવોમાં, ઓશનફર્સ્ટ નીચે મુજબ કરવા માટે સંમત છે: મિડલસેક્સ, મોનમાઉથ અને ઓશન કાઉન્ટીમાં મોટી સંખ્યામાં-બ્લેક, હિસ્પેનિક અને એશિયન રહેવાસીઓ માટે હોમ મોર્ગેજ, ઘર સુધારણા અને હોમ રિફાઇનાન્સ લોનની ઉપલબ્ધતા વધારવા માટે લોન સબસિડી ફંડમાં ઓછામાં ઓછા $14 મિલિયનનું રોકાણ કરવા; તે કાઉન્ટીઓમાં મુખ્યત્વે અમેરિકન, હિસ્પેનિક અને એશિયન રહેવાસીઓ માટે ક્રેડિટ, ગ્રાહકને નાણાકીય શિક્ષણ, મકાનમાલિકી અને ફોરક્લોઝર નિવારણ સંબંધિત સેવાઓ પ્રદાન કરવા માટે સામુદાયિક ભાગીદારી પર $400,000 ખર્ચ કરવા; તે કાઉન્ટીઓમાં મુખ્યત્વે આફ્રિકન, હિસ્પેનિક અને એશિયન ક્ષેત્રો પર કેન્દ્રિત જાહેરાત, આઉટરીચ, ગ્રાહકને નાણાકીય શિક્ષણ અને ક્રેડિટ કાઉન્સેલિંગ પર $700,000 ખર્ચ કરવા; તે કાઉન્ટીઓમાં મુખ્યત્વે આફ્રિકન, હિસ્પેનિક અને એશિયન ક્ષેત્રમાં લોન પ્રોડક્શન ઑફિસ ખોલવા અને બેંકની તાજેતરમાં ખોલેલી સંપૂર્ણ-સેવા શાખાની જાળવણી કરવા, જેમાં દરેક સ્થાન માટે ઓછોમાં ઓછો એક મોર્ટગેજ લોન અધિકારીને નિયુક્ત કરેલ હોવો જોઈએ; સમુદાયમાં ધિરાણની જરૂરિયાતોનું મૂલ્યાંકન કરવા, તેની વાજબી ધિરાણ અનુપાલન વ્યવસ્થાપન પ્રણાલીઓનું મૂલ્યાંકન કરવા અને વાજબી ધિરાણ અંગે સ્ટાફની ટ્રેનિંગ આયોજિત કરવા; અને સામુદાયિક ધિરાણના ડિરેક્ટરની નિમણૂક કરવા, જે રંગીન સમુદાયોમાં હોમ મોર્ટગેજ ક્રેડિટના સતત વિકાસની દેખરેખ રાખશે. યુએસ એટર્ની ઑફિસ અને ન્યાય વિભાગના નાગરિક અધિકાર વિભાગે બેંકના નિયમનકાર, ઑફિસ ઑફ ધ કમ્પ્ટ્રોલર ઑફ ધ કરન્સી (OCC) તરફથી રેફરલ પ્રાપ્ત કર્યા પછી ઓશનફાર્સ્ટની ધિરાણ પદ્ધતિઓની તેમની તપાસ શરૂ કરી. ઓશનફાર્સ્ટએ આ તપાસમાં સહકાર આપ્યો અને રેડલાઇનિંગના આક્ષેપોને ઉકેલવા માટે ન્યાય વિભાગ અને HUD સાથે કામ કર્યું. ન્યાય વિભાગ દ્વારા ન્યાયી ધિરાણ માટે અમલમાં મુકાયેલા કાર્ય વિશેની માહિતી www.justice.gov/fairhousing પર મળી શકે છે. લોકો યુએસ ન્યાય વિભાગની હાઉસિંગ ડિસ્ક્રિમિનેશન ટીપ લાઇનને 1-833-591-0291 પર કૉલ કરીને અથવા ઑનલાઇન રિપોર્ટ સબમિટ કરીને ધિરાણમાં ભેદભાવની સૂચના આપી શકે છે. યુએસ એટર્ની ઓફિસના નાગરિક અધિકાર અમલીકરણ વિશેની માહિતી www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement પર ઉપલબ્ધ છે. ન્યુ જર્સીના ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટની વ્યક્તિઓ પણ અહીં નાગરિક અધિકારોના ઉલ્લંઘનની જાણ કરી શકે છે અથવા (855) 281-3339 પર યુએસ એટર્નીની સિવિલ રાઇટ્સ હોટલાઇનને કૉલ કરીને પણ જાણ કરી શકે છે. સરકારનું પ્રતિનિધિત્વ, યુએસ એટર્ની ઑફિસના નાગરિક અધિકાર વિભાગના સહાયક યુએસ એટર્ની સુસાન મિલેન્કી અને ટ્રાયલ એટર્ની નાથન શુલોક, યુએસ ડિપાર્ટમેન્ટ ઑફ જસ્ટિસ, સિવિલ રાઇટ્સ ડિવિઝન, હાઉસિંગ અને સિવિલ એન્ફોર્સમેન્ટ વિભાગ દ્વારા કરવામાં આવે છે.


