title: Former Atlantic City Housing Authority Coordinator Charged with Fraud in Connection With COVID-19 Relief Funds

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for fraudulent acts he committed in connection with COVID-19 relief funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Luquay Zahir, 49, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of making false statements to influence the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal in Camden federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In 2020 and 2021, Zahir, then the Coordinator for the Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) grant program for the Atlantic City Housing Authority and Urban Redevelopment Agency, fraudulently obtained more than $30,000 through a Paycheck Protection Program loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The count of making false statements to influence the SBA carries a maximum potential penalty of two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The count of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Newark Atlantic City Resident Agency under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; and special agents of SBA Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. zahir.complaint.pdf


title: Oklahoma Department Of Corrections Inmate Sentenced To 22 Years For Murder In Indian Country

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenneth Leon Thomas, Jr., age 35, of Okemah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 270 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On April 19, 2023, Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of an Information of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree. According to investigators, on May 31, 2022, during a dispute over switching cells at the Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville (since renamed the Allen Gamble Correctional Center), Thomas had an altercation with a fellow inmate and stabbed the inmate three times, killing him. The crime occurred in Hughes County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. At the time of the murder, Thomas was serving 8 years on a state court conviction out of Comanche County for Assault and Battery on a Police Officer. The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Thomas will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.


title: Three indicted for providing firearms to Cartel del Noreste

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – Three Laredo residents are charged with purchasing firearms for the cartel and transporting them to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment against Angela Ruby Ponce, 18, Oscar Axel Flores, 22, and Mario Alberto Tovar, 28. They are expected to appear for their arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga May 2. The indictment alleges from Jan. 1 through on or about April 2, Ponce, Flores and Tovar conspired with each other in trafficking firearms for the Cartel del Noreste (CDN). Each are charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods from the United States, trafficking firearms and straw purchasing firearms for the CDN. On April 2, the trio allegedly went to a federal firearms licensee in Laredo to purchase a semi-automatic rifle. After the purchase, U.S. authorities stopped them, recovering the just purchased rifle intended for the CDN, according to the charges. The criminal complaint originally filed in the case alleges the group was working on behalf of the CDN. The three are believed to have purchased and transported at least 12 firearms to the CDN over the course of several months. The weapons included a variety of handguns and rifles, according to the charges. The indictment alleges the CDN is a Mexican criminal organization that engages in transnational crime including kidnapping, extortion, vehicle theft, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and money laundering. It is headquartered in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and allegedly has influence over other Mexican cities. The CDN uses firearms of various calibers and capabilities to carry out and protect its operations, according to the charges. For the conspiracy, each faces up to five years in federal prison, while smuggling goods from the United States carries a possible 10-year prison sentence. If convicted of trafficking firearms, they all also face additional sentences of up to 15 years as well as another 25 years for straw purchasing. The latter two are new charges under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms. All charges also carry potential fines of up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan L. Oliver is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Sex Offender Caught in Halfway House with Child Pornography Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a registered sex offender who was caught in a halfway house with child sexual abuse material to 15 years in prison. In 2017, Eric Michael Swancutt was sentenced in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis to 97 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. On Aug. 17, 2022, after his release from prison, a staffer at the residential reentry center near Farmington, Missouri found a cell phone hidden in Swancutt’s sock during a pat down search. A court-approved search of the phone uncovered child pornography and evidence that Swancutt had searched for child pornography. Swancutt, now 46, pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receiving child pornography. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Northeast Kingdom Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Juan Carlos “JC” Ortiz, 29, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 95 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Ortiz had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base between November 2021 and August 2022 under a plea agreement he reached with the United States. According to court records, Ortiz was charged in two separate but related indictments involving overlapping drug conspiracies. Between the two indictments, thirteen individuals—mostly residents of the Northeast Kingdom—were charged with distributing controlled substances and conspiring to do the same. All have since been adjudged guilty, though several are still awaiting sentencing. At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court recognized that Ortiz was an organizer or leader in those drug conspiracies. Ortiz stayed with multiple hosts, some of whom were his codefendants in the cases, in locations throughout Orleans, Essex, and Caledonia Counties when he was in Vermont, using their residences to prepare and distribute controlled substances. Ortiz also relied on coconspirators to complete drug distributions he had previously arranged and to provide him with transportation between residences and to Massachusetts to acquire and distribute controlled substances. Several of the conspirators possessed firearms during the drug-distribution activities and acquired firearms in exchange for drugs. The sentencing hearing followed a long-term investigation conducted by multiple local, county, state and federal agencies that was led by the Northeastern Vermont Drug Task Force (NEVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). NEVDTF and ATF were assisted in this investigation by agents with Homeland Security Investigations, detectives and troopers from the Vermont State Police, members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, the Newport Police Department, aviators with the Air & Marine Operations component of United States Customs & Border Protection, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest reiterated the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to addressing federal crime in the Northeast Kingdom and commended the excellent collaboration of federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies required to investigate and to prosecute this case. The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Richard Bothfeld, Esq. represented Juan Carlos Ortiz. 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 .


title: Two Former Executives Sentenced For Committing Years-Long Fraud Against Their Employer

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that SHAWN RAINS and JOSEPH MAHARAJ were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román to 12 years and 90 months in prison, respectively, for their participation in a scheme to steal millions of dollars from a White Plains company where they were formerly high-ranking executives. RAINS was previously convicted, following a two-week jury trial, of mail fraud conspiracy, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. MAHARAJ previously pled guilty to one count of mail fraud conspiracy. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Shawn Rains and Joseph Maharaj, former executives at a White Plains healthcare consulting company, betrayed the trust of their employer by stealing millions of dollars. Along with co-conspirators, Rains and Maharaj used sham companies to submit fake invoices and trick their employer into paying for work that never happened, then laundered the proceeds. Prosecuting cases like this is crucial to maintaining trust in business and protecting the integrity of financial systems upon which countless individuals and institutions rely.” According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial: RAINS and MAHARJ were executives at OrthoNet, a healthcare claims processing company based in White Plains, New York. Between approximately 2009 and 2017, RAINS and MAHARAJ designed and executed a scheme to defraud OrthoNet of over $4 million and to launder the fraud proceeds. RAINS and MAHARAJ conspired with others to create fake vendors that purported to do work on behalf of OrthoNet. RAINS, MAHARAJ, and their co-conspirators then signed invoices approving payment for the fake work, and OrthoNet sent payments to the fake vendors. RAINS, MAHARAJ, and their co-conspirators then converted the money to cash to hide the source of the fraud proceeds and split it up amongst themselves. * * * In addition to the prison sentence, RAINS, 57, of Le Bouscat, France, was ordered to forfeit $4,043,798.69 and pay restitution in the amount of $4,636,150.69. MAHARAJ, 42, of Goldens Bridge, New York, was ordered to forfeit $4,034,411.19 and pay restitution in the amount of $4,034,411.19. Mr. Williams thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their outstanding work on the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Simon, Benjamin Klein, Jim Ligtenberg, and Jamie Bagliebter are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Shannon Becker.


