title: Four Members of Notorious Cybercrime Group ‘FIN9’ Charged for Roles in Attacking U.S. Companies

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An indictment was unsealed today charging four Vietnamese nationals for their involvement in a series of computer intrusions that caused victim companies to collectively suffer more than $71 million in losses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. According to the indictment, Ta Van Tai, aka “Quynh Hoa,” aka “Bich Thuy;” Nguyen Viet Quoc, aka “Tien Nguyen;” Nguyen Trang Xuyen; and Nguyen Van Truong, aka “Chung Nguyen,” were members of a sophisticated international cybercrime group known as “FIN9.” From at least May 2018 through October 2021, the defendants hacked the computer networks of victim companies throughout the United States and used their access to steal or attempt to steal non-public information, employee benefits, and funds. The defendants caused their victims to suffer more than $71 million in losses. “The FIN9 defendants were prolific international hackers who, for years, allegedly used phishing campaigns, supply chain attacks and other hacking methods to steal millions from their victims. They did all of this while hiding behind keyboards, VPNs, and fake identities, and even then, the Department of Justice found them. My office remains committed to its pursuit of justice for victims, and cybercriminals everywhere should take notice.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “Cyber actors cloak themselves in the virtual world, hiding in a space most people can't see and don't understand,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “However smart these hackers believe they are at disguising themselves, these members of the FIN9 group couldn’t conceal their exfiltration of data from their victims’ companies. FBI Newark’s Cyber Task Force and our law enforcement partners use precision and innovative techniques to expose these people for what they are – simple thieves. We ask any business or company facing a similar attack to reach out to us immediately to protect your systems and to stop these criminals from moving on to the next victim.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Members of FIN9, including the defendants, obtained unauthorized access to the computer networks of victim companies through phishing campaigns or other methods, such as supply chain attacks – a type of cyberattack that seeks to damage an organization by targeting the computer networks of trusted third-party vendors who offer services or software vital to the supply chain. After gaining access to their victims’ networks, FIN9 members, including the defendants, used that access to exfiltrate or attempt to exfiltrate non-public information, employee benefits, and/or funds. For example, the defendants accessed employee benefit rewards programs maintained by their victims and re-directed digital employee benefits, such as gift cards, to accounts controlled by defendants. The defendants also stole gift card information stored on the computer networks of certain victims. The defendants additionally stole personally identifiable information and credit card information associated with employees and customers of their victim companies. In an effort to hide their own identities, the defendants would, at times, use that information in furtherance of the conspiracy by, for example, registering online accounts at cryptocurrency exchanges or server hosting companies in the names of individuals whose identities were stolen. Tai, Xuyen, and Truong sold stolen gift cards to third parties, including through an account registered with a fake name on a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency marketplace, in order to conceal and disguise the source of the stolen money. Tai, Quoc, Xuyen, and Truong are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud, extortion, and related activity in connection with computers; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and two counts of intentional damage to a protected computer. If convicted, they face up to five years in prison for the conspiracy to commit fraud, extortion, and related activity in connection with computers; up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and up to 10 years in prison on each count of intentional damage to a protected computer. Tai, Xuyen, and Truong were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a mandatory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Tai and Quoc were also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit identity fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the FBI Newark’s Cyber squad, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark. He also thanked the FBI Little Rock Cyber squad, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony P. Torntore and Vinay S. Limbachia of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. fin9.indictment.pdf


title: Former Kentucky Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for Abusing Arrestees

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former Kentucky sheriff’s deputy was sentenced today to 110 months in prison for violating the constitutional rights of multiple people he arrested during his tenure as a law enforcement officer. Former Boyle County Sheriff’s Deputy Tanner M. Abbott, 31, was convicted by a federal jury in March of five felonies and one misdemeanor related to using excessive force against four arrestees, performing an illegal search and writing and conspiring to write false police reports to cover up his abuse. “This defendant habitually and routinely abused his authority and used his badge to shield himself from accountability for years,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence should send a loud message that such abuses by law enforcement will not be tolerated. The Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to hold law enforcement accountable when they violate the civil and constitutional rights of people in their country.” “Instead of protecting and serving the community, the defendant was physically abusing people — even bragging about the injuries he caused,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “That is not law enforcement; that is brazen criminal conduct. The community deserved better. Fortunately, he now has a criminal sentence that he deserves.” At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that the crimes for which Abbott was convicted were part of a larger pattern of abuse of authority spanning his career. An investigator testified that, during its two-year investigation of numerous allegations against Abbott, the FBI discovered evidence that Abbott frequently used excessive force against suspects. This evidence included text messages recovered from Abbott’s work-issued cell phone in which Abbott bragged, sometimes in graphic and vulgar terms, about causing injuries to people he had arrested. The government also presented cell phone evidence showing that Abbott sometimes took photographs of injuries he had caused and sent the photographs to friends and acquaintances, but never included or submitted them in official police documents. Two additional witnesses testified that they had been physically abused by Abbott while being arrested. The court also found that Abbott obstructed justice during his trial by testifying falsely in his own defense. The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Sues Five Individuals for Violation of Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Justice Department filed a civil federal lawsuit today in the Middle District of Florida against five people for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which prohibits anyone from using force, threats of force or physical obstruction against any person because they are seeking or providing reproductive health services. The lawsuit alleges that Calvin Zastrow, Kenneth Scott, Chester Gallagher, Eva Zastrow and Katelyn Sims, also known as Katelyn Velasco, committed violations of the FACE Act in Ft. Myers, Florida, on Jan. 27, 2022. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the defendants trespassed onto a reproductive health center’s property, blocked the entrances and temporarily stopped operations at the center. The complaint seeks injunctive relief and monetary penalties as provided by the FACE Act. “These five defendants deliberately obstructed access to reproductive health services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Physically blocking those seeking or providing reproductive health services in order to impose their views is unlawful. The Justice Department will continue enforcing the FACE Act to protect against such obstruction.” “The Justice Department ensures that individuals cannot pick which laws they wish to follow,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We look forward to continuing to protect the rights of patients and providers to access reproductive health care.” The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida are handling the case. For additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section . Those interested in finding out more about the FACE act may visit www.justice.gov/crt/freedom-access-clinic-entrances-places-religious-worship . Past FACE Act cases by the Special Litigation Section can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section-cases-and-matters#face .