title: Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Anthony Coates, 28, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Coates distributed 1 pound of methamphetamine in March 2024 and 3 pounds of methamphetamine in April 2024. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from members of the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Citrus Heights Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case. Coates is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Coates faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Dozens of Firearms from Local Pawn Shop

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

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for breaking into a local pawn shop and stealing forty-seven firearms from the federal firearm licensee. Kory Dean Boyd, 39, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on January 31, 2022, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) were notified of a burglary at a Southeast Portland pawn shop. Early that morning, shop owners discovered two large holes in a concrete block wall on the building’s exterior. The exposed room contained dozens of firearms, forty-seven of which were reported stolen, including pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns. ATF agents reviewed exterior surveillance video from the pawn shop and observed two vehicles and five individuals present near the holes in the building during the late evening and early morning hours of January 29 and 30, 2022. Two individuals used a sledgehammer to make holes in the exterior wall while Boyd and others carried firearms and firearm cases to the vehicles. On February 4, 2022, ATF agents searched Boyd’s residence and recovered eight firearms, including seven stolen from the pawn shop. Boyd was arrested without incident and admitted to his involvement in the burglary. On February 8, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Boyd with the theft of firearms and possessing firearms as a convicted felon. On March 4, 2024, Boyd pleaded guilty to stealing firearms from a federal firearm licensee. This case was investigated by ATF with assistance from the FBI, Portland Police Bureau, and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Lewis S. Burkhart, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office to Co-Host Upcoming United Against Hate Town Hall Events

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida will co-host two upcoming Town Hall events in support of United Against Hate Week (which officially runs September 23-27). United Against Hate Week is orchestrated as a call for local civic action, to stop the hate and biases that pose a dangerous threat to the safety and civility of our diverse South Florida communities. “Hate crimes don’t just harm individuals, they fracture communities. Preventing and prosecuting hate crimes are one of the highest priorities for our office. Hate can divide us, but coming together as a community unites us,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe. “These outreach programs are critically important to building trust, fostering community, and promoting awareness. Our office remains deeply committed to fighting hate in our communities and in the courtroom.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office will co-host a public outreach event and interactive discussion focused on identifying and reporting hate crimes on September 25, at 6:00 p.m., at the Coral Gables Public Library located at 3443 Segovia Street . Participants will include members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department, City of Miami Police, Miami Hate Crimes Task Force, Miami Dade County Community Advocacy Advisory Boards, and Coral Gables Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will co-host another public outreach event and interactive discussion addressing hate crimes on October 8, at 6:00 p.m., at the Pride Center located at 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors . Participants will include members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, Broward State Attorney’s Office, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Broward Hate Crimes Task Force, Wilton Manors Police Department, and Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Additional Hate Crimes Town Halls are being planned throughout the Southern District of Florida in October and November. United Against Hate is a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating unlawful acts of hate by educating the public about federal hate crimes and anti-discrimination statutes. The program encourages the reporting of hate crimes, hate incidents, and unlawful discrimination to a local, county, and/or state law enforcement agency and the Department of Justice. For more information about the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate Program, visit https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/spotlight/united-against-hate . The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and FBI are working with our local counties to establish Hate Crimes Task Forces to guide and unite communities against hate. For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office efforts to fight hate crimes and resources to fight hate crimes in your community, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/hate-religious-crimes . To register for the upcoming Town Halls visit https://events.humanitix.com/hates-crimes-town-hall (Miami Hate Crimes Town Hall) TownhallHateCrime.eventbrite.com (Broward Hate Crimes Town Hall). To report a hate crime to the FBI, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit a tip at https://tips.fbi.gov/home , or contact your local FBI field office. Civil rights violations occurring in the Southern District of Florida can be reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office using the complaint form located at or the U.S. Department of Justice at https://civilrights.justice.gov . ###


title: Grand Rapids Man Who Shot Multiple Victims Sentenced To 130 Months In Federal Prison For Being Felon In Possession Of Ammunition