title: Looking Back on Second Chance Month 2024 and a Year of Reentry Initiatives

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: Every April, National Reentry Week and Second Chance Month highlight the importance of safe and successful reintegration into society for the approximately 650,000 people released from prisons in the United States each year. As these annual observances draw to a close, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is looking back on the Office’s reentry initiatives during the month of April and throughout the past year. Notably, reentry has been an integral part of the U.S. Attorney's Office’s mission and a key piece of its community engagement in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for almost two decades. Supporting people throughout their reentry process and raising awareness in the community about that process are part of our comprehensive strategy to help prevent recidivism, combat crime, and address the larger societal issues that contribute to crime. Key components of our reentry program include: The Reentry Simulation Initiative In April 2023, the USAO-EDPA launched its Reentry Simulation Initiative. Inspired by the stories of returning citizens, the office started hosting Reentry Simulations to teach the public about the barriers that so many of our community members face as they return home from incarceration. A Reentry Simulation is a two-hour activity that lets participants walk in the shoes of someone just released from prison, providing them with tasks to complete within a certain amount of time. The exercise is divided into four 15-minute segments, representing the first four weeks for someone returning home. Over the past year, since the launch of our office’s Reentry Simulation Initiative, we have hosted 18 simulations. Participants in these simulations have included law enforcement, college students, high school students, service providers, and incarcerated individuals. During Second Chance Month 2024 alone, we co-hosted five simulations across the state, reaching over 360 people, in partnership with Elizabethtown College; Springside Chestnut Hill Academy; PAR-Recycle Works and Eastern State Penitentiary; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Dickinson College, and the Cumberland County Reentry Coalition; the Third Circuit Court of Appeals Reentry Courts Summit; and the Philadelphia Bar Association. Ultimately, EDPA’s goal with the Reentry Simulations is to encourage people to think deeply about the American criminal justice system, to change perceptions about returning citizens and the criminal justice system, and to deepen empathy. Reentry Coalitions We are also part of seven reentry coalitions across the state of Pennsylvania. Reentry coalitions, dedicated to ensuring the long-term success of those exiting prison, have the power to facilitate important systems change, positively affect the lives of returning citizens, and keep our communities safe. Just last week, we participated in the Lehigh County Reentry Coalition’s first-ever Celebration of Second Chances, at which the coalition launched its strategic plan, and honored individuals who have returned home from prison and made exceptional contributions to their communities. Additionally, this month, for the first time ever, our office hosted a webinar in partnership with DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs called "Bridging Federal Resources to the Community." This webinar was designed to help community-based organizations and state and local agencies navigate the federal funding landscape, empowering their organizations to access and secure the resources needed to support community initiatives. Numerous reentry coalitions and reentry organizations were invited and participated. Federal Problem-Solving Courts Most importantly, our office continues to play a key role in serving returning citizens in the Eastern District’s federal problem-solving courts, developing resources and assisting participants, so that they have the tools and support they need as they’re returning home. After 17 years, our district’s federal reentry court, Supervision to Aid Reentry, continues to thrive. Since the program’s inception, only 14% of our 471 participants have been rearrested or had their supervision revoked. By reducing revocations and imprisonment, the reentry program saves taxpayers significantly, based on an estimated annual cost of imprisonment of $42,672 per person. More important than the financial benefits, though, is the positive impact on communities. The problem-solving courts help set formerly incarcerated people on a more positive path, creating a ripple effect that can change not just their lives, but the lives of their families, friends, and entire communities. Our program has been made even more effective through the relationships we’ve cultivated with individuals and organizations in our community, which help us provide more resources and services to program participants than we could do alone. In addition to community members, these partnerships extend to other government agencies, including a long-standing relationship with the Philadelphia Housing Authority to provide housing vouchers to program participants, as well as the Bureau of Prisons and halfway houses, with whom we work to facilitate as smooth a transition as possible after incarceration. *** “Today, over 70 million Americans have criminal records. 95% of incarcerated people will eventually be released from prison, and close to 70% will reoffend and end up back in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “People returning home from prison are our neighbors, they’re members of our families and communities, so reentry must be everyone’s concern. The successful reentry of returning citizens is crucial not only for their individual success and well-being, but also for the safety and stability of our communities.” We observe National Reentry Week and Second Chance Month as a reminder of the importance of this work in creating safer communities across the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Reentry efforts don’t begin or end in April, though – they continue year-round. We thank those who do this difficult work and encourage them to continue engaging with reentry and improving the process for currently and formerly incarcerated people.


title: Felon Caught with Guns and Pounds of Marijuana in St. Louis County Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who was caught with six kilograms of marijuana and two guns to 10 years in prison. On March 1, 2022, St. Louis County Police Department officers pulled over a 2008 Bentley that Jamie Jeffrey was driving. The officers saw a box in the in the backseat that contained bags of marijuana totaling about six kilograms. There were also two pistols in the car and $1,030 cash in Jeffrey’s pants pocket. Jeffrey later told police that the marijuana was what was left of 100 pounds that he obtained in trade in California for a 1969 Firebird in November of 2021. He said he then traded some of that marijuana for the guns. Jeffrey is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing firearms. Jeffrey, 47, of Eureka, California, pleaded guilty in July to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke prosecuted 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: Beverly Hills Businessman Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

component: Tax Division

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty today to evading more than $1 million of federal and state taxes. According to court documents and statements made in court, Haim Jerry Kohen, of Beverly Hills, California, owned and operated a business that bought and sold bulk quantities of used clothing. He spent more than a decade underreporting or not reporting income on his tax returns. He attempted to conceal this income from the IRS by diverting it from his business to himself and by dealing in cash. For example, he underreported his business’ income by diverting cash payments received from a significant customer. Kohen kept the cash for himself instead of depositing it into his business’ bank account. Kohen did not report the diverted cash on the business’ returns or on his personal returns. Additionally, in November 2013, that same customer owed Kohen’s business over $648,000. Kohen and the customer executed a promissory note where the customer agreed to repay the debt to Kohen personally, and not to his business. Kohen received payments pursuant to the note in cash and did not report them on any tax return. Over the years, Kohn also loaned money to people and did not report the interest payments he received on his personal returns. Kohen also did not report rental income from two properties he owned in Beverly Hills and Tarzana, California. Kohen bought the Beverly Hills property in 2011 and soon thereafter deeded it to close family members. However, Kohen continued to collect the rental income for the property and exercised ownership and control over it. He also did not report the rental income he received from the Tarzana property. In total, Kohen caused a tax loss to the IRS and State of California of at least $1,196,802. Kohen is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 1 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada of the Central District of California made the announcement. The International Tax and Financial Crimes group of IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Mark F. Daly and Trial Attorneys Sara E. Henderson and John C. Gerardi of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Monmouth Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of a Teenager