title: Former Boston Police Sergeant Sentenced for Overtime Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former Boston Police Sergeant was sentenced on June 18, 2024 for his involvement in a long running overtime fraud scheme at the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) evidence warehouse. William Baxter, 63, of Hyde Park, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to three years of supervised release, with seven months to be served in home detention. Baxter was also ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and restitution of $9,223. In June 2021, Baxter pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. From March 2015 through June 2016, Baxter submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime hours that he did not work for two overtime shifts at the evidence warehouse. The first, called “purge” overtime, was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. The second shift, called “kiosk” overtime, involved driving to each police district in Boston one Saturday a month to collect old prescription drugs to be burned. For the “purge” shift, Baxter claimed to have worked from 4 – 8 p.m., but he routinely left at 6 p.m., and sometimes earlier. Additionally, Baxter knowingly endorsed the fraudulent overtime slips of his subordinates who, allegedly, also left early from this shift. For the “kiosk” shift, Baxter and, allegedly, others routinely submitted overtime slips claiming to have worked eight-and-one-half hours, when in fact he and, allegedly, other members of the unit, only worked three-to-four hours of those shifts. Between March 2015 and June 2016, Baxter personally collected approximately $9,223 for overtime hours he did not work. Baxter was one of 15 police officers charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse, 10 of whom were convicted either by guilty plea or jury verdict. Of the remaining officers charged, four were acquitted in April 2023 and one officer passed away while charges were pending. From 2015 through 2019, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Grady and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Titusville Man On Federal Supervision Sentenced To Eight Years For Aggravated Identity Theft And Bank Fraud

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Carmel Linot (34, Titusville) to eight years in federal prison for bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and violating his federal supervision in a separate case. The court also ordered Linot to pay restitution to the victim he defrauded. Linot pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity on February 26, 2024. At the time of sentencing, Linot was on federal supervised release in the Middle District of Florida for aggravated identity theft. Linot was arrested on June 12, 2023, and the court ordered him detained on the federal supervised release case and the new indictment involving bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to the plea agreement and public records, Linot obtained the Social Security number (SSN) of a minor victim. Using this SSN, a counterfeit Georgia driver license, and false employment documents, Linot opened a bank account under a false identity at a credit union. After opening up the bank account in a false identity, he then obtained a credit card from the credit union using the victim’s SSN. Linot subsequently used the credit card to commit fraud. This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Florida State Attorney’s Office to Resolve Allegations of Discrimination Against Hispanic Defendants

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement with the Florida State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit (SAO) resolving allegations of violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). Specifically, the agreement resolves allegations of discrimination against Hispanic defendants charged with driving without a valid driver’s license by providing less favorable plea offers to them than it did to non-Hispanic defendants charged with the same crime. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance. “To ensure fair, equitable treatment as well as public safety, state and local prosecutors must provide equal treatment in all aspects of the administration of justice, including plea deals,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through this agreement, the State Attorney for Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit is taking action that will help ensure that the community is served without bias or discrimination.” The department’s inquiry was prompted by allegations that the SAO posted plea offer guidelines that discriminated based on national origin by providing for harsher plea offers for Hispanic individuals driving without a valid license as compared to similarly situated individuals. The SAO fully cooperated with the department’s inquiry and, under the terms of the agreement, agreed to take a number of steps to ensure nondiscrimination in prosecution, including implementing a new nondiscrimination policy and training its staff about nondiscrimination obligations. Additionally, the SAO committed to convene a working group of community stakeholders to assist with the SAO’s continuing efforts to develop best practices for working with the community it serves. The SAO also will send a letter to defendants who may have been impacted by the alleged discriminatory policy, offering them an opportunity to seek an alternative disposition of their charge. The letter will be translated for defendants with limited English proficiency. The SAO has stated that it remains committed to ensuring that no defendant was discriminated against with respect to any plea offer made for the charge of driving without a valid driver’s license. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt . Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/ .


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con la Fiscalía Estatal de Florida para resolver alegaciones de discriminación contra imputados hispanos

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia ha anunciado hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con la Fiscalía Estatal de Florida para el Segundo Circuito Judicial (SAO, por sus siglas en inglés) que resuelve las alegaciones de infracciones del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI). En concreto, el acuerdo resuelve las alegaciones de discriminación contra imputados hispanos acusados de conducir sin una licencia de conducir válida al proporcionarles ofertas de declaración de culpabilidad menos favorables que a imputados no hispanos acusados del mismo delito. El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y origen nacional por parte de entidades que reciben apoyo financiero federal. «Para garantizar la equidad, el tratamiento equitativo y la seguridad pública, los fiscales estatales y federales deben proporcionar un trato igualitario en todos los aspectos de la administración de la justicia, incluidos los acuerdos de declaración de culpabilidad», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «A través de este acuerdo, el Fiscal Estatal de Florida para el Segundo Circuito Judicial está tomando medidas que ayudarán a garantizar que se sirva a la comunidad sin sesgos ni discriminación». La investigación del Departamento fue impulsada por alegaciones de que la SAO publicó pautas para ofertas de declaración de culpabilidad discriminatorias, basadas en la nacionalidad de origen, al proporcionar ofertas de declaración de culpabilidad más severas para individuos hispanos que conducen sin una licencia válida en comparación con otros individuos en una situación parecida. La SAO cooperó plenamente con la consulta del Departamento y, en virtud de los términos del acuerdo, acordó tomar una serie de medidas para garantizar que no habría discriminación en el enjuiciamiento, incluida la implementación de una nueva política antidiscriminatoria y la capacitación de su personal en cuanto a las obligaciones antidiscriminatorias. Además, la SAO se comprometió a convocar a un grupo de trabajo de partes interesadas de la comunidad para ayudar con los esfuerzos continuos de la SAO por desarrollar mejores prácticas para trabajar con la comunidad a la que sirve. La SAO también enviará una carta a los demandados que puedan haberse visto afectados por la supuesta política discriminatoria, ofreciéndoles la oportunidad de buscar una disposición alternativa de su cargo. La carta se traducirá para los imputados con un dominio limitado del inglés. La SAO ha declarado que sigue comprometida a garantizar que ningún imputado se discrimine con respecto a ofertas de declaración de culpabilidad hechas por el cargo de conducir sin una licencia de conducir válida. Hay más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles en su sitio web en a www.justice.gov/crt . Los miembros del público pueden denunciar posibles infracciones de los derechos civiles en civilrights.justice.gov/report/ .