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Craig E. Hunnicutt Jr., 43, of Grand Rapids, was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition as a convicted felon. “The gun violence epidemic is inflicting grave harm on our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “As a convicted felon, Mr. Hunnicutt Jr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. His brazen actions of firing a gun and shooting several victims in the parking lot of a convenience store put the public at great risk of harm. As we did here, my Office will continue to focus our limited federal resources on those few individuals driving violence in our communities.” In August 2023, the Grand Rapids Police Department responded to a shooting at a convenience store parking lot where four people had been shot. Investigators made contact with one victim who needed emergency medical care due to a gunshot wound to his leg. Two additional victims were also transported to the hospital to receive emergency medical care for gunshot wounds. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage which shows Hunnicutt Jr. walk up to a group of people and open fire with a handgun. Hunnicutt is a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Investigators retrieved five spent casings from the pistol used in the shooting and a witness also identified Hunnicutt Jr. as the shooter. At the time of the shooting, Hunnicutt Jr. was under federal supervision after having been released from a 17-year sentence for possessing cocaine base and a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. “Craig Hunnicutt Jr. is a repeat habitual felon prohibited from possessing firearms,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir . “During this incident, Hunnicutt Jr. illegally possessed a firearm and shot four people in our community. Michiganders deserve better and demand more from our community members. Rest assured: Mr. Hunnicutt Jr. will have a lot of time to redeem himself for his reprehensible conduct. Simply put, Michigan is safer with Mr. Hunnicutt Jr. off our streets and behind bars.” The Grand Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Metoxen and Steve Baker prosecuted the case. ###


title: United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz Announces Resignation

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – United States Attorney Kevin Ritz released the following statement today: "I have communicated to President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland that I am resigning as United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee effective September 18, 2024. It has been such a tremendous honor to serve our country in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for 19 years—and to lead the office for the last two years. I’m especially lucky to have served as an Assistant United States Attorney and as United States Attorney in my hometown of Memphis. I am immensely proud to say that the United States is the only client I have ever had. I thank President Biden, Attorney General Garland, the United States Senate, and Congressman Steve Cohen for the opportunity to serve as the chief federal law enforcement officer in West Tennessee. I also thank our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for the work that they do to keep our citizens safe. Most of all, I thank the women and men of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their hard work and steadfast commitment to promoting and defending the interests of the United States of America. I feel so fortunate to have had the chance to lead this dedicated group of federal public servants for the past two years.” As United States Attorney since September 2022, Ritz has supervised the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in which the United States has an interest within the 22 counties of the Western District of Tennessee. Before serving as United States Attorney, Ritz worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in West Tennessee for 17 years, including 12 years as Appellate Chief. Ritz grew up in Memphis and attended Memphis City Schools. He and his family will continue to live in Memphis. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: East Haven Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Narcotics Distribution and Firearm Possession Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SEAN PEPE, 39, of East Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad targeting the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall tablets containing methamphetamine, and the distribution of heroin and cocaine, in the New Haven area. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical and electronic surveillance, and traffic stops and searches, revealed that Willis Taylor, of West Haven, coordinated the manufacture of counterfeit pills, which he distributed to Pepe and others for further distribution. In addition, the investigation revealed the distribution of other controlled substances, and Pepe also sold cocaine to customers. On November 18, 2022, a court-authorized search of Pepe’s East Haven residence revealed more than 300 counterfeit fentanyl pills, nearly 75 grams of fentanyl powder, distribution quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine, a machine used to make counterfeit pills (“pill press”), a hydraulic press used to mold drugs into kilogram bricks, three firearms, body armor, numerous rounds of ammunition, more than $86,000 in cash, and a Rolex watch. At the time of the search, Pepe was on state probation after being convicted in September 2021 of illegally possession of weapon in a motor vehicle. Pepe has been detained since December 2022. On June 12, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Pepe, Taylor, and 12 others were federally charged as a result of this investigation. Taylor has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. Prior to the federal investigation, on October 23, 2021, a 36-year-old woman died of a fentanyl overdose at Pepe’s residence. This matter has been investigated by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA and the Manchester, Glastonbury, West Haven, Hamden, Newington, and Bristol Police Departments. The FBI Task Force includes participants from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Katherine Boyles, in coordination with the New Haven and Milford State’s Attorney’s Offices. This case is being prosecuted through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . In March 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA’s New England Field Division released a public service announcement warning of the danger of fentanyl and the proliferation of counterfeit prescription pills. Click here for more information.