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Monmouth, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a teenager in Salem, Oregon. Javen James Pedro, 21, was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on February 24, 2022, officers from the Salem Police Department responded to an overdose of a 15-year-old teenager. Paramedics quickly transported the teen to a local hospital where he died. Further investigation revealed that on the previous day, the minor victim had purchased and consumed counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in front of several other juveniles. Investigators also obtained video surveillance footage from a neighbor showing the minor victim completing what appeared to be a drug transaction with a person determined to be Pedro. Later on February 24, investigators located and arrested Pedro in Monmouth and he admitted to selling ten counterfeit Oxycodone pills to the minor victim the day prior. Pedro further admitted to selling pills to the minor victim approximately five to ten times previously. On February 24, 2022, Pedro was charged by criminal complaint with distributing fentanyl. Later, on March 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Pedro on the same charge. On February 6, 2024, Pedro pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with distributing a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21. This case was investigated by the Salem Police Department. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Manchester, Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery in Augusta

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Manchester, Maine man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to armed bank robbery. According to court records, in October 2022, Joshua Brougham , 38, entered an Augusta bank wearing a brimmed hat and a standard hospital mask over his face. After a brief conversation with the bank teller, Brougham placed a newspaper he had been holding on the counter, pulled out a silver handgun, and placed the handgun on the counter in the direction of the teller. Brougham told the teller to give him “all the money in the drawer.” After the teller placed money on the counter, Brougham folded up the newspaper with the money inside and fled to the area of a nearby parking lot, leaving in a gold-colored GMC Yukon. Four days after the robbery, Augusta Police Department investigators located a vehicle matching the one from the robbery surveillance footage, arresting Brougham as he exited a convenience store. A search of Brougham’s vehicle revealed a handgun magazine loaded with seven .380 caliber bullets as well as an unloaded silver Walther PPK/S .380 caliber pistol wedged in the back seat of the vehicle that matched the description of the firearm used during the robbery. During the investigation, law enforcement also seized a brimmed hat that matched the hat worn during the robbery. Brougham faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine followed by up to five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Augusta Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. ###


title: Three Aryan Brotherhood Prison Gang Members Convicted of Murder in Aid of Racketeering, RICO Conspiracy, and Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Following a nine-week trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, three members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang were found guilty of racketeering activity that included murder and drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. A federal jury found California State Prison Sacramento inmate Ronald Yandell, 61, guilty of one count of murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of Hugo Pinell, conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity; five counts of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Kenneth Johnson, James Mickey, Paul Diaz, Michael Trippe, and Doug Maynard; two counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin; five counts of distribution of heroin; and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. The jury found California State Prison Sacramento inmate Danny Troxell, 71, guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of James Mickey. The jury found California State Prison inmate Billy Sylvester, 55, guilty of murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of Ronald Richardson, conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and distribution of methamphetamine. “Today’s convictions further our effort to dismantle a violent criminal enterprise run from inside California prisons,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “The Aryan Brotherhood controlled its members, associates, and others both inside and outside prison walls, ordering multiple murders and running a drug trafficking operation that spanned counties and states. We will continue to use every law enforcement tool to protect the communities plagued by the violence and criminal activities of the Aryan Brotherhood.” “Prior convictions and lengthy prison sentences didn’t alter the defendants’ disrespect for the law and public safety. They continued to commit brutal murders and other heinous crimes from behind bars, all while coordinating the distribution of drugs into the community for financial gain,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. “These convictions deal a significant blow to the Aryan Brotherhood leadership and underscores our commitment to tackle violent criminal enterprises from the top down.” “The outcome today reflects the successful coordination among the law enforcement agencies involved in this effort to combat the dangerous influence of prison gangs,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber. “I appreciate the hard work and dedication of each of the agencies and am proud of the expertise CDCR staff provided throughout the investigation.” On June 6, 2019, a criminal complaint was unsealed that charged 16 members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood (AB), a prison-based gang, following a long-running investigation into drug trafficking and murders inside and outside of California’s prisons. According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, between 2011 and 2016, AB members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. Yandell and Sylvester oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their shared cell. Using smuggled-in cellphones, Yandell and Sylvester directed murders, drug trafficking in Sacramento and other California cities, and other criminal acts, while controlling the membership of the AB. Troxell was a leader of the AB and had significant authority over the enterprise, including resolving disputes among members and approving the murder of current or former members. At the outset of this investigation, the following defendants were prison inmates with Yandell, Troxell, and Sylvester, serving life sentences: Travis Burhop, 51, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2022, and is awaiting sentencing. Brant Daniel, 49, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison on Dec. 20, 2023. Pat Brady, 53, pleaded guilty on Jan. 3, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024. Jason Corbett, 52, pleaded guilty on Jan. 17, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on July 15, 2024. Additional individuals charged in the case include the following: Donald Mazza, 53, pleaded guilty on June 15, 2022, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 6, 2024. Samuel Keeton, 45, of Menifee, pleaded guilty on Nov. 30, 2020, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024. Jeanna Quesenberry, 57, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2023, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024. Kristin Demar, 49, of Citrus Heights; pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2022, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024. Justin Petty, 42, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty and on Oct. 16, 2023, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in prison. Charges are pending against Kevin MacNamara, 44, of La Palma, and Kathleen Nolan, 69, of Calimesa. A status conference for these defendants is set for June 24, 2024. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Two previously charged defendants are deceased. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting the case. Yandell, Troxell, and Sylvester are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller at a date to be set in the future. Defendants Yandell and Sylvester face mandatory life sentences based upon their convictions for murder in aid of racketeering. Defendant Troxell faces a maximum sentence of life in prison based upon his RICO conspiracy conviction. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison  for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

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

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, Randy Rodriquez Jones, 49, sold a firearm to an individual on January 8, 2020. Jones had multiple prior drug-related felony convictions and a previous state court conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Jones to possess any firearm. Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 11, 2023. He pled guilty on January 30, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted 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: McComb Man Sentenced to Over Two Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

body_text: Jackson, MS – A McComb man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, Norkeithus Malik Reed, 24, was found in possession of a firearm by the Brookhaven Police Department when responding to a complaint of a disturbance caused by Reed at an area restaurant. Reed had previously been convicted in state court of drug-related felony charges. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Reed to possess any firearm. Reed was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2023. He pled guilty on January 30, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted 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: Bourne Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Bourne man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and for violating his terms of supervised release. Bryan C. Mileikis, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to eight years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution for the CSAM case. In addition, Mileikis received a two-year concurrent sentence for being found in violation of his supervised release on two prior unrelated federal armed bank robbery convictions. In October 2023, Mileikis pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Mileikis was identified as the owner of a Kik Messenger account distributing CSAM online. A search of Mileikis’ Bourne residence in June 2019 resulted in the seizure of his iPhone. A forensic examination of the cell phone was conducted which revealed approximately 156 images and 22 videos depicting CSAM. Mileikis’ CSAM collection recovered from his cell phone consisted of prepubescent and pubescent minors and included children ranging in age from approximately one year old to approximately 17 years old and included both minor girls and boys. The CSAM files included sexual abuse of minor children by adults. At the time of the offense, Mileikis was on federal supervised release for two armed bank robbery convictions for which he was sentenced to 110 months in prison. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; and Bourne Police Chief Brandon Esip made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former Oregon Department of Human Services Employee Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Violating the Civil Rights of a Developmentally Disabled Woman in his Care