title: Virginia Man Sentenced To Over Eleven Years In Federal Prison For Attempting To Entice A Child To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Peter Papuchis (43, Norfolk, VA) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Papuchis was also ordered to serve a 20-year term of supervised release after his release from prison and register as a sex offender. Papuchis entered a guilty plea on February 21, 2024. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on May 4, 2023. According to court documents, on April 15, 2023, a federal agent using an undercover persona began conducting an online undercover operation. The agent was using a free mobile application that permits individual users to meet online, engage in conversation through private messages, and share photographs and videos. The agent was using the persona of the parent of an 11-year-old girl. In his undercover capacity as a “parent” of the “minor child,” the agent posted a message within the group that Papuchis responded to privately. Papuchis told the undercover agent, “I’m a perv with pedo tendencies.” The “parent” exchanged several private messages with him on this same day and continued until April 22, 2023. The same day, Papuchis provided his username on another chat application, and they then began messaging on that application until April 23, 2023. During their chat conversation, Papuchis detailed his interest in meeting the “minor child” of the “parent” and engaging in sexual activity with the “minor child.” On April 23, 2023, Papuchis traveled to meet the “parent” of the “minor child” in St. Johns County. He was arrested after arriving at the predetermined meeting location and admitted to engaging in the chat conversations with the “parent” of the child and planning to engage in sexual activity with the “child.” This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Former Boston Police Officer Sentenced for Overtime Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A former Boston Police officer was sentenced today for his involvement in a long running overtime fraud scheme at the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) evidence warehouse. Joseph Nee, 50, of Taunton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years’ probation. Nee was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and restitution of $12,636. In June 2021, Nee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. From at least January 2015 through August 2017, Nee submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime hours that he did not work for two overtime shifts at the evidence warehouse. The first, called “purge” overtime, was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. The second shift, called “kiosk” overtime, involved driving to each police district in Boston one Saturday a month to collect old prescription drugs to be burned. For the “purge” shift, Nee claimed to have worked from 4 – 8 p.m., but he routinely left at 6 p.m., or earlier. For the “kiosk” shift, Nee submitted overtime slips claiming to have worked eight-and-one-half hours, when in fact he and, other members of the unit only worked three-to-four hours of those shifts. As a result, between January 2015 and August 2017, Nee personally collected approximately $12,636 for overtime hours he did not work. Nee was one of 15 police officers charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse, 10 of whom were convicted either by guilty plea or jury verdict. Of the remaining officers charged, four were acquitted in April 2023 and one officer passed away while charges were pending. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Grady and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Lawrence Man Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported. Brayan Zepeda, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Julia E. Kobick to eight months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Zepeda will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On March 28, 2024, Zepeda pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Zepeda, a citizen of Guatemala, was deported from the United States on Jan. 12, 2023 after serving several state sentences for domestic assault and violation of a restraining order. At some point thereafter, Zepeda returned to the United States and was arrested by the Littleton Police Department in October 2023. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Jacksonville Man Sentenced To More Than Eight Years In Federal Prison For Downloading Videos And Photos Of  Children Being Sexually Abused Over The Internet

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Octavio Adalberto Robledo (54, Jacksonville) to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison for using the internet to download videos and photos of young children being sexually abused. Robledo was also ordered to serve a 20-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. Robledo entered a guilty plea on March 6, 2024. He was arrested on July 2, 2023, at the Miami International Airport immediately after returning to the United States from Argentina, and he has been detained in federal custody since then. According to court documents, a detective with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, who was also an FBI task force officer, was investigating individuals located in Florida who were actively receiving child sexual abuse material over the internet using a particular online file sharing network. The detective downloaded a video and several photos depicting children being sexually abused from a particular internet protocol (IP) address that was traced to an apartment in Jacksonville where Robledo was living. On April 18, 2017, two FBI agents went to Robledo’s apartment to interview him. Robledo provided consent for the FBI to take custody of his desktop computer and search it. Robledo admitted that he used online file-sharing programs to seek out child sexual abuse material and had done so just two days before. He further stated that he kept these materials locked in a secure program to avoid detection. A short time after this interview, Robledo traveled to Argentina where he remained for more than six years. The examination of Robledo’s computer revealed that it contained 655 photos and two videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. This material was found in folders and subfolders that were organized alphabetically by either the name of the content or the apparent name of the individual depicted. Robledo downloaded this child sexual abuse material during the period from February 2016 through April 2017 in Jacksonville. This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and Miami, with assistance from the State Attorney’s Office in Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Two East Idaho Methamphetamine Traffickers Receive Lengthy Federal Prison Sentences

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the sentences for two separate East Idaho methamphetamine traffickers who will serve a collective 21.5 years in federal prison. Fredy Munoz-Morales, a/k/a Fredi Munoz-Morales, 36, a Mexican citizen and national, was sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, the Teton County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Munoz-Morales in April 2023. The investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Victor, Idaho that was associated with Munoz-Morales. Approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine were seized during the investigation along with two firearms. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Munoz-Morales earlier this week to 150 months in federal prison and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release. Munoz-Morales pleaded guilty to the charge on February 28, 2024. In a separate case, Gabriel Lopez, 40, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced earlier this week to nine years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, the BADGES Task Force began investigating Lopez as the source of supply for methamphetamine to others in August 2023. The investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at Lopez’s residence in Idaho Falls. During the search, law enforcement seized approximately 392.2 grams of methamphetamine and small amounts of cocaine and marijuana. Judge Nye also ordered Lopez to serve five years of supervised release upon the completion of his prison sentence. Lopez pleaded guilty to the charge on March 28, 2024. A co-defendant, Elizabeth Findlay, 55, of Pocatello, is pending a trial date on July 8, 2024. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Teton County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led to the charges in the Munoz-Morales case and applauded the Idaho State Police, which participated as part of the HIDTA BADGES Task Force, for the Lopez investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe McLane prosecuted both cases. The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region. ###


title: Lexington County Woman Sentenced to 14 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Keisha Carroll Banks, 52, of Lexington, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Evidence presented to the court showed that Banks was an employee of Ridgeway Manor Health Care in Ridgeway. In her role, she was able to access money in an account of Ridgeway Manor that included funds held for the residents of the facility. The defendant diverted some of those funds and used some of the money for her own benefit. Some of the residents of Ridgeway Manor are considered vulnerable adults. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Banks to 14 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court also ordered the defendant to pay $58,544.61 in restitution. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Attorney General's Office Vulnerable Adult Medicaid Provider Fraud Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Potterfield is prosecuting the case. ###


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Armed Robbery of Convenience Store