title: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-Relief Funds

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fraud and false statements charges in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Robert Platt Jr., 45, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of making false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Dec. 18, 2024. Platt was charged and arrested in February 2024 along with over 40 Heath Street Gang members/associates, who were charged with racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms charges, and financial frauds, including COVID-related fraud. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) created a temporary loan program directed at small businesses called the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). PPP loans were processed by private financial institutions and fully guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. If the small business used the loan funds for approved purposes, such as payroll, the loan could be forgiven by the financial institution and paid for by the U.S. Small Business Administration. In April 2021, Platt submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of his purported business. The application contained multiple false statements, including false representations regarding the purported business’s total gross income in 2019 and the purpose of the loan. Platt also submitted false tax records in support of his loan application. Based on the fraudulent application, Platt received approximately $20,833, which he then spent on non-business-related expenses. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Harry T. Chavis Jr, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Hoefle and Lucy Sun of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . 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 criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, 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 . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: California Restaurant Owner Convicted of Tax and COVID-19 Fraud Schemes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal jury in San Diego convicted a California man yesterday of wire fraud, conspiracy and tax crimes for schemes to defraud COVID-19 relief programs and to file false tax returns. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Leronce Suel was the majority owner of Rockstar Dough LLC and Chicken Feed LLC, both of which operated restaurants in the San Diego area, including Streetcar Merchants in the North Park neighborhood. He conspired with others to underreport over $1.7 million in gross receipts on Rockstar Dough’s 2020 corporate tax return and COVID-19 relief applications. Suel’s businesses fraudulently received $1,773,245 million in COVID-related Paycheck Protection Program loans and Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants, two programs created to provide financial assistance to Americans suffering economic harm as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Suel and his co-conspirator misappropriated COVID-19 relief program funds by making substantial cash withdrawals from their business bank accounts, purchasing a home in Arkansas and keeping more than $2.4 million in cash in his bedroom. Suel did not file timely tax returns for 2018 and 2019, despite being legally required to do so. In addition, during the period 2020 through 2022, Suel did not file personal returns that reported flow through income from his businesses and personal income he received from his business, including millions of dollars in cash he withdrew. In 2023, Suel filed false original and amended tax returns for several years, including personal returns for 2016 and 2017 that included false depreciable assets and business losses. In total, Suel caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,292,976. Suel was convicted of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States, filing false tax returns and failing to file tax returns. He was acquitted of the money laundering charges. Following the convictions, Suel agreed to forfeit $1,466,918 in U.S. currency. Suel is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 13. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States, a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing false tax returns and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of failing to file tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath for the Southern District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Julia Rugg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Beeler for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case.


title: Oak Street Health Agrees to Pay $60M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Liability for Paying Kickbacks to Insurance Agents in Medicare Advantage Patient Recruitment Scheme

component: Civil Division

body_text: Oak Street Health, headquartered in Chicago and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CVS Health since 2023, has agreed to pay $60 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to third-party insurance agents in exchange for recruiting seniors to Oak Street Health’s primary care clinics. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits anyone from offering or paying, directly or indirectly, any remuneration — which includes money or any other thing of value — to induce referrals of patients or to provide recommendations of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded programs. Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Part C, Medicare beneficiaries have the option to obtain their health care through privately-operated insurance plans known as MA plans. Some MA Plans contract with health care providers, including Oak Street Health, to provide their plan members with primary care services. The United States alleged that, in 2020, Oak Street Health developed a program to increase patient membership called the Client Awareness Program. Under the Program, third-party insurance agents contacted seniors eligible for or enrolled in Medicare Advantage and delivered marketing messages designed to generate interest in Oak Street Health. Agents then referred interested seniors to an Oak Street Health employee via a three-way phone call, otherwise known as a “warm transfer,” and/or an electronic submission. In exchange, Oak Street Health paid agents typically $200 per beneficiary referred or recommended. These payments incentivized agents to base their referrals and recommendations on the financial motivations of Oak Street Health rather than the best interests of seniors. The settlement resolves allegations that, from September 2020 through December 2022, Oak Street Health knowingly submitted, and caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare arising from kickbacks to agents that violated the Anti-Kickback Statute. “Health care providers that attempt to profit from kickbacks will be held accountable,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “We are committed to rooting out illegal practices committed by Medicare Advantage providers, insurance agents and brokers that undermine the interests of federal health care programs and the patients they serve.” “Kickbacks, in any form, have no place in our federal healthcare system” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “My office is alert for kickbacks that can subvert patient choice and defraud federal health care programs. This investigation and settlement help to ensure that patient choice is prioritized above a provider’s bottom line.” “Kickbacks impose hidden costs on the federal health care system and compromise medical choice and decision-making,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working determinedly with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to protect the integrity of federal health care programs, and we encourage the public to come forward with information about violative conduct.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Joseph Stinson. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Stinson v. Oak Street Health, et al. , No. 20-cv-7381 (N.D. Ill.). As part of today’s resolution, Mr. Stinson will receive $9.9 million. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, with assistance from HHS-OIG and the FBI. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Trial Attorney David G. Miller of the Justice Department's Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Haile for the Northern District of Illinois handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Kissimmee Felon Sentenced To More Than 15 Years For Unlawful Possession Of Firearms And Ammunition