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Oregon Department of Human Services employee was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison today for violating the civil rights of a woman with developmental disabilities in his care by engaging in sexual misconduct with her. Zakary Edward Glover, 30, of Lebanon, Oregon, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. “Mr. Glover’s crimes profoundly betrayed the trust placed in him as a state health care support specialist,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We thank our partners at the FBI, Oregon State Police, and Civil Rights Division for their commitment to this victim and the safety of all Oregonians.” “This defendant engaged in deplorable acts of sexual misconduct and targeted a victim with severe developmental disabilities who was entrusted to his care and could not defend herself,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant breached the public trust and violated the most basic standards of decency. The significant sentence imposed should send a strong message that the Justice Department will do all it can to hold accountable those who abuse their authority by sexual assaulting people in their custody and under their care.” “Zakary Glover's actions are inexcusable and appalling,” said Douglas A. Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI will not stand by when people in positions of trust violate and victimize vulnerable community members. Mr. Glover abused his power and today’s sentence sends the message that the FBI and our partners will hold accountable anyone in a position of power who fails the citizens of their community.” According to the court documents, Glover served as a Direct Support Crisis Specialist for the Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Disabilities Stabilization and Crisis Unit (SACU). SACU operates several 24-hour crisis residential programs in Oregon that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a SACU employee, Glover was tasked with ensuring the health, safety and security of the individuals who lived at the residential facility where he worked. The victim, who has severe autism and cognitive deficits, was one of the individuals under Glover’s care. As part of his duties, Glover took the victim on outings in a state-owned van. The van used for such outings was purposely secured with child locks and a heavy plastic partition between the front and rear seats so that individuals like Glover’s victim cannot get out. On November 2, 2021, while on an outing with the victim, Glover drove down a dead-end road near a cemetery in Aumsville, Oregon. Upon reaching the dead-end, he parked the van near the cemetery’s gate and proceeded to engage in sexual acts with the victim without her consent. On February 18, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Glover with depriving the victim of her constitutional right to bodily integrity under color of law involving attempted aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping. On January 9, 2024, Glover pleaded guilty to depriving the victim of her constitutional right to bodily integrity under color of law involving attempted aggravated sexual abuse. This case was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office with assistance from Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin Bruce of the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Daniel Gruner of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.


title: Southaven Man Sentenced for Possession of a Stolen Firearm

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Southaven man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for possession of a stolen firearm. According to court documents, Jordan Dale Burgess, 33, was captured on surveillance video stealing a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensed dealer in Yazoo City, Mississippi, in March of 2023. Burgess was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2023. He pled guilty on December 12, 2023, to possession of a stolen firearm. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted 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: Former Connecticut Resident Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that KEVIN BIEBEL, 71, of Hardeeville, South Carolina, formerly of New Milford, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a tax offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, Biebel operated Art Metal Industries, LLC (“AMI”), a metal fabrication business. In 2017, AMI had total gross receipts of more $1.5 million and a net profit of more than $550,000. That year, Biebel transferred more than $350,000 from AMI to his personal bank account for various personal expenditures. In 2018, the IRS sought to collect delinquent payroll taxes from Biebel for AMI and instructed Biebel to file delinquent Individual Income Tax Returns (Forms 1040) for the 2016 and 2017 tax years. In September 2018, Biebel filed the returns, which fraudulently reported that he had zero total income and zero total tax due for both years. In 2018, AMI received more than $2.7 million in gross receipts and had a profit of more than $1.2 million. That year, Biebel transferred funds from an AMI bank account to his personal bank account and another bank account held in the name of Diego Trust LLC, a limited liability company for which Biebel was the sole listed member. Biebel used in excess of $750,000 in funds from those accounts to purchase a home in South Carolina and other assets. Biebel also failed to file individual income tax returns for 2018, 2019, and 2020 tax years. Between 2016 and 2020, Biebel failed to report more than $2.8 million in business income from AMI, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $900,000. In addition, he failed to withhold and pay over approximately $300,000 in employment taxes. Biebel pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years. He has agreed to pay restitution of $1,208,801. Biebel is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing. This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.


title: Ventura County Man and L.A. County Man Charged in Alleged Multimillion-Dollar ‘Pump-and-Dump’ Securities Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An indictment was unsealed today charging two California men for allegedly conspiring to defraud investors in a multi-year scheme involving the acquisition and sale of Airborne Wireless Network (stock ticker: ABWN) securities. Kalistratos “Kelly” Kabilafkas, 48, of Moorpark, and Jack Edward Daniels, 74, of Agoura Hills, are charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of securities fraud. Kabilafkas’ arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Daniels’ arraignment is scheduled for May 3 in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to the indictment, Kabilafkas and Daniels conspired to secretly acquire the freely tradeable shares of a publicly traded shell company that they subsequently rebranded as Airborne. To acquire the company, Kabilafkas allegedly misappropriated a $474,500 sham charitable donation and used the funds to secretly buy the shell company’s stock. Following the acquisition, together with Kabilafkas, Daniels—Airborne’s president and sole director – allegedly filed false reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission to conceal from investors that Kabilafkas secretly held all of Airborne’s stock. Without disclosing Kabilafkas’s acquisition of Airborne’s shares, Kabilafkas and Daniels allegedly used investors’ funds to orchestrate a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign designed to inflate Airborne’s stock price. During the advertising campaign, Airborne’s share price increased significantly for short periods of time, and Kabilafkas allegedly capitalized on the stock price spikes to sell millions of shares of Airborne stock and reap millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Kabilafkas and Daniels each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy and 20 years in prison for securities fraud. The United States Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney James C. Hughes of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorneys Theodore M. Kneller and Matt Kahn of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting this case. If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov . To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas .