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Thursday admitted committing the armed robbery of a convenience store in Jefferson County in 2023. Matthew Ortega, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of robbery and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted pointing a Glock handgun at the clerk of a convenience store and gas station on Hillsboro-House Springs Road in Jefferson County, Missouri and demanding money from the cash register. Ortega was wearing a motorcycle helmet at the time of the robbery and left on a distinctive Suzuki motorcycle. Three days later he was involved in an accident while riding the Suzuki and wearing the same helmet and hard knuckle motorcycle gloves he wore for the robbery. Police later recovered the gun he used in the robbery. Ortega is scheduled to be sentenced September 18. Both sides have agreed to recommend 11 years in prison. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake is prosecuting the case. 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: Mexico-Based Drug Cartel Leaders Indicted and Sanctioned

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, also known as Don Jose, and Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, also known as El Quilles, who occupy leadership roles in the La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel, were charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States. Earlier today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) announced financial sanctions against Camacho-Goicochea and Maldonado-Bustos, who are fugitives believed to be residing in Mexico. “These actions demonstrate that in addition to holding cartel leaders accountable for their crimes, we are working together with our partners at the Treasury Department to hit the cartels’ criminal operations where it hurts the most – their profits,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to mobilize a whole-of-government effort to disrupt the cartels profiting from the drug trafficking and human smuggling that devastate communities and endanger our national security.” “These cartel members allegedly imported massive amounts of heroin from Mexico to the Atlanta area and elsewhere in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “The federal indictments in conjunction with the recent imposition of OFAC sanctions send a strong message that our office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly investigate, prosecute, and defund individuals around the globe who import deadly drugs into our communities.” “Denying drug cartels the profits earned from distributing poison in our communities is an essential tool in DEA’s efforts to combat these drug cartels,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “DEA Atlanta will continue to attack the La Nueva Familia cartel on all fronts by arresting its members, as well as seizing their drugs and assets.” “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are highly skilled financial investigators who can unravel complex schemes cartels use to hide their money,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-CI and other members of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces will continue working together to bring these international criminals to justice.” According to the indictments and other information presented in court, in September 2016, agents of the DEA and the IRS-CI initiated an investigation into Mexico-based La Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel members allegedly importing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana into the United States, including to the Northern District of Georgia. As part of the investigation, agents identified Maldonado-Bustos as a high-level cartel member who allegedly coordinated the manufacturing of large quantities of heroin in Mexico. In particular, the investigation revealed that Maldonado-Bustos allegedly directed the harvesting of gum from opium fields, procured chemicals to process the gum into heroin, and supplied Camacho-Goicochea and other conspirators in Mexico with the heroin to import into cities in the United States, including Atlanta, and Houston. The investigation further revealed that Camacho-Goicochea allegedly coordinated the collection and return of drug proceeds from the United States back to Mexico. In early 2017, agents seized over $580,000 in drug proceeds from vehicles and homes in the Atlanta area, which were ultimately destined for the cartel in Mexico. Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, also known as Don Jose, 59, and Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, also known as El Quilles, 51, both of Guerrero, Mexico, were charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States. Camacho-Goicochea was also charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. The indictments were returned in August 2017 and were recently unsealed. The DEA and IRS-CI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca Ojeda for the Northern District of Georgia is prosecuting the case against Camacho-Goicochea and Maldonado-Bustos. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel Milam for the Northern District of Georgia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Hartigan for the Eastern District of North Carolina, provided valuable assistance to the investigation. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (the Strike Force) is to degrade and dismantle major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), Regional Priority Organization Targets (RPOTs), and their associates. The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Reed Point man admits possessing stolen firearms

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

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Reed Point man on June 18 admitted to possessing stolen firearms found in a stolen vehicle that crashed near Helena following a pursuit, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Jarred Lane Saunders, 25, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen firearms. Saunders faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and there years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 2. Saunders was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on Oct. 12, 2022, Billings police officers responded to a local hotel where 23 firearms had been stolen from a vehicle parked in its lot. The lawful owners provided a list of the stolen firearms. Saunders likely stole the 23 firearms because his fingerprints were found at the scene. Saunders then brought stolen firearms and fentanyl in a stolen car to Helena. On Oct. 15, 2022, the Montana Highway Patrol initiated a pursuit of a stolen Mercedes, which had been taken in Billings on Oct. 11, 2022. The Mercedes eventually crashed in a private driveway, and Saunders was arrested by Helena police officers. At his arrest, Saunders complained that he ingested 15 to 20 fentanyl pills. A search warrant was executed on the Mercedes, and officers found approximately 300 fentanyl pills, a small amount of methamphetamine and a .22-caliber pistol that had been stolen from the vehicle in Billings. A witness told Billings police of seeing Saunders with three duffle bags full of guns. That person received three of the firearms knowing they were stolen. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Billings Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Helena Police Department conducted the investigation. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN. XXX


title: Peruvian National Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft Charge Stemming from Distraction Theft Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGEL EUGENIO BANCES CHAPONAN, 60, a citizen of Peru last residing in Queens, New York, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to aggravated identity theft. According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI and local law enforcement agencies in Connecticut and elsewhere have been investigating a series of distraction thefts of wallets from victims at Trader Joe’s grocery stores, TJ Maxx stores, and other retail stores in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, and elsewhere. The investigation revealed that Bances Chaponan and others rented vehicles to travel throughout the U.S. in order to steal wallets from unwary victims and then use the victims’ credit and debit cards to purchase electronic devices and other items. Bances Chaponan was arrested on March 13, 2024, shortly after he used a stolen credit card to purchase a MacBook for approximately $2,850 and an iPad Pro for approximately $1,050. He has been detained since his arrest. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for September 12, at which time Bances Chaponan faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of two years. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Manchester (Conn.) Police Department, the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department, the Spartanburg County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office, and the Spartanburg Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Nathan J. Guevremont.


title: Tampa Dentist Charged With Sending Threats Of Death And Injury To Multiple Victims

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Richard Glenn Kantwill (60, Tampa) with three counts of interstate transmission of a threat to injure. If convicted on all counts, Kantill faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. According to the indictment and court documents, between August 2019 and July 2020, Kantwill sent threats to approximately 42 different victims. Kantwill used email, social media, and text messages to threaten injury and death to various victims. During that time frame, Kantwill sent approximately 100 threats and various other disturbing messages. The following is an email Kantwill sent to Victim 1, as alleged in the indictment: The indictment charges Kantwill with sending the following message to Victim 2: The indictment also charges Kantwill with sending the following to Victim 3: An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.