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Edward Charlesalton Chappell (41, Kissimmee) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Chappell to forfeit the firearms and ammunition used in the offense. Chappell entered a guilty plea on June 17, 2024. According to court documents, on July 13, 2022, a state search warrant was executed at a hotel room occupied by Chappell after he sold fentanyl to an undercover agent. Inside the hotel room, agents located cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs as well as drug processing materials. Agents also located a Glock pistol, a Ruger pistol, and 9mm caliber ammunition. At the time, Chappell had multiple prior felony convictions, including four convictions for delivery of cocaine and one conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver. As a multi-convicted felon, Chappell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Jury Convicts Former Marine in Sextortion Scheme Targeting Minors, Faces Up to Life in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a former Marine stationed at Cherry Point Air Station on five counts of production of child pornography, four counts of online exploitation of a minor, one count of possession of child pornography including a victim under 12, and two counts of extortion. Anthony Joseph Fritzinger, age 25, faces up to life in prison when sentenced. “Criminals like Fritzinger actively target kids on social media to coerce them into sending explicit images, which they then use to intimidate, control, and extort their victims. This former Marine now faces up to life in prison for his scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We cracked this case because one victim had the courage to come forward, which led other brave victims to share their stories. This case is a warning to predators and wakeup call for parents. Closely monitor your kids’ social media accounts and talk to them about the dangers of strangers online who may pretend to be a friend.” According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Fritzinger tried to extort an eighteen-year-old online to send him naked pictures by threatening to distribute naked pictures she had sent him when she was a minor. Her family contacted their local police, who referred the case to Naval Criminal Investigative Service ( NCIS ). NCIS discovered Fritzinger’s extensive online activities stalking, soliciting, and extorting minors to obtain sexual images and videos of them. Fritzinger used teen “dating” websites like Spotafriend and mylol.com to identify and contact potential victims, sometimes posing as a teenage girl. Then he began online “relationships” with victims, including on Snapchat and Instagram, in which he encouraged children to send him sexually explicit images and videos. Fritzinger taught his victims to engage in a dominant/submissive relationship in which he exerted total control over them and required them to perform sadistic, sexual punishments. He manipulated and coerced victims to continue sending images, including falsely claiming to be dying and exploiting their immaturity and personal histories. Then he extorted several victims, threatening to expose their images to their friends and family if they did not send more. Evidence recovered in the case from Fritzinger’s cell phone, laptop, social media accounts, and Dropbox account including hundreds of screenshots of apparent minors’ social media profiles, hundreds of sexually explicit chat messages enticing minors to produce child pornography, hundreds of images and videos of the victims, and other images and videos of child pornography, including depicting victims under 12 years old. “Anthony Fritzinger deserves to be held accountable for the predatory crimes he has committed against children, who are the most vulnerable members of our society. Such behavior has no place in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Parrish of the NCIS Carolinas Field Office. “This conviction demonstrates the unwavering commitment of NCIS, our investigative partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to conducting thorough investigations and working aggressively to bring to justice those who threaten the safety of our communities.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the verdict. The NCIS are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Blondel and Jake Pugh are prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.4:20-CR-00081.


title: Ocala Man Pleads Guilty To Attempting To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Rickey Lee Miller, Jr. (45, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Miller faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court records, on July 27, 2024, a detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office posed as a 15-year-old girl on an online messaging platform. Miller contacted the undercover detective’s account and initially asked if she wanted to “hang out.” Miller then engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the detective. During that conversation, Miller asked the detective if she would be interested in having “some fun” with Miller and a female friend. He also asked, “[W]ill you tell my friend your 18[?] I really don’t want her to know your real age.” When Miller subsequently drove to a predetermined location to meet with the minor for sex, he was arrested by law enforcement. The cellphone located in Miller’s vehicle was confirmed to be the phone communicating with the undercover detective. This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Chiefland Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.