title: Beaverton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Beaverton, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing fentanyl that caused the fatal overdose of a local man. Billy Ray Trueblood II, 33, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in early March 2019, investigators from the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN) responded to a fatal overdose of a local man in his early thirties who was found unresponsive by his roommates. An autopsy by the Oregon State Crime Lab later confirmed the man died of an acute fentanyl overdose. Further investigation revealed that the victim became addicted to opioids after using prescription pain killers in college to deal with athletic injuries. Investigators also learned the victim had been purchasing drugs from Trueblood since college and had recently exchanged text messages with him to arrange the purchase of “blues,” a term used to describe counterfeit Oxycodone pills manufactured with fentanyl. In the days following the victim’s fatal overdose, investigators attempted to locate Trueblood, but were unable to do so until one investigator spotted him on television at a Portland Trailblazers basketball game. After another investigator confirmed the man spotted was indeed Trueblood, the investigators relayed the information to police officers at the game who located and arrested him. During his arrest, Trueblood was found in possession of a large amount of cash and several types of pills including some that resembled those found in the deceased victim’s bedroom. On November 10, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Trueblood with distributing fentanyl, distributing fentanyl resulting in death, and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. On May 30, 2023, Trueblood pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. This case was investigated by WIN and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Lewis S. Burkhart, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. WIN is a Washington County, Oregon-based multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program that includes members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced  for Fentanyl Distribution

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CARLOS GUILLEN (“GUILLEN”) , age 38, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 25, 2024, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) and 841(b)(1)(C). According to court documents, on or about August 16, 2023, in New Orleans, GUILLEN sold Fentanyl to undercover special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced GUILLEN to serve 30 months in prison, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. Chief Judge Brown also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives on this investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Crookston Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: FERGUS FALLS, Minn. – A Crookston man has been sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for producing images and videos showing the sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to the defendant’s plea agreement and court documents, the minor victim in the case reported to school officials and to the Crookston Police that Jorge Alberto Torres, Jr., 52, had been sexually assaulting and abusing the minor victim for several years. Torres threatened and coerced the minor victim into submitting to his sexual demands, and he placed a hidden video camera in a bathroom used by the minor victim and others. The following day, law enforcement arrested Torres. Torres asked a family member to hide or destroy his Android cell phone and the hidden video camera. Law enforcement nonetheless recovered the cell phone and, after obtaining a search warrant, found that the cell phone contained multiple images and videos depicting Torres’s sexual abuse of the minor victim and other child pornography. Torres pleaded guilty on December 20, 2023, to one count of production of child pornography and admitted to other additional conduct constituting production of child pornography. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Crookston Police Department and the FBI's Minneapolis Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Bejar and Emily A. Polachek prosecuted the case.


title: Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on January 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the South Minneapolis residence of Andre Garner, 42, and recovered almost 800 grams of fentanyl in a van registered to Garner. During their search, law enforcement also recovered over 1,000 grams of cocaine, two firearms, and $9,400 in cash. Garner admitted that he told law enforcement that anything law enforcement found was his, including the money and the van, as part of his guilty plea. On December 18, 2023, Garner pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced today by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell in U.S. District Court. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary A. Taylor and William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.


title: Maryland Resident Sentenced for Preparing and Submitting Fraudulent Applications for Cares Act Financial Assistance

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHANIQUA PAGE WILSON (“WILSON”), age 33, a resident of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced on April 24, 2024, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to four years of probation after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343. The charges stem from WILSON’s role in preparing and filing false applications for loans related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Judge Milazzo also ordered WILSON to pay $104,160 in victim restitution to the Small Business Administration as well as a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, between about April 19, 2021, and May 20, 2021, WILSON and Co-Conspirator 1, recruited friends and family, primarily via word of mouth and text message to join their fraudulent scheme to obtain money from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. WILSON and Co-Conspirator 1 then created and electronically submitted loan applications. These loan applications falsely stated that the applicant had a sole proprietorship in the beauty industry that generated substantial income. Co-conspirator 1 charged some applicants up to approximately $5,000.00 once the PPP loan was funded. Co-conspirator 1 was indicted separately for his role in the offense in September 2023; his matter remains pending. Between about May 4, 2021, and May 5, 2021, WILSON and Co-conspirator 1 prepared and submitted approximately five (5) fraudulent PPP loan applications, including for themselves and their relatives, that resulted in an approximate loss of $104,160 to the United States Small Business Administration and other designated financial institutions. Among the individuals for whom WILSON and Co-conspirator 1 prepared and filed false PPP applications was Co-Conspirator 5, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana who was then employed by a City of New Orleans agency. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.


title: Richland Brothers Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Trafficking  Hundreds of Thousands of Fentanyl Pills into the Tri-Cities

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Richland, Washington - Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Kyle Ray Campbell, age 36, to 25 years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. The Court also sentenced Campbell’s codefendant, and brother, Cameron Earl Campbell, age 32, to 20 years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. Chief District Judge Bastian imposed 5 years of federal supervision on both defendants upon their release from custody. Kyle and Cameron Campbell are each from Richland, Washington. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, the Campbells were trafficking large amounts of fentanyl from Mexico into the Tri-Cities area. Beginning in early 2019, Kyle Campbell would travel to San Diego and meet a contact who would provide Campbell with fentanyl-laced pills that had been smuggled across the Mexican border. The contact would then take Campbell’s money for the pills back to Mexico and pay the source of supply. Cameron Campbell took over the trips to San Diego when he was off Washington State Department of Corrections supervision. Investigators learned the Campbells were provided with approximately 50,000 Fentanyl pills per month from early 2019 to February 2020. On February 8, 2020, Cameron Campbell took a bus from Pasco, Washington to San Ysidro, California. From February 9 to February 12, 2020, Cameron Campbell made several trips between San Ysidro, and Mexico. On February 12, Cameron Campbell took a bus from San Ysidro to Toppenish, Washington. FBI agents conducting surveillance on the bus observed Cameron Campbell get off the bus carrying several bags. He went into a laundry mat and appeared to be waiting. Agents entered the laundry mat and contacted Cameron Campbell and seized his phone and luggage. Following the execution of federal search warrant, agents recovered approximately 10,000 fentanyl-laced pills inside the seized bags. Agents also executed a search warrant on Cameron Campbell’s cell phone. The contents of the phone showed multiple text messages between Cameron Campbell and Kyle Campbell. The messages included details about the trip and an offer from Kyle to pick up Cameron when he got off the bus. The text messages also showed Cameron Campbell had left approximately 500 fentanyl-laced pills in a fast-food restaurant bathroom in Portland, Oregon for another person to pick up. In July of 2020, a federal search warrant was executed at Kyle Campbell’s home. Agents located a safe with 400 fentanyl-laced pills, baggies with drug residue, a phone, cash, and multiple firearms. Agent also recovered another handgun from the bedroom of the home. During sentencing, Chief Judge Bastian noted both defendants obstructed justice during the case – with Cameron Campbell attempting to have his now ex-wife erase cell phones seized by the FBI before they could be searched, and Kyle Campbell threatening a witness in the case with harm if the witness testified. Chief Judge Bastian also noted that while both defendants professed remorse and promised they would not engage in this type conduct again. Yet, at the same time as they promised they would not engage in further criminal activity, the Campbells were smuggling drugs into the Benton County Jail for distribution in the jail to other inmates. “The defendants in this case distributed a shocking amount of deadly illicit fentanyl into the Tri-Cities area. This poison causes untold damage to families, neighborhoods, and our nation,” stated U.S Attorney Waldref. “My office is committed to battling the fentanyl epidemic by working together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to prosecute the most significant traffickers to remove the source of supply of these dangerous narcotics and to protect our community.” “Every Fentanyl pill introduced into our communities has the potential to destroy lives.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “The Campbell brothers were trafficking thousands of these deadly pills into Washington state each month. The FBI and our partners will continue our efforts of keeping these poisons off the streets and out of our neighborhoods.” This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force in Tri-Cities, Washington, in cooperation with the Kennewick Police Department, Richland Police Department, Pasco Police Department, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin Baunsgard and Brandon Pang.