title: L’anse Man Charged With Sexual Abuse

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: U.S. Attorney’s Office Requests Public’s Help in Ongoing Investigation MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal grand jury indicted Michael Philip Dowd, 56, of the L’Anse Indian Reservation, charging him with one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of sexual abuse. Each count carries a maximum sentence of life. “My office is prepared to make its case in court and strongly encourages anyone with information about Mr. Dowd who can assist with this active investigation to contact our Marquette Office,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Our work protecting victims of sexual abuse and holding offenders accountable is some of the most important work we do.” The indictment, which was returned Tuesday, alleges that between April 8 and April 9, 2024, Dowd “knowingly engaged in a sexual act” with the victim by using his body to hold the victim down and performing a sexual act on the victim. The indictment further alleges that Dowd “knowingly engaged in a sexual act” with the victim without the victim’s consent and while the victim was “incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct and physically incapable of declining participation in, or communicating unwillingness to engage in” the sexual act. “I commend the victim for their bravery and for coming forward to law enforcement, especially considering the horrific and severe sexual abuse alleged in this case,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in the Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “The FBI, our partners at the Keweenaw Bay Tribal Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to addressing the public safety and violence facing Native American communities.” This case was investigated by the Keweenaw Bay Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI are continuing to investigate Dowd for sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact. Anyone who has not previously provided information about conduct involving Dowd should contact the FBI or U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, Marquette Branch Office, at 906-226-2500. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Two Members Of Brooklyn Drug Crew Sentenced To 30 And 20 Years In Prison In Connection With April 2021 Murder Of A Rival Crew Member

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DANZEL MACKINS, a/k/a “Putt,” and DARRIN SAMUELS, a/k/a “Klepto,” were sentenced today to 30 and 20 years in prison, respectively, for trafficking drugs, possessing firearms, and participating in the murder of Felton Durant, Jr. on April 25, 2021. MACKINS and SAMUELS were members of a drug crew based in Brooklyn that distributed crack cocaine on a regular basis from 2019 to 2022. MACKINS and SAMUELS both carried firearms in connection with their drug trafficking and participated in the killing of Durant, who was shot to death when MACKINS and SAMUELS, together with other members of their drug crew, set off across Brooklyn for the purpose of hunting down and killing the leader of a rival drug crew. MACKINS previously pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms possession on November 28, 2023. SAMUELS previously pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy on November 21, 2023. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan accepted both guilty pleas and imposed today’s sentences. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On April 25, 2021, Felton Durant was shot to death in broad daylight on a weekend afternoon over a drug dispute. Both Danzel Mackins and Darrin Samuels participated in that brutal killing, which took place in the middle of a busy public housing development in South Brooklyn. Because of the hard work of the NYPD and the career prosecutors of this Office, Mackins and Samuels have now both been held responsible for this heinous crime. I remain committed to devoting every resource needed to target gun violence in this City. To be clear, as I have said before and will now say again, we are not going to give up any neighborhood, anywhere in this City to drug violence.” According to the charging instruments, public filings, and statements made in court: From 2019 to 2022, MACKINS and SAMUELS were members of a drug crew that operated in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, selling large quantities of crack cocaine in retail transactions. MACKINS and SAMUELS each carried firearms on multiple occasions in connection with their drug trafficking. For example, in January 2020, MACKINS used a firearm to fire multiple shots at multiple fleeing persons on the street. He later possessed additional firearms that the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) seized from him in October 2020 and October 2021. In August 2020, SAMUELS possessed a firearm that the NYPD seized from him together with a quantity of crack cocaine. In addition, in April 2021, both MACKINS and SAMUELS were carrying firearms as they traveled within Brooklyn from Bedford-Stuyvesant to Red Hook, where they planned to locate and kill the leader of a rival drug crew. Together with other members of their drug crew, MACKINS and SAMUELS found Durant — a member of the rival drug crew, but not the leader — and Durant was shot and killed on sight. Later, in January 2022, while members of the NYPD attempted to arrest MACKINS for the charges in this case, MACKINS tried to flee law enforcement in a car, an attempt which ended when MACKINS ran into a 77-year-old woman, causing her grievous injury. * * * In addition to their prison terms, MACKINS, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, and SAMUELS, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, were sentenced to five years and three years of supervised release, respectively. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and thanked the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas John Wright is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Attack on officer in downtown Houston sends local man to prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for assault of a federal officer after damaging two downtown buildings, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Justin Wade Prophet pleaded guilty March 25. U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Prophet to serve 150 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Prophet’s childhood and mental health challenges made this sentencing one of the most difficult cases he has had. However, the court emphasized the seriousness of the offense warranted a higher term of imprisonment. The court felt the sentence was appropriate given the need to enforce respect for the law and to protect the public from future crimes. On Oct. 26, 2023, Prophet was outside the federal courthouse in Houston during the early morning hours when he smashed a window with a long metal pole. He then walked to another building across the street, broke another window with the same pole and gained entry. While inside, he attempted to assault an individual who was on his way to work. He also damaged additional property. Authorities from the federal courthouse confronted him shortly thereafter, at which time Prophet struck one of them with the pole. The officer shot Prophet in his lower extremities. Law enforcement immediately took Prophet into custody and transported him to the hospital. Prophet will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Department of Homeland Security - Federal Protective Service and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barri Dean handled the sentencing.


title: Three Lake Charles Area Men Sent to Prison for Committing Firearms and Drug Offenses

body_text: LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that three defendants were sentenced today for offenses involving firearms and drugs, including heroin and fentanyl. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the defendants as follows: Dexter Jamone Allen , 37, of Fenton, Louisiana , was sentenced to 151 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of firearms by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute a substance containing heroin and fentanyl. On February 8, 2022, investigators with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office stopped the vehicle Allen was driving for a traffic violation and to arrest him pursuant to a warrant for his arrest that had been issued earlier that day. During the traffic stop, law enforcement agents lawfully searched Allen’s vehicle and seized a vacuum sealed bag of suspected heroin, .45 caliber ammunition and a large amount of cash. The seized substance was sent to the Southwest Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory for testing and their analysis confirmed that the substance consisted of at least 49.81 grams of heroin, fentanyl, and 4-ANPP. Law enforcements agents also obtained a search warrant for Allen’s residence and seized additional controlled substances, a digital scale, more cash, and five firearms and ammunition. Two of the seized firearms had been reported as stolen. Allen pleaded guilty to the charges on February 7, 2024. Brendan Alexander Delafose , 28, of Lake Charles, Louisiana , has been sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a machine gun. In July 2021, Delafose was stopped for careless driving and deputies found him to be in possession of marijuana. Officers performed a lawful search of the vehicle Delafose was driving and found a Glock firearm with a Glock conversion device attached which purposefully converted the firearm to a machine gun. Delafose pleaded guilty to the charge on January 31, 2024. Daniel Chemeeks Rodasti , 35, of Lake Charles, Louisiana , was sentenced to 105 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Rodasti committed a traffic violation in June 2021 and was stopped by law enforcement officers. When deputies approached the vehicle, they detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside. A search was conducted of the vehicle and deputies found and seized a Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol and an Arex semi-automatic pistol. Rodasti had a previous felony conviction and was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. He pleaded guilty to the charge on February 7, 2024. These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Richmond and Danny Siefker. # # #


title: Fleeing Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dominick Yvon Louissaint (19, Lake Mary) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Louissaint faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, Louissaint has previously been convicted of felonies on three occasions, including robbery and firearms offenses. On January 24, 2024, officers with the Sanford Police Department responded to a call about a suspected burglary. The officers encountered Louissaint at the scene and ordered him to show his hands. Instead, Louissaint attempted to flee from the officers and was later apprehended. The officers located a loaded Taurus pistol concealed in Louissaint’s pant leg and a box of ammunition in his pocket. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. As a result of his plea, Louissaint will forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Sanford Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan. 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: Placer County Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation Offense Against a Minor

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ryan Davidek, 40, of Lincoln, pleaded guilty today to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in 2016, Davidek began a sexual relationship with a middle school child who he had met online. Over the course of several years, Davidek booked hotel rooms and traveled across state lines, as well as transported the victim from another state to the Eastern District of California, to commit criminal sexual conduct. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexis Klein and Christina McCall are prosecuting the case. Davidek is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Oct. 3, 2024. Davidek faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, restitution as determined by the court, and a lifetime term of supervised release. 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. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those 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 .


title: Five Men Convicted for Operating Major Illegal Streaming Service

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in Las Vegas convicted five men this week for their roles in running one of the largest unauthorized streaming services in the United States, which generated millions of dollars in subscription revenue while causing substantial harm to television program copyright owners. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, beginning as early as 2007, Kristopher Dallmann, Douglas Courson, Felipe Garcia, Jared Jaurequi, and Peter Huber operated an online, subscription-based streaming service known as Jetflicks. The Jetflicks group used sophisticated computer scripts and software to scour pirate websites for illegal copies of television episodes, which they then downloaded and hosted on Jetflicks servers. The group reproduced hundreds of thousands of copyrighted television episodes without authorization, amassing a catalog larger than the combined catalogues of Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and Amazon Prime. Dallmann and his co-conspirators made millions of dollars streaming and distributing this catalogue of stolen content to tens of thousands of paid subscribers. “The defendants operated Jetflicks, an illicit streaming service they used to distribute hundreds of thousands of stolen television episodes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their scheme generated millions of dollars in criminal profits, while causing copyright owners to lose out. These convictions underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights by prosecuting digital piracy schemes and bringing offenders to justice.” “The defendants conspired to operate an online streaming service that unlawfully reproduced and distributed thousands of copyrighted television programs for their own personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “This case is another example of our steadfast commitment to combat intellectual property theft and to hold accountable those who violate intellectual property rights laws.” “The defendants ran a platform that automated the theft of TV shows and distributed the stolen content to subscribers,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “When complaints from copyright holders and problems with payment service providers threatened to topple the illicit multimillion-dollar enterprise, the defendants tried to disguise Jetflicks as an aviation entertainment company. Digital piracy is not a victimless crime. As these convictions demonstrate, the FBI will indeed investigate those who illegally profit from the creative works of others.” The jury convicted Dallman, Courson, Garcia, Jaurequi, and Huber of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. The jury also convicted Dallmann of two counts of money laundering by concealment and three counts of misdemeanor criminal copyright infringement. Courson, Garcia, Jaurequi, and Huber each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and Dallmann faces a maximum penalty of 48 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. Trial Attorneys Michael Christin, Christopher Merriam, and Matthew Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Oliva and Edward Veronda for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the CCIPS Paralegal Edie Britman.


title: Jacksonville Resident Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Fentanyl And Methamphetamine

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Andre Lee Long (48, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for the distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. The court also ordered Long to forfeit a rifle and $113,074, which were traceable to proceeds of the offense. Long entered a guilty plea on March 14, 2024. According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) began an investigation of Long for fentanyl distribution. During the course of three transactions on June 14, June 21, and July 18, 2023, Long distributed over 220 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant. Prior to each transaction, surveillance footage captured Long leaving his residence and meeting the informant in a parking lot. On August 1, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Long’s residence and located more than 360 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 44 grams of fentanyl, and small quantities of crack cocaine. Authorities also seized a rifle, ammunition, drug scales, baggies, drug paraphernalia, and over $113,000 in cash. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike.


title: New York Man Sentenced to 59 Months in Prison on Fentanyl Charges

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced today to 59 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Edgar Jesus Avila Alvarado, 46, of the Bronx, New York, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case as well as statements made in court: In July 2022, law enforcement observed Avila Alvarado exit a residence in New York City carrying a duffle bag and enter a vehicle. After conducting a lawful vehicle stop, law enforcement recovered approximately three kilograms of fentanyl within the bag and learned that Avilia Alvarado was on route to New Jersey to distribute the controlled substance to another individual. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement recovered an additional four kilograms of fentanyl inside of Avila Alvarado’s residence also located in New York City. In total, law enforcement recovered nearly 7.4 kilograms of fentanyl from Avila Alvarado. In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Avila Alvarado to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge SAC Frank A. Tarentino III, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. 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 . The New York OCDETF Strike Force is housed at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; the New York City Police Department; the New York State Police; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; IRS - Criminal Investigation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the U.S. Marshals Service; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; Port Washington Police Department; and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.


title: Averhealth to Pay Over $1.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations  Related to Drug Tests Used in Michigan’s Children’s Protective Services & Foster Care Programs