title: Owner of Vashon Island, Washington, landscaping company sentenced to 20 years in prison for human trafficking, labor trafficking and money laundering

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle –A 45-year-old Vashon Island, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20 years in prison for 21 federal felonies related to human trafficking and forced labor, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesus Ruiz-Hernandez, aka Christo Jesus Escobar Solares, was found guilty in January 2024 following a 13-day jury trial. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said that after observing Ruiz-Hernandez through the trial he saw “a complete lack of respect for the truth.” “For years, Jesus Ruiz-Hernandez lived a lie. He presented himself as the upstanding and hardworking owner of a successful landscaping business on Vashon Island. In reality, Ruiz-Hernandez was neither hardworking nor law-abiding,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “His business model was premised on enticing vulnerable persons from Mexico to come to the United States to work for his company – and then exploiting them by forcing them to work for him for little to no money while using their debts and immigration status to keep them tethered to him as his source of cheap labor.” “The crimes committed here will leave a scar on the victims and the entire community that Ruiz-Hernandez conned into believing that he lawfully supported, that he was pursuing the American dream when he was in fact subjecting would be workers into a life of subjugation,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “I’m thankful for our task force partnerships that result in a resounding win in the fight against human trafficking and am especially grateful to both the Department of Justice and the Seattle Police Department, as it is through their key collaborations that these complex investigations are accomplished.” Records filed in the case and testimony at trial revealed that Ruiz-Hernandez lured victims from his hometown of Vista Hermosa, Michoacan, with the promise of a better life for their families. In exchange, Ruiz-Hernandez required victims to put up collateral, including the temporary relinquishment of parental rights and interest in family properties. Ruiz-Hernandez, using smugglers he hired, brought the undocumented victims to the U.S. and then forced them to work for his company, Brothers Landscaping, on Vashon Island. He then charged the victims exorbitant fees for rent, food, and other expenses, housed them both in his home and worker properties and held ever increasing debts over their heads. In the spring of 2017, Ruiz-Hernandez used smugglers to bring an adult victim to the United States and then used force, threats of force, and physical violence to force the victim to work for him without pay. The jury found Ruiz-Hernandez committed aggravated sexual abuse against the victim. From 2018 until August 2021, Ruiz-Hernandez forced a second victim he had brought to the U.S. to work for him by threatening him with harm. The victim was also transported and harbored for financial gain. In all, Ruiz-Hernandez was convicted of exploiting the labor of seven people not legally in the U.S. In asking for a sentence of more than 24 years in prison, prosecutors noted that the criminal conduct in this case had gone on for more than seven years and likely involved more than the seven victims. “Ruiz-Hernandez treated his victims as nothing more than commodities to earn him money. He either refused to pay them at all, claiming that they owed him for outrageously inflated amounts for rent and other expenses, or paid them well below what they had earned. He treated them as indentured servants, forcing them to perform unpaid labor both at his house and at the rental properties.” Ruiz-Hernandez was also convicted of six counts of money laundering. Testimony revealed that Ruiz-Hernandez and his brothers had deposited over $1.5 million in checks from customers to their bank account between 2017 and 2022. Much of those funds were payment for the work done by the victims and others the defendant illegally brought to the U.S., trafficked, harbored, and exploited. Ruiz-Hernandez took steps to keep his name off corporate documents, financial records, numerous transactions, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of international wires to Mexico. Ruiz-Hernandez and his co-conspirators used some of that laundered proceeds to purchase two pieces of property on the island. Following the trial on the human and labor trafficking counts, the jury determined that the properties on Vashon were purchased with laundered proceeds of his illegal scheme and ordered that the properties should be forfeited to the government. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officer Megan Bruneau Zentner. Detective Zentner is with the Seattle Police Department, assigned to the HSI Task Force. Detective Zentner’s position is federally funded by the Department of Justice’s Enhanced Collaborative Model with a focus on investigating labor trafficking of foreign-born victims. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Crisham, Jehiel Baer, and former Assistant United States Attorney Jocelyn Cooney. Ms. Crisham is the Western District of Washington coordinator of efforts to stop human trafficking.


title: Jefferson Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHARLES WHITE (“WHITE”) , age 32, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2024, before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and quantities of cocaine base, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Correction: CHARLES WHITE , age 32, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2024, before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, in June 2022, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents initiated a joint investigation into CHARLES WHITE (“WHITE”) as a member of a co-conspirator’s cocaine distribution organization. As part of the investigation, agents utilized a DEA Confidential Source to make multiple controlled purchases of cocaine. Agents also conducted a government authorized wiretap investigation on the phones of 2 additional co-conspirators. The investigation revealed that a co-conspirator was a primary cocaine source of supply for another co-conspirator. WHITE and a co-conspirator worked for another co-conspirator and executed drug transactions on their behalf. WHITE faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. This case was investigated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Four East Bay Residents Charged In Street Gang Conspiracy To Commit Violent Robberies Of Bay Area Businesses