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today that Avertest, LLC, a forensic drug testing company based in Richmond, VA, and which does business nationwide under the name Averhealth, has agreed to pay $1,344,621 to settle allegations that it knowingly violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by submitting to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) improper claims for payment for drug tests. Joining in the announcement was Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). In 2019, Averhealth began performing drug screening and confirmation testing for the State of Michigan’s Children’s Protective Services and Foster Care programs under a contract with MDHHS. To pay for these services, MDHHS utilized funds from the Social Services Block Grant, which provides annual federal assistance to states to support social services programs and is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from May 15, 2019, through November 30, 2020, Averhealth violated the FCA when it knowingly submitted, or caused the submission of, claims for payment to MDHHS, and knowingly made statements material to those claims, which concerned positive drug test results for oral fluid samples that were not confirmed using a mass spectrometric method analytically different from the screening method, and did not conform to the terms of the contract between Averhealth and MDHHS. “Averhealth failed to meet its commitments to MDHHS yet continued to claim entitlement to payment for its nonconforming services,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This outcome highlights our Office’s continued commitment to hold accountable any business or person who is dishonest in their dealings with programs funded by the Federal Government.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by Dr. Sarah Riley under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow a private party, known as a relator, to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Dr. Riley will receive $228,586 as part of the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Riley v. Avertest, LLC d/b/a Averhealth, No. 2:21-cv-10560 (E.D. Mich.). This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from HHS-OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating 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). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability


title: Fort Smith Arms Dealer Neil Ravi Mehta and his company  Federal Armament LLC Sentenced for Various Criminal Violations

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FORT SMITH – A Fort Smith man, Neil Ravi Mehta , age 32, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $659,825.52 in restitution, on one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm that was a Destructive Device, one count of Fraud and False Statements related to Tax Returns, and one count of False Declaration Before a Court. In a separate case, Federal Armament LLC , which was owned by Neil Ravi Mehta, was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $500,000.00 on one count of Unlawfully Importation and Receipt of Firearms and one count of Filing False or Misleading Electronic Export Information. Federal Armament LLC was also ordered to forfeit the illegally imported firearms. The Honorable Judge P.K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearings, which were held in the U.S. District Court in Fort Smith. According to court documents in the Neil Ravi Mehta case, on January 31, 2023, federal law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Mehta’s residence in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mehta was present at the residence when officers announced their intent to enter the residence but fled from the residence prior to officers making entry into the residence. Mehta was later arrested after a six-day manhunt, in which the public’s assistance was solicited in locating the defendant, who was assumed to be armed and dangerous. During the execution of the search warrant, officers discovered and seized a destructive device located in the top left corner of the kitchen island of the residence. The destructive device was not registered as required by law and therefore unlawfully possessed by Mehta. As to the tax charge, Mehta substantially underreported his income by failing to report millions of dollars of business activities for Federal Armament LLC, a business headquartered in Fort Smith, Arkansas which engaged in the manufacturing and selling ammunition, firearms, and other related items. None of the gross receipts of Federal Armament LLC were reported on any of Mehta’s IRS Forms 1040 for 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. As to the charge of False Declaration Before a Court, on December 14, 2021, a deposition under oath was taken from Mehta in connection with a civil suit brought against Mehta and Federal Armament LLC by the United States Department of Labor alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. During the deposition Mehta made false statements under oath regarding matters that were material to the civil suit. According to court documents in the Federal Armament LLC case, on January 31, 2023, federal law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Federal Armament LLC in Fort Smith, Arkansas. During the search warrant officer located and seized 3,185 firearms that Federal Armament LLC unlawfully imported due to excess magazine capacity or because the firearms lacked required engraving marks. As to the export charge, on June 27, 2022, Federal Armament LLC submitted to the U.S. Department of Commerce a license application for approval to export certain firearms to Poland. The export license application contained false and misleading information by naming an individual as contact person who was neither employed by nor acting as the contact person for Federal Armament LLC. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. This was a joint investigation involving the following federal law enforcement agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Export Enforcement (OEE); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG). First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elser and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Mohlhenrich prosecuted the case. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov


title: Men Who Robbed Postal Employee Indicted on Charges

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: A federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment charging Amihr Curtis, 23, Zenesto Martin, Jr., 25, and Christian Proby, 25, all of Lima, Ohio, with interference of commerce by robbery, robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States, and stealing keys used by the Postal Service for the deposit of mail. The violations allegedly took place in November 2023, in Lima, Ohio, while a United States Postal Service letter carrier was on a delivery route. Curtis and Martin, Jr., were also indicted for one count of mail theft. If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ role in the offenses, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for June 20, 2025. The investigation preceding the indictment was a collaborative effort conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Lima Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank H. Spryszak. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Postal Inspection Service is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating crimes against postal carriers and crimes involving the U.S. Mail. Anyone having information about blue collection box thefts or thefts or attempted thefts of mail carriers or mail should contact USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. All information will be kept confidential. Update Feb. 21, 2025: Addition of sentencing date


title: Woodbridge fentanyl dealer pleads guilty in death of teenage victim

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pled guilty today to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. According to court documents, on April 23, 2022, Maurice Lamont Gordon, 37, sold counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of a 15-year-old victim. The victim and another individual walked to Gordon’s apartment to purchase “percs,” a street name for Percocet or counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and made to resemble Percocet and other legitimate oxycodone pills. The victim provided money to the other individual to make the purchase and was provided with his share of the “percs” sold by Gordon. After the purchase, the victim returned home and never left. The following day, the victim was found nonresponsive in his home and was pronounced dead by Prince William County Emergency Medical Services. Officers with the Prince William County Police Department found narcotics paraphernalia near the victim’s body, including burnt aluminum foil with fentanyl residue. The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that the victim died of Accidental Fentanyl Intoxication after an autopsy found fentanyl and despropionylfentanyl, a metabolite of fentanyl, in the victim’s blood with no other drugs or alcohol present. On Oct. 12, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Gordon’s residence. During the search, law enforcement seized marijuana, cocaine, a large quantity of counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl, a Polymer 80 semi-automatic “ghost gun” bearing no serial number, and ammunition. The seized pills totaled over 1,100 and weighed approximately 130 grams. Gordon is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 3 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Starr assisted in the prosecution. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-138.