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has handed down a superseding indictment alleging Jakari Jenkins, Demarco Barnett, Garland Rabon, and Keanna Smith-Stewart conspired with each other, and other members of an Oakland-based street gang, to rob several San Francisco Bay Area businesses, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Special Agent in Charge Robert K Tripp. The superseding indictment, filed April 18, 2024, was unsealed last Friday at an initial appearance by defendant Rabon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. The final defendant to appear in court, Ms. Smith-Stewart, made her initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Westmore earlier today. The superseding indictment alleges that by March of 2022, the four defendants were all members of, or had association with, an Oakland-based street gang called the Ghost Town gang. The indictment describes a series of armed robberies and burglaries that were committed by groups of co-conspirators. The first robbery described in the superseding indictment involved Barnett and Jenkins, who along with other members of the gang carried out the armed robbery of a coin and stamp store located on the 10th floor of a building in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco. As part of the plan, members of the conspiracy allegedly rented a car to be used as a getaway car. In addition, members of the conspiracy stole a license plate to be used on the getaway car and met additional members of the conspiracy at the Oakland residence of another gang member. On March 18, 2022, the day of the robbery, Barnett, Jenkins, and at least two additional unnamed co-conspirators entered the store, brandished firearms, and demanded money from the business and the two individuals who happened to be present at the time— the owner and his son. The robbers struck the head and zip-tied the hands of the owner’s son, and absconded with cash, jewelry, and coins having an aggregate value of more than $300,000. The second armed robbery described in the superseding indictment occurred approximately eight months later. As a prelude to the second robbery, members of the conspiracy pretended to be customers of a jewelry store in San Pablo. The pretend customers left jewelry with the operators of the store. According to the indictment, Jenkins, Barnett, and Rabon arrived at the jewelry store on November 12, 2022, with at least four other co-conspirators and robbed the store of jewelry, including the jewelry that members of the gang previously had left with the store. The robbers arrived in two getaway cars—both Dodge Chargers bearing stolen license plates. Five co-conspirators, at least three of whom were brandishing firearms, entered the store while two of the co-conspirators waited outside in the getaway cars. The co-conspirators stole bags of jewelry valued at approximately $300,000 to $500,000. The indictment describes how all four defendants in the superseding indictment later wore the stolen jewelry, shared the stolen jewelry with other members of Ghost Town gang members, or otherwise made use of the stolen jewelry for their personal purposes. The superseding indictment also describes the November 24, 2022, burglary of an Audi dealership in Oakland. Specifically, the indictment describes how days before the robbery, Smith-Stewart allegedly purchased a black Audi S5 from the dealership using a fake driver’s license and another person’s social security number. After providing a down payment of approximately $9,500 toward the purchase of the car, Jenkins, Barnett, and another unindicted co-conspirator burglarized the dealership and stole the safe containing the down payment that Smith-Stewart previously had submitted. Finally, the superseding indictment describes the Christmas Eve, 2022, armed robbery of a marijuana business in Oakland and one of its employees. The superseding indictment describes how the worker was leaving the business when Jenkins, Barnett, Rabon, and Smith-Stewart, along with at least four other co-conspirators, arrived at the marijuana business in two getaway cars. The robbers brandished weapons, directed the worker back into the building, and demanded “budded weed” and “money.” One of the robbers struck the worker in the head with a firearm. The robbers searched through the worker’s pockets and stole his bank debit card. The robbers absconded with the victim’s debit card and a bag of marijuana plant trimmings. The superseding indictment describes how on December 26, 2022, Smith-Stewart allegedly used the victim’s debit card at Westfield Mall in San Francisco to purchase more than $1,000 worth of items at Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. In sum, the defendants are charged with the following crimes: Defendant Charge Maximum Statutory Sentence, If Convicted ALL DEFENDANTS (one count each) 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a) Conspiracy to Engage in Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce (Hobbs Act Robbery) - Imprisonment: 20 years - Fine: $250,000 - Supervised Release: 3 years - Special Assessment: $100 per count - Forfeiture - Restitution JAKARI JENKINS (three counts) DEMARCO BARNETT (three counts) GARLAND RABON (two counts) KEANNA SMITH-STEWART (one count) 18 U.S.C. § 1951 Robbery and Aiding and Abetting Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce - Imprisonment: 20 years - Fine: $250,000 - Supervised Release: 3 years - Special Assessment: $100 per count - Forfeiture - Restitution KEANNA SMITH-STEWART (one count) 18 U.S.C. §§ 1029(a) and 2 Counterfeit Access Device Fraud -Imprisonment: 10 years - Fine: $250,000 - Supervised Release: 3 years - Special Assessment: $100 - Forfeiture - Restitution KEANNA SMITH-STEWART (one count) 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(5) Access Device Fraud Imprisonment: 15 years - Fine: $250,000 - Supervised Release: 3 years - Special Assessment: $100 - Forfeiture - Restitution In addition, as part of any sentence, the court may order additional fines; restitution, if appropriate; and an additional term of supervised release to begin after any prison. Nevertheless, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Defendants Jenkins and Barnett are in custody and are scheduled to make the next appearance before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin on July 15, 2024, in Oakland. Defendants Rabon and Smith-Stewart are in custody and scheduled to appear before Chief Magistrate Judge Ryu on May 1, 2024. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Harding and Jonathan Lee, with the assistance of Yenni Weinberg and Erick Machado. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the police departments of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Pablo.


title: President Of A Campbell Home Health Care Company Pleads Guilty To Failure To Pay Employment Tax

body_text: SAN JOSE - Shane Brightpath Mike pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from the wages of his company’s employees, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office. Mike, 52, of Whittier, California, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury on June 27, 2019. He was charged with five counts of Failure to Pay Over Employment Tax in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202, and two counts of Making and Subscribing a False Return in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1). Today, Mike pleaded guilty to one count of Failure to Pay Over Employment Tax. In pleading guilty, Mike admitted that he owned and was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Excel Behavioral Services, Inc. (Excel), a business located in Campbell, California, that provided home care to persons with disabilities. Mike was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying those funds to the IRS. According to the plea agreement, from the fourth quarter of 2014 through the third quarter of 2015, Mike did not pay any of the withheld taxes to the IRS. For the third quarter of 2014, Mike only he paid part of the funds withheld. For these five quarters, Mike did not pay to the IRS more than $1 million in taxes. During that same time, Mike used Excel’s funds to pay his personal expenses. Mike also admitted to filing false personal income tax returns for tax years 2014 and 2015. On those returns, Mike falsely claimed credit for federal tax withholdings from wages he received from Excel, knowing that such in fact had not been paid over to the IRS. In total, Mike caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,177,947. Mike is currently released on bond. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 24, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. before The Honorable Beth Labson Freeman, United States District Court Judge, in San Jose. The maximum statutory penalty is 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and restitution of at least $1,177,947. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold and Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation.


title: Saint Bernard Man Sentenced  to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ROBERT C. METZLER (“METZLER”) , age 60, was sentenced on April 23, 2024, in connection with a two-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carisoprodol and possession with intent to distribute forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, oxycodone and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846 respectively. Specifically, METZLER was sentenced on each count to 69 months imprisonment, four years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. All sentences are to run concurrently with each other. According to court documents, METZLER conspired to receive shipments of carisoprodol from outside of the United States with the intent to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, these controlled substances within the Eastern District of Louisiana. Following the execution of a search warrant for METZLER’s home, agents recovered multiple controlled substances and documents associated with drug transactions. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Georgia Man Sentenced for Stealing Identities, Cash from Credit Union Customers

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Brandon Rayshawn Watkins, 30, of Douglasville, Georgia, was sentenced today to 13 months in federal prison for bank fraud. According to court documents and statements made in court, Watkins made unauthorized transactions from accounts at Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union in New Martinsville. Watkins obtained the personal identifying information and account numbers for numerous credit union customers, withdrawing cash from those accounts. Watkins also engaged in similar acts in South Carolina and the loss related to his criminal acts was over $70,000. Watkins was ordered to pay $70,750 in restitution to Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union and a personal money judgment of $10,050. He will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided. ###


title: Eight Individuals Charged with Attempted Child Enticement Resulting from Operation Red Rover Investigation