title: Fake ID Producers Indicted

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jonathan De La Riva-Lorenzo, 46, and Fernando Minkes-Rodriguez, 48, both undocumented noncitizens residing in Phoenix, were indicted last week by a federal grand jury in Phoenix. Each was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Fraud in Connection with Production of Identification Documents and two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, Aiding and Abetting. The indictment alleges that De La Riva-Lorenzo and Minkes-Rodriguez conspired, produced, and possessed false identification documents that were made to appear to have been issued by the United States. De La Riva-Lorenzo and Minkes-Rodriguez worked together to make fraudulent identity documents, including lawful permanent resident cards (“green cards”), social security cards and state identification cards for undocumented noncitizens. De La Riva-Lorenzo and Minkes-Rodriguez required their customers to provide their biographical information, along with a headshot, which was used in producing the documents. On May 14, 2024, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations executed federal search warrants at several locations in Arizona associated with De La Riva-Lorenzo and Minkes-Rodriguez. Agents seized a multitude of fraudulently made documents, as well as supplies to make fraudulent documents, such as industrial printers, laminate, and ink cartridges. Additionally, multiple erroneous fraudulent identity documents were discovered in Minkes-Rodriguez’ garbage. A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Fraud in Connection with Production of Identification Documents carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. A conviction for Aggravated Identity Theft, Aiding and Abetting carries a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sydney Yew and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Shaw, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-1000-PHX-MTL RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-078_De La Riva # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: New Haven Gang Member Involved in 2 Shootings Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: NYZAIRE BARNES, also known as “Melo,” 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 125 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a violent New Haven street gang, including two gang-related shootings. Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson. According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020. The investigation revealed that Barnes and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube. On March 11, 2024, Barnes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in two gang-related shootings. On April 12, 2022, Barnes and other Exit 8 members shot and attempted to kill rival gang members. On January 20, 2023, Exit 8 members, including Devin Suggs, stole an SUV in Scarsdale, New York. Later that day, Barnes and Suggs committed a drive-by shooting of a rival gang member in New Haven. The victim was shot in the head, but survived the attack. Barnes has been detained since August 3, 2023. Suggs pleaded guilty to the same charge on February 20, 2024, and awaits sentencing. This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale, and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. 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 .


title: Five Men Convicted For Operating Major Illegal Streaming Service

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS - A federal jury in Las Vegas convicted five men this week for their roles in running one of the largest unauthorized streaming services in the United States, which generated millions of dollars in subscription revenue while causing substantial harm to television program copyright owners. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, beginning as early as 2007, Kristopher Dallmann, Douglas Courson, Felipe Garcia, Jared Jaurequi, and Peter Huber operated an online, subscription-based streaming service known as Jetflicks. The Jetflicks group used sophisticated computer scripts and software to scour pirate websites for illegal copies of television episodes, which they then downloaded and hosted on Jetflicks servers. The group reproduced hundreds of thousands of copyrighted television episodes without authorization, amassing a catalog larger than the combined catalogues of Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and Amazon Prime. Dallmann and his co-conspirators made millions of dollars streaming and distributing this catalogue of stolen content to tens of thousands of paid subscribers. “The defendants operated Jetflicks, an illicit streaming service they used to distribute hundreds of thousands of stolen television episodes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their scheme generated millions of dollars in criminal profits, while causing copyright owners to lose out. These convictions underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights by prosecuting digital piracy schemes and bringing offenders to justice.” “The defendants conspired to operate an online streaming service that unlawfully reproduced and distributed thousands of copyrighted television programs for their own personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “This case is another example of our steadfast commitment to combat intellectual property theft and to hold accountable those who violate intellectual property rights laws.” “The defendants ran a platform that automated the theft of TV shows and distributed the stolen content to subscribers,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “When complaints from copyright holders and problems with payment service providers threatened to topple the illicit multimillion-dollar enterprise, the defendants tried to disguise Jetflicks as an aviation entertainment company. Digital piracy is not a victimless crime. As these convictions demonstrate, the FBI will indeed investigate those who illegally profit from the creative works of others.” The jury convicted Dallman, Courson, Garcia, Jaurequi, and Huber of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. The jury also convicted Dallmann of two counts of money laundering by concealment and three counts of misdemeanor criminal copyright infringement. Courson, Garcia, Jaurequi, and Huber each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and Dallmann faces a maximum penalty of 48 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. Trial Attorneys Michael Christin, Christopher Merriam, and Matthew Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Oliva and Edward Veronda for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the CCIPS Paralegal Edie Britman. ###


title: Four Paterson Gang Members Charged with Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and One Charged for Attempted Robbery of Postal Employee

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Four Passaic County, New Jersey, men have been charged in connection with their respective roles in a Paterson neighborhood street gang known as “100k” that distributed fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Jazmeir Reyes, aka “Baby Joe,” aka “Joe,” 19, Kyzeik Robinson, aka “Doo Doo,” aka “King Sparks,” aka “Sparks,” 18, Michael Davis, aka “Baby Three,” 27, and Jacim Pitts, 24, all of Paterson, New Jersey, are charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Reyes is charged in a separate complaint with attempted Hobbs Act robbery, assaulting or impeding certain United States officers or employees, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in connection with his holding a U.S. Postal Service employee at gun point. Davis and Pitts appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court and were detained. Reyes is scheduled to make his initial appearance on June 21, 2024. Robinson remains at large. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From January 2022, law enforcement has been investigating the members and associates of a neighborhood street gang known as “100k” or “Down the Hill,” which operates primarily in the area of North Main and Jefferson streets in the First Ward of Paterson. Reyes, Robinson, and Davis are all known members of 100k and Pitts is a member of “So Icey,” a neighborhood street gang closely aligned with the 100k gang. From August 2023 to April 2024, law enforcement used undercover officers to conduct controlled purchases of narcotics from Reyes and the other members and associates of 100k and seized in excess of 100 grams of fentanyl as well as quantities of heroin and cocaine. On July 28, 2023, in Paterson, Reyes held a mail carrier at gun point in an attempt to steal the mail carrier’s arrow key, which is a key used to gain access to mailboxes within a certain geographic area or postal route. The count of conspiracy charged in the complaint carries a mandatory minimum term of five years, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a fine of at least $5 million. On each of the counts of attempted Hobbs Act robbery and assaulting or impeding certain United States officers or employees, Reyes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. On the count of brandishing a firearm in connection with a crime of violence, Reyes faces a mandatory minimum term of seven years and a maximum term of life imprisonment, which must run consecutively to any other prison sentence imposed, and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen; the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Acting Sheriff Gary Giardina; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety James Shea; and the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Officer In Charge Isa Abbassi with the investigation leading to today’s charges. This case is part of the Paterson Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in 2020 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Paterson’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Paterson. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Paterson Department of Public Safety, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Bergen County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, and N.J. Department of Corrections. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Organized Crime/Gang Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. reyesetal.complaint.pdf reyes.complaint.pdf


title: Yosemite National Park Rape Charged

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Nathan Baptista, 36, charging him with aggravated sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on May 31, 2024, Baptista forcibly raped and strangled a fellow Yosemite Hospitality employee after meeting her that night. This case is the product of an investigation by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Baptista faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.