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: MACON, Ga. – Eight Georgia residents are charged by federal indictment with allegedly attempting to coerce and entice a child for sex resulting from Operation Red Rover, an investigation targeting online child predators. The final defendant was arraigned in federal court today. Naimilkumar Dadawala, 35, of McDonough, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor; Rashon Griggs, 28, of Hawkinsville, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor; Darryl Lockett, 29, of Macon, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor; Jose Santiago Longoria Alvarez, 45, of Fort Valley, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor; Dewan Mitchell, 35, of Kathleen, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography; Jon Wiltberger, 33, of Manchester, Georgia, and formerly of Phenix City, Alabama, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor; Marquaze Williams, 31, of Eatonton, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of committing a sexual offense as a registered sex offender; and Steven Williams, 44, of Bonaire, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of life imprisonment for their crimes. The indictments allege that the individuals attempted to entice children they met online to engage in sexually explicit acts in Feb. 2024. The indictments were returned by a federal grand jury in March and April 2024. Defendant Dadawala was arraigned in federal court this afternoon; all defendants have had their arraignment hearings. The case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Child Exploitation & Cyber Investigations Group (HSI-CECIG) and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 105, located at Robins Air Force Base. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Wayne Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Smuggling Methamphetamine Pills into U.S., Lying to DEA Task Force Officer

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Wayne man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor to attempting to smuggle methamphetamine pills into the U.S. and intentionally making false statements to a federal law enforcement agent. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Victor Sousa , 25, to 33 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Sousa pleaded guilty to the drug charges on September 30, 2022, and to making false statements on December 5, 2023. According to court records, in July 2019, Sousa crossed the U.S. border into Canada, returning a few hours later. Sousa was observed fidgeting with his pants and was stopped for secondary inspection. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 93 pills in his underwear. Sousa admitted to investigators that he had gone to Canada to purchase the pills, which weighed a total of 41.12 grams and contained a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine. In November 2022, while in jail awaiting sentencing on the drug charges, Sousa was questioned by a Task Force Officer with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regarding two subjects of a federal narcotics investigation. After denying that he knew either subject, Sousa called one of the subjects from jail multiple times. Court records further indicated that Sousa had previously lived with the subject whom he called from the jail, and that the second subject had supplied Sousa with narcotics in the past. The DEA investigated the case. ###


title: Cincinnati man allegedly scammed dozens of victims out of more than $2 million as part of online romance fraud conspiracy

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted Richard Opoku Agyemang, 40, of Cincinnati, in connection with a romance-fraud conspiracy allegedly involving more than $2 million in loss to dozens of victims. The indictment alleges that Agyemang conspired with others to use stolen photographs and false information to create profiles on dating websites. The coconspirators allegedly used these false profiles to reach out to victims and establish an online romantic relationship. The indictment alleges that, eventually, the coconspirators, pretending to be the person pictured in the false profile, would ask the victims to send money, falsely representing that the money was needed for things like medical expenses or to help bring a large inheritance of gold to the United States. The victims either wired money or deposited checks to accounts allegedly controlled by Agyemang or other members of the conspiracy. Members of the conspiracy would allegedly launder the proceeds of the scheme by making wire and electronic transfers, including to domestic accounts and to accounts in China. According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, more than $2 million, transferred from dozens of victims, passed through Agyemang’s accounts. The 11-count indictment charges Agyemang with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of money laundering, and three counts of engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of criminal activity. Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison; engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of criminal activity is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The indictment also alleges that Agyemang made false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in a Payment Protection Program (PPP) loan application in April 2021, which resulted in the SBA awarding him more than $20,000 in COVID relief to which he was not entitled. That crime is punishable by up to five years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division, announced the indictment. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case. Agyemang appeared in federal court today at 1:30pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Litkovitz and was arraigned on the charges. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Business partner of former Cincinnati city councilman sentenced to prison for serving as middleman in bribery schemes

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who served as a middleman for a former city councilman’s bribery schemes was sentenced in federal court here today to 12 months and one day in prison. Tyran Marshall, 38, conspired with then-councilmember Jeffrey Pastor. Marshall coordinated bribery payments and “sanitized” money through a non-profit he created. He pleaded guilty in December 2023 to money laundering. While serving as a city councilman in fall 2018, Pastor, 40, of Cincinnati, received a $15,000 cash bribe in return for his official action to advance development projects in the city. Pastor pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud and was sentenced in December 2023 to 24 months in prison. According to court documents, in September 2018, Marshall and Pastor flew to Miami, Florida, on a private plane to meet with investors regarding a real estate development project. During the trip, Pastor explained he would ensure favorable action on behalf of the city for the project and could receive money through Marshall’s non-profit entity (which had been incorporated two weeks prior). Pastor discussed “compensation” and agreed to accept $15,000 for helping with the project. In October 2018, Marshall met with an individual to discuss getting city council votes from Pastor and return compensation for Pastor. Marshall solicited payment from the individual on more than one occasion. He accepted a check made out to his non-profit entity knowing it was in exchange for bribery. Marshall also participated in soliciting corrupt base salaries of $200,000 per person for him and Pastor to continue working with the investors. Their solicitations were rejected. Marshall and Pastor were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2020. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Cusick Man Who Illegally Possessed Firearms and Threatened to Kill a Family Sentenced to Prison

body_text: Spokane, Washington - U.S. Senior District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Aaron Joseph Cunningham, age 47, of Cusick, Washington, to 41 months in federal prison on one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Allen was convicted on October 19, 2023, following a jury trial. Senior Judge Peterson also sentenced to Cunningham to 3 years of federal supervision after he is released from prison. According to court documents and information disclosed at trial and sentencing, on October 24, 2021, Cunningham was driving his deceased brother’s car, which he had been using as his own. Law enforcement stopped Cunningham on a Department of Corrections warrant and arrested him. The car was towed, impounded, and ultimately set for auction. On November 30, tow employees inventoried the car for auction. Employees located two black Glock firearms in glovebox. Both firearms were loaded and chambered. During the investigation of the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by Cunningham, law enforcement learned that Cunningham had made repeated threats to a family living on his deceased brother’s property. In the early morning hours of October 18, Cunningham came onto the property armed with two Glock-style firearms and accused the family of being squatters. Before leaving the property, Cunningham yelled, “I will kill you all.” “Mr. Cunningham illegally possessed loaded firearms and used them in an attempt to frighten and threaten a family on their own property. This type of crime is not just a threat to people’s safety, it is a threat to their freedom to go about their daily lives,” stated United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “By working with our law enforcement partners to remove illegal firearms, we can have a significant impact in making our homes and communities safer.” “Mr. Cunningham was prohibited from possessing firearms yet used them as a means to threaten his family,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “This sentence is well deserved and should send a message to anyone who would think to use firearms in this manner.” This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Herzog.